#hwb2025

[aggressiveviking]

hot chocolate ☕💕

prompt fill for @harringrovewinterbingo

[bubblegumflavor]

Come on, Steve... He's trying. =( ♡

For the @harringrovewinterbingo A2: Stuck in the snow.

[avalonlights]

For @harringrovewinterbingo | A2: “Sleepover” 💕 🛏️

[harringrovewinterbingo]

Harringrove Winter Bingo has art!

Big thanks to @aggressiveviking who created this cutest art of the boys for the bingo that is the bingo's visual signature everywhere and greets you whenever you visit the blog💙

- ❄️❄️❄️-

Remember, the sign up for the bingo is open until 24 December 2024! Sign up here 💙

[harringrovesummerbingo]

The boys are back with their shenanigans in the Summer Bingo theme art created by the amazing @safk-art 🧡

More details about the bingo ->

[harringroveobsessed]

The Steve Harrington Problem

for the @harringrovewinterbingo prompt A2: Oh. oh. (Sorry it's a little late) Read on AO3 here.

At first, Billy thought being friendly with Harrington would help. Maybe if he was closer to the guy he’d find a flaw, find something deeply unappealing hidden inside the much too pretty package that is Steve Harrington. Billy would try just about anything to help him get over the ridiculous infatuation he has with the other boy.

Billy had only been in town for a week, but he’d heard the gossip, knew Harrington had recently been dumped and lost his friends too; Billy actually felt a bit sorry for the guy watching him mope on his table of one in the cafeteria every day. So, in the end Billy made a plan and reached out. Friends. Billy could be a good friend, a very good, very platonic friend.

Only, Billy very quickly encountered a couple of problems with his plan of being friends with Harrington. See, Harrington is lonely, and Harrington is fucking clingy. All it took was for Billy’s usual glares turning into tentative smiles, his shoves in basketball replaced with more friendly banter and suddenly Billy couldn’t shake the guy if he tried.

At all times of the day Harrington would find him, he’d hang out by Billy’s locker, wait at the door of Billy’s classes, mooch around by the Camaro at final bell and once even turned up at Cherry Lane at 10pm on a fucking Sunday because he was bored.

In a matter of weeks all of Billy’s spare time becomes Harrington’s time and it would be fine, really, but the pesky little crush just isn’t fading as quickly as Billy had planned.

Harrington is just sweet and Billy can’t help but blush when the guy’s face lights up like the damn fourth of July anytime Billy agrees to hang out. Can’t stop his pulse racing at the sight of big, brown eyes shining with tears as apparently Harrington gets giggly when he’s high. Harrington flutters around Billy when they hang, always making sure his drink is topped up, gives Billy the best slices of pizza, he buys him snacks and little trinkets he finds that he thought Billy would like. Harrington made him a mixtape for Christmas which Billy may or may not have listened to far too many times. Billy feels fucking cherished alright?

Harrington is kinda bitchy too, in just the way Billy likes. They can spend hours dicking around in his pool talking shit on everyone they go to high school with. Harrington has the good gossip too, having been the one to grow up here and all and has no qualms in gleefully telling Billy about the time that Hagan got caught fooling around on Carol and the almighty shit storm that followed. He has no problems with giving Billy shit either, gets all haughty and tells him in no uncertain terms to - ‘stop calling me Harrington dickwad, you sound like an asshole.’

Billy soon discovered yet another Har-Steve problem in that Steve is awfully…touchy. It’s like he realised Billy is sticking around and now it seems Steve can’t keep his fucking hands to himself. Steve will sling an arm around Billy’s shoulders in the hallway at school, will nestle up close until their thighs are pressed together on the sofa during movie night and fucking hugs are something they do now apparently. Hello hugs, goodbye hugs, thanks for picking up dinner hugs. Steve will pull Billy into his arms and squeeze for any reason he deems fit, and this is something that Billy is just supposed to be normal about?

So, yeah, plan one. Failure. Billy’s crush has not only faded away, its fucking bursting at the seams, itching for him to do something incredibly stupid like kiss Steve on his stupid plush, kissable lips.

Time starts to morph and shift in a way it didn’t before Billy became friends with Steve, it feels like he blinked and Winter gave way to Spring and he’s been Steve’s friend for months. Best friends, Steve declared one random night in March, pushing Billy into the pool in retaliation to his snarking about friendship bracelets in an effort to hide his crimson face. Billy glared at Steve as he cackled on the deck, not moving a finger to help him of course.

Christ, Billy is in love with an asshole. And wait…Billy blinks as his whole body jolts as if he’s been shocked when he realises… what? He loves him? Oh Jesus Christ of course he does, he’s fucking fallen in love with Steve. Obviously only Billy could end up being this monumentally stupid.

The crush was bad enough but this, this is bad, like yeah Billy has had ‘feelings’ for other guys before but it’s usually more of a lust based thing, not this mushy shit. Billy doesn’t do mushy shit like daydream about holding hands or stroking his fingers through Steve’s famous hair while they cuddle on the sof- and oh god, he HAS been thinking about this hasn’t he? Billy’s lost his goddamn mind over a straight guy in Indi-fuckin-ana.

“Hey, Bill are you alright man?” Steve’s voice pierces the silence, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Billy opens his mouth to respond but only manages to choke out a strangled sort of noise. His mouth is too dry, he can’t stop his hands from shaking and Steve is just staring at him. He stumbles back when Steve presses forward, Billy can’t quite catch his breath and the pain in his chest is screaming alongside the voice in his head.

Billy takes another step back and gravity goes a little funny for a second until he realises, and oh, he’s falling. His body hits the surface of the water with a smack, and he can’t seem to move a muscle to help himself as he goes under; Billy thinks kind of hysterically that this is a fine way to die, preferable to Neil sniffing out his stupid feelings and finishing the job for him anyway.

Distantly, Billy hears a splash as two strong hands grasp under his arms and start pulling him up towards the surface, he gasps in a breath as he’s hauled up against the side of the pool and now his head is a little clearer he can only feel one thing, pure burning mortification. He used to surf for fuck’ sake and he just nearly drowned in 6ft of water, he was a lifeguard and Billy’s pretty sure not drowning would be rule number one in the handbook if they made one. And all of this in front of Steve, the boy he’s just realised he’s in love with, honestly, the bottom of the pool is looking more inviting by the second.

Billy’s broken out of his morbid musings by hands cupping his cheeks, long fingers brushing his wet curls behind his ears; Billy closes his eyes, he can’t possibly look at Steve right now, but then the nice, gentle hands are suddenly less nice as they deliver a sharp slap to Billy’s cheek.

“Billy, what the fuck was that?” Steve sounds frantic and really, fuck him, this is all his fault anyway in Billy’s opinion, “Are you okay, do I need to like take you to hospital?”

The mention of the hospital has Billy snapping back to reality real fucking fast, he coughs bringing up a mouthful of pool water – which gross, Steve probably pees in there, he’s disgusting like that sometimes – and manages to croak out "No, ‘m fine lemme up,” his voice cracks embarrassingly and for the third time in however many minutes, Billy wishes for the sweet release of death; he needs to get out of here.

Billy pushes Steve’s hands away and pulls himself to his feet, swaying slightly as his head swims but fuck that he needs to leave. He can hear Steve following behind, babbling in the way he does when he’s panicking but Billy ignores him; he knows he looks batshit right now, crazy eyed, bare footed and soaked to the bone in wet denim, barrelling through Steve’s ridiculous mansion like a man on a mission but Billy has thankfully reached acceptance on his mortification journey.

Mourning the lack of seat covers in the Camaro Billy starts mentally preparing his new plan, avoid Steve Harrington at all costs. His first plan was a bust but that’s okay he thinks, not every plans a winner he’s just gotta put all his focus into this new one. He was an idiot anyway it will be so much easier to not be in love with Steve if he doesn’t actually have to see big bambi eyes every second of the da-

“BILLY!” Steve shouts, somehow having managed to manhandle Billy into the door he was trying to escape through, “Fucking talk to me asshole, where the fuck are you going?!”

Steve looks angry now, good Billy thinks, arguing is good. Good first step on his shiny new plan. He shakes his shoulders out, schooling his face into a flat glare he drawls in the most bored voice he can manage, “Hey, St-Harrington. Take your fucking hands off me before I make you, yeah?”

Steve just stares at him in his usual doe eyed, confused way, “Are you really that pissed I pushed you in the pool? It was just a joke Bill, I didn’t know you’d… whatever the fuck happened back there.”

“Are you fucking stupid Harrington?” Billy yells, he’s got to sell this, make it stick, “I’m just sick of pretending to be your friend and tonight was the last straw. Best friends? Fucking bullshit more like!” Billy winces as he watches that last one hit Steve like a truck, he feels like the shittiest person who ever lived, he can feel all the poison Neil helped nurture inside of him, watches as it spills out all over Steve’s beautiful face.

This is for the best Billy thinks, he was never worthy of being Steve’s friend never mind being in love with him for Christ’s sake, he can hurt Steve now and avoid him being consumed by Billy’s poison later down the road when it would only hurt more.

“Okay.” Steve is calm, much too calm. He’s still gripping Billy’s shoulders, his eyes searching Billy’s face with an intensity that makes him squirm, “So, lets put to one side for now the bullshit you just said to me, why the fuck are you lying? Because we both know you’re lying right? So, tell me the truth Billy.”

Billy bristles at the implication that he’s lying (he is) and at the way Steve is talking to him like he’s a toddler having a hissy fit (again, he is). He’s pissed, this is not going the way he planned and he’s floundering for a response now that Steve’s seen past his bullshit, and how the fuck did he do that anyway?

“Anytime today, Bill.” Steve says, stern, like a fucking schoolteacher. “Why are you lying to me?”

Billy has always hated being backed into a corner with no way out, he tears himself out of Steve’s grip, his common sense lost to the red haze that has descended as he hears himself shout, “Because I fucking LOVE you Steve, for fuck sake, I’m an idiot and a fucking queer and I didn’t mean to god, but I just realised that I’m in love with you alright, so fuck off and leave me alone!”

Billy is getting real sick of loaded silences tonight, his heaving breaths the only sound cutting through the fallout of his horrible, awful confession.

“Oh.” Steve breathes, “Oh.”

“Yeah. So, am I free to go now Harrington or did you want to get a hit in first?” Billy sighs, all the bravado he built up long gone, leaving him feeling stupid and ashamed and he just wants to go home. He supposes his plan worked; there’s no way Steve will come anywhere near him now.

Taking Steve’s continued silence as Billy’s request granted, he turns to leave, Billy hasn’t looked at Steve since his outburst so when the guy lunges to grab Billy’s arm he can’t help the full body flinch that rolls through him. Billy clenches his eyes shut at the feeling, he can’t bear to see the look of disgust in Steve’s eyes as he gives him a bruise that Billy will for once, deserve.

“I fucking told you not to call me Harrington dickhead.”

Bracing for pain, Billy’s head reels when instead the hand that touches his cheek is gentle. He refuses to open his eyes, shuts them tighter even; he’s not sure what kind of trick Steve is playing here but he doesn’t have to see it.

Over the sound of the blood roaring in Billy’s ears he hears Steve huff out a fond sounding ’Dumbass.’ and then Steve’s kissing him.

Steve is kissing him and maybe Billy is actually dead at the bottom of the Harrington pool because he can’t possibly be expected to keep his head during whatever is happening here.

“Kiss me back asshole. I’m so fuckin’ pissed at you, Jesus Christ Billy,” Steve murmurs between more soft kisses pressed to Billy’s lips. “Gunna let you drown next time, fuckin’ scaring me like this.”

Despite himself, Billy snorts nervously against Steve’s mouth, “I’m getting some kinda mixed messages here Steve, I don’t really know what’s going on? You’re kissing me?”

Steve pulls back an inch, cups his hands around Billy’s stupid sticky out ears that he always teases him for, “Come on Bill, you’re the smart one here. I’ve been basically throwing myself at you for months. I made you a mixtape idiot.”

“Oh.”

“Oh.” Steve mocks, “So, full disclosure I’m totally going to yell at you later, but I love you too and if you don’t kiss me back right goddamn now, I swear to god Billy I’m going t-”

So he complies, kisses Steve hard just like Billy’s always wanted to, and hearing the way Steve whimpers into the kiss Billy formulates his final plan; Love the fuck out of Steve Harrington.

[fkinkindagauche]

Do Those Come in XL?

This is a @harringrovewinterbingo prompt fill for square A1 - Buying Condoms.

Pairing: Steve Harrington/Billy Hargrove Rating: Teen and Up WC: 1,225 Tags: AU - no Upside Down, AU - different first meeting, Meetcute Summary: A hot guy keeps coming into the drug store where Steve works.

divider by @/saradika-graphics

The first time the blond guy came into the store, Steve was on the brink of dying of boredom. He'd always hated winter and that feeling of being cooped up inside, but it had been even worse this year, with his job in the near-windowless drug store. At least Family Video had had big windows. He could people watch the strip mall parking lot on the really slow nights. He didn't even have that here at the drug store.

Robin wasn't working with him tonight, and it had been slow. Just a few tired old dudes asking where the hemorrhoid cream or arthritis cream was. Steve brightened as someone around his age walked in for once, letting in a blast of frigid air as the doors opened. He looked like he was in a hurry, running past Steve at the register without even looking at him, straight back to the coolers. He was hot - long dirty blond hair and a muscular body wrapped in tight jeans, paired with a mostly open button-down shirt and a thin leather jacket. Completely inappropriate for the weather, but Steve appreciated the aesthetic.

He dropped an energy drink on the counter and finally looked at Steve. His eyes widened as he swept them over Steve hungrily. He grinned when his eyes came back up to meet Steve's.

Steve was flustered by the full force of the man's attention. He grabbed the energy drink and scanned it, telling him the total. The guy handed over a bunch of change, watching Steve as he counted it.

"Thanks, Steve," he said with a smirk, then left the store. Steve panicked for a moment, wondering how the guy had known his name. Then he glanced down at his name tag and sighed in relief. Right. Not a mind reader, just a regular reader.

Steve knew it was most likely going to be a one-time thing. He'd never seen this guy before, so he probably didn't live around here. Every once in a while his mind would drift to the sight of that ass in those jeans, but otherwise he mostly forgot about him. Until he came back in.

Robin was working with him this time. She was at the register while Steve was stocking shelves, in the soap aisle. He heard voices from the front of the store and peeked down the aisle to make sure Robin didn't need him to come man the second register.

It was the guy again. He was talking to Robin. Steve couldn't hear what he was saying, but Robin gestured vaguely toward the area of the store Steve was working in. The guy caught sight of him and headed toward Steve's aisle. But as he walked down the aisle, he just looked at the shelves and ignored Steve.

"Um. Can I help you find something?" Steve asked when it seemed the man was going to keep browsing aimlessly.

He looked over at Steve with an overblown surprised expression, like he hadn't seen Steve there. "Oh, hi there, Steve. I didn't see you."

Steve suppressed the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. "Looking for something in particular?" he asked.

"What's your favorite soap?" the man asked. "Which one smells best to you?"

Weird fucking question. "Uh." Steve scanned the shelves, then pointed to a section. "Those are good."

The man grinned, and grabbed a bar of the soap. "Thanks." He walked up to the register, swaying his hips in a very obviously contrived way.

Once he was gone, Robin immediately waylaid Steve in the soap aisle. "What the hell was that?" she hissed. "Do you know that guy?"

Steve shook his head. "No. I mean, he came in a few days ago, but that was the first time I ever saw him."

"I think he's got the hots for you."

Steve blushed. "I doubt it." The guy exuded bad boy vibes. Steve may be into that type, but they didn't usually see his appeal.

Robin crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the shelf. "He took one look at me at the register, frowned, and asked if there was anyone else working today. He was looking for you."

Steve shrugged. "Seems unlikely."

Robin rolled her eyes. "What'd he say to you?"

"He just asked what my favorite soap was, which one smelled best to me."

She poked a finger into his chest. "So he could use it, and smell good to you!" she crowed triumphantly. "He's into you, dingus."

"Doesn't really matter," Steve insisted. "I don't even know his name. I'll probably never see him again."

But Steve did see him again. He came in every evening for the next few days - for hairspray, gum, and shampoo. Each time, he asked Steve what his favorite was. Robin was having a field day with the whole situation. Steve was starting to think she might be right about the man being into him, as weird as that seemed.

Friday was Steve's day off. He wondered if the guy was gonna go to the store, and if he did, what he'd think when Steve wasn't there. Robin was off, too, and Steve could only imagine how confused Dave would be by the guy.

He went in for his shift on Saturday wondering if the guy would still come, or if he would be put off by Steve's absence the day before. Every time the doors swooshed open Steve felt a little rush of anticipation, only to have it crushed when someone who wasn't the guy walked through the door.

Finally, toward the end of his shift, Steve caught sight of the blond man walking through the doors. He grinned when he saw Steve at the register, going straight over to him.

"Missed you yesterday, Steve. That other guy wasn't nearly as… helpful." He said the last word like he wanted to put a different adjective there.

"What can I help you find today?" Steve asked.

The man looked thoughtful for a moment, like he was deliberating something. "Condoms," he finally said.

Steve felt a little thrill run through his belly. "We keep them behind the counter here," Steve explained, turning away. "Do you have a brand preference?"

"Whatever's on the lowest shelf." That meant Steve had to bend all the way over, giving the guy a real eyeful of his ass.

Steve turned when he was done, placing the condoms on the counter. The man looked at them then glanced up with a wicked grin on his face. "You have those in extra large?"

Steve couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes this time. "Really?" he asked.

"Really," the guy insisted. "Sometimes even the extra large doesn't fit."

Steve snorted a laugh, and screwed up his courage. "Look, man. Do you want my number?"

The man grinned even wider. "Absolutely."

Steve scrawled his number on the back of an old receipt. The man grabbed for it but Steve held it back. "Wait. What's your name?"

"Billy," he replied.

Steve relinquished the receipt. Billy turned to leave. "Aren't you gonna buy the condoms?" Steve asked, perplexed.

Billy looked back over his shoulder at him. "Oh, no. I've got plenty at home. I got what I came for." He held up the receipt with Steve's number on it, then left the store, calling "talk to you soon" back over his shoulder.

[maybetorbie]

look into his angel eyes, one look and you're hypnotized

(just a perfectly normal guys' night out, 1985)

For @harringrovewinterbingo prompt - shimmer

[theladycarpathia]

Think I'm just squeaking it in for @harringrovewinterbingo, so I'll post as many of my multi-chapter fic as I have finished. (note to future self - do not decide to do this two weeks before deadline again) Chapter 1/6 Pairing: Steve Harrington/Billy Hargrove Rating: Explicit Tags: College AU, no upside-down AU, enemies to lovers, road trip, explicit sex, mentions of domestic abuse, mentions of child abuse, mentions of homophobia, modern au Summary: People shouldn't be allowed to volunteer you for favors. Especially not when it involves giving Billy Hargrove a lift back to Hawkins for the winter break. Sitting in a car with him for hours seems bad enough, and only gets worse when it begins to snow.

Free Square - home for the holidays

It was technically his mother’s fault. 

“Is she serious?” Robin asks, lounging with her feet on Steve’s bed. He’s actually too incensed to scold her for once, throwing things he might need for the winter break into his bag. He’d meant to pack last night but he got invited to a party and woke up this morning in a frat house with a sock plastered to his forehead. “Is she insane?”

“She exists to torture me,” Steve mutters, because right now it feels like it. Parents shouldn’t be allowed to volunteer you for stuff without your consent. And his head is still thumping because it goes to show that you should never drink anything that Jason Carver gives you. 

“Has she met Billy Hargrove?” Robin asks, dropping her head back against his pillow. Steve snorts and snatches his phone charger from the drawer.

“Probably not,” he says. “It wouldn’t matter if she had. You never saw Billy meeting Nancy’s mom. God, it was gross.”

Robin nods, tugging a Twizzler out of the packet. Against Steve’s better judgement, somehow she’s taken over one of his drawers with her stash. “He’s deceptively good at acting like a normal human being.”

“Besides, it was Billy’s mom who mentioned that Billy didn’t have a way to get back to Hawkins,” Steve says, digging in a drawer for his favorite hoodie. “His car’s in for repairs or something…so my mom offered my services.”

“Without asking,” Robin repeats dutifully, because this is all Steve has been able to say for several days. 

“Without asking,” Steve agrees, because he’s been pissed with his mom for three whole days, from right about the time she called and said ‘hey, you don’t mind giving someone a lift home for the holidays, do you?’

And he hadn’t. Until she said she’d run into Billy’s mother at the supermarket and had told Abigail Hargrove that her son would only be too happy to do it. Especially as they lived in the same halls, on the same floor! As though this was some fortunate piece of fate designed by Steve himself rather than the bad luck of being assigned by the college. 

“It just makes sense,” his mom had said crossly. “You don’t even have to go out of your way.”

It’s easy for her to say that. She doesn’t have to spend several hours trapped in a car with Billy Hargrove. 

“He’s a tool,” Robin says, chewing on the end of her Twizzler. “He’s friends with Heather, you know.”

“No, I didn’t,” Steve says shortly. He has ten minutes before he’s due to leave and the fact that Billy will arrive in the doorway of his room any minute now is putting him on edge. Billy might just live down the hall but it’s not like they interact. Not willingly anyway. Every time Steve goes to a party, he finds Billy’s bare chest in front of him, challenging him to beer pong or shots or dives into the pool. Billy was at the same high school, one year behind Steve, and he’d gotten in Steve’s face the moment he got to college back in the fall.

“They hang out,” Robin continues, with obvious disgust. “Billy’s been in my room.”

“How would you know?” Steve asks, a little bit thrown. “You’re never in your room.”

“I am sometimes in my room,” Robin protests, as though she doesn’t have a sleeping bag stashed in Steve’s cupboard. Thank God Steve has a single, or his roommate might have an issue with Robin appearing most nights to sleep on Steve’s floor. 

Steve gets roommate issues. But Robin’s severe aversion to her room and Heather makes him think that something else is going on. He’s met Heather at parties and she’s pretty cool. Definitely nothing worth avoiding the hell out of the place you pay to sleep. 

“And when I am there, Billy’s sometimes there,” Robin says sulkily, fingers deep in the Twizzlers packet again. She appears to be toying with them, never pulling one out and Steve wonders a little if she even gets why the strangely familiar motion she’s making with her fingers may hint at some sort of underlying reason. 

“Doing what?” Steve asks curiously. He can’t quite imagine Billy doing anything other than being a dick in the most low cut shirt known to man. He sees him elsewhere sometimes - on the quad, at games, in the showers…but these are all places where Billy isn’t exactly at ease. 

“Watching horror movies with Heather,” Robin says vaguely. “Eating doughnuts…not a lot.”

“Are they dating?” Steve asks curiously, because he can’t imagine Billy doing anything in a girl’s room that doesn’t require a sock on the door. And predictably, Robin reacts, scrunching up her face in disgust. 

“Ew. God, I hope not,” she says vehemently and Steve turns so she can’t see his smirk. 

“Heather must date,” he says casually. “She looks like the kind of girl who might have dated the pretty jock type in school. Wasn’t she a cheerleader?”

“She was,” Robin says, as Steve shoves socks into his duffel. He probably has socks at home but he’s never sure. He still half thinks that his mom took him going to college as an opportunity to clear out whatever she thought was too old, too tatty or too stained. Which is probably most of what he left behind when he packed up his car to come here. 

“There you go then,” Steve says, shrugging. His duffel won’t do up so he presses the contents down as far as they will go and then yanks the zipper. “Cheerleaders date jocks. Trust me, I have experience with this.”

“So I heard,” Robin says and bites down with a little more aggression than perhaps a Twizzler requires. 

“What are you doing anyway?” Steve asks, because Robin’s normally his passenger back to Hawkins for the holidays. “You know you can’t stay here for the holidays, right?”

“I don’t have to go home either,” Robin says pointedly. “One of the girls from my film club invited a bunch of us to her dad’s cabin for Christmas. It’s got to be better than my great-aunt making comments about those kinds of people over my mom’s cabbage.”

“Queer girls refuge,” Steve says and nods. He’s not thrilled about going home either, even less so without his partner in crime there. But he gets why it’s even worse for Robin. His family dinners are often stiff, counted down by how many times his dad checks his tablet, but at least no one makes pointed jabs about his life. 

Not many anyway. 

“Don’t think there’ll be much by way of a proper dinner,” Robin says, scrunching up her nose. Knowing what college kids' version of food is like, their dinner will be off-brand ramen and more Twizzlers, but it’s the price you pay for freedom. “But it’ll be fun. Vickie’s gonna drive a few of us later.”

“Have a good time,” Steve says, throwing a few final items into his bag and struggling to do up the zip. He’s not even sure why he’s trying - he’ll end up wearing either what his mom has conveniently slipped into his closet while he’s been gone, or the same pair of sweats all day when his parents are out of the house. “Send me updates.”

“You too,” Robin says, rolling over on his bed. “Let me know whether you survived Hargrove.” Steve snorts and finally gets the zip closed, chucking the bag and his hoodie on his desk chair. 

“Debatable,” he says disdainfully. “I’ll text you.”

The sharp thump at the door is the only warning they get, before the door swings open. Billy hangs in the doorway, like a vampire waiting for an invitation. Steve feels vaguely violated just by the mere presence of Hargrove in his space. 

“Harrington,” Billy says curtly and then catches sight of Robin scowling at him from the bed. “Buckley.”

“Hargrove,” Steve says in return, and looks around his room. If he hasn’t packed something, he can deal. It’s only two weeks. “Can you lock up?”

“Sure,” Robin says, because as expected, she has no intent of returning to her room. She’d packed late last night, while Heather was out, and won’t return until she’s sure her roommate has gone for the break. 

Honestly. What some people will do to avoid facing their feelings. 

“Got everything?” Steve asks and Billy jerks his head. 

“Got enough,” he says, raising the battered duffel in his hand. “It’s fucking turkey and Hallmark movies with my mom, I don’t need much.”

Steve doesn’t comment on the Hallmark movies. It feels too much like a trap. 

“Let’s get on the road then,” he says reluctantly. The sooner they leave, the sooner he can drop Hargrove at home and not see him again for two weeks. 

Oh shit. Is he going to have to bring Billy back to school too? He never even thought to ask, and it feels like something his mom might conveniently bring up in the new year, right before he’s due to drive back. 

“Home for the holidays,” Billy quips, with a toothy grin. “If shitty Hawkins counts.”

“You moved there,” Steve bites out. But Billy’s mouth just twists into an expression that he’s not used to seeing on Hargrove. 

“I didn’t have much say in the matter,” Billy mutters in such a tone that Steve just drops it. Conversations with Billy feel all too often like a minefield, for reasons he doesn’t understand. 

“Nice ride,” Billy says admiringly, when they reach Steve’s car. Steve pops the trunk and chucks his stuff in, gesturing for Billy to do the same. 

“Seriously?” Steve asks, a little surprised. He’s seen Billy’s car and he’d be lying if he hadn’t fucking salivated over it. “I mean, I thought you wouldn’t be into something like this. I’ve seen your car.”

“I can appreciate modern cars too,” Billy says loftily and throws himself into the passenger seat. “Does this have heated seats?”

“Perhaps,” Steve says grudgingly and takes one last look up at the sky. It’s a heavy gray, and something about the color of it is making him uneasy. Snow hadn’t been a certain thing, but Steve’s lived through enough winters to recognise the signs. 

“We’d better get moving,” he says shortly. “Maybe we can get ahead of the snow.”

Billy cranes his neck to look out the windscreen, as Steve climbs in. He’d planned to stop a few times, get snacks, take a piss, but he’s already thinking about how to reduce those stops just in case. The weather may clear, but he’s not going to take a risk if he doesn’t have to. 

“The forecast didn’t say it was going to snow,” Billy says, looking doubtful and Steve remembers all too late that he’s originally from California. His mom only moved to Hawkins a few years ago, God knows why. 

“The forecast is occasionally full of bullshit,” Steve says, programming his GPS and pressing various buttons. Billy’s old Camaro probably doesn’t have a dashboard that looks like a spaceship, but sometimes Steve’s pretty glad for modern technology. They need the quickest route, any way that’s going to bypass the holiday traffic.

“Is that safe?” Billy asks and if Steve didn’t know any better, he’d almost think that he looks worried. 

“We should be fine,” Steve says firmly. “If there was going to be a blizzard, they would have seen that. But even so, I don’t really want to drive in snow.”

“Okay,” Billy says and sits back, even though he looks no more reassured. “You got music in here?”

Steve sighs and reluctantly hands over his phone. Perusing his Spotify keeps Billy quiet long enough for them to pull out of campus. 

“You have some shit in here,” Billy mutters and then wriggles delightedly in his seat. “Fuck, you do have heated seats!”

“Yep,” Steve says. He figures this might be the best way to cope for the next few hours - pretending Billy is white noise. But Billy just chews his lip and then nods. 

“Nice,” he says and goes back to Steve’s phone. He finally picks something to play, apparently having found a playlist of Steve’s that he doesn’t find too offensive. Then he stares out of the window at the passing scenery and Steve lets himself relax a little. Billy doesn’t seem too interested in small talk. Maybe they’ll make it through this trip with minimal trauma. 

It’s quiet for approximately two minutes. 

“Is my ass going to get hot?” Billy complains and rubs his butt across the leather seat. “Harrington! Seriously, is this shit going to melt my ass?”

[nailbatss]

A Cup of Love - Harringrove

Hooray! My first official post for @harringrovewinterbingo ! I've had a lot of stuff come up, but I hope you enjoy this Harringrove fluff!

Square & Prompt: A1 - Hot Chocolate and Warm Hugs

Rating: SFW, hella fluff

Word Count: 880+

Major Tags: Mention of Billy’s past, Harringrove, soft Billy, slightly ooc Billy

Additional Tags (If any): Billy Hargrove needs a hug, Steve Harrington needs a hug

Summary (for fan fiction): After all the drama in his life, Billy finally feels safe and secure in this little life he’s built with the right person.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Snow sucks. It’s too cold, unpredictable, and sticks to every-damn-thing. At least back in California, they’d rarely ever see snow. While he missed the sunny days and surfing, this was exactly where he needed to be.

Years ago, he would have disagreed. He would have done everything he possibly could to turn tail and head back to those same sunny days. He wouldn’t have thought he could be as happy now as he was back then.

Turns out, fate has a funny way of showing things.

After all the monster hunting, wounds to the chest, and the years beaten into him of how imperfect he was, he knew that was all the past. He knew monsters were really real nowadays. Long nights of nightmares, hospitals, and all the healing he had to do were the roughest part. It was also dealing with a lot of ugly feelings brought up in said situation. He didn’t think peace would be part of his life. 

Right now, that wasn’t something he thought about.

Dusting off his jacket, Billy huffed and headed back towards the cabin. Warmth would be waiting for him as well as a hot shower. Maybe, with some luck and convincing, he could get some homemade soup out of the deal. Stepping inside the foyer, Billy shrugged off his heavy winter jacket, slipped off his boots, and he hung up his jacket with care. He immediately sighed in satisfaction from feeling the warm air brushing against his frozen skin. He was not used to the cold nights or snowy days, but at least he was happy.

“Baby, is that you?” A voice called distantly, likely in the living room area, he’d guess.

“Who else would it be?” He called back over his shoulder.

A soft chuckle followed that question.

“I suppose you’re right. Come on in.” The voice answered.

Stepping out of the front area, he flicked off the unnecessary lights as he passed through the wooded cabin. He smiled warmly while taking in the sight before him. Sitting on the floor was a very cozy, warm appearing boyfriend of his tending to the fire in the fireplace. He had on one of Billy’s oversized sweaters, a pair of sweatpants, fluffy socks, and he was poking the wood around with the poker. 

“There you are, did you get some more wood?” Steve asked as he set down the firepoker, smiling at the blonde.

“Mhm. Probably not enough for the time I spent cutting.” He answered as he made his way over to the fire itself, instantly embraced by the warmth given off by the flames. He took a seat beside Steve as the brunette wrapped a blanket around them. 

There was a mug placed in his hands and he sighed in content, smelling the fresh cocoa that was likely brewed over said fire. He lifted the cup to his lips, taking a swig of the hot liquid. A delighted hum leaving his throat before he settled his gaze on Steve’s face, obviously awaiting a response. 

“Best cup yet, thanks baby.” He leaned over, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. “I think you did a damn good job.”

A soft giggle escaped the brunette’s lips as he shakes his head. “You say that all the time.”

“And I mean it all the time.” 

Billy’s free arm wrapped around Steve’s waist, pulling him closer as he leaned his head into the gap of his neck. “Mm, you’re so warm.” He placed a soft kiss to the skin.

A shocked gasp left Steve’s body.

“Shit, babe, you’re so cold!” He said while he felt Billy wrapping around him like a cobra.

“Can you blame me? You’re warm.” He set down his mug, slipping his hands under his sweater.

“Oh my god! Stop!” Steve complained and he tried to nudge his hands away.

“Make me.” The former Californian challenged in his deep, raspy voice he loved so much.

“You need to bundle up more, I swear to god, you don’t listen to me.”

“Again, make me, pretty boy.” 

Steve didn’t have a response for that one. He was too busy trying not to choke on the words from his boyfriend. He lightly shoved his shoulder. “Asshole.” He murmured.

Billy’s deep chuckle resounded in his ear, reminding him that this was his true self, his safe, warm, protected self. He was happy, he was safe, he was loved. Love… Though they’ve been together for a few years now, it still made his heart skip a beat whenever he thought about being in love with him.

“I love you, California.”

“I love you more, Indiana.” The reply came easily, almost as easily as breathing.

“Do I get a kiss now? I almost froze my ass off for you.”

Steve laughed, “Yeah, yeah, come here, handsome.” He put a hand on the back of the blonde’s head, gently guiding him up for a kiss.

“Mmm, chocolatey.” He purred like a cat who caught his prey.

“You’re a dork.”

“Only yours.” He said as he wrapped his arms around him, hugging him in a loving embrace.

Steve nuzzled against him, pressing a kiss to his head. “I like the sound of that.”

“Then you’re gonna like the sound of being mine forever someday.”

“Yeah, that too.” He blushed. "That too."

Life was better now. He had warm cuddles, hot chocolate, and a cup of love to go with it.

[alicetallula]

Harringrove Micro Fic & Art - February 2025 - Valentines + Harringrove Winter Bingo 2025 - B2 - Free Space - 'My Candy Sweet Valentine' - Female Harringrove - 02.03.2025

For the @harringrovemicroficandart and my first drawing for the @harringrovewinterbingo ❤️

Harringrove Micro Fic & Art 2025 : January - Crisis / March - Childhood / April - Enchanted

Harringrove Winter Bingo 2025 : A1 - "Don't lick that pole !" / A2 - "But I don't kiss" / A3 - Cold days, hot nighs // B1 - Hot sauna / B3 - Northern lights // C1 - The perfect gift / C2 - Out of batteries / C3 - Hostage situation

'My Candy Sweet Valentine' - 02.03.2025

I wanted to do something cute and simple for this prompt 😊💕

Done using ink pens, alcohol markers, metallic ink pens, gel pens, acrylic paint pens and Photoshop for the background, blur effect and title

AO3 post 1 / AO3 post 2 / Bluesky post / DeviantArt post / Instagram post / Pillowfort post / Twitter post

Done using ink pens, alcohol markers, metallic ink pens, gel pens, acrylic paint pens and Photoshop for the background and blur effect

AO3 post 1 / AO3 post 2 / Bluesky post / DeviantArt post / Instagram post / Pillowfort post / Twitter post

[bubblegumflavor]

Since I completely misunderstood the @harringrovewinterbingo ! (I thought one card for all I'm sorry I am so new to this!) I picked a random prompt I got inspired by. I hope you forgive me!!! And just enjoy this as a bonus. :'3

(Update: I GOT MY OWN BINGO CARD AND NOW THIS IS FREE SPACE B2 WINTER PARTY AT SCOOPS AHOY! *crying happy tears*

[avalonlights]

For @harringrovewinterbingo | C2: “Flirt dial turned to 'stun'”

[harringrovewinterbingo]

Sign up for Harringrove Winter Bingo 2025 is open!

- ❄️❄️❄️-

What: Harringrove Winter Bingo is a fun low-pressure, winter-themed bingo event concentrating on creating new fan works for Harringrove ship.

How: You get a bingo card with 8+1 prompts. Fill the prompts as creatively as you want - as long as it includes Harringrove and winter - and get your card stamped for each fill.

When: The bingo takes place 1 January - 31 March 2025.

- ❄️❄️❄️-

Join the fun by filling this form ->->->

Sign up is open until 24 Dec 2024.

- ❄️❄️❄️-

Bingo details -> Rules | Full schedule | FAQ | Ask us anything

PS. The bingo is also still looking for prompts! Read more -> Submit prompts here ->

- ❄️❄️❄️-

Harringrove Winter Bingo is a sibling event to Harringrove Summer Bingo and Metalsandwich Bingo.

[dame-zoom-a-lot]

A Jolt of Water

Prompt fill for @harringrovewinterbingo - Square A1: Water Powers in the Winter mean Snow Powers Rating: T WC: 1.3k

Steve takes a deep breath.

Wait, shit. No. That's stupid. He tries and fails to hack out the giant wad of Upside Down dust he just inhaled. He kind of wishes Robin was here so she could make fun of him. No. It's a good thing she's not here. Supergirl is going to get him out of here soon. Her, Max, and Robin all saw him get sucked into the monster when he stupidly (and hopefully heroically) tried to pull Billy's body out of its many arms. The due was an asshole but he deserved to get buried. At least that was the thought then.

Steve picks some lingering Upside Dust off his tongue and looks around. If he dies trying to recover Billy Hargrove's body he'll never get over it. Well, he'll be dead so that kind of means he did get over it. Anyway. Robin is rubbing off on him and she's not even here. He needs to stop panicking. Supergirl will get him out in no time.

Steve waits around in the same area for as long as he can bear. He's pretty sure that he'd be easier to find if he stayed put. But the thirst is getting to him. Besides, it doesn't look like he actually got dropped into the area that used to be the mall. He doesn't recognize this part of town at all honestly, which is kind of alarming. He gets up with a wince. His face is still bleeding in multiple places, and there's a ringing in his ears. He needs water and food. The popcorn he had with Robin sits heavy and uncomfortable in his stomach.

After what feels like forever, he finally stumbles across some puddle on the ground, the first and only source of water he's seen. He swallows. His mouth is so dry. But is he thirsty enough to lap up Upside Down puddle from the ground?

Yes, yes he is.

Steve kneels down and puts his mouth by the water, ready to suck.

It bubbles.

Steve falls back with a shriek. The water bubbles and fizzes more intensely.

"Err... is this... are you alive?" Steve asks, feeling very stupid.

The puddle spits at him. Steve stares, shocked, as the water drips off his face and tinkle across the ground to re-join the main puddle.

"O...k... so you are alive. Do you... speak English?" Steve asks, struggling to form the words through his dry mouth.

The puddle puffs up into a half-sphere and rolls a little for a moment before collapsing back into its flat shape.

"Was that you trying to nod?" Steve asks laughing. It's not that funny, but it's not like he's got any other source of entertainment.

The puddle spits at him again. This time it gets him right under the eye. He was ready though. He catches the droplet and flicks it back. The puddle rears up to form something that looks like a palm to catch the piece of itself again. It calms back down into its flat, mirror like surface. It's just an apparently sentient puddle of water, but Steve could have sworn it feels impressed.

Or maybe he's just starved for affection after having a shit summer then nearly dying in his stupid Scoops Ahoy getup but whatever.

"I'm looking for some water," Steve says. The puddle shudders. "No, like real water that's not going to try to punch itself back out of my throat," he clarifies. "Want to come with?"

The puddle shimmers and fizzes. Steve's pretty sure that means a yes... he takes off the stupid scoops ahoy hat and offers it. It's got so much polyester in it he's pretty sure the thing would be basically waterproof. The puddle schlurps into his hat with a horrible sound. It sloshes around, trying to avoid... something.

"Something wrong?" Steve asks. The water swirls about, trying its best to not touch the brim. "Wait, are you trying to say the hat smells bad or something?"

The fucking puddle makes another half sphere to make that nodding motion.

"Well excuse me for sweating while the Russians beat my face in," Steve mutters as he starts his journey for water again. The puddle stills a bit. "Sorry," Steve mutters, "you had no way of knowing."

The puddle makes one ripple that Steve decides to interpret as a shrug. He trudges on, glad to have company, even if that company is a hatful of bitchy, sentient water. Fortunately, he finds a house before too long. There's a decrepit fridge in the kitchen that's well-stocked with jolt cola. Steve takes the can and sniffs. Yep. Not even the Upside Down microbes wanted this garbage. He takes a sip and winces. It's as horrible as he remembers, but fluid is fluid. The puddle in his hat sits quietly.

"You want some?" Steve asks, not sure if this thing would...drink. The puddle fizzes, so he tries dripping a few drops down it. Of course he slips and pours about a cupful in by accident. The puddle immediately spits out the entire canful of the atrocious shit right back in Steve's cut up face. He yowls and falls back. When he stands back up, the puddle is bubbling and fizzing as if it's laughing hysterically. Steve grins and shakes his hat a little bit.

"You know, you remind me of someone," Steve muses once they calm down. The puddle makes a gentle swirl. He'll take that as sign it's listening. It's a captive audience anyway. "Another asshole," Steve continues. "The name was Billy Hargrove and he was a fucking pain in my ass. But you know the worst thing he did?"

The water swirls again.

"Fucker threw himself in front of this giant spider flesh monster to save the kids I was in charge of. Fucking asshole spent all his time and life making their lives hell. Then he fucking died for them in front of them. What the fuck are they supposed to do with that? What am I supposed to do with that? It's like..." Steve takes a deep breath and another swig of Jolt fucking Cola to calm himself. "Fuck. It's like there should have been more after. He showed he's capable of... protecting, not just bullying the shit out of people. Like, for a minute, it felt like I could have one more person I could rely on to get between this shit and the kids. Then he fucking died. And now I'll never fucking know!"

Tears flow in spite of himself. He puts his tender forehead to the table, embarrassed that this water was seeing him in hysterics. At least when it was with Robin, he had the excuse of Russian Truth Serum. He's got no reason to be crying his heart out about a boy he hated in front of a hatful of water that may or may not understand what he's saying.

The water schlops out of Steve's hat and slowly inches across the table to his face. It envelopes his forehead where it was touching the table and a bit of his nose. Steve shudders at the feeling. It's... warmer than he expected. Soft. The water feels like gentle caresses against his cheeks. Steve tries to lean into the touch and ends up nuzzling into the table like some sort of crazy person. But then, given the situation, he could have been a lot crazier.

After some time though, despite the gentleness of the water, the hard surface of the table does start to grate on his torn-up forehead. Steve sits back up to look at the water fondly. The water which is... no longer water. It's all white and fluffy now, kind of like snow.

"Err... you ok?" Steve asks frowning. He lifts a shaking finger to the flaky surface, terrified he might have killed it.

The water, now snow, forms itself into a crude shape of a stick standing out of a circle.

"Are you... flipping me off dude? You changed forms and the first thing you can think of is to flip me off?"

Y...E...S... the snow forms slowly, one letter at a time.

Steve grins and strokes it. "You know what? just for that, I'm going to call you Billy, at least until you come up with something better," he whispers. Billy doesn't object.

[harringroveobsessed]

For @harringrovewinterbingo prompt: A1 -Accidental Kiss.

“Mmm, thanks baby,” Steve hums, leaning into Billy’s space to press a soft kiss against his lips as he gratefully accepts the glass of water he’s handed.

Steve pulls back an inch, confused when his usual warm, perpetual cuddlebug during a movie Billy morphs before his eyes into a stiff, eyes wide open with terror Billy. He twists to follow Billy’s horrified gaze which is landing somewhere over Steve’s shoulder and… oh fuck.

Steve has been told he’s an idiot more times than he can count at this point, but he’s really gone and earned the title this time. Shit, Billy is going to kill him. Steve’s dead, deader than dead, there isn’t a word in the English language for how dead he’s going to be.

“Oh my god, you call him baby?” Max groans in disgust, her cheeks glowing as red as her hair, “You guys are so fucking gross.”

Steve can barely hear her over the sound of the blood rushing through his ears. It was an accident; Jesus Christ he forgot the kids were even here. In his defence, Steve was barely awake, the kids put freaking Star Wars on for the hundredth time this month and he’s yet to make it through one of those movies awake. And the little shits were so quiet for once, all draped out of sight on the floor and Steve was comfy and sleepy and just… shit it was an accident, Billy can’t kill him over an accident!

Swallowing nervously Steve hazards a glance in Billy’s direction hating what he finds there, Billy looks more terrified now than he ever looked facing down the Mindflayer. Steve feels a little sick at the look on his boyfriend’s face and a lot sick that he’s the one that put it there. A year, a whole damn year of being so careful and he’s blown it with one stupid accidental kiss.

Nobody knows about them besides Robin – who is also wide eyed on Billy’s left and gripping his arm so tight that Steve can see the white marks blooming around her fingertips – and that’s only because she was the one who finally got tired of their “gay yearning bullshit” and told them to make a move before she dies of old age. It’s not that Steve doesn’t trust the kids, he knows they can keep a secret but they both thought it wise to keep a lid on it until they finally got out of Hawkins at least. But now. Well the lids blown right off.

It's coming on to just over two minutes of silence (Steve’s secretly impressed the shitheads lasted this long) when he realises he’s not said anything, Billy hasn’t said anything, nobody has said anything.

His hand has all but seized up around the glass he’s still holding and the silence is stifling, Steve isn’t quite sure how to play this off. Could he get away with hauling Billy off the sofa, into his car and fleeing the country? Maybe…he and Billy are faster than the kids after all. Or perhaps he could convince all six of them they had some kind of shared hallucination, tell them he’s heard whispers there is some psycho going around Melvald’s putting psychedelics into the soda. It wouldn’t be terribly out of left field but… shit no. Joyce works there doesn’t she, Will would know if that was true.

Steve is forcibly drawn out of his increasingly wild thoughts by an odd, spluttering sound from down on the carpet. Are one of the kids choking? Shit, he’s killed one of his kids, kids who faced down monsters from another dimension, killed by the image of Steve kissing his boyfriend. How is he going to explain this to Hopper or fuck, in court?!

Suddenly the sound filters its way into his brain and Steve realises someone isn’t choking, El is giggling.

The sound has Steve finally lifting his gaze from where it’s been burning a hole into his mom’s pristine carpet. El has set off a chain reaction it seems, now all six of the little shits are laughing, Dustin is crying as he cackles like a loon.

“The fuck is so fuckin’ funny?” Billy grunts.

Dustin has to catch his breath, wheezing through another howling laugh, “You guys are sooo bad at this, oh my god!”

Lucas snorts so loudly that Steve’s neighbours probably heard which dissolves the group into another bout of hysterical laughter. Steve turns to Billy and Robin for help and while Billy’s glare has only turned more murderous, Robin is laughing right along with them, only laughs louder when she catches Steve’s frown.

“They know Steve.” Robin chuckles.

“W- wait, what. You guys... you guys know about me and Billy. How?”

“Don’t you mean your baby?” Max chokes out setting off another ripple of hysterical giggles, “We’ve known for like forever, the heart eyes when you’re around each other are less than subtle.”

Steve feels himself flushing with embarrassment and when Billy leans in to get a closer look at the kids his cheeks are also painted a pretty pink.

While Billy still looks cautious, he’s smirking now as he reaches to clasp Steve’s hand in his own. Steve slumps against him dazed and still confused but he can’t help but smile back at Billy in relief. People found out and it’s fine, the world is still turning, and the kids are just making fun of them as usual.

Will, always the peacemaker grins at them both in turn, “We were waiting for you to tell us, we’re all fine with it obviously, but we didn’t want to make you guys uncomfortable. You hadn’t told us for a reason I guess.”

“I mean you could have just said something instead of starting to basically make out in front of us.” Mike shudders pointing an accusatory finger in Steve’s direction.

Scowling down at the kid in faux outrage Steve whines, “It was an ACCIDENT!”

He feels a tug at his side and all of a sudden Steve is hauled onto Billy’s lap. Billy is grinning wolfishly now; all teeth and tongue, Steve is so beyond relieved to see the familiar expression replace the mask of terror it was before.

“You haven’t seen making out yet Wheeler, try and stop me now I know I don’t gotta hold back.” Billy teases. “C’mere Bambi.”

Steve ducks down to meet Billy’s lips and to the sound of the party screaming in horror as the background, Steve kisses his boyfriend.

And this time, it was on purpose.