#dragoncon started in 1987 btw

[hellwrites]

Reposting from a Twitter prompt meme, because it's technically my first Stranger Things fic but I'm not going to be posting it on AO3 I don't think. Soo... Enjoy?

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"The Dragon what of Who now?" Steve's eyebrow was raised in that quizzical way it did when Dustin or any of The Party started talking D&D.

"The Dragon Alliance of Gamers and Role-Players," Dustin repeated, tone unimpressed as if Steve should really know this. "It's a D&D group in Atlanta. I've been following the updates and they're finally launching their own convention. We have to go!"

The rest of Steve's haphazardly acquired younger siblings were staring at him with wide, hopeful eyes. Steve crossed his arms, eyes flicking between Dustin and Eddie, who was hiding a grin behind his hand as he watched on.

"Ok, so go," Steve put on an air of dismissal. The whole Party groaned. Dustin, bouncing on his toes, raised his voice to be heard over them.

"We're trying!" He waved a flyer in front of Steve's face - heaven knows where it came from. "Dragon Con is in Georgia, Steve. No way our parents are going to let us go without a responsible adult, and no way will they take us themselves!"

"Alright, so why can't Eddie take you?" Steve was still acting like he wasn't interested, and Eddie almost laughed aloud at the mention of his name.

"Responsible, Steve. Responsible!" Dustin pressed. "Obviously Eddie is coming, but I can't tell my mom we're riding cross-country and staying the weekend with a guy who only just got cleared of mass murder - no offence Eddie," Dustin turned his head to throw the apology Eddie's way, but he wasn't really focussing, so he missed the sight of Eddie absolutely losing it at the scene.

"So you want me to come to this weird Lizard Con."

"DragonCon," a chorus of objections ran out.

"The co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons will be there."

Steve turned his attention to Will as the younger of the group spoke up. Steve couldn't help that his expression softened.

Looking between each of the assembled faces, Steve made a show of rolling his eyes.

"Ok fine," Steve raised a hand when the group burst out into shouts and whoops of joy. They quieted down enough for him to add. "But I'm not sharing a room with you guys."

The kids all agreed quickly and began chattering amongst themselves, making plans and talking about their costumes.

"Don't worry, Big Boy," Eddie whispered in Steve's ear. Steve jumped; hadn't even seen Eddie move across the room. He leaned towards Eddie's warmth at his back, and shivered when Eddie spoke again. "You can bunk with me."

[littlethingwithfeathers]

Writing Update: 9-2-19

I have returned from DragonCon! Time to start editing and working on new stuff!

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Publishing next Monday!

Intercalation (HBO’s Chernobyl): A Valery/Boris/Ulana fix-it fic that picks up immediately after the final scene of the show. Ulana and Boris try to re-balance their lives after Valery is viciously ripped away from them, all the while facing reminder after reminder of the people they were before Chernobyl and the people they had become together while they were there.

Excerpt:

July 16, 1987

Standing on the poisoned ground of Chernobyl, Boris and Ulana watch helplessly as the car drives off. Watch with their hearts in their throats and their stomachs in their shoes as the KGB drive away with their comrade in tow. Not "comrade" in the party sense of the word. They'd perverted it. If telling a truth that potentially saved lives was punished like this, they'd perverted it. They perverted everything.

But what else was there to call it? They'd never named the strange shape that had formed around the three of them. Between them. Through them. A year in the crucible of Chernobyl had changed them inexorably. As the accident would change everything for kilometers around it.

And now they were split asunder, just as cruelly as they had been fused together.

"Where are they taking him?" Ulana asks, looking up at Boris with wide, lost eyes. She looks shell-shocked. Horrified. I did this, her face says. I told him to tell the truth at all costs, and now he's going to pay. Just him. It should be me.

She clearly expects to be chastised. Boris knows that look. He's seen it in his subordinates before. And if he's being honest, he is somewhat angry with her in this moment. He does blame her at least in part for what happened, but he doesn't have the heart to lay into her. The fight is gone from him. He'd warned her before and that was enough input from him on the matter. If the look in her dampening eyes was any indication, she would blame herself for this for the rest of her life. 

And besides. It was Valery's choice in the end. And it had been Boris who'd made sure he got to make that choice. He was as culpable as she.

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Other “Friendship is Unnecessary” fics at various stages:

But Most of All Because They Offend Thee: Based off this post. In progress, currently just past the 2k mark. This is a short, upbeat, porny little one-shot of Nat being a shit and teasing Steve. Because honestly… this series needs some levity after what I’ve done in “Stolen Season.” Not sure of an ETA, but soon.

One of Those Things (Prologue): Since I’ve written this beast of a series completely out of order, and thus all my author notes are no doubt VERY confusing, I thought I’d put a short prologue on the front. Just a couple of short scenes to plant some seeds and give an actual starting place to this whole sprawling, intertwining mess, but also to give me a chance to address new readers so my forewords on the rest of the fics don’t seem weird. I’ve got a little more than a thousand words written on it which is probably about a third to half way.

Untitled Pre-War Steve/Bucky and Pre-Avengers Phil/Clint/Natasha: Partially a request from @crazyevildru that I’m toying with. Probably a flashback or a memory. This series really does need more Steve/Bucky, and I feel bad about it. I’m thinking of also adding a prequel/flashback of Clint/Phil/Natasha as well… maybe have the whole thing be a discussion over dinner post-Endgame.

Sweet and Honorable (Title pending):  Set post Civil War. Bucky insists on coming with Sam and Natasha to rescue Steve when he gets captured. This is starting to take shape in my head as a sort of work through for some of the issues that get raised in “Echo in my Soul.” Given what we know about the new Black Widow movie, I may hold off on this one for a bit. At least until I can figure out how I’m going to squirm around or ignore the added canon. (can’t wait for that movie BTW)

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Other works coming soon!

Hymn of Acxiom: Scarlet/Vision. It would be post Endgame, with Wanda helping a newly reconstructed Vision who has no memories and no personality without the Mind Stone to network all the pieces and facets of his personality.  This is next on the docket after “Intercalation.” I’ve really only just gotten started. Sketching scenes and playing with theme. Don’t expect anything before November.

Untitled Sarge/Melinda May fic: I know. I KNOW! Don’t give me that look. You’re watching the same show I am and you’re seeing what I’m seeing. This shit writes itself. I’ve been sketching on a few things, and now that the season’s wrapped up I have an idea of what I want to do. I might crowbar in a few days just so that I can have some exploration time… sometime between (SPOILERS) May shooting Sarge and them heading for the Temple.

A Maelstrom Whirls Below: I’m toying with the possibility of a sequel to my Darcy/Eddie/Venom fic “A Room for Rent in the Fourth Estate.” A rough outline is in place, and I’m starting to sketch around on a few scenes. But right now it’s just some ideas and a few zippy one-liners. It’s starting to get some traction though! Likely won’t start work in earnest until after all this Chernobyl and Wanda/Vision stuff is done, but I’m definitely letting it percolate.

Hang By Every Word: The outline for my Stucky fic is still coming along but it will be awhile yet before I start writing on it in earnest. The basic theme (and I’m sure this has been done, but fuck it) is the undoing of Bucky’s conditioning one trigger word at a time. And each trigger word locked down a memory that HYDRA deemed integral to Bucky’s personality. And of course… they all involve Steve. So I have to write things from Steve’s point of view, and all ten memories have to be written from Bucky’s point of view, and they have to tie together into a cohesive narrative. The memories are out of order, but Steve’s timeline isn’t and… It’s a challenge. I’m still largely in the brainstorming phase… writing little snippets here and there. Nothing’s solidly taking form just yet. Again… just letting it percolate.