#reclist

Actual Disney Princess Derek Hale | 436 | Hatteress (somewhatstacey) / @goddammitstacey

Summary: "Shut up," Derek says, levelling a defcon three scowl at the world in general. The sentiment is entirely spoiled by the small, fluffy squirrel perched on his leather-clad shoulder.

All You Need to Know | 2,925 | Dira Sudis (dsudis) / @dsudis

Summary: "Did Lydia give you some kind of potion that forces you to tell the truth even though you'd rather choke on wolfsbane and die?"

should the pillars of memory topple out of my reach | 4,391 | bleep0bleep / @bleep0bleep

Summary: If Stiles didn’t know any better he’d say that look in Derek's eyes is adoring, but he does know better, and also amnesiac Derek thinks they’re married. Which is the only fact he hasn’t questioned so far, which is the weirdest thing.

Against A Sea Of Trouble | 4,517 | entanglednow / @entanglednow

Summary: "He's going to kill me when he wakes up."

Single Parent, Multiple Problems | 4,701 | hoosierbitch / @hoosierbitch

Summary: Derek tries really hard to do the right thing, Stiles thinks Derek's idea of the right thing is the wrong thing, and John does his best to help.  "Is, uh--is Stiles home?" Hale is staring at the ground and his shoulders are so tense that John's tempted to say 'Boo!' just to see what'll happen.

Big Days | 9,692 | crazyassmurdererwall (smartalli) / @crazyassmurdererwall

Summary: It’s an impulse really, inviting Derek to spend Thanksgiving with him and his dad. The Sheriff. Who once arrested him. It’ll be fine. Stiles is sure it’ll be fine.

Of Wolves and Doughnuts | 22,340 | Hatteress (somewhatstacey) / @goddammitstacey

Summary: When Derek was fifteen, circumstance and a goddamn doughnut had seen fit to Bond him to Stiles Stilinski. In which Derek is more cunning than anyone gives him credit for, Stiles doesn't understand why the new Alphas in town are all up in his business and everyone gets a violent crash-course in what it means to be Pack, whether they're in it or not.

Outrun Your Ghosts | 19,148 | wangler

Summary: When Derek Hale arrives at the Beacon Hills Young Adult Rehabilitation Center, he plans on keeping his head down and serving the rest of his time in minimum security peace. Stiles Stilinski changes all of that.

All of Him | 1,759 | wangler

Summary: Derek has basically zero capacity to express what he wants. So Stiles has no choice but to stumble headlong into his own fantasies and budding kinks, hoping some of them intersect with Derek’s, that they can map out some of the things Derek’s never allowed himself to have.

Alpha Complex | 3,354 | Hatteress (somewhatstacey) / @goddammitstacey

Summary: "Hold still," Stiles says, hand clamping down on the back of Derek's neck to keep him from turning and it's laughable, really – the thought that that would be enough to hold him. Except it is. Because Stiles' fingers are gripping the nape of Derek's neck, pressure sure and hard and Derek- Derek can't fucking breathe.

All You Ever Needed to Know About Knotting | 4,781 | orphan_account

Summary: Derek had started reading the column by accident. Really, reading strangers’ questions about knotting and heat had never really appealed to him. However, at that point in time, he was a little desperate. And he was right: most of the questions submitted by anonymous readers didn’t appeal to him. The answers, though, did. (Or: In which Stiles writes an advice column about knotting and Derek is smitten. Also they're neighbors.)

A New Ritual | 4,942 | hoosierbitch / @hoosierbitch

Summary: They don't know what it means, but they know that it feels right.

I'm tired and I'm wasted, irrational | 8,171 | LunaCanisLupus_22 / @i-sveikata

Summary: Derek reads the message twice just to be sure that he isn’t dreaming. Help, it reads, accidntly kidnpd somr dudew He takes a moment to compose his reply. What the hell Laura? Or the one where Laura wakes him up in the middle of the night because she's kidnapped some random guy from the club and it turns out he's Derek's mate.

Riding the Lightning | 23,704 | Vendelin / @ljummen

Summary: Stiles finds himself on the doorstep to his home in Beacon Hills, not remembering how he got here or why he’s barefoot. As it turns out, he was abducted a couple of weeks earlier from a college party and bears the same marks on his body as victims of a serial killer his dad just can’t seem to get a hold of. So there he is, with no memories of what happened, the last couple of weeks like a blank line in his mind and knowing all too well that he’s the best shot they have at catching this guy. As a key witness and in acute, assumed danger, he finds himself under surveillance 24/7 and more often than not, his dad’s best Deputy: Derek Hale, is sitting at his kitchen table.

And You Say You're Alone | 30,314 | bi_leigh_bi / @bi-leigh-bi

Summary: Between the kanima, the Argents, and Peter's untimely return from the dead, everything has fallen apart. Stiles and Derek try to put their lives back together once the crisis has passed. Stiles deals with the aftermath of being tortured, and the distance growing between he and Scott. Derek attempts to become a stronger alpha and keep his pack safe, and that includes Stiles.

Don't Feed the Wolves | 30,329 | Amazonia_8

Summary: Stiles took the dare, because what else was he supposed to do when the whole lacrosse team was chanting his name? Even though the werewolf pack had left Beacon Hills years ago, nobody was stupid enough to set foot on the Hale property. Except, apparently, Stiles. Now he's got a feral werewolf following him around town with the sole purpose of claiming Stiles as his own.

Amor Fati | 42,812 | alocalband / @alocalband

Summary: When Stiles gets thrown into the bank vault about twenty minutes after him, Derek isn’t even surprised. As it turns out, neither is Stiles.

With so much to dig into, it can be a bit overwhelming to choose what to even start with, so I’ve put together what I consider an Essential John Simm Watch List. While most other John Simm fans I’ve talked to agree with my overall assessment of what’s worth looking at, please note that these are just my opinions and others may disagree with my takes on John’s projects and roles.

As for availability, I’ll list the sources I know of, but you’d have to check for your own country where it may be available. Some of them may also be on freely accessible video platforms like YouTube or Dailymotion.

You might see a theme running through John’s work because he has said himself that he loves playing dark, conflicted characters. His roles are often characters who are flawed yet redeemable and who give him the chance to showcase a wide range of situations and emotions. He once said in a panel interview that he keeps being cast as traumatised, intense characters. Indeed so. Because he does it incredibly well.

He also loves the stage and has done some theatre work over the decades, but none of them are available for home entertainment purposes that I’m aware of. If you get the chance to see him live on stage, I’ve been told it’s a treat and you should consider going!

Now on to the recommendations

These are in chronological order by year of release. Projects marked with a ⭐ are among my John Simm Top 10.

Men Of The World

(1994–95 – TV series, all episodes)

Starting this off with a bit of an unusual one to recommend for John Simm, because it’s a sitcom. You know, the typical kind with a bit of slapstick and live audience laughs. But that’s also exactly why I highly recommend it – because it’s essentially classic comedy, which we rarely see from John in its purest form.

The premise is that John’s character Kendle and his friend Lenny are flatmates who also work together at a travel agent’s, which funnily enough leaves ample opportunity for sitcom comedy gold. And John is refreshingly brilliant at it, which makes me a little sad that we don’t see him doing it more. He is one of the two main characters and gets a ton of screen time.

A very kind soul has uploaded their digitised VHS recordings to YouTube, which despite the questionable picture quality is such a blessing because it seems that it was never actually released on DVD or on any streaming service.

I will also say that I’m generally not a fan of sitcoms at all, but this one was fun to watch and made me laugh a number of times, which is high praise. Perhaps a good thing to start this watch list off with, because it will only get grimmer and grittier from here on out.

Chiller

(1995 – TV series, episode 1x03)

One of John’s early TV projects that he starred in an episode of. Chiller is a five‑part supernatural horror anthology series where each episode is a standalone story that focuses on occult themes and supernatural twists.

John plays the lead guest role in episode 3, Gary Kingston. Gary is a mentally unstable, homeless young man who is under the care of a social worker whom he keeps eluding despite her best efforts to try and get him to come back into a more sheltered environment than the abandoned church he now lives at. A strong performance that makes for an interesting story. Available on DVD.

Cracker

(1995 – TV series, episodes 3x04 & 3x05)

I was on the fence of whether to put this on the watch list because the series itself didn’t really speak to me, perhaps because there was a bit too much 90s awkwardness. However, as early John Simm roles go, this is one of the more noteworthy ones and fits John’s penchant for deeply flawed but redeemable characters. Which had some appeal to me, though I will admit I wanted to fast-forward through the non-John scenes. It’s actually somewhat amusing that John was in his mid-twenties when this was filmed, and he plays a 17-year-old. Available on ITVX and DVD.

In a podcast with fellow actor Craig Parkinson from 2022, John talks a bit about how it was one of his best experiences in his early career because the script was very good and it got him a foot in the door with renowned writers Paul Abbott and Jimmy McGovern whom he’s worked with again several times since. This podcast episode itself is actually also a recommendation since John gets (uncharacteristically) chatty and talks a lot about his pretty harsh experiences at drama school and his very early steps in acting. And about a dancing act in a cage in cycling shorts…

Boston Kickout ⭐

(1995 – feature film)

This was John Simm’s very first feature film, and it’s such a good role for him, too. Boston Kickout tells the story of a group of friends who live in Stevenage – a small town north of London where nothing ever happens and the most fun you can have is smashing up people’s back gardens and hanging out in shady pubs or nightclubs.

John Simm plays Phil Saunders, the main character through whose eyes the story is being told. Not sure what to do with his life, now that he’s just finished school, he bides his time by getting drunk with his mates but also becomes increasingly fed up with being stifled by the lack of career or educational opportunities in Stevenage. It’s not only that, he also keeps being weighed down by an alcoholic father and the tragic suicide of his mother that he had to witness as a child. And then Phil meets his Irish cousin Shona who opens up a new world of opportunities to him…

John has many chances to shine in this film, and there are several incredibly emotionally gripping scenes that he brings across brilliantly, including one that’s particularly jarring and intense, which John himself still considered among his best work even 10 years later, as mentioned in the 2004 audio commentary.

Boston Kickout is an autobiographical passion project by writer-director Paul Hills and had a bit of a revival when it was restored and re-released as 4k remastered version on UHD Blu-ray in 2025. The UHD collector’s edition also includes a ton of extras, some of which feature John.

The Lakes ⭐

(1997–1999 – TV series, all 14 episodes)

Probably among John’s most impactful early work along with some of his feature films from the 90s. The series tells the story of an aimless young man from Liverpool who goes out to the Lake District to try and escape the life he’s trapped in.

John plays that man, Danny Kavanagh, and he’s wonderful at giving Danny a heart and soul that lets us come along for his troubled journey of emotional trials and challenges. Fair warning: It’s from the 90s so a bit slow burn and a reflection of that time. Also has explicit content and centres a lot around sex and adultery.

Series 1 was very good, series 2 is pretty unanimously rated as being a lot less enjoyable (and I agree). Available on DVD but formatted weirdly in 4:3 with black bars at the top and bottom. The DVDs also include audio commentary with John for the first episode that’s well worth listening to since he tells a few interesting stories from when they were filming this.

Human Traffic

(1999 – feature film)

This one often comes up as one of the things that John Simm is best known for – or at least it used to before his roles on Life on Mars or Doctor Who. In its essence, Human Traffic is a slice-of-life film about clubbing, drugs and friendship. It follows a group of friends in their 20s and a typical clubbing weekend with all the ups and downs that come with it. John Simm plays Jip, one of the mates in that group.

What gives the film a bit of a quirky edge is that it often breaks the fourth wall by speaking to the audience directly, usually through Jip as the narrator. It also utilises storytelling techniques such as playing out characters’ fantasies, juxtaposing them against the mundaneness of what is actually happening in reality.

I have found this a really enjoyable watch, and John gets a lot of screen time as witty and charismatic but also insecure and thoroughly relatable young man. Not recommended, however, if you have a problem with recreational drug use being openly depicted on screen. Because there is certainly a whole lot of that. Available on DVD and remastered Blu-ray.

Forgive And Forget

(2000 – TV film)

TV film about requited and unrequited love and jealousy. Not the best thing I’ve seen but John has a meaty role and this has some good emotional range for him. Reminded me how far we’ve come regarding LGBTQ+ acceptance in the past 25 years or so.

Clocking Off

(2000 – TV series, episode 1x01)

TV series, John is in the first episode which is about a young man who has lost his memories of the past year and suddenly turns up again at home after an unexplained 13 months absence. He plays the person that the episode centres around, the one with the memory loss. Quite an interesting premise and a good plot twist at the end.

Wouldn’t put this in my John Simm top 10 but certainly an interesting thing to look at if you’re a John Simm fan. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Never Never

(2000 – TV film, 2 parts)

A two-part TV film where he plays a loan shark who runs loan scams in a council housing estate until his life takes an unexpected turn. He’s one of the main characters, and it includes a love story aspect. Also a product of its time and perhaps filmed a bit quirkily. Available in the Channel 4 free streaming library.

Understanding Jane

(2001 – feature film)

Not necessarily essential if your intent is to find the acting gems among John Simm’s filmography, but he has a fairly substantial role in this one. The making-of classifies it as a romantic comedy, although I wouldn’t necessarily call it that. The film follows two young men who are looking for their next double-date, which they eventually find in a pair of women who are out to scam more than date.

John portrays one of the two men by the name of Oz. He plays alongside Kevin McKidd who is the male lead. The film was a super low budget indie production and won a few awards at film festivals back in the day. Available on DVD but picture quality is not great and it’s annoyingly coded in a 4:3 ratio like the DVDs for The Lakes.

24 Hour Party People

(2002 – feature film)

A feature film about the Madchester music scene (indie dance and indie rock in the late 80s and early 90s in Manchester), particularly the history of Factory Records, the nightclub The Haçienda and their owner Tony Wilson. John Simm plays Bernard Sumner, guitarist and keyboarder of UK bands Joy Division and New Order that were important players at the time.

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the film because it has a very peculiar and eccentric style that didn’t speak to me, plus John doesn’t have a great amount of screen time and hardly has any lines, though you do see him sing in one scene. John’s wife Kate Magowan is also in it.

That said, I can see how it might appeal to people who are interested in the Madchester music scene and the overall vibe of those times, so you’ll have to make up your own mind whether you think you’ll like this or not. Available on DVD and remastered Blu-ray, as well as several streaming platforms.

Miranda

(2002 – feature film)

At its core a love story of a man chasing a mysterious, charismatic woman who’s a little out of his league. John plays the main male character, i.e. the “woman chaser”. Imo good fun to watch, and another chance to see him singing and playing the guitar.

Also stars Christina Ricci. Available on DVD in some countries (and apparently on Blu-ray in US or Canada). I can personally attest that the French DVD doesn’t have hard-coded subtitles.

Crime & Punishment ⭐

(2002 – TV mini-series)

This is an adaptation of Dostoevsky’s acclaimed book by the same title. Set in 1860s Russia, it tells the story of impoverished student Rodya Raskolnikov who commits a serious crime, the implications of which then plague and torment him. Addled by guilt-induced fever and delirium, he keeps wavering between wanting to get away with it and confessing to the authorities.

John plays the lead in this, the role of Raskolnikov, and he does so brilliantly. The whole thing is a tour de force from beginning to end, and visually it’s a work of art because it has so many glorious and claustrophobic close-up shots and it depicts St. Petersburg like a love letter to the grittiness of the city at the time. It was shot so beautifully that I couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen.

My personal recommendation, however, would be to read up on what the book is about before you watch it if you’re not already familiar with it, because if you go in blindly, it may end up being a bit confusing while you keep trying to figure out what is going on and who the characters are.

Available on DVD. The UK DVDs have audio commentary included that features John, together with the director, the scriptwriter and one of the producers.

State Of Play

(2003 – TV series, all 6 episodes)

TV series about a group of hothead young journalists who are chasing a story that centres around a murder tied to a higher ranking politician. John plays Cal McCaffrey, one of the journalists and the best friend of the politician who gets tangled up in the events that are being investigated. John plays one of the main characters and kind of the “glue” between everyone. There’s some good emotional range from him in this one.

I personally didn’t enjoy the story all that much but I’m generally not a fan of political dramas or politics as such, so I’m probably biased. Also features Bill Nighy, James McAvoy and Kelly MacDonald. For the Life on Mars fans, Phil Glenister is also in it. Available on DVD and Blu-ray.

The Canterbury Tales

(2003 – TV series, episode 1x03)

TV series that gives the Chaucer tales a modern spin, but you don’t need to know the source material to watch or enjoy the TV series. John is in one episode that focuses on a story of jealousy and rivalry when two friends, both currently imprisoned, fall in love with the same prison tutor and start chasing her. John plays one of the prisoners, Ace. I wouldn’t necessarily classify this as a must-watch, but certainly entertaining and a good role for John.

Sex Traffic

(2004 – TV mini-series)

Two 90-minute episodes about sex trafficking from Eastern Europe, told through the story of two young women from Moldova being sold into the UK as sex workers with the involvement of American corporations and the United Nations.

John plays investigative journalist Daniel Appleton who works for a London-based charity to help uncover and stop sex trafficking with the limited means and leverage he has. Due to the subject matter, the series is pretty heavy stuff and also unapologetically shows rape and physical violence, so it might not be for everyone.

While John portrays one of the main characters, it’s an ensemble piece where the story switches between different locations and character threads. This is another role where he has opportunity to shine when things get intense and emotional. Available in the Channel 4 free streaming library as well as on DVD.

Blue/Orange

(2005 – TV film)

A TV film about a patient in a mental institution who is being evaluated for his final release. His psychiatrist consults with a superior to make a more informed decision about whether to release the patient or not, and a tug of war about psychiatric diagnoses and internal institution politics ensues. John plays the junior psychiatrist.

This film is an adaptation of a stage play and it very much has that three-person ensemble stage feel. Gives John a lot to do and some very interesting scenes for him. Also stars Brian Cox.

Life On Mars

(2006–2007 – TV series, all 16 episodes)

I think this almost has cult classic status these days and is, together with Doctor Who, the thing that most people know John from. It’s a TV series about a police officer who is seriously injured in a car accident and inexplicably wakes up in the 1970s. Trying to explain how he got there and how he can get back to the present, he is thrust into the world of policing in the 70s where corruption, racism and misogyny still run rampant. John plays the main role, DI Sam Tyler.

I had personally never watched it until relatively recently and admittedly didn’t like it as much as I’d hoped, but John is in pretty much every scene and he does cry a lot. 🙂 It still has a big fan following to this day and many people loved it. Available on DVD and Blu-ray, and probably on different streaming portals. Currently also on BBC iPlayer but only for a limited time.

Devilwood ⭐

(2006 – short film)

A passion project of writer, director and producer Sacha Bennett. John plays the main role and it also features his wife, actress Kate Magowan in the main female role. It’s a 10-minute film in a dark fantasy setting about sinister events that arouse suspicions and that his character Gabriel gets involuntarily tangled up in.

Story-wise, it feels more like a teaser for a continuation in a feature film or series than a self-contained narrative because it leaves you hanging at the end. Personally, I loved it because I’m an avid D&D player and love a good fantasy story. Also, John makes for a good rogue. Available for purchase on Apple TV for the modest amount of 2.49€ (or $2.99).

Doctor Who

(2007, 2009, 2017 – TV series, episodes 3x11-3x13, 10x11, 10x12 and the 2009 Christmas special)

Doctor Who is a cult classic with a large and still very prolific fanbase, so some may consider it blasphemy that I almost considered not adding it to the watch list. I just never could get into the series, as hard as I tried. That said, John’s role as the Master is among the things that come up most when you search for him online, together with Life on Mars and Human Traffic.

His thoroughly unhinged and completely callous portrayal of this version of the Master holds a captivating allure for many Doctor Who fans, and John’s Master role is still generating a good amount of buzz on online portals like Tumblr or TikTok.

I did watch all the episodes that John is in and I definitely appreciate his acting work on it. He also sports very different looks as each of his Simm!Master incarnations, which is fun to watch. Available on several streaming platforms incl. BBC iPlayer, as well as on DVD and Blu-ray.

TU£SDAY

(2008 – feature film)

Feature-length film about a group of men who plan and execute a high-stakes gemstone heist that goes somewhat awry. John plays the getaway car driver.

Another passion project of Sacha Bennett's, the film was shot on a very tight budget in just 16 days in limited locations, and it took a bit of persuasion to get all the actors on board at a very low salary.

Admittedly it's not my favourite among John's films but was good fun to watch except they put him in really odd wardrobe for this one. Also stars his wife Kate and Phil Glenister from Life On Mars. Available on DVD and Blu-ray (also in 3D!).

The Devil’s Whore

(2008 – TV mini-series)

This 4-part mini-series follows the story of fictional protagonist Angelica Fanshawe to illustrate the political conflict that shaped 1630s–1650s England. John Simm plays Edward Sexby, an English Puritan soldier in the army of Oliver Cromwell. Sexby is a bit of a shifty character – the type who lingers in the shadows and thrives on spoiling for a good fight, but also the type you want on your side. Sexby is an actual historical figure, but several events have been changed in the TV version, compared to what is known about the real Edward Sexby.

The fact that Sexby is a war-proven soldier shows prominently in the scars on his face and other lingering injuries he sustains over time, and this is definitely an interesting look for John with the long, shaggy hair and the marring scars. Definitely also an interesting character with an intriguing journey. John tends to seek out these types of roles, and Sexby is definitely up there with the best of them if you like a captivating story set in gritty, early Modern Period Britain.

Available on DVD and in the Channel 4 free streaming library. A Blu-ray version has been released in Spain under the title La Cortesana but it looks more like upscaled DVD quality and not native full HD.

Skellig

(2009 – TV film)

In essence a children’s movie with some fantasy elements but also enjoyable to watch as an adult. It’s the story of a young couple expecting their second child who move to a dilapidated house that they need to restore. Their son discovers a mysterious man hiding in their garden shed and strikes up an unusual friendship. John plays the father.

The story centres more around the children and the mystery man than the family story, but there are some good dramatic, emotional scenes for John. I really enjoyed this one as a whole, not just for John. Available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Moving On

(2010 – TV series, episode 2x04)

TV series that features John in one episode where he plays ex-convict Moose. Moose was just released from prison and wants to reconnect with his wife and daughter who have taken out a restraining order on him and are living with a different man now. Nothing groundbreaking here, but an interesting thing to look at if you’re a John Simm fan, perhaps because he is not immediately likeable in this role.

Exile ⭐ ⭐

(2011 – TV mini-series, 3 parts)

This one is in my top 3 things John has ever done. It’s a 3-part mini-series about burnt-out journalist Tom Ronstadt. After not speaking to his father for half his life because of a traumatic event in the past, Tom goes back home to help his sister with their now Alzheimer’s-stricken father who needs around the clock care. Returning to his childhood home brings back painful memories for Tom and he starts digging up their past, which has him making discoveries along the way that rock his world.

John plays the role of Tom, alongside the wonderful Olivia Colman as his sister and a fantastically vulnerable Jim Broadbent as his father. It has a top-notch cast and is a deeply emotional and very human story with incredibly three-dimensional, complicated characters. This is one of those projects where John really shines as an actor. It’s available on DVD and several streaming platforms.

Mad Dogs

(2011–2013 – TV series, all 14 episodes)

A TV series about a group of middle-aged British men who are invited to their best friend’s finca in Mallorca to spend a weekend away from home and reunite as friends. Except things happen that no one had expected and suddenly they’re all knee-deep in a total mess that has them running from the law and other people who want them killed.

This one’s fun to watch, if perhaps a bit unhinged. It’s a mix of action adventure, crime and comedy, and it’s a hoot because the group of actors are all good friends in real life and there’s this sense of camaraderie that translates well across the screen. John plays one of these friends, Baxter. Also has a bit of a road trip movie feel at times and you probably shouldn’t take it too seriously.

Phil Glenister is also in this one. It’s available on DVD and has some fun behind-the-scenes interviews on YouTube, including John’s iconic hat throw take.

Everyday

(2012 – feature film)

This film is interesting in that it was filmed over a period of five years to capture the passing of time in real-time. It tells the story of a young family with five children and a husband who’s imprisoned. The mother (played by Shirley Henderson) is struggling to raise their children on her own, trying to cope with the absence of her husband and a difficult family situation. John plays the father.

The film is perhaps a bit edgy and has a definite low-budget feel. It’s very slow-paced and often lingers on mundane situations that feel like someone who doesn’t know anything about cinematography filmed them with an old-school VHS camera. Definitely a recommendation if you enjoy that sort of thing but I could see how it might be off-putting to people who want something more fast-paced and gripping.

It’s essentially relationship and family drama but portrayed in a very low-key, hyper-realistic way, almost like a documentary. Available on DVD in the US.

Father’s Day

(2012 – short film)

A short film to help with raising awareness for prostate cancer that depicts a group of men who meet as a prostate cancer support group. John plays a prostate cancer patient who newly joins the support group.

It’s available on YouTube, so is easily accessible and a lovely little thing to watch while at the same time bringing more awareness to an important topic that is often a taboo among men to talk about. Highly recommend this one.

The Village ⭐ ⭐

(2013–2014 – TV series, all 12 episodes)

This is hands-down my favourite thing that John Simm has done to date. I could sing praises about it all day long, but I’m not sure that’s a very mainstream preference to have since The Village rarely is rarely talked about where John Simm is concerned. It tells the story of life in a rural Derbyshire village in the 1910s and 1920s through the eyes of Bert Middleton who grows up as the son of a struggling local farm owner. John plays John Middleton, Bert’s father, a deeply flawed man who has been embittered by life on the edges of poverty and hardship.

We’re going back to the theme of traumatised, intense characters here, and John Middleton is a prime example of one. He is profoundly unlikeable when we first meet him, he battles alcohol addiction and past transgressions while fighting tooth and nail to keep his farm and his family alive. He’s done things that he’s not proud of and while you constantly want to despise him for his actions, there’s also a perpetual sense of wishing he would learn from his mistakes and just do better by his wife and his children.

This is a character who couldn’t have a better redemption arc over the 12 episodes that they were given, and there is an especially intense storyline for John (both Simm and Middleton) at the end of series 2 that has some of imo John’s strongest performances on screen.

Maxine Peake plays John’s wife Grace, also a wonderful actress and the two of them have a fantastic on-screen presence together. It was set up as a longer series but was sadly cancelled after series two. I wrote up a more in-depth piece on it on the John Simm Society blog if you’d like to delve deeper. It’s available on DVD and through different streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Peacock, Britbox and Sky, plus STV Player in the UK.

bracing for impact by writersagainstwritersblock (1/1 | 9k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; wayne POV; steve has bad parents; outsider POV

wayne watches as eddie falls hopelessly in love, with of all people, goddamn steve harrington.

it's not a big deal by aidaronan (1/1 | 11k+ | M) canon divergent eddie lives; alternating POV; mutual pining; angst w/ a happy ending

eddie survives, but his entire life is locked away in the upside down forever (his books, his dnd stuff, his guitar.) everything that wasn't on eddie when steve carried him into the ER, gone. so naturally steve starts giving him things. handing eddie back those little outward markers of who he is.

you oughta know by thisapplepielife / @thisapplepielife (1/1 | 12k+ | M) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; future fic; angst w/ a happy ending

days stretch out, long and slow. steve tries to ignore the only thing he’s sure of: eddie ran. he ran from him, ran from all of them. or: steve's having a rough couple of years, thanks for asking. compliant fic: i'm brave, but i'm chicken shit (1/1 | 13k+ | M) eddie POV; eddie centric; 1990s; recreational drug use

introduced me to my mind by alchemystique (2/2 | 16k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; mutual pining; getting together; happy ending

"eddie," wayne says, and eddie fights the urge to scream, or laugh, or cry. "i'm not running," eddie tells him, even though that is a fucking lie. "you should call him more," wayne says, and eddie rubs the meat of his palm into his eyeballs until he sees stars. doesn’t think about what 'call him more' means in context—do they talk about him? series: sweet leaf (4/4 | 16k+ | T) outsider POVs; rockstar!eddie; period typical homophobia

steve harrington's guide to making it work by eggbertsheggbert (8/8 | 23k+ | NR) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; bad harrington parents; steve is kicked out; angst w/ a happy ending

steve harrington has never been good at asking for help. especially not since he started being seen as the protector of the group. so, when his parents kick him out after discovering his sexuality, he figures he can get extra shifts, save up, and get a place before anyone realizes anything is wrong. join steve as he takes on the weight of the world. he's got it figured out, he's definitely NOT struggling, and—above all else—he can make this work.

the power of love by lacerta26 (8/8 | 27k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; outsider POVs; series; post-canon; coming out

jim gets mostly to the end of the house and then someone speaks. "i came out here for a smoke," eddie, his voice low, hushed. "yeah, but this is much more fun," steve now, almost laughing but not quite. * jim had only stepped out for a cigarette when he learns something new about steve and eddie and if this was one of the boys bringing home a girl, he’d have the exact stern words to make sure they were being a gentleman but his usual shovel talk isn't quite going to cut it because he has to let them know it's fine, more than fine, for them to be who they are, here. 

hands where i can see them by SolarMorrigan / @solarmorrigan (12/12 | 29k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; multiple POV; established relationship; emotional hurt/comfort

eddie thinks that he and steve have a good thing going; being friends with benefits is honestly a pretty sweet deal. steve is a great friend, the sex is great, everything is great. except for the fact that steve hadn't realized they were only friends with benefits. except for the fact that steve thought they were in a relationship. except for the fact that eddie doesn't realize how much he'd valued that relationship until it's gone (and he's trying his damnedest to get it back).

it's alright if you love me by alivingfire (7/7 | 31k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; outsider POV; character study; 5+1; steve-centric; hurt/comfort

"oh, haven't you heard? steve harrington doesn't cry." in which steve harrington breaks up, breaks a few hearts (including his own), breaks free, and finally gets to break down. or: 5 times steve didn't cry, and 1 time he did.

off the beaten path by pukner (6/6 | 34k+ | M) canon divergent post s3; alternating POV; queer awakenings; cliffhanger ending (must read sequels)*

"i'm saying this," says steve, loudly, cutting him off, "because someone i love is, uh, gay. and i love them, but like, platonically. and also me calling you a queer might've been a little hypocritical, in retrospect." there is a long, baffled pause. "what," says jonathan, "steve, are you—are you coming out to me?" steve frowns, "oh, yeah, i guess i am. cool." or, post season 3, steve manages to figure out that he's bisexual, despite his best efforts to repress it, comes out to robin and jonathan byers of all people, and figures himself out. also, there's a cute guy who might be actually insane running the kids' dnd club and he's got his eye on him. and his bandana. too bad eddie munson hasn't had a similar revelation. he's still under the impression that he's a straight man obsessing over steve harrington for normal, extremely heterosexual reasons. OR: steve figures out he's bi before eddie figures out that he's gay. eddie still manages to fall first. series: *off-script (2/2 | 67k+ | Ex) eddie POV; internalized homophobia; mutual pining

a tattoo is worth a thousand words by writersagainstwritersblock (18/18 | 40k+ | M) canon divergent post s3; eddie POV; babysitter steve harrington; getting together

"ambidextrous, princess, it’s what makes me so good with my hands." eddie wiggled his fingers. "you mean for guitar?" steve asked, completely missing the innuendo, and also nearly knocking eddie flat at the thought that steve harrington knew he played guitar. "you stalking me or something?" eddie asked. steve frowned. "uh, no, but your band played in the middle school talent show, it's pretty hard to forget a thirteen year old screaming death metal before his voice dropped." eddie almost laughed at that. almost. "you saying i'm unforgettable, princess?" "if that’s how you want to take it, munson." eddie realized this was turning towards something far more dangerous than taunting a boy known for getting into fights, like flirting with a very, very straight boy known for getting into fights. OR after the events of season three steve shows up on eddie's doorstep asking for a tattoo... and then keeps showing up much to the dismay of eddie's traitorous heart. sequel: visible ink (12/12 | 57k+ | M) outsider POVs; firefighter!steve; tattoo artist!eddie; found family

the one in which a time loop is fucking exhausting. by badpancake (12/12 | 41k+ | T) canon compliant; time loop; steve POV; temporary character death; suicide; angst w/ a happy ending

it’s the first time in a while that he doesn’t know what comes next. he’s dove into the water hundreds of times. screamed as his flesh was torn apart, heard master of puppets in the distance and held back tears. felt max’s cold, small hand in his as she laid in the hospital bed. there are things that always happen, no matter how hard he tries: el doesn’t arrive in time. eddie dies. max is put in a coma. steve fails. they lose. "steve, how many loops have you been through?" his head is nodding, and his eyes are watery, and eddie has approached him like a spooked animal. "i lost count.” AKA: the one where steve harrington is stuck in a time loop, and eddie munson is really fucking hard to save, or: fuck volume 2, these bitches are in love.

steve the reluctant by rachtay13 (7/7 | 46k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; oblivious steve; steve plays dnd

robin raised her brows.  "you know what, harrington?" she nodded her head. "yeah, you know what? i dare you to make a friend. i dare you." read for steve in denial, excessive d&d gameplay, robin as a mermaid, and eddie's glinting rings. as one reader said "the most frustratingly dense version of steve i have ever read and i am HERE for it."

you're so fucked up and i love it by genericfanatic (18/18 | 54k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; eddie POV; accidental relationship; hurt/comfort

eddie munson hated steve harrington. he'd apparently saved his life, dragged him out of hell and got him to a hospital while nancy rushed behind him working on alibis and half truths to prove he couldn’t have murdered chrissy. and here he was, doomed to live for the foreseeable future, in debt forever to steve fucking harrington. but eddie really hated how normal steve fucking was.

where do we go from here? (quietly fading away) by allandmore (9/9 | 60k+ | M) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; angst w/ a happy ending; non-graphic violence

"what's scarier than saving the world? figuring out what to do afterwards. i get it," eddie turns on his side, one shoulder on the wall, and grips the front of steve's shirt. His face is so close steve can feel the warmth of his breath. "but we've got time now. right, steve? we bought us all time. time to figure all our shit out. isn’t that what matters?" OR steve harrington struggles to find purpose after the upside down. (but maybe purpose doesn't have to be big. maybe it's helping dustin navigate sophomore year. maybe it's reminding robin to send in college admission letters. maybe it's eddie munson. maybe).

star of the masquerade by glorious_spoon (6/6 | 64k+ | M) canon compliant; eddie POV; time loop; temporary character death; angst w/ a happy ending

steve jerks awake, sitting up so quickly that robin almost topples over and staring wildly around the room. when his gaze lands on eddie, he blanches visibly. "oh, shit," he mutters. "come on, no. come on. not again." "harrington?" eddie asks slowly. he does not love the way that steve is staring at him right now. he really doesn’t. steve looks like he’s staring at a ghost, a bloodied monster, like eddie is something that should not exist in the light of day. "you good, dude?"

one size fits all by entanglednow (10/10 | 65k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; fake/pretend relationship; misunderstandings; slow burn

steve just wanted to do something nice for a friend, he doesn't mean to get eddie's ring stuck on his finger, and it's definitely not his fault that everyone he knows is jumping to conclusions.

renegades (leave a light on) by queerofthedagger (13/13 | 66k+ | Ex) canon divergent s2; eddie POV; road trip; slow burn; strangers to lovers

eddie doesn't expect to get into trouble for his recent drug business, although he probably should have. even less does he expect steve harrington of all people to save his sorry ass with a nail bat that looks awfully at home in his hands. least of all, though, does he expect harrington to insist on skipping town for a while to avoid the fallout. the winter holidays of '84 seem intent on proving him wrong on all fronts. thrown into a spontaneous road trip-slash-cut-and-run to san francisco—just until things back home blow over, munson—eddie has all the time in the world to confront such questions as: why would harrington care to help him? why does he wake up from nightmares more often than not? and, maybe most importantly, why is the former king so ready to leave hawkins behind on a whim? or: idiot boys make impulsive idiot decisions, and along the way—reluctantly but inevitably—they fall in love. a story of endless winter streets, finding family, and leaving home to find a new one.

falling without caution (people watching) by super_skam310 (10/10 | 66k+ | NR) canon divergent eddie lives; eddie POV; slow burn; eventual happy ending

steve harrington is a man that demands your attention; whether your give it willingly or not is inconsequential. eddie's camp tended to be in the latter category. OR eddie's borderline obsessive watching of steve spanning from steve's freshman year to season 4, culminating in the unfortunate realization that the king had been dethroned the moment nail bat hit monster flesh and that maybe steve harrington was lovable all along.

in the margins by foxy_mulder (4/4 | 70k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; angst w/ a happy ending; suicidal thoughts; hurt/comfort

steve is having a hard time adjusting to the new normal, after everything that went down. he doesn't want to bother his friends with his problems, though, when they've got so much weight on their shoulders already. steve stumbles on an alternate version of hawkins, where none of it ever happened. everyone’s alive, his headaches are gone, his friends actually want to hang out with him, and he’s…happy. (the party has to fight another monster. but this one doesn't prey on people's fears. it preys on their deepest desires.)

skull rock era by chattrekisses (11/11 | 71k+ | Ex) canon divergent s2; steve POV; slow burn; internalized homophobia; fix-it

steve harrington never planned for eddie munson. steve was supposed to marry his high school sweetheart, have 2.5 children, and take over the family business. he was supposed to live a blissful life on a nondescript cul-de-sac, complete with a white picket fence and a closet full of tasteful polo shirts. he was supposed to make a graceful transition between being the golden boy and being the american dream. mediocrity was what destiny had designed for steve. reality had other plans. (or, steve and eddie, against all odds, fall in love.)

roll for seduction by spikeisthebigbad (37/37 | 74k+ | Ex) canon divergent post s3; steve POV; steve plays dnd; fix-it

when steve reluctantly agreed to play dungeons and dragons with the hellfire club he expected to hate every second. he did not expect to spend his friday nights flirting with eddie munson. what if eddie and steve were dating during season 4? starts after season 3, and eventually ventures into season 4. not canon compliant.

in over my head by staymagical (16/16 | 75k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; alternating POV; head trauma; temporary amnesia

one moment, steve is entering his room, ready for bed, and the next he's in forest hills staring at a very confused very concerned eddie and the run-down remains of the old munson trailer. three hours later. thus begins a secret shared between friends, steve leaning on eddie as they try and understand and navigate this new terrifying post-concussion symptom of steve's. with vecna dead and the gates closed, it can only be steve's own scrambled brain giving up on reality. it's a race against the unknown, trying to find answers and search for solutions before it happens again and steve isn't sure how long he can keep pretending he is alright when he is anything but.

leave the light on sometimes all night by anniebibananie (7/7 | 78k+ | M) au—no upside down; steve POV; hurt/comfort; slow burn; eventual smut

june 1986 steve is lonely. he’s always been lonely, honestly. an empty house, absent parents, friends that didn’t really know him. frankly, he probably doesn’t really know himself, either. it used to be easier to ignore—between sports and parties and searching for the next girl to hang around with. then nancy wheeler told him he was bullshit. in the wreckage of the storm, he realized she probably hadn’t been that off base to call his life bullshit. [life in hawkins, indiana is boring, ordinary, no supernatural entities. steve still changes. luckily, he still makes some new friends, too. certain people are simply meant to be in the same story.]

the lathe by palmviolet (13/13 | 82k+ | M) canon compliant; steve POV; time loop; fix-it; angst w/ a happy ending; implied self-harm

"this time, do it right. this time eddie won’t bleed out in his arms, in anyone’s arms. this time, steve will do it right." — or, steve relives the day they try to kill vecna over and over, and eddie just can't seem to stop dying. steve finds this totally unacceptable. sequel: disaster / lucky (1/1 | 7k+ | M) coda; eddie POV; implied/referenced self-harm; trauma recovery

it's got what it takes by rose235b (20/20 | 83k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; friends to lovers; slow burn

“i can walk you to your car if you need to go though.” eddie’s hand stopped moving. robin’s eyes snapped towards steve as if it wasn’t a nice thing to offer. “i’ll just maybe grab the vest so i can leave it for tomorrow.” he was undeterred though. if he could help eddie munson after the worst period of his life by literally just walking, steve would walk across the entire state of indiana. eddie looked back at him, his eyes narrowing slightly as he seemed to search for something on steve’s face. “okay.” it came out softer than steve was used to eddie being. steve's on his never ending quest to make up for past mistakes. eddie's post-vecna mess of a life seems like the perfect place to start. - or, two idiots fall in love very slowly to the tune of 80s music.

(something happens and i'm) head over heels by gibbouslunation (11/11 | 94k+ | T) canon divergent eddie lives; alternating POV; head trauma; angst w/ a happy ending

eddie made a strangled disbelieving noise, expression flickering. "you are not apologizing to me right now, for like, feeling a normal way about stuff. i can’t believe you." steve pushed a shaking hand through his hair. his heart rate no longer in his ears meant he felt he could at least think a little more clearly. "maybe it was the heat. doesn’t always have to be something messed up, right?" eddie gave him a placating nod. "sure, heat exhaustion is a helluva thing." it had been happening a lot recently. the…forgetting. zonking out. whatever. he was pretty sure he was just extra exhausted, it had been a few weeks since everything but it might have just been the adrenaline or something finally wearing off. sometimes it was like he just forgot someone was speaking, or couldn’t remember for a moment what they’d been talking about. like blinking out of a fog maybe. it does not get better, in fact, it actually continues to get worse.

water closet by stillmadaboutpetra (7/7 | 103k+ | M) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; found family; slow burn; character study

steve's heard that a lot of life changing conversations usually happen in the kitchen or on the porch, but in his experience, it's the bathroom. a series of bathroom conversations (plus a whole lot of everything else) that slowly change steve, and his little world, in the wake of surviving vecna.

burned on the pyre by oklahoma (13/13 | 105k+ | Ex) canon compliant; steve POV; time loop; temporary character death; angst w/ a happy ending

"i’m gonna save your life, eddie munson." - caught in a time loop created by eleven where he is forced to relive the same day over and over, steve has to come up with a plan to kill vecna entirely while also making sure eddie and max don’t lose their lives in the process.

the beat has just begun by forgetthemoon (12/12 | 106k+ | M) canon compliant; steve POV; period-typical homophobia; fix it; slow burn

vecna dies. so does eddie. the world doesn't split open. in the aftermath, steve goes home to an empty house. well. almost empty. steve sighs, hanging his head. one more thing. then he can go to bed. the dirty towel can wait until later. he tosses it towards the bathtub without looking and turns to the sink, grabbing his toothbrush and toothpaste. when he looks in the mirror, eddie's staring back at him.

lonely is the night by intrajanelle (23/23 | 109k+ | T) canon divergent post s2; canon rewrite; eddie POV; hurt steve; angst w/ a happy ending

harrington had fallen, splayed in front of his preppy little beemer, like the jock equivalent of a fallen fucking angel. eddie, not having thought this through, watched harrington’s eyes roll to the back of his head, and said, "well, crap." or: post-season 2, eddie and steve get to know one another.

i can give you a heartbeat by soupbitchin (14/14 | 113k+ | T) canon compliant; eddie POV; ghost!eddie; happy ending; fix-it

being dead isn’t like eddie thought it would be. for starters, he’s a lot more alive than he expected. or, the ghost of eddie munson’s still hanging around, and he’d really appreciate if someone could notice him, thanks.

the end is here (and we do it a hundred times over) by placebythering (13/13 | 125k+ | M) canon compliant; steve POV; time loop; temporary death; suicide; angst w/ a happy ending

steve jolts awake, staring up into the dull beige of the camper’s ceiling. there’s a distinct brown stain, likely from a leak. the cushion of the back seat is hard against his back, and if he strains he could hear yelling and laughing from the outside. he wonders if he’s finally lost his fucking mind. —or, steve relives the day of the end over and over again.

caught in the middle, helpless again by margosfairyeye (14/14 | 131k+ | Ex) canon compliant; eddie POV; time loop; angst w/ a happy ending; canon-typical violence

fuck, eddie has been here before. the deja vu was bad enough but this is like, double, this is like deja deja vu or deja vu vu or something, this is unprecedented shit here. and eddie knows what comes next, knows like the roiling ache in his stomach that they’re going to go in, go though the portal and into the upside fucking down and didn’t they already do this? -- -- eddie loops through the time from lover's lake to his death, over and over again.

blood, love, and rhetoric by sourpastels / @lesbiansidney (18/18 | 143k+ | M) canon compliant; alternating POV; eddie lives; canon typical violence; accidental roommates

eddie believes three core things about the art of performance. 1. all the world's a stage. 2. performance is both a weapon and a shield, he wields it as both. and 3. you can’t act death. to quote stoppard: “it’s not gasps and blood and falling about—that isn’t what makes it death. it’s just a man failing to reappear, that’s all…” and eddie had gasped and bled and fell about, and was foolish enough in that moment to believe that was death. but he forgot a crucial step: he reappeared. or: steve is taking it day by day, flitting between the high school and the hospital and hopper’s cabin, locking any thoughts of eddie munson away at the back of his mind. meanwhile, eddie is just trying to get out of the upside down, with nothing but a nail-shield and the world's worst company.

sleight of hand by smithereen (19/19 | 143k+ | Ex) canon divergent post s2; alternating POV; internalized homophobia; slow burn

steve needs a weed dealer. he gets a bit more than that. (this is an AU set a couple months after the snow ball in season 2.)

take the money and run by thisapplepielife / @thisapplepielife (22/22 |143k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; alternating POV; road trip; getting together; future fic

"rules. like, there’ll be no eating in my car. you're not driving my car. no heavy metal," steve keeps listing, "you’re not picking up women and fucking them in m—" "i'll try to control myself," eddie interrupts with a quip, a smirk. fucking girls in steve’s car, or anywhere else for that matter, isn’t going to be an issue, unless something pretty fundamental shifts in him. steve continues, completely ignoring eddie, "you’ll wipe your feet. you're not dragging dirt all over my car. no hitchhikers. no cutesy road games. no smoking in the car. i'm not paying for all the gas." "ass, gas or grass, got it," eddie says, like he's taking this very seriously. he is not taking this seriously. or: road trip!

if your heart surrenders by asbealthgn (39/39 | 163k+ | Ex) canon divergent pre-s1; alternating POV; slow burn; secret relationship; angst w/ a happy ending

“that one’s on the house, okay?” eddie says, and steve opens his eyes to look back down at him. on his face is the slightest hint of concern, and something else steve can’t place. he’s still holding his hand. "thank you," steve says. he’s not sure exactly which thing he’s thanking eddie for, the weed or the hand in his or the lack of judgment at his fucked up head. he just knows that he’s grateful. eddie gives him a smile, a gentle curve of those pretty lips. "anytime, harrington."

tuesday's gone with the wind by thisapplepielife / @thisapplepielife (9/9 | 184k+ | Ex) alternate universe – no upside down; eddie POV; rock band; drug use; plane crash

corroded coffin's leased plane went down on june 13th, 1995 in the woods of louisiana. ten people on board died. eddie munson survived. before he survived, he really lived. companion series: wildflowers...and all the rest (15/15 | 151k+ | Ex) gareth POV; original female character; one shots; growing old; slice of life

gossip by jcmadgirl (11/11 | 213k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; pre-canon; sexual assault; angst w/ a happy ending

steve's whole life story, told through multiple snapshots of the events that made him into the person that he is today. or, a rewriting of stranger things from steve's POV.

i never did believe in miracles (but i've a feeling it's time to try) by cuoredimuschio (26/26 | 215k+ | M) canon divergent eddie lives; multiple POV; slow burn; mutual pining; getting together

eddie is beginning to think that, somewhere in the helter-skelter of surviving the upside down, being swarmed by possibly rabid but definitely rancid demobats, and charbroiling vecna’s slimy ass, he accidentally tripped through the wrong gate and landed in an alternate dimension. well, a different alternate dimension than the one he was already in. because steve harrington is flirting with him.

vignettes of lost connections by hardlyhalcyon (halcyonfrost) (50/50 | 229k+ | Ex) canon divergent pre-s1; alternating POV; secret relationship; angst w/ a happy ending

steve harrington and eddie munson had met long before dustin henderson dragged steve down to reefer rick's cabin. hawkins wasn't a huge town, and there was only the one high school, but the two were never friends. didn't even like each other. in all their darkest moments however, they somehow found company together. or the one where steve has depression, eddie becomes his safe space, and when eddie encounters battles he can't fight, steve reminds eddie of his own strength. a pre-/peri-/post-s4 fic with steddie before s4 events, continuing through and after.

as the world falls down by daeneryske (36/36 | 245k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; steve POV; bad harrington parents; period typical homophobia; angst w/ a happy ending

after saving eddie from the upside down, steve hides him at his house while the party concocts a plot to clear eddie's name. what steve doesn't expect is how much he likes hanging out with eddie as they get to know each other. under the looming shadow of the mind flayer threatening to destroy hawkins, steve and eddie realize they're each grappling with their own darkness, from steve's father's impossible expectations to eddie's feelings of worthlessness. their friendship develops into something more even as the party prepares to fight Vecna and his monsters one last time. steve must decide if he's ready to shrug off the rigid roles assigned to him and become his own person. eddie must learn to embrace what steve has been trying to show him every day since nearly dying: that he's worth saving.

nothing else matters by bigskyandthecoldgun (31/31 | 279k+ | Ex) canon divergent post s2; steve POV; secret relationship; period typical attitudes; everybody lives

"you ask a lot of questions about me," steve tells him. "because you're interesting," munson says, quiet and honest. "you're a lot different than what i've heard." steve hums, eyes closed. "yeah," he says, eyes fluttering open when munson takes the joint from him again, "you are, too." or: steve ditches the prom to get high.

since you've gone (i've been lost without a trace) by steddieeddie (7/7 | 300k+ | M) canon divergent s4; multiple POV; comatose steve; grief; angst w/ a happy ending

may 31st 1986, two weeks until graduation. robin, eddie, and nancy are all set to walk across the stage, eddie being given a free pass after the whole ‘almost framed for murder’ thing. the three have been trying to be excited about their graduation, but it feels almost mundane to be excited when steve wouldn’t be there. they would be sat out on a football field in the blistering heat while waiting for their names to be called, with dustin and max in the crowd, cheering them on in steve's place. there would be fake smiles plastered to all their faces, no matter how realistic they tried to make them. none of them have genuinely smiled since steve got vecna'd. sixty-five days. steve had been in a coma for sixty-five days. the doctors keep telling the party that it doesn't look good, that steve's injures had been severe, and that they didn't know if, when, he would wake up. but they refused to lose hope. he'll wake up. it's just a matter of time. OR five times steve harrington didn't wake up, and one time he did.

the most dangerous thing (is to love you) by brokebeatle (21/21 | 304k+ | Ex) canon divergent eddie lives; alternating POV; shared trauma; slow burn; period typical homophobia  

"i know you care about what those little twerps think of you, and i can assure you they think way too highly of you," eddie says with a wink, and steve gives a half-hearted smirk for just a moment. "but look…i know i can’t ask you to stop worrying about those kids, so how about this? you worry about them, and you let me—actually let me—worry about you." steve pushes his hair back, and yet again, gravity instantly pulls it back down, since he’s looking at his feet. "…i don’t need anyone to worry about me." "too fucking bad. someone’s gotta do it, and it’s gonna be me." "why?" steve replies with a raspy laugh, shaking his head slowly. "why? why." eddie crosses his arms tightly across his chest, knocking his foot into steve’s again with a bit more strength. "because we’re friends, dipshit." —in which eddie's got a reason he's been planning on leaving hawkins since long before the world almost ended. the only thing keeping him in town at this point? his promise to be friends with steve harrington. and eddie doesn't break promises.

the man that i could be by ohstars (26/26 | 325k+ | Ex) canon divergent post s3; steve POV; secret relationship; period typical homophobia; angst w/ a happy ending