#stonathanweek2025

Stonathan Week 2025 - Day 5 - Past & Present

@stonathanweek day one - only one bed/black & white

Please click the read more to see more detailed explanations about the prompts!

🔸 Stonathan Masterlist

🔺 My AO3 Account

Summary: Steve and Jonathan have a little picture outing

A/N: A really late Stonathan Sunday ficlet inspired by @stonathanweek's prompts! ❤️‍🩹

The cool air of autumn winds past Steve, making him shiver and shove his hands inside his pockets. He adjusts the scarf around his neck—a Christmas gift from last year, courtesy of Joyce—and sighs, feeling the tip of his nose getting cold. Steve would rather have stayed at home, cuddling under the covers. Still, alas, his boyfriend, the handsome bastard, wanted to go outside because, according to His Royal Highness, Prince Jonathan Byers, "It's a perfect day to go take some pictures in the park." And unfortunately for Steve, he can't say no to his boyfriend, especially when Jonathan's so excited to go outside and take pictures of birds, squirrels, trees, flowers, and ducks. Jonathan's eyes sparkle especially when he wants to go outside for a picture outing.

Steve watches as Jonathan crouches down to take a picture of two squirrels playing together by a tree. It's so cute how Jonathan sticks the tip of his tongue out when in deep concentration. He looks like a baby, it's so adorable!

"Hey, Jon," Steve speaks up after a while, his voice soft so as not to disturb his photographer boyfriend. Once Jonathan hums, indicating he's listening, Steve continues. "Can I borrow your cam for a sec?"

Jonathan cocks his head slightly to the left, akin to a confused puppy. Steve's never asked to borrow his camera before. Still, Jonathan shrugs and nods, standing up from the ground and offering his Pentax to Steve.

"What are you going to photograph?" Jonathan asks as he watches Steve testing the camera, putting it over his eye and looking around.

"You."

"Eh—?" Jonathan's eyes widen in surprise as the camera focuses on him. He feels his cheeks burning in embarrassment and attempts to avoid his glance elsewhere, twirling a strand of his hair in his finger.

"Nuh-uh, babe. Lookie here!" Steve calls his attention by snapping his finger, like a photographer trying to get a baby's attention. "Come on, Jonathan! Smile for me. Think of last week, when we saw Munson slip on a mud puddle in the parking lot and fall face-first into the dirt."

That made Jonathan snort. The guy fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. The image replays in his head many times over, and Jonathan's soft chuckles eventually turn into a full-blown laugh with a big, happy grin. And snap!

"Got it!" Steve smiles and lowers the camera, eyeing his still smiling and laughing boyfriend. So cute. "You should do that more often."

"Do what?" Jonathan asks in between chuckles.

"Smile." Steve steps forward, returning the camera to its rightful owner, strapping it around Jonathan's neck. The proximity makes Jonathan smile, and he smiles shyly as Steve brushes a strand of his hair off Jonathan's face. Jonathan's brain, working on automatic, makes him step forward, leaning closer to Steve and burying his face in Steve's chest, wrapping his arms around Steve's torso.

Steve chuckles softly and hugs his boyfriend tightly, resting his chin on Jonathan's hair. The cold air doesn't bother him anymore. Not when he and Jonathan cuddle like this.

For @stonathanweek and a part of the 'Jonathan and Steve fake a relationship for cheap rent on an apartment above a gay bar' story. Read the other parts here and here

---

“I trust that you’ll be on your best behaviour tonight?"

Jonathan rolls his eyes. Being in a fake relationship with Steve has honestly been easy. Since Steve works nights and Jonathan's days are taken up mostly by classes and work, they rarely even see each other. The bar is the exception in order to maintain appearances. Usually, Jonathan just stops by to give Steve a quick kiss when he gets home or quickly talk about their day like a happy couple should, but missing his boyfriend's first time doing drag would probably be suspicious.

"What does that even mean?" Jonathan counters. He is supportive of Steve exploring his identity, though he claims it is purely for the tips since he is still just working the bar while the career queens are performaning. "Glaring at all the guys flirting with you until I'm asked to leave?"

"No. I want them to think you're supportive, not possessive. Rosanne is already trying to get me to break up with you," Steve says from the bathroom where he's getting ready. Rosanne Thorn had helped him do a test run, but since he was just behind the bar and lived a flight of stairs away, she decided he didn't need to take up space in the dressing room.

The idea of Steve breaking up with him makes Jonathan's chest unexpectedly tight.

"Just, I don't know, act like my boyfriend," Steve continues. "Pretend I'm Nancy."

"I don't want to be Nancy's boyfriend, I want-" Jonathan responds before catching himself. It turns out that the only hard part about being in a fake relationship with Steve is the part about it being fake.

Fortunately, Steve coming out of the bathroom covers for his abrupt stop. He's wearing a short blonde wig that just covers his strong jaw and narrows his face to make his features appear more feminine. His lips and eyes are lined to accentuate their natural curves. One of his moles has been marked so it stands out against the flawless complexion created by the makeup. The look is completed by a lilac shift dress trimmed with black piping to enhance the illusion of curves created by the padding underneath and the natural tuck of his waist. It is a very '60s mod look that leans into the clean lines of Steve's features.

Jonathan itches to get his camera.

"Wow." He swallows. That came out far too reverent. "I mean... Sorry, you just... Hm."

Steve laughs, his nerves only audible due to how familiar they have become with each other.

"That bad?" Steve has pitched his voice higher and a bit breathier to practice sounding more feminine.

"No," Jonathan quickly answers. It is far from bad, other than how it makes him want to be Steve's real, actual boyfriend that much more. "You look good. Really good."

The nerves shift into curiousity. After a moment of consideration, a smirk pulls at the corner of Steve's painted lips.

"Best behavior," he coyly reminds. "At least until the end of my shift."

Shamelessly inspired by this:

Stonathan Week 2025 - Day 1 - Only One Bed- Black & White

Stonathan Week 2025 - Day 7 - Dynamics