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Fuck. Jonathan ran out of the weed he had brought from California. He was trying to conserve it but the night after the world split in four he really needed some stress relief and then the military took over their whole town, and he still hadn’t told Nancy about college… There was a lot of shit to be stressed about! So, he tried to conserve it. That didn’t work, and since Argyle went back to Cali after dropping off the Byers (+ Mike) Jonathan didn’t have anybody to get it from. “Fuck!” Jonathan yelled as he threw the closest thing to him across the room… something that broke when it hit the wall, damnit all now he’ll have to replace that or Robin will finally murder him. His fingers have been twitching non-stop, he has barely gotten any sleep since he ran out, he keeps flinching anytime he hears ANYTHING, he barely eats, and he accidentally yelled at Will yesterday… He really needs to pull it together, Jonathan was supposed to be alone at the squawk but of course he couldn’t be that lucky.
“Damn. What’s up with you, Byers?” Steve Harrington was apparently there, he seemed surprised but he was also laughing so Jonathan couldn’t really make anything out of it. He really didn’t have the patience to deal with Steve on his ass right now, he already thinks Jonathan is just some pothead so this wouldn’t help in the slightest. “It’s nothing. Just… pissed off.” He replies while massaging his forehead to try and calm the fuck down. Out of everyone, Jonathan does NOT need Steve to realize that he’s losing his goddamn mind. “You sure dude? You’ve been acting like a… prick for the last few days.” Steve says with about as much carefulness Jonathan thinks Steve Harrington can muster, he’s trying to be nice about it… “I have shit to be a prick about! The town split in fucking FOUR Steve! So, I’d appreciate if you got off my ass!” Jonathan actually just yelled at him, he wasn’t facing him before but Steve literally stepped back in shock at John’s outburst. Jonathan’s fingers must’ve been twitching again because Steve looked down at his hand, then was silent (a new thing from Steve) before something like realization dawned on his face.
“Holy shit. You’re going through withdrawals!” Steve exclaims way too loudly and with a bit too much enthusiasm, he’s literally laughing while he says it, the asshole. Jonathan really has the urge to punch him in the face like he did all those years ago, but then he’s reminded of how pathetic and weirdly hot he looked with all the bruises and stuff… It’s kinda messed up. So, Jonathan didn’t punch Steve, barely. “What would you know about withdrawal symptoms?” Jonathan said with a whole lot of annoyance, he knew it was rude to Steve to act like he’s too dumb to know what obvious withdrawal symptoms are like but it was also rude to laugh at someone experiencing withdrawals. It was something they learned about in school but Steve was never someone who particularly paid attention in school.
“I pay attention in school!” … “Also Rob’s g- friend is a nurse and Robin talks about stuff constantly so… you know.” Jonathan is always weirdly surprised Steve is such good friends with Robin, they’re so different but maybe it was the whole Russian situation… Jonathan obviously hadn’t been told about it from the source because Steve would never be even mildly unguarded around most people, let alone Jonathan, and Robin honestly didn’t seem to like him. Nancy had told him about it, he got curious one night and Nancy told him what she knew about it, she was more friends with the two of them than Jonathan was. It always made him feel bad for Steve, seeing him like that. “Anyway, don’t talk about me. When’d you quit?” Steve asks with a smile, that’s why he was so giddy, he thought Jonathan quit willingly. Fuck it, let’s just get everything out in the open.
“I ran out a few days ago.” Jonathan admits while crossing his arms and leaning back against the table, Steve hums softly as if he understands… as if. This guy is loaded, he was crazy popular, he’s got tons of friends, he pretty much had everything he ever wanted. So what would “Steve-the-hair-Harrington” understand about becoming addicted to weed after you have to move because the government is looking after your superpowered adopted younger sister and because you’ve just seen too much shit to deal with without the help of drugs to make you forget? Nothing. He probably knows nothing about how fucking pathetic Jonathan feels.
“Uh… Vickie, Rob’s friend, said that people who are going through withdrawal have different symptoms and they need different things so… What’s up with you?” Steve seems out of his depth, which makes sense since he literally is only getting his knowledge from a friend of a friend. Jonathan can’t believe this is the person he has to seek comfort in. “I’m pissed off all the time at pretty much everything, I can’t sleep, I barely have an appetite, I keep-” God damnit. “fucking twitching!” His fingers keep twitching, it’s actually insufferable. Sometimes Jonathan will be lying down in his bed or sitting in a chair and his foot will twitch randomly, he always has to lie and say he’s fine and that he’s just cold… His mom hadn’t noticed, Mrs. Wheeler was the only one who almost realized what he was going through… apart from Harrington for some reason.
“Right… You guys live with the Wheeler’s now, right?” Jonathan nods.
“Let’s go there then. You have your weird records and cassettes and everything you like there?” Steve says that like it’s the obvious answer to bring Steve Harrington to your house that isn’t actually your house because you are experiencing insane withdrawal symptoms. The guy that Jonathan’s girlfriend was with before she started dating him that’s definitely way hotter looking and has made Jonathan very insecure on many occasions, especially in Lenora. Jonathan actually didn’t have all of his music stuff at the Wheeler’s because a lot of his shit was left in their house in Lenora which got trashed by the government and it’s not like they can just leave to go grab their things… He has been trying to build up his collection again though.
“What?” Is all that Jonathan could muster to say in response because this was an absurd situation and scenario.
“Vickie- Rob’s friend-” As if Jonathan would forget after Steve said Vickie is Robin’s friend a million times. “said that people who are going through that should do more stuff they find relaxing and you like your music so… I assume that’ll work?” Steve tells him in that noncommittal way, as if he’s trying to shrug off the idea in case it doesn’t work so Jonathan doesn’t scream at him. How the hell is listening to music supposed to help him? Does Jonathan really have any better ideas?
“Fine.” He huffs as he walks past Steve and up the stairs to leave their secret little basement and leaving the squawk. Jonathan saw the look on Steve’s face while he walked past, he looked as surprised as Jonathan was that he was agreeing to this bullshit. Back in junior year Jonathan would’ve never let “Steve Harrington” see his living situation because his house was a mess and now he’s literally living in someone else’s basement and Steve is kinda a loser now. Shit’s happened. It was funny how much they changed, maybe not Jonathan, he’s still kinda the same, but Nancy was right (annoyingly). Steve was better, he was… nice.
Steve is running up beside Jonathan and is fumbling with his keys as he unlocks the door to his insanely nice car, Steve says something about wiping his shoes off before getting in, Jonathan says fuck off as he steps into the passenger seat. Steve turns the car on and revs the engine before looking like he’s going deep in thought about… something. Steve drums his hands on the steering wheel before he says what he was probably contemplating on saying. “So… what are the directions-” Oh my god. “Don’t act like you don’t remember the route to Nancy’s house.” Jonathan side eyes him as Steve nods in resignation before pulling away from the radio station. He’s surprised to realize Steve is kinda a super awkward person, not in the way most people are awkward, he just always seems like he’s trying to predict what someone wants him to be. While they drive Jonathan remembers how he always wondered what it’d be like to stand and stick out of the sunroof, he always imagined it would be like flying… He never got to do it, his mom was way too worried about the two of them getting hurt. Jonathan rolls down the window because this car is oddly stuffy and sticks his hand out of it, letting his hand move like waves with the wind…
It’s so quiet. “You should put some music on or something.” Jonathan suggests since it is Steve’s car, he’s also kinda curious what the guy’s music taste is like… Steve is silent for a weirdly long amount of time before Jonathan looks over and sees he looks embarrassed. Maybe his music taste is shit. Since it seems like Steve won’t put on music, Jonathan reaches for the radio himself and just presses play, it can’t be that bad.
…
“Holy shit!” Jonathan is cackling in the passenger seat, this makes so much sense, of course Steve Harrington would listen to pop music for literally every teen girl. This is amazing. “This makes perfect sense!” Jonathan exclaims, he actually can’t stop laughing, god he hasn’t laughed like this in a while. Steve is trying to hide it but since he’s driving it’s super easy to see how his cheeks are turning pink with embarrassment, Jonathan feels disdain for Steve’s horrible top 40 type music and he has made the decision that he HAS to introduce him to good music.
The drive goes pretty smooth, Steve is a good driver which for some reason is surprising… he’s just kinda reckless normally so Johnthan just assumed that transferred to driving, he does talk about his car as if it’s his own child… Anyway, they arrive at the Wheeler house and the cars are all gone, Jonathan says it’s fine if Steve parks in the driveway. He’s allowed to say that? Technically Jonathan does live here! Steve shuts off the car and makes Jonathan roll up the window (something about pollen or bugs or leaves…). Once they get in Jonathan is reminded that Mrs. Wheeler does not work.
“Shit.” Jonathan grabs Steve’s arm and pulls him along with him quickly while he sprints toward the door down to the basement, he slides in and Mrs. Wheeler doesn’t see them, she already almost caught the fact Jonathan was going through some kind of withdrawal and he barely got out of it so Jonathan really didn’t need her seeing him like this. Once they get down the steps Jonathan remembers he was holding Steve’s wrist and lets go like it burned him, he looks to Steve and he looks… shocked? What is he surprised about? “Spit it out, Harrington.” Jonathan supplies as he crosses his arms with an eyebrow raised, what was he perturbed about this time?
“I didn’t know you got strong, Byers.” Steve answers, his voice still sounds more astonished than anything but Jonathan was still confused why this was such an insane discovery. He was honestly feeling less strong at the moment since his withdrawal symptoms keep fucking with his head, speaking of those… Jonathan goes over to his small box of his new music collection and grabs a random cassette, “Pornography” by The Cure is a great intro to good music. He clicks the cassette into its player before lying down on his couch, Steve looks unsure of where to sit, it was pretty messy. He wasn’t exactly expecting company. Jonathan just draws his legs up and motions for Steve to sit there, to which he does!
“Now, this is good fucking music so you better be listening.” Jonathan threatens as he points an accusatory finger to Steve, as if knowing Steve will not appreciate the amazing melody of The Cure. He closes his eyes and listens, he always likes to fully submerge himself when he’s listening to songs, that’s why he isn’t allowed to listen to music while he studies. This album is so good… Jonathan can hear each instrument, he can hear the sound of each breath he takes, and it’s perfect. He straight up forgets Steve is there until he feels something brush against the side of his torso. Jonathan peaks his eyes open to see Steve sat on the ground next to the couch, his back is pushed up against it and his head is almost leaning on Jonathan’s torso. “Just wanted to… hear it better.” Steve supplies while glancing back at Jonathan, Jonathan just sighs and lets his eyes close again because this was the most relaxed he’s been in a while. He feels Steve just rests his head on Jonathan’s stomach and maybe it’s the comfort of darkness behind his eyelids but Jonathan reaches his hand out and decides to lightly stroke Steve’s hair. God, this is such a weird fucking day.