When The Sun Rises - Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson

Part One - Eddie

[Trigger Warning: This chapter contains depictions of smoking marijuana]

Eddie sat on top of the table. His legs propped against the seat, as he watched Steve anxiously tap his foot into the dirt and leaves.
"It'll be fine, man, I do this all the time. I'll keep you safe," He told him.

Steve nodded. "I've never smoked weed before."
"You've been to the Upside Down, fought the strangest creatures known to man, but smoking scares you?" He chuckled and looked up at the sky, blowing a cloud of smoke towards the trees.

"I dunno, dude, it's different. Different from a cigarette, too."
"You don't gotta if you don't want to."
"No, I want to, I want to," Steve promised.

Eddie grinned, a lopsided smile. He held the hand-rolled joint out for Steve. Their fingers brushed as he took it, and Eddie quickly moved his hand back to the wooden table.
"And you're sure we won't get caught?" Steve held the joint a little ways from his face.

"I told you, Harrington, no one comes out this far. We're good." Eddie laughed. He had seen Steve in the face of near certain doom, standing calm. The idea that getting caught smoking scared him was humorous.

In just a moment, Steve was coughing almost violently from the smoke that filled his lungs. Breath like a dragon's billowed into the sky.
Eddie couldn't help but laugh some more. "You'll get used to it," he chuckled.
Steve caught his breath, and then looked up at the punk sitting above him. "How long have you been doing this?"
"Mmm..." Eddie leaned back on his hands. "Couple years. Not everyone is a perfect preppy like you."
"Hey!" Steve playfully pushed Eddie's leg. "I am far from perfect."
Eddie took another long drag from the joint that just sat on Steve's lips. He tried not to think about it as he exhaled smoke from his nostrils. "I'm just joking around."
"I know dude," Steve's smile was perfect, his teeth straight and white. He brought his hand to his neck, running his thumb up and down the marks left from the Upside Down.

Silence hung heavy in the air for a few seconds.

"How are you healing?" Eddie asked carefully. "They don't look so bad anymore."
"They still hurt, I guess. Kind of a strange pain, but I'm used it by now." His eyes drifted to the metal lunch box that Eddie kept his stash in.
"Is that why you asked for this?" He closed the lid quickly.

"Fuck, Ed, of course not," Steve looked back up at Eddie. "I got Advil at home, and the doctors prescribed something too."
Eddie hesitated, hand still resting on the lunch box. He eventually decided to trust Steve was being honest.

"Did you tell them how you got those?" He gestured the blunt to Steve's neck and sides.
"Are you joking? Of course not. No one would believe me if I did."
"I believed you," Eddie pointed out.

"You were wanted for murder, and had already seen some fucked up shit. Plus you went to the Upside Down, too."

Eddie laughed.

"Alright man," Steve sighed. "I told Robin that I'd drive her to work, so I should go pick her up."
"Wait, Harrington, you don't have a thing for Robin, do you?"

"Fuck no, man, Robin's great, but not my type. We are strictly platonic." Steve promised as he stood.
Eddie grinned again. "Good, I just wanted to check." He pulled a small plastic bag from his pocket and tossed it to Steve. "I'm not giving you any for free again, okay?"

Steve caught the bag and pushed it in his own pocket. "I wouldn't ask you to. If you ever want a smoking buddy again though," He trailed off.
"You will be my last call, Harrington."

Steve laughed as he walked back through the woods to his car.

Eddie stayed in the woods a little longer. He laid on the table, blowing smoke into the air as he thought. Steve and Robin were close for being platonic, but he couldn't judge. If he did, he would probably be discovered, and Steve would hate him, and the new group of friends he actually liked would abandon him. Being protective wasn't going to help anything.