Homosexuals adventures

Smoking

Steve started smoking again.

Everyone kinda hates it

Steve picks up the kids to drive them to help the Byers family to move back in.

Dustin smells it first.

"Dude are you smoking again?"

Steve keeps his eyes on the road, his jaw tenses a little.

"That's what that smell is" Mike sniffs.

"Steve that isn't healthy" Will says concerned.

"Thank you for your concern but it's fine really"

Dustin eyes him strangely but says nothing.

Robin greets him at the door and pulls a sour faces as she hugs him.

"Steve"

"Robin" he raises his eyebrows.

"You stink like cigarettes"

Steve sighs shaking his head.

"You're smoking again?" Nancy asks.

"Maybe"

"Steve"

"It's not a big deal I just need a distraction"

"Like smoking?" Johnathan asks.

"Dude you literally have a joint tuck it your hair"

"That's where that went thank you" Argyle says plucking the joint from his ear.

Steve sighs and starts to help out avoiding his friends questions about his smoking habit.

Robin brings it up again one night at Steve's house after seeing empty packets of cigarettes in his trash.

Robin comes back from the kitchen to join everyone in Steve's living room. It is movie night.

Robin pauses the movie.

"Come on" Dustin groans.

"Steve"

"Robin"

"Cigarettes"

Steve looks at get confused until she holds out her hand motioning for him to give him his cigarettes.

"You're kidding right?"

"Nope"

Steve sighs fishing out the packet from his pocket and handing it over.
Robin looks inside to see 4 left.

"You're smoking?" Eddie asks.

"You didn't know, it's really worrying" Dustin says.

"I'd kill for a smoke but can't recovery and all that" Eddie sighs.

"Seriously Steve you need to quit" Robin sighs.

"You say it like it's so easy" Steve leans back into the couch and looks up, "I've been smoking since 7th grade"

"You've been smoking since your were 12?" Nancy asks shocked.

"13 Tommy's older brother smoked a bunch, it's funny because when my Dad caught me he said 'congratulations on being a man' and 'smoke outside' weird right"

"That's not normal Steve" Max says.

"Yeah well" Steve shrugs.

"We could do hypnosis?"

"What is that?" El asks.

"You quit when we we're together"

"Because you didn't like it and I felt bad making you cough like a lot"

"You can find substitutes for it" Lucas suggested.

"It's no use" Steve sighs.

"You've gotta at least try"

"Do I though?"

Steve stands up pulling out a cigarette, lighting it up and walking outside.

"Where did you even get that?" Robin  asks.

"I have multiple packs stashed" Steve   shouts before closing the sliding door.

Steve sighs smoking looking over the pool.

The door slides open and close.

"Listen I can't just-"

"Quit yeah I know I've been there"

Steve turns to Eddie and then looks back into the blue glow of the pool.

"I wasn't sent here by the way I volunteered"

"Oh my hero" Steve chuckles.

"Yeah yeah"

"I really miss smoking but I can't anymore"

"Why?"

"Wayne"

Steve turns his head to look at Eddie.

"Cringe right?"

"No"

Eddie looks at Steve and smiles then looks back at the pool.

"He's my family so when I literally died I decided I'll try and stop doing things that get me killed, yeah smoking cigarettes is one thing and surviving interdimensional monsters is another but if I need to run my lungs will be healthy this time and I won't be losing a nipple" Eddie huffs a laugh out with his last sentence, "I at least want to live long enough to achieve my dreams and meet the future love of my life you know and that requires a long life"

Steve has nothing to say, he can't take his eyes of Eddie whilst he pours his heart out.

"Well that's a dram of mine" Eddie rocks on his heels of his feet and tucks his hand in his front pockets sighing, "Steve I care about you man and this habit isn't healthy I get quitting is really difficult but at least cut back you know"

Steve hums.

"I'm gonna head in"

The door opens and closes.

Steve flicks his unfinished cigarette into the pool, he'll clean it tomorrow.

That night after everyone leaves Steve clears out his stash and burns it in the outside fire pit.

He quits for Eddie.

Steve realises he cares for Eddie a little more than a friend should but he tries not to think about it.