Stranger Things - Imagines

Jonathon Byers X Reader - The Joker

A/N - This chapter is based on the song The Joker by the Steve Miller Band. For this one, Reader is one of Argyle's friends, who Jonathon met when he moved to Lenora. He is not dating Nancy at any point during this chapter. (I'm not sure if anything I'm saying about weed is correct, so please don't judge my lack of knowledge.) I hope you all enjoy it.

Trigger Warning: This chapter includes drug use, but it's a little bit of weed, so nothing too hardcore. 

From the first moment that Jonathon had set eyes on you, he had been bordering on obsessed. I mean, you were unlike anyone he had ever met before. Sure, there were pretty girls in Hawkins. And there were definitely girls that smoked. But he wasn't sure he'd ever met a stoner as pretty as you. But there you were, your legs hanging out of the side of Argyle's van, a joint hanging loosely from between your fingers, and a soft grin playing at your lips. 

"This," Argyle started, gesturing wildly at you, a stark contrast to how chilled out you seemed on your little perch. "This right here is the coolest chick in all of Lenora," he pressed on, watching as you gave him a lazy salute, the joint still precariously dangling from your fingers. "Scratch that, coolest chick in California," he added as you took a hit. "Jonathon's new to town," he told you, causing you to sit up a little straighter, wiggling your nose until your sunglasses slid down just enough for you to look at them over the top.

"How're you liking Lenora?" 

Christ, even your voice was cool. Pretty and lilting and just perfect. "It's cool-" Shit, how did he sound so lame all of a sudden. He'd been fine when it had just been him and Argyle, but now it was like something had shifted and he no longer knew how to string a proper sentence together. "Nice weather."

You let out a soft chuckle, shaking your head as you leant back against your elbows, holding out the joint to him. "Do you partake?" 

"I-"

Your head lulled to the side, glasses allowing him just a glance at your peering eyes. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I've never tried it before," he murmured. "But I want to give it a go-"

You pulled in a hiss of air as you quickly pulled your hand back, out of his reach. "Not this one. Not for your first time. It's too strong." You paused for a moment. "Arg, you still got any of that Jack Herer left? Don't want newbie here getting all overstimulated on us." 

Argyle quickly hopped into the van, pulling out his stash and digging around for a second. "Nah," he started, the word stretching out as he continued sifting through his collection. "Got some Harlequin though. Does that work?"

A slow smile pulled at your lips. "That'll work just fine," you confirmed, laying back to smile up at him. "Is it your turn to roll or mine?"

"Your turn," he confirmed, taking the joint from your hand and replacing it with all the makings of a new one. 

"You're going to love this," you uttered, sitting back up to offer Jonathon a genuine smile. "It's a pretty gentle high. Calming. And you won't even notice it happening either. Harlequin comes in real slow and steady. She's smooth as anything."

Jonathon nodded, watching as your fingers worked over the paper, delicately forming it together into a perfect joint. "Do you do this often?"

A soft snort of laughter slipped out of you. "Argyle is almost always stoned," you murmured, bringing the paper up to your tongue before seeling it. "I'm not such a frequent flier; couple times a week, maybe more, maybe less. Depends on how school's going. How life's going. You know?"

He nodded again, watching you place the joint between your lips, shuffling a lighter out of your pocket. You took a couple of slow breaths, eyes focused on Jonathon as he watched you. 

And then you were holding it out to him. "For your first time, you only really want to take a small hit. Don't take too much in." He hesitated for a moment before dumping his backpack by the door of the van and taking the joint from your delicate clutch. "You look nervous," you hummed, reaching up to knock your glasses back down your nose, giving you a clear view of him. "You don't have to if you don't want. You can still hang around-"

Jonathon placed the joint between his lips, taking a gentle inhale. And then he was coughing, choking on the smoke. You shifted up on your knees to take the joint from his hand, popping it between your lips and letting your fingers wrap around his wrist, keeping him close. 

"You're alright," you told him softly. "Deep breath," you pressed on. 

You ran a gentle hand over his back, helping him to clear his airways. "Sorry," he murmured, once he had finally regained his breathing. 

"It happens to almost everyone on their first try. It's not a big deal, just takes some getting used to." He nodded, not looking all that convinced. "You want to know a secret?" you uttered, eyes meeting his as you released your grip on his wrist. "First time I smoked, I coughed so hard that I ended up making myself puke," you chuckled, giving a light shrug. "So, you actually handled it pretty well in comparison."

"Can I try again?"

A small smile pulled at your lips, and then you were nodding, pulling the joint from your mouth and holding it up to his. "Slowly," you murmured, watching as he inhaled, and then nodding when he should stop. "Good job. See, wasn't that better?" 

Jonathon nodded, letting the smoke ease back out of his lungs. "Much better."

"You're a natural," you teased, taking another hit for yourself as you plonked yourself back down on the floor of the van, patting the spot beside you for him to sit down. "You'll be good to get on the Purple Palm Tree Delight in no time," you added, as he sat beside you.

Jonathon couldn't help but watch as you leaned back to bask in the sunshine pouring in through the door, your eyes pressed closed behind your sunglasses. "You're sure you don't mind me hanging out with you guys?"

A soft chuckle slipped out of you. "You already seem like much better company than this guy," you teased, gesturing over your head at where Argyle was lounging across the front seats of the van, looking totally blissed out. "I only keep him around because he drives me around for free," you added, patting at your friend's knee. 

"And I only keep you around because you make totally rockin' pancakes," he murmured back, drawing a snort of laughter out of you.

"I've told him they're out of a box so many times, but he still thinks they're better than anything else he's ever tasted," you told Jonathon, shaking your head. "Weed'll do that to you," you added. "But, yes, you are more than welcome to hang around here with us. Whether you want to keep smoking or not."

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