jonathan byers

echoes rp | rainy

[jo-nathanbyers]

jonathan byers

"Being a freak is the best. I’m a freak!"

ABOUT

age: 19

pronouns: he/him

sexuality: bisexual

occupation: working on it

residence: wheeler house

OVERVIEW

cares almost too much about the people he loves, even when he seems distant

chronic overthinker and worrier

quiet and observant, the kid in the back of the class

soft-hearted and non-confrontational, but will fight for his family 'til the ends of the earth

still figuring out who he is, beyond nancy, beyond taking care of will and joyce

especially confused about the weird distortions and moving shadows that show up whenever he develops his photographs (he refuses to use digital cameras)

CONNECTIONS

tba

[jo-nathanbyers]

"As a team," he nodded, pulling the door open and gesturing for Rhea to enter first. "I feel like I should be thanking you—giving me a reason to stop and get a hot drink."

He followed the girl up to the counter a bit awkwardly and forced a half-smile onto his lips, wishing that simple act would ease the tension in his body. They made it up to the cashier and Jonathan explained what happened to Rhea's drink, asking if they could give her a replacement. The girl working gave Jonathan a weird look, glancing between him and Rhea multiple times, before nodding, and he let out a grateful breath.

"Strength in numbers works wonders," he nodded while they waited for the drink. "So, uh, what were you reading? And if, uh, you don't mind... I wouldn't mind joining you in your coffee endeavours."

[rheaalden-ste]

Rhea stepped through the door when he held it open, giving him a small, grateful smile. “Thanks,” she murmured, brushing past him into the warm air of the café. She stayed close as they walked to the counter, her book tucked under her arm.

When Jonathan explained what happened to her drink, she watched the cashier’s expression flick between them, her brows lifting slightly. But when the girl finally nodded, Rhea let out a quiet breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Guess strength in numbers really does work,” she said, her voice soft but amused.

While they waited, she shifted her weight, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. He looked tense, not in a bad way, just… like someone trying to make sure he didn’t mess up a simple moment. Something about that made her shoulders relax.

When he asked what she’d been reading, she lifted the book a little so he could see the cover. “Just a mystery novel,” she said. “Nothing fancy. It’s one of those slow-burn ones where nothing happens for a hundred pages and then everything happens at once.” A small smile tugged at her mouth. “And… I don’t mind,” she added, meeting his eyes. “If you want to sit with me, I mean.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her voice dipping quieter. “It’d be nice. Having company.”

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan was used to people looking at him—staring at the strange Byers kids who never seemed like they truly belonged. So he noticed when Rhea glanced at him, and tensed slightly out of habit. He couldn't think why she would stare at him like that—but maybe it was just nothing, and he was kidding himself.

"Mysteries are... cool," he nodded, though he felt he had experienced them much too often over the past few years. He watched her while she spoke, finding it hard to tell what she was thinking, which he was usually great at. Standing a little straighter as she accepted his suggestion, he blurted out without meaning to, "Great. Yeah, that's, um... great."

The barista brought out the new drink for Rhea, and Jonathan ordered a tea for himself. allowing the two to stand in wait a little longer. "So are you... new in Hawkins, or...?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Yeah, I mean—I don't know if I can relate, exactly, but scary, weird, and good all at once—that, I have experience with," Jonathan admitted as he sipped on the tea. "It takes some getting-used-to. And then more getting-used-to. And a lot more of it. But eventually... it'll seem normal. Well, as normal as normal can be in Hawkins."

Jonathan smiled at her teasing him. "Well, believe it or not, I have been a sibling for a very long time. Now, I just... have another one. And Ava," he met her eyes, "you're not too bad at this 'sibling thing' too."

And then, after a beat of comfortable silence, letting the warmth from the tea spread throughout his body, he asked, "Made any friends yet? Or have you officially received the Byers treatment?"

[avabyers-ste]

Ava let out a soft breath, her shoulders easing as she listened to him. Something about the way Jonathan talked, honest, a little awkward, but always sincere, made her feel like she wasn’t crazy for feeling overwhelmed and grateful and terrified all at once. “Yeah,” she murmured, a small smile tugging at her mouth. “Hawkins has its own… learning curve.”

She wrapped both hands around her mug, letting the warmth soak into her palms. When he said she wasn’t bad at the sibling thing, her eyes flicked up to his, surprised but touched. “Thanks,” she said quietly. “Coming from you, that actually means a lot.”

The silence that followed wasn’t heavy, just comfortable, the kind that made her feel like she belonged in the room instead of hovering at the edges of it.

When he asked about friends, Ava huffed a soft laugh, shaking her head. “Friends? Yeah, a few,” she answered. “I’ve talked to people. Mostly by accident.” She lifted her mug again, hiding a small smile behind the rim. “I don’t think I’ve gotten the full Byers treatment yet,” she teased lightly. “But I’m sure it’s coming." A soft laugh escaped her lips, "People are still curious right now. I'm a new face.”

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan listened to his sister intently, nodding as she spoke. "Hey, at least you're not officially known as one of us yet," he chuckled softly. "People will still approach you for a while, I think. I'm sure you'll have a whole group of friends in no time. Plus... Will and I are here for you, too."

He took another sip of tea, shifting slightly. "So... uh, sorry to keep interrogating you," he shook his head, another question at the tip of his tongue, "I feel like I should get to know you better. Um..." a small smile lit his face as he leaned close, feigning seriousness, "this is a deep question, so I'm going to need you to really think about this: what... is your favorite color?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan considered it, realizing that whatever happened would end with the two of them watching a movie together. But he liked hanging out with Steve, so surprisingly, he found that he really didn't mind. "Y-Yeah. Yeah. Well, let's hear it."

His eyes widened at Steve's suggestions, surprised at his actual movie knowledge. "Wow, Dawn of the Dead. How did you know?" He didn't expect the other man to suggest one of his favorite movies. "But—Escape from New York? Really?"

[kiingsteve]

Steve shrugged. "It's a classic, I mean, if you like that kind of movie," he admitted. Horror movies were not his favorite, but he had a new appreciation for them thanks to Connie. "Really?" He repeated, shaking his head. "I liked it, it was— different from the usual action movies I watch." He chuckled. "So... what are we watching today?" He asked with a friendly grin.

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Not a fan of horror?" Jonathan questioned. "Well, that explains it. I guess it is a little different than the usual action, but..." he shook his head, not really wanting to elaborate for fear of actually angering Steve with his movie prejudice. He'd been told by both Will and his mom that he was often too specific with his taste in media.

"Dawn of the Dead, definitely," Jonathan decided, returning Steve's smile. "Am I, uh, going behind the counter, or do you guys have a secret backroom where you slack off to?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Oh, sure," Jonathan mused, "just idealistic ones where the underdog becomes the hero."

As Steve leaned forward, Jonathan followed suit, placing his hands on the edges of the counter. "Go for it." And after a beat, he tilted his head slightly, "But if they don't cut it, what are you gonna do?"

[kiingsteve]

"Those are the best," he mused, grinning as the other copied him. "Well, either you admit I can pick a good movie and you watch one with me... or I have to suffer through something you pick," he challenged, hoping it wasn't too obvious that the outcome was the same.

"So, dawn of the dead, escape from new york, or altered states," he suggested, hoping at least one of his suggestions would impress the other.

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan considered it, realizing that whatever happened would end with the two of them watching a movie together. But he liked hanging out with Steve, so surprisingly, he found that he really didn't mind. "Y-Yeah. Yeah. Well, let's hear it."

His eyes widened at Steve's suggestions, surprised at his actual movie knowledge. "Wow, Dawn of the Dead. How did you know?" He didn't expect the other man to suggest one of his favorite movies. "But—Escape from New York? Really?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Well, good on both of them," Jonathan nodded, turning his gaze to the VHS tapes instead of the other man. "Rocky is... an interesting choice. Not sure I should trust your recommendations anymore."

He gave Steve a small smile, shaking his head. "So that's what you watch in your free time? When you're not doing sports, you're watching movies about them? And here I thought you had taste."

[kiingsteve]

"Come on, Rocky is a legend," Steve responded, shaking his head. "Okay, I have taste. I don't watch just any sports movies."

He leaned forward against the counter, trying to defend himself. "You want a good recommendation?" He asked without waiting for an answer. "I can name three movies right now that I bet would be just up your alley."

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Oh, sure," Jonathan mused, "just idealistic ones where the underdog becomes the hero."

As Steve leaned forward, Jonathan followed suit, placing his hands on the edges of the counter. "Go for it." And after a beat, he tilted his head slightly, "But if they don't cut it, what are you gonna do?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan hadn't exactly been avoiding Steve Harrington, but he hadn't seen him since their impromptu hangout in the woods by Lover's Lake, and the longer it went, the more anxious he was getting. And then he was avoiding him. But now, seeking something other than the chick flicks the Wheelers owned, Jonathan forced himself through the door of Family Video—nervous and, weirdly, eager.

The store was empty, and Jonathan watched Steve open his mouth to talk, but he still jumped at the sound of his voice. "Uh, no. Not exactly. Just... something not Pretty in Pink."

[kiingsteve]

"Right, so no rom coms," Steve mused, brushing his fingers through his hair. "Well, are we thinking something scary or more action? Or both?" He asked, trying to sound casual even if he was dying to talk to the other male about something other than movies. Steven Harrington was no coward, but now that he had a chance to face a newfound fear of his, he found himself stalling.

"Connie's made sure I know of at least one horror movie for every letter of the alphabet, and Robin has refused to let me watch Rocky on repeat anymore."

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Well, good on both of them," Jonathan nodded, turning his gaze to the VHS tapes instead of the other man. "Rocky is... an interesting choice. Not sure I should trust your recommendations anymore."

He gave Steve a small smile, shaking his head. "So that's what you watch in your free time? When you're not doing sports, you're watching movies about them? And here I thought you had taste."

[stevejonathan]

1.08 / 5.08

[kiingsteve]

location: family video for: @jo-nathanbyers

after their last unexpected hangout, and a long winded discussion from robin, steve felt the need to seek out byers. he knew he was taking a huge risk, but after all they had been through, he was almost sure that jonathan would keep his secret if he didn't feel the same way. so, even after trying to find the other at his usual haunts without any success, he was glad when jonathan walked into the store while he was working.

"are you looking for anything specific, byers?" he asked out loud since the store was empty for now.

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan hadn't exactly been avoiding Steve Harrington, but he hadn't seen him since their impromptu hangout in the woods by Lover's Lake, and the longer it went, the more anxious he was getting. And then he was avoiding him. But now, seeking something other than the chick flicks the Wheelers owned, Jonathan forced himself through the door of Family Video—nervous and, weirdly, eager.

The store was empty, and Jonathan watched Steve open his mouth to talk, but he still jumped at the sound of his voice. "Uh, no. Not exactly. Just... something not Pretty in Pink."

[kiingsteve]

moodboard 002: steve + jonathan

( @jo-nathanbyers )

[cinematicnomad]

STRANGER THINGS ▸ 1.08 chapter eight: the upside down

[jo-nathanbyers]

"I've had alcohol, its just... well, I'm not exactly surrounded by people who are happy when they're drunk," Jonathan shrugged, his mind drifting to unhappy thoughts of Lonnie Byers. Even Nancy, sometimes, was a mean drunk. "I've never had a good time when drinking, I guess."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," he agreed, sharing the laugh, "What's a Little League coach doing with an unemployed photographer?"

[kiingsteve]

"Oh... sorry." Most of the drunks he had dealt with were wine drunk moms when his mom had a gathering and rowdy, boozed up jocks. Neither was exactly great company, but they could at least be funny if you were also drunk.

"Exactly," he murmured, shaking his head. "You gonna go back to school?" He asked, unlocking his car as they finally reached the edge of the forest.

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan suddenly felt a bit awkward, not really meaning to kill their lighthearted mood. But he let it hang in the air until Steve started speaking again. "I've been thinking about it," he admitted. "The dream was always to go to NYU. But... Will still needs me, and my mom hasn't exactly gotten back on her feet yet. And it doesn't really feel right to leave them now."

Sliding into the car, Jonathan shrugged. "What about you? You're coaching—ever planning to do something else?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Yeah, yeah, blame me all you want," Jonathan shook his head with a smile. "At least it won't give you a massive hangover-headache tomorrow."

"No, I, uh... just walked here," he shrugged, one hand scratching the back of his neck as he looked around at the trees. "Well, it'll have us best friends by the time we get there."

[kiingsteve]

"Not much of a drinker?" He asked as he led the way through the trees to his car. Steve himself enjoyed a beer when he had someone to share it with. Drinking alone was just too lonely for him. "If we come out of these woods best friends, everyone is going to think we've officially lost it," he remarked with a chuckle. "I can already hear Henderson and Robin yapping about it now."

[jo-nathanbyers]

"I've had alcohol, its just... well, I'm not exactly surrounded by people who are happy when they're drunk," Jonathan shrugged, his mind drifting to unhappy thoughts of Lonnie Byers. Even Nancy, sometimes, was a mean drunk. "I've never had a good time when drinking, I guess."

"Oh, yeah, definitely," he agreed, sharing the laugh, "What's a Little League coach doing with an unemployed photographer?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Wow. Just... wow, man. Seriously." Jonathan was at a loss for words. Max had so many friends, and as soon as the news spreads, they'd all be flocking to her side. But that left another thought on Jonathan's mind. Because if it had been Will—and it had been him, not too long ago—then it wouldn't have just been friends, it was the family that cared for and fought for him. "Do you know... I mean, this is probably really nosy, but... is her mom still around? Does she, uh, know about anything... at all?"

In any case, Max's welcome-back-to-life celebration would most certainly be the biggest party Hawkins had ever seen from the Byers, Wheeler, Henderson, Hopper, and Sinclair families. And probably the most tearful.

"I know I'm probably not the person you were looking to tell first," Jonathan conceded, giving Lucas a grin, "but I'm glad you told me. And, uh... if you want me to drive you somewhere, help you find Will or El...?"

[rangerlucassinclairx]

“Oh yeah, her mother,” Lucas said in alarm now that Jonathan had pointed it out. Of course he should have informed Susan right away. “She couldn’t handle seeing Max like that all the time. She was already doing so badly before all this,” Lucas said, suddenly worrying about Max’s mother too. “I should’ve called her immediately... but the hospital has probably already done that by now, right?” Lucas looked at Jonathan with a brief frown, overwhelmed. Somehow he felt responsible for organizing all of this. But both he and Max had been so overwhelmed and emotional at first that there hadn’t been any room for rational thoughts like that. And then the doctors had thrown Lucas out anyway, which was why he was here now. Still, he really hoped Max’s mother had been informed by now.

Overall, Lucas was incredibly agitated and wound up again because of everything that had happened. Now he couldn’t understand at all how he had managed to wait so long before telling Jonathan everything. “I’m really glad I told you too,” he beamed. “Originally I wasn’t even planning to, but you’re actually exactly the right person to hear it first!” This conversation somehow made Lucas and Will’s older brother feel closer too. Lucas thought for a moment before nodding. “That would be great!” he finally said. “We could drive around and find everyone?” Because he seriously couldn’t wait any longer to tell everyone that Max had woken up.

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan nodded solemnly, listening to what Max's mother had been up to. He could understand her. After all, he'd gone through grieving his brother. He'd believed he was dead, even when his mother was going around town and insisting that he wasn't.

"Yeah, don't... the hospital has all of that covered, I'm sure," Jonathan assured him, not wanting to stress Lucas out. "It's not your responsibility. Not at all. You just focus on, um, being happy. And being with your friends."

Jonathan was already reaching for his keys, discarded on the kitchen counter, as soon as Lucas agreed. "Well, we'd better get going, then." He opened the front door, ushering Lucas through it first, before they both walked over to his car, parked on the street. Sliding into the drivers' seat, Jonathan asked, "Who do you think we should go after first?"

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan grinned, proud of himself for impressing Rory. And it was nice, how willing she was to continue talking to him, how easy it was getting. They shared this need to get away with each other, and Jonathan didn't have many people like that in his life.

"I do have experience with those kinds of things," he gave her a half-shrug, being truthful—and not in a pity-me or tease-me kind of way, just honest. "We can drown out the world together. Music, talking, banging things together just to make a sound... I'm not picky."

"But seriously," he continued, "Iron Maiden is the way to go. And... if you don't have anything going on, I have a car. And a radio." He shrugged, offering to continue their little hangout like it didn't mean anything.

[roryvale-ste]

Rory’s smile shifted, not the sharp, teasing one she used to keep people at arm’s length, but something smaller, realer, like he’d hit a part of her she didn’t expect him to touch. “Yeah,” she murmured, eyes flicking over him with a softness she didn’t bother hiding. “I kinda figured you had experience.” Not pity. Not awe. Just understanding. The kind that made her chest tighten for a second.

When he said we can drown out the world together, something in her expression flickered. Like he’d said something truer than he realized. “Careful, Byers,” she said, voice low, “that almost sounded like an invitation.” But then he kept going, Iron Maiden, the car, the radio, and the way he said it like it didn’t mean anything made her laugh under her breath. A quiet, warm sound. She stepped closer, close enough that her shoulder brushed his arm, close enough that she could smell the faint mix of smoke and darkroom chemicals clinging to him.

“Jonathan,” she said, tilting her head to catch his eyes, “if you didn’t want it to mean anything, you wouldn’t have asked.” Her fingers hooked lightly into the strap of his camera bag, not pulling, just touching, grounding. “I don’t have anything going on,” she added, softer now. “And Maiden in a car with the windows down sounds… pretty perfect, actually.” Her smile went crooked. “Lead the way, photographer.”

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Perfect?" he repeated it like a question, like he was still questioning whether or not Rory was serious in all this. Her hold on his camera bag felt significant, and Jonathan could feel himself pulling away from it, away from the possibility. But this time, he didn't want to allow himself to do that. "Yeah, okay. Let's do it."

So he led her out the door, deciding that rather than buy one of the newer albums, they'd just listen to one of the tapes he already had. His car was just down the street, so it didn't take the two of them longer than a minute to reach it. He opened and held the passenger side door for Rory, grinning at her. "My lady," he spoke in a mock British accent.

And then he slipped into the drivers' seat, digging through a box of cassette tapes under his chair to find the metal band. "It's around here somewhere, I'm sure of it..."

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan couldn't stop the slight flush warming his face at the knowledge that Steve didn't actually mind hanging out more with him. "You're, uh, not too bad... either."

"Oh, um," Jonathan stood slowly and turned to Steve, about to extend a hand to help him to his feet but stopped himself. "That sounds nice. Yeah. Let's do that." He smiled softly, "Getting high make you hungry?"

[kiingsteve]

"Good to know." He chuckled at the irony of the situation.

If Nancy could see them now, she would probably ask if either of them had been hit in the head. Their stupid feud seemed like ancient history.

"Uh, yeah. I blame the smoke, so I'm really blaming you," he joked, pushing himself up.

"Did you drive? I have my car parked nearby."

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Yeah, yeah, blame me all you want," Jonathan shook his head with a smile. "At least it won't give you a massive hangover-headache tomorrow."

"No, I, uh... just walked here," he shrugged, one hand scratching the back of his neck as he looked around at the trees. "Well, it'll have us best friends by the time we get there."

[constanceelisee]

Connie likes wandering. Early in the morning. Before she starts her shift at Family Video, she always goes to the diner to grab coffee and some pancakes. It was also a way of escaping the looming question of whether or not she would go to college.

Today was going to be like any other. She walks to Family Video, David Bowie's Heroes, playing faintly in her ears. She opens Family Video and slowly sets everything up to start the day, before going to the door to switch the CLOSED sign to OPEN. On her way back to the counter, she notices that someone had brought back 'A Nightmare on Elm Street", she grabs it, deciding to watch it as she rewinds tapes. As she pops in the VHS tape in the TV and starts rewinding, the sound of bells ringing alerts her to a customer.

"Just ask me if you need anything," she says not moving her eyes from the TV.

@sterpstarters // OPEN

[jo-nathanbyers]

Unlike his usual morning routine, Jonathan had decided that he'd watch a movie. Only, the Wheeler house wasn't exactly stacked with his favorites. In fact, most of the films they had were ones he'd made fun of thousands of times. So there he was at Family Video just as it opened, walking through the door and making a beeline for where he knew the movies he liked rested.

He barely paid any attention to Constance, who he knew and could hear watching one of her horror movies—he used to really enjoy horror, especially The Evil Dead, but he didn't exactly watch a lot of it anymore. Living a horror movie for years tends to do that to a person.

Except, today, he would have to interact with Connie. Because apparently they had reorganized the store a bit and none of the movies he was used to watching were in their rightful places. "Hey—Connie, where did you hide all the good stuff?"

[constanceelisee]

Connie paused her movie and turned to face Jonathan. "What do you mean, the good stuff. We organised them by genre, and then within genre, we organised alphabetically. Besides, we have different tastes. I dunno what you like," she said, walking up to him. "I didn't take you to be a rom-com lover, Jonathan," She nodded her head towards a small sign, written in her careful handwriting, whih read 'Romance'. She had finally convinced Keith to let her add signs to indicate the genres because for some reason he didn't include it. She also had recently reorganised the shop based on popularity. Lots of people in Hawkins seemed to prefer romance movies and action packed, so those were in the front, towards the back were the other genres, horror, thriller, drama, foregin films, and as of recently, adult films, which was in another room. Suprisingly, no one from the church tried to get shut down, and it did increase clinetele. Notably old men and boys between 18 and 27 years old.

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan stepped away from the romance movies, hands up like he'd touched something disgusting. "God, no," he shook his head dramatically. "The Outsiders, American Graffiti... coming-of-age drama, you would call it."

He glanced at the TV, then back at Connie. "Sorry. Didn't mean to bother you."

[constanceelisee]

Connie grinned at him and grabbed a random VHS tape from the Romance shelf. "Aw, Jonny, didn't Nancy take you to see any romance movies?" she said teasingly, waving it in front of his face. "I know the girl, even if she won't admit it, loves a good romance movie."

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan rolled his eyes, ignoring the movie. "Yeah, she loves a good romance. Can't say I do—always the same story every time: get together to fall in love, get pulled apart by some outside force or misunderstanding, end up together at the end. It doesn't require any thought." He took another step away from the romance, shaking his head like it disturbed him. "Not my kind of movie. But sure, you can go ahead and take one, Connie."

[constanceelisee]

"Jesus, Jon," Connie said, putting the movie back. "I knew you were pretentious about music, but movies too," "American Graffiti? You're in luck, my friend. Yesterday, a bunch of churchgoers came here with a petition, handed it to Keith, and made him get rid of a bunch of movies that were too violent," Connie said, going behind the counter to grab a box filled with VHS tapes. "American Graffiti happens to be among them,"

[jo-nathanbyers]

"Hey, I'm not pretentious, I just have taste," he shrugged.

"Too violent, really?" Jonathan shook his head, leaning against the counter. "What else they get rid of? The Goonies, with all their guns and pirates?" he chuckled.

[constanceelisee]

"That's what a pretentious person would say, Mr. Byers," Connie replied, bringing the box over.

"Haha. They kept it. But got rid of Risky Business, so I'm gonna give this to Nancy for her birthday,"

[jo-nathanbyers]

Jonathan rolled his eyes but looked at the box with interest. "You should—she'll love it," he agreed. "Tom Cruise is definitely a thing in the Wheeler household."