Jeff is gonna get a mohawk. He's decided. Does he know how to do it? Hell no. But he has the right person for the job, the one guy whose hair had become practically a school monument, a guy that definitely spends many minutes in front of the mirror each morning, despite being devastated by the earthquake (or whatever may have really happened in Hawkins, Jeff is never sure) and by the heaviness of grieving and carrying a broken heart around.

Lucas Sinclair.

Because yes, while the social structure of the Hawkins High student body had been pretty shaken since they were all quarantined last year, it isn't completely shattered. And the other jocks can say whatever they want, but scoring the championship decisive point in '86 threw Sinclair right up the social ladder, even if he doesn't seem as interested in it now as he once had been.

He doesn't even notice, but people stop to see him walk by. And his hair is fantastic. Maybe not as flawless as it was before the disaster, but still. The guy has style and, most importantly, Jeff trusts him. He's heard Sinclair talk about how he learned how to cut and take care of it from his dad and the only barber in town who knew how to handle afro hair was injured badly last year, bless his soul.

Plus, Jeff could use a day with his friends.

"Dude, I'm not sure if I can do that," Lucas sighs, eyeing the drawing Jeff just handed him. He couldn't find a reference picture, so that's what he's left with.

"I want it just like yours, but, hm," Jeff tries again "with this shape. I think you can do it, man. If it doesn't work we'll just buzz it out."

Lucas lifts his brows, then stares, then studies the drawing again. Then he smiles.

"Ok, let's do it."

They didn't need the whole club there for it, but Jeff clung to the excuse to reunite. Not that he thought they'd all actually go, but he had to try. Hellfire had been dissolved without Eddie. Jeff misses them, sue him.

So they all reunite in Jeff's house. Gareth, Doug, Mike, Lucas, even Dustin and their friend Will. Jeff places a chair in the garage for him to sit and the others accommodate themselves on the beach chairs Jeff's used to take to the lake or on the floor. It's weird at first. It feels almost wrong to be joyful now that their friend is gone. But then Gareth shoves Mike to the side after a joke Jeff didn't really hear and they all laugh. Even Dustin laughs a little, very small, nothing like the way he used to laugh, but it's something.

Jeff puts on his most prized possession, the I Against I Vinyl, by Bad Brains. He has no idea how Reefer Rick got it for him, but boy, how he's happy to have it. Lucas chews his gum obnoxiously loud while cutting Jeff's hair and Mike clearly enjoys the music.

"So, what do you think?" Lucas asks, handing Jeff a mirror.

"Woah, fuck!" Jeff answers "it looks so fucking cool!"

"Dude!" Doug starts, equally excited "I never thought I'd say that, but you're giving real rock legend."

"Fuck off, Douglas!" Jeff laughs.

"We should bleach the ends, it'd look so metal!" Mike suggests.

"Or so punk," Gareth corrects, faking disgust.

"Whatever," Mike rolls eyes like he always does when any of them starts picking up on his and Jeff's punk tendencies "I was so right about getting a red mohawk. It'd look fucking awesome."

"Oh my God, Mike. Not you with the red mohawk again," Lucas sighs "don't count on my help you, man."

"Why not?"

"Do I look like I know how to handle that white boy hair of yours?!"

"You should ask Mrs. Byers," Dustin jokes, a slight smile on the corner of his lips. Will laughs loud, ooks at Dustin with the fondness of someone who misses his friend's laughter.

"Oh yeah, she'd nail it."

After sweeping the floor, Jeff suggests they find somewhere to hang out. Honestly, there are not many places that doesn't feel haunted by Eddie's absence. Still, they agree on driving to the old junkyard.

"What?" Jeff asks when they all shoot him startled looks.

"It's just impressive that while we're in a shortage of many types of foods, you still have weed." Doug states, then laughs.

"Well, Rick apparently has better relations than the mayor. You want it or not?"

They share a few beers and the two joints Jeff has. It almost feels like it used to when they smoked for the first times with Eddie, back when Gareth would almost cough his lungs out. Now, Mike is the one who coughs and then blushes. Till 86, smoking together was a Corroded Coffin thing, but it was kind of an unspoken agreement that at any point the youngsters would be deemed old enough to barge in if they wanted to. Now, even if they weren't old enough, whatever hell resides in this city has been eating them alive too much for them to give a fuck.

What's a little marijuana anyway?

It is, of course, a little empty. They joke and talk and break random shit, but it's like they're not running in full capacity anymore. In a way, they never will. Not since death took away one of the gears that made them work as a group.

Later, Jeff drives Lucas back home with Doug. Lucas was always his favorite amidst the four. He'd always believe that people would stop picking at them if he succeeded in basketball, or that his girlfriend was gonna take him back. Jeff wonders if he's still is an optimist at heart and prays that if there's any God above, they keep him like that.

Kids them need an extra layer of that.

"Call me when you need a trim, man."