𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

xvii. TROUBLES.

    

     ARGYLE just glanced back at the others sleeping in the back before looking at Charles. "I heard about what happened to your mom... that's a lot on someone who's been through so much. And I honestly don't blame you." He said as he looked towards the front, watching the road and Charles side-eyed him.

"Really? You're... not like mad at me or anything?" He sounds timid and Argyle shook his head quickly. "Nah, man. I told you, Purple Palm Tree Delight has the word delight in it for a reason, and that reason being it makes all your troubles all go away. Whatever that may be, mentally, relationships," he pointed back towards at Will who Charles glanced at.

"What were... your troubles?" He looks back at Argyle who just let out a deep sigh. "Sometimes I feel like I'm going nowhere. I mean, I work at a pizza shop and I'm the best damn employee they got. For sure," he explained and chuckled aso Charles smiled as well. "But I'm so bad at school, like very bad, I'm literally going to community college because your usual Ivy League schools wouldn't take a nobody like me." Argyle then sighs, "I don't know, I guess I sometimes feel stuck." He glanced at Charles who's staring at him with a frown.

"You're not a nobody..."

"I feel like it most days. But then I smoke and it goes away." Argyle smiled widely and Charles just glanced away, fidgeting with his fingers as he looked down at his lap. He loves Argyle, he really does, but he doesn't wanna end up like him, stoned out of his mind 24/7 just because of how he feels emotionally or mentally.

He glanced up at Argyle again and saw the small smile on the man's face, so he just glanced away, smiling as well. "Well, for what it's worth, I don't think you're a nobody. I think you're pretty cool, and funny, and really fun to hang out with, and I like your hair--" "woah, I am, like, three years older than you and you have a boyfriend." Argyle raised a hand.

"Shut up!" Charles chuckled, shoving his arm down. "You know what I meant..." He says and Argyle chuckles. "Yeah, I know... I just can't handle compliments well. I'm too used to being treated like a piece of shit." He says and Charles stared at him a sad gaze again.

"Don't look at me like that, man." Argyle turned his head away and he sighs. "Sorry... I just, I don't know. For the past few months, it's always felt like I can't talk to anyone, even Will, but then when I came here to the Byers family, I don't know, it's like I was home... and call me whipped all you want, I think it's because of how long I've known them. Jonathan was like my brother and Will and I have been joined by the hip since we were kids. My mom use to be close friends with Joyce. And everything is just... so different now." He let out a soft sigh.

"For what it's worth, I've never seen Will smile so much in the past few months I have known Jonathan than when he finally saw you again in the airport..." Argyle said and it made Charles smile a bit before glancing back to where Will was sleeping. "He's like in love. Like real love. Not that fake ass shit where they say it to you and pretend, like they don't mean it. Like, he genuinely does love you..." He says and Charles glanced over at him.

"Argyle, when I first heard of you, I thought you'd be weird. And you actually pretty much are," he says and Argyle shrugs and makes a face as if to say fair enough, "but you're also very cool." Charles smiled and turned to look ahead at the road. "I see why Jonathan became friends with you..." He added on, chuckling.

"Because I'm super cool?"

"Totally, yeah." After their little talk, Argyle and Charles mostly sat in silence, some quiet music playing in the background so that they don't disturb the three sleeping in the back. Charles at some point, went back to Will's side, putting his hand over his boyfriend's head and brushing his hair gently as he'd slept.

Jonathan got up eventually, moving to the front passenger side seat and Mike had gotten up eventually, and when Will did, Charles smiled at the way his boyfriend blinked away his tiredness and glanced up at Charles. "Are we there yet?" He mumbled tiredly, slowly sitting up. "Almost. Just a couple of miles left." The Dumont says, slowly bringing his knees up and Will furrows his brows at his boyfriend.

"Did you get any sleep?" Will asked as he raised his hand, his hand against the side of Charles' face, brushing his thumb against his cheekbone. "No, not really." He whispers and Will moved closer, furrowing his brows. "Why not?" He says, putting an arm around Charles' waist. "I wanted to watch you while you sleep." The Dumont smiles, tilting his head to the side as his blue eyes stare right into Will's.

"Creep." Will whispers but leaned over, pressing a small kiss to Charles' cheek before keeping his face there, close to his boyfriend's. "So, did you sleep good at least?" Charles whispers and Will just nods, continuing to brush his thumb against his boyfriend's cheekbone. "You should lay down and relax a bit too, come here." He then pulled Charles into his arms, the boy resting against his chest. He keeps his arms around Charles' shoulders, brushing his hair gently as the blue eyed boy glanced up.

"I love you." He mumbled and closed his eyes. Will smiles, brushing his fingers through Charles' hair gently. "I love you too." He whispers back and the Dumont fell asleep, with Will just holding him. And when they arrived to Salt Lake City, he continued letting Charles sleep, even on their way to Suzie's in the town. "Charles," he whispers, cupping his boyfriend's face. "Charlie, hey, Char. We're almost there." He says and Charles now woke up, humming while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Good morning, cutie." Will giggled when he saw Charles look at him with a tired look. "Morning, pretty boy." Charles yawns, looking around to see Mike was leaning forward between Argyle and Jonathan, pointing to give them directions. "We're almost there, I think." Will nods and Charles just groans, resting against his chest. "I wanna keep sleeping." He murmured and Will giggles, putting his hand over Charles' head, and brushing his fingers through his hair. "You can go right to sleep after." He promises and Charles looks up.

"In your arms?"

"Yeah, if you want." Will nods softly and Charles smiles widely. "Better keep that promise, Byers." He says just as the van pulls into a driveway and Charles knew by then they got to Suzie's home so he sighed. "Will," he groans when the boy slowly moved away from him.

"Come on, Charles."

authors note i've been slacking so much from this bc same with my girl and every breath you take, it's gonna be so annoying just to rewatch the mileven/byler scenes bc of the shitty build up for byler just for will to fucking fix their relationship for them??? anyways i'll tolerate it for some <chill3 moments and for the reunion scene at the end :))
+ almost at the part with suzie's house (my fav, cornelius and eden slayed)