𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

x. BIRTHDAY BOY.

WILL glanced over at his boyfriend, forcing a small smile before turning away. He's sitting at his desk, drawing so Charles walked over, wrapping his arms around Will's neck. "Char." Will giggled because he got distracted from his drawing and Charles just leaned down and pecked so many kisses to the top of Will's cute little mushroom head.

Not many pulled off a bowl cut, but Will made it super fucking adorable. Charles reminisces the time his mom cut his hair the same way, there's still pictures of Charles and Will around those years, there's even one of them dressed the same way and it reminded Charles of those creepy little twins in the Shining. Charles put his whole body onto Will, which wasn't a lot of weight, and Will chuckled.

"You're needy." He says and Charles shrugs, putting his head beside Will's. "I'm just in a good mood. And I really missed you... let's not let anything ruin our Spring break." Charles looks at him with a smile so Will smiles as well, blushing. "I like this clingy side of you." He giggled and Charles just leaned in, pressing his lips gently to Will's. He kept him there, his hand on Will's face for a couple of moments.

Then he pulled back, "does the birthday boy wanna watch a movie or something?" He asked and Will shrugs. "I don't know... I mean, not even my mom remembered." He whispers and Charles frowns deeply. He had assumed Joyce would get a cake and call the boys and El to the kitchen for them to all sing happy birthday to Will. "So... not even a birthday cake?" He asked as he pulled back and Will just shrugs.

"It's not a big deal... my birthday present is you coming to visit." Will says, standing up and Charles just smirks, blushing. "Just kiss me." He whispers and Will does so, stepping closer with his arms going around Charles' waist. The blue eyed boy's arms go around his hazel eyed boy, pulling him much closer.

Charles pulls back, keeping their foreheads together as he blushed a deep red. "Do you wanna... watch a movie and then go to sleep or something?" He whispers and Will is quick to nod, smiling widely at him. "Are you sure... you're okay with your mom forgetting? And Jonathan and so on?" Charles gestured and Will just rested against his chest.

"As long as you remembered, I'm okay." He says and Charles smiles, wrapping his arms tightly around his boyfriend who hugged back but not too tight. Sometimes Will felt as if Charles was a bit too fragile, what with his small frame and everything. "Will?" The door opened and the two stayed in their laying position because it sounded like Joyce talking.

"Yeah?" Will glanced over at his mom who's standing there, smiling at the closeness between the two. It's like as if they'd been together since they were kids. "I got you something." She said and came over to the bed and that's when they realized the three cupcakes in her hands. "I known it's not much. And I'm sorry for forgetting, I've been so busy with work--" "it's fine, mom. I know how stressed you've been." Will smiles and Joyce held one out to Charles who hesitantly took it, smiling a bit at the woman.

"Here," she hands one to Will next and kept one for herself. "I'm sorry, sweetheart..." She says and sighed, looking at Charles. "Thank god you're so in love with him you remembered." She says, giggling at the fact the boys' faces turned instantly red. "Mom." Will says, glancing down and Joyce just chuckled.

"Happy birthday, honey..." She rubs his arm and he just smiles down at the cupcake. "The cupcakes are okay. It's better than nothing..." Will smiles and Joyce smiles, opening up her cupcake. The two Byers ate theirs as Charles stared at it. His stomach grumbled and Will moved closer, putting an arm around him. "Thanks, Mrs. Byers." Charles merely said, opening up the cupcake as well. It's just one. It's just one. He ate it and smiled sweetly at Joyce Byers who smiled back.

"I better head to bed... I have to get up pretty early." She said before standing up, leaning down to kiss the top of Will's head. She paused and hesitated for a moment but leaned down anyway, kissing Charles' head too making the boy look up. The look of pure innocence and shock made her heart swell.

I'll bring your mom back, I'll make sure of it, Charles. "Goodnight, boys." She now smiled. "Goodnight, mom." Will waved as Charles spoke, "goodnight, Mrs. Byers..." Once the bedroom door shut behind her, Charles turned to Will, an unsure look on his face.

"Are you okay?" Will raised his hand instantly and Charles nods, smiling. "Yeah... I think so." He whispers quietly. "You did very good. And I'm proud of you. You'll get through this." Will smiles and leaned in, pecking Charles' lips that tasted like the frosting on the cupcakes. Charles smiles when Will pulled back and he leans in, kissing his boy once more.

"Can you hold me until I sleep?"

Charles had fallen asleep like Will promised to wait for, before slowly moving up and watching over Charles. He's too worried Charles will get up in the middle of the night and go to the bathroom after that cupcake, so for a while, he couldn't sleep. But when he gets tired, he snaked both arms around Charles' waist, so that way if the boy got up all of the sudden, Will would wake up since he's a light sleeper.

But Charles is pretty content with the cupcake, in fact, he felt better than he has in years over eating. He didn't feel the guilt eating away at him or the voices yelling nice going dick. You know you don't deserve to live. It was like they were all silenced and he had a peaceful sleep there in Will's arms that night.

So they both slept through the night, Will hasn't let go of him and Charles even began cuddling back halfway through the night. And in the morning, they said goodbye to Joyce and told her to have a safe trip. After she left, Charles and Will took a seat at the table. "You can do this, yeah?" The Byers asked the Dumont, sitting down. "Yeah. Yeah." Charles says a bit too excitedly, to hype himself up.

But even when he sat down, all he did was cut up his side food and push his scrambled eggs around. "Charlie..." Will leaned forward, grabbing Charles' hand gently and Charles turns to him right away, smiling faintly. "I--I can do it." He reassured Will as Mike came over to set down two plates with Eggos on them, eating one as he set down one for El, waiting.

"I'll just... keep holding your hand under the table like this." Charles whispered as Mike suddenly turned his attention away from the Eggos to look between them. "What's going on with you two?" Mike asked, furrowing his brows making the couple immediately turn heads.

"Mike, can you mind your business?"

authors note so slay of chill tbh. their synchronized head turns

+ volume 2 wrecked me a bit... so I think i'll take a short break from updating maybe until monday or tuesday or wednesday?? i'm not sure but i won't be a long break. just to rewatch, process more better and "brainstorm"