𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

iv. BORING NOBODY

  

     In the Byers' home, Charles sat at the end of Will's bed as the two both drew. "What did you draw?" Charles said as he decided to move to sit next to Will. "Still working on the colours.." Will sheepishly said with a small smile. "Oh, cool.. Zombie Boy.." Charles said then looked at Will.

    He frowns, "is it because of the paper in your locker?" He asked the boy who looks down at the drawing. "Spark of inspiration." He said and Charles looks back at the drawing. He noticed all the little detailing and smiled softly.

      "Hey.. Do you like Max?" Will suddenly asked as he looks at Charles who looked at him again. "Maxine? Oh, no. No, no, no.. I don't like her like that. Only as a girl I'd be okay to be friends with." He says and Will slowly nods his head.

    "Like El?" Will asked and Charles looks away. "Yeah, sort of, I guess.. I never thought either of them that way." He says then looked at Will. "Why? Do you like Max?" He asked, smiling. "No.. Not all." Will said as he looked down, sighing.

     "It's just.. You never talk about girls, is there something wrong with girls to you?" Will suddenly asked and Charles looks down, then ahead at the wall across from them. "No, they're beautiful creatures, magnificent and most have some abilities that are skilfull than others," he said with a small smile as he thought of how good Max was at skateboarding, how much more persuasive Poppy was and Eleven's Yoda-like super powers.

     "But no, there is nothing wrong with girls to me.. I just don't like them, you know?" He said before looking at Will who was staring at him, his own heart beat quickening as was Charles'. "Oh, like.. you like.. others?" Will said as he didn't know how to word it and Charles sighed loudly.

     "I'm gay, Will. I'm gay." He suddenly said then looked away, his eyes widening as his whole cheeks turned pink. "Oh.." Was what Will said, suddenly Charles stands up. "I'm.. I'm gonna use the bathroom, be right back." He said before setting the book in his hands down onto the bed.

     As Charles exit his room, Will tried to understand what just happened, but before he could process it, Jonathan walks in, knocking on the open door. "Hey, bud. I didn't know what you'd like, so I got a variety. Take your pick." Jonathan said before setting the movies down. "Whatever you want," Will said who was still processing what Charles had just told him. "Alright." Jonathan said softly then sat down in front of his younger brother.

     "What are you working on?" Jonathan asked him then leaned closer to take a good look at the paper Will was drawing on. "Zombie Boy? Who's Zombie Boy?" Jonathan said and Will glanced up but looked back down at his drawing.

     "Me." He said quietly. "Did someone call you that?" Jonathan asked him and Will stayed quiet, thinking of that paper in his locker, thinking of Charles, of how he was gay. "Hey. You can talk to me. You know that, right? Whatever happened. Will, come on, talk to me." Jonathan tells his brother.

      "Stop treating me like that." Will said harshly as he looked up at Jonathan. "What? Like what?" Jonathan asked him, confused. "Like everyone else. Like there's something wrong with me. Only Charles doesn't." He said then looked down at his drawing. "What are you talking about?" Jonathan asked.

      "Mom, Mike, Dustin, Lucas. Everyone. They all treat me like I'm gonna break. Like I'm a baby. Like I can't handle things on my own. The only one who hasn't treated me that way since I got back was Charles. It's no wonder I like spending time only with him." Will said, even though he knew deep down why, he just couldn't admit it.

       Jonathan looked down, feeling bad for making Will feel that way. "It doesn't help. It just makes me feel like more of a freak." He said as Charles appeared at his door, just standing there and listening. "You're not a freak." Jonathan tells him and Will looks up, at his older brother.

      "Yeah. I am. I am." Will said and Jonathan glanced over at Charles who walked over slowly, sitting by Will. "You know what? You're right." Jonathan says, moving so he was facing Will and Charles looks at him with a confused look.

      "You are a freak." Jonathan said and Charles looks at Will who also looks at him with the same confused look before he looked at his brother. "What?" Will questioned his brother.

     "No, I'm serious. You're a freak. You both are." Jonathan said as he glanced at a more confused Charles. "But what? Do you guys wanna be normal? Do you two wanna be just like everyone else? Being a freak is the best. I'm a freak." Jonathan said and that's when the two share a look.

     "Is that why you don't have any friends?" Will asked and Charles raised his eyebrows at Jonathan. "I have friends, guys.." Jonathan chuckled. "Then why are you always hanging out with us?" Charles asked, remembering all the times Jonathan would join them whenever they hang out.

    "Because you're my best friend. You sort of are too, Charles. Alright? And I would rather be best friends with Zombie Boy and King Charleston than with a boring nobody." Jonathan said, to the two boys who he was the most closest with.

     "You know what I mean?" The teen asked and the other two just glance at each other. "Okay, look.. Who would you rather be friends with? Bowie or Kenny Rogers?" Jonathan asked the two and Charles grimaced. "Ugh," Will said as he looks down. "Exactly. It's no contest. The thing is, nobody normal ever accomplished anything meaningful in this world. You got it?" Jonathan asked.

     "Nicely said, Jonathan." Charles said with a smile at him. "Well.. some people like Kenny Rogers." Will said and then Bob appears at the door. "Kenny Rogers. I love Kenny Rogers." The man said and the three chuckle as he walks in.

    "What's so funny?" He asked and Charles looks down, smiling widely. "Nothing." Will says as Bob grabs the movies. "Mr. Mom." He said then whoops loudly. "Perfect!" He exclaimed as he walks out into the hallway. Charles smiled more widely as Will and Jonathan look at each other smiling, Will looks at Charles as they all chuckle.

     "Hey, Jonathan, can I talk to Will for a bit?" Charles asked and Jonathan nods before he stood to leave the room. "Hey, about what I said.." Charles trailed off as he looks at Will. "I.. I don't mind, Charles. You're still my best friend." Will said then softly touched Charles' shoulder, squeezing gently. "Yeah?" Charles asked and Will nodded at that with a small smile at him.

     During the movie, Charles and Will sat by side, both enjoying the popcorn when suddenly Charles felt a hand by his. He felt the warmth of Will's hand and his whole face turned red. Will's pinky touched his gently, it wasn't on accident. He puts his pink and ring finger over Will's, and when Will doesn't pull his hand away, Charles smiled.

   

   

   

   

   

    

  

authors note eleven's curls are so cute in s2 also kinda got major jonnor vibes with the whole hands part because ya know.. jude and connor went to the movies and their pinkies uwu