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1.
When Jonathan Byers woke up this morning and drove to his new friend (his only friend) Argyle’s house, he wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting. The school year had only just started, and Jonathan was incredibly grateful when Argyle sat himself next to Jonathan in homeroom and introduced himself. Not long after that, the two became fast friends, and it almost reminded him of kindergarten, when you could walk up to someone and ask to be friends, and instantly, the two of you were the best friends. Honestly, before Argyle and before Nancy, Jonathan couldn’t remember the last time he had such a good friend.
Still, he was very shocked when, after only two weeks of knowing each other, his new friend invited him to his home to hang out. He barely even knew the guy! Still, he accepted the invitation; he wasn’t the best at making friends, and Argyle seemed nice enough, and he found himself driving to his new friend’s house one sunny Saturday afternoon.
After a few minutes of sitting in his car and swallowing down any nerves, Jonathan finally got out of his car, made his way to the front door, and rang the doorbell.
He had been expecting Argyle to open the door, maybe even one of his parents, not the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.
“Uh-“ Jonathan hesitated, blinking a few times before closing his mouth.
“Are you here for Argyle?” You asked through a laugh, crossing your arms and leaning against the door frame.
He swallowed, clearing his throat with a nod as he collected himself. “Yeah, sorry. I’m Jonathan, his friend.”
You nodded, introducing yourself with a pretty smile as you opened the door slightly wider for him to walk in.
“His door is the first one on the right,” you say, pointing towards a hallway. “If he’s doing his purple palm tree delight, please tell him to crack a window open?”
Jonathan pauses at that, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion and pulling a very cute laugh out of you that does funny things to his stomach. “You’ll see,” you murmur as you lock the door and walk into the hallway and to the first door on the left, leaving a very confused and flustered Jonathan standing in your living room.
He rolls his shoulders back with a sigh before following your instructions, walking the same way you did, except knocking on the first door to his right.
“Oh, dude, you made it!” Argyle greets with a dopey smile as he pulls Jonathan into a hug.
“Oh,” Jonathan says through a surprised laugh. “Yeah, dude. Uh, you didn’t tell me you had a sister?” He didn’t mean to bring you up already, but in his defense, he hadn’t realized Argyle was related to a literal angel and was just withholding the information from him.
Argyle nods, closing the door after Jonathan walks in with a laugh. “Oh, yeah, you met her? She’s cool,” he says, flopping onto a bean bag chair on the floor as he tells Jonathan your name. “She’s a year younger than me,” Argyle tells him as Jonathan nods along, trying to remember if he’s ever seen you in the past two weeks he’s been at school. He’s not sure he has, cause he’s pretty sure he would’ve remembered a face that pretty.
“Yeah, she seems cool,” Jonathan agrees as he sits on a bean bag chair across from his new friend. “Oh, she said something about opening a window if you’re doing purple tree…” he trails off, not remembering the rest of the name.
“Already covered, broseph,” Argyle says, waving a hand to the open window.
Jonathan only nods, taking in his surroundings and looking around Argyle’s room. It was much neater than he expected, but then again, he’s only known the guy for two weeks now. The only sign of a real mess being the small pile of clothes thrown on a chair in the corner of his room.
“So, what is the purple tree thing she was talking about?” Jonathan asks after a beat of silence.
Argyle only grins.
2.
Ever since Jonathan got home that day (you had to drop him off because he was high out of his mind, and you didn’t want him driving in that condition), his mind was filled with one thing and one thing only. You.
Jonathan has had crushes before. He had a crush on Nancy Wheeler back in Hawkins during his sophomore year and even ended up dating her, but something about this, about you felt different. He knew it was probably stupid, as he had only just met you, but he couldn’t help it; the heart wants what it wants. And right now, his heart wants you, his best friend’s sister.
Maybe it was because you were kind enough to drive him home that day, maybe it was because you were really pretty, or maybe it was because for the first time in a very long time, he wasn’t treated like the town freak. Granted, no one in Lenora treated him like that now, but after years and years of it back in Hawkins, it felt nice to have someone be so kind and caring to him.
He hadn’t told Argyle any of this yet, or anyone for that matter, as he didn’t want to risk ruining the one friendship he’s managed to make so far, and he was sure it was just a passing crush. He knew next to nothing about you, after all.
But that didn’t stop his heart from going crazy every time he ran into you, whether it was at yours/Argyle’s house, at school, or even when you picked up the stupid phone.
Jonathan had only been calling to ask Argyle a question about the homework (a long shot, he knows, but it was worth a try), only for you to pick up.
“Hello?” You said into the receiver, almost causing Jonathan’s heart to speed up at the sound of your pretty voice. God, he was a goner, wasn’t he?
“Oh, hey,” Jonathan greeted, kicking himself in the foot when his voice cracked slightly as he said your name. It made you laugh, though, and that was something, because he’s pretty sure that was the prettiest sound he’d ever heard.
“Hi, Jonathan,” you greeted back, and maybe he was just a little bit delusional, but he’s pretty sure he could hear the smile on your face. “I’m guessing you’re calling for my brother?” You asked.
He nodded before remembering you couldn’t see him and let out a small laugh. “What if I was calling for you?” He asked, hoping that sounded as smooth as he imagined it did in his head.
“I wouldn’t mind. I like talking to you,” you reply, and yeah, Jonathan might actually die right this second. “Oh,” you say, breaking him out of his thoughts. “Argyle’s here, one second,” you say.
He hears the sound of muffled voices before Argyle’s talking into the phone, voice much clearer now that he’s close to it. “Hola, amigo,” he greets, “My sister said you called for me?”
Jonathan only sighs before answering a small “yeah,” and asking the question he originally made the damn phone call for.
3.
Jonathan slowly found himself spending more time at Argyle’s house. Not only because he and his friend were becoming closer, but also cause Argyle’s mom started serving him very delicious food (he loved taquitos), and he got to see Argyle’s very pretty sister more and talk to her more.
But even after spending more and more time at yours and Argyle’s house, he still got a little flustered every time he ran into you when he wasn’t expecting to.
He had been in the student parking lot, leaning against his car as he waited for Will and El to get to him so they could all go home.
That’s when you surprised him, tapping him on the shoulder and startling him out of his daydream with a wave and that pretty smile.
“Hi, Jonathan,” you greeted with a smile.
He greeted you back with a wide smile. “Hey, how are you?” He asked, moving to make space for you so you could also lean against his car.
“I’m good. You saw me yesterday,” you tease.
Jonathan only shrugged. “So? Lot can change in a day,” he responded, crossing his arms.
“Fine, what changed for you in the past 24 hours?” You asked through a laugh.
Jonathan pauses to think, only to come up with nothing. “Alright, you got me,” he said through a laugh as El and Will made their way to the car. Talk about bad timing.
“Hey, guys,” he said, waving them over with a sigh. He introduced you to both his younger siblings before introducing them to you. “And this is my brother Will and my sister El – er, Jane.” He still wasn’t entirely used to calling El "Jane,"but he was trying.
“Nice to meet you guys,” you said with a wave and that pretty smile. “Well, I don’t wanna keep you guys here too long, so I’ll head out. But it was nice talking to you, Jonathan. And nice meeting you two.” You waved goodbye before walking towards the direction Argyle usually parked his van.
“She’s pretty,” El whispered from beside him as Jonathan realized he was probably staring at your retreating figure.
He coughed, clearing his throat as he opened the car door for his younger sister. “Is she? I hadn’t noticed,” he mumbled.
“Right,” Will replied sarcastically from the other side of the car.
Jonathan only sighed, closing El’s door and getting into the driver's side door. “Alright, alright,” he mumbled, starting the car.
4.
Jonathan Byers wanted a hole to open up in the ground and swallow him whole. That’s how badly he wanted to die of embarrassment.
He was used to his piece of shit car breaking down. He was used to renting car repair books from the library and spending hours trying to fix the problem himself. But he was not used to the car making a truly ugly sound as he tried to start it in the school parking lot, so he could take him and his siblings home. He doesn’t think he’s ever felt so embarrassed in his life.
“Is it supposed to make that sound?” El asked as he tried the ignition one final time.
Jonathan sighed, slumping into his seat as he hit the horn once. “No,” he mumbled with a sigh.
“Hey, my dudes!” Argyle greeted, honking his horn as he parked the van right in front of Jonathan’s car. Jonathan could see your sympathetic smile from the passenger seat, and he only wanted to die more. Still, he waved at the both of you as Argyle got out of his van and walked toward Jonathan’s car. “Did you know your car is smoking?” He asked.
Jonathan only nodded, sighing as he hit the horn one more time. “It’s always breaking down, I’m used to it,” he mumbled with a shrug.
“Oh, well if you want we could take you and the mini-Byers home,” Argyle suggested. Jonathan instantly perked up at the suggestion.
“Really? I mean, if it’s not too much trouble–“
Argyle interrupted him with a shake of his head. “Mi casa su casa, and mi carro su carro.”
Jonathan furrowed his eyebrows but nodded. “Thank you man, seriously,” he said.
“No worries, brochachos,” Argyle replied, making his way back to the van as he waited for the three of them.
Jonathan took his key out of the ignition and grabbed his bag from the passenger seat. “Alright guys, let’s go,” he said, turning to face Will and El.
“Is he a good driver?” Will asked nervously.
Jonathan shrugged. “He’s alright.” With that, he got out of his car and opened the van’s door for Will and El to crawl in.
“Hi Will, hi Jane, hi Jonathan,” you greeted with a smile as you turned back to face them all.
“Hi,” they all said in unison as they sat on the van’s floor.
“Seriously, thank you guys again,” Jonathan said with a sigh as Argyle began the route to the Byers’ house.
“It’s no worries,” you piped up with a reassuring smile. “If your car ever breaks down again we’re more than happy to take you guys to school or back home.”
Jonathan wasn’t sure what it was, but something about your smile had a way of making him feel just a little bit weak in the knees. And right now, that was all he needed to forget about his stupid car. Even if for just a little bit.
Argyle nodded in agreement as he raised the volume on the car’s radio. “Just give us a call and we’ll be on our way, my dudes.”
“Thank you guys,” Jonathan repeated with a sigh as Will and El added in their own thank yous.
5.
Jonathan was used to eating his lunch alone. Back in Hawkins he would usually eat in his car until he and Nancy started going out. Then it would usually just be the two of them out in the field or the library.
During the drive to Lenora Jonathan had anticipated everything in Hawkins repeating itself. He figured he’d go back to having no friends, no girlfriend, no one in his corner as he ate his lunch alone in his car. He worried about the same thing happening to Will and El, but figured that as freshmen, they’d have an easier time making friends than a senior starting his last year of high school in a new school, in a new state.
But on the first day of school, Argyle ran into Jonathan on his way to his car and invited him to eat lunch together. And who was he to say no to that? Will and El had joined the two of them as well, not yet finding their own place in the big, scary world that was high school, and now, a couple of months into high school, the pair still sat together, still sometimes accompanied by Jonathan’s younger siblings, and sometimes (rarely) accompanied by you.
“Aren’t your friend’s gonna miss you,” Jonathan asked when you decided to sit with him and your older brother for the third day in a row this week.
Your nose was scrunched as you poked at the chicken that sat on your lunch tray with a small shrug. “They’ll live,” you said with a smile that made Jonathan’s insides feel a little gooey and funny. “I see them in class anyway. Besides, I wanted to talk with you.” The emphasis on the word “you” did nothing to help the fluttery feelings playing in Jonathan’s stomach right now.
When you had excused yourself to go to the bathroom, Argyle had leaned uncomfortably close to Jonathan’s side and whispered the words “She likes you, dude.”
Jonathan could feel the heat rise to his cheeks as he spluttered out words that made no sense and were barely strung together as Argyle began to laugh. “It’s true, my dude. At home, all she does is ask when’s the next time you're coming over. She asked if you had a girlfriend, and I told her that you and that girl had broken up a while ago.”
“Nancy?” Jonathan confirmed, as if there would be another girl he had broken up with.
He and Nancy had broken up right before he left Lenora, not wanting to do long distance, especially during their senior year when they had to worry about college, but the two still remained close friends to this day. He had even told her about you. Nancy only laughed into the phone as she encouraged him to ask you out, but he didn’t want to risk making anything weird between him and his only friend in this new town.
Argyle nodded in agreement as he clasped his hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t mind if you dated her, my dude. Just don’t break her heart or anything.”
“I wouldn’t– er, I’m not, I–“ Jonathan stuttered as Argyle let out a laugh, dropping his hand from Jonathan’s shoulder as you made your way back to the table with that same warm smile that still did funny things to his heart. He was almost surprised that you and Argyle couldn’t hear the sound of his fast beating heart, as it was all he could hear right now.
You liked him.
You liked him.
Holy shit.
+1
Jonathan had it all planned out.
He borrowed his mom’s car and drove to the closest floral shop he could find, spending more money than he would like to admit on a bouquet of roses, and then spent the drive to your and Argyle’s home rehearsing everything he wanted to say to you.
“I think you’re really pretty, and nice, and funny, and I really like you… Would you like to go out sometime? Like on a date? With me?” He sighed, gently hitting the top of the steering wheel with a groan as he waited for the red light to turn green. He was only a few minutes away from your house, and he still couldn’t figure out how to say what he wanted to say to you. Where is Murray Bauman trying to get two people together when you needed him?
The honk from the car behind him pulled Jonathan out of his thoughts as he noticed the light had finally turned green and took the turn that led into your neighborhood.
“I’ve really liked hanging out with you, and I think you’re really pretty, and cool, and funny. Can I take you out on a date sometime?”
Jonathan almost wishes he and Steve Harrington were closer, then maybe he could help him figure out how to ask you out. Though, according to Will, who had heard from Dustin, Steve wasn’t exactly the best at scoring dates last summer, so maybe he wouldn’t be much help after all.
The rest of the familiar route to your house is a blur. Jonathan hadn’t even registered that he made it to your home until he was shifting the car into park with a sigh, too lost in how he was going to ask you out and if he was going to accidentally ruin everything.
With a final sigh, Jonathan picked up the roses and got out of the car, nervously making his way up the steps of the porch to knock on your door.
“Oh, hi Jonathan,” You say through a confused laugh, eyeing the flowers in his hands with curiosity. “Argyle’s at work… if you wanted to… give those to him?” The last part comes out as more of a question than an actual statement, and it manages to pull a laugh out of Jonathan and help soothe his nerves the tiniest bit.
He shakes his head through his laugh, holding out the flowers towards you with a smile. “No, uh, these are for you, actually,” he murmurs nervously.
Your face instantly lights up as you take the bouquet from him and bring it up to your nose to smell. “Oh, they’re beautiful, thank you,” you say with a wide grin that gives Jonathan the slightest bit of hope that everything will turn out okay after all.
“I’m glad you like them,” he murmurs with a shrug. “Uh, listen, I really like you, I think you’re really funny, and pretty, you’re probably the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen, and you’re really nice too, and–“ he pauses with a shake of his head and an awkward laugh, avoiding your gaze as he tries to continue. “What I’m trying to say,” he murmurs as he scratches at the back of his neck, “Is that I would like to take you out on a date sometime. If you’d like that too.”
Jonathan finally raises his eyes, chancing a look towards you, only to be met with that same pretty smile that’s done something funny to his stomach for as long as he’s known you.
“I’d love that,” you say, leaning over to press a quick kiss to his cheek.
Jonathan can feel the heat rising to his cheeks at the kiss, but he’s honestly too happy to even care, because you just said you’d love to go out with him.
“Uh, I can pick you up on Friday? At 7? If you’re free?” He asks after regaining some semblance of normality and remembering he was supposed to be asking you out.
You nod your head yes, still smiling that same pretty smile, clutching the flowers close to your chest, and the whole sight almost makes Jonathan want to pinch himself and see if he was dreaming. Almost. “Friday’s perfect,” you tell him as he nods in return.
“Yeah,” he grins, “Perfect. I’ll be here.”
Before he gets much of a chance to further embarrass himself, you’re pressing another kiss to Jonathan’s cheek and heading your way back inside, telling him to drive safely as he just stands on your front porch foolishly.
It takes a few seconds after the door is closed for Jonathan to remember himself as he excitedly punches the air and makes his way back into the car.
“Friday at 7,” he murmurs to himself as he puts the key into the ignition, the sound of The Clash filling the car and bringing an even bigger smile to his face as he lets out a small woop! and begins the drive home.
Friday at 7, he thinks again, the grin never once leaving his face.