Work Text:
It’s about fifteen minutes into hour six when Argyle’s curiosity boils over.
“So is Jane in Alaska with Joyce and the Brittanicas?”
“What? No?” Mike answers, confusion evident.
“So is she back at the house? That seems kinda unsafe, considering what happened when we left. Do you think she got caught, too?” Argyle continues conversationally, as he always does. Thank God for purple palm tree delight, honestly.
“Jane is El,” Mike says, glancing at Jonathan as if to ask for some backup. Jonathan shrugged his shoulders helplessly and Mike glowered at him.
“Ohhh. Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“We have,” Jonathan finally said, giving the kids a break. “Several times, even, when we were at home.” He took it back; damn purple palm tree delight to hell.
Argyle ‘Ohhh’d’ again and ruminated for a full minute, idly tapping his fingers along to Boys Don’t Cry. Will had perked up immediately when it came on, and Jonathan kept a smile to himself at his brother’s joy.
“How’d you get El short for Jane?”
“El is short for Eleven.”
“…How is Eleven short for Jane?”
“It’s not—“
“They’re unrelated,” Will cut in, loud enough to be heard over both of them. Jonathan caught his brother’s eyes in the rearview mirror and they shared a commiserating look. Argyle, however, is undeterred.
“Do you call her Eleven ‘cause shes your eleventh girlfriend? I’m not an expert, but that seems kinda weird.”
“No! She’s my first girlfriend—“
“Then why don’t you call her One?”
Mike sputtered. “You just said it would be weird if I did that!”
“Well, I don’t know, you already call her Eleven. Hey, you seem kinda stressed, why don’t you—“
“Please don’t offer weed to my little brother’s friends,” Jonathan sighed, cutting him off before things can devolve any further.
Argyle gave him a significant look. “It’s rude to interrupt, you know.”
“Eyes on the road, please!”