Work Text:
Alex's heart pounded Charlie was on the floor, in the middle of a riot, he ran to the younger boy desperate to wake him up. Tears began to blur his vision, when he noticed a fire only 20ft away in a car. A fucking car.
"FIRE!FIRE!" he screamed hoping people would notice but nobody would there was too much going on. Dragging Charlies limp body against the floor wasn't something he thought he would ever have to do. The explosion was what woke Charlie and Alex was relieved at least there wasn't too much damage to the blond but he would definitely still need to see a doctor to be safe.
After the explosion the rioters dispersed and the police were to preoccupied with trying to get those they had managed to apprehend in the cars whilst others managed to try and calm down the fire within the car. With Charlie now conscious the two managed to get him to his feet yet he was still wobbly and had to lean on Alex for support. They managed to get far enough away to run away from the police but Charlie was still disorientated and considering Alex's issues with his leg they wouldn't be able to get very far plus Charlies size compared to that of the older boy. So it was a shock they had gotten as far as they did.
They fell on the ground still entwined in one another now giggling like school children. Charlie looked at Alex as though he had never seen him before, as if he was some angel sent from above, making the brunette have to look away. It was why he had initially rejected the blond he saw the good in people even though they couldn't see it in themselves, to someone like Alex who had committed crimes he couldn't even fully comprehend, so atrocious he could barely make eye contact with himself in the mirror. Yet Charlie only saw that Alex had protected the people loved and then done everything in his power to keep them safe afterwards, it was a hard mantel to keep so Alex had pushed him away. Although now Alex had seen Charlie like that, unconscious on the floor, he knew he couldn't push him away again so instead Alex kissed him. Right there on the middle of the floor he kissed him he leaned over and kissed the blond. It was awkward and a little sloppy but it was also a release of hundred of suppressed feelings for both of them.
Charlie was shocked and couldn't enjoy as much as he wishes he did as his head was still pounding, it felt as though something was hammering away at his skull. Breaking the kiss he looked at Alex before falling unconscious again. At this Alex began to panic and called an ambulance. It took 20 minutes for it to come so Alex sat there eyes brimming with tears once again only this time he couldn't stop them. He began to sob uncontrollably he couldn't lose somebody else he had lost Hannah and he had killed Bryce which in turn had Monty killed. If Charlie died it would be his fault he should have been there not with Zach he should have been helping him, should have stopped him running into the police. He knew that Charlie would have been there for him because Charlie had done it before for Alex, for Tyler, hell he was currently helping Zach.
When the ambulance finally arrived the paramedics began to ask questions. 'What had happened?' 'Does he have any underlying conditions?' 'Had he been taking illegal drugs?' the older boy tried to answer as best he could but he hadn't been with Charlie when it happened so couldn't answer truthfully. Alex was still crying when Charlie was lifted into the ambulance and was still crying when they got to hospital. Alex had managed to call Charlies father after guessing the younger boys phone passcode. Charlie was smart but also trusting so it wasn't hard to guess that it would be his birthdate 0914. Alex had remembered because the two had been he had spent so much time with the boy and he constantly was trying to do nice things for everyone else so the others were thinking of throwing him a surprise party.
Alex held the phone to his ear waiting for Mr. St. George to pick up, on the fourth ring he did.
"Hello sir... Ermm Charlie is in hospital."
The father immediately began to ask questions. Alex could only manage to answer a few of them before the adult turned off the phone. Presumably to get to the hospital. Alex stay sat in the waiting room a nurse came by every now and again, until finally a man who Alex thought looked familiar came in asking for Charlie. Alex introduced himself to the man and explained the situation only missing out the details of the two of them not willing to out either of them to Charlie's father. After explaining the situation Alex left he didn't want this man he had never met pitying him he knew Charlie had likely talked to his dad about Alex, maybe not his crush, but the younger boy spent most of his time outside of school and football practice with him, surely his name and accident had come up. He got home as fast as he could he walked he could talk to his dad and god knows where Zach was probably in the police station, which meant he had to walk. After 20 minutes he was dragging his leg and was regretting the decision to get rid of the cane.
He finally made it home, eyes and leg both stinging both his parents were home so heaving his leg upstairs was the only viable option unless he was to breakdown in the living room and lets face i accidently tell his parents about his sexuality. Instead he waited to cry until he had climbed on his bed and could curl up. However this hadn't been what happened instead he got a call answering without looking at the name and was shocked to hear Charlies voice. Unfortunately for the shorter boy he felt he was unable to put the phone down after abandoning the boy he liked at hospital.
"Hey"
Alex managed to croak back a reply, sadness still clawing at his throat. If Charlie could hear it he didn't mention it.
"My dad said you called the ambulance." Alex made a noise of affirmation. "And that you stayed with me until he came. Then practically bolted out the door." Alex was imagining Charlies face the slight downturn of his mouth, his eyebrows furrowing just in the middle creating line that Alex wished he could smooth. "Why didn't you stay?" Charlies voice cracked, which in turn made Alex hold back a sob.
"I couldn't." with that Alex began crying freely tears streaking his face. "If you weren't okay …Charlie I don't know what I would have done. I couldn't." Through his sobbing Alex could hear Charlie talking he thought he was shushing him telling him to calm down and the smaller teen did.
"Alex I'm fine. It was a mild concussion. I could have gotten it playing football instead I got it protecting Clay and fighting for my rights." A small chuckle escaped his mouth. "I'm even at home in bed. Come see me?" As much as he wanted to say no he wanted to see Charlie, kiss him again, lay with him.
"Send me your address, I will get my dad to drop me off."
"Really?" the shock in his voice almost offended the brunet had it not been rightful. Alex had turned him down twice and then abandoned him in hospital. It was odd enough that he was getting another chance after, as Charlie had said- Breaking his heart.
"Really." Charlie ended the call and sent the address.
Alex gave it 15 minutes before asking his dad for a ride he could sense the swelling around his eyes from his excessive crying. He didn't want his father or Charlie to know about it, though he sensed the latter already had guessed. If his father had noticed he didn't mention it on the way over, he had been quiet he may have sensed the boys bad mood.
Charlie's house wasn't large nor small. You could see why his name was so long but still understand how he was so down to earth. Alex texted the younger boy saying that he had arrived and was outside. There was some scuffling behind the door then it opened and Charlie looked down at the smaller boy, with that facial expression that meant that he didn't care about Alex's past. The door was held out and the older boy shuffled in taking in the surroundings he had never been to Charlies house before, it wasn't what he had imagined but it was also exactly like he had imagined. It was a big house bigger than Alex's but it was cosy and clearly lived in. It was an exact reflection of the younger boy.
The two carried on through the house walking upstairs, the walls were full of pictures. Some of a younger Charlie, others of the man Alex had seen at the hospital and a woman (Charlies mother he assumes.) From the pictures it seems as though Charlie looked like her, they shared the same hair, eyes, even lips but Charlie had gotten his fathers jaw. They finally walked to the corridor into Charlies mind (If Alex was being honest he would tell you he was desperate to see the others room to get a glimpse of the boys mind.)
The room was a fair size, walls painted a deep blue. Trophies and certificates littered the walls and shelves most for football some for academics, somehow the 17 year old was smart and good at sport, it occurred to Alex that his crush was a mix between his brother and himself. Football posters hung, some team that Alex should have known but for the life of him couldn't remember. It was sparse on furniture unlike Alex's room it only had a bed, a bookshelf and a bedside table. Charlie sat on the bed just looking up at the other boy, unsure with what to do Alex walked over to the bookshelf, ignoring the pain in his leg.
"I didn't know you liked to read?"
Rising from his bed Charlie made his way over. "Yeah, I used to read to my mom before she died."
"Is that her?" Alex questioned motioning his head to the picture on the bedside table.
"Yeah. When she got really ill and we brought her home, she had too many tubes tied to her. She couldn't pick up a book so after school I would always come back and read a book. She died just after finishing Harry Potter." He had a far away look in his eyes though he was remembering a bitter sweet memory. The younger boy coughed before going back onto the bed this time laying down, patting the spot next to him.
Apprehensively Alex sat beside him, the silence between them charged with electricity. Charlie finally broke it.
"I was upset when I was told you had left. I wont lie." There was no menace behind the tone of voice as though he was just telling you the sky was blue. "I was hoping yours would be the first face I'd see."
"Did you want recreate a sexy doctor dream?" the joke fell short neither of them laughing, instead the uncomfortable silence enveloped them again. "I am sorry. I wanted to be there when you woke up but I got scared and i didn't want to out you to your dad or anything so I left." Charlie laughed which shocked Alex who had just apologised for ditching him in hospital. "Its not funny."
"You ditched me in hospital because you were trying to protect me. That's the most You thing I have ever heard." the warmth and fondness in the tone made Alex relax.
"How's your head?" Alex asked asking the boy next to him.
"I can't play football for a week but my dad said that school is being closed for a week anyway. So I don't really care."
"How does your dad know that?" Alex questioned. Alex's own father was a policeman and he hadn't mentioned it.
"My dads head of the school booster club. They are shutting it off thinking were all in a gang. That's why my dad left."
"Wait. Your dads head of the booster club. That explains why he looked familiar. I thought he was just like always around. Maybe a policeman."
"Nope." Charlies head now lay on Alex's shoulder. Eyes drooping , clearly tired.
"Do you want me to leave?" the older boy whispered. He didn't want to leave but was too aware that he might overstay his welcome. Instead of answering Charlie just tightened his hold on the other boy, clearly wanting him to stay. So Alex lay the two of them down Charlie still entwined with him.
Charlie had his head on Alex's chest their legs tangled together. Eventually the younger boys breathe began to even and Alex just continued to watch him and thread his hands through his hair just watching. Alex didn't know what would happen. He just stayed there listening, watching until he himself fell asleep.