Too Scared To Say Something Sooner - TMD [Mainly Chadam]

Chapter 6: Captain Duck Can't Get A Break (he needs a kitkat)

Charlie

(TW: Blood, Bullying, & Anxiety)

"Les?" Adam called, poking his head in the boy's bathroom in the Freshman hallway. It was rare for any of the Ducks to use Averman's first name, but we were worried.

"You in here?" I added. Silence answered our questions. I shook my head, signaling to Adam to move on.

"Wanna go to the bathroom near Math?" He asked as we started down the hall again. "If he's not there we can always circle back. I feel like it would make sense to head there first, right?"

"Yeah. Let's go," I grabbed Banksie's hand and pulled him along at a steady jog up the stairs and down the Sophomore hall. Adam pushed open the door to the boy's bathroom and we both froze at the sight in front of us.

Averman sat against the stall wall, head against the sink, eyes droopy. Blood seeped from a cut on the right side of his head, staining his pale skin and dirty blonde curls. His glasses were clenched in his right hand, round lenses cracked and the bridge snapped. He had his arms wrapped around his torso in obvious pain.

"Holy shit..." Adam muttered, eyes glazing over. He walked backwards slowly until his back was pressed against the wall opposite of our injured teammate. I looked at Adam once before putting Averman as my first priority. I felt more and more guilty with each step, but I did my best to ignore it. Me nor Banksie were bleeding on the floor right now, Averman was.

"Okay, Averman, it's okay, buddy. You're safe now," I whispered, kneeling on the slightly bloodied tiles in front of him. I pushed some of his curly hair away from his eyes and examined the gash on his head.

It didn't look at deep as I initially thought - it probably didn't need stitches -but getting the bleeding to stop was still necessary. People would question a trail of blood on the hall floors. Maybe not if it was leading to the Nurse's office, but still. Less work for the janitor.

I got up slowly to get some paper towels. I wet one with water and soap to clean the wound and kept a couple dry to use as a makeshift bandage until we could get him to the Nurse.

Averman groaned, wincing a little when I started to dab the blood away, but he didn't move out of reach. Once the cut was clean, I pressed the dry towels to it and waited, keeping pressure to make sure the bleeding stopped at least almost completely.

Other than the main gash on his head and a couple of other cuts and bruises, he probably also had a concussion. It could be worse though, all things considered. I never expected to find him like this. I was aiming for sick, not injured.

I was wiping off some blood from a cut on Les' arm when his voice caused my head to look up. "Ch- Charlie?" His tone was barely a rasp.

"Yeah, man, it's me," I looked back at Adam who was now just watching me. He was off the wall, which was good, and seemed to be gathering his bearings again. He cleared his throat.

"And- and me," he said in a semi-shaky voice, starting over and kneeling beside me.

"Adam?" Les rasped.

"Yeah. You... you um, got beat up pretty bad, huh?"  Averman hummed in agreement.

"I didn't even know the kids... they... they were saying stuff to me in third. I don't know. I tried to ignore it... ending up going to the- the bathroom. They followed me." Les gestured to himself in a small motion, eyes barely open, "They did this... Didn't know I'd be bullied on my first day." He let out a weak humorless laugh that left him coughing and clutching his middle tighter in pain.