𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 - 𝐇𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧

[Chapter 5]

╔ • ╗

"I'm so stoked for this."

"Charlie, you're lying in a hospital bed." I remind him.

"Yeah, but it's a first." He beamed.

I brought the kids with me to the hospital since he left them alone before he got in the accident. The nurse updated us on Charlie's consciousness and now I'm waiting for a text from Viv and Jack.

Me: Charlie crashed into a tree with his skateboard. We're at the ER rn. He's conscious and talking to the doctor.

"Nothing serious needed for the young man. Just a sprain on his left leg, since he used it to stop himself from hitting the tree," the doctor approached me as I try not to break out laughing. "It was good of him to try to stop the crash early. He just needs lots of ice and putting his leg up to prevent hurting himself any further."

"Okay, thank you sir." I smiled and updated the same news to Viv and Jack.

As soon as he left though, I give Charlie a death glare that is foolproof he'll feel it in his very soul.

Charlie makes my life complicated, yet he manages to make them amusing thanks to his stupidity.

The things I used to do when I was his age may have involved a lot anger issues, but Charlie's are channeled straight out from the stupidity of his own head.

But it's for sure, we did the things we did because we were hurting.

"Dovey, are you mad at me?" He pouted playfully.

I walk over to him. "Very." And pinched his ear. It takes him by surprise and he's flailing his arms at me to let go.

I only let go when he started screaming hard enough that he sounded like a girl. "So let me get this straight, you got on your skateboard, and decided to go down one of the busiest streets of the city, with your eyes closed?!"

He massaged his ears between his fingers. "I was in a creative mood."

"CHARLIE!" I gritted my teeth in sheer frustration. "You could've gotten hurt way worse than this!"

"Hey, hey, hey- what the hell happened to letting me be myself?"

"It doesn't mean you can do stupid shi- things!"  I sigh into my hand. "What- What's happening? Something happen at school?"

"No." His jaw clenched.

"Then what's wrong." I ruffled his blonde hair.

"What makes you think there's anything wrong?" He swatted my hand away and looked off into the window to avoid my eyes. "And don't even bother with the whole, "I know what it's like.""

I sat on the edge of the bed. "I do, though, more than anyone in your life. I've seen everything you have, gone through the similar things you've gone through. We came from the same foster care system so I've known you way before we got placed at the same adoption home." I tugged at his hair. "I practically watched you grow up. I care about you, Charlie, a shit ton. It's why I always yell at you."

"Yeah...I know." He murmured. "But, you're barely even home anymore."

That pierces into my heart. Hard. I know ever since I became Spider-Woman that I was missing out on a lot of stuff, but now with the Spider Society, the kids don't even see me much at home. They go to bed without seeing me for the whole day.

"You're gone all the time." He reasoned. "Twice as much recently."

"I know," I swallowed thickly at the sight of him. He's in the verge of crying, and he's looking around the room with such a loss for words my guilt tripled. "I'm so sorry."