Another||DBH

Chapter Seventeen

Markus was slightly afraid to knock as he stood outside the door of Jodie's home. Hank, Connor and Charlie were already there, probably.

Why was he afraid?

Because Charlie was there. And there was no avoiding his presence this time. Connor and Jodie would probably force them to talk to each other. Or at least be near each other.

He always felt strange around Charlie, and it drove him up the wall because he didn't know why. He couldn't find a word or explanation for it.

Jodie had attempted to explain it to him earlier, but she had gotten distracted by Charlie's attempt at playing baseball. As amusing as it was, it didn't get him anywhere.

As he raised his fist to the door, it opened. Jodie was the one to open it, likely having seen him through the window. She was in a fuzzy Christmas sweater with a light-up antler headband.

She seemed much healthier and happier as of late, ever since Charlie revealed himself to be...well; Charlie. She had a large grin on her face as she opened the door wider for him to enter.

"Hey, Markus! So glad you could make it, come on in. We've been waiting for you." She shut the door behind him, and Markus looked around the living room.

Hank was on the couch, drinking what was probably spiked eggnog—which wouldn't be in the least bit surprising, as he watched a Christmas movie.

Connor was curled up with Sumo on the floor, and Charlie was nowhere to be seen. Markus offered Jodie a smile as he hung up his coat, enjoying the cozy feeling he got from her home. It still felt off without Charlie there, though.

"Where's Charlie?" Markus had hesitated on asking the question, but he was slightly worried and he really did want to know. Jodie's smile faded a little as she wrung her hands.

"There was an incident at work the other day, and he's been going through chronic pains for a while." She seemed hesitant on telling him, but decided it was best as she knew how much Markus cared for him. Markus's face dropped completely at the idea of Charlie in any sort of pain.

"You can see him if you want. I don't know if he'll want to talk, or if he'll even be awake. But he might enjoy your company," Jodie said before walking off to the kitchen.

Markus looked over at Hank, who nudged his head in the direction of the hallway where Charlie's bedroom was. Giving a grateful nod, Markus made for Charlie's bedroom.

It was quite obvious which door was his, as the door was a faded peach colour that was slowly peeling away, having been deprived of a paint job for quite some time. He slowly opened the door, stepping inside and shutting it as quietly as he possibly could.

He slowly brought his gaze from its place on the floor to Charlie's new bed, and from the looks of it he was asleep. There was a chair beside the bed, meaning that Jodie had likely sat there not long before.

Charlie had some kind of cloth cast wrapped around his neck, and Markus could only assume that he had suffered from a pretty severe neck injury that somehow didn't kill him—perhaps a bullet to the neck. Markus really hoped it wasn't that.

"Hey," Charlie's voice was raspy and unexpected as he opened his hazy eyes, a weak, strained smile gracing his lips. Markus chuckled nervously, reluctantly sitting down beside him.

"Turns out," Charlie gestured to his neck and what seemed to be turning into a deep scar on his cheekbone; giving a laugh of his own.

"I can heal. I suppose...it kinda makes sense. My skin is still somewhat human, I think. Maybe." He shrugged, wincing afterwards with obvious regret of that action.

"Why didn't you call me after it happened?" Markus inquired, his already furrowed brow creased further and his usually stoic expression was broken by a frown.

"You've been avoiding me, I didn't see the point." Charlie's voice came out sharp despite the pain he was in, eyes narrowing quickly even though the sadness behind them was no secret and not well hidden. And Markus felt even more guilty knowing that he was one of the reasons that Charlie was sad.

"I'm sorry—"

"No, you're not. If you were sorry you would have talked to me sooner and not out of obligation. You are far from sorry." Charlie was beginning to shake with silent fury as he propped himself up slowly with his arms until he was sitting straight up.

"I don't know if you realize how upsetting it is to be ignored by someone who you think cares about you," Charlie's voice was beginning to break now as his eyes began to water, but he was doing his best to hide it—even though he knew it wasn't a healthy thing to do.

"Just when I thought things were being sorted out. That I had it all figured out, your behaviours around me when you still talked to me. I thought I had it, I really did. But that's not what upset me; no." He was almost completely crying now.

"It upsets me that I was stupid enough to get my hopes up, to believe that the strange, new feeling was returned and it wouldn't be so bad. I should have know this would've happened. That you would hide and run away when you notice something is up."

Markus was speechless.

Absolutely, without a doubt, speechless.

He had never seen Charlie this upset. This sad, this...angry. Enraged. Absolutely broken and bitter. And because of him. Markus was to blame. That was the reality of the situation. It was Markus' fault. He abandoned his own friend without realizing how it would affect him.

Charlie did not hold back on the tears although the anger did not leave his face. He sighed, regret clear on his face. Markus wasn't sure if it was regretting speaking with Markus or what he had just said.

"Leave. I want you to leave."