Millions (#2)

Numb

Kurt didn't come back the next night.

Or the next.

Or the next.

Frank came over to Charles' house, skipping work. Charles was still in his hammock, miserable and pale. He was barely awake, barely moving. It looked like he hadn't eaten in days.

"Yo, anybody home?", Frank asked, peaking into Charles' room.

Charles nodded, heaving a sigh.

Frank swam into Charles' room, sitting on Leo's hammock, "I heard you weren't feeling good since the human left.."

Charles sniffled, hiding his tired face shamefully.

"Don't be sad, Okay? That's why I'm here. I'm gonna get you out of here."

Charles didn't respond, he didn't move.

Frank shifted a little, cracking his neck. He took a deep breath and tried to lighten the mood, "Hey, I got in a fight yesterday. You should've been there, it was great."

No response.

"I won.", he said, trying to smile, "but I got a little scar from some girls' nail. She said I was using my head voice, which I wasn't. I'm just a good singer, which she was obviously jealous of, so I was like 'yeah, okay. Do you wanna hear my fist voice?', then WHAM! I hooked her right across the jaw."

Frank chuckled, hoping to encourage Charles to say something.

He failed.

The grey eyed boy tried to smile, he tried to at least attempt to be happy, but he was trapped.

"I think she cried after the fight. I knocked one of her teeth out.", Frank shortly continued, looking down a little.

The room was dull. Messy clothes covered the poles that carried Charles' hammock. Mold and barnacles had crept into the corners of his bedroom. Frank could barely see Charles' head over his blanket, simply a tired, blank face and tuff of fading black hair.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm positive the kid likes you. He still had this romantic look in his eyes, even when the spell wore out. He'll be back sometime."

Charles' voice crept from his throat, regretful and raspy, "He can't come back. I almost killed him."

Frank looked back up, meeting his ghostly eyes. "It wasn't your fault. When you're a siren... it just", a tear rolled down his soft face, "It kinda takes over."

"I don't want to hurt him anymore. I'm a monster."

"You're not a monster, Charles. You just lost control for a second-"

"And it nearly cost the boy I Love his life!"

Charles' silver eyes flickered, welling with tears.

Frank sniffed. He gave Charles a small bundle of cloth, "He said he meant to give this to you, in case things don't work out on his side."

Charles unfurled the object and put it on.

It was Kurt's hoodie.