Work Text:
Written: [20/05/2024]
"Isaac, please." Charlie gasped, staring at their student in disbelief.
He stood his ground, disillusioned to what was happening. "I wanna help."
The professor sucked in a sharp breath, putting a firm hand on his shoulder, "And that's how you help. Going to safety."
Charlie tensed at the sound of creaking, glancing upwards wearily. They heard Isaac do the same, an uneasy grip on their sleeve.
They turned their attention back to the boy.
"You're getting out of here." They stated.
He met their eyes, childish resilience glinting. "No- I can do something-"
Frustrated, but determined to get this thirteen-year-old out of the collapsing building, Charlie shifted him out of the way of falling rubble, meeting his eye.
"Isaac there isn't any way for you to help- No one can here."
A crack got their attention, making them harshly tug Isaac towards them. Their spirit dropped at the smell of smoke.
"Oh dear Sinnoh." They muttered.
A groaning was heard, and as instinct took over in covering Isaac, they did something they thought they'd never be doing again. They prayed.
But not the Arceus, not to the holy being seen as perfection.
They prayed to something closer to them, just on the periphery of reality and not.
Tugging on Isaac again, gentler this time they got a good look at him.
Gone was the look of determination, as the scale of the situation finally sunk in while he let out a shaky breath. Charlie stayed calm then, demanding their growing panic to fuck off and put in some work to find an exit.
They couldn't see any, the rubble now surrounding the two with a thickening mass of smoke leaking in.
They cursed, realising that they should've considered bringing back in at least one of their pokémon. There wasn't even any way they could call to any of them either.
It was too late for that though, and as they muttered another "please." under their breath, they could feel their throat constructing as their view was further obscured.
"Okay." They said, trying to not cough. Charlie met Isaac's frantic eyes, "You want to know how to help?" They hauled the young boy into their arms easily, glad for their still-functioning prosthetic. "Hang on, and for all good things Arceus has done- Don't look up."
They felt a nod, small hands clinging to their shirt.
Contrary to the heat leaking from all sides, nearly enough to burn Isaac's skin, they felt a chill bleed over their body, and they pressed their chin to the boy's hair.
Letting out a soft exhale, they dropped into the oddity that dwelled around them as they felt something shift-
"Finally." They thought, looking up to glance at the shadow over them.
A few words escaped their lips, appreciative.
"Hello old friend." They said, meeting the red eyes of the shadow, before everything dipped out from beneath them, sucking in the air.
A familiar sense of vertigo passed over them, and they gripped the trembling body in their arms tighter as several supposed seconds passed.
They exhaled, eyes squeezing shut the moment they glimpsed limitless purple skies.
Something grew ever colder in their chest.
Solid ground startled Charlie out of the feeling, relief gripping them when they could finally take a breath in. It was quickly replaced by dread when they inhaled the sickly smell of smoke, looking up to the burning laboratory.
The flames hummed.
"Hrngh-" They heard, Isaac shuffling in their arms. "Boss?"
The professor was torn between opposite feelings again as their gaze lowered.
They tried loosening their hold on Isaac, but as he shook his head against their chest they relented, letting him get comfortable over their legs.
Putting their arms around him, they stilled at the small hiccups Isaac began making.
He was sobbing they realised, and Charlie felt helpless as they just continued to hold him.
Smoke blew off of the lab, flames licking at the sky from the rooftops and caved in supports.
As they stared at it, they winced when a presence made itself known, static briefly filling their ears.
They focused on it, ignoring Isaac's questioning gaze when their grip loosened.
Charlie frowned when their efforts were met halfway.
None.
It was an answer to a question they had yet to ask, but Charlie couldn't ignore the comfort it brought them, recognising the meaning.
A chuckle escaped them, a tangible thing that had them second-guessing the response when the otherworldly presence returned to the back of their mind.
They laughed, out of relief and gratefulness even as two small hands clutched at their sleeves.
Reminded of their companion, they looked down at him, Isaac's small frown opposing their grin.
I'm scaring him, They realised with a start, unknowing to the fervour visible on their face.
To Isaac, they were laughing madly as their workplace - his second home - burnt down.
Charlie shook their head, forcing the bubbling feeling back down.
"It's okay."
Their words confused him, tear-streaked cheeks beneath a concerned gaze.
"Everyone's out. It'll be fine." They tried to elaborate, and in their questionable state of mind put a gentle hand on the boy's cheek.
It intercepted a tear as they wiped it, their expression softening.
A breath left them slowly and they pulled Isaac back against them, the warmth comforting.
"And you're okay."
While the kid was due a talking to, the professor couldn't ignore the unbridled happiness they felt, the reality of what-ifs already starting to settle in their mind.
"I'm alive." They heard a small voice say, disbelieving.
"You're alive." Charlie echoed.
· · ──── ✧ · 𖥸 · ✧ ──── · ·
A few minutes later when someone had found them, Charlie had learnt that they'd been missing for a good half an hour between when they'd found Isaac and when they'd gotten out. They watched as Isaac's thought process chugged away after checking his somehow still functioning phone's incorrect time.
He'd asked them then what'd happened, but they'd just shrugged, feigning nonchalance even as Isaac dragged them into the propped-up tent alongside him and an officer.
He wasn't happy with the answer, and the responding squint of suspicion told Charlie that this wouldn't be forgotten, but they felt it was the right choice as Isaac was questioned.
He'd answered the questions honestly, making the well of guilt within Charlie become ever deeper as they too claimed to have no idea on what'd happened.
The policewoman had just nodded at the response, scribbling something onto an electronic notepad.
Charlie ignored the thrum they felt come from the device.
"You know of the cause?" She'd then asked, Charlie looking up in surprise.
They waved their remaining hand, the other having died a few minutes ago. "Earthquake?"
The first tip-off had been their coffee trembling on their desk, followed by their office supports shaking.
The woman looked pained a brief moment, glancing to Isaac by Charlie's side preoccupied with squinting at the exposed electronics of their prosthetic.
They were silently grateful for the battery having gone dead when he looked ready to pick at a loose wire.
The professor nudged his side, "Hold onto that?" They gestured to the forearm with a point.
He tilted his head, an unspoken question that nearly had Charlie letting out a snort at the motion.
They didn't though, and as they got a grip on the prosthetic elbow he seemed to understand well enough. He held the arm, easily catching onto the weight when the bottom section of the metal arm detached with a click.
"Put it with the other bits? It'll all go back to my apartment."
They got an uncomfortably familiar deadpan in response.
Resisting a sigh they crouched down to his height, Isaac's eyes widening slightly at the action.
"Five minutes, I swear." Charlie promised. Their arm rested uneasily on their knee, unsure on where they stood with the kid in terms of contact. "...we can get curry?" They tried.
He seemed to light up at the bribe and this time they couldn't help the huff of air that escaped their nose.
"Sound good?" The boy nodded, clutching to their prosthetic with one arm. The other was caught in his shirt as he fidgeted.
Before he left the two adults alone though, he took a step forward, embracing Charlie with his one free arm and bolting out of the tent quick enough that the professor was left confused.
They hoped he went to go find the group of remaining employees as they pushed themself off of the ground.
The officer cleared her throat, "You care plenty for the kid?"
They flicked their hand uneasily, "He's just my student."
An uncomfortable click and stabbing of pain came from their shoulder as they stretched it.
Sucks inhumanity doesn't erase chronic pain.
"You're a good teacher then." The woman replied, and Charlie just hummed in response, narrowing their eyes.
She continued, "What I have to say..."
Charlie had half the mind to snap at her hesitation, a steady buzz building in their ears within the silence.
"You're subordinate knows. The nurse." She took a breath in, "This wasn't natural."
That got their attention as they leant subtly over the table between them on one arm.
"This was a deliberate attack upon your institute... we don't know who at this point."
She gave Charlie a few seconds to slew over the words.
What came out was empty words, but to anyone with at least half the mind to entertain the weight lingering in the air would feel the deep-seeded anger stirring. "This was on purpose?"
They ignored the flickering light.
The policewoman nodded seriously, "It was localised. That town over the hill didn't feel a thing."
Charlie's mouth dried.
"The fire?"
"Likely arson. But we can't be certain with the equipment-" She was cut off by a scrambled noise coming from her radio.
Frowning, Charlie took that as their sign to leave.
"Okay... Thank you."
Emotionless.
"Wait, the boy's parents-"
They glared at her, only feeling a tinge of remorse when she flinched.
"I'll tell them."
A few seconds passed, the woman then nodding.
Frown evening out, they gave one final glance before leaving, stepping out into the dimming light of sunset realising they had no idea where Isaac had gone.
They'd only taken a few steps before they staggered slightly, gasping at a sudden thought dropped into their psyche rudely. Charlie recovered quickly before scowling.
Eyebrows furrowed when they easily pinpointed where their boy was within a group of adults, hand clinging to Charlie's partner's jacket.
Around the two were a few of the tighter-knit group of employees the lab had, and as Charlie's steps faltered, they wrangled against a feeling that blossomed in their chest.
A sliver of anger slipped out, a stifled noise working its way from their throat at the blatant reminder of how much could have gone wrong.
Gasps came from the group as the electric lanterns flickered, before dropping out entirely as the electricity seemed to drain into thin air and Charlie bit their cheek, flinching at a fizzle in their prosthetic's electronics.
A knowing gaze met theirs immediately as they clamped down on the burst of power.
They took a shaky breath in as Josh stepped out of the group towards them, and Charlie lowered their head in a semblance of shame when he grasped their shoulders.
Instead of acknowledging that shitshow first, he instead asked, "You okay?" and they were stumped on the answer.
They were okay right? No one got hurt? No one was killed?
Josh must've noticed the turmoil as he rephrased the question.
"Physically?"
They nodded, stood silently. He still moved their head around with a gentle hand to check.
Satisfied, he leant down to meet their reluctant gaze.
"Mentally..?"
Charlie squeezed their eyes shut, a tight sensation in their chest making itself known as they did so.
They shook their head.
"Okay." The grip on their shoulder shifted to their upper arm, avoiding pulling at the scarred skin. "Can I?"
They met him halfway, putting their head against their friend's shoulder as he put his lanky arms around them. It felt like home.
"You did that?" Josh asked after a few seconds.
They croaked out a weak affirmative before feeling the hug tighten.
Josh leant down ever so slightly to put his own head against theirs.
"Then we'll be careful." Charlie wished it was that easy, "You had no other choice." He added.
That was one thing they could admit to as they thought back on what'd happened.
There wasn't another option, and as they caught sight of the shattered sigil tattooed on their left wrist, they weren't able to regret it.
Especially when their resolve finally broke at two small arms joining Josh's from the side, a small presence putting itself against Charlie and Josh's side.
A reminder of the life saved.
The professor slumped further against their partner and moved an arm at the insistence of the boy beside them to rest it easily around the kid's back.
They didn't shed any tears, too drained to even let out a sob, but they were content enough to let their control slip slightly.
Something shifted inside them, slotting itself back within their being.
Charlie just closed their eyes, focusing on the smell of cheap cup noodles and tea that drowned out the smoke stuck to their clothes.
They figured that maybe things would be okay, that even if some equipment and information had been lost, they hadn't really lost anything of real worth.
They tried to hold onto that feeling for the rest of the night as the trio made their way towards the neighbouring town.
· · ──── ✧ · 𖥸 · ✧ ──── · ·
The reality of what happened hit Charlie like a Drain Punch at the appropriate time of 1:47am when they opened their eyes, an unassuming gasp on their lips.
Something writhed inside them at the reaction, immediately reaching to grasp onto any lingering energy in the air. They pulled it back, throwing it into the recesses of their mind as they stared up at the roof of their apartment.
They groaned quietly, scraping a hand down their face while old cravings presented themselves.
They needed a smoke.
Slipping out of the bed was easy, having long since learnt to avoid the spots that creaked when they'd get migraines.
What was harder was untangling their leg from where it was pushed down into the thin mattress of the sofa bed by Josh's foot.
Charlie was glad he was a heavier sleeper as they fully extracted themself, their back having an annoyingly loud crack come from it when they stretched.
It was fucking freezing, and they slightly regretted leaving the warmth of the bed, but they continued regardless.
About a minute later they stood on the balcony, awkwardly trying to maneuverer a lighter and a cigarette packet hanging out of their thin hoodie's pocket.
A hand grabbed the packed when it fell, managing to stop anything actually falling out.
"Here." They heard Josh say, holding out a single cigarette for them to light as he pocketed the rest.
They lit it before taking it, letting Josh take the lighter from their hand.
Neither adult said a word, but Josh did stay beside them, leaning over the balcony fence in silent companionship.
Their hand shook as they took a drag through the cigar, a sickening taste flooding their mouth.
They breathed it out, tilting their head away from Josh.
"Bad dream?" He asked. Charlie didn't look at him, but shook their head. "...Did you sleep?"
"A bit." They murmured, quiet as they stared out at the view.
They heard a quiet exhale.
"I'm tired, Josh." Charlie whispered.
They didn't flinch when a cold hand worked its way around their shoulder, a silent request.
The cigarette was held limp between their fingers as they obliged, leaning into the arm's hold.
"I know," Josh responded, "Me too."
They sharply inhaled, a strangled noise climbing its way from their throat.
"I'm sorry," They gasped, the words coming out empty. "Sinnoh- If I'd just..." They trailed off, unsure of their own words.
· ◦ ──── ♢ ◦ ☏ ◦ ♢ ──── ◦ ·
"Charlie," The nurse said quietly, "There wasn't anything else to be done."
"I wish there was." Josh heard Charlie say.
"I know." Was all he could respond with.
"He could've... you could've-" They cut themself off with a choked sob, realisation setting in. "Fuck-"
Joshed hummed above them. "But we're fine, Char." He leant forward, attempting to meet their eye, "You made sure of it."
Their brows furrowed, but they didn't refute.
"It wasn't an accident." Their words sounded hollow to his ears, and he felt them tense up. They were shaking. "Someone chose to endanger the lab."
Something was brimming in the air as the taller moved to be facing his partner.
"...Charlie." He said gently, hands firmly on their shoulders.
"Anyone could've been killed, that fire-" He moved a hand on top of their head, and they looked up to meet his eyes. "I could've lost you... lost Isaac, Penelope, Taylor... Even Tally."
"But you didn't." Josh reiterated. He put their foreheads together when Charlie's gaze dropped.
They frowned, letting out a hiss of pain.
Easily, Josh took the burnt down cigarette, pulling it away from an already scarred hand.
He had an idea.
He held it between him and Charlie, watching the lit end burn further down the stick.
"Put it out." He encouraged, lifting it slightly.
"Josh-" Charlie tried, he interrupted them.
"If what you think is true, you can put it out."
"Just stomp it out." They groaned.
"We're barefoot." Charlie seemed put out at the realisation.
At his insistence they did relent, and with little fanfare the lit nub extinguished right in front of him.
They didn't meet his eye as he shoved it back into the pack, slipping what he hoped was the only pack they had squovetted away into his pocket once more.
Josh looked back at Charlie when he noticed the small shake of their head.
"I can't ignore it this time." It came out sad, and their voice wavered as they continued, "I can feel it again-"
A small laugh devolved into a series of sobs, of which he held their hand through as they leant on his side.
He had no answer as they choked out more words.
"Dragons-" A bark of laughter escaped them, accompanied by a sob, "This is a mess."
Josh sighed in response, squeezing their hand.
Soon silence dwelled between them once again.
"You should've left years ago." Charlie whispered, grip firm with Josh's.
He took a breath in, "I know." He let it out, "But it was worth staying."
Charlie dipped their head, staring down at the matching pair of bare feet.
"You know I love you?"
The phrase wasn't unfamiliar, but it surprised Josh to hear it put so bluntly.
He nodded.
"I know," He smiled, hoping it could be heard in his voice. "You know I love you too?"
It was a funny thing wording it as a question, something of an inside joke that started during university.
"Okay." Was the response he got, and he knew it wasn't a refusal.
Instead, it was an acknowledgement, an agreement wrapped in a layer of uncertainty.
They both feared the future, staring out of the fourth-floor balcony, but with the lump of a cigarette box in his pant pocket and a scarred hand in his, he could only hope it all would work out.
Glancing at the eyebags under his partner's eyes, and their blank, unblinking gaze spurred him back into motion.
"Let's check on the kid?"
A breath. "Okay."
Charlie followed him back inside, still led by the hand into their own apartment hallway.
Josh couldn't help but feel like a parent spying on their kid as he peeked through the door crack, smiling when he noticed Charlie do the same.
Something in the air seemed to ease then, a weight lifting as a slow breath escaped Charlie's lips.
"See?" He said, squeezing their hand.
"Yeah."
"Back to bed?" He suggested.
He was reminded of their uni years, unsure of where they stood between being friends or dating.
But as Charlie groggily murmurs something of an affirmative and leads the way back to the sofa bed, he's reminded of the place they'd both made, together.
He just guesses there's now a kid involved.