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[Ever since their return from the Red Room, Charlie has been a lot more subdued and lacks his usual level of energy. He's called his parents, has had it explained to them that he's at some sort of boarding school for troubled kids (since he ran away and all) and somehow they bought it.

That doesn't make anything better, though. He just wants to go home and see them and his cousin again.]

[Cabin Seven]

[Whenever Charlie got scared of thunderstorms, he would sometimes hide under the bed (so long as he didn't think the space was currently occupied by the boogeyman -- sometimes the boogeyman was there or in the closet) and play with his action figures, trying to make the sound effects louder than the thunder.

Since coming back, this is his new favourite activity. It makes him feel better and there's comfort in something so familiar.

Heck, he even pretends to be the boogeyman sometimes, reaching for his cabin mates or their guests' ankles.]

[Anywhere and Everywhere]

[The person he really wants to see out of all the other campers, the one that made him feel safe, is Eponine and Charlie is on a mission to find her. This will take him all over camp until he does, still lacking the usual bounce in his step. Not happy Charlie is kind of freaky, okay.]

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[...She looks at him blankly. Kid wants a story.] Kid, if you haven't noticed, I'm a little busy right now. [To prove her point, she tosses a knife over her shoulder. It hits the target on the edge. Could have done better.]

But if you want a story. Fine. Once upon a time, there was a girl. She wanted to be left alone so she could throw knives so she wouldn't get fucked over next time. The end. [No one was going to live happily ever after.]

[Cool story, bro. Charlie is trying not to look disappointed.] But what about dragon battles and stuff? And pirates? Lots of good stories have pirates.

[Eponine pauses, about to throw another knife.] There aren't dragon battles. Or pirates, okay? You don't get to pick what goes into a story when you ask me for it. [Her words are clipped, and she doesn't even look at him before she throws her next knife.]

Don't you have someone else to bother?

[This is probably not the smartest move of Charlie's, but he's upset, can tell Eponine is upset too, and it actually hurts him. With a little sniffle, he kind of shuffles forward pathetically and tries to hug her around the middle.]

[Rule number one. Do not touch Eponine unless she touches you first.

Rule number two. Don't touch her when she's about to throw a kinfe.

Rule three. Just don't fuck with her when she's in a bad mood.

Charlie had just broken all three of those. So don't be surprised when the last knife she was about to throw clatters uselessly to the ground and she lets out a noise of irritation, going automatically to throw the person that had grabbed her as far off her as she can manage. She's about to go in for another attack when she remembers Charlie, and stops.] Don't fucking touch me.

[Charlie doesn't know how to respond to that. He stumbles back a couple of steps, shoulders hunching. He's used to bullies, used to being the weird kid at school, and he generally takes it all with a smile on his face; he has friends and family that care about him, and that's what matters, right?

What he's not used to is when it comes from someone he cares deeply about and it leaves him conflicted. Does he run away and leave her alone, cry like he wants to, try to hug her again when Eponine clearly doesn't want it? This is not something Charlie is used to and he looks up to her, lost.]

I just... I thought a hug would make it better...

Well guess what? [She asks, turning to him sharply.] Hugs don't make it better, Charlie. Not everything is fucking magic, and bright and sunshiny and happy. [Her knives are back on her fingers, thankfully.]

Hugs are not going to make the fact that we were kidnapped go away. Or that we're stuck here and can never leave. It won't make the fact that we were all almost killed completely disappear like it never happened! Hugs won't make it so my siblings don't starve to death, or that I now have some very powerful people furious at me for reasons beyond my control! Hugs aren't going to do shit about that, because if they did, well I'd have hugged everyone and their fucking mother in order to have the perfect life by now, wouldn't I? [She's yelling, and somewhere, her eyes had started to water, but she wipes that away with the back of her hand, smearing her eye makeup further.] NOTHING is going to make any of it better. Ever.

[Now that freaks Charlie out and he takes several steps back. There's an actual look of fear in his eyes. He's never seen anyone act like this before.]

I'm sorry, Ep, I'm really, really sorry...

[Unfortunately, this sort of way of acting is far more common place with Eponine then she likes to let on. She's a wreck, unstable and oscillating between emotions she can't control. It's a pity it's Charlie that has to take the blunt of her temper now, when she can't stop and has no one who knows how to deal with her when she gets like this. Charlie doesn't deserve this, and she knows it. But the words keep coming.]

Shove your sorry. I don't care. How can you be sorry about this? None of this is your fault! You didn't force my family on to food stamps, you didn't toss me to your friends to get out of debt, you certainly didn't kidnap me and everyone else here! So don't be sorry! Just be- I don't fucking know. [She's actively crying now, the heavy eyeliner she favors stinging her eyes, but the pain isn't something she seeks to avoid. She needs a drink, she needs something, she needs a cigarette, she needs a hug. Hugs don't fix anything. But, as she slides down to her knees, she can't help but feeling that maybe this once they would.]

'Cause I'm just sorry... [He's dumbstruck, still doesn't know what to say and just lets her yell. Would that make it better, letting her get it all out? He doesn't know, but as she slides to her knees he tries for a hug again.]

[she feels his arms around her and this time she doesn't shove him away. She holds him close, sobbing against his small chest. She shouldn't do this. This isn't like her. But he said the wrong things and did the wrong stuff at the right time and now she was reduced to this pile of wet, weak, 15-year-old. She holds him tight, clinging to him.] I just-- I was- am- scared.

[He pats her back gently, feeling like crying too from seeing and hearing her hurt.] I was too, Ep... And it's okay to be scared! There's lots'a scary stuff out there...

No, no it's not! [She says lamely, still holding on ot him, burrying her face in his neck. Her mascara is probably all over his shirt and neck, but she doesn't care. She needs the care this sweet little 12-year-old is giving her. God, how pathetic could she get?] I'm not afraid of anything Charlie. I'm 15. I want to-- [No, she can't tell him that.] I hate myself. But-- but I was so scared, so angry! I'm not afraid of anything. I can't be. But I thought I was going to die.

[He hugs her tighter. He hadn't thought about them dying -- Charlie still doesn't quite understand death, being young -- but that had certainly been a possibility. They were going to be fed to a freaky earth goddess, for crying out loud.

He never would have seen his family again, his friends, camp, home... That's enough to get him to start crying and he sniffles into her hair.]

But we're okay now, we're okay and we'll be safe and I'll protect you...

[She can tell he's crying, but right now, she can't summon up the strength to take care of him. Not when she's been worn down to her lowest and most vulnerable.] It doesn't matter. You can't protect me. You shouldn't have to, Charlie. No one should.

[She's calming slightly, sniffling.] I just want to go home. I want to see Gavroche and Azelma, and help them. I can't do that. Not if I'm stuck here. My-- [she chokes.] -my dad's going to hurt them without me. They're going to starve without me.

I can't stay here, Charlie! I can't!

Can't -- can't they make an exception? Can't they let you go home? It's important to if..!

[Gods, he can't imagine a dad hurting his kids. His parents may be a little spacey, but they've never hurt him.]

Edited 2013-09-14 01:59 (UTC)

I don't... I don't know... [she lifts her head slightly, black tears streaming down her cheeks and on to Charlie's shirt.] I don't want them to tell me no. And I can't- I can't tell anyone about any of it, Charlie. I can't.

If they're in trouble, then... you gotta tell someone and help, right? Like a super hero? [Because that's what he still thinks, that superheroes will swoop in and save the day.]

The world doesn't work like that, Charlie! [She turns on him again.] There aren't superheroes! If there were, my family wouldn't be in this position! I can't tell people because do you know how much pain I could cause my brother and sister? I could go to jail for real this time.

And then I couldn't do anything to help them. Ever.

But... [He's at a loss for words again. There are always superheroes; he's seen it in all the cartoons, movies, tv shows. Aren't they at a camp that basically trains heroes?]

But there's still gotta be something someone can do...

Like what? I child services? I won't ever see them again. Charlie... And if they find out? My parents? They'll make it worse for them if they aren't taken away.

Can't they come to camp too?

They're human.

So? If they need protecting, anyone should be allowed!

...I don't know. They need protection from something worse than gods and monsters, Charlie. They need protection from humans.

Then we're gonna protect them and save them. I promise, Ep. I promise they'll be okay.

Don't say that, Charlie. [She pulls away from him.] Don't make promises you can't keep.

But I can keep it! I mean it!

You may mean it, but that doesn't mean you can. Some things just aren't possible.

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