TW : Mentions of eating disorder.
Charlie stayed inside the jeep trying to catch his breath. Air refused fill his lungs, his hands shook violently. He placed a hand over his heartbeat trying to calm down. He could feel himself go numb. He knew what this was and he hated it.
Somehow, a whole agonizing minute later, Charlie was able to breathe by himself. He drove to the cabin as carefully as he could. His heartbeat was loud in his ears. When he reached, he saw the lights were on but Hopper wasn't home yet.
He could heat music playing loudly from El's room. He assumed Mike and El had made up. He knocked and to his surprise Max opened the door. She beamed at him.
"Hi. We're having a sleepover." She said and looked back El.
"Do you mind if I come in?" Charlie asked.
"We have a strict 'no boys' rule." Max crossed her arm, looking serious. Then she relaxed into a smile and added
"But we can make an exception for you." She stepped away to let him in.
"Thank you." Charlie stepped in and Max closed the door behind them. He sat down leaning against the drawer.
"You look strange." Eleven observed.
"Yeah, she's right." Max agreed. Her eyes wide bed and she said through a dramatic gasp
"Did you and Steve get into a fight?"
Charlie frowned "What? No!"
Max slumped her shoulder sat down opposite him.
"We are fine. I just thought I'd check on El, that's it."
"Okay okay, we were talking our boyfriends I mean ex boyfriends-" Max begun but Charlie cut her off.
"Wait what?"
"Oh El dumped Mike's ass."
Charlie snorted but then quickly caught himself. Max grinned.
"Why?"
"He lies. He treats me like garbage. He said Nana was sick." El started explaining. Charlie listened carefully. He frowned, knowing very well Hopper had something to do with this. Max and El looked at Charlie waiting for him to say something in their favour.
Charlie cleared his throat and spoke
"Okay... I think you and Mike could use some space...to sort out your priorities. And I'm glad and you guys are hanging out now."
"See I told you he'd agree with us." Max climbed down and sat down opposite Charlie.
"How's Steve?" She asked suddenly.
"He's...great." Charlie answered briefly. He had been distant to Steve since morning and he knew Steve was getting worried.
"Is there any problem?" Max pressed.
"Maxine... We're fine. We're happy." Charlie said pointedly.
Max threw her hands up in surrender.
"Sorry, I was just curious, pretty much everyone is having relationship crisis right now."
"Not everyone, any ways. Why did you break up with Lucas?"
"Because just like Mike, he's a liar. He lies like all the time. What do you do when Steve lie to you?"
"He doesn't lie to me." Charlie said with a slight smile.
"Or maybe you've just never caught him."
Charlie rolled his eyes at that. He was about answer that when Hopper angrily pushed the door open. Charlie jumped.
"3 inches!" He yelled. He stopped when he saw the three of them, looking at him weirdly.
"Knock Jeez." Max said condescendingly.
"Yeah, jeez." El agreed, Charlie suppressed a smile.
"Is there a problem?" Charlie asked.
"No, what are you..." Hopper trailed off, obviously not expecting Charlie to be home.
"Max wanted to have a sleepover, is that okay?"
"Yeah... That's fine. That's great." Hopper replied, suddenly very enthusiastic. He walked away from the door, slowly shutting it. Charlie stood up to follow him.
"Where are you going?" Max asked.
"Just a sec."
Hopper was reclining in the chair, ready to watch TV. Charlie stood his front of him with his arms crossed.
"Are you drunk?" Charlie asked. Of course he was and Charlie knew it. He hated when his father was drunk. Hopper had it in control for a while now. Charlie wasn't ready for everything to go downhill again.
"Oh just a little." Hopper answered dismissively.
"Did something happen?" Charlie pushed on.
"Nothing happened, Charlie. What's with the interrogation? I'm your father not the other way around. I got a little drunk because I was in a good mood that's it." Hopper said sharply. Attack is the best defense, he didn't want Charlie to pry into the fact that he got stood up by Joyce.
"Fine." Charlie said and walked back to El's room. Hopper wanted to stop him but decided against it.
Charlie sharply closed the door behind him. The sound startled the girls and they glanced at him. He slid down the floor again, looking as troubled as he did when he first walked in.
"Everything okay?" Max asked, carefully.
"Yeah... Everything's fine." Charlie rubbed his face with both hands.
El and Max looked at each other. Then Max declared.
"Let's play a game."
"Isn't this like an invasion of their privacy?" Charlie asked doubtfully.
The game was simple, they had written everyone's names on pieces of paper. They arranged it in a circle with a bottle in the middle. El would spin the bottle and they would spy 9n whoever the it landed on.
"Relax Charlie." Max instructed.
"You go first."
Charlie closed his eyes and spun the bottle. It landed on Steve and Charlie exhaled. Max burst into abrupt laugher then caught herself.
"Isn't this nice?"
"No. I don't think it's a good idea."
"Come on, it's going to be fun. Or..." Max smiled mysteriously "Can he join you in the void?" she turned to El.
"I think so." She outstretched her hand to Charlie who frowned. Max gave him a blindfold.
"Come on, aren't you a little curious?"
Charlie rolled his eyes and took the blindfold from her.
"I can't believe, I'm letting you convince me into this."
Charlie and El tied it around their eyes. Max switched on the static sound. Charlie flet himself grow dizzy. The feeling was similar to when he got caught in the upside down. It terrified him a little bit. His grip on El's hand tightened a fraction.
Second later, they were in the void. Charlie looked around and saw Steve, seemingly in his living room. He was sitting on a chair, one led thrown over the chair's arm. He was talking to someone on the phone. Charlie listened closely to hear the words clearer.
"No you don't understand, Henderson. He's...he's not like this usually. Something is definitely bothering him. I don't...know. He won't talk to me about it. He says everything is fine."
Steve sighed deeply. His fingers playing with the sun pendant around his neck.
"I'm really worried. I want to help him but... Alright, just forget all the bullshit I've told you before. When you love someone you have show them you care. And I care about him, he knows that."
A pause. Steve looked thoughtful for a few seconds.
"I love him, Henderson. I didn't even know I could love someone like this. And I don't want to live without him... I don't think I can."
He took a deep breath.
"This is so corny... But he is my life. Without him, nothing else matters."
El looked at Charlie, who had tears in his eyes. There was a trace of smile on his face and something else. He looked both elated and pained.
Charlie pulled off his blindfold and so did El. He quickly wiped the tear that had trickled down. Max looked at them worriedly.
"Everything okay?" she asked Charlie.
"Yeah... Yeah.. Great actually." He smiled genuinely. Max returned the smile.
It was El's turn to spin the bottle. El closed her eyes and spun. They watched cautiously as the bottle slowed down and stopped on - Billy.
Charlie sighed heavily and Max made a weird face. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Billy was upto. It's Billy he could be doing anything or anyone for that matter.
"Okay I gotta warn you..." Max spoke getting off the bed to grab the radio from the table nearby.
"If he's with a girl or doing something gross, I want you to get out of there before you're scarred for life."
Charlie rolled his eyes fondly.
"Max." El said.
"No I'm just saying, he's really gross, ask Charlie." Max continued. Charlie frowned at her.
"Max" El spoke again.
"Okay shutting up now."
Max switched on the static sound. El tied the blindfold around her eyes. Max glanced at Charlie, his eyes were trailed on El. He looked back at Max and she smirked at him. He raised an eye brow and she glaced down at the aper with Billy's name in it. Charlie rolled his eyes.
Charlie was curious to know what Billy was upto. He was a little worried to though he wouldn't admit it himself. Billy didn't look well when they saw each other last. No matter what had happened, Charlie cared about the blonde unconditionally. That alone scared him. He didn't understand how he could still be so faithful to someone who had hurt him so badly in the past.
"I see him." El said and both Charlie and Max focused on her.
"Well, what's he doing?" Charlie asked.
"He's on the floor... talking to someone.”
Max and Charlie shared a look. El stayed silent for a couple more seconds. She abrubly gasped and pulled off her blindfold, breathing heavily.
“Hey, what happened?” Max questioned.
El just looked back and forth from Charlie to Max. She looked really scared. Charlie gently took her shoulder and wiped the blood under her nose. She looked at him and let him pull her into an embrace. She listened to his slightly elated heartbeat to calm herself.
“It's okay, take your time.” Charlie whispered.
El collected herself and sat straight. She carefully explained what she saw.
“I heard a girl, I think she was lying on the floor, he was standing over her. I heard her screaming. Then...he saw me.”
“Saw you?” Charlie asked, his eyebrows pinched together.
“He sensed me... I think. Because he looked back at me like he knew I was watching him. Then everything just turned to mist.”
Max looked skeptical but Charlie nodded.
“I believe you.”
“We should go check it out.” El declared and Max started shaking her head.
“No, no, no. We shouldn't.”
“Max is right, we can't go now, it's late.” Charlie agreed.
“We can go tomorrow then?” El asked.
“Okay.” Charlie assured.
“Okay?” Max questioned him and he nodded.
Charlie bid them goodnight and went to his room, glancing at Hopper who was passed on the recliner. The TV was still on. He took off his shirt and lied down, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep, he just lied there drenching his sheets in sweat. He didn't like where his thoughts went. The nosebleeds, upside down, Steve, El, his dad and Billy...
Billy...
“Billy...” Charlie whispered through muffled moans. The blonde had his face buried onto Charlie's neck, sucking and kissing the delicate skin. Naked chest pressed against Charlie's clothed one.
Billy raised his head to stare into Charlie's clouded eyes.
“Do you want me to stop?” He asked genuinely.
“Don't stop...” Charlie rasped, sliding his hand up the blonde's chest. Billy smirked and slowly unbuttoned Charlie's shirt and slipped it off.
“That's better.” He whispered, kissing Charlie's shoulder and collar bone.
“You're so beautiful, Charlie Hopper, sometimes I can't believe you're real.”
A small laughter escaped Charlie's lips.
“You flatter me a bit too much.” He said catching Billy's lips with his own. Billy responded by sliding his mouth open and pushing his tongue into Charlie's mouth. Charlie titled his face a little and held Billy's face with both hands.
“It's not flattery if it's true.” Billy said pulling away and kissing Charlie's nose. He stared intensely into Charlie's eyes.
“Do you have any idea how special you are?”
Charlie found himself at a loss of words. So he just kissed Billy. He tasted the after taste of the cigarette they had smoked together and cherry and chocolate. It was intoxicating and Charlie's head swam. He closed his eyes and let Billy do everything. Billy kissed a searing path down his chest to his stomach.
“You sure, Hopper?” Billy asked with a devilish glint in his eyes.
“Mhm..hmm.” Charlie hummed and nodded. But Billy didn't go any further. He just climbed and hovered over Charlie again. He slicked back Charlie's hair from his face and ran his thumb over his cheekbone.
“You don't mean that.”
Charlie frowned.
“I know you haven't slept a wink in God knows how long. Get some sleep, I'll hold you.” And Billy kissed his forehead lovingly.
Charlie almost melted. He let Billy pull close and he rested his head on the blonde's shoulder, his face close to his neck. And just at that moment he knew why he liked this boy so much. And why everyone else hated him. They didn't know Billy like he did. Billy Hargrove to others is just a good- looking asshole. They didn't know who he was behind all his pretence.
Charlie snuggled closer into Billy's warmth and let the blonde caress his hair, slowly growing drowsy. He felt Billy press soft kisses to his forehead, as the world grew quiet around him.
“Billy!” Charlie sat up abruptly, gasping for air. He was sweating all over. He looked around and through window, the sky looked brighter, it was almost morning. He got out of bed and went straight it the bathroom and threw up.
He hadn't eaten anything in two days. Or slept properly. He looked like a zombie. He did his best at looking put together. Then he went to wake the girls. His dad was snoring on the recliner. Meanwhile the girls were getting ready, he made them both sandwiches on the go. And made his dad breakfast and coffee and left it on the table with a note.
“Hey, here's your breakfast.” He handed them both their sandwiches.
“It's so early, I'm not even hungry.” Max said.
“There's absolutely no way I'm letting you two walk around with an empty stomach. Eat.”
El happily munched in her sandwich. Max took a bite, her eyes widened. She swallowed it and spoke without hiding her surprise.
“That's pretty good, Charlie. I didn't know you could cook.”
“That's hardly cooking but yeah I've had a lot of practice.” He glanced at Hopper sleepily unaware of anything.
“Aren't you having breakfast?” El asked him.
He shrugged and said.
“I'm not very hungry. Besides we're late, come on.” He took his key and walked out the door. Max and El shared a look and followed him.
They talked very little during their drive to Max's place. They parked the jeep a little away from the house and got off. The girls didn't miss how jumpy Charlie was, or how much he was sweating. And if Max knew any better, sweating wasn't a good sign. She had seen him at his worst when they were monster hunting and now she was seeing the same panic on his face.
“Charlie, serious question, are you okay? You look very sick.” Max asked, not being hold her tongue any longer.
“I didn't sleep well.” which wasn't a lie though it wasn't the whole truth either.
“And I'm worried about your brother.” Charlie admitted.
“I know you are. But he's probably fine. I'm sure El has seen some really weird stuff. But she said Mike has sensed her in there before... So maybe it's just like that. Maybe Billy just sensed you somehow.” She turned her face to El.
“But the screams. The girl was screaming.”
Charlie knew there could be more than one reason for that. Every other one stung him a little.
“When Billy is alone with a girl....or a guy...they make, really, crazy noises. Right, Charlie?”
“Max.” He groaned.
“They scream?” El asked innocently.
“Yeah but like happy screams?” amx tried to explain.
“Happy screams? What is happy screams?”
Charlie internally groaned. But Max save him.
“I'm just gonna lend you my mom's cosmo.”
“Sound about right.”
And they were at the door. Max assured Neil wasn't him and neither was Billy. They walked into Billy's room and Charlie was getting a strong feeling of deja vu. A kind of cloud washed over him and Max saw this.
“Why do I have a feeling we're going to find all kinds of wrong in here?” She said to lighten the mood.
Charlie walked in unceremoniously and picked up a shirt from the bed and max spoke from behind him.
“Yeah better not touch it. He's weirdly obsessed with that shirt, he's been sniffing it like it's cocaine or something. Very creepy.”
“it's mine.” Charlie looked at her.
“Makes sense.” Max nodded. She then opened a drawer and made gag sound.
“Gag me with a spoon.”
Charlie laughed at that. El walked to the bathroom and Charlie followed. They nothe stopped dead when they saw the bath bud full of water and ice bags.
“Max.” Le called and she walked over.
“It's just ice. It's probably for his muscles or something, he works out like a maniac.”
Charlie got that weird feeling in his gut again. That something terrible has happened. His hands started shaking involuntarily. He turned around and saw blood on the cupboard. El saw it too. She opened it and took a bin. Inside it was a bag and whistle that belonged to lifeguard and it had blood on it too.
Charlie felt his heart drop. He prayed to anyone that listened that it wasn't Billy's blood and that he was okay. His heart was about to beat out of his chest. Max stared at the whistle in El's hand without saying a word.
Charlie abruptly took the whistle and bag from El and put it back in the bin. He closed the cabinet in a hurry and kneeled brmfire the girls.
“Now listen to me. I'm going to work later and I will ask about Billy. Neither of you are going to touch that gain or go after this alright?”
He spoke very seriously, he never used that tone with them before. His fight or flight instinct was activated and he knew something was wrong.
“Promise me?”
“I promise you.” Max said looking confused. Charlie looked at Le who after some hesitation nodded and said
“I promise.”
Charlie let out a relieved sigh and they left the bathroom. They walked to the fort porch and Charlie looked at the sky.
“It's about to rain, elt me drip you two to off at home.”
“No actually we were going to rent a movie or something.” Max intervened. Charlie raised an eyebrow.
“Okay...you got any money on you.” he reached for his wallet.
“We're fine, Charlie.”
Charlie sighed.
“Okay don't get into any trouble.”
El hugged him and he kissed the top of her head.
“Everything is going to be fine, Charlie.” El said. Charlie nodded. He gave max a warm smile and left.
Charlie drove straight to the mall. He really needed to talk to Steve before he did anything else. He was nothing but a bundle of nerves at the point. He was close to the mall. He felt his palms get sweaty and his heart started to beat faster. Charlie tried to steady his breathing but a sudden pain shot through his head like a lightening. And he almost crashed into the sidewalk but somehow he stepped on the break and the jeep came to a halt.
“Charlie Hopper” the voice spoke.
AN : Hey ya'll, it's been a while. I've been going to through some stuff. I'll try to update more form now on.
P. S : I want to let you in on a little secret. I actually enjoy writing Billy x Charlie moments slightly more than writing Steve x Charlie. But they are both my babies <3