Archive of Our Own

He stretched to shift some weight off his arm, and suddenly the all consuming warmth rolled over and placed an arm around him. He could make out a soft and rhythmic snore.

Holy shit he was cuddled up with Charlie.

The events of the day prior leaked into Pim's skull like a steady trickle. For a moment he felt the fear and terror all over again, consuming him like a crashing wave.

He felt Charlie's free hand intertwine with his own. 

Maybe it would all be okay. Just maybe. 

He wanted to put his own arm around Charlie so badly, he wanted to embrace him back so much, but something about it felt so dishonest. His beloved was clearly asleep and probably had no clue he's got one arm around Pim and a hand clasped onto his. The safest option in Pim's eyes was to just lay back and enjoy it while it lasts.

As if reading Pim's mind, the blonde pulled the cotton candy haired man closer, and proceeded to roll over. Right onto Pims cut and bandaged arm.

The ex actor let out a shriek and struggled out of the blankets. Charlie awoke with a jump. Pim grabbed his arm in pain and let out a small hiss at the stinging he felt shoot through his arm. 

The larger of the two faced Pim and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. 

Pim blinked in surprise at the sight of Charlie. Now that he finally had the chance to look, he could see the marks his dad had left. He had a pretty good sized bruise right below his eye and his nose seemed a bit swollen.

"You alright man?" Charlie's groggy voice snapped Pim out of his trance.

"Yeah- yeah I'm fine. I think you just put too much pressure on my arm,"

"Aw hell, my bad dude,"

"Are you okay? Those nasty bruises look pretty painful,"

Charlie grinned, "I've had worse. You hungry? I think my uncle has a few coupons for something cheap laying around,".

The shorter of the two felt his mouth water at the very thought of a good breakfast. He was a bit preoccupied with other things last night and didn't exactly have the time to snag some food.

"I could eat! Just not that one place you took me to last time with the grease on the floor,"

"You lucked out this time man, Salty's doesn't open 'till 11," Charlie joked.

The two sat parallel to eachother. They decided on some local coffee shop. It was relatively empty so no one was really going to ask why one of them had one arm covered in bandages and why the other looked like he just got out of a bar fight. 

Despite the lack of customers the coffee shop itself was very cozy. The morning light shone through the window and casted a comfortable heat on anyone landing in its rays.

"Not gonna lie Pim when you agreed to go to this place I kinda expected you to get something a bit different,"

"What's wrong with chocolate milk?"

"Nothing, just didn't really think you'd pick that of all things,"

"I think the last time I had chocolate milk was when I would make it for my sister when I was like 10,"

Charlie looked down into his coffee. He knew the pink haired guy across from him was the eldest child and that basically meant he was forced to become parent #3.

Pim anxiously swished his chocolate milk around in the clear glass and broke the silence.

"So uh, speaking of my sister, I decided to text her a bit while you and I were looking for coupons,"

The sound tech looked back up from his coffee.

"I was uh, I was wondering if you could bring me by my dad's house,"

"I already told you dude I'm not letting you stay there again,"

"Yeah I know, I know I just need to pick up a few of my old things before they toss them out,"

"Is your dad gonna give us hell?"

"My sister says he shouldn't be home until about 1, if we hurry we should beat him home,"

Charlie narrowed his eyes in a suspicious manner. "I don't know man, seems kinda sketchy, we'll can go but I'm not letting you go in alone"

"Deal, I should be in and out anyway!" Pim beamed. 

Here he was again, in front of his childhood home, terrified something would go wrong. He really hoped his sister wasn't lying to him about their dad not being home, they didn't exactly get along but she wouldn't go out of her way to do something terrible like that, would she?

He could feel the anxiety pooling within him and began to fidget with and twist some of the bandages on his arm. Would his sister be mad at him for leaving? She didn't seem upset when they were texting, but she wasn't exactly an emotional texter. 
Charlie lightly tapped the pink haired guy's arm and gently grabbed his hand. "Dont fuck with your arm dude,".

Pim felt every single drop of anxiety evaporate from his body. His face was candy red. 
"You ready to get your stuff out of here dude?"
Pim could hardly contain his excitement, "Absolutely!" He knocked on the door.
"Have you thought about where you're gonna stay?"
Pim felt a jolt of worry travel through him for a moment. "Uhm! Well, actually I was wondering if you and I c-". He was cut off by the front door creaking open. 

Pim's sister stood on the other side, a slight look of fear in her eyes. "Hey, uh, I know I told you 1 but now might not be the best time," She whispered. 
"W-wait why? Wh-".
A large figure gently pushed his sister to the side. 
"Son! 'Was wondering when you'd come back," The figure said in a sickeningly kind voice. 

His father was home. 

Pim felt Charlie's grip get a tad bit tighter. The ex actor himself felt dizzy just at the sight of his dad. Every instinct was screaming at him to run away in the opposite direction.

"Oh me and your mum worried sick when we saw you run off with that trouble maker, didn't know whose house you'd be staying at or if you'd be safe!". The amount of fake concern in his voice made Charlie's blood boil. It took everything in him to simply not finish what he started yesterday.

"I just want inside to grab my things," Pim muttered.

"Oh of course! I bet you're dog tired after that little escapade yesterday! Come in come in!" His father smiled as he ushered in his son and blocked the door before the blonde could get in.

"Your friend here will be fine waiting out on the verandah while you come in, right?"

"W-well I mean! He-he sa-" The shorter Aussie attempted to stutter out a half baked excuse before getting cut off by Charlie." Actually he said he'd need me to help him haul a few things into the car, ain't that right bud?". Pim quickly nodded in agreement.

"I'll be right back! You two hang tight!" The pink haired Aussie called from the other room.

Once his son was gone, Pim's dad immediately dropped the cheer and pep. He stared daggers at Charlie from across the room, and Charlie had to hold back every snarky comment about the coffee table that was mysteriously missing the glass center.

"So d'ya always let bums in from off the streets or is my Pimmy a special case?" The older Aussie sneered. 

Fuck it. Being nice is off the table.

"Do you always pick fights with teenagers or are Pim and me special?" He shot back. 

The older of the two stepped closer to Charlie and raised his voice, "you've got slot of nerve to talk to a man like that in his own house boy!" He snarled. Before the blonde had a chance to match the other man's attitude, a shrill voice broke out from the kitchen.

"STEPHEN! DO NOT PICK ANOTHER FIGHT WITH THAT BLOKE! IM TIRED OF CLEANING UP BROKEN GLASS!" Pim's mom screeched from the kitchen.

"SHUT YOUR TRAP WOMAN! THIS IS BETWEEN ME AND HIM!" 

"GO TO YOUR BLOODY ROOM IF YOU'RE GONNA KEEP ACTING UP!"

Stephen stomped off and threw something into the kitchen right before retreating to the master bedroom. The Aussie woman peaked into the living room, "you're welcome," she stated in a flat voice.

Charlie blinked in astonishment. That was a surprisingly orderly fight. Pim's dad really didn't provide much of a push to stay meddle, and his mom seemed pretty tired of whatever attitude his dad had left to dish out. Was he actually accepting the fact his son was leaving him?

The pink haired Aussie peaked out of the hallway with a large bag in his arms and another on his back. "Alrighty, let me say my goodbyes and we should be good to go,". He seemed like an odd mix of relieved and terrified. Even so he still kept up a pretty chipper tone. 

Charlie took Pim's bag as he went in for a hug from his mom. The short man's embrace was met with a cold, single handed pat on the back from his mother.

"I'm gonna miss you and Amy and the boys so much! I'll try to call as often as I can!" Said the ex actor in a genuinely loving tone.

"Just be sure to call us when this rebellious streak of yours is finished,"

Pim broke away from the hug and looked up at his mom "excuse me?"

"Your poor father is torn up over the way you acted yesterday,"

Pim's expression turned to one of frustration and anger, for a split second Charlie thought he looked a bit like his father.

"Oh he's torn up about yesterday? Have you even seen what he did to my arm? I know you've been cleaning up the glass from that old table!"

The blonde was in complete disbelief. Pim, his Pim, the Pim who was known for being too polite to do anything remotely nasty or mean in his life was actually standing up for himself! And he wasn't doing half bad for someone whose probably only fantasized about doin this in his wildest dreams.

"He does his absolute best for you! He was only trying to teach you a little respect and instead of listening you have to run off with that little punk and worry us all half to death!" She snarled.

"I've always listened to him! I've always listened to you! You both ignore me! I hope you actually listen to me for once because trust me, I'm not coming back,". He turned twords the door and grabbed his friend's hand, pulling him twords the exit.

Right before he reached the door, be turned around, cracked a smile and waved, "Toodles mum!", And proceeded to slam the door to his now ex childhood home. 

Charlie looked down and inspected him for any possible sign of distress. "So uh, how you feelin' man?"

Pim let out a sigh and grinned, a wave of pure euphoria clearly washing over him, "Fantastic!"