Chapter Text
It would be fair to say that Charley was stressed. Well, more like he was distressed.
Maddie had finally gotten out of the afterlife, though they were forced to wait and guess if she actually made it. Mr. Martin was now back in their lives, and apparently knows that the school they reside in isn’t as safe as they once thought.
Wally is clearly heartbroken and Charley is fearful he’s going to do something reckless. No one has heard from or seen him in hours. Wally really was their leader in the afterlife, so his absence is being felt hard. What would become of them if Wally wasn’t ready to lead the troops?
Not to mention that Mr. Martin dropped a major bomb on them about their afterlife status. Even though they’re all dead, apparently the school isn’t safe for them.
And now Yuri has been quiet with him ever since Maddie left. Yuri is quite quiet in general, but not with Charley. He has actually opened up to Charley greatly since they started talking. But Yuri hasn’t said a word to him since Maddie left. Hasn’t reached out to touch him. And it’s making Charley’s skin crawl.
The little visit to his Scar wasn’t doing him any favors either. Now, he’s stuck inside his own head and the same phrases keep repeating themselves.
“No one really needs you.”
“You could disappear and everyone would be fine without you.”
“He won’t want someone so weak.”
“He obviously doesn’t want you anymore.”
“You’re worthless.”
Telling the remaining ghosts he was gonna go for a walk, Charley made a break for the classroom door. If anyone called out to him or tried to stop him, he didn’t register it. He only knew that he needed to get away.
Except, there was nowhere to go. No matter where he ran or how far, he’d end up in the same place. The “place” being a school that apparently wanted to hurt him and his friends. Wasn’t it all so pointless?
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“I’m just gonna take a walk.” Snapping his head towards Charley, Yuri brows knitted together tightly.
Charley hasn’t said a word in quite some time. He’d been quiet ever since Maddie left. Yuri wanted to say something, to comfort him, but he didn’t know where to start. It seemed like everything was falling apart.
Not to mention that Yuri was very concerned about what he saw in his boyfriend’s Scar. Upon agreeing to travel through their Scars, Yuri knew they’d be walking into some trauma. He didn’t realize how that trauma, along with years of bullying and years of feeling unwanted in the afterlife, made Charley feel about himself. His boyfriend was struggling, and he didn’t know how to step in without risking what they’ve built.
Before he could question where he was going, or if he wanted company, Charley was gone. That left Yuri, Janet, and Rhonda in the classroom. Just as he was considering going to follow Charley anyways, Rhonda spoke up.
“You should go after him. He needs you right now.”
“I don’t want to push him. What if he wants space?”
“That may be what he thinks he wants, but I’ve known him for a long time. Even though he jokes around and acts like he’s comfortable with himself, he’s insecure. He needs the type of reassurance only you can give him right now,” Rhonda said, making direct eye contact with Yuri.
“Wait, you two are close?” Janet asked.
“We’re together. He’s my boyfriend.”
“Wow. I honestly didn’t think you’d ever step out of your bubble. If I knew all it took was to shove a cute boy into the pottery mill, then I would have sent Charley in a decade ago.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Yuri said while rolling his eyes. “I’m worried about him,” he said seriously.
“Charley has never been one to really talk about what’s he’s been through. When he does, he just writes it all off as a joke or unimportant. Compiled with everything else that’s been going on…I’m worried too. I’m really worried,” Rhonda said. Yuri stood up, not being able to stand it anymore. He hoped he was right and Charley needed him.
“That’s it. I’m going to find him.”
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As Charley spirals, his mind begins to scrabble through his options. He needs something right now, but deciding isn’t easy.
The safest option would be to have his own little field day. He could tear apart some of the second floor classrooms. Or take a trip down to the field and stab some more jock dummies. It would be therapeutic, for sure. But, that would also attract attention from the other ghosts and he wouldn’t want to worry them. Plus, Field Day was something that reminded him of Wally. The same Wally who always took care of him in the afterlife. Wally who said he’d fight anyone who tried to hurt him. Wally who was probably suffering somewhere.
Impromptu Field Day was out.
The second option would be to confide in Rhonda. Yes, she has a fairly cold demeanor. Despite that, she’s a really great listener. Charley has confided in her quite a few times now, actually. But that was another thing. He didn’t want to bother other people with his problems. Everyone else is dealing with so much, and so much more than Charley at that.
Talking to Rhonda was out, too.
The number one, most self indulgent option, would be to run right into Yuri’s arms and cry his dead heart out. He’d tell him everything from his feelings of self-hatred to how scared he is that they all may not be safe. Yuri had held him so closely just a short time ago. He made Charley feel so good in the pottery mill, then told him that he loved him. He wouldn’t deny Charley his comfort, would he?
But Yuri hasn’t been speaking to him. Hasn’t made a move to touch Charley since Maddie ran back to her body. Was he having regrets about what they had done together? Did he just not want to see Charley anymore? Did he mean it when he said he loved Charley?
Before he could recognize the signs, Charley suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe. His throat was closing up. Reaching up to hold is neck, he attempted to take a deep breath. All that he managed was a choked gasp. He began to panic.
This hasn’t happened to him since his death. Even when he got his allergy symptoms in the afterlife, they were never this extreme. This felt like…this felt like his death. But it couldn’t be that. It wasn’t possible. He had to find someone. Now.
“Charley…” Startled by the sudden voice, Charley scanned the hallway. There was no one in site. Was someone here to help him? “Charley…Charley.”
Turning back around, he was met by the cafeteria doors. Was he already at the cafeteria? He doesn’t even remember walking to the first floor.
“Charley…Charley.” A voice from beyond the glowing red doors was calling to him. Charley couldn’t quite make out the holder of the voice, but for some reason he trusted them. He knew that they could help him.
He started walking towards the red doors.
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Yuri was ready to tear apart Split River High School. He had already searched the second floor, third floor, and even the roof. Charley has never been a hard ghost to find. He is always somewhere talking to someone or partaking in some type of activity. He’s just so personable like that, which is one of the things Yuri finds so adorable about him.
Now, it’s like there’s no sign of him anywhere. Yuri couldn’t hear the rustling of his 90s denim jeans when he walked or the melodic cadence of his voice traveling through the halls. He has never just been gone, and it’s driving Yuri mad with anxiety.
If Charley was feeling poorly, where would he go?
Upon entering the pottery mill, Yuri’s last hope, he was left disappointed. There was no sign of the foxy 90s ghost that had stolen Yuri’s heart the second he put that piece of pottery on his head. Where else could he be? Yuri didn’t know of any other place Charley would go if he was upset-
Oh god. Oh no. Yuri was pleading with any higher power out there that he wasn’t right. But it was all adding up. If Charley really was in a dark place…then he could have went to his Scar to put himself through more pain. Just the thought alone broke Yuri’s heart. He had to get to Charley.
Yuri ran as fast as he could to the cafeteria. Even though he could feel his anxiety heightening and his breathing picking up, he knew he couldn’t stop. He had to get to Charley in time. Because once Charley went in, Yuri couldn’t go in after him.
Never in his life or death had Yuri been brave. He was always anxious while alive, and no one helped him to grow beyond his bubble. Death was similar, as he never had the courage to step out and speak to the other ghosts. Charley changed all of that for him. He showed Yuri that he could be brave, without even knowing that he helped Yuri in such a big way just by stepping into his pottery mill.
Finally, on the first floor, he heard it. Gasping, choked off breaths. They were so quiet and far away that if you weren’t paying attention to it in the dead of night, you couldn’t have heard it. But Yuri did.
“Charley?” He shouted. He got no reply. So he followed the heavy breathing, letting it guide him back to, hopefully, the adorable 90s ghost that had stolen his heart.
The sounds continued as Yuri was led further towards the cafeteria. This set off a wave of panic inside Yuri’s body. He was right and Charley was near his Scar.
“Charley!” With no reply, Yuri finally rounded the corner towards the cafeteria. Charley stood just about ten feet away from the cafeteria doors, which were lit with red light. His Scar was active. Yuri had to stop him now. “Charley!” He yelled again.
Except, Charley didn’t acknowledge him. Keeping his back turned, he made more slow steps towards the doors. “Charley, what are you doing? Please, stop!” Again, Charley gave no response. Only the sound of his still choked-off breaths could be heard. What was happening to him? Yuri couldn’t take it anymore.
With determined strides, Yuri reached Charley just as he was closing in on the doors. Grabbing his hand, Yuri pulled Charley back and away from the doors.
“Charley? What’s wrong, what’s happening?” He said in a panic. Yuri’s eyes widened as he pulled Charley to face him. Yes, he was still choking, but that wasn’t what shocked Yuri. It was Charley’s eyes. The deep, chestnut brown eyes that used to sparkle up at Yuri were now dull. They were covered in a sheer, white film. He looked right through Yuri, as if he wasn’t even there. He reached up both hands, cradling Charley’s face between them. “Charley? Hey, come on. Snap out of it! Please, babe, come back to me.”
With a sudden inhale of breath and a blink of his eyes, Charley was suddenly back. Breathing heavily, and looking at Yuri like he just appeared in front of him, Charley was back. But where had he gone?
Clearly panicked, Charley whipped his head back to face the cafeteria doors that were now back to normal. Like nothing ever happened.
“Hey hey hey, it’s okay. You’re okay, I’ve got you.” Reaching out slowly as to not spook Charley further, Yuri reached his arms around Charley’s waist in an attempt to get him away from the doors. Charley immediately reacted, turning around in Yuri’s embrace and practically throwing himself into his arms.
With Charley now crying into his chest, Yuri felt like he could finally breathe again. Charley was with him and Charley was safe. But after what Yuri just witnessed, he feared for that safety. What had just happened to Charley? It was almost like he was in some type of trance.
Looking over the top of Charley’s head, Yuri’s eyes met the cafeteria doors. Although back to normal, they still filled Yuri with a sense of dread. They felt…menacing. Like there was an actual chance they could rip Charley away from him permanently.
Something had happened to Charley. Something got his claws in him and were trying to take him away.
Yuri wouldn’t let that happen. They’d have to pry Charley from his cold, dead hands.