Chapter Text
Charlie swam in his mind, squeezing through the crevices of his own brain, the thoughts from the night a few weeks ago recollecting, each misfortunate puzzle piece snapping into place. And it happened... and he was okay with that.
Pim sat put adjacent to Charlie, nodding along to Mr Boss's explanation, a smile spreading on his face as he'd concluded today's mission. "Well, we've got no time to waste, Charlie! Let's go and spread those beautiful smiles across the world!"
. . .
Pim glanced over at Charlie. He'd expected an apathetic quip, 'whatever you say, man', or maybe if he was hungover, 'right, yeah. Let's jus' get this over with'. Maybe even a toned hum. However nothing but an unusual string of silence came from the critter.
Pim peered around the room for a quick second. Allan was washing the dishes, earmuffs on. Glep on his beanbag, faint noises coming from his iPad that indicated he was watching something. And the Boss had already walked back to his office. Pim looked back at the yellow critter that seemed to be daydreaming.
"Charlie? Y'alright?"
Charlie blinked in God knows how long, before turning his head to stare at Pim. He was met with a soft expression, it was subtle but there was just the smallest pinch of concern on his face.
"Huh? Oh. Oh- yeah, I'm alright man. Just thinkin' about... stuff." Charlie mumbled before getting up out of the chair and heading out of the room. The hesitant pause in Charlie's sentence didn't exactly sell what he was saying however Pim decided to leave it alone, soon following after him as Charlie walked out of the break room.
The two critters made their way silently towards the clients residence.
. . .
Charlie had this specific demeanor today, this subtle slouch, the blank, almost hopeless, stare in his small black eyes. Pim couldn't help but side-eye him most of the journey, though he'd snap his head forward the moment the large yellow critter glanced at him.
"So ..." Pim hesitated, thinking about what to make conversation of -- or even to attempt some light small talk... "what did you do over the weekend?". Charlie gave him an unsure hum paired with a shrug, hands in pockets. "Jus' played Grand Strategy. So, nothin' much I guess.."
Another awkward pause of silence.
"Um. Did - did you win?"
"Yeah."
"That's good."
Pim continued pressing into Charlie's personal life, asking about any fun experiences he'd had last year, and such. The pink critter made sure to listen to the others words, even if most answers he got were just dry mumbles...
"This is the place!"
The pair stood in front of an average looking house in an average neighborhood. Charlie couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh of relief, finally a pause to the never ending chaos he witnesses every single day. Pim skipped up the few porch stairs and gently knock-knock-knocked on the door, Charlie following soon after. Right after the three taps on the door came an elongated creaking noise, the door slowly swinging open at the light impact. The two critters exchanged bewildered looks.
An immediate, foul stench hit the two coworkers right in the face. Pim covered his tiny nose, his eyes slightly tearing up at the stink while Charlie let out a cough, turning to face the opposite way, an upset grumble slipping out of him.
The inside was a dark hallway, rubbish wedged between the crevices connecting the wall and floor. The two eyed each other, a flat-line of silence shared between them, each wondering who would make the next move. "Hell--o?" Pim choked out, opening an eye. He tried to swallow the queasy feeling that had been onset from the rancid smell. "We're the Smiling Friends... we're here to help!" the end of his sentence came out as a squeak, a muffled gagging sound slipping out of the short critter. No response, not even a peep from the household. Pim and Charlie stood in front of the doorway, both equally conflicted about the situation.
Pim turned to stare at Charlie. He gave him a specific look, a look that said 'I'm going in there'. Like telepathy, Charlie almost immediately got the message and quickly shook his head with a hoarse disapproving whine. The two broke out in a back and forth of frantic whispers.
"I'm going in there,"
"No, no you're not."
"Charlie --"
"Pim. This isn't --"
"What if someone's hurt?"
"Pim! It's not worth it, let's just get out of here while we can."
"You can leave if you can't handle this, Charlie. I'm going in."
"No - Pim, no, wait --"
Charlie let out an exasperated sigh, brows furrowing as he was left alone on the porch, facing the door. Pim had already submerged deep into the darkness off the corridor. Charlie paused, thinking about his coworkers last words; 'you can leave if you can't handle this'...
. . .
He really wanted to leave, and he sure wasn't one to take down an excuse -- offer to get out of work... but he also didn't want to partly be the reason Pim dies this very moment. He didn't want to go to hell -- not again. Charlie lowly grumbled and hesitantly headed inside the rotten apartment.
Charlie cautiously crawled through the darkness, keeping his palm brushing against the wall closest to him. He squinted, turning through a corner and seeing a faint silhouette in the dimness of the apartment. "Pim?" a nasally voice called out, almost a whisper. The large yellow critter flinched upon being suddenly flash-banged. He lifted his arm to shield his eyes, blinking a few times, slowly getting rid of the temporary blindness. Pim was holding his phone, flash light on, pointed right at Charlie. "Charlie, y'alright?" The two critters slowly walked towards each other, "Um. Yeah. Still stinks in here though." Pim let out a soft huff, "I'm glad your here. I was... a little nervous," Charlie's brows furrowed. "I didn't plan on it - if we die here, it's your fault man." his voice had a certain spite to it. Pim shook his head, almost rolling his eyes, "oh don't be like that." "I have a right to 'be like that', you're crazy, Pim, you --"
"Shh, shh,"
"Don't shush me,"
Pim gave Charlie a hard prod to his hip with his elbow, "Ow - what was --"
"Shh!"
Charlie finally shut up, giving Pim a chance to do whatever he wanted to do. Pim slowly angled his phone to point in front of them, revealing a dark figure slumped over on a rather worn out mattress. Their head slowly lifted up, looking at the two Smiling Friends.
The pitch black figure sat silently, before taking a breath,
"I want to kill myself."