Unhinged | S. Harrington| B. Hargrove | Stranger Things

Are You Okay?

TW : Self harm and depression.

It was the beginning of a new academic year. This year Charlie could finally graduate and get out of that hell hole of a high school, possibly without having to fight creatures from another dimension. Not that he was much excited about the real world either.

After will came home, Charlie visited the Byers nearly everyday. He also checked on the rest of the party. And surprisingly enough he spent a lot of time with Nancy Wheeler. They were sort of becoming best friends not that Charlie would admit it.

Spenting time with Nancy also meant spending time with Steve because the boy was a total suck up. But at least he was trying to be better.

To prove the point, like mentioned Charlie had grown to like Nancy a lot and vice versa.
So one day, at a very vulnerable state, Charlie told Nancy all about Sarah. He sat on Nancy's bed leaning against the head board. She sat opposite him. She held his hands in hers and squeezed reassuringly.

There peace was shattered by someone tapping on the window. It was, of course, Steve Harrington. Charlie fought back an eye roll and wiped his tears. They expected him to be angry and upset like when he saw Nancy and Jonathan. Instead Steve approached Charlie and knelt down.

"Hey are you okay? Why are you.... Did something happen?" His voice was laced with concern.

Charlie was almost shocked by the action. Sure they were on friendlier terms but Charlie didn't think Steve cared enough about his well being.

"I..um..I'm fine. We were just talking."
Charlie got up and went to the restroom. He heard Nancy tell Steve it was personal stuff and she couldn't tell him because it wasn't hers to tell.

Things only got stranger from there. Steve sometimes either through Nancy or directly checked in on Charlie vet often. The three of them had movie nights every Friday. And one of those nights, halfway through the movie, Charlie fell asleep with his head on Steve's shoulder. Nancy didn't seem to notice how Steve tensed at the contact and restrained himself from moving an inch as to not wake the boy leaning on him.

That very night Steve drove Charlie home. There was a comfortable silence in the car. Steve kept glancing at the other boy. Charlie was picking at the blue hair tie on his wrist.

"Do you always wear that? I don't think I have seen you without it."

Charlie looked Steve dead in the eyes for a second. He weighed down the question and answered slowly.

"Yeah...it belonged to my sister."

"You have a sister?" Steve knew Charlie's parents were divorced so maybe his loved wiht their mother.

"Had." Charlie said monotonous. There was no anger in his voice. There was no emotion at all.

Steves glanced his way but Charlie didn't meet his eyes. Soon they were at Charlie's place and he was getting off.

"Hey about earlier... " Steve begun it Charlie cut him off.

"Don't think too much about it. You didn't know and that's fine."

Charlie finally looked at him and smiled. Steve didn't know what to say because Charlie had never smile at him before. And boy ; his smile was beautiful.

"Okay... I will see you later? " Steve tried to play it cool as if his stomach didn't do a backflip when Charlie smiled at him.

"Goodnight Harrington. "
And with another smile he was gone, leaving only a whiff of his cologne behind.