Gavin Lucas (viciouscircle) wrote in shadows_rpg, @ 2019-08-31 21:00:00 |
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Entry tags: | #december 2017, charlie, charlie x gavin, gavin |
Who: Charlie & Gavin
Where: Sycamore Street
When: Friday morning, 12/29
Status: Complete
When Gavin brought Jasper home he finally felt calm enough to actually look around and the state of his house was a disaster. Amelia had started tidying up but she hadn't been home for long enough to make a dent in it. Bloody towels in the bathroom, dog shit and piss in the laundry room, cans and bottles all over the hallway. Amelia was dragging Jasper's mattress into his room when Gavin and Jasper walked in and it seemed only fitting to put Jasper on it once it was in place. The boy was still doped up and he looked like he could use the sleep.
Gavin ruffled his hair affectionately before leaving him there, then gave Amelia a long hug (although she initiated it), reassuring her it was okay and she wouldn't be alone if this happened again. He wasn't sure how to keep that promise but it felt a little less like a lie than promising it wouldn't happen again.
He helped her clean a bit, just the worst of it, then picked up his phone to call Charlie again. He'd talked to her that morning but it wasn't enough, he needed to see for himself that she was safe. Still, driving over there didn't feel right without calling first. He left the dogs with Amelia - they were pretty much her dogs by now anyway - and headed for the truck, lighting a cigarette as soon as he was behind the wheel, listening to the ring tone and feeling that familiar calm fill him when he heard her voice. "Hey," he murmured. "Can I come over?"
Charlie had spent the last day and a half in the Word of the Redeemer Fellowship church with a small handful of others who had taken refuge inside when the fog made it impossible to see. It hadn't been the ideal place to get caught, but the pastor and his daughter had been extremely hospitable and made sure the five of them who had gotten stuck there were warm and fed. That hadn't really helped some of the fear when those things began to roam outside, whatever they had been but Charlie found it oddly comforting to be in a house of worship in such a trying time, even if it hadn't been her preferred church. That church was gone now anyway, thanks to the fire. But maybe now she had somewhere new to go on Sundays until St. Dismas was rebuilt.
When the fog lifted and her phone worked again, she immediately called her mother, and then spoke to Gavin. There was immense relief that everyone she cared about was safe, and as soon as Charlie got back home, she took a hot shower and then made some coffee. It was difficult to wrap her head around what had happened and what had been going on outside while she was essentially trapped in that church. There were a lot of abandoned cars, some damaged houses. Charlie didn't want to think about any potential fatalities, but knowing Point Pleasant, there were bound to be a few. It made her wish, on some smaller level, that she had stayed in New York. But... at least for her, the good of this town outweighed the bad. And one of those good things was calling her now, as she poured creamer into her coffee.
Charlie answered, still feeling relief at the sound of Gavin's voice, even though they had already spoken earlier that morning. "Yes," she said with a small smile. She wanted to tell him that he didn't have to call first, that he could come over anytime he wanted to, but she knew that was probably too hard a habit for him to break. That was okay. "The door is unlocked. I have coffee."
Gavin felt a little shitty leaving his kids alone right after a disaster but he needed to disconnect again and calm himself down. They were safe, the fog had lifted and now they all needed to rest. Gavin was just sure he would rest better with Charlie next to him, he just wished he'd gotten a bigger house already so they could all be under the same roof and still have their privacy. "Coffee sounds good," he murmured even if he'd probably had enough for a while. Maybe he could shower at Charlie's and then coax her to bed with him, that sounded even better than coffee. "I'll be right over."
It wasn't a long drive, at least he had that going for him, and he felt just a little bad about not taking that shower at home before calling Charlie. He kicked off his boots in the hallway, breathing in that familiar scent of her house. It always smelled so clean and safe in a way that suited her. Like coming home.
Charlie was nearly done with her coffee when she heard the front door open. She carried her mug into the foyer to greet him, feeling another, stronger sense of relief at seeing him there in person, and looking tired, but relatively unharmed. "How's Jasper?" she asked after giving him a soft kiss in greeting. "Will he be okay?" Charlie was assuming so, or she doubted Gavin would have left his son alone, though Charlie supposed Amelia was there too.
"He's gonna have a nasty scar," Gavin said as he shrugged off his jacket and dug his pack of cigarettes out of the pocket before hanging it up. "But he's going to be okay." Physically at least. Gavin had gotten hurt by a supernatural terror when he was Jasper's age and it hadn't been nearly this bad and yet it had shaken him to the core in a way he'd never quite recovered from. His boy was probably going to suffer even more. "I'm so glad you're okay," Gavin muttered quietly, cupping Charlie's face and taking a moment to just look at her. Her presence always soothed him in a way few things ever could. "Amelia too. She turned the house upside down, it was like a fort. When we move I'll have to try and get a house with a basement." That should make her feel safe, having something more like a bunker to huddle down in if things went sideways again.
Charlie had to imagine that scar was more than just physical as well. Things that happened in this town always hurt deeper than what one saw on the surface. But she was glad to hear that Jasper and Amelia were at least going to be okay and she wished she hadn't been stuck in that church in order to help. But she didn't think anyone had been able to do much, so it made no sense to guilt herself over it. Charlie curled her fingers around Gavin's wrist gently, enjoying the feel of his hand on her cheek before she turned her face to press a kiss to his palm. "It wasn't a fun time for anyone. But a basement might not be a bad idea. Maybe you could find a place with a finished basement, or one you could finish on your own. That way if something like this happens again, it's a comfortable place to hunker down in." Her basement wasn't terribly big and needed a lot of work, but so did the rest of the house.
Her lips were soft against his rough skin and it just made him want to kiss her properly and so he did, enjoying the feel of those lips against his for a good long moment. "I'm worried I'm turning into one of those survivalist assholes," he sighed as he pulled back. "But a stocked bunker would not be a bad idea in this town." He gave her a tired smile and tucked a lock of her dark hair behind her ear. "Do you want to help me find a place?" He didn't need help, he knew what to look for in a house, which flaws to look out for, which things he could fix. What he needed most of all was the emotional support because the thought of looking for a new place and actually moving again was overwhelming.
Having Gavin with her now made it easier to forget the past couple of days and all the exhaustion and fear that came with them. Charlie felt again that she wished he could stay longer, preferably every day, but she knew it was probably still far too early in their relationship to suggest it. Charlie smiled. "Let's just call it a finished basement instead of a bunker, then you sound less like a survivalist asshole," she teased. "And you know I'll help you. I'll take a look and see what's available. But you should also know that I charge a pretty steep commission, so you need to be prepared to pay up if I help you find the perfect place." She pressed another kiss to his lips, lingering for a moment. "Do you want to shower? Nap? Are you hungry?"
"Honestly? All of those things," Gavin admitted and he still hadn't gotten used to how pampered he felt when he was with Charlie. He really wasn't used to anyone taking care of him but him and he was constantly torn between wanting to relax and enjoy it or going crazy doing things for her to 'repay' her for it. "I should have showered before I came over," he said with a slight wrinkling of his nose. At least he'd changed his clothes and thrown out the shirt he'd been wearing. He doubted he could get the blood out of the fabric.
"It's okay," Charlie told him, tugging gently on his shirt. "Go take a shower and I'll make you something to eat. When you're done, you can sleep here, if you want to." She didn't know if he would want to stay or drive back home and sleep where his kids were. Charlie wished he had brought Amelia, but someone probably should stay with Jasper, so she didn't really mind that he came alone. "Or if you need to get home I can make something you can take back to Amelia and Jasper."
Gavin felt torn and yet again he wished he'd moved to a better house already, somewhere with more privacy for everyone so he could take Charlie home with him. "I'll go back before it gets dark," he said. "Gives us a few hours." That also meant he'd try not to sleep for all of it, wanting to spend time with Charlie instead. He could sleep later, if he'd learned anything throughout the years it was that given enough alcohol he could eventually sleep no matter what terrors tried to keep him from doing so.
He didn't stay in the shower for long for that same reason - he wanted to spend time with Charlie - joining her again in the kitchen some ten minutes later. The smell of food made him think yet again that she was too good for him and yet again he had to remind himself that that was for her to decide and not him. He stepped up behind her at the stove, resting his hand on her hip as he leaned in against her side. "That smells good," he murmured."How are you feeling?"
While Gavin showered, Charlie began work on a lasagna. It would bake quickly and keep for a few days if he took home what was leftover. She made a mental note to bring some groceries to Gavin's in a couple days. It wasn't that she thought he couldn't handle something like grocery shopping, but he had his kids to look after and it was the best way Charlie could be helpful.
She had the noodles boiling and was working on the sauce when Gavin appeared again and Charlie smiled softly as his question. "I'm feeling okay. As well as can be expected, I think. I was at that church across town and they took good care of us. I know it could have been much worse. How did things go at the bar? Any problems?"
That church across town had always given Gavin a bad feeling, like it might be a cult or something. He knew it was an unfair assumption; just because they weren't catholic didn't mean they weren't legit but their priest seemed a bit too radical for Gavin's liking. Despite that he was glad to hear that's where Charlie had been. It was better than if she'd been all by herself somewhere, even if that somewhere was home. He was honestly not sure how much he should tell her or how much she already knew so it took him a few seconds to reply. Before he knew it he was frowning because the decision was always so damn hard but he knew she'd get upset if he treated her like a child. "My dad got hurt," he muttered. "And he broke Roxy's nose." Those were definite problems and yet they were the least of his worries. "Did you... see what was out there?"
That surprised her - both revelations - and Charlie turned a bit towards Gavin, her brows lifted in concern. "Wait... what happened? Why did he break her nose? Is she okay?" Was it an accident? It had to be, right? What kind of man just off and broke a woman's nose? Although she couldn't quite imagine was kind of accident would prompt a punch to the face. Charlie didn't know much about Gavin's parents except for what she heard around town. The Lucas family had a reputation and had always had one for as long as Charlie could remember. But she had never believed the gossip, not really. And falling in love with Gavin had made her extremely hesitant to listen to the whispers in this town. "I didn't see anything out there, for what it's worth... I heard things... but I never saw what was making the noises."
Explaining the family dynamics was not Gavin's favorite thing in the world and he huffed softly, inflating his cheeks as he inhaled through pursed lips, unsure how to put the things he wanted to tell her. No - needed to tell her, because he certainly didn't want to. If Gavin had his way she'd remain oblivious to all the bullshit in his life, supernatural or not. "He was hurt and she tried to help him and he lashed out because he's a selfish prick with no impulse control." That was the only reason he could come up with, he didn't understand why Joseph did half the things he did. "And... You know what was out there? Did anyone tell you?" He didn't want to be the one to tell her, he felt like he kept piling on crazy ideas and one day she'd start associating all of Point Pleasant's dark things with him because he was always the one informing her of them.
Charlie's frown deepened. What kind of man hit a woman, impulse control or not? She made a mental note to reach out to Roxy when things settled a bit, just to make sure she was doing okay. Charlie set the wooden spoon that she had been using to stir the sauce on the countertop and then turned back to Gavin. "No one told me what was out there because I don't think anyone knew. I don't know what it was, Gavin, except that it was dangerous, like almost everything in this town. Do you know what it was?"
With anyone else Gavin might have said the punch had been an accident, that Joseph was in so much pain he didn't know what he was doing, that the alcohol mixed with the pain gave him a little leeway. But it wasn't anyone else, it was Joseph Lucas and Gavin knew that the man's fists swung too easily under any given circumstances. He didn't try to defend him when he saw that frown on Charlie's face because it pretty much mirrored his own feelings on the matter. He liked to think he was better than his father because he had hit his wife but he'd also tried to avoid it for as long as he could until she had pushed him too far, like she wanted him to hit her, like that was the only way to get her to stop screaming. It still made him a little queasy to think about it and there was that nagging feeling again, that he didn't deserve Charlie. Fortunately she started talking about other kinds of monsters and while he didn't want to be the one to tell her, to always be the bringer of bad news, sounding like a lunatic, it was an easier topic than his family was. "It was something big," he muttered. "We didn't get a good look but it moved fast and quiet. It picked dad up like he weighed nothing."
Charlie exhaled softly, trying to wrap her mind around what it could have been. And where was it now? The fog was slowly dissipating and there was plenty of damage in town. But no signs of whatever had been stalking them in the fog. "What do you think it was," Charlie asked him. Maybe they hadn't gotten a good look at it, but it felt like Gavin had some kind of guess, or assumption, of what had attacked his son and father.
Gavin smiled, though it was really more of an awkward grimace. "Another fucking monster," he said, sounding defeated even to his own ears. Charlie hadn't given up on him yet, but it did really feel like he kept pushing her, like he was testing just how far he could push before she decided he was too insane, broken or difficult to put up with. "Point Pleasant has a few of them already, what's one more added to the mix. It didn't try to get inside or break the windows so that's something to keep in mind if we get another fog like that one." He stared down at the sauce she was stirring, red and thick. It should have made him feel a little sick given the things on his mind and the connotations too easily made but he was hungry and it smelled like spices and tomatoes.
Another monster. Like there were more. Charlie didn't find it as outlandish as she probably should have. She knew what Point Pleasant was. It had taken her sister, after all. Charlie thought it over for a moment before she went back to the sauce. The lasagna noodles had been boiling long enough so she flipped off the back burner. "Do you ever think about moving?" she asked finally, glancing back at him. "Going somewhere far from here and maybe starting over?" Charlie had tried in New York, and she had ended up right back here. Maybe leaving wasn't possible. But then again, maybe it was.
"All the time," Gavin admitted grimly. It felt like such a distant dream, too big to grasp, too terrifying to chase. "I would have to take a lot of people with me." And those people in turn would need to take a lot of people with them. It was like a chain reaction and whenever he thought about it too long it grew and morphed into something far bigger and scarier than the things the town threw at him. "Do you regret coming home?" he asked and the frightening idea that Charlie might leave - despite saying she wouldn't - was always in the back of his mind.
It took Charlie a moment to realize he would probably want his brothers to leave town with him as well. Because if it was just Gavin and his two kids, that wouldn't be so bad. But his brothers likely meant their loved ones as well, so she could suddenly understand where the "a lot of people" came from. His question distracted her from what she was doing and Charlie turned back to Gavin, a soft smile on her lips. "No. My mom is here. You're here. It's not an ideal place to live, for obvious reasons, but it's still home. The good outweighs the bad right now. I'm not going anywhere."
"It was still jarring to be on the list of good things in Point Pleasant and Gavin returned her sweet smile with an awkward one of his own. "That's good," he said and he was probably a selfish prick for wanting her to stay since she'd be safer almost anywhere else. His siblings were grown people who could make their own decisions but what he worried about most was that Jasper wouldn't leave. He was young and in love but old enough to make his own decisions. If Gavin tried to make him leave Point Pleasant - leave Jules - he would rebel. Gavin wasn't ready to leave either of his kids behind. Of course he didn't say any of those things out loud because God forbid he open up about things like that. Instead he rested his hand on her hip again and snuck a little kiss on her lips. "I'll do what I can to keep you safe then."
"We'll keep each other safe," Charlie corrected gently. Because she didn't want Gavin to think all of this rested solely on his shoulders. She understood his need to protect, but he didn't have to do it all alone. "Let me get this lasagna in the oven, and then we can sit and talk for a bit if you want. Or sit and not talk, whichever you prefer," she teased, poking him gently in the side. "Then you can take this home to your kids for dinner." That way he wouldn't have to worry about feeding everyone. Who knew if any of the fast food places were open now.
Gavin's brows drew together as he watched her and he wondered if he would ever get used to how supportive she was, how she didn't need taking care of like an angry toddler, how she took care of him. He waited until she'd put the platter in the oven and closed it, then gently pulled her into a hug. He'd been doing a lot of that today, sometimes it felt like he'd done more hugging in the last couple of months than he ever had and it felt good and grounding. "We'll keep each other safe," he echoed and while he couldn't picture Charlie fighting someone off physically - and hoped he would never have to see that either - she did keep him safe in other ways.
Support wasn't something Charlie found to be unusual in a relationship. It was something she craved, something that she knew should be a part of commitment. She hadn't received a lot of it from her ex-husband towards the end of their marriage, but she supposed that was why he was her ex-husband now. Gavin was so different from Drew, in all the best ways. He had his issues, sure, but who didn't? Charlie held onto him tightly and then leaned back just enough to press a kiss to his lips. "I love you," she said. "And we'll be okay."
'I love you' were not words Gavin was expecting out of Charlie's mouth and she said it so casually, as if she'd said it a thousand times before. It was almost natural and yet it threw him off his rhythm completely. His brows rose and he tilted his head, at a loss for words. "We'll be okay," he said, the words a little forced as the other words echoed in his head. So casual and yet so huge. Had she even realized she said it? Gavin didn't doubt for a second that he loved Charlie but saying it was a whole other beast.
Charlie knew what she had said, and she was aware that it was the first time she had said those words to him. She hadn't wanted to make it a big Thing, because some major declaration would have likely made Gavin uncomfortable. But she felt what she felt, and after Joanna died, Charlie knew that if she loved someone, she would tell them. It didn't matter what kind of love it was, the words were as important as the emotion itself. And she never said them just to hear them back. Expressing oneself didn't come as easily to others as it did to her, so she didn't expect to hear Gavin tell her the same. Charlie knew he cared about her, and that was enough. She smiled at him, rubbing his arm before turning back to the stove to get the lasagna finished. "Do you want to drain those noodles for me?" she asked, motioning to the boiling pot. "You can help me layer this thing."
"I can be helpful," Gavin said after letting out a little laugh that was more of a 'heh'. He let go of her to get the noodles, her words echoing in his head on repeat. They didn't make him uncomfortable as such, he was processing them and he had a feeling that whenever he felt down, all he would have to do was remember those words and he'd feel a little better. Like a little flashlight in the dark. She was so casual about it, managing to sneak them in like that and he kept eyeing her as he worked. He knew he should say it too, he wouldn't be lying, it just felt manipulative or fake to even try, which probably spoke volumes about his damage. He would tell her in other ways until he felt ready. Stay safe, take care of yourself, spend time with me - those felt less forced and in Gavin's mind they meant just as much.
Charlie focused on the lasagna, though she was aware of Gavin glancing at her every now and then. He hadn't panicked and run off when she used those three words, so that was a good sign. And she didn't want to make it a Thing, either. It was what it was. Charlie didn't say another word about it, but occasionally gave Gavin direction as they put the lasagna together. When it was finally ready to go into the oven, Charlie pressed a quick kiss to Gavin's cheek. "Thank you," she said. "It shouldn't take too long to cook. Do you want to go sit down and relax?" He still looked tired, but so was she. The last couple of days had been rough on everyone.
"Yeah, that sounds good," Gavin muttered, even if he was a little worried that if he sat down and really let himself relax he'd fall asleep for the unforeseeable future. He wanted to and it might have been just fine if not for his kids. They might both be fairly grown-up now but Jasper was hurt and Amelia was traumatized all over again, he couldn't stay away too long. It was still a chance he was willing to take. Charlie wouldn't let him sleep too long if he did doze off, she cared about his kids too and she was responsible - which was definitely something Gavin was still getting used to. He helped himself to her fridge and grabbed a beer, holding it up for Charlie to see. "You want one?"
Charlie knew Gavin needed to get home to his kids, so she didn't mind it if he wanted to relax until the lasagna was finished. If he fell asleep she would wake him up. The last couple of days had been exhausting, so she couldn't blame him if he did. She grinned at his offer and nodded. It might be a bit early in the day for her to drink, but what the hell, why not. She had nowhere to be. "Thanks," she murmured, taking the beer he offered her. They headed into the living room where Charlie set her beer down on the coffee table to get a fire going in the hearth. The house was warming up with the heat back on, but the fire would help it along. "I know it's probably a bit early to be thinking about it, but I imagine you'll be spending New Year's Eve at the bar. Do you think Amelia would want to come over? Or maybe I can take her to the marina." Jasper would likely be with his girlfriend, even if he was still healing. And Charlie didn't like the idea of Amelia being home alone during the New Year.
Gavin had to clamp down on the sudden urge to lock Charlie and the kids away somewhere safe for the rest of time. The thought of Amelia and Charlie out at the Marina - or outside at all - made his chest feel tight all of a sudden, like his heart was failing him. Was that what a heart attack felt like? He was willing to bet it was worse but it still made him wonder for a few seconds as he gnawed on his lip and considered her offer. He just felt glad he was already sitting down as he suddenly felt a little lightheaded. Insisting everyone stay inside forever was crazy but it was too soon to think about the two of them out there, unprotected, so close to the sea. What if those things had come from there in the first place? He couldn't help the terrifying images flooding his mind of gigantic things slithering up on shore. "Maybe uh-" he started, his voice cracking a little. "Staying home wouldn't be such a bad idea. What do you think?"
Charlie glanced over her shoulder, his tone tipping her off that he wasn't thrilled with her idea. She supposed on one hand she could understand it, especially after the past two days. On the other hand... Charlie went back to the fire, getting the logs set properly before she straightened and wiped her hands on her jeans. "I know why you would be nervous about it. But we can't hide inside forever because something bad happened... or could happen again. If you want Amelia to stay in, I'm sure she would. But it's not a long term solution to any of this." If she really felt as though she could never step foot outside of her house, Charlie would probably give more serious thought to moving out of Point Pleasant again. But she wasn't necessarily afraid. Bad things happened, but she couldn't let that paralyze her.
He might have agreed with her a couple of days from now but he felt frazzled and tired and he'd only just come home from the hospital. Did she have any idea how bad it had gotten? Had she seen the injuries first hand? "Maybe give it a few days," he muttered and it was hard to imagine anyone wanting to go to the marina after this. He barely wanted to go to work, he just wanted to buy a house with a sturdy basement and hide there forever, surrounded by family and protective wards. She was right that it wasn't a feasible choice but it was hard to think about going about life like normal so soon. "I just wanna make sure it's really over, can't have my favorite girls get hurt."
It was a bit depressing to think about spending the new year holed up inside alone. Maybe by Sunday evening he would feel better about things. Assuming nothing happened between now and then. The last couple of days was still fresh in their minds. But she didn't want Gavin to needlessly worry because Charlie wanted to celebrate the new year. He was right that they should make sure whatever had happened was really over. "Okay." Charlie agreed and went back to the fire to get it lit. "Well, if Amelia doesn't have any other plans she can come over. I won't be offended if she would rather spend the time with her brother or someone else."
"We'll see how Jasper is feeling," Gavin said. "He might want to stay home." It was hard to tell with Jasper. Sure, he was in a lot of pain now but he'd have a few days to heal up and settle down and then he might be rearing to get out of the house. His boy had always had a lot of energy and little patience so Gavin had a hard time imagining he would want to stay home. He'd at the very least want to spend time with his girl so knowing Amelia had someone to go to was comforting. "Amelia has a friend who sometimes comes over so she might have plans of her own, who knows what these kids get up to." He watched as the light around Charlie changed when the fire came to life, a warm glow around her head like a halo. "You should come over here and uh-" he muttered, patting his chest. "Just relax with me for a bit." Snuggle was the word he was looking for, it just sounded too dumb in his head to say out loud.
Charlie looked at Gavin over her shoulder before she smiled and got to her feet. They could make plans later. Right now it was time to relax, at least until Gavin had to return home. She sat on the couch, settling beside him and resting her head against his shoulder. Having him there was always something of a comfort, even when they simply sat, or laid around, in silence. While she knew he had to go eventually, she wished he would stay. It was nice having another presence in her home when he was there. Charlie felt less lonely. But she could never bring herself to say so, aware that it probably made her sound sad and clingy. Instead, Charlie lay against him, her arm snaking over his stomach. They had a little bit longer until the lasagna was done, and she wanted to enjoy every minute of it.