Warnings at the end of chapter!
Charles opened his eyes. But as he did, he groaned. What was this heavy feeling on his chest? As he tried to inhale a sharp pain shot trough his side as he hissed. Finally opening his eyes. He realised yesterday wasn’t just a bad dream. It had really happened. It made his stomach twist and turn as he scanned the room. The pain and nausea subsiding a little as his eyes fell on the blonde mop of hair perched next to him on the hospital bed.
“Max” he softly breathed, despite everything a little smile forming on his lips.
He looked up, scanning if there was a clock on the wall. 6.33 it read. It was still early but he don’t think Max would mind if he woke him up. Slowly he tried to shift his weight. Softly groaning in the proces as it was quite painful. As he got comfortable again leaning carefully slightly on his side he traced his his over Max’s face with the tips of his fingers, pushing out the hair that stook to his forehead. His fingers tracing through the soft blonde strands.
“Maxy, Cherie?” He whispered lowly trying not to startle the boy on his right. Though failing miserably despite the softness in his voice If the bloodshot panicked eyes are any indication. Traces of dried tear stains on his cheek.
“Charlie? You are awake?!” Max whisper screamed, his eyes going impossibly wider.
“OH MY GOD!” He says as he lunged forward to envelope the younger monegasque in to a hug. Before he remembers the man’s injuries and stops in his tracks. Softly taking his boyfriend’s face between his palms. New hot tears erasing the old traces on his face. “Charlie I’m sorry… I’m so so sorry” he cries as he hugs him now carefully. “I should have never let you alone… if I just came with you…” as he gasps for air. ‘This s-shouldn’t have happened” he cried. “Shhhhh Maxy… it’s okay… I’m here… I’m okay” he says as he pulled his boyfriend closer to his chest, kissing the top of his head. “I’m okay”
They stay like that for a little while until the older one had calmed down a little and he pulls up a little to look in the eyes of the man that he loves. His lower lip slightly trembling. “I’m still so sorry Charlie.. you’re hurt and it’s all my…” and Charles kissed him shutting him up. Holding his head before looking in his eyes. Scanning from left to right. “Hey, this is not your fault okay!?”
“B-but if-if I was there… then-then” he protests.
“Maxy, then they might have hurt us both”
Max just stammered at that.
“I am okay Maxy, we will be okay” he says as he cradled the blonde’s hair behind his ears. “We will be okay”
—————————
The night before
The group exited their taxi, making their way in to the club. They were all talking and joking among their self’s. Having the time of their life. Max has his arms wrapped around the monegasque’s shoulder, softly smiling as they enter the club. “I can’t wait to celebrate with you tonight!” He smiles his most genuine smile to the man he loves. “You might even make me want to go dancing”. He laughes as he places a kiss on the monegasque’s cheek who blushes and smiles back at him. “Well I can’t wait to see that” he says as he turns himself towards the dutchman and bites his lower lip, looking up through his lashes at the dutchman. They inch closer, their lips almost touching.
“allez faire ça ailleurs les pédés, tu n’as pas ton propre bar gay ou quoi ? (go do that somewhere else, faggots, don’t you have your own gaybar or something?) someone slurs at them in french as the couple looks up in their direction. Charles’s stomach turns in anger. He is about to walk over towards the man who insulted them when Max puls him by just wrist. “Charlie don’t, he’s drunk”
“But-” he tries to protest before he realises his boyfriend is right. Though it doesn’t make him less angry. Not in the slightest. But for now he lets it go. As he is pushed by his friends in to the club who glare at the other man as they pass him. After their first shots the man is long forgotten.
A couple of hours later…
“Yeah ofcourse calamar” Charles laughed as he rolled his eyes at his best friend who chatted up het another brunette as they were standing at the bar waiting for their drinks. He had to use the bathroom anyway.
As he excited the bathroom he was opening his chat with Max, updating his boyfriend on Pierre’s new adventures and to ask if he could help him carry the drink to their table as Pierre was probably still occupied. As he pocketed his phone and was about to enter the main part of the club again someone yelled after him.
“Ey Ferrari princes!” The man laughed among his friends and Charles desperately tried to ignore their calling. Cause like Max said earlier that night, they are not worth his attention. So he pretended no to hear them end proceeded to try to make his way back to Max and his friends even though they kept calling out for him.
Until suddenly three men were standing in front of him blocking his way.
“Where you think you are going?” One of them asked.
“To my friends, so if you would please excuse me” he tried to say politely though his insides were screaming as he tried to get past them. Having a bad feeling about this.
“Not so fast” the man said as he was pushed back with them until they were out of sight from the other club go-ers.
“What do you want from me?” Charles asked trying to keep his voice steady.
“Oh look boys, now he wants to speak to us” one of the man laughed. The disturbing smell of alcohol near his face. “Not so much now your ugly faced boyfriend isn’t here, are you?” The man spat and Charles had to keep himself from hitting the man that was insulting him and Max.
“Let me go” he said trying to walk past the man only to be thrown towards the brick wall behind him. “Your not going anywhere, fagot” hitting his head and falling to the ground.
“arrhh” he groaned as his hand immediately went to his lips and he saw blood”
“Please, leave me alone” his voice more begging now.
“You’re not going anywhere, we’re going to finish what your father in law should have finished years ago” the man laughed bitterly.”whatever got that man to turn around still baffles me”
Meanwhile….
“Charles?” Max called out over the square but nothing came.
“Max?” He called from behind him. As he turned Joris was standing there. “What are you doing? Where is Charles” the monegasque asked sounded just as worried as he himself was feeling.
“I-I don’t know…I’m looking for him” as he still looked around. “I have a bad feeling about this” he admitted to his boyfriend’s childhood friend.
They decided to split up. Joris looking back inside while Max kept looking around the club. And that is. When he heard him, that sound was unmistakably Charles. His feet took him faster then he thought possible.
“Charles?” he called out in to the dimly lit alley. He saw no one but he knew that his ears didn’t deceive him. “Charles?” He tried again.
“Arggg” he heard and sprinted forward kneeling down next the fragile form of his boyfriend.
“Charlie?!” His voice cracking at the seems. Taking in how bad his boyfriend looked. Cuts and bruises on his face a probably more underneath his clothes. “Godverdomme” (god damn it) he cursed.
“Charlie please talk to me?!” He cried out and as the monegasque didn’t. “HEEEELP!” He screamed out in a hope that some heard him while with trembling hands he got his phone out of his pocket and dialled the emergency number. Laying it on speaker next to him as he held his boyfriend, who was still laying motionless against his chest with his eyes closed.
“Stay with me Charlie… p-please stay with me” he cried.
In the distance he heard Joris calling out his name over the square.
“JORIS, HERE! PLEASE HELP!!” the other monegaque ran in to the alley, mortified as he saw his best friend bleeding in Max’s arms while they heard a siren in the distance.
“Can you please get them?” Max practically begged as Joris just nodded and ran towards the square so that the paramedics knew exactly where to go.
Meanwhile Charles started to whimper in his arms, his eye lits slightly lifting. “M-max- h-hurts” he managed to croak out before he closed his eyes again the world once again turning black.
“Common Charlie, stay with me, st-stay with me please, P-please”
Trigger warnings:
-bullying
-blood
-violence
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