Tag: Chandis 2

  • Matter of Spirit

    Matter of Spirit

    Charlie’s lips brush hers, and he pulls back. Seeing her like this is awful. She’s in a suspended state, induced by an experiment gone wrong. He wipes the tears from his eyes.

    You’d think he’d get used to it after two months of this, but he hasn’t. It’s beyond reasonable for this to be happening and— ah.

    He feels his heart clench and he doubles over, stifling a sob. The sound dies as it leaves his throat and he steadies himself, taking a few breaths. She wouldn’t want to see him like this. “Just do your best.” That’s what she would tell him.

    The door to Thandi’s Room clicks open and Charlie looks up, startled by Vitani’s appearance. He runs down the stairs, desperation clear on his face.

    Vitani shakes her head and Charlie’s face drops. “It’s a matter of spirit. There are no potions nor magic to bring her back… but.”

    “But?”

    “If someone goes to get her…”

    “I’ll do it.”

    “You may end up taking her place.”

    Charlie grits his teeth. “I don’t care. Thandi comes first.”

    Vitani reaches into her sleeve and pulls out a vial of swirling red and black liquid. “Lay beside her and drink this. You will have to find her and bring her back on your own.”

    Charlie takes the vial with a nod and takes a breath. “What’s the catch?”

    “Get my student back and we will call it even.”

    The look on his face is resolute. He takes the steps two at a time, resettling Thandi before popping the cork of the potion. He drains the whole thing in a few swallows and curls up next to Thandi, hand over her body as he slips into unconsciousness and into Thandi’s dreams.

  • Bond

    Bond

    concept

    A bond.

    It hadn’t made a lot of sense at first. He would get flashes through her eyes. As if he was seeing what she was seeing. It was startling, to be seeing through another’s eyes and hearing through another’s ears, blind and deaf to his own world when it happens.

    Sometimes, he would try to speak. Not much would go through, but he felt something. Confusion? Fear?

    Then they would catch sight of each other. This woman… he felt something in her that reminded him of himself. Loneliness. And she recognized it in him as well. He could see her lips move, but there were no words.

    It became the new normal. When things seemed different, he would freeze. Wait. Watch. Her world was a sad one. People who didn’t care, people who didn’t value her as they should. Her absorption in her studies. Her ache for recognition.

    Charlie is sure she sees the same from him. And she understands.

    One night, he throws caution to the wind. He’s bloody from an altercation, pride wounded, aching for someone. Anyone. Including that woman he hallucinated.

    So he closed his eyes and reached out to her. When he opened them again, she sat in front of him, eyes tracing over him with concern. The smile he gives her is radiant. It’s a relief. They don’t try to speak, but they start to gesture.

    Chest. Face. What?

    No. You. Me. Rest.

    You. Me?

    The signs are rudimentary, but the meanings are somehow understood. Charlie nods.

    You. Me. You… make me feel better.

    You… me. Glad to… help.

    The meanings… are clear. He can’t hear a voice, but he understands.

    You make me feel normal.

    Me, too.

    You make me think that I’m not alone.

    You make me feel needed.

    They stare at one another for a while. The woman smiles at him, and he feels his heart tighten. I’m Thandi.

    Charlie.

  • Complete Thoughts Post Clue House

    Complete Thoughts Post Clue House

    tbo canon

    He didn’t think he’d change his mind again so quickly. Going down into the basement, being haunted by the phantoms of hands on him, and then set upon by real phantoms.

    Utterly terrifying. Charlie finds himself wondering if the story he heard as a kid is true, about the haunted room in his home at Roseview. But what outweighs the supernatural is how quickly they put Thandi out, and he has to watch as she gets knocked unconscious by these creatures.

    He drops his rapier and gets down on his knees, yanking her to his chest. She’s still breathing, and he can still feel her pulse. Good. He presses his hand to her stomach and presses his face to hers, willing her to heal. With more gusto than he usually reserved for these distasteful battles.

    He pours in life as thick as he could muster, palm warming against her. There’s the feeling of her fingers on his and his heart jolts back to life. He opens his eyes and she’s looking at him in a way that he’s never seen anyone look before. It warms him as much as the magic does and he smiles at her, hoping he reflects even half as much of this feeling.

    Gods, he’s so relieved. She’s squeezed and helped up, legs shaking slightly. He wishes desperately that she would officially take him back. So he could just.

    Kiss her better.

    And his heart aches when she’s approached again, the literal life being pulled from her like a loose thread. Thandi pales and he pulls her back, wielding his rapier.

    “Just kill it,” he hears Thandi say. Well. It’s already dead, anyhow. His sword cuts through the ghost like tissue paper and he watches it dissipate in front of him.

    This is much easier than he thought.

  • Spoiled by a Dragon

    Spoiled by a Dragon

    dragon!charlie

    “You’re my bride now,” he chirps. The dragon wraps his tail around Thandi’s legs, nosing her hands. “So, you have my protection. You can go anywhere! Do anything! No one will ever harm you.”

    Thandi blinks at the creature staring her down, a beast that defies her concepts of size by a vast amount. She reaches out to pat the nose of this thing.

    “Okay, but um. I wasn’t exactly expecting this to happen? Are you sure you’re fine with me?”

    “Well yes, just look at you. Wonderful form.” His tongue darts out and tickles the hollow of her throat. “And you smell wonderful. Like an honest, hard worker. I want to spoil you.”

    “Um. I’m sure that’s all well and good, but really, I’m sure you can do better—”

    “Oh? You would rather compete? Very well! I’ll call all the greatest warriors in the reach of my call and you will see how you outrank each of them!”

    Thandi watches him draw in a breath, chest swelling, scales glittering, and she sees through his skin faintly: light. Before he could shoot the flames, she rushes to his chest, tripping over his tail as she does.

    The creature swallows his fire with a cough, snout smoking as he catches her with his face. “Oh?? Oh?? No longer wishing to compete, my dear?”

    “Um!! They’re probably all busy, these people! Why don’t we have a trial period? To see how we do together?”

    The dragon purrs and again, his huge tail comes up around her. “Certainly.”

  • Miscommunication

    Miscommunication

    like it says on the tin

    What did he say?

    Thandi avoids him lately. Perhaps his feelings have finally frightened her? He knew he shouldn’t have been so forthcoming!

    She squeaks when she sees him and darts off with half of an excuse.

    “Oh! Bathroom!”

    “Oh! My mug is out.”

    “Oh! I need to be not here.”

    She’d flash her smile and off she went. Charlie finds himself slipping into a melancholy, grasping his chest as he thinks on it. He complimented her beauty. Told her how he felt, what it did to him.  Told her how much he supported her dreams.

    Is it him? He is certainly isn’t good enough. Oh, no. He frightened her. He’ll fix this next chance he gets.

    It’s two days later. Charlie reaches out, “Wait! Wait. I’m sorry. You shouldn’t be around me. I promise that you won’t see me anymore. Really, you don’t suit me. Not one bit. Enjoy your life.”

  • It Wasn’t the Radio

    It Wasn’t the Radio

    modern

    Thandi begs. No, she pleads. She grasps his arms and spoils him with kisses, giving him sweet, wide-eyed doe eyes that make him crumble.

    “Only a little bit. I’m not much of a singer, dear. I hate to disappoint.”

    Thandi gives him a playful pat on the chest. “You could never disappoint me. Just a little! I want to know!”

    Charlie takes a deep breath and clears his throat. Thandi stares at him as he closes his eyes. A low tune slips out in a hum, oddly musical despite the lower key. She can feel his chest rumble with it and it makes her smile.

    He quietly sings a few lines, and they’re sweet. Sort of sad. But full of… love. It feels like a personal message to her. And…

    The tune is oddly familiar. Where has she heard it before? Hands on her cheek, a cold cloth on her forehead, and the radio… it wasn’t the radio.

    Oh, Charlie.

  • Karaoke

    Karaoke

    drunk!charlie

    Drunk at a party is certainly not in Charlie’s list of preferred activities, but he’s made an exception today. It’s just the band celebrating privately and nothing more. They’re even at Tirel’s home, a private little suite. Sometimes the spirit moves him and things just end up working out.

    There’s karaoke. Pike is busting out song after song, everyone clapping and singing. ■■■■■ and ■■■■■ watch Charlie with amusement. He clings to Thandi, keeping her in his lap as he keeps his face hidden in her hair. Thandi acts like this is par for the course, talking and cheering and even sometimes wiggling a little dance.

    Everyone is having a good time. Singing. Dancing. Drinking. Chatting. Charlie barely talks, clinging to his wife, but every time he says something it’s always waxing poetic about her. It’s so much sweeter than usual.

    The only sour spot is when ■■■■ holds the microphone out to Charlie. Charlie’s face goes sullen and he shakes his head.

    “I? I don’t sing. Thandi can sing enough for us both, her voice is like a choir… a whole choir…”

    Thandi laughs. “Just one, darling? You sing so well.”

    “I don’t sing. I hate to contradict you, dearest, truly! But your taste is clouded by your adoration, as all I can do is mumble my sweet nothings—”

    “Gross, dude,” ■■■■ snorts. “That’s all right. Tirel, duet!”

    The two clamber back in front and Charlie resumes his place in Thandi’s locks.

  • It’s the Radio

    It’s the Radio

    modern

    Thandi is sick again, struggling with fever dreams. Charlie is careful as he tends to her, keeping her company.

    All she can remember clearly are his hands, stroking her face, keeping her cool, making sure she was comfortable… and a low song that seemed to weave in and out with her consciousness.

    It squeezes her heart when she tries to remember the words, the voice. Sometimes she asks Charlie what music it was that he played for her while she was sick and he always shrugs it off. “It was just the radio, dearest.”

  • PDA

    PDA

    modern

    Charlie snuggles up close to Thandi, nuzzling her as he finds his spot, face buried into her neck. She strokes his hair idly as he settles, relaxing into her touch and enjoying her warmth, her softness, that slightly tangy, slightly sweet smell that always seems to come from her.

    Charlie is exhausted. He just wants her, regardless of who is around, and usually he wouldn’t be caught dead cuddling up to his darling wife out in the mall. But here they are, standing outside the bookstore, Charlie pressing his face into her as she comforts him.

    Thandi kisses his forehead and murmurs to him, so he takes one deep breath and straightens himself out. They leave hand in hand, Thandi smiling for him.

  • Cold Weather

    Cold Weather

    fluff

    It’s freezing, and Thandi thinks she can manage dressed like that?

    Not if Charlie has anything to say about it. “Thandi. You’re going to freeze your tits off out here.”

    Thandi looks horrified and Charlie starts trying to justify himself, stuttering through his words before yanking off his coat and pulling it on her under her cloak.

    “Charlie, now you’re going to be…”

    “I’ll be fine. I’ve been out in worse with less! But you, you’re not… like that. So! Gods. Please?”

    She sighs and pulls his jacket tight on herself before unclasping her cloak and throwing it around his shoulders. “There. Even.”

    It smells sweet. He smiles at her. She buries her face in the collar of his coat and Charlie reaches out, buttoning her up. His face goes soft and he sweeps his hand over her cheek before pulling her cloak tightly around himself and moving to catch up with the group.