#kulem

Personally, Charlotte thought they might as well let him go through with it. It wasn’t as if Mr. Osborn was a good guy. Salem has his whole “every life is worthy” thing though, so.

“They won’t kill him, Via. If that’s what you’re worried about.”

Octavia scoffed, crossing her arms and leaning back on their shitty sofa. She looks so… depleted. Long blonde hair left free of its typical braids, tangled and shadowing her face. Clearwater eyes dimmed and downcast. A storm had rolled over her and now it threatened to break all over Charlotte’s apartment. “I don’t care if they kill him. It doesn’t matter if he dies or ends up in prison. He still-" Octavia cuts herself off, biting down on her quivering lower lip to silence herself.

Charlotte can hear the end of that sentence though. He still chose this over me. Because the reality was Octavia couldn’t go home after this. There wasn’t a home for her to go to. With her Mom out of the picture, Charlotte doesn’t know where exactly Octavia can go. The foster system, maybe? Did Octavia have any other family?

Leaning forward to take Octavia’s hands in her own Charlotte sighs. There isn’t much she can say; it won’t fix anything. Still… “You aren’t alone in this, Via. Salem and Kumo are here for you. I’m here for you. We’ll figure something out.” Maybe Salem and I can take her in. It wouldn’t be the first illegal thing we’ve done.

Sniffling, Octavia reached up to wipe at her eyes. “Thanks. I’m fine, I swear. I know it’ll work out.”

“It’s okay if you aren’t. This situation is all kinds of fucked.”

Huffing a dry laugh, Octavia leans forward to tuck a dark curl behind Charlotte’s ear. Charlotte freezes, all her focus going to the hand currently cupping her cheek. “Via?”

“Would it be totally fucked if I kissed you right now?”

Just as Charlotte is about to say no! No, definitely not! I would actually really like that. I’ve been thinking about kissing you since I met you, actually. When she’s cut off by a crash resonating through her earbud.

Kumo’s voice comes through strained as he shouts in her ear. “Super happy for you and all, Char, but uh-“ another crash, “could really use our girl in the chair, right now!”

“Are you serious?” Grumbling, Charlotte presses a quick kiss to the palm of Octavia’s hand and pulls away. Not daring to look at Octavia’s expression she focuses in on her screens. “Next time you and Salem plan on kissing I’m going to interrupt you. See how you like it.”

“I’m going to sing the kissing tree song every. Single. Time.” Octavia adds in a sing-song tone. When Charlotte finally gains the courage to look back she’s relieved. An obvious scarlet flush is working its way across Octavia’s pale, freckled cheeks. Neither of them is sure what’s going to happen after they defeat Dr. Otto. One thing Charlotte does know though, is that she’s not about to let Octavia go through it alone.

“Char!”