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Heal

For Day 4 of the Supernatural Deserved Better Creative Challenge (prompt: LGBTQIA).

Rating: T

Relationships: Apocalypse World Charlie Bradbury/Stevie

Summary: Charlie’s being distant, and Stevie doesn’t understand why.

(Read on Ao3)

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“Go sit on the bed,” Charlie said flatly to Stevie as the two of them entered their motel room. “I’ll get the first aid kit.”

Stevie adjusted the bloody handkerchief pressed to her forehead and frowned. “Babe, can we just—”

“Sit. I’ll be right back.”

Charlie disappeared into the bathroom, and Stevie sighed. She took a seat on the bed and waited until Charlie returned and began to silently patch her up.

Things had been weird between them all day, ever since the two of them (and the rest of the world) had returned from wherever it was Go—Chuck, Stevie reminded herself—had sent them until the Winchesters’ kid had brought everyone back earlier that afternoon. Charlie had gotten home and embraced Stevie on sight, only to pull away quickly and say that the two of them should really get on that case of shifters a few towns over. Her unexpectedly detached demeanor had caught Stevie off guard, but she’d agreed, guessing that Charlie was still processing what had happened and hoping that working a routine case would be the return to normalcy her girlfriend needed.

It hadn’t been. The shifters had put up more of a fight than anticipated, the last one even managing to leave Stevie with a deep gash on her forehead before she’d finally managed to shoot it. Charlie had taken one look at the wound and gasped; then, seeming to collect herself, she’d handed Stevie a handkerchief, ushered her out to the car, and driven them back to the motel, rebuffing every attempt Stevie made to draw her into conversation.

Now, Stevie studied Charlie carefully as the latter covered the cut with a sterile bandage. Charlie was pale, even more so than usual, and her lips were pressed together in a tight, thin line; she looked more buttoned up than Stevie had ever seen her. Stevie chewed her tongue, weighing her options; then, as Charlie started to gather up bloody cotton balls and bandage wrappers, decided that enough was enough.

She reached out and wrapped a hand around Charlie’s forearm, tugging gently until Charlie met her gaze. “Hey. Forget about that for now and come lie down with me? Please?”

For a moment, Charlie just stared at her, expression unreadable; then she nodded, setting the trash down on the nightstand and allowing Stevie to pull her onto the bed until she was lying with her back flush against Stevie’s chest.

Stevie kissed the back of Charlie’s head and buried her nose in the latter’s hair. “Thank you for taking care of me,” she murmured.

“You’re welcome,” came Charlie’s quiet reply.

“You gonna let me return the favor?”

She felt Charlie stiffen in her arms. “I’m not injured.”

“No,” said Stevie, softly, “but you’re hurting. You’ve been hurting all day, ever since you came home.” She pressed another kiss to Charlie’s head and started running her hand up and down Charlie’s side the way she knew Charlie liked. “Talk to me. What’s going on in that beautiful brain of yours?”

Charlie let out a ragged breath, followed by a sniffle, and Stevie pulled her closer, fumbling until she found Charlie’s hand and lacing their fingers together. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

At her words, Charlie began to shake with silent sobs, and each one was like a knife straight to Stevie’s gut. Gently, she rolled Charlie over so they were facing one another and pulled her into a tight embrace. Charlie came willingly, wrapping her arms around Stevie as though they were about to be dragged apart and burying her face in Stevie’s neck, now crying in earnest. Stevie stroked her hair, waiting.

Eventually, Charlie began to calm. Her breathing became more regular, and the tension in her body noticeably waned. Stevie smiled. She moved her hand from Charlie’s hair to the small of her back and traced a reassuring circle. “There, now. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

Charlie’s breath was warm and wet against her skin. “I love you.”

“I know. I love you too.”

“God, babe, I’m so sorry.” Charlie pulled back just enough so that they could look at one another, her eyes wet and tired. She reached up to gently brush her fingertips over Stevie’s bandage. “I shouldn’t have made us work this stupid case. It could’ve been...you might’ve...”

Stevie leaned forward and silenced her with a kiss. “It’s okay,” she breathed as they drew apart. “I’m okay. And I’m sorry, too. I thought maybe you just needed to get back into the swing of things, but I should’ve pushed back. It’s been a rough past couple of days.”

Charlie sighed and closed her eyes. “Yeah. I just...That day, in the kitchen, I really thought I’d lost you, you know?” She bit her lip, sliding her hand down from Stevie’s forehead to trace the edge of a cheekbone. “And it felt...it felt a lot like losing Kara.”

Stevie nodded. She didn’t know much about the woman Charlie had loved before her, other than that she had died horribly in the early days of the apocalypse back in their home universe. Charlie didn’t talk often about Kara. Stevie got the sense it was because doing so hurt too much. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I hate that you had to feel that again.”

“It’s just...When Kara died, a part of me died with her. Then we came to this world, and it was like losing her in a whole new way. I had to live in a universe where everything she and I had together never happened, because in this reality, we never even met. So I told myself that was it, I was done with love, because what was the point, you know?” She gave Stevie a watery smile. “And then I fell in love with you anyway.”

Stevie grinned. “Yeah, well. I am charming as hell.”

That earned a chuckle. “Yeah, and humble, too.” Charlie’s smile faded, and she looked at Stevie as though she was trying to memorize every feature of her face. “You’re amazing, and I’m so lucky to have you, and one minute we were talking and the next you were just gone, and...and...” She looked down, her lower lip beginning to tremble.

“Hey.” Stevie hooked a thumb under Charlie’s chin and tilted it up until their gazes met again. “Look at me. I look gone to you? Nah.” She smiled softly and swiped a lingering tear from the corner of Charlie’s eye. “I’m right here. And I promise I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to.”

Charlie kissed her. “I don’t want you to,” she murmured. “Not now, not ever.”

Stevie hummed contentedly against Charlie’s lips. “Deal,” she breathed, and the world felt right again.

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