[closed - Charlotte]

[just_another]

When she had moved into his apartment upstairs, Joel had returned the keys to his sister -- both his and Spencer's -- knowing she would appreciate the privacy. He's so used to just being able to walk in, though, that when he arrives at the store to pick her up that day, he simply walks up the stairs, turns the knob and pushes against the apartment door with his shoulder, only to remember at the last second that it's locked. That he doesn't live here anymore. Beyond that door is an apartment he'd still recognize, but it isn't his. His most important things are gone, all his books and his music, his stereo system and any personal items. They've been replaced by things that belong to Charlotte and the place doesn't feel like his anymore. Which it shouldn't. It's not.

"Sorry," he calls, rapping his knuckles against the door. It's just been home for such a long time that even now, even though he loves living at the house with Spencer, even though he doesn't think he'd ever be able to come back to the apartment, it's just so familiar to him. This is where he spent nearly every single night from the time he was twenty-one, this is still home in a lot of ways.

"Charlie, come on," he says, leaning against the wall to wait for her. "I can't leave Spencer alone with mom and dad forever, they'll drive him crazy."

But he's looking forward to this all the same. Since she's moved back, he hasn't had a lot of time to spend with her just by himself. He'd been busy and then he'd been trying to keep his distance from her so that the demon wouldn't hurt her, but that's done. It's gone, it's been banished, and now all he wants is to spend some time with his sister.

Comments

[remotecontrol]

In retrospect, it all makes sense. Charlotte understands why Joel kept his distance from her, why things between them had begun to feel so strange. They haven't quite returned to normal yet. She was angry with him for a stretch, and then Christmas came to distract them all, and this is the first real chance they've had to spend time together, just the two of them, in weeks. She has been looking forward to it. But that doesn't mean that she is ready when he knocks.

"Coming!" Charlotte shouts, though she has only just finished up in the bathroom. Her makeup is done, at least, and that is typically what takes the most time. She darts from the bathroom to the closet, furiously sifting through every item of clothing she possesses until, after no less than five minutes, possibly more, she finally settles on the right sweater. Picking out a pair of pants is less complicated; she opts for the black jeans she wore yesterday, because they won't have that freshly washed stiffness that jeans that haven't been worn at least once always do. She grabs a pair of socks and sits at the edge of the bed to lace up her boots. It's probably the quickest she's gotten dressed in ages, and it still takes at least ten minutes. But finally, after stealing a final glance in the mirror, she is ready. She grabs her bag and her coat and heads out the door.

"Sorry," she says, biting her lip as she grins and shrugs, when she finds Joel leaning against the wall in the hallway.

[just_another]

"I should know better than to show up on time," he answers, but he's grinning as well and when she comes out of the apartment, he leans in and presses a short, hard kiss against her head anyway. Ever since his parents arrived in town they haven't let up on him. Last year it would have been the same, but last year it would have been things like, When are you ever going to meet someone nice? and What about Lara? She's so good to you. She'd make a wonderful girlfriend. He'd never expected that to let up, but it has.

Instead it's been replaced by things like, Have you been checking in on your sister? and Is Charlotte making any friends in town? All he can really do is hope they haven't been giving her a hard time since they got here.

"Come on, Spencer gave me a list," he says, gesturing with his phone. "And about twenty-five versions of a nursery to show you that he wants your thoughts on."