Chenry Oneshots

Tell Me It's Okay To Fail

Originally Published on AO3 20 Feb 2020

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"It's not your fault." Charlotte tells Henry for what felt like the thousandth time since the mission was over.

Everyone else had cleaned up and gone their separate ways after a hard day. They were the only two remaining in the ManCave.

"That guy is in the hospital because of ME Charlotte! I'm the one who didn't get there in time!" Henry exclaims while pacing and running his hands through his hair in frustration.

"No, that guy is in the hospital because Dr. Mynyak is a maniac."

"If I would've been quicker then maybe..." Henry starts dejectedly and slumps to half lean half sit on the back of the couch.

Charlotte stands in front of him. "Then Maybe nothing. You can't torment yourself like this Hen. With the maybes and the what ifs."

"Someone is in the ICU in critical condition RIGHT NOW fighting for their life because I wasn't good enough."

"Hey hey. None of that." Charlotte says while gently taking Henry's hands into her own.

"Look at me." She softly demands and waits until his eyes meet hers reluctantly.

"You ARE good enough. You're only one person Henry. It is physically impossible for you to be everywhere at once. You did. Your best" Charlotte says with conviction.

"It's just hard to accept Char. If I still had my stupid hyper-motility powers, then that guy might not have been hurt."

"Possibly. But you don't know that. There is no way FOR you to know that. You did everything in your power to help him and because of you, he's still ALIVE. That has to count for something. I know that this isn't the most ideal situation and fortunately, that guy is still here to fight for his life. But there could come a time where it is too late. And they are gone. That will NOT be on you. You can't save everyone."

"I—" Henry gasps out as a lone tear streams down his cheek. He untangles their hands and wraps his arms around her midsection, pulling her between his legs.

Pressing his head against her stomach, the dam is opened. Every fear, every insecurity, every negative emotion that Henry has had about the job from the beginning comes rushing to the forefront of his mind.

Henry continues to let out racking sobs in Charlotte's embrace. This was the first time a pedestrian got seriously hurt and it was hard to come to terms with the fact that someone could die on his watch. Now he was thinking about what would happen if the person that got hurt next time was Jasper or his family or...Charlotte. He wouldn't know what he would do if he couldn't save them.

Charlotte gently strums her hands through his hair in a comforting gesture. "It's okay Henry, it's okay." She whispers.

After a few more minutes he started to feel cried out. He was exhausted but also somehow lighter. Sniffing, he let go of Charlotte in order rub under his nose with his shirt sleeve.

Charlotte softly wiped the remnants of tears from his face with her thumbs. "No matter what happens, you will always be a hero to me."

Henry let out a shuddering breath and cleared his throat. "What would I do with you?" he croaked out.

"Good thing you never have to find out" Charlotte replies.