abyss ↣ joe sugg au

twenty three

[Trigger Warning: mentions of depression/suicide]

-important: the personalities etc of the characters are for the soul purpose of this story and in no way do I believe that the characters in this chapter represent that of real life

Joe was already up when Charlotte heard the birds singing outside and felt the slight breeze that seeped in through the window. She sat up and scrubbed her face with a sigh before kicking out of the bed and heading for the kitchen. Joe was sat there with some sort of alcoholic beverage and a cigarette between his lips and Charlotte thought that was a good enough substitute for breakfast as any.

They sat in silence for a long time because today was the day. The day when Joe sees his sister again after all this time, sees his family who cut him out of their lives for their own safety and as Charlotte taps her nails on the table and looks at the fear in Joe's eyes she wonders how that could be. 

Charlotte was never the one to be sentimental, but she felt like whatever drink Joe was drinking, or however many smokes he was smoking - it wasn't enough right now.

"You know whatever happens today, I'll still be here." 

Joe's eyes flickered up from where they were studying the little stub of cigarette that was left.

"Yeah, I know." Joe nodded and put out the cigarette in the small ash tray.

#

They were twenty-five minutes late. Charlotte had opened the door to the bathroom to find Joe clutching the sink basin so tight his knuckles were white. His eyes were red rimmed but barely visible under the fringe that was sticking to his forehead. They'd stayed there for a while, crowded against the edge of the bath and Charlotte took some jell on her fingers and ran it through Joe's hair, much like she did all those months ago back on the bridge. She tries not to think about that for too long though. Joe finally went and got their overnight bags from the bedroom and met Charlotte by the front door. It had been a deal, if Charlotte went out and brought them both something to wear, Joe would pack the bags.

Now, after a two hour long drive from London, they were sat outside the wedding venue. Joe sat drumming his fingers on his thighs for a minute even though the ceremony had undoubtedly started by now. It was raining only slightly outside of the car but Joe felt it on his skin, felt it beating down on his arms and his fingers and his nose. Taking one last deep breath, he reached into the back of the car and came back with his trusted red snap-back, tapping at the cap with his shaking fingers before nodding and opening the passenger side door.

Charlotte soon joined him round his side of the car and they looked up at the building through squinting eyes due to the rain and decided it was now or never. They jogged into the arch of the building, finally escaping the rain but it seemed like a minor inconvenience compared to what they were about to face.

Not allowing themselves time to think, they walked through the double doors and Charlotte's chest hit Joe's back as he stopped. All Charlotte could see from over his shoulder were white flowers and large candles.

"Hey, sit down-- let's sit down." Charlotte whispered, resting a hand on Joe's lower back to guide him to the vacant seats at the back of the room. They'd managed to sneak in unnoticed but it was only a matter of time.

"I now pronounce you Man and Wife. You may kiss the bride."

Charlotte couldn't look at Joe, scared of what she would find looking right back. Instead, she took in the scene before her. Zoe looked like something out of a fairy tale, wearing a white dress that bunched in at the hips and fell low at the chest, and was decorated in sparkles and lace and it made a lump form in Charlotte's throat. Her hair was presented in a half-up, half-down manner and a tear pricked at the corner of her eye because fuck-- she has never been so thankful for someone's hair in her life.