Chalex Oneshots

Relapse

Okay, so there's been a lot of Chalex fluff recently and some people are asking me to go a little darker into Alex's depression, as it's certainly not something that is solved over night, or when you're in love, it is still common to have relapses. So there's a trigger warning for this chapter in advance for mentions of depression/suicide. Stay safe before you read, always ❤️
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(In this oneshot Tyler attends Berkeley with Alex)
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It had been a week since Charlie had received a phone call from Alex, a week without his sarcastically sweet voice and his exciting college stories, ones that made Charlie smile, taking comfort in the fact his boyfriend was living his best life, happy and content.

Of course Charlie had tried to reach him numerous times, calling, texting, video calling each time he saw him appear online. It was no use. His boy had gone from his chatty confidant to radio silence. The most he had received since a rainy Friday last week was a text, 4 words that broke Charlie's heart, and left him terrified at the same time.

"Need space. Love you."

Charlie had spent hours looking at it, rereading it as he overthought all the possibilities. The text was a product of juxtaposition, the initial sentence signalling a break up was imminent, and the last words sweet and meaningful, as if his Alex was still there. Something wasn't right, he could feel the dread anchoring hard in his stomach.

He had to admit that he had been a shell of himself for the week, absent mindedly attending practice with a blank stare on his face, his eyes constantly on his phone at the earliest convenience. He wished to hear anything, just a word from his boyfriend to know he was okay, even if it was a break up.

At first he had been dead set on rushing over to the campus, banging on his dorm door until he saw his his face, his beautiful face. But that idea had gone out the window when Zach and Jessica had warned him off, simply suggesting that this was just a part of Alex, his distance an often occurrence, even if it was the first time Charlie had experienced it.

It wasn't until 9pm that night, that he really and truly became worried, not just for his relationship, but for his boyfriend's life.

"Hey?" Charlie answered apprehensively, his brow furrowed as he saw Tyler's contact pop up on his phone screen. He knew the boys were together at College, something he was thankful for as they had each other to lean on when being away from home was too much. Charlie liked Tyler, he was kind and gentle, a good friend for Alex to have.

"Hey Charlie, I think you need to drive down here." Tyler fretted, his voice shaky as he breathed down the phone. "I'm worried about Alex man, he's not turned up to any lectures today, and he's not answering his door." Tyler was audibly stressed, his quaky tone hitting a nerve with Charlie as he jumped up from his desk.

"I'm coming Ty, I'm coming right now." Charlie dropped his revision notes, the dread pit in his stomach widening as his heart began to race. "Don't worry, I'll be there as soon as I can, keep trying to reach him okay?" Charlie was visibly panicking, tears welling. He loved Alex, and right now his heart was in his mouth.

"I-I'll keep trying." Tyler breathed anxiously. "Just hurry Charlie, he'll talk to you."
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"Alex?" Charlie knocked for the 50th time, his head pressed against his boyfriend's dorm door in a slumped and anxious mess. "Alex baby, open up please." He begged, his nervous glare shooting Tyler's way as the pair stood screaming the boy's name.

"Do you think we should call the warden, you know to force the door?" Tyler panicked, biting his nails in worry as Charlie banged again. "Charlie, with his past, what if he's-"

"He wouldn't okay. He wouldn't." Charlie snapped, his breathing quickening as he shook his head. "He's in a good place Ty, he wouldn't do that to me, to his parents, he just wouldn't."