Rumours
Title: Rumours
Author: wanderhomeagain
Prompt: The reason Charlie didn't go on to play professional Quidditch
Words: 479
Pairing: Charlie/Viktor
Rating: PG
Warnings: None, Originally Written for Charlie Month at helmet fest.
Charlie’s heard the rumours.
He’s not deaf.
Nor is he stupid, though that’s what everyone seems to think.
That he’s stupid for working with dragons.
That he’s off his nut for living out in the middle of nowhere with the English Channel and all of Western Europe separating him from anyone he knows.
That he’s crazy for giving up his tryout with the Montrose Magpies, the tryout that surely would have led to an offer to play for England in the cup.
Charlie just laughs.
He’s heard it all before.
That he’s straight, but that his family will never understand his undying love for two women- both of whom are married.
That he’s got some sort of unnatural love for his dragons.
That he’s gay.
That he’d been somehow abused or molested at the hands of family members and therefore travelled across Europe to get away from them.
The last one he stops (usually with his fists) if he overhears it. He’s fine with people thinking that something is wrong with him, but he will not stand for anyone speaking ill of his family.
Charlie would be fine with setting the record straight on everything else if someone would only ask.
But no one ever does.
So Charlie never gets the chance to explain that he is neither deaf nor stupid.
He tells no one that he likes working out in the sun and the wind with creatures that are such an odd juxtaposition of dangerous and gentle.
That he likes living in the middle of nowhere. That he loves his family and he loves his country, but he felt the need to find out what else lay beyond his doorstep.
That Quidditch does not come easy for him. That he has quick reflexes and he’s a damn good flyer but has bad eyes. That he rarely ever saw the Snitch first but saw the other Seeker make a move for it. That he always- well, almost always- managed to outfly or outreach his opponent. That he knew he’d never be able to compete at a national level, much less internationally.
Charlie would say that his mother taught him better than to have affairs with married people.
That to love a beast like a dragon like that would defy laws of both magic and physics, and the danger certainly wouldn’t be worth the reward.
That why yes, he is gay, thank you very much for your concern, but he and Viktor are very happy together.
There are people who think Charlie is stupid for some of the choices he has made in his life, but Charlie doesn’t like to dwell on those people.
He likes his privacy. He likes his dragons. And he’s perfectly fine with Viktor being the international Quidditch star in the relationship.
That’s what he’d tell people if anyone ever asked.
But no one ever does.
Author: wanderhomeagain
Prompt: The reason Charlie didn't go on to play professional Quidditch
Words: 479
Pairing: Charlie/Viktor
Rating: PG
Warnings: None, Originally Written for Charlie Month at helmet fest.
Charlie’s heard the rumours.
He’s not deaf.
Nor is he stupid, though that’s what everyone seems to think.
That he’s stupid for working with dragons.
That he’s off his nut for living out in the middle of nowhere with the English Channel and all of Western Europe separating him from anyone he knows.
That he’s crazy for giving up his tryout with the Montrose Magpies, the tryout that surely would have led to an offer to play for England in the cup.
Charlie just laughs.
He’s heard it all before.
That he’s straight, but that his family will never understand his undying love for two women- both of whom are married.
That he’s got some sort of unnatural love for his dragons.
That he’s gay.
That he’d been somehow abused or molested at the hands of family members and therefore travelled across Europe to get away from them.
The last one he stops (usually with his fists) if he overhears it. He’s fine with people thinking that something is wrong with him, but he will not stand for anyone speaking ill of his family.
Charlie would be fine with setting the record straight on everything else if someone would only ask.
But no one ever does.
So Charlie never gets the chance to explain that he is neither deaf nor stupid.
He tells no one that he likes working out in the sun and the wind with creatures that are such an odd juxtaposition of dangerous and gentle.
That he likes living in the middle of nowhere. That he loves his family and he loves his country, but he felt the need to find out what else lay beyond his doorstep.
That Quidditch does not come easy for him. That he has quick reflexes and he’s a damn good flyer but has bad eyes. That he rarely ever saw the Snitch first but saw the other Seeker make a move for it. That he always- well, almost always- managed to outfly or outreach his opponent. That he knew he’d never be able to compete at a national level, much less internationally.
Charlie would say that his mother taught him better than to have affairs with married people.
That to love a beast like a dragon like that would defy laws of both magic and physics, and the danger certainly wouldn’t be worth the reward.
That why yes, he is gay, thank you very much for your concern, but he and Viktor are very happy together.
There are people who think Charlie is stupid for some of the choices he has made in his life, but Charlie doesn’t like to dwell on those people.
He likes his privacy. He likes his dragons. And he’s perfectly fine with Viktor being the international Quidditch star in the relationship.
That’s what he’d tell people if anyone ever asked.
But no one ever does.