break with me , [charlie]

[sydney]

being deaf made it rather difficult to do a lot of stuff, but making videos for youtube was something that not hearing was going to stop her from doing. some days she just needed a day off from videos and comments and all of that, even if it really was fun. sometimes it just felt like work, and that's exactly why she liked to take days off for herself. charlie was one person that understood what the whole process was like. she'd met him thanks to youtube, and finding out that he lived near her was completely crazy.

putting in her hearing aid to help her with lip reading and whatnot, syd headed out of her house and into the warm august air. the day seemed almost perfect to her. smiling softly at the scenery, she headed towards charlie's house, staring ahead of her as she walked. walking places for syd was a lot like driving. while most people could just stare at the ground and listen to know if something was coming, she had to keep her eyes scanning to make sure there were no potential dangers. making it to charlie's house, she hopped up to the door and knocked, rocking on her feet impatiently as she waited in silence.

[charlie]

being a youtube partner was a lot of work. sure, it was fun, but no matter what charlie did, it always felt like it was for another video. at first, it had started out as a fun hobby -- he liked to make people laugh, and sharing his views, opinions and cheesy jokes through vlogging seemed like the perfect plan. after a few years, he'd built up a following and had even started making money off his silly, awkward videos. he didn't regret getting into it, but there were definitely moments charlie wished he could just be a normal teenager and not have to worry about coming up with new ideas for his next video. like today, for example. all charlie really wanted to do was forget about his responsibilities, drink some tea, and try to have some actual fun.

the good thing about being youtube famous, however, was meeting new people. there were meetups, comic conventions, collaborations, and every time he took part in one, he seemed to make a new friend. like sydney, for example. the girl was hilarious, and charlie could remember spitting his drink all over his screen watching her videos the first time. the fact that she lived so close was a huge bonus, because it meant he could laugh with her in real person instead of always having his eyes glued to his computer screen. at the sound of the knock on his door, charlie lunged from him couch to the front hall, socks slipping every which way on the hardwood. with a weak pull on the handle, the door swung open and hit his knee. bullocks, he whined, jumping up and down on one foot. hey, syd. c'mon in. just.. gimme a second. he grinned, eyes watering.

[/justify]

[sydney]

the cool thing about the internet was that you're free to do anything and not have to worry about seeing someone in person. she could say anything she wanted and most of the people that watched her videos she would never see in person. syd was a rather confident person as it was, and she wasn't scared to say many things, but it was always easier to just come out and say stuff and make a fool of yourself when you didn't actually know the people. but the thing was, it was work. there wasn't pay, but it was work when it got too stressful to impress people.

syd had been in speech therapy since she was little, so it made it a lot easier to talk to people when they knew what she was saying instead of having to sign at them. she couldn't help but laugh as charlie managed to hit his knee opening the door. smooth move. she stepped inside, closing the door behind her and leaning against it. she tucked some hair behind her ear, looking at his knee then back up to his face. need some ice or something? she asked, holding back the wide grin that was fighting to break through.

[/justify]

[charlie]

charlie wasn't self-conscious by any means, he was just.. socially awkward. spending a lot of time indoors talking to his video camera didn't exactly inspire any change in that situation, either. it wasn't that he had trouble making friends, he just wasn't the best at handling big groups and social gatherings. which was why, no doubt, he was so good at what he did on youtube - because he was alone.

with a shake of his head, charlie bit his lip and held his knee is his hands. i think i'm good, he muttered, leaning against the wall for support as he tried to ignore the stinging. counting to three, he dropped his leg and jumped around a bit to numb the pain. alright, he announced, skidding across the floor to the kitchen. tea, ice cream, and whatever you want to do is on the agenda today. poking his head back around the corner, he winked. what do you want to do today?

[/justify]

[sydney]

syd knew that charlie had an accent, but she wished she knew what it actually sounded like. so many people died over british accents, and she had never quite had the joy of hearing them. it kind of gave her an advantage -- it meant she wouldn't fall for some random foreign guy over his accent, instead she would be able to get to know the real him. it was hard for her to really get to know people, though. they were usually so hesitant around her that she just didn't get to know the real them. they had to face her when they spoke, instead of being able to rush ahead and keep talking. it was annoying sometimes, really.

she watched as charlie clung to his knee, smirking a bit. she'd hit her knee on a fair share of stuff, but never a door. when he started to walk, she tried to keep an eye on his face as he spoke. sydney laughed, turning into the kitchen. oh i was thinking watch some sappy chick flicks and talk about boys, maybe take a trip to the mall, she joked, winking back. we'll stick with the tea and ice cream for now and figure out the rest later, yeah? syd slid her way to the table, sitting down in one of the chairs with her legs folded under her.

[/justify]