charlieclarkedj

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: he’s the cuuuuutestttt

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[charlieclarkedj]

Tugging his headphones from his ears, he wiggled his fingers at the crowd below, blew a few kisses, adrenaline coursing through his veins. So much so he accidentally nearly went the wrong way and had to be re-directed by a member of staff, but oh well.

He whipped around, a smile working to split his face in two at the sight of his friend, whose blonde head he'd seen bobbing through the crowd intermittently, hands up when he requested it but otherwise working the crowd. It was a bright, sunny day in New York, and the DJ was sweating through his graphic tee, exhausted from bouncing on the balls of his feet for the past forty minutes.

"Aw, fuck off." he giggled, the playfulness in his tone evident. The sound of her bright laugh caused butterflies to erupt in his stomach, Charlie always at his happiest when Sephy was happy.

Taking one look at Charlie Clarke, you might wonder how he was lucky enough to call himself the best friend of a super-famous mega-babe like Persephone Blake. You might take the obvious route, pretty well-connected actress, party boy DJ, and sure, that was kinda, partially true, but cut out the more sordid parts of their story. Charlie and Sephy's friendship had been forged in the darkest corners of clubs, huddled in alleyways with Charlie's too-big hoodie pulled over her head so she wouldn't be recognised. It was a sad story, one Charlie knew Sephy found painful to tell, but it was his secret favorite. Because, well, it had a happy ending. It had led him to Sephy.

Not to mention that Sephy was clean now, and he was proud of her every damn day. Long gone was the ghost of Persephone Blake he'd first met, and what was left were the parts of her sweet, adorable personality he'd grown to adore, shining through the cocaine comedown. Sure, it had left behind some scars, both physical and on her heart. She got kinda sad sometimes, and that broke Charlie's own heart. He knew all of the dark, sad things that had happened to her, and he knew that wasn't the kind of stuff that just went away either. But she was still the bravest, coolest girl he knew, and he was struck dumb with luck that she'd decided to keep a liability like him around when she got clean.

A giggling mass of flailing limbs proceeded to throw herself at Charlie, and he caught his friend with ease, despite not expecting it. It was the kind of shit Sephy was prone to doing, and despite the fact he was kind of a short guy (Short king, Poppy always made sure to correct him) he could definitely carry 110 pounds of sunshiney blonde.

"Hiya, beautiful." he greeted, as her ankles locked at the small of his back, his hands going just underneath her ass to keep her upright. If anyone else had tried that, he was sure they wouldn't have gotten a favourable response. But Sephy always said she felt safe with him, and like he said, he and Seph had history.

"Alright, alright." he giggled, wrinkling his nose as she bestowed a multitude of kisses on him. He hoped she couldn't smell the weed clinging to his clothes. "Thanks, babe. Am I covered in lipstick now?"

He gave her ass one final pat before she hopped down, and he could take his first proper look at her. Flushed, like his victory was her victory. He loved her for that.

"You did? Holy shit, no way!" he laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulders to pull her back in. "Did you make 'em? God, you rule."

He smiled back at her, steering her towards the back entrance to the set-up area, where he had to collect his bag and some of his equipment.

"Did it sound alright? I was trying something new, something I've been working on with Marcus. You heard me talk about Marcus, right? Anyway, I think people liked it, hard to tell from up there..."

Persephone loved Charlie in ways she often struggled to quantify. Her best friend had been such a staple in her life for so long that she couldn’t — and didn’t want to — even begin to imagine her life without him. The fact that they’d found one another during the darkest period of Sephy’s life should’ve been a sure fire sign that he would soon become a distant memory, an acquaintance left behind on her road to recovery. The reality was that Sephy’s path to sobriety wasn’t a traditional one, her sponsor frowning on the particular company she kept. Charlie was the only person that had remained from that part of her life, but she wouldn’t dream of distancing herself no matter how it impacted her.

Between his reliance on drugs and alcohol, as well as his passion for music, Persephone found herself tucked away in the corners of night clubs, skin itching as people threw back shots on every side of her. Bathrooms weren’t a safe space either, with girls in their early twenties doing lines of coke off the edge of the sinks, dirty needles clattering to the floor of occupied stalls. Temptation lived in every corner of a bar or a club, with even Maggie going so far as to ask her: Does weed really count, though? This had been during the earlier days of their friendship, the other girl had at least gained some small semblance of self-awareness in the time since. Seph had found herself accompanying Maggie, Charlie, Ripley — and sometimes even Jax! — to seedy bars and clubs and house parties that had trouble written all over them, or far more sophisticated events that oftentimes proposed even higher risks.

Today was different, though, and she felt relieved. She’d never tell Charlie just how difficult it was attending his sets, and now that he and Ripley appeared to have hit it off — if you could even call it that — she didn’t see the point in being some Debby Downer when she could just suck it up and support her friends. But with Summer in full swing, Charlie had been chomping at the bit last week to tell her about the last-minute gig he’d managed to book. Far from the familiarity of his usual backdrop, Charlie’s set today was taking place on a small stage situated in the middle of Central Park. The sun was shining down on what appeared to be an EDM festival — Seph wouldn’t pretend to have even the faintest clue — and her best friend had been afforded the honour of headlining one of their smaller stages.

He currently had a crowd of about 150 people — huge by Sephy’s standards! — and the smile he was currently sporting was enough to heal Persephone of any ailments or misgivings she might have had about the day. Contrary to the way she felt about her older cousin, Persephone wasn’t heartless, and it hadn’t gone amiss to her just what yesterday had been. She missed Jules every day, and she knew how much Billy must be hurting today. The urge to pick up the phone or simply stop by his apartment had been difficult to turn away from, an ache building in her chest as she’d fought with herself to not go one step further and lose herself to the bottle instead.

Sufficed to day, Charlie’s set was proving to be a much needed distraction, her cheeks warm as she beamed from the side of the stage as he finished up his set, lightning on his feet as he bounced around with unbridled glee, blowing kisses to the crowd as he waved himself off. Watching Charlie perform was like being bathed in a warm glow, his presence as welcoming as the perfect hug. Addictions and bad habits aside, Charlie was her sanctuary.

“Oh my God, oh my God, can I get your autograph?” Persephone gushed, laughter peeling from her lips as he finally came within reaching distance.

Without hesitation, Persephone launched herself into his arms, her own wrapping snug around his neck, legs coming to circle his waist. She trusted Charlie implicitly and knew he’d catch her as she smothered his cheeks and forehead in kisses.

“You totally rocked that, babe! Holy shit! You should totally check out how many new instagram followers you have. I handed out business cards,” she informed him, feeling smug as she released her hold on him, slipping back down onto the cushy grass beneath their feet. “I’m a real ass Business Bitch.”

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: these r sick photos el! hope u find ur mystery man soon x

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i miss the mountains. (and whoever the cutie in slide number 2 is? call me bby)

[charlieclarkedj]

Charlie had fallen asleep. 

For all intents and purposes, there was nothing strange about the image that was laid out in front of Marcus. The lights of his New York flat had been dimmed hours before, the fluorescent glare deemed to bright by the young Brit, overstimulating him as he’d tried to make himself accessible, his attention being shared by both the mixing desk in the corner of his sitting room and Charlie. The other man seemed to like joining Marcus at work, but in equal measure he seemed to enjoy his company no matter where they found themselves. It was surprising. People as loud and excitable as Charlie rarely gravitated towards Marcus, and when they did, they scarcely stuck around. 

With his curtains drawn, lights down low, and the other man’s chipper voice filling the space, it had stuck Marcus just how right it had all felt. He’d found the perfect equilibrium. Charlie contrasted him and the life that he led so drastically, yet Marcus had been drawn to him from the moment they’d met. Tentative as they’d both been – nerves had been plain on the Londoner’s features, a walking advertisement for mental illness; Charlie, on the other hand, was the polar opposite to him and yet also his mirror – the two men had managed to find a common ground in their music, their passion for it. Fear had enveloped Marcus at the prospect of approaching a strange man in the darkened night club all those months ago, and Charlie’s own uncertainty had been tucked behind all his bravado, his distrust mingled with curiosity. In that regard, they’d been two sides of the same coin. 

It was a strange sensation to feel so accepted, but that was how Charlie made people feel. He was warm and eager to let people in. As cuddly and affectionate as he was, he’d soon adjusted to Marcus and his own aversions to touch, his discomfort when faced with loud, boisterous behaviour. The other man never pretended to be something that he wasn’t, but he adapted and eased Marcus into their friendship – he hoped he could call it that, he hoped Charlie wouldn’t mind being called his friend – and had carved out a safe space for him. He’d shown no signs of mocking or teasing him, had never called him annoying or weird. 

Sufficed to say, Marcus was comfortable. And as he stared across at the other man now, it occurred to him that he’d never been comfortable before. 

So, yes, Charlie had fallen asleep, and it was altogether a strange image for Marcus to process. He wasn’t used to people staying late, and he certainly hadn’t predicted that he’d leave the room for a short time and return to... this. But it was okay, and it was nice, and he found that he didn’t want to disturb him. As partial as he was to a few drinks and a joint with the DJ, it hadn’t gone unnoticed to him that Charlie wasn’t always able to stop – or slow down, even. When he’d stopped by that afternoon his eyes had been red-raw, he’d been jittery and talking at full speed, seemingly with no desire to pause for breath. On the surface it had seemed like the other man hardly even knew how wired he was, that there was a cause for concern. Marcus had been uncertain, but ultimately he’d known he needed distracting. He’d carefully supplied him with glasses of water between cans of coke and red bull – he'd slipped away on more than one occasion to water down the caffeinated drinks, shame buried deep in his gut – and they’d poured over countless demos and new records as Charlie had come down from his high. 

Marcus had only been gone for ten minutes, slipping away to order food. By the time he’d returned, he’d stumbled upon the image before him now; Charlie, with his head slumped against the arm of the sofa, his legs curled up beneath him, hand limp as it rested at his side. In spite of how the afternoon had started, Marcus couldn’t help but smile. If sleep was what he needed, then he wouldn’t begrudge him that. He wanted him to be healthy and safe, to be taken care of and to always have somewhere he could turn. It wasn’t in anybody’s best interest for him to baby the other man, to belittle him and raise talks of cravings and addiction, but if he could draw him away from dangerous substances, distract him with art and life and laughter, then he’d try to do that. 

Charlie’s smile was warm and contagious, just like the rest of him. Whether he was stone-cold sober or wiping white powder from his nose, he never let his compulsions turn him cruel. He had kind words to say to everybody, compassion pouring from him in waves that, at times, overwhelmed Marcus in the best ways imaginable. He was love and light and warmth, and he was his friend. 

With as much care as he could muster, sock-footed and wrapped in the comfort of his own, baggy sweater, Marcus padded across the room, silent footfall against the carpet as he reached for one of the sofa cushions. His touch was gentle as his fingers grazed Charlie’s cheek, fighting off the familiar tremble as he lifted the other man’s head just a few inches higher, releasing it only when he knew there was a soft place to land. He was holding his breath, nervous that Charlie might wake, might be offended by his touch, however innocent. He didn’t stir once, even as Marcus wandered from the room, returning with a few blankets to drape across his body. 

“Goodnight, Charlie,” Marcus whispered. For the first time in years, he felt content. 

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: sexier than meee??

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luke being a sexy candid king of the sea

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: waaaait can i come next time

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baseball if it was girlypop <333 also why aren't u all at théo's game today. where are u. théo is playing a sports today. first photo taken by @keeleybop who is NOT a loser and is sexy and cool

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: i miss u

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Missing home.

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: why are we insanely hot

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charlie and i are 2 cool for skewl sry we've created a much cooler much more acrobatic way 2 take mirror selfies

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: man i’m so jealous!! hope u had the best time dog

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had a really cool day at the beach with lando :)

[charlieclarkedj]

↳INSTAGRAM: @charlieinthemix uploaded a photo:

sick mid-afternoon hike with olly and this floofy friend. 🐶

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: we really are nsfw hahahaha

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People and things lately.

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: sxc as HELL

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why is the bucket hat lowkey a vibe

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: 😈

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Charlie spilled beer all down himself last night and had to borrow my t-shirt and Lou’s old football shorts. Sufficed to say, none of it fit him and he’s feeling pretty good about it this morning?

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: is théo wendy?

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second star to the right or smth????? hi tink! @magnifiquemoreau

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: u killed it, rip!!!!

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Goodbye to my favourite season! Also, swipe to see me turn Simon into full wolf mode. (My apartment is now a mess but this is one of my favourite looks I’ve done!)

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: this pic makes me want to make u a mixtape.

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The lack of color in this outfit slightly terrifies me but I stole the boots from Lou and he told me I look pretty soooo ☺️

[charlieclarkedj]

@charlieinthemix: i too am like tinkerbell cuz i die if i don’t get attention (u look hot)

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i have waited all year for this sexy lil green moment tbqh tbh