Push me Away, beg me to Stay.
Charlie tiredly wiped his face as he stood in the kitchen, nursing a cup of tea and a hangover. He'd arrived to the burrow late last night and stumbled upon Bill, Fleur, the twins, and Ron celebrating Fleur's pregnancy announcement. Charlie ended up drinking way to much in competition with the twins for Fleur amusement.
He'd received a quiet "congratulations." Before bed from a smiling Bill and Fleur, motioning towards his hair, where he proudly displayed Harry's charm.
Bill had laughed at him when he entered the kitchen looking miserable, but made peace by giving up his cup of tea and a hangover potion. "Harry coming by today?" Bill asked, a new cup of tea in his hands.
"Tonight at the earliest." Charlie shook his head, eyes closing to seek reprieve from the light coming through the windows. "Unspeakables want him to look over some research or another. Not entirely sure."
Charlie could hear their mum and dad on the way in. "Morning Weasley's!" Comes the voice of their father, both men in the kitchen answering with a habitual "Morning!" Drawing the two parents into the room.
"Surprised to see you alive Charlie! You barely made it to your room last night." Charlie grins at his father as he goes about making his own and his wife's cups of tea.
Charlie doesn't get a chance to respond as Bill has jumped to his feet and slammed his hands down on the table. "Mother! Absolutely not." Charlie steps towards Bill before turning around to see his mother with an annoyed, but concerned face.
"What? You've never had an issue with me cutting his hair before! It's much too long-" his mum doesn't get to say anything else before Charlie is speaking up.
"Why would you cut my hair? You would've cut my charm! You couldn't have cut my hair without cutting it, you have no idea what this charm means and you'd just cut through it like that?" Charlie is distressed, taking another step back from his mum, some small part of his brain still seeking comfort from his elder brother.
"It's just some thread, I would've given you new thread to replace it if it mattered that much! You won't get a wife with long hair like that-" their father is looking between the two boys and his wife, and seems to catch on to what exactly is happening as he speaks up.
"Molly dear, the thread in his hair is like Bill's decoration from Fleur." Their mum stops mid-setence, confusion on her face.
"But it's all wrong? The feathers are white, and the thread is gold!"
"Decorating is not just a Veela thing dear, it's a Shapeshifter thing. Charlie will you come a bit closer? I promise I won't let your mother harm your charm, I want to show her what kind of shapeshifter you've endeared yourself too." At his fathers reassurance, and Bill's small nod Charlie steps towards them, turning around to put his back to them so they can inspect the braid, Bill moves to stand behind his as well, close eneough to interfere even if he didnt think anything would happen.
"See these beads? Beads are usually a Skinwalker thing, the thread is probably gold thread, which is effective against all shapeshifters, and the feathers are probably part of his skin." Their father is explaining, their mum askes a question very quietly, neither boy catch it.
"Yes, he would probably have felt it if you'd cut it, it would've probably hurt for a long time. Shapeshifters that put a part of themselves onto their partners are looking for a lifetime commitment. Their skin is the most vulnerable part of themselves." Their father speaks louder for Charlie to hear better. "Your lover is very paranoid, or protective I guess. Three feathers, five beads two deadly to shapeshifters, seven threads of gold thread. One might think he doesn't trust himself to not harm you."
Charlie laughed, the love in his voice when he spoke next making his family smile "One would be right, until you saw him shift. He didn't know he was a skinwalker, or even what that was until well into adulthood. It was shortly after the war ended he discovered it. His animal is very sweet though, and he's a natural at controlling it."
Charlie turns around and holds up his arm to show the gold threaded bracelet. "He's also very paranoid, and has gotten to say I told you so once already about the necessity of being able to separate him at any point in time. He discovered a latent deadly allergy to the wolfsbane flower I had to split him for."
Charlie is pulled into a tight hug by his mum as she apologized "Oh I'm so sorry Charles! I had no idea-!"
Charlie shared a smile with Bill over his mothers shoulder, mouthing a thank you and recieving a mouthed anytime in return.
Charlie was sure this christmas would be the best one in a long time, even if he had to hold back his excitement at seeing Harry that night when he'd alleared just in time for dinner.