Part of the credit for this idea goes to miss-nettles-wife and her amazing tumblr Manips. There will be a second part to this, from Blake's point of view, which will hopefully explain what exactly is going on. I'll let you know when I figure out exactly what it going on ; )
"Charlie."
He's always loved accents, every kind he could find, warm and light, cold and bright.
He feels strangely patriotic when Australian lilts trump everything else every single time.
He loved his Dad's best, the warm way it said his name, the smooth caress of each syllable.
He misses it the most, in those years of strange limbo adults call "the war", more than after even.
CC
"Charlie."
His Dad's accent was odd somehow, not quite the same as his Mum's, or his Gran's.
His Dad's name is never mentioned after the war is finally over, after he doesn't come back.
He never finds out where his Dad was from, first, never quite knows why he sounded like that.
He kinda hates Lucien Blake from word one, because that's his Dad's voice, and it's not fair.
CC
"Charlie?"
He's eleven when he figures it out, finally and surely, twelve when he finally does it.
He's not a chicken, not scared, never that, he just isn't sure. Until he is.
He's five when his Dad goes, eight when he isn't coming back, ten when he doesn't.
He's twenty-five when he meets the Doc, twenty-six when he forgets his Dad's voice.
CC
"Charlie?"
He's five when his father turns it off, first time he's ever seen it, like a faucet going off.
He's six when his mother turns it off, like a light switch. He doesn't understand.
He's ten when his stepfather turns it off, he understands all too well. He wishes he didn't.
He's eleven when he figures it out. He wishes he didn't. Doesn't stop him though.
CC
"Charlie?!"
He's not sure how to describe it, the before. Louder maybe. Brighter certainly. Aliver maybe.
He never learns when his brothers turn it off. When they're eighteen probably, like normal now.
His first girl turns it off the day after she meets him. He isn't sure why.
His last girl is eighteen when she turns it off. Next day she steps before a train. He knows why.
CC
Charlie?!"
He's sent to Ballarat for not having any emotions. He doesn't get it. Isn't that everybody too?
He's sent to Ballarat for not understanding. He wishes he understood that.
His superiors always loved him for not understanding, always asked why.
His answer always pleases them. I was eleven. They like that. He doesn't get that.
CC
"Charlie!"
He doesn't get Lawson. It takes him a while, quite a while, but he finally gets it. He thinks.
He likes Mattie. She doesn't like him. He understands that. Danny joked a lot. Why?
His first impression of Lucien Blake is loud. And obnoxious. And frustrated. And alive.
His second impression of Lucien Blake is loud. And confusing. And warm. And kind. Bright.
CC
"Charlie!"
He is the youngest person to turn it off that he ever meets. Not that he ever has to ask.
He is the oldest person he ever meets to turn it back on. And suddenly he gets it.
His feelings have always felt cold. Dark and blunted and murky. He thinks it was always.
His world was bright once, he thinks he just about remembers. Remembers it. Being alive.
CC
"Charlie!"
He's fifteen when he first misses what it's like. He's won his first race. He feels nothing.
He's twenty-five when he next misses it. He's lost his first race. He feels something. He thinks.
He's twenty-five when he meets Lucien Blake. He's twenty-six when he finally gets it. Knows it.
He's twenty-seven when he finally does it. Turns it back on. Gets it. Feels it. Lives it. Alive.
