Date Me, Nick Nelson

by henry_amargosa, Oatsiexx

Summary:

Inspired by Date Me, Bryson Keller.

Everyone knows about the bet. Each week, Nick Nelson, the Rugby King of Truham Grammar, must date someone new — the first person to ask him out on Monday morning. Until a boy asks him out, and everything changes.

Charlie Spring is shocked when Nick agrees to secretly date him. But as the week goes by, Charlie discovers there's more to Nick than he'd previously realized, and the fake dating starts to feel an awful lot like real dating. As he gets in deeper and deeper, can Charlie deal with the fact that this relationship will end after one week? After all, Nick is popular, handsome and straight. Right?

Notes:

Many thanks to our wonderful, skilled beta readers, androidsdreaming, erinthelibrarian and thisismeht.

Henry would like to thank Oatsie for suggesting this joint project. She's a wonderful and insightful writing partner and chose an excellent novel to adapt.

Oatsie would like to thank Henry for making her blush when she read the above and for being incredibly talented, sweet and hilarious. And for introducing her to Sub-Radio. And for saying yes.

Chapter 1: 1

Summary:

It all started as a dare...

Notes:

TW transphobic comments. Harry is a twat.

It all started as a dare.

A dare at a party Charlie Spring wasn't sure why he was even at. He didn't do parties. Not Truham/Higgs parties. Truham/Higgs parties were for people who liked drinking and dancing and losing their inhibitions. That was not him. No. Party people were dogs and he was a cat. A black cat with doggy issues. He glared once again at Elle for forcing him there, being sure to make it as obvious as the previous hundred glares he'd shot her in the hour they'd been there.

‘There’ was Imogen Heaney's house, a space conveniently large enough for a hundred or so sixth formers to congregate, but inconveniently magnolia in colour palette. Charlie cringed watching spirits paired with dark Pepsi mixers slosh around them as people danced to electro-pop like robots from 1984. He shrugged. If they could afford this place, they could afford a repaint while Imogen watched from wherever she sits when she's grounded. Because she absolutely would be grounded. Charlie had already clocked two broken vases, one stained rug and Sai Verma throwing up into a clothes hamper and it wasn't even 10pm.

Imogen's parents were away for the weekend and she quite clearly wanted to forge some meaningful relationships in her final year of sixth form before she left for the bright lights of Kent University, a full fifteen minutes down the road. She was tottering around in her beautifully pressed, perfectly matching pastel co-ord, handing out drinks and trying valiantly to find someone, anyone, to connect with.

“Be nice, Charlie!” Elle murmured quietly as Imogen's slightly unfocused eyes landed on the four of them, huddled together in a corner of the open plan kitchen/dining space and she smiled widely, hope and inebriation radiating from her like rays from the sun. Elle nodded encouragingly and Imogen made her way towards them, ‘them’ being Tao, Elle, Isaac and Charlie.

Tao Xu had been Charlie's best friend since Year 7. A short, quietly inquisitive nerd who over their five years of friendship had grown into a tall, loudly opinionated nerd. Elle Argent was also Charlie's friend, the two of them having found each other in the peace of a favourite teacher's classroom a few years back. For the past twelve months or so Elle had been Tao's girlfriend, too. Their relationship was fiery and charged, but built on firm friendship and deep love. Isaac Henderson was simply Isaac Henderson. Loving, dry, quietly aware.

“No thanks, I don't do nice.” Charlie responded, sulkily.

“Shut up! You do. You just pretend you don't. And this is important to me! I actually want to enjoy my last year at Higgs before I go to university. Part of enjoying that is socialising. So shut your mouth and socialise.”

“I need my mouth open to socialise, but fine.” Charlie relented. Much as he was loathed to admit it, Elle was right. He did actually do nice. For his friends at least. For the little group that knew him and loved him exactly as he was – a fast, sarcastic, sensitive, closetted gay nerd.

It wasn't Imogen's fault he wasn’t his full self around her, or anyone outside of his quartet of borderline social outcasts. Out of everyone she’d probably have been most okay with him, trying valiantly to live up to that shiny little ally pin that Elle’s told him she wore on her blazer at school. It wasn't particularly her he was worried about. He scanned the room as she wobbled over, shrinking into himself at the abundance of het that surrounded them. It was everyone.

She squealed as she reached them and gripped Charlie's forearm tightly. What? Why was she clutching him? She didn't look like she was about to fall over. Not imminently anyway. So what? Charlie followed her gaze to the door behind him and it suddenly made perfect sense. Nick Nelson, star of Truham Upper Sixth, crush of every girl in the room, particularly Imogen, had entered the party.

“Oh my god, Charlie! He came. He's in my house. Nicholas Luke Nelson is in my hallway. He looks good there, right?! Like, the wall colour matches his skin tone so nicely. It's like he was meant to stand there. We're practically together, you know. Or we will be. When he notices me.”

Charlie shot Isaac a look of ‘what the fuck is wrong with her?’ that she clearly didn't notice because her eyes were glued on Nick, as he clapped Otis Smith on the shoulder bro-style and thanked him for handing him a beer. Isaac just shrugged in response.

“He's just so pretty. Is it weird that I really, really want to be that bottle right now?” Imogen asked, seemingly without realising she'd said it out loud.

Charlie turned slightly to look over his shoulder at the bottle pressed against Nick's full, pink lips. He couldn't deny he'd noticed Nick before, like, he was the most popular guy at school; rugby captain, big smile, annoyingly perfect in every way. Charlie had always been able to tell that he was hot from a distance, but he'd never really looked closely before. He took in the freckles dotted along Nick's soft looking skin, the cute swoop of his nose, the long length of the lashes that framed his hazel-brown eyes. Imogen was right, he was pretty. Charlie's heart lay with Ben Hope though, the cute boy stood beside Nick, hanging on his every word. Not that either guy knew Charlie existed, but yeah. Nick was pretty.

He turned back to face Imogen and jumpscared at Harry Greene now standing beside her. Shit, he was stealthy for a loud, obnoxious twat.

“Oooh, Loverboy's here, Immy!”

“Shut up, Harry!” Imogen squealed, though it was pretty clear she did not, in fact, want Harry to shut up.

“Why, scared he'll hear and you'll have to actually act on your massive crush on him?”

“Yeah. No. Just shut up.”

“Because I'm so kind, I'm going to help you out.” Harry, the twat, patted her on the head before turning to face Nick’s direction.

“Harry, no!”

Like the twat he was, Harry ignored her. “Oi, Nelson,” he called out, waving Nick over.

Much as he tried to ignore the cool kids’ drama at Truham, even Charlie was aware that Harry and Nick were basically best friends, something Charlie had never really understood. In his limited observations of them monkeying around on the pitch during lunch or while passing them in the corridors, Harry was loud and brash, while Nick always seemed quieter, more demure.

Harry had made a few homo- and transphobic remarks over the years, especially after Elle transitioned. Once Charlie and Elle were leaving an after-school art club meeting when they passed the rugby boys in the hall after their practice. Harry made some remark, and although Charlie couldn’t hear everything, the words “gross” and “manly” were seared into his brain. There were a couple of awkward chuckles from the lads, but as they turned the corner Charlie noticed Nick pulling Harry behind him into the bathroom with a stony look on his face. Harry never talked about or to Elle again after that day, instead ignoring her completely, which worked just fine with all of them.

So maybe Nick Nelson was an ally, too.

But right then he mostly looked nonplussed.

“I know someone who has a crush on you,” Harry sang deeply and teasingly.

Nick shrugged. “Okay.”

Harry scrunched up his face. “Do you not want to know who she is?”

Charlie figured that after having every girl at Higgs moisten their pants for him, maybe Nick was just totally jaded on crushes.

“Not really. I'm not interested in dating.” Nick’s response had Charlie raising his eyebrows. For Nick Nelson, dating must have been like shooting fish in a barrel. His nonchalance was especially grating on Charlie because it was so fucking impossible for him to date anyone. He wasn't out, but even if he was, there were pretty limited options at Truham.

And of course, the one guy he was actually interested in was by all accounts, and also statistically most likely, straight. Ben – with his arm casually flung around some girl Charlie didn’t know – had moved into the general vicinity of the conversation, along with half a dozen other people. Nick was just that magnetic.

“School relationships never last anyway,” Nick continued, sipping from his beer.

“Sounds like someone just can’t get a date,” Ben scoffed. Although they were both popular and sporty, Ben was on the swim team, so he and Nick weren’t particularly close, to Charlie’s knowledge. How Charlie wished he could go to the school’s swim meets and get to see Ben in his Speedos. But one of the top rules of being in the closet, unfortunately, was to avoid public situations where you’re looking at mostly nude men around your classmates, lest a simple wandering eye be, well, construed properly.

Nick rolled his eyes. “Yeah, no offense, but I could date someone new every week if I wanted.”

Harry laughed and rubbed his hands together.

“Sounds like a challenge to me,” he grinned.

Nick shook his head, confused. “What?”

Harry straightened his spine and crossed his arms, looking Nick dead in the eyes. “I dare you to date someone new every week from now until the end of the school year.”

There were gasps from many of the girls and “oohs” from some of the guys. Charlie stayed perfectly still, as though the rugby lads’ vision were as motion challenged as a T-Rex’s. And Nick just looked uncomfortable. He glanced around, seemingly realising for the first time just how many people were standing around watching this.

“Come on, Rugby King,” Harry taunted. God, he was cruel even to the people he liked. “Prove your claim, show us you can date someone new each week.”

“Seriously?”

Harry nodded. “What’s the matter, Nick? You chicken?”

Nick sighed, resigned. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

The group immediately started chattering about what was clearly going to be the juiciest thing to happen at Imogen’s party. The talking died down when Nick spoke up again.

“But like, if it’s a dare or a game or whatever, then there should be rules, right?” He swiveled his head and looked right at Charlie. “What do you think, Charlie?”

Charlie had three thoughts in very quick succession. The first being how the hell did Nick Nelson know his name? Closely followed by what kind of Straight Nonsense was this? And finally how could he get the group spotlight off him as fast as possible? He stammered for a moment before thinking of something to say, anything.

“Um… I don’t know… maybe it only lasts the school week? Monday to Friday?” That felt like a safe enough thing to propose, not like he was interested or anything.

“Yes,” Nick nodded. “That way I don’t lose my weekends. Nice.”

“And nothing physical,” chimed in Tara Jones from behind where Charlie was standing. He turned his head and saw her and Darcy Olsson, two of Elle’s newer friends who Charlie was just starting to get to know. “This is a game, and people’s boundaries should be respected.”

Nick nodded again. That seemed sensible; probably best not to get a reputation as the school gigolo or anything. Not that Nick would… Charlie meant, like, a kissing gigolo or something. Oh god. He was so happy those thoughts were purely in his head, but he started blushing regardless. The blush only intensified when Nick glanced over at him and pulled his lips back in a tiny grin. Oh god, could Nick Nelson read his thoughts? If so, Charlie was sorry about all that reader-insert fanfic he’s had to hear about Charlie and Ben.

“And you can’t ask anyone out,” Elle added boldly.

Nick tilted his head. “Huh?”

Elle stepped forward, and it couldn't possibly have been planned, but she moved directly underneath one of the inset bulbs in Imogen’s kitchen ceiling. The collimated light streaming down her frizzy hair and slinky dress made her look ethereal, and Charlie and everyone else leaned in slightly for the dramatic moment.

“The bet is this, Nicholas Nelson,” Elle said. “You will date the first person to ask you out – in person – every Monday, and date them until the end of school on Friday. The relationship will not get physical. You may not ask anyone out. And if no one asks you out, or if you break any other rule, you lose the bet.”

There was a moment of silence as the crowd – which had continued to grow to the point that the kitchen was definitely at fire-hazard levels of occupation – took this in.

“I like it,” Tara finally said. “Girls can totally ask boys out.”

“Wait,” Harry said. “You also lose if you get tired of dating. ‘Cuz I don’t think you have this in you, Nick.”

“What happens if Nick loses the bet?” Isaac asked. Every head in the room snapped toward him; Isaac spoke rarely, and in Charlie’s experience when he did it was deliberate, so a lot of the people there may never have heard Isaac speak before.

Charlie pursed his lips to avoid laughing when Nick shot Isaac a deeply sour look. Clearly he was hoping no one would remember there needed to be stakes involved.

There was some general mulling as the group thought, before Ben spoke up. “He has to take the bus to school every day.”

Nick’s jaw dropped. He drove a blue Nissan Micra, affectionately referred to by Charlie as The Blueberry. It wasn't much to look at, but frankly no one was really looking at the car when like a quarter of Nick’s Instagram feed was shirtless car wash thirst trap selfies. (Charlie may have been into Ben, but he wasn’t blind.)

Nick looked for a moment like he might reject the terms and walk away, but ultimately it was clear the ignominy of talking the talk and failing to walk the walk would be too great. His head dropped in acceptance, and then he reached out and shook Harry’s hand.

“And when I win,” Nick shouted over the cheers and clapping of the assembled teens, “when I win… no one will ever doubt me again.”

“Yeah, you’ll be a legend,” Elle replied.

Charlie could tell she was kind of teasing Nick, but he didn’t seem to pick up on it.

“Nick Nelson… the man, the myth, the legend,” he said, staring into empty space. “I like it. Very well, let the games begin!”

“In that case,” called out Tara, “date me, Nick Nelson!”

Imogen squawked loudly. “It’s Saturday night, it’s not even Monday!” she complained. Clearly a certain someone had been hoping to be Nick’s first – and if Imogen had anything to say about it, last – girlfriend.

“A one-time exception to commemorate the start of this great experiment,” Nick said. He turned and bowed to Tara, who laughed lightly. “But this is the first and only time I break the rules – now you’re all on notice.”

Imogen was clearly miffed, but throwing a hissy fit would have been a little too obvious, even for her, so she was left to try to find a sympathetic ear as much of the crowd followed Nick into the living room. Tao quickly dragged Elle off to dance before they got stuck, and Isaac not-so-subtly raised his book up directly in front of his face. Abandoned by his friends, the traitors, Charlie spun around and refilled his cup, sighing with relief when Imogen managed to latch on to a passing girl instead.

Who’s dating Nick Nelson… who’s gonna date him next… who bloody cares, Charlie thought as he ladled more punch into his cup and longingly watched Ben Hope make out with that girl in the corner.

And that’s how it all started.

 

Almost four months later, the Nick Nelson dare is still going strong. Imogen, despite making it her life’s goal, has never managed to be the first to ask him out each Monday, and has grown increasingly desperate. Her only consolation is that no one gets more than one week with Nick Nelson.

That’s it. No exceptions.

Well.

Until Charlie.

Chapter 2: 2

Summary:

An angry Charlie makes us reach for the popcorn...

It's a few months after The Dare was issued at the New Year's Eve party.

Sunlight is just starting to lighten his room as Monday morning rapidly approaches. Charlie lies curled up on his side in the single bed that's a bit too small for his lanky late-teens frame. Sacrifices must be made, though, if he wants to be able to sleep and drum in the same space without the two activities overlapping. He snuggles into his ratty old Kitty, pretending in his semi-asleep state that it's Ben and they're on a date at Nando’s.

It's actually a bit boring, so the awake part of his brain pivots to a favourite fantasy where Ben's teaching him how to prepare for a swim meet. Apparently the smallest swimwear is important, like for friction or something. As is oil. Copious amounts of oil. For gliding purposes... Yes, Ben, yes, Charlie can in fact spread some oil onto your olive-toned back…

Charlie’s just sliding his fingers ever closer to that forbidden hemline stretched taut against Ben’s skin when his brain registers his alarm going off.

He reaches out to silence it, flips dramatically onto his back and lets out his first teenage huff of the day.

“Bad dream?”

“Jesus, Tori!” Charlie yelps, pulling the covers instinctively up over his nipples before remembering it's his crotch area that needs covering more than his chest right now. He strategically lifts one knee to obscure his erection. “I'm not wearing a lot!”

“Please.” His sister Tori says dryly from his doorframe, nursing a tall glass of apple juice with her signature straw. “We bathed together when we were infants, Charles. Grow up. I've come to tell you I need the first shower today.”

“What? Why? And we're not infants anymore, Tori! I have… parts…”

“You've always had a penis. It's not new. And unless I'm mistaken, you are into neither girls nor incest so I'm pretty sure I'm safe around it.”

“Oh my god, Tori. Shut up! Mum and Dad might hear you!”

“I suspect they'd be unsurprised about your stance on incest.”

“Yes,” Charlie replies, lowering his voice, “but not my stance on girls, so shut it.”

Tori steamrolls past his protestations in her usual monotone. “Mum’s busy compulsively cleaning and Dad’s busy compulsively blending into the carpet, but okay. I'm walking to Michael's house and getting the bus to Higgs from there today. That means I need to set off earlier than you, therefore I need the shower first. You can go first on Thursday instead.”

Charlie rolls his eyes and sits upright, letting the sheet fall off his naked torso now that his… situation has flagged.

“Well tough, that's not how the schedule works,” he says. “I shower first on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. You claimed Wednesdays, Thursdays and weekends in the Great Shared Bathroom Negotiation of 2022.”

“Yes, and I'm invoking Paragraph 4 Subsection B and telling you we're swapping.” She takes a sip of her drink as Charlie rubs his eyes and tries to remember the terms of their agreement, which had in fact been canonised on paper that he promptly lost.

“Where was my 48-hour written notice for the change in contract?”

“Charlie, you're being very annoying.”

“I know,” he grins. She grins back, or as close as she comes to a grin. A mildly perceptible curl of her lip, historically only ever brought out by bickering playfully like this with her brothers. Michael must make her smile too, if she's willing to share her alone time on the bus that she claims to treasure every time Charlie suggests she rides to school with him and his friends in Elle’s car. Interesting.

Before Charlie can quiz her on this new friendship in her life, their younger brother Olly comes crashing into his room, barrelling straight past his sister and demanding Charlie play on the Switch with him, their voices obviously having alerted him to the fact that they're awake. “I've been watching YouTube videos to learn new tricks, Charlie. I think I can beat you now!”

“No, you can't.”

“Yes, I can!”

“You really can't, though.”

“I can!” Olly stamps his little foot on the floor and grabs Charlie's wrist, pulling him out of bed. A morning Mario Kart tournament it is, then. Charlie shoots Tori an exaggerated glare as he pulls on a baggy jumper. She smirks against her straw and watches Olly tug Charlie down the stairs and towards the living room before turning and heading to the bathroom.

Stretched out on the floor beside his little brother while he waits for the shower, Charlie is pleased to find he was correct and that despite one near miss that nearly saw King Boo lose his crown, Olly in fact cannot beat him. His mum bustles into the room holding a full laundry basket, her face pulled into its typical frown. “Why is he playing video games before school, Charlie?” she asks in a clipped tone, removing one hand from the basket so she can place it on her hip in a judgy fashion.

“He's your child, you tell me,” Charlie bites back as he rounds a particularly tricky corner, overtaking Wario and sailing into first. He will not get sucked into his mother's standard morning sourness and forfeit his ranking.

“Don’t undermine me in front of him, Charlie. He needs to focus on his breakfast and his learning before school. Not this nonsense.”

“Excuse me, he is learning. He's learning his big brother is the world's greatest Mario Kart player. That's an education in itself.” The fact that his words are timed with his character crossing the finish line in first place is pure poetry, and he rests his controller on the table with a smirk. He hears the water pipe cease its dull groan signalling the shower is now available. “I gotta get ready.”

“But, but, but I was so close to beating you, Charlie!” Olly huffs as their mum indicates he should go to the kitchen for his breakfast.

“Maybe next time, buddy,” Charlie replies, ruffling Olly’s curls before standing and sliding past Jane.

As Charlie heads upstairs he hears his dad softly challenge his mum. “It was just a bit of fun, Jane. It's nice that he spends time with his little brother. That'll have made Oliver's day.” A stony silence follows, broken by a resigned sigh. “Okay, Jane, okay. No more Mario Kart before school.”

Charlie showers, brushes his teeth, and returns to his room where he stands in a big towel and looks at the school uniform he laid out on his snare drum the night before. Uggh. The thought of putting it on and going to spend another day pretending to be straight fills him with exhaustion. He procrastinates getting dressed by checking his phone.

Elle 08.00: You need to be awake now

Elle 08.03: That means both eyes open and focused in the same direction

Elle 08.07: I’m getting in the car to pick Tao up. Don't make us late again Charlie

Tao 08.21: Elle says I have to tell you to get up. It's pointless because you won't be ready in time whether we message you or not. If anything a phone full of messages to read will only delay you further

Isaac 08.30: That was the wrong thing to say and now Tao's on a timeout in the back of the car with me. She made him get out when they picked me up

Tao 08.32: Rude

Isaac 08.41: But seriously. Put your phone down and hurry up. We’re outside

Charlie smirks at his screen, but listens to Isaac as he's learned it’s the key to a successful life. Phone down, he hurries into his uniform, pockets his necessities and tweaks his hair in the mirror. His morning time management skills may be notoriously shit, but even he knows he doesn't have time to wash and dry his hair when he has the second shower. It's a little flat thanks to the shower cap he had to use but it's nothing a touch of powder can't fix. Once his hair is sufficiently zhuzhed, he makes his way back downstairs, grabs his bag and a breakfast bar from the kitchen, rams his feet into his shoes and heads out the door.

“I know, I know! I’m late, I’m sorry!” Charlie says by way of greeting as he slides into the back of Elle’s little powder green car. “Tori and Olly and my mum… Never mind. Let's just go.” He receives a friendly nod from Isaac and eyerolls from both Elle and Tao as he secures his seatbelt and then Elle pulls out from where she's parked and they set off towards Truham.

“Have you done your history assignment?” Tao enquires from his rightful position in the front seat. He must have got back in front when they were waiting outside Charlie's house.

“Oh, shit no! I forgot. When's it due?” Charlie asks, bending forward to tie his laces. Hopefully he has a few days at least. He can do it in a few days.

“History class, obviously.”

“Today?!”

“Yes, Charles. Today.” Tao confirms, exasperatedly.

“Damn it. What time is History?”

“You have History after lunch, Charlie.” Elle answers with a fond shake of her head.

“How do you know that?!” Elle doesn't even go to Truham. Okay, maybe he needs to be a little more controlled about life. At least he has the lunch hour to knock out his 3k assignment on The Atlantic Revolutions.

“How do you not know that? I honestly don’t know how any of you are surviving at Truham without me. Speaking of which…”

Elle tails off as they approach the school building. Or try to at least. The entrance to the Truham car park where she usually drops them off and turns around to head to Higgs is teaming with students. Specifically female students. Seemingly the entire sixth form of Higgs, bar the 13 or 14 that have already played the Date Me game. Oh no, actually Charlie clocks one of them too, a short brunette from Higgs – Cara? Or Carla? Something like that. They're all here to either ask Nick Nelson out themselves or to see who does, even though there's a very active DateMeNickNelzzz instagram account for such purposes.

“I forgot it's Monday. The Date Me crowd hasn't cleared yet.” Elle frowns, craning her neck to look for gaps among the teeming hordes before sighing and driving on past.

“It’s usually thinned out by now,” Isaac muses from behind his book.

“I know. I can’t get in the car park, and there's too much traffic to stop and let you out on the road.” Elle says apologetically. “Sorry but I’m going to have to drop you off at Higgs or I’ll be late for school too. You’ll have to hoof it.”

“Shit!” Tao swears, twisting in his seat to point an accusatory finger at Charlie. “This is your fault!”

“Blame Nick Nelson, not me! I didn't cause that Beatlemania-esque throng of horny girls blocking the road. They're not lining up to date me, Tao!”

“No, and good luck to them if they were. But if you hadn’t been late, Elle would have had time to find somewhere else to drop us off despite that embarrassing mass of desperation. Now we have to walk. We’ll be late, and if Mr Farouk catches us in the corridor on his morning passive aggressive stroll around the building, we’ll end up in detention.”

“He won’t catch us, Tao. It’s fine.”

Except he does.

Catch Charlie, at least.

“You’re late, Mr Spring.” The teacher observes in a level tone as Charlie power-walks down the corridor toward Mr Lange’s room. Of course Tao and Isaac had already split off; they were moved to form rooms over in the literature block after the headmaster’s vertical reorganisation of form shuffled everyone around.

Charlie screeches to a halt, gulping down his anxiety as Mr Farouk pulls his signature power top move (yes, Charlie’s thought about Mr Farouk like that before) of crossing his arms and glaring down at him. “Yes, but Sir, we couldn’t–”

“I don't want to hear it,” Mr Farouk interrupts him sternly, and this would be going in Charlie’s spank bank if he weren’t so frustrated. “Detention. Lunchtime. Science lab.”

“Sir, could I do it tomorrow? I just have–”

“Lunchtime, rude boy,” he says firmly, and Charlie knows it’s game over. “Don’t be late, yeah.” Farouk claps him on the shoulder, bro style, and continues along his path, letting Charlie, now bubbling over with anger, dart over to Mr Lange’s room, slip quietly into a chair at an empty desk at the back of the form room and start thinking of excuses for why his history coursework will be late. Uggh, his mum will be livid when she finds out at parents’ evening.

He’s still stewing a few minutes later when the chair beside his is pulled out with a quiet scrape. It’s another late arrival – Nick Nelson, Charlie is surprised to find when he glances up. Nick was moved into his form during the reorganisation several months ago, but he usually sits with a couple of other rugby players. Charlie wishes his regular seat had still been available since his frustration with Nick Nelson has now graduated to outright infuriation.

“Hi,” Nick whispers, shooting Charlie an annoyingly swoon-worthy lopsided smile. Charlie glares pointedly at him in return, which causes Nick to squint at him curiously.

“What? What's up?” he asks quietly, strangely appearing like he cares to hear the answer.

“What's up?!” Charlie whispers back. “You–”

Charlie stops talking when Nick’s phone vibrates and he has the audacity to check the lock screen right when he was about to lay into him for making him late. Wow. Nick swipes the notification away with a displeased huff and pockets the device, turning back to his quietly seething desk mate.

“Mr Farouk gave me detention thanks to you,” Charlie hisses, when he can see he has Nick's full attention again.

“Me? How's it my fault?! We don't even hang out!” Nick immediately reddens. “Not that… I mean, we could–”

“Save it, you don't want to hang out with a nerd like me.” Charlie spits, “And it is your fault! Your stupid ‘Date Me, Nick Nelson’ thing!”

“What? How–”

“The car park was blocked with silly, fawning girls this morning! Which made me late and Farouk caught me in the corridor.”

Nick sighs. “If it’s any consolation, he caught me too, just now. Lunchtime detention in his lab?”

Charlie groans and drops his forehead onto the desk. “I needed to work on a history assignment at lunch. Now that’s going to be late and my grade will be docked and my mum will kill me–”

“I hardly see how it’s my fault you didn’t do your coursework on time,” Nick replies, turning his attention back to his phone again when it buzzes three times in a row.

“I know you’re not this thick,” Charlie spits out.

“Nick Nelson, Charlie Spring,” calls out Mr Lange, and fuck, can Charlie get double detention? “You were late, you’re on your phones and you’re chatting. Congratulations, you’re now in charge of our weekly current events presentation on Friday.”

Charlie groans again as he buries his face in his hands. Mr Lange does a presentation about something in the news each Friday as a way to nurture their growing minds, “because you can’t just get your news from TikTok, boys.” Occasionally, he assigns it to students, but this is the last thing Charlie needs this week – and he especially doesn’t need to be tied to Nick Nelson of all people.

“I suppose it wouldn’t make a difference if I noted that I wasn’t on my phone, sir?” he asks with an awkward smile.

“It would not,” Mr Lange replies calmly.

Oh, hooray.

Charlie spends the rest of form trying to kill Nick Nelson with his mind. Nick at least has the grace to look sheepish, his cheeks flushed red every time Charlie side-eyes him. As angry as he is, Charlie has to admit it’s nice to see someone else who blushes as much as he does.

When form is over, Charlie turns to Nick as the rest of the students gather their things and head off to their first class.

“So, what do you want to do this presentation on?”

Nick shrugs.

“Great, thanks,” Charlie huffs. “Just to be clear, I’m not going to do all the work and let you take credit.”

Nick sputters. “I didn’t– that’s not what I–”

Charlie just stands and slides his notebook into his backpack. Nick is once again distracted by his buzzing phone. Thankfully for him, Mr Lange has stepped out as well, leaving them alone in the classroom for the moment.

“What on earth is so important?” Charlie asks exasperatedly.

“Everyone’s asking who I’m dating this week,” Nick replies, swiping away the notification and standing as well.

“Well, who is it?” Charlie sighs.

“Actually… no one, yet,” Nick replies. “Because I was late, no one had a chance to ask me out. I haven’t been single at 9:20 a.m. for ages!”

He’s so nonchalant about it, so easygoing. All this bullshit has completely derailed Charlie's day, his week. Charlie is back to “kettle on full boil” levels of angry, and maybe that’s why he does the most rash, least thought-out thing he’s ever done in his whole entire life.

“No, you’re not single,” he says. If his week is going to shit, he's sure as hell dragging the Rugby King down with him.

Nick, who’d been rearranging books in his satchel, looks up in confusion. “Um… what?”

“You’re not single,” Charlie repeats. “Because I’m asking you out. I’m the first one this week, so according to the rules, you have to date me.”

Nick just stares at Charlie, unblinking, and he tries to keep up the confident façade that just had him out himself to Nick Fucking Nelson what the fuck did he just do??? No one but Tori and his closest friends know, and Charlie had intended to keep it that way until uni because he knows what the school experience is like for gay boys and he already has a hard enough time as a scrawny nerd. But he’s just completely fucked all that up.

After a few moments, Nick cracks up laughing. He clearly thinks Charlie is joking. For a second, Charlie thinks about laughing along, playing it off. He could walk away now and it could be a funny story. In a decade or so, at least, when his heart rate eventually normalises and he calms down enough to find the humour in it.

But also… part of him doesn’t want Nick to think he’s joking. Being gay isn’t a joke to Charlie. And for whatever reason, he doesn’t want Nick to think being gay is a joke either. He wants Nick to know he’s serious. He is gay, and it's not funny. It just is.

He steps over into Nick’s personal space, which instantly makes Nick go quiet.

“What are you doing?” Nick asks uncertainly.

Charlie steadies his resolve. In for a penny…

“I’m not joking,” he answers. “Date me, Nick Nelson.”

Chapter 3: 3

Summary:

Will Nick accept Charlie's Date Me dare? (Let's hope so or the following 18 chapters might be a bit dry)

It's Monday morning, right after Charlie dares Nick to date him for the week.

Shock. Horror. Dissociation. Three things that flood Charlie's body in that precise order as he stands statue-still in Nick's personal space after having just asked him out. He floats out of his body and watches himself watch Nick process the demand: “Date me, Nick Nelson.”

Nick takes a long time to reply. Like, a really long time. Too long. He just stands and stares at the boy in front of him, brows drawn in confusion. God, he hopes it's confusion. By the time Nick opens his mouth to speak Charlie has regained physical autonomy and spins on his heels, bolting for the hallway.

What was he thinking? His face burns red as he hurries down the hallway towards his first class of the day. The answer is that he wasn't thinking. Not with his rational, self-preservation brain anyway, but with his rage-drunk lunatic brain instead. Idiot, idiot, idiot.

It might be okay, he lies to himself as he powers away from the scene of the crime. Nick might pretend it never happened, and then Charlie can pretend it never happened too, and they can just–

“Charlie! Charlie, wait!”

That's Nick's voice. Nick is shouting to him from way down the corridor. No! That's not how this works, Nelson. Doesn't he know that messing with a fully formed denial process is just rude? Charlie speeds up, not looking back. He unfortunately doesn't look forwards either, and flees directly into Harry Greene. Oh god, this day just goes from worse to worse. He should have just skived today and wanked himself into oblivion over dreamy, oily Ben. This is horrible.

“Watch out, mate!”

“Sorry.” Charlie mutters, avoiding eye contact and trying to dodge around him. A pale hand grasps his shoulder with more force than is strictly necessary and he's yanked into Harry's side. Outwardly it probably looks friendly, like they're pals, or bros or maybe even dudes, but in reality he's been captured by a hostile, twattish bellend. Before Harry can make some uncomfortable, mildly threatening ‘joke,’ Nick catches up to them and doubles over with his hands on his knees.

“You're fast, Charlie,” he pants. “I didn't think I'd catch up to you.”

“Yeah he is, he nearly ran me over,” Harry says in a light, showy tone that's clearly put on for Nick's benefit. “So, who’s babysitting you this week then?”

“Wot?” Nick flounders, standing and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. It'd be endearing if Charlie weren't dangling off a cliff about to be outed to the most obnoxious member of the school body.

“The girl, mate! Who got you?” Harry plows on.

“Erm…” Nick’s eyes dart to Charlie's and then to the floor.

“Nah, wait! Don't tell me Immy finally got you? It's tragic how bad she wants it. Right, Charlie?” As he says it he laughs and punches Charlie ‘casually’ on the shoulder in a way that packs more weight than it seems and doesn't feel casual at all. He finally releases Charlie from his hold and focuses his attention on Nick.

Charlie nods weakly, scrunching his eyes closed and bracing for the moment he's outed in the corridor and everyone looks at him and Harry calls him a–

“Why are you talking to them, Charlie?” Tao interrupts his spiral in a sharp tone. “They're idiots.”

Charlie opens his eyes to see Tao hovering protectively beside him, openly glaring at a clearly pissed off Harry and a slightly hurt looking Nick.

“Erm–” Charlie stutters as Tao clutches his arm and pulls him away from the rugby boys. “I'm not.” He looks back over his shoulder as Tao marches him away to see Nick watching him as they go.

He can't concentrate in double-geography before lunch, oscillating between nerves and resentment towards comphet society for the fact that he feels nerves. He hasn't done anything wrong. He's a boy who asked out another boy. That's absolutely fine and he shouldn't have to worry about that. But he is worrying about it. And worrying about being an introverted nerd who asked out an extroverted ‘Rugby King’. That was stupid. Like, really stupid. He’ll have to kiss his relative anonymity goodbye now. Or he could kiss Nick Nelson instead, his brain unhelpfully adds and fuck, now he's nervous, resentful and his hair-trigger teenage dick is semi-erect. Brilliant.

After an extremely unproductive lesson about mountain formations or maybe valleys or something to do with rocks, Isaac – who blessedly remained quiet in the chair beside him the whole class – squeezes his hand reassuringly, like he can tell there's something on his mind but knows now isn't the time to delve into it. Charlie rests his heavy head on Isaac's shoulder and allows himself a brief moment of respite before he has to face the music and head to detention.

Charlie is so lost in thought as he walks toward Mr Farouk’s lab that he barrels straight into Nick as they both try to walk through the door at the same time. They glance at each other and Nick awkwardly laughs. Charlie’s stomach drops through his shoes as he looks away and darts in. Guess there’s no more dodging the boy he asked – nay, demanded – be his boyfriend this morning.

“Ah, boys,” the imposing chemistry teacher says from behind his desk. “So you can, in fact, be punctual.”

Charlie just looks down at his shoes. He hopes Nick doesn’t bring up The Thing in front of Mr Farouk. Maybe he’s forgotten? Yeah! Yeah, Nick Nelson just totally forgot about the guy who asked him out this morning. Probably the first guy ever. Cause that’s a forgettable experience.

“Welcome to lunchtime detention,” the teacher continues, either unaware of the massive tension in the room or apathetic to it. “I left a list of tasks on the board. I’ll be in the staff room if you need me.”

As Mr Farouk pulls an insulated lunch box out of his desk, Charlie is pretty sure he sees Mr Ajayi, the friendly art teacher, glance through the door as he passes by in the corridor.

And then Charlie is alone with Nick. Cool. Cool cool cool cool cool.

They look at each other for a moment before walking silently over to the board to see what kind of manual labour Mr Farouk has left for them.

Rearrange flask cupboard
Clean centrifuge
Organise left shelves in storage room

Charlie groans. He’d been hoping there wouldn’t actually be that much to do and he could power his way through his history coursework. But a glance in the storage room tells him the chemicals arranged on the left shelves are in complete disarray.

“I’ll do it,” Nick says.

“Do what?” Charlie asks. “What part?”

“I’ll do all of this,” Nick replies, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. “So you can do your homework or whatever. I… feel kind of bad that I got a friend into this mess. Even if it wasn’t really, exactly, my fault.”

“That’s…” Charlie’s not sure what to say. He was mortified earlier at how hot-tempered he’d been – seriously, he never flies off the handle like that normally. “Thanks. Thank you. That’s very nice.”

“I’ve been known to be nice,” Nick says cheekily. It almost sounds casual, like a joke between friends.

Charlie’s dying to ask if Nick is just going to ignore what happened. But Nick doesn’t seem interested in talking. He sets his bag down and promptly walks over to the centrifuge, reviewing the cleaning instructions on the poster hanging above it and getting to work.

Charlie watches for a few moments before he realises his precious minutes are ticking away. He pulls out his laptop and settles onto a bench to whack out his paper on the Atlantic Revolutions. He'd done all the research and reading, he'd thought through what to write, but he has to actually sit down and put it to paper, something his executive dysfunction has predictably stopped him from doing until the last possible opportunity.

He gets through a section on the Peterloo Massacre and is knee-deep in the Cato Street Conspiracy when the clinking noises being emitted from Nick's general direction prove too distracting. Charlie swivels around and sees Nick literally scratching his head as he peers into the flask cupboard.

Charlie glances at the clock – he can help Nick a little and still finish his work. He slides off the stool and pads over.

“What are you doing?” Nick asks.

Charlie shrugs. “Needed a quick break.”

Nick just stares at him for a moment before handing over a box of mixed up pipettes and test tubes. Charlie starts separating them while Nick rearranges the beakers shoved haphazardly onto the shelves.

“So… what are you writing about?” Nick asks.

“The Atlantic Revolutions,” Charlie replies.

“Cool,” Nick says awkwardly. After a few seconds, he speaks up again. “Do you like any sport?”

Charlie sighs very lightly. “Not really.”

Just because he’s taking a little pity on Nick for doing something nice for him, doesn’t mean they’re besties now.

There’s a loud clunk as Nick sets a big beaker down and turns to face Charlie.

“You’re going to have to be a little more forthcoming if we’re going to date this week,” Nick says.

Charlie freezes, not daring to look up. Guess they’re talking about it after all. And strangely… Nick’s not laughing it off?

“Are we… dating this week?”

Nick shrugs. “I mean, you were the first person to ask me. You were there at the start of the bet – the wording was the first person to ask me out, not the first girl. I figure, rules are rules.”

Charlie sighs in relief, not realising how much tension he’d been carrying in his shoulders. Nick could easily have reacted poorly – even straight people who are allies sometimes don’t like it when they think a gay guy is hitting on them. Or he could have told everyone that Charlie had asked him out. Oh fuck. What if he has told someone?

“Um, do you think… could we keep it a secret? At school?” Charlie asks.

“Sure,” Nick nods. He stands there awkwardly, running one hand over the cool, smooth glass of a boiling flask. “So are you… gay, or bi or something?”

Charlie quivers. He figured this question was coming, but that doesn’t mean it doesn't terrify him. He’s only ever told Tao, Elle and Isaac before, and he’d sworn them to so much secrecy that it might actually be easier to get the nuclear codes. And Tori only knows because she walked in on (read: snuck up on) him once looking longingly at an Instagram picture Ben had posted from the beach, his tanned skin and dusky nipples making Charlie’s mouth water. Yes, Charlie had screenshot that, but nevermind now.

“Yeah,” he ekes out. “G–gay. Please don’t tell anyone.”

Nick looks him straight in the eyes. “I would never out someone,” he says, and Charlie, for whatever reason, believes him. “I just won’t say who I’m dating this week. And if anyone sees us together… well, we have Mr Lange’s current events assignment to prepare for. Which has the benefit of being the truth. Um. Sorry again. I really screwed up your life today, huh?”

Despite having taken the terrifying step of coming out to someone he doesn’t know very well, Charlie actually feels lighter.

“It’s okay,” he says, finishing up the box he was working on and handing it to Nick. “My life was kind of a huge mess already, so you couldn’t do that much damage.”

“You? A mess?” Nick looks incredulous as he stows the box in the cupboard. “You’re like, the smartest, most organised person I know.”

Charlie raises an eyebrow. “Try dating me for a week and then say that.”

Nick grins. “I like a challenge.”

Charlie’s not sure how to take that, so he offers to help Nick finish up, but Nick tells him to get back to his own work.

“It’s just the cone-shaped flasks left now,” he says. “Who was this Earl N. Meyer guy anyway?”

Charlie can’t help but grin at Nick’s misunderstanding. It’s kind of cute.

“Erlenmeyer,” he says lightly. “One word. I think he was German.”

Nick shoots him one of those lopsided grins that gets all the Higgs girls cooing, and okay, Charlie can see it.

“Get back to work, brainiac,” Nick says, closing the cupboard and grabbing a clipboard that lists how the storage room should be organised.

Charlie resumes typing up his paper, but the section on the Six Acts takes him a little longer than expected because by the time he gets to that part, Nick is fixing up the lower shelves, which means he’s on his knees, which means he’s bending down and his surprisingly callipygian rear end is sticking out in the open doorway.

Charlie finally has to angle himself away from the door after accidentally typing “Six Ass” a couple of times. Hey, he’s only human.

Nick has just finished organising the storage room as Charlie is slipping his laptop back into his bag when Mr Farouk walks through the door. He inspects their work – well, Nick’s work – and lifts a begrudging eyebrow before nodding and dismissing them.

It’s actually a minute or two before the bell rings, so the corridor is empty.

Charlie stands awkwardly, not sure what to say to his… wow, to his boyfriend. That’s a new one. He rather likes the tingly feeling he gets when he thinks about the b-word. He can’t imagine what it will feel like when he actually has a real one someday.

“Um… thanks for doing literally everything in there,” he says. “Especially the storage room. I know some of the stuff in that cupboard is pretty heavy.”

“It was no problem,” Nick says. “After all, I have these… strong rugby arms.” He leans over and sticks his bicep, flexing tight inside the white fabric of his rolled sleeve, right in front of Charlie’s face.

Charlie steps back and looks away, blushing intensely. He’d always been into Ben’s lithe swimmer's frame, but he had to admit there is something alluring about Nick’s big rugby muscles, too.

“Oh, I… I hadn’t noticed,” Charlie stammers. Smooth.

“It’s okay,” Nick says, his tone all flirty and light, and Charlie’s not sure how to feel about Nick Nelson purposely flirting with him. “You’re allowed to look. We’re dating.”

God, that really is true, isn’t it? Charlie Spring really is dating Nick Nelson. Fucking wild. Never in a million years would he have had this on his bingo card. Even if it is only going to last for a week. And be a complete secret. And even if Nick doesn’t really mean it when he flirts with Charlie.

The bell rings, and Charlie jumps back as students start appearing around the corner from the lunch hall.

“I’ll message you later then,” Nick says.

Charlie shoots him an anxious look.

“About the current events presentation we have to do,” Nick adds a little louder, and Charlie sighs in relief and nods. It doesn’t seem like anyone was really paying attention anyway, but it makes him feel a little bit more like he can trust Nick not to out him.

The rest of the school day passes in a blur, and before he knows it Tao's steering him to Elle’s car and he's being dropped off at his house.

Isaac runs after him, catching him as his hand touches his door handle. “You can talk to me, you know. If you need to.”

“I know, Isaac. Thank you.” Charlie feels warm with gratitude for his friend.

“You're welcome. Now give me a pen.” Isaac demands.

“Why?”

“Because I need to come back with the pen you ‘forgot to return’ or they'll ask what I ran after you for. It's called a cover, Charlie.” Isaac explains with an eye roll like it was super obvious.

Ahh. Yes. He might need to remember that, seeing as how he's going to spend the entire week covering up the fact he has a secret boyfriend, even maybe from his friends. He fishes a pen out of his pocket and hands it to Isaac, who offers him a sly grin, takes it with his book-free hand and runs back to the car.

Once in the house Charlie dumps his bag by the bottom of the stairs and heads straight to his room. He flops onto his bed, takes his phone out of his pocket and checks Instagram, looking at Nick's account… huh. He really does have a lot of selfies of him washing his little blue car. A lot of… shirtless selfies. Charlie definitely doesn’t stare at those for too long before switching over to the Date Me account, where seemingly half of Higgs and Truham are gossiping about who Nick's dating this week. What would people think if they knew it was a boy? What would they say? What would they do?

Thankfully, Nick has remained tight-lipped, saying only in response to a comment that someone has asked him out but that they're keeping it private. A lot of people gave that comment a heart, but there's a few replies from Harry and Imogen and some others demanding more information. Charlie exits the app abruptly, uncomfortable with the questioning. He trusts Nick won't answer them.

Now what does he do? Nick said he'd message him tonight. He probably didn't mean it. Still, Charlie stares blankly at his lock screen for twelve whole minutes, just in case he did. Uggh, is this what he'll do when he gets a real boyfriend? Stare at his phone like a simp until he manifests a message? Surely not.

Maybe.

Probably.

He slams his phone down on the bed and takes himself to his electronic drum kit instead, plugging his headphones in and beating out the tension thrumming through his veins. After a while of this Tori throws a slipper at him to get his attention, informing him it's time for family dinner.

“Must we?” He whines at his sister, pulling his best 'don't make me do it’ face.

“We must,” she replies cooly, turning and walking down to the dining room where their mother no doubt will have laid out some fancy tablecloth that everyone will be so terrified of spilling something on under Jane's intense watch that they'll barely eat. Spring family meals are delightful like that.

He follows with a sigh, and finds he was correct, as usual. The table is dressed in a white, silk tablecloth embroidered with delicate little yellow and black bees, in the centre of which sits a large dish of mixed paella made by their father with ‘help’ from Olly.

He takes a seat at the table and receives his first ‘look’ of the evening as his chair scrapes loudly on the floor. His dad fills a bowl for him and Tori and sets them carefully on the placemats in front of them. Jane and Julio discuss their workdays while everyone eats, and then they turn to the children to hear about school.

“How's your day been then, Charlie?” His dad asks warmly.

“Fine.” Charlie answers, dipping his spoon into his bowl and wishing he could climb in with it so no one could ask him any further questions. Today's events are not fit to discuss at the table.

“Fine?” His dad pushes. “Just fine?”

“Yes. Just fine.”

“Hmm. Someone's keeping quiet… Have something you want to keep to yourself, do you? A girl, perhaps?” Julio teases, wagging his brows.

Charlie catches Tori's eye. She grimaces. “No, I just… had an essay that needed refining before handing in this afternoon.”

“Ahh. That's why you were being evasive. You should prioritise your work Charlie, not play silly video games so much.” Jane chimes in. She's obviously had that comment locked and loaded since this morning.

“Video games aren't silly!” Olly pouts.

“No, Mum's right. I should definitely concentrate on homework. I'll go do that right now actually.” Charlie mutters, excusing himself from the table and returning swiftly to his room. He shuts the door behind him and exhales against it.

He doesn't know how his parents will react when he eventually comes out to them. His mum is so meticulous about things looking right, being right, and his dad is… well. He doesn't really know. His dad is jovial enough but he's not someone who Charlie really knows all that well. He keeps everything so light and surface level. Who can tell?

He hears a vibration from his bed and looks up to see his phone light up. Nick? Probably not. It'll be Elle nagging him to set his alarm. He flops onto the bed and checks the screen, his eyes widening when he sees it is in fact a message from Nick Nelson himself.

Nick 19.00: Hi boyfriend!

Nick 19.00: I meant to message earlier but I got lost in baking.

Baking? Nick? Surely not. Charlie assumed Nick spends his evenings playing or watching sport of some kind. Not baking. His astonishment at Nick baking overpowers his anxiety about replying and he quickly fires off a message in return.

Charlie 19.01: you bake?

Nick 19.01: Yes I bake.

Charlie 19:01: nicholas nelson, self declared rugby king BAKES?!

Nick 19.02: I'm quite good at it actually, thank you very much. And I didn't assign myself that title.

Charlie 19.02: i cannot picture you in an apron.

Nick 19.02: No?

Charlie 19.03: no, i really, truly can't.

Charlie 19.03: i can't picture you out of your uniform at all, actually.

Nick sends a selfie looking shocked and scandalised, and Charlie drops his phone at the sight. A selfie of Nick? Just for him? This is wild. He isn't flirting, he just can't visualise Nick doing non-school things… He looks again at the message he sent explaining as much and just about dies when he realises his phrasing is very open to interpretation.

Nick 19.05: Are you flirting with me, Spring?

Charlie 19.06: oh my god, NO 💀

Nick 19.06: Don't worry, I know what you meant. And I've never had one before, but I'm pretty sure boyfriends are supposed to flirt with each other…

Charlie 19.06: *hyperventilates

Nick 19.07: *smirks

Nick 19.07: You have seen me out of uniform though, you know, you've seen me in my rugby kit.

Charlie 19.07: actually, I haven't.

Though he's thought about it. Maybe. Okay yes, he's thought about Nick in tight little rugby shorts once or twice. It's never been enough to lure him to an actual rugby match though. He's probably one of the few people in school who hasn't ever attended a match, maybe even the only one after Tao became friends with Otis during the school play and begrudgingly went along to watch him when invited to.

Nick 19.08: What? How?

Charlie 19.08: not everyone's obsessed with school rugby, nicholas.

Nick 19.08: Wow, calling me out and full naming me simultaneously.

Nick 19.09: That's kinda hot.

Nick 19.09: Are you blushing, right now?

Charlie 19.09 no. why would i be blushing? it's not like you just called me hot or anything. no. shut up.

Nick 19.09: Wow. You're fun to flirt with. We should do it more often.

They really are flirting, aren't they? Accidentally on his end, but clearly intentionally on Nick's. Charlie knows Nick is only flirting with him because it’s part of the bet, it’s what’s expected of him, so he shouldn’t take it personally. But still… he could flirt back. It's allowed. Encouraged, even. And when will he get the chance to openly flirt with a boy again? Never. Not until uni anyway, when he plans to come out in a new city, far away from his parents and the idiots at Truham. Practice for when that finally happens would be good…

Charlie 19.11: okay fine, i can flirt with you, nelson. just don't fall in love with me okay.

Nick 19.11: You think you're that good at flirting do you?

Charlie 19.11: i’m usually pretty good at things when i try. guess we'll find out over the week won't we?

Nick 19.11: Can't wait 😉

Nick 19.12: Speaking of the week, should we establish a plan?

Charlie 19.12: okay…

Nick 19.12: So I can drive you to and from school?

Charlie 19.13: really? i usually get a lift from my friends but that sounds good. if you're sure you don't mind driving me? someone might see, though…

Nick 19.13: We need to spend time on the project for Lange, right? If anyone asks we can use that as an excuse.

Charlie 19.14: yeah. yes.

Nick 19.14: Cool.

Charlie 19.16: and what will be our excuse for all the flirting?

Nick 19.16: Mercury in retrograde?

Charlie 19.17: sounds like solid reasoning. i’m sure harry will totally understand.

As they chat Charlie finds himself opening up to Nick, sharing about being closeted and his parent’s attitudes. It's nice to open up to someone new. Weird, but nice. Nick's a good listener, and he's just as forthcoming as Charlie, talking about his uni plans and hopes for life after Truham. His wish list is mostly dog related but Charlie can tell he's being earnest. Maybe they'll actually be friends after the week is up? Or maybe this is just part of the Date Me experience, and on Monday they'll go back to being casual acquaintances. Who knows? Charlie decides that he isn't going to overthink it. He's just going to enjoy having his first boyfriend.

Nick 20.27: You're more talkative via message than in person. It's nice.

Charlie 20.28: i am? i guess it's easier to talk in a safe space.

Nick 20.28: A safe space?

Charlie 20.29: school isn't exactly somewhere i can let my guard down, you know?

Nick 20.29: That sucks. Did that contribute to your raging overreaction to my tiny impact on your morning, do you think? Being in school?

Charlie 20.29: HEY! that was a perfectly appropriate reaction thank you.

Nick 20.30: Sure it was…

They continue to message until well past midnight, flirting and teasing and really talking, breaking only for Charlie to change into his pyjamas and brush his teeth. They eventually say goodnight, and Charlie drifts to sleep looking forward to the next day, a little giddy to spend time with his boyfriend.

Notes:

Thank you again to our brilliant beta team androidsdreaming, erinthelibrarian and thisismeht 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Chapter 4: 4

Summary:

Charlie and Nick get to know one another better. Imogen is nosy. Harry is a dick. Tao is overprotective.

It's Tuesday morning, one day after Charlie dared Nick to date him for the week.

Charlie wakes up the way he fell asleep – smiling with his phone on his chest. Because he has a boyfriend. A boyfriend who it turns out might be quite lovely, or at least certainly deeper than he seems at school. He really enjoyed talking with him last night. Nick's surprisingly down to Earth and easy to get along with. He made some pretty bold claims about being a Mario Kart king which they'll have to see about, but it was great. Fun. Easy. He wonders if it will be the same in person when Nick picks him up later.

He's glad he set an extra alarm last night, because Nick's car loitering outside his house might draw attention and questions they don't want to answer. It was nothing to do with correctly anticipating he might benefit from a little extra time in the shower for strictly PG reasons. And definitely not so he has more time to sort his hair and do his skincare properly... Absolutely not. As he corrects a poorly behaved curl in the mirror, his phone lights up and catches his eye.

Elle 07.30: First wake up message of the day. Wake up please. More to follow

Charlie 07.34: i'm up!

Elle 07.35: Pardon?

Charlie 07.35: i'm awake!

Elle 07.36: This feels like a bad omen

Charlie 07.36: but this is what you ask for every morning

Elle 07.37: I also ask my highly allergic dad for a cat every few weeks. Doesn't mean I think I'll get it

Charlie rolls his eyes, affectionately. Seriously? He can't win whether he's late or early.

Charlie 07.37: do you want me to go back to sleep?

Elle 07.38: No! I'm just struggling to process the fact that we might actually get to school on time today. I don't think that's happened ever

Oops. He may have made an oversight in the excitement of having his first (sort-of) boyfriend. He didn’t tell Elle that he won’t need lifts this week. That would have been difficult to explain if they both arrived to pick him up at the same time.

It's not that he needs to hide Nick from his friends to protect his big, gay secret. They already know. They don't know he's dating Nick though, and if he's asked Nick to keep it quiet he figures he should do the same. It's only fair… Plus Tao would probably try and talk him out of it, lecturing him about the perils of falling for straight boys and fraternising with the popular. He just wouldn't get it.

Charlie 07.39: oh yeah, about that. i don't need a lift to school today

Tao 07.40: Why not?

Charlie 07.40: oh, hello

Tao 07.40: Why not, Charles?

Charlie 07.41: i'm getting a lift from someone else

Tao 07.42: Who?

Charlie 07.42: my project partner for mr lange's stupid presentation. it's on friday so we have to spend all the time we can on it. i'll drive with you next week though!

Tao 07.43: And your project partner is?

Charlie 07.43: oh look at the time, gotta get ready. see you at school x

He regrets the x as soon as he hits send. If ever there's a tell that he means more than he's saying it's an x. Tao might not pick up on it. He's a good friend but he's not exactly the authority on working out what is and isn't the full truth. Isaac on the other hand…

Isaac 07.45: I saw that x in the group chat

Isaac 07.45: Talk with me when you're ready okay 💜

Bloody Isaac. Nose never out of a book and yet he doesn’t miss a beat. Charlie leaves him on read and resumes primping his hair for a few minutes before heading downstairs to make some simple toast with butter on it. As he munches down the breakfast, leaning carefully over a plate to avoid getting crumbs all over his uniform, Charlie scrolls back through his text chain with Nick from last night.

“What’s got that smile plastered all over your face?” asks his dad.

Charlie’s eyes dart up. He didn’t realise he was smiling. Shit, and it was probably a pretty dopey one, too. Look, having someone be interested in his life, even if it is just temporary, even if Nick is only doing it because of the stupid bet… well, it feels nice.

“Oh, just a meme Tao sent the group,” Charlie replies, schooling his face.

Julio rolls his eyes. “Not skater boy toilet again?”

Now it’s Charlie’s turn to roll his eyes. “Skibidi toilet, and no, and also please never make that reference again.”

Jane emerges from upstairs with Oliver, dressed in his school uniform, in tow. “Charlie,” she says. “Glad to see you preparing for your day.”

He plasters on a fake smile and turns back to his toast. Does Nick like toast, he wonders. Is it normal to think about someone’s breakfast preferences?

Just then, his phone buzzes.

Nick 08.20: Hey, I’m outside!

Charlie gets a jolt of adrenaline. He doesn’t mind making his friends wait in the driveway while he faffs about, but Nick is different. Charlie dumps his plate in the sink and darts upstairs to his room. He’s throwing his books into his backpack when Tori glides through the door in that disconcerting sideways manner of hers.

“That’s not Elle’s car out front,” she states plainly.

If Tori and Isaac ever combined their powers of observation, they’d be lethal, Charlie thinks.

“It’s Nick Nelson,” he replies, stating out loud for the first time the cover story he’d been practising. “Mr Lange assigned us a current events presentation for Friday so we have to work on it.”

Tori doesn’t react at all. So fucking disconcerting. Charlie knows that providing too many details would be a sign that he’s lying, so he leaves it there. Even though he hasn’t actually lied.

“Anyway, bye,” he says, shuffling past Tori. He can feel the doubt radiating off her, so he scurries down the stairs, tosses a farewell to his parents and Oliver, and zips out the front door.

Nick’s looking down at his phone – probably going through all the messages he gets from his friends based on the smile tugging at his lips. When Charlie opens the passenger door, Nick puts his phone away and turns that sunlight smile onto Charlie, who definitely doesn’t sear it into his memory to store away for the many years before an actual boyfriend will do that to him for real.

“Good morning, boyfriend,” Nick says by way of greeting. Charlie will grant him this, Nick is definitely throwing himself into the role.

“Morning… boyfriend,” Charlie replies. His arm hair stands on end at how exhilarating it is to say.

Clearly Nick notices he’s slightly out of breath.

“Did you rush out here?” he asks. “I don’t mind waiting.”

Charlie shakes his head. “I didn’t want to be rude.”

“Charlie, it’s fine. I was early.”

Once Charlie secures his seatbelt, Nick indicates and pulls out into the road.

“So… uh, who was that scary-looking girl shooting me evils out the window?”

Charlie sighs and sinks into his seat.

“My sister Tori. She’s in your year at Higgs.”

“Oh,” Nick says. Then a beat later: “Oh. Uh… does she know about us? Dating, I mean? Is she mad because she wanted to date me?”

Charlie snorts with laughter.

“What?” Nick asks, his face a mix of levity and confusion.

“No, she definitely doesn’t want to date you,” Charlie replies. “I don’t think she wants to date anyone, to be honest. Well…” He thinks about mentioning the whole Michael thing, but he doesn’t really know what’s going on there and also it feels like sharing something that’s not Nick’s business. “Yeah, no,” he adds to close off his statement.

“That’s kind of admirable,” Nick replies. “I feel like there’s so much pressure to be dating… but it seems like a lot of people at school are just dating people to date someone, not because they genuinely like them.”

Charlie side-eyes Nick. “Pot, kettle,” he says simply.

“Oy!” Nick yelps, but his tone is light. “Okay, Tori, she’s my year, so what, about a year older than you? Who else is in your family?”

“My brother Oliver – Olly,” Charlie replies. “He’s only seven, so not at Truham yet. He’s finally moved out of his tractors phase and now is obsessed with Mario Kart.”

“Ooh, maybe someday we can all play together,” Nick says casually, like he’s not suggesting hanging out with Charlie’s family. It’s probably not a real offer, but still, it feels nice.

“Um, and then there’s my mum and dad. Mum’s a systems administrator, whatever that is, and dad’s an accountant.”

“Cool,” Nick says as he turns them off the main road toward school. “I have a brother, too, David. But he’s a few years older – at uni already. And my mum is a surgeon.”

“What about your dad?”

The way Nick’s face freezes when Charlie asks that immediately makes him regret it. Maybe Nick’s dad is dead or something. He shouldn’t have pried.

“My parents are divorced. I don’t see my dad much,” Nick replies, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. Charlie certainly isn’t going to ask any follow-up questions.

There’s a few moments of silence, and Charlie realises there’s very light music playing, the volume turned way down. He reaches forward and makes it louder before immediately recognising the song – Caroline.

“Oh my god, Sub-Radio?” he yelps. “I didn’t think anyone else listened to them!”

Sub-Radio is a small indie group from America. Their frontman is bisexual so some of their songs are explicitly queer, and Charlie had become a major fan, but he never expected anyone else at Truham to have even heard of them, let alone be playing their music.

“Did you know they’re doing a UK tour right now?” Nick asks.

“Yes!” Charlie shouts. “I’ve got a ticket to the gig in Canterbury on Friday night!”

“Wait, me too!” Nick yelps. “What a crazy coincidence. Do you want to go together? None of my friends like them.”

“Mine either – yes!” Charlie replies before realising Nick just made social plans with him for Friday evening – after their official time as boyfriends will be over. He tries not to read anything into that.

“Good,” Nick grins as they pull into the Truham student car park. “It’s so much better to go to stuff like that with someone. Especially someone who… gets it.”

Charlie nods, his mind going into cryptography mode in an effort to see if Nick is telegraphing anything. But then they’re parked and the car is off and Nick is getting out, so he stows it away. He’s sure Nick didn’t mean it in any romantic way, anyway. He’s just happy to have found a fellow Sub-Radio fan.

They’ve made it all of four steps toward the building when Imogen seemingly pops out of thin air.

“Who are you dating this week?” she asks Nick, ignoring Charlie beside him completely.

Nick actually jumps back slightly, startled by her sudden appearance and very aggressive question.

“Uh… good morning, Imogen,” he says. “I’ve been asked to keep that private this week.”

“But who is it?” Imogen demands, steamrolling right past Nick’s statement. “Because I waited for you to show up yesterday morning and you didn’t. Got bloody detention waiting for you. And then Sally and Lindsey said they asked you after school and you said you were already taken. So who found you first?”

Charlie feels a small pit forming in his stomach. Imogen could realise Charlie arrived with Nick and put two and two together.

Nick simply stares Imogen down. “Like I said… it’s private.”

Imogen squints at Nick, then swivels her head toward Charlie. Oh, god.

“Do you know?”

“Do I know…” Charlie trails off, taken aback.

“Do you know who he’s dating this week?”

Charlie starts blushing. He’s so rubbish at lying, and he knew he could answer questions about why he’s hanging around Nick, but he hadn’t prepared for someone asking that outright.

“I… I’m not–”

“It’s private, Imogen,” Nick says, annoyance clear in his tone. He steps around her and tilts his head toward the school while looking at Charlie. “Come on, we should get to form.”

Charlie follows after Nick, glancing back to see a huffy Imogen stomping off in the direction of Higgs. Nick doesn’t speak as they walk up to and enter Truham. Charlie halts when Nick stops at his locker, swapping out some notebooks for his jacket. His face is neutral, and it’s early enough that there aren’t a lot of other people walking around yet, so Charlie can’t help but ask.

“Are you okay?”

Nick braces one hand against the locker beside him, lowering his head a bit and sighing.

“Yes? No? I don’t know,” he replies. He sounds frustrated. “Ever since this whole dare thing, sometimes I just feel like… like an object. Like a trophy, something to be owned and shown off. All anyone cares about is who I’m dating at the moment. No one ever…” he sighs again and closes his locker gently. “Anyway. Where’s your locker?”

Charlie scrunches up his face at the redirect, but nods in the direction of his locker and the two of them set out. It’s only around the corner, so it doesn’t take long to reach. Charlie’s curious why Nick’s bothering to, like, escort him to his locker. Must be part of the whole ‘Nelson boyfriend experience’. Although since the girls’ lockers are over at Higgs, maybe this is a special perk.

“I’m sorry,” Charlie says as he folds his coat away.

“Sorry? For what?” Nick asks.

“Well… you said you feel, like, used because of this dare,” Charlie says, looking around to make sure no one was nearby. “I only asked you out because I was angry. That’s a form of using you, too.”

He risks looking at Nick and sees the older boy studying him. Nick stares for a few more moments before speaking.

“No, you’re different. Actually, I kind of thought what you did was cool.”

“Cool?” Charlie can hardly believe his ears.

“Badass,” Nick says. “Now that I know stuff, it just… it seems so brave. You went for it, no matter what. I like that.”

“Brave… reckless… what’s the difference,” Charlie says, blushing hard as he closes his locker. They turn toward Mr Lange’s room and begin walking. More boys are arriving now.

“Besides, it’s been really nice getting to know you more, Charlie,” Nick says. “I sort of… wish I’d met you when I was younger.”

“It’s been nice getting to know you, too,” Charlie says. He doesn’t even realise until they’re sliding into their seats that Nick is once again beside him instead of sitting over with his rugby mates.

“So, have you thought about what current event we should do?” Nick asks.

Ah, right. Of course. The play-acting was so good Charlie had almost forgotten about reality. Well then.

“Umm… this might be kind of a risky idea, but um. I thought maybe a presentation about the anti-trans laws those fuckers in Parliament are pushing. And we could explain the arguments against them.”

He looks over and Nick nods at him, earnestly. “I like it. It’s such an important topic, too.”

And with that statement, the last gate around Charlie’s heart is unlocked. Fuck, he actually likes Nick Nelson. Nick grins at him before looking up some articles and starting to take notes with his… fountain pen? Will the surprises about Nick Nelson ever cease?

It’s so nice being with Nick, even if it’s not real. Charlie thought he wouldn’t have this until uni. Maybe even later in his life. He didn’t think he could have something nice now. His friendship group is nice too, of course. Funny, supportive, silly. But it's not the same. He made friends with Isaac and Tao when he was eleven years old. They've grown into who they are together. This is different. This is forming a bond with someone as the person he is now. It's new and exciting. He determines to enjoy this new relationship for the… 80 hours or so he has left.

But Charlie also makes himself a promise. He knows this thing with Nick Nelson will never actually go further than friendship. So he vows that he won’t let himself develop romantic feelings for Nick. He’s already gone from indifferent to fond, and that’s more than far enough. He doesn’t need to venture into crushing territory. And certainly not what lies beyond. Nick will be his fake boyfriend and real friend, and that’s the end of that.

They fall into a comfortable silence as Mr Lange calls the register, at the end of which the bell rings, signalling it's time to move to class.

“Sit with me at lunch?” Nick asks, as he stands and bends over to collect his bag from the floor. Charlie absolutely doesn't check out his arse while he does so. Nope. He would never immediately break a self-vow like that. He has integrity, thank you.

Instead he nods and leaves for maths, looking over his shoulder in the doorway to see Nick watching him go.

Maths is maths and chemistry is chemistry and then Charlie finds himself walking to the school canteen, following the instructions of a ridiculous text from Nick telling him to come to the back of the hall, as if anyone doesn't know which table is his. As he approaches, his feet slow, like he's wading through tar. This is unfamiliar, unsafe territory. Is sitting together really a good idea? Can they pull this off without outing themselves as boyfriends, and outing himself in the process?

Just as he's about to turn on his heels he hears Nick call his name enthusiastically, “Charlie! Charlie, over here!”

Fuck. Okay, breathe. He can do this. He kind of has to now, seeing as the whole table of rugby lads has turned to look at him. Their collective faces display a mixture of confusion, lack of recognition and, in Harry's case, open displeasure.

“Saved you a seat,” Nick smiles, moving his PE kit off the chair to his left and gesturing for Charlie to sit. Harry's brows shoot all the way up his stupid face at this and he gives Charlie a suspicious glare from his seat to the right of Nick.

“Mate, I thought you were saving that seat for someone cool? Because–”

“Yes,” Nick interrupts firmly, “it's for Charlie.”

He smiles encouragingly and Charlie slides his bag off his shoulder and takes the seat. He's about to fish out his standard lunch box of an apple and dubious looking sandwich when Nick slides a polystyrene food container in front of him. Chips. Nick bought him chips.

“Why are you hanging out with him?” Harry demands to know before Charlie can thank him for lunch, speaking as if Charlie wasn't sitting on the other side of Nick.

“Because he's my friend.” Nick replies cooly.

“From form.” Charlie elaborates. “We have a project to do…”

Harry looks at him menacingly, turning Charlie cold, and then turns to Sai and Christian to talk about something obnoxiously heteronormative. Probably tits or sport or both. Nick misses Harry's pointed look, having not taken his eyes off Charlie since he arrived. He shoots Charlie a small knowing smile that warms him right back up again. Nick’s looking out for him. He's safe with him here.

Charlie inspects his chips. He can totally do this. Nick's been thoughtful enough to buy him lunch, he can cope with this change in meal plan and eat the perfectly palate-neutral beigeness in front of him. He pokes one to test the temperature and consistency. Hot. Firm. Two words when combined make him involuntarily think about certain body parts that he really shouldn't be thinking about at present. He feels his cheeks flush.

“Wot?” Nick asks with a smile, leaning so far into Charlie's space that their foreheads almost touch. “What is it about those chips that made you blush?”

“Oh my god, nothing!” Charlie gasps, diverting his gaze.

“Something has!” Nick presses, in a teasing tone.

“It has not, Nick!” Charlie giggles, pushing him away with a small, playful shove.

“Well, why's your face–”

“Alright?” A familiar voice interrupts, as someone fills the seat across from where Charlie is not flirting with his boyfriend, but bantering with his mate, thank you.

He looks up to see Ben flash Nick a smile and a nod.

Charlie freezes, down to a cellular level. Ben Hope, his long-time crush, is sitting opposite him. Within touching distance. On purpose. He registers Nick tense up beside him too, and he panics about what his body and mouth are supposed to do now.

Is he supposed to say ‘alright’ back? He's never used ‘alright’ as a form of greeting in his life. And it wasn't even directed at him. Would it be weirder to say something or nothing? His heart beats faster and he subconsciously leans closer to Nick. How did Nick become a place of safety after one day of talking? Charlie never lets his guard down with people like this.

Nick simply nods back, and then Ben strikes up a conversation with Otis about a party one of the Higgs girls is throwing at the weekend and Charlie can breathe again. He looks down at his chips, suddenly less confident he can eat them now with this residual tension in his body. He closes his eyes, inhales deeply through his nose, exhales slowly and picks one up.

They taste chalky in his mouth but he manages a few. He's markedly slower, though, than the rest of Nick's friends, who start to get restless after shovelling them all in at a pace that borders on reckless. Have none of these oafs heard about choking?

“Nick, come on,” Harry directs as the group stands, juggling a rugby ball back and forth in his hands. Charlie knows from experience they’re just as likely to play a game as they are to go and chuck stuff at people.

Charlie glances at Nick’s tray and is surprised to see almost as many chips there as on his own. Whether consciously or otherwise, Nick has slowed his pace to match Charlie's. He’s hit with a second strong physical reaction of the break, a bit like when Ben appeared, but nicer. Warmer. Tingilier. He works on suppressing it while Nick rolls his eyes at his friends and tells them to go on without him.

Charlie studies Nick when it's just the two of them left at the table. He watches him eat and drink, no trace of his earlier anger around Imogen, aloofness around Harry or rigidity around Ben. He seems much more relaxed now they're gone. Charlie had only ever observed Nick from afar, as part of the “pack” of jocks who were best avoided. He’d always thought they must all be alike. But actually spending time with Nick, getting to know him… he’s not really one of them, is he?

“You seem different around your friends,” Charlie observes, taking a sip of his drink to allow Nick space to talk if he wants.

“Do I?” Nick asks, looking into the distance as he munches a now-cold chip.

“You do.”

“You changed around them too,” he deflects after a few moments of silence. “Especially Ben.”

“Yeah…” Charlie's instinct is to cover, to hide his silly feelings, but then he remembers how much lighter he felt after coming out to Nick and figures he may as well keep going. He chooses to make another admission. “I kind of have a bit of a crush on him... I'm guessing that's not the reason you act that way?”

Nick catches his eye and half smiles, like he knows just how vulnerable Charlie is allowing himself to be with him. Taking a deep breath, he responds in kind. “No. I just… I'm not sure I fit with them. I don't think it's anything to do with them. They're fine. I think it might be me. I just feel like I don't… fit. Maybe I've never really fit.”

Charlie's amazed to hear those words come out of Nick Nelson’s beautiful mouth. How could he of all people feel like he doesn't fit? He’s the “it” boy of Truham, the Rugby King; every girl wants him and and every boy wants to be him (and at least one boy is starting to want him). Nick reads his expression and hangs his head glumly. “It's probably stupid. I have tons of friends and I seem to be pretty well-liked if this dare is anything to go by so I should just–”

“No!” Charlie quickly interrupts Nick's softly spoken spiral, placing his hand on Nick’s shoulder to comfort him without even thinking what he's doing. “No! It's not stupid at all.”

Nick smiles wanly. “Thanks.” After a moment of quiet mutual understanding, Nick stands to scoop up his and Charlie's left over food and chuck it in the bin.

“We're both sharing, I guess, aren't we?” Nick smiles, as Charlie clambers after him with their empty drinks bottles to recycle.

“Good fake relationships are based on honesty.” Charlie quips, shaking himself out of what felt like a very real moment between them. “We're nailing this fake boyfriends thing!”

“Mmm,” Nick hums in response.

Nick walks him to his next class, despite Charlie maintaining he doesn't need to do that. It feels nice though. Comforting to have him around. Charlie muses to himself that he likes the full boyfriend experience, before choking on the air when he involuntarily thinks about what the full experience would entail.

“That was very different from my usual lunches,” Charlie deflects when Nick looks at him questioningly.

“What are they usually like?” Nick asks, stuffing his hands into his pockets as they come to stand just outside of the doorway to Charlie's classroom. “I don't usually see you in there, now I think about it.”

“No, I prefer the art room. It's quieter.” Less watchful eyes and no rugby twats, Charlie mentally elaborates but leaves unspoken.

“Okay then. Art room it is tomorrow,” Nick smiles a sweet little smile. He looks almost hopeful. Surely not.

“We don't have to–”

“Yes, we do.” Nick interrupts in a firm yet quiet voice that definitely doesn't give Charlie tingles between his thighs. “We're boyfriends. Boyfriends eat lunch together.”

“Okay,” he nods, waving goodbye like a dork and entering his classroom. He sees Tao and Isaac staring, Tao almost comically wide-eyed, and Isaac with a dreamy twinkle. Dammit, he's got some explaining to do when he sits down. Before he can, however, his phone vibrates in his pocket. He checks it under the table as he slips into the seat between his friends. He barely registers the unfortunate items laid out before them as he focuses on his screen.

Nick 13.00: Wait for me by my car after school?

Charlie 13.01: sure. thanks again for driving me home. these boyfriend privileges are pretty good

Nick 13.01: 😏

Charlie 13.01: shuttup

Nick 13.02: You're welcome for the rides

Charlie 13.02: rides sounds way worse than privileges

Nick 13.03: 😏

Charlie laughs and then checks himself, schooling his face back to its baseline teenage pout and shoving his phone into his pocket lest he draw too much attention and have it confiscated for the day. Looking up and finally registering his surroundings, he wishes he'd kept his nose in his messages because fuck he didn't realise it was this time of year. Sex Ed week.

Tao looks at him, brows high, clearly waiting for an explanation as to why Charlie ditched them for lunch to hang out with Nick Nelson. He wants to provide answers but he feels his phone vibrate again and can't help but peek.

Nick 13.04: We have something to do between leaving school and getting you home though…

Charlie 13.04: we do?

Nick 13.05: Yes. Our date. Obviously.

Charlie 13.06: our date?

Nick 13.08: Our research date.

Charlie 13.09: okay 😊 i better text my sister then, tell her I'll be home late

Charlie 13.09: how late will I be exactly?

Nick 13.11: I guess that depends if you're going to put out, doesn't it?

Charlie's jaw drops and he gasps aloud. Tao reaches for the phone to see for himself what's going on, clearly having grown impatient waiting for Charlie to talk. Charlie dodges and defends himself with a cucumber, but not before Tao sees the name on his phone screen.

“Charlie, what is this thing with Nick Nelson?” Tao hisses when the teacher's back is turned.

“I told you, I have a project to work on!” Charlie whispers back.

“You didn't say your partner was Nick Nelson… That's fun!” Isaac giggles, playfully elbowing Charlie in the side.

“Isaac, don't encourage him!” Tao barks. “It's not fun, it's dangerous!”

Charlie scoffs. “Dangerous?” Honestly, Tao can be so dramatic sometimes.

“Yes, dangerous! You'll get bullied by his idiot friends and/or fall in love with a straight boy. Either way this is not a good idea.”

“Tao, shush! I don't just fall for anyone who's nice to me. And the people he hangs around with aren't… that bad, actually. It's just a presentation, just for one week, so cool it, okay?”

“Fine.” Tao sulks, folding his long arms across his chest while Isaac chuckles to himself. Charlie hums and returns his attention to his phone under the desk.

Charlie 13.17: oh my god you cannot flirt with me while Mr Farouk is showing us how to have safe sex with fruits/vegetables

Nick 13.18: 😂

Nick 13.18: That's fair. Besides, I don’t know if I can compete with those cucumbers.

Charlie 13.19: 💀

“Are you at least driving home with us?” Tao asks as he fights to roll his condom down his cucumber.

“No,” Charlie replies, fiddling guiltily with the slippery latex, “We’re doing research tonight…”

Notes:

Thank you again to our brilliant beta team androidsdreaming, erinthelibrarian and thisismeht. You are all very wonderful 💜

Chapter 5: 5

Summary:

A research date. For research.

It's Tuesday afternoon, the day after Charlie dares Nick to date him for the week.

That afternoon, once school ends, Charlie chats briefly with Tao and Isaac before they walk over to Higgs to meet up with Elle. Charlie makes his way toward the Truham car park, searching for Nick’s little blue car.

He’s still scanning the car park when he hears Nick calling his name. Charlie glances back toward the school and sees Nick, standing with Sai, Otis and Christian, holding up one hand in his direction. Charlie does his awkward little toddler wave – that’s what Tori calls it – and then Nick peels himself away from his friends and jogs over.

“Hi,” he says. “You look lost.”

“I couldn’t remember where the Blueberry was.”

Nick looks at him in confusion. “The wot?”

Charlie blushes. Oops. “Um. The… the Blueberry. It’s sort of the nickname I came up with for your car since it’s… you know. Little and blue.”

He can see the gears spinning in Nick’s head for a moment before he barks out a laugh. “The Blueberry. I like that. Blueberry. Anyway. You ready?”

Charlie tilts his head. “You’re not mad?”

“About what? My car’s nickname? I like it. It’s fitting.”

Nick turns and starts walking, and after a few steps his car becomes visible, tucked away behind some obnoxious white Jeep.

Charlie harumphs as he squeezes into the passenger side door, with little space because of the behemoth parked beside them. “Who needs a car like that?” he complains. “Seriously, someone’s overcompensating, like, a lot.”

Nick snorts.

“What?” Charlie asks.

Stifling more laughter, Nick buckles himself in. “That’s Harry Greene’s car,” he says. “And uh, well. I try not to look in the showers but. Um.” He snorts again. “You’re not far off!” And then Nick bursts into outright laughter.

Charlie’s jaw drops. “Oh my god!” he shouts. “I didn’t want to know that!”

“You’re getting the good gossip, Charlie,” Nick replies, wiping a tear away from his face.

“Anyway,” Charlie says forcefully, changing the subject. “You don’t have practice on Tuesdays?”

“Sometimes, but we have a match tomorrow night against Bryson Academy, so today’s a rest day,” Nick says as he guides them onto the road. “So it’s the perfect chance to spend some time together.”

“For the project,” Charlie adds.

There’s a multi-second pause as Nick taps the steering wheel. “Yeah.”

The ride to Nick’s seemingly goes by in the blink of an eye and before Charlie knows it, they’re pulling into the driveway of a lovely house in the suburbs.

“Oh my god,” Nick says as they extricate themselves from the car. “I totally forgot. I have a dog. Are you allergic, or, like, okay with dogs? Nellie is incredibly friendly, I swear.”

Charlie grins widely. “I love dogs!”

Nick smiles back. “Good. Because Nellie is going to love you.”

He unlocks the front door and a border collie bounds outside, jumping on Nick and licking his face before noticing Charlie standing off to the side. She runs over and sniffs thoughtfully at Charlie’s outstretched hand before apparently accepting him by pushing her head into his palm, as if demanding pets. Charlie obliges, kneeling down and running his hands up and down her soft, fine fur.

“Oh, you’re so pretty, yes you are,” Charlie coos until Nellie runs off into the grass to relieve herself quickly before following the boys inside.

“Do you want anything to drink? Eat?” Nick offers after they kick off their shoes in the hallway.

“Erm, maybe just some tea?” Charlie follows Nick through the hall and around the corner into his kitchen.

“Such an old man drink,” Nick teases, but he grabs the kettle and fills it with water to start boiling.

Nick busies himself pulling out tea supplies, and Charlie wanders off into the adjacent sitting room, where he looks at pictures of Nick as a child. His beaming ginger face, aged maybe five, stares back at him in one photo. Another shows a slightly older Nick, maybe 10, holding a puppy version of Nellie in front of a Christmas tree. He looks like he’s going to burst with joy. There’s also a picture of Nick from just a couple of years ago, a few inches shorter and with a few pounds less muscle (not that Charlie’s counting). He’s standing with a woman with short dark hair and an older boy with a sandy blond fringe hanging over his forehead.

“Let me guess,” Nick calls out from the kitchen, and Charlie tears himself away to return to his boyfriend. “You’re an Earl Grey guy.”

“Well I’m certainly not a mint tea person,” Charlie scoffs.

“Oh, same,” Nick says, shaking his head. “Give me a nice English breakfast anyday.”

“Weren’t you just making fun of me for requesting tea?” Charlie asks, watching as Nick pours hot water over the bags in each cup.

“Rugby lads can drink tea, too, Char,” he says in an exaggerated tone.

Nick turns away to replace the kettle, but Charlie’s rooted to the spot.

“Char?”

Nick, still turned away from Charlie, freezes for a moment before spinning around and shrugging, a nonchalant look on his face.

“Um… wow, that just slipped out.”

Charlie beams at him.

“Oh my god, say it again!”

Nick actually looks embarrassed. “No. No.”

“Go on,” Charlie says, his voice quieter, even though they’re alone in the house. “I like it. It’s cute.”

Nick stares down at the steaming mugs for a moment before looking up. “Well, now I’m never calling you it again.”

Charlie lets it slide. For now. Once the tea’s made, they gather their things and head up to Nick’s room. He’s not sure what he’s expecting, although the fact that it doesn’t smell like an armpit is a relief. Nick – or at least his mum – is a Febreeze fan, it seems.

There are, as expected, posters on the wall of professional rugby players. No scantily clad women, which is nice. A few race car posters.

“I didn’t know you were into race cars,” Charlie says, studying one. It reads “Formula One,” which he vaguely recalls having heard of before.

“Yup,” Nick replies, dropping his satchel on his bed. “But that’s what dating is all about, right? Getting to know the other person?”

Charlie nods. Technically he’s known Nick Nelson for years, but until about 36 hours ago all he could say about him was that he played rugby and was nice to look at.

Above Nick’s desk, underneath a shelf of trophies, there are a bunch of pictures of baked goods taped to the wall – cakes, pies, a couple of biscuits. Nick’s holding them in some pictures. “Are these all things you made?” Charlie asks, bending over for a closer look. He remembers Nick said last night while they were texting that he got distracted baking. That’s definitely unexpected.

“Yeah,” Nick replies. “It’s very calming. I don’t really know why. Maybe something about the certainty that comes from it.”

Charlie stands upright and turns to face Nick.

“You add x amount of flour and sugar and butter and eggs and whatever else, put it in the oven at y temperature for z minutes, and voila – a sweet treat,” Nick explains, shrugging. “Follow the recipe and you know exactly what you’re getting.”

Charlie slides his backpack off. “You never experiment? Take a risk?”

Nick smiles, looking away. “Not after the Great Microwave Fire of 2021.”

“Okay, now you have to tell me that story,” Charlie demands.

Nick sighs but complies. It involves a banana and chocolate chips and a lack of understanding that aluminium foil can’t be put in a microwave without getting kind of explodey. Charlie giggles through the whole thing.

“So now I stick to the recipes,” Nick finishes. “Anyway… shall we do it?”

Charlie waggles his eyebrows at Nick, whose turn it now is to blush. “Do… it?” he teases.

“The research, Charlie, get your mind out of the gutter,” Nick lobs back, busying himself with pulling his laptop out of his bag. “What kind of girl do you think I am, anyway?”

“Hopefully, not a girl because I’m, like, super gay,” Charlie fires back without thinking.

Nick sits upright and stares Charlie in the face. “Hi Like Super Gay, I’m Nick.”

They maintain their composure for all of three seconds before each of them bends over howling with laughter.

“He’s got dad jokes, yes he does,” Charlie says when he’s recovered.

Nick’s face drops. “Yeah, though I didn’t get them from my dad.”

Charlie sobers quickly. Shit, he stepped right into a touchy topic.

“I’m sorry,” he says, looking down.

“No s-word,” Nick insists. “My dad’s not around but he's been trying to buy me off lately. There’s been a stream of crap arriving in Amazon boxes, video games, an iPad. He even offered to buy me a new car, something flashy.”

Charlie tries to imagine his parents plying him with gifts like that. It’s unthinkable. He’s not wanting, to be sure, but they don’t give him cutting edge computers or phones. And certainly never a car.

“You don’t want those things?”

Nick shakes his head. “I don’t want love that feels transactional. I just want… I want him to be part of my life, is all.”

He stands and walks over to his closet, undoing his tie and unbuttoning the top couple of buttons of his shirt. They’re having a Serious Moment™, so Charlie tries really hard not to stare at the peak of hairy chest.

“That’s why I was late for school yesterday,” he continues. “My dad was nearby for business and was supposed to meet me for breakfast. But he never showed up. I waited and waited… until I was late for school. I felt like an idiot.”

A wave of guilt crashes over Charlie. He’d been so focused on his own misfortunes that it hadn’t occurred to him that Nick might have been going through a hard time as well. Nick was in a vulnerable place yesterday morning and Charlie dropped his anger on him like a hammer.

“You know,” Nick says, situating himself against the headboard, “you’re really easy to talk to. I don’t… the lads think I had a dentist appointment that ran late.”

Charlie swallows and hopes the pit in his stomach will go away. “If you ever want to talk about anything, I’m willing to listen,” he says, manoeuvring himself to sit beside Nick. “Even after we break up.”

The words hang between them, neither boy looking at the other. It’s a stark reminder for Charlie that this isn’t a real relationship and that they’re nothing to each other, and he should remember his vow not to get attached.

“Same,” Nick says, turning his head to Charlie.

They smile at one another, but it’s half-hearted at best, and they soon dig into the issue of trans legislation. Nick looks more and more dismayed as they read about what some lawmakers have said on the issue, but that only seems to make him more determined.

After an hour, they have a solid enough outline that they can each work on parts of their slide deck in the coming days.

“All right, enough work,” Nick says, clapping his hands together and pushing himself off the bed. “You want to watch something? A movie, TV show? Your choice.”

Charlie stutters a bit, not having expected their time together to continue.

“You think about it while I get some snacks,” Nick says, backing out of the room.

Charlie tries to think of something that Nick would find cool and interesting but is distracted when Nellie hops up and settles into the warm spot left by Nick’s residual body heat. Unable to stop himself from petting her, Charlie is mumbling something about “snoots” when Nick walks back through the door, his arms full of various bags.

“Oh, I see how it is,” he said, dumping the bags on the bed. “I’ve been displaced as your favourite Nelson.”

“Sorry,” Charlie shrugs. “It’s all about who’s done the most for me lately.”

Nick squawks. “I hunted down a variety of savoury and sweet snacks for my boyfriend, that doesn’t earn me the top spot?”

Charlie tilts his head. “You’re telling me you didn’t treat all your girlfriends this way?”

“No, not really,” Nick admits. He uses those bulging rugby arms… ahem, anyway, those bulging rugby arms to move Nellie over slightly until she’s lying between him and Charlie on her back, in prime position for belly rubs. “I never really saw any of them outside of school. You’re the first person I’ve brought here.”

Charlie coughs, and looks away, unsure how to respond.

“Did you decide on something to watch?” Nick asks, ripping open a bag of M&Ms.

“Oh, um, I don’t know,” Charlie mumbles. “You pick something.”

Nick looks thoughtful for a minute. “Well, do you watch Doctor Who? I’m a few episodes behind on the new series.”

“Me too!” Charlie yelps before reining it in. “Yeah, we could do that.”

They’re a short way into the episode – each gushing about Ncuti Gatwa’s performance – when they both reach for a handful of popcorn at the same time. Their fingers brush against the other’s in the salty, sticky bag. Charlie gasps slightly and yanks his hand back. Nick doesn’t look at him, but a tiny smile pulls at his lips as he tosses some popcorn into his mouth.

Towards the end of the episode Charlie looks over and realises Nick has fallen asleep, slumped slightly over toward Charlie’s direction but propped up by Nellie between them. Charlie watches his chest rise and fall gently, listens to the little sounds he makes as he sleeps, and it takes everything he has not to let himself feel more for this guy.

He promised himself. No matter how much he wants to reach over Nellie and take Nick’s hand in his own… no, Charlie’s not that brave. And he definitely doesn’t want to test the limits of Nick’s heterosexuality. They haven’t actually done anything that would threaten his sexuality, and Charlie doesn’t want to push him across any line. He imagines taking Nick’s hand and seeing his face grow cold, imagines seeing Nick step away and say that agreeing to be his boyfriend for the week was a bad idea because he’s “not like you.”

So Charlie turns back to the laptop and focuses on the Doctor flirting with Jonathan Groff until Charlie’s phone dings loudly, rousing Nick.

Jane 18.34: Charlie, dinner will be served at 7 o’clock sharp.

Charlie sighs and pockets his phone. “I have to go home for dinner.”

Nick nods and closes his laptop, then swings his legs over the side of the bed to start putting his shoes on.

“Okay, I’ll drive you home.”

They ready their things and walk downstairs. It’s starting to get dark, and Charlie realises there’s no sign of Mrs Nelson.

“Is your mum working late?” he asks.

“Life of a surgeon,” Nick says, grabbing his car keys from the table by the front door. “I’m kind of used to being alone more now.”

Charlie bends over to slip on his shoes, but stumbles on the right one and falls into Nick, who steadies him until his foot is firmly ensconced in the traitorous trainer.

“Thanks,” Charlie huffs, suddenly very aware of the lack of space between them. He’s blushing like a lobster now.

Nick smiles and opens the front door. They step out and he locks it behind them. Then Nick turns and time seems to slow down as he reaches out and takes Charlie’s hand in his own. His hands are smooth – ooh, someone moisturises, the tiny part of Charlie’s brain that is still functional thinks – and warm in the cool mid-spring air.

Charlie spends the whole 12-foot walk to the car – damn this short driveway – wondering if Nick’s girlfriends had gotten to hand-holding privileges by Tuesday evening or if it took them longer. He reluctantly lets go of Nick’s hand once they reach his car and have to go to their separate sides to get in.

Once they’ve buckled up and Nick has backed out onto the road, however, he makes a show of reaching over the gear stick between them and taking Charlie’s hand in his. He even threads their fingers together.

Nick Nelson holds Charlie Spring’s hand the entire way home.

And Charlie’s resolve cracks that much more.

Notes:

Thank you to androidsdreaming, erinthelibrarian and thisismeht. We very much appreciate your help ☺️

Chapter 6: 6

Summary:

It's Wednesday morning, two days since Charlie asked Nick to be his boyfriend.

Nick asks Charlie to breakfast before school, where he opens up more about his home life. Later, Nick asks Charlie if he'd like to come watch a rugby match. Charlie feels confused about Nick's intentions.

It’s way too early to be up, showered, shaved, dressed and out the door, even if Charlie wasn’t chronically slow in the mornings. But when Nick Nelson, your boyfriend, asks if you’d like to grab breakfast at a café before school, well, you set your alarm a little earlier. And if Charlie woke up 15 minutes early, possibly for the first time in his life, well, then, that was his business.

Nick claimed they needed the time together to go over their respective sections of the presentation and fine-tune things. There was some logic to that, but Charlie couldn’t help but wonder if Nick had any ulterior motives. Charlie remembers his statistics course and learning about confirmation bias, so he’s wary of ascribing too much meaning to Nick holding his hand last night.

But also… well, to be honest, he’s getting like, vibes from Nick. Of course, Charlie has never really vibed with anyone before, so he can’t be totally sure, but as he thinks about it (and trust that it’s basically all he’s thought about since last night), it just feels like there’s something more going on here.

“Good morning, Nick,” says an older woman behind the café till who apparently knows Nick by name.

“Hey, Pat,” Nick responds. “This is Charlie.”

“Hello, Charlie,” Pat adds, as Nick leads them to a small table off to the side. “Your usual, Nick?” She asks as they settle in.

“Please.”

“What about you, dear?” Pat asks, looking at Charlie. “Or do you need a minute?”

Please, Pat. When Nick texted about breakfast last night, Charlie looked up the menu online and spent over an hour considering the options. He does that every time he goes somewhere new to eat, and frankly he’s shocked other people claim not to need that much prep work to simply order a meal.

“Porridge, please?” he asks. “And some coffee?”

Pat raises one eyebrow. “Aren’t you afraid of stunting your growth?”

“I’m tall enough,” Charlie replies, and Nick sniggers quietly across from him. Pat shuffles off and Charlie immediately turns to Nick. “So you come here often?”

Nick absentmindedly picks at the paper-wrapped utensils on their table as he looks around the room. “When I was younger, my mum was often on the night shift at A&E. David would look after me, and it just sort of worked out that breakfast was the only time we could all be together, her after work, us before school. And this place is conveniently located between home, Truham and the hospital, and opens bright and early, so it became our routine.”

Charlie frowns compassionately. “I’m sorry, that sounds difficult.”

“My mum, she’s great, but her job is so demanding. And since my dad scarpered…”

It hits Charlie then. A mum always at work, an absent father, and a brother away at uni. Charlie wonders for the first time if Nick Nelson, the most popular boy at Truham, is in fact deeply lonely.

He’s tempted to reach out and take Nick’s hand in his, but the arrival of Pat with his coffee and what appears to be tomato juice (?) for Nick has Charlie yanking his hand back and under the table.

“So, um, your brother took care of you,” Charlie asks, busying himself stirring milk and sugar into his drink. “He sounds very responsible.”

Nick chuckles. “Yeah, very responsible.”

Charlie just tilts his head questioningly.

Nick glances out the window and sighs. “For a few years after Dad left, David was kind of a twat, to be honest. He was mean to me, angry a lot of the time. I know now he was just taking out his anger at the divorce on me because he had nowhere else for it to go. Not that it wasn’t a shitty thing to do, but. I don’t know. I guess I kind of get it now.”

Charlie frowns again.

“But,” Nick says, sitting upright. “Once he could drive and Mum was taking night shifts… I don’t know. He changed. Got better. Nicer. I mean, I wouldn’t say we’re best friends or anything, but… we get on all right now.”

“So he was responsible.”

Nick snorts. “Oh god, no. Dinner was mostly pizza or takeaway curry. I had no bedtime. He’d drop me at Harry’s and go out on dates and stuff. If it weren’t for Mrs Greene I’m not sure I’d have eaten a single vegetable between the ages of 11 and 14.”

“No!” Charlie giggled.

“Oh yes,” Nick replies. “Actually, he’s coming down from LSE late tonight – some kind of break in classes, so he’s going to visit for the weekend. Probably mostly to use the washing machine, but whatever. So maybe you’ll get to meet him.”

Charlie has no time to process that before Pat arrives with a bowl of porridge for Charlie and a full English for Nick, who makes a noise that sounds suspiciously like “yum” before sticking half a sausage in his mouth, and Charlie suddenly needs to focus very hard on his bowl.

Nick pulls out his laptop and sets it between them, and they work through the slide deck as they eat. Charlie doesn’t even feel his usual anxiety at eating in public – some combination of choosing one of the foods that works for him, Nick’s presence, and the distraction of the presentation. But whatever. He’s awake at an ungodly hour and having a great time, he’s not going to question it.

When they finish, Nick excuses himself to use the loo.

Charlie’s so busy reviewing the last couple of slides that he doesn’t even notice Imogen standing beside him until she speaks.

“I know you know.”

“Jesus!” Charlie yelps. He glances around, but the café is only maybe a quarter full so no one’s paying them much attention.

“You know I know what?” he asks, downing the rest of the coffee, needing every ounce of caffeine for this one.

“You know who Nick is dating. I can tell.”

Charlie schools his face carefully. “Isn’t this something you should be asking Nick?”

“I have but he’s holding out for some reason,” she moans. “But you’ve been glued to him all week for that project or whatever, so you must know.”

“I know it’s not you,” Charlie deflects, staring Imogen down.

She meets his gaze for a few moments before glancing back at the toilets, clearly not wanting Nick to catch her… oh my god, stalking him? How did she even know they were here? Charlie’s about to ask when Imogen scoffs.

“Whatever. It doesn’t even really matter, does it? It’s not like he’s actually going to fall for someone without even holding their hand.”

Charlie blinks, the image of Nick’s fingers entwined in his own last night flashing before his eyes, yet again.

“Wait, what? Holding hands?”

Imogen rolls her eyes. “You were there for the bet, remember? Nothing physical?”

Charlie’s eyes widen. “I thought that meant…”

Imogen shakes her head, like she can’t believe how thick Charlie is. “Yeah, but he interpreted it to mean no PDA or, like, touching at all. Everyone says he’s stuck hard and fast to that rule. Don’t you pay any attention to the Date Me Instagram?”

Nick… doesn’t hold hands? Because it’s against the rules? Nick broke the rules. He broke the rules for Charlie. What does that mean? Does it mean anything?

Apparently his gawping is more than Imogen can handle. “Could you be any more useless, Charlie Spring?” she angry-whispers, and then she’s turned and is out the door.

Could Nick Nelson be… gay? Or bi, or pan, or something? Charlie racks his brain, trying to remember if Nick ever actually said he’s straight. Of course, how many people actually say that? It’s just the assumption, you have to put yourself out there if you’re anything else, and Charlie won’t go down that rabbit hole of indignity right now because he feels like that confused woman in the meme with the mathematical formulas trying to piece together the puzzle that is Nick Nelson.

“Char?” Nick asks, sitting back down, and Charlie’s so dazed he doesn’t even clock the nickname again. “You okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” Charlie lies.

He could – should – just ask Nick outright. That would be the brave thing to do. But Charlie Spring is not a brave person, he thinks. Hell, he’s only even dating Nick Nelson this week because of a strange confluence of events and a well-timed pique of rage. That was his bravery quota for the year, depleted in early April.

But it’s not just the bravery to ask the question. It’s the strength he needs to accept the response.

Charlie imagines Nick’s reply, the morning sun fading as darkness obscures his field of vision.

“Am I gay?” his nightmare-Nick says, looking confused, even perturbed. “No, I’m not gay! Why on earth would you think that? If it weren’t for the stupid rules of this bet I wouldn’t even give you the time of day.”

“Charlie?”

It’s the real Nick this time, the one dappled in a beam of light. Charlie blinks, coming back to reality.

“Really, are you okay?” Nick continues, reaching across and taking Charlie’s hand between his. “It seems like something’s suddenly wrong.”

Charlie would never have expected Nick Nelson to be so empathetic. He’d always had the stereotypical jock image of him, which in reality, he's learning, really couldn't be further from the truth. He’s kind, and that’s more than you can ask of most popular, gorgeous athletes. Being queer on top of all that… well, it’s highly unlikely.

“I’m fine,” Charlie says, squaring himself to look in Nick’s eyes. “Really.”

It’s clear Nick doesn’t totally believe him so Charlie distracts himself, and hopefully Nick, by pulling out his wallet. “How much do I–”

Nick waves his hand to stop Charlie. “Already taken care of.”

“Nick!”

“Hey, I asked you out to breakfast,” Nick says, standing and shrugging. “So I pay. Them’s the rules.”

Charlie just grumbles as he slides out of the booth before he finds himself standing very close to Nick, very close indeed.

“You can pay next time,” Nick adds, turning to grab his bag, and fuck if a wave of goosebumps doesn’t run up and down Charlie’s arms. Next time? There’s going to be a next time?

Just when Charlie had convinced himself he was making a mountain out of a molehill, Nick goes and says something like that.

When they arrive at Truham, they find Tao steaming outside, ranting in circles around a table where Isaac sits reading a book.

“Oh, let me guess,” Charlie says as he and Nick roll up. “On the rocks?”

“Salt on the rim,” chimes in Isaac. He places a bookmark and closes the novel, his eyes darting back and forth between Charlie and Nick. Is there anything Isaac doesn’t perceive, Charlie wonders. At least Nick is too distracted watching Tao stomp around to notice Isaac’s stare.

“Is something wrong?” Nick asks.

“Me and Elle had a fight,” Tao grumbles as he kicks at a rotting old leaf.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Nick says, frowning. “You two always seemed so solid.”

“No, don’t worry,” Charlie says, stamping down the realisation that Nick had perceptions of any kind about his friends’ relationship. “Tao and Elle have a fight every two to three weeks or so. They were overdue, to be honest. It’s not a big deal.”

“Yeah,” Isaac adds. “Give it 48 hours and they’ll be back to theatrically gross lovers.”

“So, FYI I’m eating with Nick today. We, uh, need to work on our presentation,” Charlie says, turning away.

“Have fun,” Isaac replies in a sing-song voice.

Tao just grumbles incoherently.

“Don’t you want to know what the fight was about?” Nick asks as he follows Charlie into the school.

“Oh god no,” Charlie says. “If Tao wanted to share he would have. And besides, it’s pointless. Half the time, if not more, I learn later from Elle that Tao didn’t even understand why they were fighting. I’ll get the tea after the fact.”

“Uh… okay,” Nick replies.

They stop at Nick’s locker first, and Charlie is startled at just how natural it feels to incorporate this into his morning.

“So, um,” Nick says, rummaging around in his stuff for something or other. “You know I mentioned there’s a rugby game tonight?” Charlie hums affirmatively. “I was wondering if maybe you’d like to come. Watch. Me. Come watch me?”

Charlie’s eyebrows rocket up under his overhanging curly hair. Nick Nelson is inviting him to watch him play sport? What a world, what a world.

He can hardly imagine anything more dull than a rugby game, but it’s clearly important to Nick, and Charlie wants to be a good boyfriend. “Yeah, I can do that.”

Nick smiles and finally looks over at him. “Great! Um, can you get back here on your own? I have to be here early for warm-up and stuff.”

Charlie nods. “Yeah, I can get my dad to drop me off.”

“Great,” Nick says, closing his locker. “And I can totally drive you home after so you don’t have to bother your parents twice.”

Next they stop by Charlie’s locker – and again, Charlie is secretly thrilled that Nick bothers with this stuff, really going above and beyond like this.

“So, lunch in the art room, right?” Nick asks, leaning against the locker beside Charlie’s. “Want me to pick up some crisps, or… is there something else you like if you don’t like crisps?”

Charlie blushes. Nick is really sweet to notice little things like that. Even Charlie’s friends haven’t really noticed he has food issues, although admittedly he is pretty good at hiding it.

“Actually, um, I brought enough lunch for us both?” Charlie says, though he’s not sure why he phrased it as a question. “Um, that is, if chicken sandwiches are okay?”

Nick shoots Charlie his trademark lopsided grin. “Sounds perfect.”

Charlie’s trying to find his bloody notebook buried somewhere in his cluttered locker when there’s a ruckus at the other end of the corridor. They look down and see Harry, Sai, Christian and Otis horsing around.

Nick looks back and forth a couple of times before turning to Charlie. “I’m just going to say hello.”

Charlie scrunches up his face. “You… don’t need my permission to talk to your friends,” he says. Nick smiles at him and pushes off the locker, heading down the corridor and greeting them all with those bro handshakes the athletes always seem to do.

Finally, Charlie finds the notebook that had been hiding from him and closes his locker. As he turns to head to Mr Lange’s room, he notices Nick watching him while the rest of the lads are watching Harry tell some story. When their eyes meet, Nick suddenly looks away and refocuses back onto Harry.

And Charlie’s as confused as ever.

Notes:

Hugs to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for betaing 🥰 Thank you!

Chapter 7: 7

Summary:

It's Wednesday afternoon and evening, two days after the Date Me demand.

Charlie watches Nick play rugby while wondering if maybe he's a little rug-bi. They get milkshakes, but things are anything but frosty. And Charlie finally has a question for Nick.

“Tao, you've been to a rugby match before, right? And you, Isaac?” Charlie asks his friends during art, Wednesday's last class before lunch.

“Yes…” Tao replies, his tone heavy with suspicion.

“What's it like?” Charlie asks lightly, working on detailing the clouds in his landscape, the picture of nonchalance.

Outwardly.

Inwardly he's anything but, and truth be told he's spent far too long on this one cloud and it's going to stick out like a sore thumb when he submits his work at the end of term. Oh well. Who needs an A in art? He knows his ionic compounds, he'll nail his chemistry exam.

“What do you mean?” Tao asks, as blunt as the features on the people that are absolutely not supposed to be on his work.

At least Charlie can tell they're people now. That's progress. They looked like a rock formation for the longest time, until Tao added hair, glasses and clothing to them and Charlie figured out what he was trying to do.

“Well, what should I expect?” He clarifies, “You know, if I went to one. Say tonight. Like, what happens?”

He really ought to be prepared for tonight, and it's not like he's going to waltz up to his mate Harry Greene for tips on sports ball etiquette. What should he wear and say and, oh shit should he learn the rules?

“Idiots throw balls,” Tao answers flatly. “Why are you thinking about going to a rugby match?”

“Probably something to do with the presentation Charlie's obsessed with this week…” Isaac pipes up, teasingly.

“Isaac!” Charlie scowls, making Isaac giggle behind his open book. He looks at Tao who mercifully doesn't seem to have picked up on Isaac's semi-subtle insinuation.

“Is it a presentation on radical personality change?” Tao snaps, a little haughtily if you ask Charlie.

“Wot?”

“You! Hanging out with Nick and Harry and metamorphosing into a bro dude. I assume it's method research?”

What?! He's only been hanging out with Nick for like two days. Almost two and a half. Tao really needs to cool it and/or make up with Elle already. At least he hasn't picked up on the real reason he's been spending time with Nick.

“Excuse me, I will never be a bro dude.”

“Mmm, you keep telling yourself that when you're willingly standing watching a sports match later tonight…”

“You have to stand?” Charlie pouts, ignoring everything else Tao said.

Tao rolls his eyes and Isaac sniggers. What? How's Charlie supposed to know there's no seating at these things?

“Oh, shut up!” Charlie huffs lightheartedly at them.

Mr Ajayi directs the class to wrap up their work and start putting things away. Tao finishes painting the friends’… shoes? Potatoes? Shoe-potatoes? and puts their work on the drying rack while Charlie washes their brushes and Isaac returns the paints to the cupboard.

The bell rings and class is dismissed. Lunch time. Finally!

Tao and Isaac go to eat at their regular bench outside and Charlie waves them off, moving to his favourite spot in the back corner of the room to wait for his boyfriend. He likes the way that thought sounds. He also likes the way the light spills in through the window here, and the security of knowing he can see anyone coming in.

Like Nick.

He watches Nick look over his shoulder as he slips into the room, taking care not to be seen. He's taking this ‘keeping it a secret’ thing really seriously, and Charlie appreciates it. Almost as much as he appreciates the way Nick's slightly too tight school shirt clings to his chest. Which is a lot.

He watches Nick's deep eyes scan the room and catches the moment they soften as they land on him. It makes his stomach go undeniably flippy. And then his brain flips a beat later, too. Friends don't look at friends like that. Do they? But they're not friends. They've never been friends. They're boyfriends… Uggh, Nick Nelson really ought to come with a manual.

“Hi,” Charlie greets him, wincing slightly at the dreamy quality in his voice.

“I missed you,” Nick says as he approaches Charlie with a soft smile that melts him like an idiot. How is he supposed to keep convincing himself this isn't real when Nick holds his hand and breaks his rules and says things like this that make it feel so real?

“I saw you in form, like, four hours ago,” Charlie teases, determined to keep it light, for his own sake if nothing else.

“That's how it is, is it? Cheeky thing,” Nick tuts playfully as he assesses his seating options.

There's a chair next to Charlie that would have them seated side by side like in form, or one that would have them sitting beside one another at a 90 degree angle. No doubt their knees would touch, and their faces would be so close, like little kids leaning in conspiratorially to share secrets. Charlie desperately wants him to choose the second option so he can stare at Nick's side profile in the diffused light he likes so much. He equally hopes he doesn't, though, because he's not sure how he'd be able to hide this growing crush of his while he openly stares.

Nick chooses the second option, because of course he does, and Charlie exhales a shaky breath. He can do this. He can flirt up close with his beautiful boyfriend who isn't really his and be totally normal and completely fine about it. So what if the angle of his jaw is highlighted like this? So what if his freckle pattern looks even cuter side-on? So what if their knees and thighs do indeed press together under the table? It doesn't mean anything that Nick doesn't pull his leg away. Right? It's just spatial geometry. Where else would his legs fit?

“Are you sure your friends don't mind you eating lunch with me?” Nick asks, conveniently snapping Charlie out of his leg position spiral.

“Nah. They can deal with it,” Charlie grins. “Clearly, I need to be here to practice our presentation. I really want to impress Mr Lange...”

“Oh, really?!” Nick scoffs, "So that's what this is actually all about then?”

“Maybe.”

They chuckle, and Nick's thigh nudges firmly against Charlie's under the table, sending a ripple of what feels like fire shooting from the point of impact directly to his crotch. Fake boyfriend. Fake, fake, fake. Charlie blushes wildly and Nick has the audacity to notice his flush and giggle.

“Feels nice to be able to ditch my friends for once,” he muses when his giggles subside. “They're nothing like you.”

“Why are you friends with them then, if you don't feel like you fit with them?” Charlie asks, retrieving their lunch from his bag.

The way Nick’s eyes light up when Charlie pulls out two sandwiches is more than worth the side-eye Tori shot him this morning when she saw his preparations. But it had been important to Charlie to provide lunch today. Nick bought them chips yesterday in his domain, so it only seems right that Charlie provides the meal today now they're in his world.

“You remembered that I said that?” Nick asks quietly, gently taking the proffered sandwich from Charlie’s hands.

“Duh, you said it, like, yesterday. I'm a nerd, remember, I'm good at retaining information.”

“Yeah… a nerd,” Nick whispers, catching Charlie's eyes and holding his gaze. He looks emotional, vulnerable even, and as Charlie sinks deeper into his eyes he sees just how little Nick is truly seen or heard. After a time Nick breaks the connection, clearing his throat. “Are we even allowed in here?”

“Uhm, yeah,” Charlie breathes, his heart pounding. “I come in here sometimes when Tao and Elle are having one of their… ‘debates’. He gets really annoying and insular. Best avoided.”

“Debates?” Nick asks, biting into the sandwich, his eyes actually fluttering for a second and boy if Charlie doesn’t notice that.

“Mmm,” Charlie nods, adjusting his bread slices to perfectly align with one another before taking a small bite. While they eat, Charlie tells Nick about Elle and Tao and how they always seem to be either on the rocks or madly in love and that there’s rarely a middle ground. He talks about how high Tao gets when they’re in their honeymoon phases and how low he gets when they fight.

“And Elle’s honestly no better, ‘I think I love Tao’, ‘I think I should move on’, over and over on repeat. It’s exhausting.”

“Exactly! This is why I agreed to the dare in the first place!” Nick exclaims, gesturing so passionately that Charlie fears for the half sandwich in his grip. God, to be in that grip.

“So you could take a turn on Elle’s rollercoaster of emotions?” Charlie cheeks, “Or Tao’s?”

“Shut up!” Nick laughs, before his expression deepens into something more sombre. “No. Because… Because just before the dare, we found out that my dad is remarrying some woman named Martine. It just… I saw my mum’s face and it just made me feel like relationships only lead to pain, so what's the point in dating for real, you know? No feelings, no expectations… the bet sounded safer and better.”

Charlie quickly turns his attention to his bag, rooting around for the snacks he packed until he can get a hold of himself and will away the hurt he knows must be painted across his face. Why did he think that Nick would–

“But, I’m starting to see the appeal of having something real,” Nick adds softly, “especially with the right pers–"

“Yo, Nick!” Charlie hears Harry’s twattish voice, and lifts his nose from his bag to see him standing in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest. “Nick, why are you hanging out in here? Bit boring innit?” Harry’s eyes roam over Charlie briefly, but apparently his scans don’t turn up anything interesting and he focuses back on Nick. “Anyway, Coach Singh needs to see you.”

“Oh, erm… alright.” Nick replies, quickly scrambling up and grabbing his bag from where he’d dropped it on the floor beside his chair.

“I’d better…” he says to Charlie, gesturing towards Harry and the door.

“Yeah! Yes.” Charlie nods. “Here.” He says, handing Nick a little box of raisins he found while he was hiding searching in his bag.

“Oh, thanks.” Nick lingers, looking at the box in his hand with naked suspicion. “You do know raisins are just dead grapes, right, Char?”

“Nick, come on, mate!” Harry frowns, rapping his knuckles on the doorframe impatiently.

“Coming!” Nick replies, casting one last look over his shoulder before leaving Charlie alone in the art room to nurse a whole lot of confusion and the weight of a half spoken confession in the air.

Charlie leans back in his seat, closes his eyes, breathes deeply, and tries to calm the nervous energy that flooded his body at Nick's words and Harry’s unexpected appearance. He was going to say something then. Something important.

He wonders if he and Nick will “break up” on Friday. He’s becoming increasingly suspicious that they won’t.

Later that evening, having plied Nick with sports questions during the car ride home, Charlie finds himself dressed correctly – in school colours for pride and a large puffy coat for warmth – and exiting his dad's car outside school. Julio had been excited all afternoon once Charlie very coolly and casually said he thought maybe he’d go to the Truham rugby match that evening.

Charlie’s father isn’t a complete sports nut, but he likes it well enough. No sport interests Charlie, though (except for the quadrennial obsession with curling at the Winter Olympics), so it’s never been something they can connect over. Julio had offered to come with Charlie, but he insisted he would be hanging out with his friends, which was so close to the truth that it didn’t really count as a lie.

“Call me if you need me,” Julio offers in his calm, quiet tone.

“I will,” Charlie replies, before shutting the car door behind him and walking up to the main school entrance.

He's pleasantly surprised to find Isaac leaning beside the door, book in hand.

“What are you doing here?” he asks when Isaac pauses his reading to turn a page.

“Thought you might like some company,” Isaac replies, marking his page and slipping his book into his coat pocket.

He smiles and extends his arm to Charlie. He takes it and they meander their way to the field/pitch/grass arm in arm.

“Besides, someone has to provide you with a running commentary on what's going on, or you'll be lost within a minute and a half.”

“Do you know the rules, Isaac?” Charlie asks, surprised. He should know better than to question it, but it just seems out of character for him to have ever put down a book in favour of watching a game/match/dick swing.

“Of course I do! I read a very good queer romance novel about a forbidden relationship between rival rugby players. Think Romeo and Juliet, but with more balls.”

Charlie sniggers and Isaac swats him with his free hand. “I meant rugby balls, you twat!”

“Sure. I love that that's the fount of your rugby knowledge.” Charlie laughs, making Isaac chuckle as they join the gaggle of students and parents gathered off to the side of the pitch.

They stand there in comfortable silence, watching some form of sports people do some form of sports preparations ready for all the sports. It's nice to spend some one-on-one time with Isaac. He's missed him this week.

“Sorry you've had to deal with Tao on your own this week,” Charlie offers as they shuffle a little to keep warm in the April chill.

“It's fine,” Isaac reassures him. “I've had plenty of reading time while he's been stewing over what happened this time. I'm way above my projected chapter count for the week so far.”

“Does he know what he did?” Charlie asks, finding it hard to believe that he would. Maybe Tao’s growing though. If Charlie's learned anything this week it's that people can surprise you.

“Not a clue.” Isaac smirks. Maybe Tao can't surprise him after all. Charlie sure as shit will surprise Tao though if/when he finds out about the secret boyfriend…

“Do you know what he did?”

“Please.”

“You gonna enlighten him?” Charlie asks, earning a raised eyebrow and a nose scrunch that indicates ‘not a chance’. That's fair. Charlie's learned not to get in the middle of that mess either.

“I brought an umbrella,” Isaac says, deftly changing the subject.

Charlie looks up at the heavy, grey clouds and then around at the people congregating for the match, all distinctly umbrella-less. Some have hoods but the others look like their evening is about to take an unfortunate turn.

“You're very wise,” Charlie tells him, squeezing his arm.

“I know,” Isaac replies, dropping his head against Charlie's beside him.

Isaac is also preternaturally observant, sometimes even to the point of omniscience. If anyone in the world is going to put two and two together – about Charlie being gay, about… whatever’s happening with Nick – it’s Isaac.

“Do you also know…”

“Who Nick Nelson is dating this week?” Isaac very pointedly does not look at Charlie before shrugging. “No idea.”

“I love you, Isaac,” Charlie admits, a rush of appreciation for his friend filling his heart.

“I know that, too.”

“Shut up,” Charlie laughs, and they share an easy smile.

A flash of colour and movement draws Charlie's eyes over Isaac's shoulder to Imogen, gesturing wildly, deep in conversation with someone who looks a bit tall and a bit sculpted from behind. Great. Imogen's here. If she spots him that'll mean more questions, more interrogation. No thanks very much.

The more Charlie looks at the person she's talking with, the more he recognises the butt. He's stared at that butt before… Ben. Okay.

Only last week Charlie wouldn't have been able to tear his eyes off Ben or pull his mind out of the gutter looking at him. Now… not really. He’s been in Ben’s vicinity and hasn’t even noticed for 10 minutes. Granted, he would never have been here last week anyway, but still. No butterflies. No swooning. Nothing. Is his crush cooling down? Is he over it? He might be over it. Wow. RIP Barlie.

The crowd starts clapping as the team runs out of the building after a very proud looking Ms Singh. Charlie's eyes are glued to Nick. Those thighs. Those arms. Those thighs. He watches Nick scan the gathered families and friends who have come to watch until his eyes land on Charlie. He grins at him and nods and ahh... There's those butterflies.

Charlie looks around before giving a discreet wave back. Nick beams when he does. Isaac snorts and Charlie elbows him.

The match goes well, according to Isaac. It does rain though, and Charlie's favourite part is watching from beneath the umbrella as Nick gets all muddy and wet and his kit becomes delightfully clingy against his muscles. Charlie finally sees the appeal of sport, now. Sports watching at least. Not sports doing. Isaac tells him to say that his favourite part was actually Nick's successful tackle against the opposing something or other. Charlie stopped actively listening after Isaac said ‘Nick's tackle.’

His attention is recaptured from a mightily inappropriate train of thought when, towards the end of the game, some burly boy who looks distinctly older than school age barrels into Nick and knocks him into the mud. Charlie swears his heart misses a beat as he watches and wills Nick to get back up, to be okay. He stiffens, panic rising within him. He wants to run to him but he can't. It would draw attention to them in a way he doesn't much care about at this exact moment but he knows is important and matters to them both.

Imogen runs over instead as Nick sits up, looking a little dazed but perfectly okay. Charlie exhales a huge sigh of relief, and watches Nick shoo Imogen away with a frown. She stomps back over to Ben, who Charlie sees is laughing. Laughing. Nick could've been really hurt then. Prick. Isaac squeezes his hand reassuringly and Charlie nods at him, tight lipped. He's now secure in the knowledge that, regardless of the outcome of his relationship with Nick this week, he definitely does not fancy Ben Hope anymore.

Not long after the rain lets up, the match – Isaac says it's called a match – is called, and Truham is victorious, mainly thanks to Charlie's secret boyfriend. Pride surges in him as he watches Nick get lifted up by the team and jostled around in that sporty-hetero-good-job-mate kind of way. He did well. He's actually very talented. Another layer of the cake that is Nick Nelson. But is it a fruit cake? Charlie's increasingly desperate to know.

Nick is returned to his feet and the team head towards the changing rooms. Charlie is only slightly disappointed no one dumps a jug of sports drink over Nick or sprays him with champagne like in the movies. Nick hangs back, jogging over to Charlie and lifting him into a spinning hug.

“Nick!” Charlie squeals, “what are you doing, you giant muddy idiot?!”

“Celebrating with my b– friend!” Nick catches himself, carefully depositing Charlie on the ground. “My friend.” Nick confirms loudly, looking a little bashful. He offers Isaac a weirdly uncomfortable fist bump, which Isaac reluctantly participates in, and then turns and jogs towards the changing rooms.

“I don't think he's straight,” Isaac whispers to Charlie, before taking his book out of his pocket and resuming where he left off before the match.

After Charlie says goodbye to Isaac, he goes to wait by the Blueberry until Nick's showered and changed. He hangs back a bit when one by one the team starts exiting the building, stepping into the shadows until they pass. He doesn't want to be super obvious about it, even if he's simply getting a lift home. No one would bat an eyelid if it was a girl waiting beside Nick's car, though. It's so unfair.

Nick emerges before most of the rest of the team and beelines for the Blueberry. His hair is still soaking wet after his shower – and Charlie’s trying not to imagine that now – and has been haphazardly combed into Nick’s signature side split, albeit with less bounce than when it’s dry.

“Milkshakes!” Nick cries out when he gets close enough.

“What?” Charlie asks.

“Let’s get milkshakes, come on!”

Nick is in a great mood as they peel out of the car park, jabbering on and on about the match. Charlie doesn’t really bother following along on the play-by-play recap, but it’s nice to curl up in the passenger seat and watch his boyfriend word vomit with joy.

Nick’s not even gotten to halftime when he pulls into the Maccy’s drive-through.

“Looks like they have chocolate, vanilla and strawberry,” he says, pointing to the menu board as they wait for the car ahead of them to order and move up. “Wish they had more variety. Like bubble gum.”

Charlie recoils. “Bubble gum? You want a bubble gum milkshake?”

“What’s wrong with bubble gum?” Nick asks, apparently genuinely. “It’s more interesting!”

“I might honestly have to break up with you early now,” Charlie retorts, shaking his head.

Nick snaps his head around. “Well, don’t do anything too hasty!” he yelps.

“Oh, calm down, I’m only joking,” Charlie says. “Don’t want you losing that bet.”

Nick glances away for a moment. “Right.”

The car in front of them advances, and Nick pulls forward as well.

“Hi, could I please get one…” he trails off, looking over at Charlie.

“Strawberry.”

“Fruit for a fruit?” Nick whispers mirthfully, giggling when Charlie punches him in the arm, his thick, thick arm. Nick turns back to the speaker. “One strawberry milkshake and one chocolate.”

They snake towards the window, jamming along to Sub-Radio’s “1990something,” until they reach the window to pay and pick up. Nick fumbles trying to extract his wallet while wearing his seatbelt, and that’s when Charlie pounces. He figured Nick would try to pay and he was determined not to let him – but he knew rhetoric wouldn’t work, only action.

With a yowl, Charlie launches himself out of his seat and over Nick until his entire torso is hanging out the driver’s side window. Nick makes a shocked squawking noise but quickly falls silent as Charlie hands over some cash. The server says it will be a minute before their shakes are ready, so once he’s paid Charlie pulls himself back inside the car and into his seat.

“Sorry about that,” Charlie says as he re-secures his seat belt. “I just really wanted to pay and I knew you wouldn't let me so I–”

Charlie stops suddenly when he looks at Nick. He’s flustered and breathing erratically, with his hands firmly gripping the steering wheel and his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Well, maybe not straight ahead, Charlie thinks, and bam, he realises what just happened. Charlie hadn’t meant to, but by laying his body across Nick’s torso to reach out the window, he basically shoved his arse right under Nick’s face. And he wore his good skinny jeans tonight, so every curve and crease would have been on full display.

Charlie reels. Did he… turn Nick Nelson on just now? Or… could it be the opposite? Was being that close to his butt a huge turn-off? Charlie’s paralysed with fear that it’s the second theory and not the first. If it’s that, everything could come crashing down.

Neither of them says anything, too caught up in their own heads to even notice time is passing in complete silence. It’s only when it takes the server three tries to get Nick’s attention and hand him their shakes that either of them starts breathing again.

Glassy-eyed, Nick hands Charlie his shake and sips from his own aimlessly before setting it in the cupholder and pulling out of the McDonald’s.

The drive home is quiet. Charlie somehow even accidentally turned off the music when he Did That, so the rumble of the road is their only soundtrack now.

Isaac's words play on repeat in Charlie's mind.

“I don't think he's straight.”

There really wasn't anything platonic about that hug after the game, was there? Or about the hand-holding, or all the gazing, or any of it. Charlie has to know if what's happening in his head is happening outside his head too, because he's going to end up hurt if he really starts to believe it. It might be too late to avoid that now, anyway, but he'd rather find out now than at the end of the week when it would be even worse.

Nick pulls up outside Charlie's house and cuts the engine, the only sound now their shaky breaths. Charlie can't hold back any longer.

"Nick?” he begins hesitantly, turning to face him.

“Yeah?” Nick replies, his eyes staring into the darkness ahead.

Charlie takes a deep breath. He can do this.

“Are you–”

He’s interrupted by a loud, repetitive sound, Nick's phone vibrating against his keys in his pocket.

Nick looks at Charlie apologetically as he pulls it out and looks at the screen.

“It's the hospital. Probably Mum saying her theatre list has run over again. I should probably take the call. Sorry.”

Nick answers, and as Charlie watches Nick's face drop the longer he's on the line. It's clear it's not his mum. It's also clear it's not okay.

“I'll be there soon. Thank you.”

Nick hangs up and shoves his phone back in his pocket, restarting the engine.

“My brother’s been in an accident,” he says as Charlie gasps lightly. “The nurse said he's okay, but the rain… he crashed his car. My mum's in the middle of an operation… I'm sorry, Char, I have to get to the hospital.”

“Oh, god, yeah. Of course. I hope he's okay.” Charlie says as he hurriedly climbs out of the car.

“Thanks. Sorry.”

He watches Nick drive away as soon as he shuts the passenger door, but he doesn’t even get past the neighbour’s house when Nick’s car slows to a stop and then reverses back to Charlie. The window lowers and Nick leans over to peer out at Charlie.

"Oh, and, to answer your question…” Nick says, his voice small but steady, “yes, I think I might be."

And then he drives off, leaving Charlie in the literal and metaphorical dark.

Notes:

The milkshake scene was inspired by the He Wants to Order meme. And also by Joe Locke's ass.

Thank you as ever to our friends Erinthelibrarian, Androidsdreaming and Thisismeht 💜

Chapter 8: 8

Summary:

It's Thursday, three days after the Date Me demand.

Nick and Charlie talk.

Charlie blinks his eyes open and takes in his surroundings; dark wallpaper dotted with small white stars, gold and wooden cat knick-knacks, Radiohead CDs and Virginia Woolf books scattered across a dark wooden desk beside the bed, a string of rose shaped fairy lights adding a warm glow to the room, and his sister breathing softly beside him, her arm draped over his chest.

He remembers coming in here last night when his brain was too full to sleep. Tori's quiet, reassuring presence was the balm he needed while he attempted to process Nick's parting words the night before – “I think I might be.” She had shuffled across to make space for him and they laid side by side in comfortable silence like they did on occasion when their minds were unsettled. Charlie's boyfriend maybe admitting that he might like boys? Well, that had well and truly done the job of unsettling him.

It wasn't a totally unexpected admission, yet it was a mind-blowing one, because if he was right about Nick’s feelings for boys then he could be right about Nick's feelings for one boy in particular, too. One with curls, dimples and a few neuroses… Charlie replayed their tender and heated gazes in his mind all night, along with the shared touches and building chemistry between them and decided that the sweet, surprising, secret baking nerd that he likes so much might actually like him back.

On paper it's ridiculous, Nick Nelson Rugby King liking Charlie Spring Gay Nerd. It's not logical at all. Nick should like someone popular, sporty and attractive. Like, someone with more than three friends, someone who understands the point of sport and definitely someone much less scrawny and all together wayyyyy hotter than him. But off paper, when they're together… it feels pretty logical to Charlie.

He lifts Tori's hand away and slips out of bed, padding to their shared bathroom to get ready for school. He may not have all the answers after turning it around in his mind overnight, but he feels very clear about two things. First, Nick Nelson isn't straight, and second, they need to talk.

Oh, and also he’s dead on his feet after lying awake most of the night.

He's not sure how to approach a conversation of this magnitude, though, especially when Nick is dealing with a family crisis as well as a gay crisis. Does he give Nick space to elaborate when he's ready? Does he nudge him to talk? Does he go to Nick wearing a particularly fancy shirt and sunglasses and offer him an enormous bunch of red roses à la Tao? Not that. Nick definitely deserves flowers and romantic gestures, and Charlie can imagine him smiling shyly and blushing as he accepts them. He'd like to do that for Nick, but following Tao’s relationship example feels like inviting doom.

A text is probably a good place to start. He types out a simple message with his right hand while he brushes his teeth with his left.

Charlie 07.30: hi

Nick 07.30: Hi

Charlie 07.31: how's david?

Nick 07.31: He's okay. I'm still at the hospital with him. He's going to be discharged soon but someone needs to watch him for signs of concussion for another 24 hours. I'm sorry, I know I promised I'd take you to school this week but Mum's coming off a night shift and I want her to get some sleep...

Charlie 07.31: no sorries! i can get a lift from elle. your family need you

Charlie thinks he kind of needs Nick too, though, in a way that feels really weird after such a short amount of time together.

Nick starts typing then stops a few times over, the ellipses giving him away. Charlie wonders if Nick's thinking the same thing and he's also too nervous to say it. They really, really need to talk.

Nick 07.36: Yeah, I guess they do. Text me today, so I don't get too bored?

Charlie 07.36: okay

Nick 07.36: ❤️

Charlie 07.36: ❤️

Before Charlie can analyse the hearts they just sent one another, he needs to arrange his lift for the morning or he won't be going to school today either. He finishes up in the bathroom and shuffles to his room to dress, exiting his chat with Nick and opening the group chat he keeps with his friends as he goes.

Charlie 07.37: morning

Isaac 07.38: Good morning sports fan

Elle 07.40: Sports fan? Since when?

Tao 07.41: Since he befriended Nick Nelson and forgot we exist

Elle 07.42: This is exactly what I was talking about! You haven't heard me at all during this fight have you?!

Tao 07.42: We’re fighting about Nick Nelson? 🤔

Elle 07.43: Oh my god

Tao 07.43: ?

Elle 07.43: It's your tone Tao! Your demeanor!

Tao 07.43: Those are two different things, Elle. Pick one

Charlie 07.43: erm. hi. in a request that's becoming less appealing by the minute, i need a ride to school today please. got room for one more?

Tao 07.44: No, you'll have to walk. The car is apparently too full of my demeanor already

Elle 07.44: You can have Tao's seat

Isaac 07.45: we could split an Uber with our lunch money?

Charlie 07.45: packed lunches. i’ll bring the iliad. we can hide in stories together

Isaac 07.46: good idea

Charlie throws on his uniform, not bothering with his hair if Nick isn't at school today, and creeps his socked feet down the stairs, hoping to grab a breakfast bar and slip out of the house without having to speak to any–

“Charlie!” his dad calls from the living room. “How was rugby last night? Did we win?”

Clearly, he wasn't quiet enough. Dammit.

Sighing deeply, Charlie pivots and joins his dad in the lounge. He knows he’s just trying to bond, and that's nice and all, but can they not do this tomorrow instead? Well not tomorrow actually. He still has a boyfriend to bond with tomorrow. At the weekend when he's single again would be preferable. When/if…

Julio pats the cushion beside him and Charlie groans internally. Today it is.

“Yeah,” he answers, dropping beside his dad on the settee.

“Yeah? That's all I get?” Julio pushes gently. Really? He isn't exactly a forthcoming kind of guy, so this feels a little hypocritical to Charlie, but whatever.

“Erm, yeah. Truham won. Nick was really good. Scored a lot of the…” Charlie trails off as he tries to recall the name of the points. All he can remember is the various positions of Nick's big, muscular thighs when he scored them. Especially the splayed positions… oh god, and now he has a semi in the living room.

“Tries?” Julio fills in the blank with a jovial eyebrow raise.

“Yep. Those.” Charlie nods, shifting awkwardly in his seat.

“So… Is he a friend of yours? This Nick?” Julio asks, taking a sip of tea from a mug on the coffee table in front of them.

“Uhm. Well he's…” Why shouldn't he tell his dad the truth? I'm gay, he's something, we're temporarily boyfriends, and maybe the ‘temporarily’ is up for debate. What's so bloody wrong about that? Why can't he come out in his own home? All the secrecy is exhausting, especially this week with all the additional cloak and daggers.

His dad's brow furrows and he puts his hand on Charlie's knee, like maybe he's seen something in his son's face. Like maybe he's paying attention. He opens his mouth to speak but a crash from the kitchen cuts him off. The house fills with the sound of Jane's yelling, as it’s wont to do. Something about a spill, this time it sounds like.

Oh yeah. His mum and her anxiety driven quest for a life that fits her narrow view of perfection. That's why he can't come out at home.

Charlie remembers watching Bridgerton as a family after Olly went to bed one evening and Jane's little commentary about how Jonathan Bailey must be quite the ladies man, with his looks and his charm. Tori had calmly informed their mother that he's gay in real life at which point Jane had clammed up and never mentioned him again. Her silence spoke volumes to Charlie, and told him everything he needed to know.

“He's my… friend,” Charlie finishes his sentence quietly.

His dad looks at him pensively but before he can challenge him, Olly mercifully interrupts, careening into the room with his usual dramatic flourish.

“Charlie, you're awake! Let's play The Floor is Lava!”

“Charlie, do not play with him,” Jane barks, storming in after Olly. “Your brother has just spilled paint on the carpet while doing his homework.”

“Good job on doing your work, buddy.” Charlie smiles at Olly, ruffling his curls in a way he would not tolerate anyone doing to him, but that he can't help but do to his cute little bro.

“No!” She rants, “Not ‘good job’! The floor!”

“Kids spill stuff, Mum. It's normal.” They all jump slightly at Tori's level voice from the doorway. “I heard him apologise and I'm sure it will wash out.”

Jane hums unhappily when she looks around the room and finds no support from any of her family. “You don't have time to play, anyway Charlie. You need to tidy your room. It's a mess.”

“It’s actually perfectly tidy. I have to go to school now.” Charlie answers coolly.

Tori steps to the side so he can leave. Once out of the living room he grabs his things, steps into his shoes and goes outside to wait for his uncomfortable ride to school with Elle, Tao, Isaac and the icy silence. Sure, it’s awkward, but it’s still preferable to the bus, even for Tao.

School is weird without Nick, despite them having only been together for three days. It makes Charlie realise how quickly he's got used to checking two lockers in the morning, sharing secret smiles in form, and being escorted between lessons.

On the borderline outcasts bench at lunchtime, it would be fair to accuse Charlie of being distracted. Maybe a little moody. A touch piney. He knows he's lucky to have Isaac, and even Tao, but he can't deny he misses Nick. Was it only yesterday they were in the art room and Nick was saying he'd missed him? He thought Nick was just being cute but he gets it now. If Nick can be brave and tell Charlie he misses him then so can he. Nick did ask for messages…

Charlie 12.40: i miss you

Nick 12.42: I miss you too

Charlie 12.42: lunch isn’t as fun without you

Nick 12.43: Quiet in the art room today, is it?

Charlie 12.43: no. i’m on my bench with tao and isaac, and tao is being the opposite of quiet. they're in the ranting phase of their fight

Nick 12.44: You have your very own bench?

Charlie 12.44: we do. you’ve walked past it several times. most days in fact. it’s between the canteen and the sports hall

Nick 12.45: Noticed me walking past, did you?

Charlie 12.46: no

Nick 12.46: Interesting… I thought you had your eye on Ben, not me

Charlie 12.46: no. not anymore

Nick 12.47: Good to know

Charlie 12.47: is it?

Nick 12.48: It is ♥️

There’s that heart again. They really, really need to talk. Properly, and in person.

Charlie could make his way to Nick's now, but would he feel comfortable having this discussion in front of his brother, concussed or otherwise? Charlie knows Nick said their relationship is alright, but that might be pushing it a bit. They could go to a café or something, but Nick might feel conscious of being overheard. People talk. Especially about the Rugby King. At least if Nick came to his room they could shut the door and talk privately, even if what they're discussing wouldn't go down so well in the wider house.

Charlie 12.50: do you wanna come round my house tonight?

Nick 12.50: Yes

Charlie 12.51: if your brother is okay, i know he needs to be looked after?

Nick 12.51: Mum cancelled her shift tonight so she can sit with him tomorrow. That way I can go to school. I’m sure she’ll watch him for me when she wakes up later. So yes. Please. I’d like that x

Charlie 12.52: me too x

Charlie might be mistaken, maybe it’s the new addition of the x or something, but this feels like a date. A real one. He just has to get through the rest of this blasted school day first.

What feels like a thousand hours later, Charlie is primping his hair in the hallway mirror before Nick comes round. He’s selected skinny jeans and a soft, slightly fluffy jumper for the occasion. It's something he's comfortable in, and it seems like a boyfriend kind of outfit. The only problem is the havoc it wreaked on his curls when he pulled it over his head. Hence the primping.

Tori looks on from the stairs, silently sipping her drink. She's clearly aware something is happening but seems quite happy to watch it unfold from a distance rather than feeling the need to ask questions. Charlie appreciates that about her, even if the hovering is mildly discombobulating.

A ring of the doorbell disturbs his preening and he's quick to answer, his hands shaking slightly as he pulls the latch. The door swings open to reveal Nick, late afternoon sunlight streaming through his hair and providing a halo effect. If that weren’t disarming enough, the crooked grin that stretches across his face when he sees Charlie really gets his heart pumping.

“Hi,” Charlie says.

“Hi,” Nick replies.

“Hi.”

Charlie’s used to Tori’s stealth mode, but judging by the way Nick’s eyebrows and tits boobs chest jump in a coordinated fashion, he hadn’t clocked her on the stairs… even though she definitely was in his line of sight. Charlie knew Tori could be quiet, but he didn’t think she’d developed actual cloaking technology. Nick would have to be blind to have missed her there.

“Nick, this is my sister Tori. Tori, Nick Nelson.”

Tori’s eyes trace Nick from his hair to his feet, but not in the same way Charlie’s eyes do. He shifts on his feet under her scrutiny, crossing his arms and swallowing.

“Yeah,” Tori says. “I’ve seen you around.”

Nick steps forward enough that Charlie can close the door behind him. He’ll miss that golden hour backlighting, but Nick stuns under any lights, even under those horrid fluorescents at school.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Nick says, holding out one hand.

Tori glances down at it, then back up at his face.

“Why?”

Nick takes half a step back. He’s clearly not used to Tori’s… directness. It can be quite off putting at first. And, Charlie thinks with a smirk, also after 16 years.

“Um… well, I guess you’ve got me there,” Nick finally says, dropping his hand to his side and wiping an apparently sweaty palm on his jeans.

Tori just hums in acknowledgement, but the tension is cut a moment later when Olly comes barrelling down the stairs past Tori and throws his arms around Nick’s waist, or at least, as far around as they can go.

“Oh!” Nick cries out in shock, holding his arms spread out and upward. “You must be Olly, then.”

Charlie’s brother releases Nick and steps back. “I didn’t know Charlie had any friends besides Tao and Elle and Isaac!”

Charlie moans and buries his face in his hands, but Nick just smiles down at Olly. “Well, I guess I’m kind of a new friend.”

“Cool!” Olly says. “Come play Mario Kart?”

Without further ado, he grabs Nick’s hand and pulls him into the living room. Nick lets himself be led along, beaming at Charlie as he follows behind. Tori snakes her way upstairs; Charlie knows she can only handle so much Peopling and this interaction has rapidly hit her limit.

They end up sitting on the carpet with their backs against the coffee table, too close to the telly but who cares, with Olly sandwiched in between Charlie and Nick.

Olly is, as always, Luigi, while Charlie settles for his usual as well, Toad. He chuckles when Nick lands on Donkey Kong.

"What?" Nick asks.

“Nothing, just… didn’t you want to pick a character that looks less like you?”

“Oh, nice!” Nick yelps as Olly also giggles. “Fine, then, I’ll try something new.” He clicks around until he selects Princess Peach.

“Can boys play girls?” Olly asks as the Rainbow Road countdown timer begins.

“I never have before,” Nick said. “But I’m trying some new things this week.”

Charlie glances over, but Nick keeps his eyes glued to the TV, which is why Charlie is left in the bloody dust when he misses the start of the race.

Charlie manages to win the first race, and also the next five, but he eventually lets Nick win one when the opportunity arises. His jubilant celebration and cheerful shouts as he stabs one arm in the air have the Spring boys laughing. They laugh even harder after the next race when he comes in decidedly third place and sighs, “Oh, fudge.”

The garage door opens and Jane passes by the living room carrying a couple of pizza boxes.

“Hi all,” she shouts out from the other room. “Listen, I’ve got to run over to Grandma’s because the bloody router’s not working again and she can’t do CandyCrush. And since your dad’s at that work dinner, I picked up some pizza.”

Olly pushes himself up and speeds out of the room, shouting, “Pizza pizza pizza!”

Nick’s eyebrows shoot up. “He really likes pizza.”

Charlie rolls his eyes. “I mean, yeah, but also… we never get to have pizza. Mum must be really stuck, this is an almost unheard of treat.”

“Charlie, you need to make sure–”

Jane stops short when she comes around the corner and spots Nick beside Charlie on the carpet. Both boys jump up, with Nick extending his hand again.

“Hello, Mrs Spring,” he says, grasping her hand. “I’m Nicholas Nelson, a friend of Charlie’s. We have a presentation for form in the morning and I came over for final preparations. I hope that’s all right.”

My god, the charm, the charisma – the kiss-ass-ery. Nick almost completely disarms Jane, who looks back and forth between Nick and Charlie several times.

“Yes. The presentation, yes, Charlie mentioned… Hello,” she says. Damn, he really did a number on her. “Well. Welcome. I, uh, we have pizza tonight, oh my, now I’m really embarrassed – pizza for dinner and it’s not even Olly’s birthday, can you imagine?” she says, laughing.

Nick chuckles along, and all Charlie can think about is how David raised him on this crap, so the idea that his mother is mortified by the menu is hilariously discordant.

“Anyway, there’s plenty, so help yourself, Nick,” Jane replies. “Er – does your mother know you’re here?”

Nick nods. “Oh, yes, Mrs Spring.”

Jane’s eyebrows rise. “Oh, so polite!” she says, pointedly looking at Charlie, who suppresses the urge to roll his eyes. “Charlie, I have to go – make sure your brother doesn’t pick the mushrooms off, please? Oh, and, don’t forget your homework. I see you’ve been playing video games all afternoon again.”

Charlie’s about to object when Nick speaks up.

“I’m afraid that’s my fault, Mrs Spring,” he says. “But you should know Charlie is very smart. I’ve learned a lot from him already.”

Now he’s deprived Jane of one of her favourite chew toys – Charlie. “Yes, well… good, then,” she says, before turning, grabbing her handbag and heading back out the door.

Charlie lets three seconds pass before he’s deepening his voice to sound more like Nick.

“Oh, yes, Mrs Spring, I’m a huge kiss ass, Mrs Spring, oh you’re so amazing, Mrs Spring,” Charlie says teasingly, making little kissy noises.

Nick shoves him gently on the shoulder. “What, you want me to be mean to your mother?”

“There’s being polite and there’s being a huge suck-up, Nicholas,” Charlie replies.

“I may be thick, but even I know you have to win over the mother-in-law, Charles,” Nick says as he walks out of the room, sniffing the pizza scent in the air on his way towards the kitchen. He doesn’t notice Charlie’s rooted to the spot at the casual inference that Jane Spring is like his mother-in-law. Like, the term used for the mother of one’s spouse. Jesus fuck what is happening?

“Char? You coming?” Nick calls out, and Charlie finally makes his feet move.

Nick’s looking at the two pizzas on the table as Olly sits in a chair, gnawing away at a slice. There’s a pile of slimy-looking mushrooms on a napkin on the table beside him.

“What on earth…” Nick says, eyeing the pile.

“We hate mushrooms!” Olly yelps. “Don’t worry, I’ll throw them over the garden fence later.”

Charlie giggles at the puzzled look on Nick’s face.

“Nick, do you like mushrooms?” Olly asks.

“Well, I–”

“Oliver, leave Nick alone,” Charlie admonishes. He hands Nick a plate. “Come on, let’s go eat in my room.”

Nick piles three slices on his plate, and Charlie can tell he wants to take more but is holding back since Charlie took just one. He’s so cute Charlie could scream, and in fact that’s sort of the problem – they really, really need to talk and they can’t do it in front of Olly.

“You’re going to do your homework after this, right?” Charlie asks as he fills two glasses with water.

“Yes, Mum,” Olly moans, rolling his eyes.

“Come on, then,” Charlie says, picking up their plates, and Nick follows him quietly up the stairs with the drinks. Charlie kicks Tori’s door and shouts “pizza” as they pass, and then they go into his bedroom. Nick Nelson, Charlie Spring’s boyfriend, is in his bedroom. Where his bed is. Charlie tries not to think about that part too hard. A jolt of adrenaline accompanies the realisation that there was a good chance he’d left a pair of boxers lying about or something, but a quick glance around the room didn’t reveal any issues. Phew.

They set the food and drink down, before Nick unsurprisingly beelines for the electronic drum set in the corner.

“Oh my god, you play the drums?” he asks, examining the kit. “That’s so h– cool.”

Charlie blushes a little but shrugs. Was Nick about to say hot… no. “Is it? Maybe… I’ve been playing since I was Olly’s age.”

“Show me?”

Charlie closes his door. “What, dinner and a show?” He’s light and flirty, and it’s kind of surprising how easy and natural it is to be that way with Nick. Charlie has never felt so comfortable with someone before.

Now it’s Nick’s turn to blush. He shrugs and perches on Charlie’s bed, picking up a slice of pizza. Charlie settles on his stool, turns on the speakers and launches into some freestyling. He’s somewhat self-conscious since Nick is watching him from behind, but he manages to play all right.

When he stops with a clash of the cymbals and swivels around, Nick is watching with awe. Most of the pizza is still on his plate, now sitting on the bookcase beside Charlie’s bed.

Charlie stands and shrinks into himself a little. “That was… anyway. Nothing special.”

“Nothing special?” Nick rises. “Char, that was… you’re bloody brilliant!”

Charlie scoffs.

“No, really, you sound like you could be touring or something,” Nick says.

“But then I wouldn’t be here.”

Did Charlie just… even he’s taken aback by the smoothness of that line. Who has he become in less than four days?

Nick coughs. “Will you show me how?”

Charlie nods and Nick comes over. They press their thighs together, budging up on the tiny stool – well, there’s one benefit – and Charlie puts the sticks in Nick’s hands and wraps his own around them as a guide. It’s slow going and he has to concentrate because the setup is so awkward, but he manages to basically Weekend-at-Bernie’s Nick’s hands into performing a respectable enough first-time drum solo.

“There, now you’re a pro,” he says, suddenly hot under his jumper. “But that’s probably cheating.” He stands awkwardly; Nick seems weirdly frozen to the spot.

“Come on, pizza’s going to get cold,” Charlie says. He walks over and sits at his desk to eat his own slice as Nick moves over and swings one leg onto Charlie’s mattress to sit and eat. “I giggled earlier because I remembered you saying David often fed you pizza growing up.”

Nick nods. “Mum does it now, sometimes, too.”

“Oh yeah?”

“When she’s not on the night shift and we can swing dinner,” Nick says. “She’s usually too wiped out to cook and I’m usually too busy between school and rugby.”

“And all the dating,” Charlie chimes in without thinking. He freezes slightly, but Nick doesn’t meet his gaze.

“Yeah,” Nick says when he’s done chewing. “It’s nice. Pizza and a movie.”

“What kind of movies do you like?” Charlie asks. “Wait, let me guess. Something like… Chariots of Fire.”

Nick smiles. “I do like that film.”

“Don’t ever tell Tao unless you’re ready for a half-hour TED Talk on how the score revolutionised synthesiser music from sci-fi backwater to Oscar-winning dramas.”

“Noted,” Nick says, sipping his water. “But no, we can never decide on a new film so we just go back to the classics. Like Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Nick’s halfway across the room and switches over to a whisper, but Charlie thinks he makes out something like “should have known then.”

“What was that?”

Nick glances at him nervously. “Oh… nothing.”

They’ve both finished their pizza by now. Charlie stands and collects Nick’s dirty plate, setting it on his desk.

“So,” he says. His stomach is churning – good thing he only had one slice – and there’s a knot in his chest, but they really can’t put this off any longer. Charlie tamps down the part of him that’s catastrophising about Nick’s reaction. He can do this.

“So,” Nick repeats. He stands, wrapping his arms around himself as he paces a bit nervously. God, Charlie’s so on edge he hadn’t even considered what Nick must be going through.

“You don’t have to… if you don’t want to–”

Nick shakes his head. “No, I… I want to. You deserve… yeah.”

Charlie decides letting Nick take the lead is best, so he stands with one leg crossed over the other. Nick paces a few more times before plonking himself down on the edge of Charlie’s bed.

“I’m having, like, a proper full-on gay crisis,” he finally says, and if Charlie weren’t so sympathetic to the distress in Nick’s voice he’d be giggling at how dramatically silly that statement is.

Nick gulps. “Ever since we… you know, started dating… I’ve been confused. I’ve just been so, so confused.”

Charlie strides over and sits beside Nick, close, but not touching him. He wants to let him guide this.

“I know it’s kind of weird because we’re dating for the–” Nick cuts himself off. For the week. Did he stop himself because they’re going to stop dating tomorrow, full stop? Or because… dare Charlie think it? Because he doesn’t want to stop dating tomorrow?

“It’s okay to feel confused,” Charlie says. “Besides, we have, like, a whole day left to figure it out.”

Nick looks up at him and smiles wanly, then frowns. “I feel like we lost a day because of the David thing.”

“That’s okay,” Charlie says, trying to sound nonchalant, as though he didn’t spend all day yearning to see Nick again. He takes Nick’s hand in his own and squeezes it reassuringly.

“No, it’s not,” Nick replies, looking into Charlie’s eyes. “You’re so amazing, Charlie. You deserve the full experience.”

Oh GOD does Charlie want to fully experience Nick right now. He realises belatedly how bad an idea it was to have an intimate conversation about sexuality on his bed.

Somehow, while talking, the air between them disappears. Charlie’s eyes dart down to Nick’s lips, fluffy and pink, and their faces are so close, it’s not even really happening consciously, they’re just getting incrementally closer and closer–

“Hi!” Olly shouts as he pushes the door open, dragging his Pikachu backpack behind him. Nick and Charlie jump apart like they just touched a live wire, each suddenly flustered and fixing their clothing and sucking down oxygen.

“Buddy, we’ve talked about knocking,” Charlie gasps, shooting Nick an apologetic look.

“What’s a chaperone?” Olly asks, steamrolling right past the whole knocking thing.

“What?”

“Tori said I need to come in here and be a ‘chaperone.’”

Charlie’s jaw drops ever so slightly, and Nick has to hide his mouth behind his hand as he stifles a laugh. He’s low-key relieved that Nick is okay with at least Tori having some inkling about him. About them. Are they a ‘them’? Damn Tori, sending Olly in and interrupting their conversation. Although Charlie questions just how much more talking they were about to do.

Fortunately Olly is too busy clearing a space on the floor and after a few more seconds of silence, like a goldfish, his memory clears of that word.

“I have to do homework now,” he says, spilling some worksheets onto Charlie’s carpet and flopping down.

Charlie sighs. “I guess I do, as well.”

Nick looks at him, and Charlie can’t read his expression. “If you want, I could go. Or… like, I could help you?”

Charlie’s eyebrows raise silently, and Nick shuffles back so he’s sitting on Charlie’s bed with his back against the wall. He pats the mattress beside him and looks at Charlie with the most adorable puppy eyes ever.

Charlie grabs his stuff and clambers onto the bed, plopping himself right up against Nick. The hulking rugby player’s warmth seeps over to him, and he may or may not sigh in a quiet but embarrassing way before pulling out his maths book.

“So what are we working on?” Nick asks.

“Inverse trigonometric functions.”

“Right.”

“You have no idea what those are, do you?”

“Not a clue,” Nick says cheerfully. “But that’s okay. You’re the brains, I’m the brawn.”

He holds up his arm, that damned bicep bulging, and suddenly Charlie is glad his notebook is covering his lap. He hasn’t… you know… since Saturday, and the buildup of tension is starting to frustrate him. But Charlie’s been pretty busy, and also he’s not sure how he feels doing that when he knows he’d be thinking about Nick.

But he can’t help being flirty.

“So then who’s the beauty?” he asks quietly, very aware of the tiny distance between them.

“That would definitely be you,” Nick whispers, and Charlie blushes and looks away. If this is all some dream, he hopes he’s in a coma so it never ends.

“Seriously, this is going to be boring,” Charlie says, pulling out a worksheet with a litany of problems to solve.

“It’s okay,” Nick replies. “I just like being with you.”

Charlie gives Nick two minutes before he’s scrolling Instagram and then starts in on the first problem set. But Nick never pulls out his phone, or looks around distractedly, or dozes off, even though Charlie wouldn’t mind a repeat of that performance. Every time Charlie glances over, Nick’s watching him fondly. If he hadn’t already been feeling warm from the heat radiating off Nick, he definitely would be from knowing that the sight of him doing calculus is apparently rather riveting, at least to one guy.

They both look up when Olly lets out an exaggerated sigh from the floor, where he’s lying on his stomach looking down at a piece of paper.

“You okay?” Charlie asks.

“I hate sums,” Olly moans.

“Sums! Now that’s maths I can help with!” Nick declares, shuffling off the bed and lying on the floor next to Olly. “You know what one plus one equals?”

Olly rolls his eyes. “Duh, even babies know that. One plus one is two.”

“Nope, it’s 11,” Nick replies in a chipper tone. He holds up his hands with his index fingers outstretched. “See? One plus one” – he slowly moves his fingers together until they’re side by side – “makes 11.”

Olly just stares at Nick blankly before turning to Charlie and shooting him an exasperated look. Charlie bursts out laughing, followed by Nick.

“I’m just kidding,” Nick says, bumping Olly’s shoulder with his own. “Come on, I’ll help for real.”

Charlie spends the next few minutes watching his boyfriend walk his brother through his work. He’s very patient, even though Olly is resistant to learning things like maths. At one point he even shuffles over and grabs some loose Lego Charlie had piled in the corner to illustrate something for Olly, and Charlie feels as warm as if Nick “The Furnace” Nelson is still plastered to his side.

Eventually Charlie manages to tear his eyes away from Nick’s plump arse and get back to his own work, and a while later Olly is apparently done with his homework and wanders off, hopefully to bug Tori, the traitor.

“You’re good with kids,” Charlie murmurs as Nick settles back beside him.

“Am I?” Nick asks genuinely.

“Yeah.”

Nick hums and leans against Charlie a bit. “I don’t know anything about calculus but I like these wavy lines.”

Charlie smiles. “That’s the integral symbol.”

“Ooh, I love it when you talk dirty.”

“Oh, you want to hear real dirty maths talk?”

“Such a thing exists?”

Charlie nods. “Yeah, um. Here. I wish I was your derivative.”

He looks at Nick expectantly for a moment before Nick realises he was prompted. “Oh, um, why?”

“So I could lie tangent to your curves.”

Amazingly, Charlie keeps a straight face, and it’s Nick who cracks first, tumbling them both into raucous laughter.

“I have no idea what that means, but I got the dirty part, yup,” he says wiping away a tear.

Charlie’s phone vibrates in his pocket. He finds a message from Jane to him and Tori.

“Mum’s on her way home,” he sighs.

“I take it that’s my cue,” Nick says.

“Unless you want to stay and have her interrogate you about your homework as well.”

Nick hops off the bed and they trudge downstairs, stepping out into the night. Nick turns to face Charlie and takes one of his hands in his own. His fingers ply Charlie’s bony hand, infusing it with warmth.

“Are you… actually okay with the presentation?” Charlie asks. “I just realised we never actually rehearsed it.”

Nick nods. “Yeah. Besides, you’ll be there.”

Charlie nods.

“So I’ll be fine, then,” Nick says, and if that doesn’t make Charlie’s knees feel weak, the way Nick’s thumb is rubbing over the back of his hand certainly would have.

“Okay, well… good night,” Nick says, stepping back slightly but not letting go of Charlie’s hand. He doesn’t until they’ve gone as far as they can, and then their hands part and their arms drop back to their sides. Cold night air swarms over the flushed skin that just a moment ago had been covered by Nick Nelson and Charlie forgets to breathe for a moment.

Nick turns and walks until he reaches the front gate, then looks back at Charlie one more time. Even in the low light Charlie can see the smile across his face, and he waves at Nick until he steps back and disappears into the night.

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the excellent betaing 💜

Chapter 9: 9

Summary:

It's Friday, four days after the Date Me demand... and the end of the one week of dating. Nick and Charlie go to the Sub-Radio concert – but are they going together, or going together?

Elle 07.30: Wake up Charlie

Charlie 07.32: i’m awake but I don’t need a ride today, remember?

Elle 07.33: Oh right, today’s your presentation thing with Nick

Tao 07.36: can’t wait for next week and things to go back to normal

The toothbrush in Charlie’s mouth pauses when he reads Tao’s text. It doesn’t seem like things are going to go back to normal after last night. To be honest, Charlie doesn’t want things to go back to normal. But as he thinks about it, they kind of probably will have to, regardless of what he or Nick want. Some girl will ask Nick to be her boyfriend on Monday, and he’s going to have to say yes or everyone’s going to start asking why.

Even if he and Nick do somehow stay together, they can’t hang out too much at school. People like Harry and Imogen have already taken note of how much time they spend together, and it’s only been four days – three days, really, since Nick missed Thursday at school. If they keep eating lunch together people will start talking. And going on public dates also risks being spotted.

It seems that the most Charlie can hope for, the absolute best case scenario, is Nick continuing to sit next to him in form. A few minutes a day, side by side. Maybe the occasional lunch or weekend plan. Can that sustain Charlie? Can it sustain Nick? Or will he lose interest when they can’t spend so much time together?

Charlie doesn’t want to think about that right now. He wants to think about Nick picking him up in the Blueberry, giving their presentation, and going to the Sub-Radio show tonight. And then… who knows. There’s a whole weekend ahead before Nick will have a girlfriend again come Monday morning, and Charlie wants to make the most of it.

He finishes brushing his teeth and packing his school bag, and then lies on his bed staring at the ceiling until his phone dings.

Nick 08.00: I’m out front!

On the dot. Knowing Nick, he probably got here 10 minutes ago and didn’t want to bother Charlie. His heart swells more than it should, but Charlie grabs his backpack and carefully sneaks down the stairs, stepping over the one that squeaks really loudly.

It’s no good, however. Jane spots him before he can open the front door.

“Charlie, come eat breakfast, I have muesli.”

He shudders.

“Nick’s waiting for me,” he says, jamming his thumb behind him towards the street. “We’re going to practice for today’s presentation.”

“You still need to eat breakfast, Charlie,” Jane frowns, hands on her hips.

“We’re going to get some breakfast on the way,” Charlie says. He conveniently leaves out that they made plans to go to McDonald’s again.

Jane’s eyes narrow, but apparently Nick won some credibility with his manners last night because she eventually sighs and relents. “Isn’t Nick also taking you to that concert tonight?”

Charlie nods.

Jane studies him a moment longer before a loud noise in the kitchen has her spinning on her heel.

“Oliver Jonathan Spring, what have I said about playing with spatulas?”

Thankful for his chaotic little brother and his morning distractions, Charlie beelines out the door and jumps into Nick’s car.

“Morning, boyfriend,” Nick says, immediately threading his hand into Charlie’s over the console between them.

“Good morning,” Charlie says, slightly breathless, and it’s definitely from jogging over to Nick’s car, not because of the way the golden sunlight beams across his auburn hair. “Boyfriend,” he adds when he can speak again.

They don’t speak for the ride to Maccy’s. Charlie’s more than happy to sear the feeling of Nick Nelson’s hand in his own into his memory. If Nick wants to talk more about anything, he’s tamping it down really well.

Charlie avoids leaping over Nick at the drive-through this morning, wavering between smirking and looking apologetic when Nick gives him a pointed look as he pulls out his wallet to pay for their breakfast sandwiches (and, for Charlie, a coffee).

They don’t talk much more on the drive to school. The student car park is pretty empty when they arrive since it’s a little early, but they’d planned it that way so they can eat the sandwiches there instead of Nick trying to juggle that and driving. They head over to one of the picnic tables near the entrance, sit across from each other and just… enjoy being together. They chat about their evening plans, and this and that, and there may or may not be some footsie going on under the table.

More cars pull up as the start time approaches. As Nick wraps up their rubbish to toss in the bin, Charlie’s eye is drawn to a rustle in the bushes, a little too big to be a squirrel. It heads off in the opposite direction, but then Nick is calling his name and when he turns back the disturbance is gone.

The presentation goes well. Frankly it was overkill, but with Charlie taking every opportunity to be around Nick (and, he now knows, Nick to be around Charlie), they’d probably gone a bit further than Mr Lange had expected.

Nonetheless, he compliments their work and the rest of the class claps afterwards. It was hard to tell if the message really sank in with anyone, but the fact that Nick Nelson was involved certainly means people were paying attention, so that would have to be enough.

They make tentative plans to meet in the art room again for lunch, and that afternoon as he approaches Nick coming from the other direction, Charlie can’t deny the butterflies in his stomach when Nick shoots him that signature smile.

Unfortunately, that’s when reality intervenes.

“Oi Nick, canteen’s this way,” calls out Harry, popping out of a classroom just as Nick passes. Nick slows to a halt, but Harry follows his gaze to the approaching Charlie. “What, you’re hanging out with him again? I thought that presentation thing was over now?”

There’s uncertainty in Nick’s eyes and he’s not speaking as Charlie walks up to them. He doesn’t want to put Nick in an awkward position, or draw any extra attention to themselves, so he thinks fast.

“Nick, here’s that pen I borrowed,” Charlie says, pulling one out of his bag. “Sorry I walked off with it.”

It takes a moment for Nick to kick into gear, but then he reaches out a hand and takes the pen. “No sorries.”

Charlie nods and then turns on his heel and heads towards the outcast bench to join Tao and Issac.

“Well, come on then, the lads are waiting,” he hears Harry tell Nick. “It’s good your project is over. You were spending so much time with him it was starting to feel like you had a crush or something.”

Charlie risks a glance back at those remarks. He knows firsthand how gut-wrenching it is for someone to make a casually homophobic remark to someone in the closet, how it makes it feel like a powerful spotlight has been shined on your secrets. How it terrifies you that it will change how your friends and family see you. He hates that this is probably the first time Nick is feeling those things and he can't comfort him through them. And as much as Charlie dislikes Harry, he knows that Nick feels a certain way about him because of their history.

As he watches, Nick shrugs off the arm Harry had thrown around his shoulder and speeds up, forcing Harry to jog a little to catch up. Charlie wishes he could see Nick’s face.

The rest of the day passes in a blur. Tao is too caught up in his own drama to notice Charlie’s muted presence at lunch. Isaac stares at him disconcertingly, but Charlie just shakes his head. Isaac frowns but says nothing. Classes are whatever, and then the bell rings and technically Nick Nelson is no longer his boyfriend.

They never confirmed an extension to make up for the missed day on Thursday or anything, and Charlie feels very uncertain about everything between them. Things will have to stay that way for a bit; Nick has rugby practice after school, and so Charlie piles into the car with Elle, Tao and Isaac again for a ride home.

They’re a few streets away from school when Charlie realises Elle has put on the film score from Blade Runner. He glances at Isaac, who shoots him back a grin. This is a telltale sign that Tao and Elle are taking a step towards ending their fight. She acquiesces on this, then Tao figures out how his dunderheadedness caused a problem, and then they laugh and cry and usually have some makeup sex. Thankfully, since it’s a Friday, Charlie won’t have to deal with their dopey sex faces on the morning drive to school tomorrow.

Later, Charlie’s trying to decide which combination of shirts and Converse to wear to the concert. To his… date.

It hits him suddenly that this is a voluntary date – there’s no spectre of the bet hanging over their heads. Not that he ever thought Nick did anything solely because of the bet, at least not since his initial acceptance of the arrangement. And they were both already planning to go to this concert anyway. But still…

In the mirror, Charlie notices Tori glide sideways through his door, facing him, even though she couldn’t have seen exactly where he was standing from outside.

“So.”

He turns and holds two shirts back and forth over his torso.

“Which one?”

“Olly said you’re going to this thing with a friend,” Tori says, bypassing his question.

Charlie rolls his eyes and swaps the shirts back and forth a few times before settling on a deep red one. He tosses the other aside, rolls on some fresh deodorant and slips the red one over his lithe frame.

“Yeah.”

“Tao?”

“No.”

“Elle?”

Charlie shakes his head as he uncaps his cologne.

“Well, I know it’s not Isaac,” Tori says while he spritzes. “So there’s just one other possibility.”

Charlie glowers at his sister. “Leave it.”

She raises her hands in acquiescence.

“I just don’t want… I don’t want you to get hurt.”

He replaces his cologne and sighs. “I won’t. This isn’t… I know what I’m doing. That’s all I can say. Trust me.”

She considers this for a moment and then nods.

Their heads turn when the doorbell rings. Charlie grabs his stuff and rushes past Tori and down the stairs.

“Nick!” Olly is shouting on the doorstep, apparently having been the one to open the door.

“Hi, Olly,” Nick says, looking down. “How are you?”

“Good,” he replies simply. “Can I come to the concert with you?”

Charlie moans and Nick stifles a giggle.

“Oll, it’s not music you’d like,” Charlie says, pulling his coat off the hook.

Julio and Jane appear from around the corner. “Hello again, Mrs Spring,” Nick says, stepping forward. “And you must be Mr Spring, I’m Nick Nelson.”

“Yes,” Julio says, taking Nick’s outstretched hand, “you’re Charlie’s new rugby friend.”

Nick glances at Charlie. “Something like that.”

Well, this has been a pleasant enough interaction, and the longer they linger the more likely something embarrassing will be said, so Charlie checks his phone.

“Ooh, we better be going,” he says dramatically.

“Is your phone charged?” Jane asks.

“Yes, Mum.”

“And you have your wallet.”

Charlie pats his trouser pocket in affirmation.

“Okay then. Be home by 11.”

“Can't it be 12?” Charlie whines, disappointed to have a curfew that leaves zero time for post-show shenanigans.

“I don't think–”

“It would be so kind of you, Mrs Spring. That way I wouldn't have to rush behind the wheel in the dark. I’d really appreciate your flexibility in allowing me to get him home by your deadline without worrying about letting you down.”

“Oh, well!” Jane blushes, clearly adoring the respect leaching out of Nick in a very unsexy manner. “I suppose that makes sense. Safety first. Midnight will be fine, this once.”

“Mum, I’m hungry,” Olly moans, pulling Jane by the hand back towards the kitchen.

“Goodbye, Nick,” she calls out.

They turn to leave when Julio whistles softly and pulls out a 20 pound note. “For tonight. You boys have some fun,” he whispers, glancing back at the kitchen.

“Oh, Mr Spring, that’s very nice, but–”

“Ah ah,” he says, stuffing it into Charlie’s shirt pocket. “Maybe you’ll meet some nice girls, spend it on them.”

Nick and Charlie share a look.

“Well… if we see anyone we like, we’ll spend it on them,” Charlie eventually says. The way he threaded the needle with that one… masterful.

“Good,” Julio grunts, clapping them each on the back and turning round.

As soon as the front door is closed, Nick whacks Charlie on the arm gently. “‘If we see anyone we like’?” he laughs.

“I mean, I promised my dad, so I guess we have to spend it on each other now,” Charlie says, tucking the note into his wallet. “Unless you see someone else tonight you’d rather spend it on.”

Nick bumps him with his shoulder as they walk down to the pavement. “Not a chance.”

Charlie spends the drive to the venue rinsing Nick for his kiss-ass-ery encore with Jane. Nick takes it on the chin – and Charlie’s not too rough because, after all, Nick bought them another hour together – and drops Charlie off to get in line while he finds a parking spot. Charlie knows he's grinning like a dork while he waits for Nick, but he can't help himself. He's having a great time and they haven't even entered the venue yet.

Oh shit, these are serious feelings. He was supposed to be avoiding this.

“Charlie!” Imogen's voice rings out across the queue, shaking the thoughts out of his head and the smile off his face.

“Excuse me, excuse me!” She twitters as she nudges her way down the line towards Charlie. Great. That's it for the date he was so enjoying then. His first ever date, pulled right out from under him. They can't continue now. Imogen will be on Nick like a barnacle for the rest of the night; they have no hope. Bye bye flirting. Bye bye hand holding. Bye bye the possibility of maybe even kissing if he was lucky. Goddammit, Imogen!

“Don’t you take even one day off, Nancy Drew?” Charlie asks, his bitterness showing through in his tone. And face.

“Where is he?” Imogen demands, completely ignoring his biting comment. Rude. He'd hoped she'd at least flinch a little.

“Why do you care so much?” he exclaims. “You don’t even really care about Nick. You just like the idea of him.”

“I do like him,” she replies, looking a little hurt.

“What? What do you like about him?” Charlie asks. “Tell me one thing about him that isn't surface-level and I'll believe you. I'll even invite you to join us!” Oh fuck, why’d he say that last part?

“Erm… well he's very… I like the way he… He… uggh!” she pouts, stamping her foot on the ground like a petulant toddler. “I can't think of anything while you're looking at me!”

Charlie spins, turning his back to her, before rolling his hand over his shoulder in a ‘proceed’ manner. He smirks at the silence that follows, and the eventual huff she makes as she storms away from the venue, muttering about how she doesn't even like this stupid band anyway.

“And stop hiding in the bushes!” Charlie shouts after her. “It’s creepy!”

Imogen scrunches up her face as she glances back at him before disappearing around the corner.

Charlie has a few minutes to calm down, and by the time Nick finds him, his heart has stopped racing. Thankfully, the line has really started moving by this point, and just a couple of minutes later they’ve each had their ticket scanned and are through the doors and in the lobby. Charlie’s getting his bearings when Nick takes his right hand in his own. Right there. In public. Charlie stares for a minute at the place where Nick’s freckled rugby arm is connected to his own skinny appendage while people bustle around them.

They've done this in private of course, but openly this simple act holds a whole new level of intimacy and meaning. Charlie never thought this would happen to him. Not for a long, long time, anyway. Not until Truham was far in his rearview mirror. But it’s happening now. And it’s thrilling.

Not that he’s going to admit that.

“Come on, you giant dork. Let’s go get t-shirts!” Charlie exclaims instead, dragging Nick by the hand to the queue for the merchandise stall.

Charlie informs him that he will be buying them both official Sub-Radio tops; a pale blue t-shirt for Nick and a black long sleeved tee for himself. In all honesty, he quite likes the blue t-shirt as well but under no circumstances are they going to be a matching outfits kind of couple… if they actually are a couple… and anyway, he saw how Nick was eyeing it up.

“You really don't need to buy my shirt, Char,” Nick argues as Charlie brandishes his wallet.

“I want to, Nick. It’s called wooing. Accept it,” Charlie tells him, resting the back of his head against Nick's chest so he can look up at him through his eyelashes. Cute and convincing. Who says boys can't multitask?

“But–”

“If it helps we can call it a practical thing,” Charlie interrupts, rolling his head back off Nick as the queue moves forward. “Say it's my contribution to petrol costs for all the lifts to and from school, and here tonight.”

“I guess we could call it that…” Nick murmurs, still looking unsold.

“You know it’s okay for me to do boyfriend things for you sometimes, right?” Charlie asks, picking up on the unspoken words in Nick's tone.

“I guess over the course of this dare I’ve got used to giving the boyfriend experience, I’ve never received any reciprocation of that.” Nick explains. “This is new.”

“That's some comp-het, heteronormative, gender-role fucking bullshit, right there.” Charlie frowns, irritated with the world at large.

“It is?”

“Yep.” Charlie climbs onto his soapbox and the rant flows out of him. “Just because you’re the boyfriend, emphasis on boy, you don’t get flowers or your books carried for you? It’s just expected that you provide those things? Someone really should have given you a ride during this whole thing, at least!”

Nick reddens and the rest of Charlie's impassioned speech dies on his lips.

“I meant – I didn't mean a ride. I meant… Shit.” Charlie scrambles, the tone of his cheeks matching, if not surpassing Nick's.

Nick leans in so he can whisper into Charlie’s ear. “Speaking of rides, I have to confess that lately I’ve been thinking a lot about… driving.”

“Oh my god, Nick!” Charlie squawks, punching him in the shoulder with his free hand while Nick laughs, presumably at how incredibly flustered he is.

They reach the merch table and Nick oohs and ahhs at the small goods, releasing Charlie’s hand to point out a delicate bracelet in bands of pink, purple and blue with a shiny silver clasp. Charlie's about to ask him if he wants that too when the stall holder smiles at them and Charlie realises they're face to face with Adam Bradley. Like the Adam Bradley. Lead singer of Sub-Radio, Adam Bradley. Who apparently mans his own merch booth. Now that’s a true indie band.

Nick freezes, clearly noticing this too, and makes a panicked noise that sounds like “whab,” making Adam laugh.

“What can I get for you guys?” the thirty-ish man asks with a grin.

Charlie steps in, remembering an interview he once read where Adam talked about how rewarding he finds it to connect with his queer fanbase and how he likes to make himself available at gigs if anyone wants a safe and accepting space to come out. He thought it was pretty cool at the time, but now he sees Nick, a portrait of queer panic beside him, he thinks it's actually pretty hilarious.

“Could we get a couple of t-shirts please?” Charlie asks, pointing at the ones they want and requesting the appropriate sizes.

“Sure!” Adam smiles, reaching up on a shelf to get the blue top and flashing them a delightful little glimpse of the skin above his waistband as he does, leading Nick to add “frnn” to his contribution to the conversation this far.

Charlie pats Nick on the bicep and he has the decency to look contrite at least. Charlie takes another look at Adam with fresh eyes when he turns to grab the black top from a pile behind him. Charlie's never been into Adam like that, but Nick clearly is so maybe he ought to look again... He rakes his eyes over Adam's slender build and the pile of dark curls that flop on his head. He's pretty cute, Charlie thinks, but he kind of looks like an older version of Charlie…

“Oh my god, Nick!” Charlie snorts, as realisation dawns. “You have a type, don't you?”

“Shut up, Charlie!” Nick hisses as Adam turns back to present them with their order.

“I'll take that bracelet, too, please.” Charlie adds on a whim. Nick seemed to like it. Charlie pays and thanks Adam, telling him they're looking forward to the show before accepting the bag of goodies and pulling a tragically gawping Nick away by the arm. “Come on, let's get drinks and find a good spot to stand in, you big gay nerd.”

Two Diet Cokes later, and proudly wearing their brand new merch, they weave their way through the crowd to somewhere semi-central. A girl a few rows in front of them holds her phone way above her head with the screen facing behind her. Quite a crowd has gotten involved in shouting left and right enthusiastically as she swipes at the screen. They lean in, peering at the screen open on Tinder.

“Is she–” Nick's starts to ask.

“I think so!” Charlie giggles.

The profile currently on display is a shirtless selfie. The guy's abs are decent but his smirk is not remotely endearing and the crowd shout a resounding “left!”

“He looked–”

“Like a proper twat?” Charlie finishes Nick’s thought again.

“Yes. That. I can't believe you keep interrupting me like this. So rude!” Nick admonishes teasingly. Charlie's pretty sure Nick's only calling him out on it for the excuse to flirtily swat at him, and he's very okay with that.

“I am;not rude!” He gasps, playing along and swatting at Nick right back.

“Yes you are!” Nick grins, looking down at him with a cheeky glint in his eyes. “The old Charlie Spring from last week would never have dared to interrupt the Rugby King like this!”

“Oh, I knew you called yourself the Rugby King!” Charlie shouts victoriously.

“See! So rude! Shut up, you!”

“Make me!”

Nick looks at his lips and yes, yes, that would be an effective way to shut Charlie up.

A loud collective cheer startles Nick and his eyes flick back to the girl who appears to have matched with someone with the help of the crowd. They laugh, but Charlie curses the universe. First Tori sending Olly to chaperone, now Tinder matches interrupting their moment. Will they ever get to kiss?

“What qualities would make you swipe right, Nick?” Charlie asks, guiding them out of the awkward almost-moment. “Not that I’m asking for hints on how to curate the profile I can legally get in two years time to entice you back to me or anything…”

“Playing the long game!” Nick smiles playfully, “I see how it is. Okay… Dark hair. Curly, obviously.” He says, playing with one of Charlie's curls in a way that's almost offensively flirty.

“Obviously.” Charlie agrees, everything inside him bubbling and fizzing.

“Blue eyes. But not just standard blue. A particular blue. A special blue.”

“A special blue?” Charlie demures, fluttering his eyelashes at his date for all he's worth.

“Yes. Like Isaac's.” Nick states, holding a straight face while Charlie gasps theatrically.

Before he can bat back a clever retort, or at least correct him about the colour of Isaac's eyes, Nick's eyes drop to Charlie's mouth.

“And soft, full lips.” Nick finishes, brushing his thumb against Charlie's bottom lip. Just lightly, just once, but it's enough to take all the air out of Charlie's lungs.

“And… well… I know I was a bit of a mess when we met Adam, but I don't think I'm a gay nerd. I think I’d swipe for any gender. I think… I think maybe I’m a bisexual nerd.”

Charlie stares at him as he recovers from that touch and that level of openness and trust, and smiles reassuringly as the band takes the stage. Over the din of the crowd he lifts up onto his tiptoes and says into Nick's ear, “Well, you're definitely a nerd, at least.”

Charlie enjoys the way Nick shivers when he speaks, and watching the flush spread across his skin from this close is fun too. And the way he smells… Charlie Spring wants Nick Nelson. Please. Now.

Meanwhile, the drummer readies his sticks and lifts them over the drums with a wild grin before crashing them into the first song of the night.

When the chorus kicks in, Nick and Charlie put the growing energy between them to a different use and dance with it, bouncing up and down, losing themselves in the music.

“I wonder if you see me lookin' over
I wonder if you even know my name
I panic when I see you comin' closer
Are you onto me, are you onto me, are you onto me?
Are you onto me, are you onto me, are you onto me?”

Oh, Charlie is definitely onto Nick. And later he hopes to just be on him.

After the gig ends they walk hand in hand, sweaty but smiling, to a takeaway restaurant across the road from the venue to grab some bottled drinks and a portion of chips to share. It's already rapidly approaching 11pm and Charlie really doesn't want to turn into a pumpkin too soon.

“I saw a park while I was looking for a spot for the Blueberry. Wanna head there and find a bench to eat these on?” Nick asks him, clearly feeling the same way as Charlie. That it's too soon to take him home. That there's something they need to do first.

Charlie nods and Nick pulls him towards the park by the hand. The clasp of his new bracelet catches the light from a street lamp as he guides them, and Charlie beams inside. Nick Nelson. Bisexual Rugby King. It's beautiful to witness.

The park is totally empty and mildly sinister looking in the moonlight shadow of the trees, but Charlie feels safe with Nick by his side. They stop at the first bench they see and drop down beside one another, their chips between them. Nick reaches for Charlie's hand and they eat while chatting about the evening, enjoying the cool, quiet night air on their skin after hours of loud music and heat.

“Charlie, there's something I'd like to do.” Nick says once the chip tray lies empty on the bench. “Something I think I need to do. If it's okay with you?”

The silence in the little park is deafening.

Charlie turns to face him and finds Nick's eyes trained on his lips. Anticipation and adrenaline course through him under Nick's openly wanting gaze. Nick Nelson wants to kiss him. And Charlie wants it to happen. He wants it more than anything. So he taps his Conversed foot against Nick's Vans and nods.

Nick exhales shakily and lifts his hands to Charlie's jaw, cupping his face and smiling apprehensively. Charlie isn't sure what he's supposed to do with his own hands; he's never actually kissed anyone before. He knows Nick's nervous and he wants to encourage him though, so he leans into his touch and grabs his jacket collar for stability.

Nick's smile turns into a grin and he inches his face closer to Charlie's, sliding his hands into the back of Charlie's hair as their lips meet in a delicate, barely-there press. It's so soft and sweet and yet it takes his breath and sends flutters through his whole body.

They take a breath, a moment to process what just happened between them, and then Nick's leading and Charlie's following as their lips slot deeper together and their grips on one another tighten. Charlie's mind spins as Nick pulls back, tilts his head the other way and dives tongue first back into Charlie's mouth. His hands slide down Charlie's back to cup under his thighs and lift him into Nick's lap, Charlie's vice-like grip never leaving Nick's collar as he's shifted around. They kiss like this until they run out of air, panting giddily with their foreheads pressed together.

“You’re making me break so many rules, Charlie Spring,” Nick murmurs, his face flushed and pulse bounding under the hand that Charlie loosens from his collar and slides over his chest.

“I'm so sorry,” Charlie coos down from his high ground on Nick's lap, where Charlie absolutely isn't dying at the fact that there's a distinct bulge poking against his thigh.

“No you're not!” Nick calls him out, playfully nipping at Charlie's lower lip with his teeth in a move that is hands down the best thing Charlie Spring has ever experienced in his almost 17 years of life.

“You're right, I'm not.” Charlie confirms breathily, leaning down for another one of those Nick Nelson kisses.

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the excellent betaing 💜

Fun fact, Sub-Radio is a real indie band and their frontman Adam Bradley is a real bisexual (his Pirates of the Caribbean was High School Musical, thank you Zac and Vanessa). You may have seen their viral parody, "Stacy's Dad," or possibly their other viral parody, "Bi Bi Bi." But they also have lots of great songs, including many queer ones, so check out their work! And coincidentally they were touring England when we wrote this chapter.

Chapter 10: 10

Summary:

It's Saturday, five days since the Date Me demand and like nine hours since the first kiss on a public park bench that involved some light over-the-jeans fondling and dry humping ahem BOYS.

Nick and Charlie hang out at the pier, but someone discovers their secret.

Charlie stirs awake, morning sunlight blasting through his window. He rolls over and rubs his eyes, then stretches his limbs until he gets that delightful popping sensation in his joints.

Rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling, Charlie immediately thinks of Nick. Nick, and their date last night, an honest-to-god real date that ended with serious kissing and a little bit of naughty rubbing before they came to their horny teenage senses and realised they were in a public park.

Nick Nelson wanted him. Charlie had literally felt his desire. Holy shit. He didn’t think anyone would want him in that way. Just the memory of it has him chubbing up again. Seriously, if he doesn’t wank soon, he might explode (in a bad way). Charlie’s just wondering whether Nick has wanked thinking about him when there’s a knock on his door.

“Charlie, time to get up,” calls out Jane. “I let you lie in for 15 minutes since you were out late last night, but you can’t lollygag the entire day.”

“I’m up, I’m up,” he calls out. His mother is definitely enough to cause instant shriveling.

He stands and lurches over to the bathroom to relieve himself and brush his teeth. Returning to his room, Charlie knows he needs to tidy, starting with the clothes from last night that lay strewn on the floor where they landed.

When Charlie picks up the shirt, he feels something crumply inside the fabric. It’s the 20 pound note tucked inside the pocket – he forgot it was even there. But Julio had said to spend it on someone cute (Charlie may be paraphrasing) and he can’t possibly ignore instructions from his father.

Charlie 08.22: i’ve got 20 quid burning a hole in my pocket

Charlie 08.22: wanna go to the pier later?

He sets his phone down to finish tidying, figuring Nick – like most people with regular mothers – is probably sleeping in. But it buzzes with a response almost as soon as it hits his desk.

Nick 08.22: YES plz

Charlie floats through the rest of his morning tasks – cleaning and homework and showering and dressing – lost in the Sub-Radio in his earphones and the memory of Nick's lips on his.

When he eventually descends the stairs in search of coffee his parents are on him, one wanting to know if he'd had a good time at the concert and the other if he's put his clothes away and cleaned his desk yet. He wants to scream “yes, Dad, I did – and I kissed a boy and yes, Mum, I did – whilst thinking about kissing the boy,” but he doesn't. He’s love-dumb, sure, but not that love-dumb. Instead he holds it inside and nods the affirmative to Julio and Jane, then informs them he's going out for the afternoon and puts the kettle on.

The hours pass like molasses until it’s early afternoon and Charlie sees the Blueberry pull up. He just happened to be looking out of his bedroom window when that happened. And for the prior 20 minutes. Total coincidence.

He bounds down the stairs, tosses a quick goodbye over his shoulder – thank goodness Jane is with Olly at kiddy gymnastics or they’d each make breezing out the door take a lot longer, albeit for different reasons.

Charlie hops into the passenger’s seat and Nick immediately leans in for a kiss. What a thrill, to have someone who wants to kiss you, who can’t wait to say hello even. Is this what life could be like? Charlie had never dared to dream.

“You’re wearing the bracelet,” Charlie says when they finally part, each slightly short of breath. He’s grateful Nick’s car isn’t visible from the living room window.

“Yeah, of course,” Nick replies. “It reminds me of you. Of last night.”

Charlie blushes as Nick shoots him a tiny but deserved smirk, and then he pulls out into the road and they’re off to the pier.

It’s still early enough in the spring that there aren’t tons of people around, even though it’s a moderately warm Saturday afternoon. And thank goodness, Charlie thinks as they walk up to the attractions, making a beeline for the arcade. In the summer, there’s a high probability that at least a few Truham-Higgs students would be hanging around, but today they’re offered relative anonymity. Not that they are doing anything that could be construed as romantic, like holding hands.

Yet, anyway.

They step inside and all their senses are assaulted at once; bright lights, a cacophony of rings and dings and strong notes of popcorn and candyfloss in the air. They locate the change machine and Charlie lines the twenty pound note up, the machine sucking it from his fingers and raining pound coins in return. He pockets 19 of them and holds the remaining one up to Nick, asking “Well, where shall we start?”

“Definitely Mario Kart,” Nick responds, snatching the coin and leading them towards the racing games. “You owe me a rematch after you cheated when I played with you and Olly!”

“What? I won fair and square!” Charlie scoffs.

“You did not!” Nick argues loudly, before dropping his voice and leaning in conspiratorially, “You were being cute and making me want to kiss you which was very distracting, Charles.”

“And now that you have kissed me…?”

“Well, now I'll be distracted forever.”

They play a few races, Charlie just about functioning well enough to claim a narrow victory on the first lap after Nick's flirting, then getting into it properly and beating him by a country mile.

“How are you so good at this?” Nick moans, climbing off his kart seat and offering Charlie his hand to help him down from his.

“I was just born to race,” Charlie brags, using the proffered hand to manoeuvre himself off his kart but dropping it, bro style, as soon as his feet hit the floor. He'd love to keep holding it, but he’s also wary of drawing too much attention. The risk of being spotted is low, but not zero, and this isn’t an explicitly queer-friendly space like the Sub-Radio concert. “You get to be good at real sports, I get to be good at fake ones. Come on. We have to find a basketball machine.”

They pinball from machine to machine, smiling and laughing and collecting ticket after ticket as they shoot aliens, evade zombies, knock down clowns and get various balls into various holes. Charlie is meticulously folding a long strip of tickets spat out to reward their prowess on the skeeball machine when Nick emits a giddy yelp and tugs at Charlie's sleeve.

“What? What have you seen?!”

Nick points at a tall, red and blue machine in the corner of the room, oversized bulbs around the edges lighting up one after the other in a bright metachronal rhythm designed to draw people in. Specifically strong people who like giant hammers, showing off, and/or proving a point.

Charlie rolls his eyes, but nods, handing Nick their final pound coin.

Nick grabs the comically oversized mallet and takes a stance in front of the machine. He steadies himself and takes a few practice swings that stop before hitting the machine. Then he rears back, and Charlie’s almost so distracted by the way his strong rugby arms are bulging and has that freckle pattern always looked like a Bourbon biscuit and also holy shit has that vein always been there? Charlie is suddenly parched but he doesn’t have time to think about it because then Nick swings and the hammer drops hard and damned if the machine doesn’t light up all the way to the top and start making annoying celebratory noises.

No one has ever looked as self-satisfied in that moment as Nick Nelson. He turns to Charlie, perches the big mallet over his shoulder and raises one eyebrow.

Charlie can’t let this go to Nick’s head, so he does a sarcastic little clap that Nick obviously sees right through.

“It doesn't have tickets so it's a useless win,” Charlie says.

“I wouldn't say it was totally useless,” Nick says, looking around and lowering his voice. “I got to look strong in front of my boyfriend.”

All the air seems to leave Charlie’s lungs as he clasps his hands behind his back nervously. He’d been buzzing about this for days, or possibly years – it was hard to remember at this point. But he’d been hesitant to bring up the b-word. He didn’t want to push Nick, and frankly, they had only really gotten to know one another five days ago. It seems so fast, especially with Nick apparently power-walking the queer realisation process. It’s hard to believe that anyone, let alone Nick Nelson, who has so much to lose, would be willing to risk it on someone like Charlie.

“So that's what we are? Boyfriends?” he asks after an extremely pregnant pause in which Nick’s macho façade started to slide slightly towards worried.

“I guess we never, like, confirmed it, after yesterday,” Nick says, setting the big mallet down. “Do you… want to be my boyfriend? Or, I guess, keep being my boyfriend?”

Despite clearly being nervous, Nick maintains eye contact with Charlie.

“Yes!” Charlie shouts, making Nick take half a step back in surprise. “Was that not clear from how I was grinding against you last night?”

Nick giggles. “Okay, okay, I just didn’t know! I mean, just because we dated for the bet didn’t necessarily mean…” He trails off, wrapping his arms around his chest and looking away.

“Oh my god, Nick,” Charlie says, stepping forward and placing his palms on Nick’s biceps – for comforting reasons, not for horny reasons. “Did you think I didn’t like you?”

Nick shrugs. “Well, you were pretty pissed at me on Monday.”

“That was momentary and it was misplaced,” Charlie assures him. He lowers his voice further. “But seriously, you didn’t know after the bench last night?”

Nick blushes. “It doesn’t mean you like me me… just, like, my body.”

The sounds of the arcade fade away as Charlie absorbs yet another layer to this shockingly complex person. He can’t believe he’d gone his whole life thinking Nick was just another airhead jock.

“Nick, don’t get me wrong… you’re really physically attractive,” Charlie says. “But that’s not… you’re kind, sweet, compassionate. Incredibly attentive. Smart. Funny, even if it’s in a lame dad joke kind of way.” Nick huffs out a laugh. “You’re trustworthy. I– I was so scared of ever coming out. It’s my biggest secret and you’ve protected it like a baby gosling when it would have been so much easier to blab and tell everyone.”

Nick’s giving him the sweetest puppy dog look at this point that Charlie can’t continue.

Without even really thinking about it, he leans forward and plants his lips on Nick’s. It’s relatively chaste – there’s no grinding, anyway – and after a few seconds they split apart.

“That’s what I like about you,” Charlie says. “Though the arms don’t hurt.”

“So what you’re saying is… you do think I’m hot?” Nick teases.

“Oh, god,” Charlie moans, whacking Nick on the shoulder.

Nick grabs him and pulls him back into an embrace. “For the record… I think you’re also smoking hot, Charlie Spring.”

Charlie shivers, and not from the temperature, but they peel apart since they’re in a family-friendly area.

Their coins exhausted, they pop over to the prize counter. The pile of tickets wins them… not much. Nick eventually points to a packet containing a candy bracelet, which he promptly hands to Charlie.

“Hey, you bought me one,” Nick says. “Now we match.”

The moment after Charlie puts the candy bracelet on Nick lifts his wrist to his mouth to bite off one of the pieces… yeah, that’s going into the permanent memory bank. Nick smoothly slides his hand into Charlie’s and they head for the exit.

On their way out Charlie stops still and his grip of Nick's hand tightens when he spots a photo booth tucked in the corner of the arcade. It's a simple, unassuming booth with a red faux-velvet curtain, half open to reveal a peek of a small plastic stool inside. He almost missed it, being the only attraction that doesn't have lights or sounds designed to catch their eyes or ears.

Instead, it catches his heart.

The idea of him and his boyfriend clambering inside, squishing together on that little seat for one, and memorialising their date with a strip of smiles and kisses and laughter caught on camera, brings a lump to his throat. He's seen the movies; he knows this is peak romance. Classic fairy tale shit. The teenage dream. His teenage dream. The one he never thought he'd get because he’s skinny and nerdy and very very gay.

He wants this so much.

“Char? Are you alright?” Nick asks.

“Do you wanna get a picture with me?” Charlie replies.

“You mean do I want to squeeze into that tiny box with my boyfriend and kiss his face off behind the curtain?” Nick clarifies with a cheeky eyebrow raise.

“I knew you'd get it, Nick.”

Their faces break into sly grins and Charlie can't wait another second to have his lips on Nick's. To have Nick's lips on his throat… God, he needs that immediately. His brain starts without them and he drags Nick to the booth so they can catch up with it, yanking him inside and pushing him down onto the stool. Charlie pauses only to pull the curtain fully closed and then he's on Nick, straddling his lap, running his hands over his broad shoulders and licking into his mouth.

Nick is stunned still for half a second, clearly not expecting Charlie to go sexually feral in an arcade, but then he's reciprocating the roaming hands and eager kisses.

After a fun time, Charlie remembers why they're in there and tears himself off Nick, standing to take his wallet out of his (now slightly tighter) jeans so they can take some proper photos. The booth is small and Nick is large so he has to stand between Nick's open thighs, squished close in the confined space as he taps his card to pay for two sets of photos.

Charlie can't help but groan as he looks down at Nick below him – his hair is all ruffled from where he ran his hands through it mid-make out, his red, puffy lips are so close to his dick, and unconcealed desire is painted across his face.

Charlie dies. The end.

How did he get so lucky? Charlie isn't sure, but he's not about to question it. Now he has to climb this eager boy beneath him. He does just that, sinking his face into Nick's neck and his groin into Nick's lap. Moments later, clicking and flashing and whirring makes Charlie laugh into Nick's mouth.

“Oh shit, I wanted us to take cute pictures, not amateur pornography!”

“You climbed on me!” Nick reminds him.

“I just paid, I never pressed anything!” Charlie giggles. “It must just start automatically!”

Nick shrugs and chases Charlie's lips again, ignoring the next three camera snaps until they're startled by a polite knock on the booth.

“Are you nearly done with your photos?” comes a woman’s voice from beyond the curtain. “We’d like to take some too, please!”

“Sure!” Charlie gasps. “We'll be done in a minute!”

Nick sniggers as Charlie moves himself on Nick's knee in a more photo-appropriate position for the next round of four.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. Just… I actually would have been done in a minute!” Nick whispers into his ear with a cheeky grin.

“Oh my GOD, Nick!” Charlie yelps, his scandalised face and Nick’s shit-eating grin captured for eternity in their first proper picture.

They smile for their second, and pull faces for their third, and for their fourth and final photo on the strip, Nick cranes his neck and plants a soft kiss on Charlie's cheek.

They reluctantly rise, smirking as they readjust themselves and pat each other's hair back into place before sliding red faced out of the booth.

The people waiting are a family of three. The dad and young kid smile casually at them as they slip into the booth. The woman smiles too, but it's a different smile. A knowing, supportive smile that meets her eyes. The machine spits out their photos and she passes them to Nick, a little pan coloured frog tattoo visible on her inner wrist as she does so. Charlie returns the smile and she winks at him before slipping into the booth after her family.

Charlie looks after her as Nick coos over their photos. He wishes his mum was like her. Calm and kind. That if she saw him tumble out of a box with a boy looking like he'd been kissed six ways to Sunday she'd be cool about it too, and just quietly accept it. But he already knows that she won't be like that. He knows it'll be a big shouty mess when he tells her and then afterwards… who knows. It's gutting and he doesn't want to think about it right now.

Instead he looks at the photos and smiles at Nick's goofy face. His favourite picture is one of the make-out shots. In it they're side on, and impossible to recognise; their hands on each other's cheeks, pulling each other into a deep, passionate kiss, obscuring their features from view. The thing that Charlie loves so much about it are the two bracelets that have become the focus of the picture, Nick's Sub-Radio bracelet and his candy equivalent prize. It might be the most beautiful photograph he's ever seen.

“Charlie?”

He freezes a bit when he hears Elle calling out his name. Charlie managed to explain away his connection to Nick all week, but this is going to be harder to play off.

They spin around and find Elle and Tao approaching, hand in hand.

“So you made up, then,” Charlie states.

Tao nods. “I was being an idiot.”

“Fork found in kitchen,” Charlie replies as Elle grins.

“What are you two doing here?” Tao asks, his eyes darting back and forth between Charlie and Nick. “Did you, like… get another assignment or something?”

Elle sighs and rubs her forehead with her free hand. “Babe, it’s lucky you’re so pretty,” she says.

Tao scrunches up his face. “What?”

Charlie shoots Nick a glance, and Nick smiles and nods ever so slightly.

He reaches out and takes Nick’s hand in his own, then turns back to Tao and Elle.

Elle clasps both hands against her mouth in excitement, but Tao just looks increasingly confused. “What are you doing?”

Charlie shakes his head. He loves Tao but by god is that boy thick sometimes. “What am I– Tao, we’re, like, dating.”

“But Nick’s straight,” Tao says.

“Um… apparently not as much as I previously thought,” Nick replies.

Tao just stands there processing while Elle darts forward to hug Charlie while shrieking, “Charlie! I’m so happy for you!” She lets go of Charlie and turns to Nick. “I mean, I’m happy for you, too, but my god… the pining, all week. Phew.”

“Elle!” Charlie laughs as his friend throws him directly under the bus.

But his protest dies in his throat when Nick wraps his arms around Charlie from behind. “Believe me, there was pining on my end, too,” he tells Elle.

“Wait, but Nick is best friends with Harry Greene,” Tao chimes in finally. “He’s homophobic, transphobic, and just an all-around bully!”

Okay, not the smoothest relationship reveal, but Charlie should have expected Tao would jump to the worst possible angle on this news. He’s about to speak up when Nick does instead.

“Yeah, he kind of is,” Nick says sadly. “I’ve been realising more and more lately that his jokes aren’t jokes at all. And I’ve tried to do something about it.”

“It was you that got him to stop with Elle, wasn’t it?” Charlie asks, craning his head to the side to look at Nick.

He looks down at the ground and nods.

“Thank you,” Elle says, as Tao squeezes her hand and gives Nick a grateful look.

Nick doesn’t meet their gaze. “All I got him to do was stop saying shit to you. He’s still kind of a shitty person. I wish I’d realised it sooner.”

“Oh my god, am I actually going to end up liking Nick Nelson?” Tao mutters to himself under his breath.

Charlie ignores him and thinks about how and why Harry Greene had become Nick’s best friend. It was a time when he felt alone, and Harry was there. If it hadn’t been for those circumstances, Charlie wonders if they would have been friends at all.

But he doesn’t want to linger on that right now. He wants to celebrate revealing his relationships to his friends. The four of them pile into a café further down the pier and get a mess of chips between them as Charlie regales them with the wild tale of his whole week. Well… maybe not the spiciest parts. Though god knows he’s had to suffer through enough of Tao’s X-rated bragging.

“Oh my god,” Charlie says after finishing the tale. “I should really let Isaac know, too, he’s out of the loop!”

With Nick’s nod, Charlie pulls out his phone.

Charlie 16.46: BTW I’m dating Nick Nelson

Isaac 16.47: I know

Charlie 16.47: No like for real real dating him

Isaac 16.47: No shit Sherlock

As usual, Isaac was several steps ahead of all of them.

Just then, his phone buzzes with another incoming text.

Mum 16.48: Dear Charlie, Reminder dinner is at 6pm sharp. -Mum

He rolls his eyes, partly at the boomer text etiquette (even though Jane is the younger side of Gen X) and partly at her rigid expectations.

“I need to get home sooner rather than later,” he tells Nick.

“Got a Jane text?” Elle asks, sipping a Diet Coke.

Charlie just nods. He and Nick say their goodbyes to Tao and Elle and make their way to the exit and the car park.

“So…” Charlie asks as they walk. “How are you feeling?”

Nick places one hand on his stomach and frowns. “I think I ate too many chips.”

Charlie giggles. “I meant about the whole ‘coming out for the first time’ thing?”

Nick looks contemplative for a moment. “Well, technically, that’s the second time,” he says. “You were my first.”

Charlie raises his eyebrows jocularly. Phrasing!

Nick quickly realises. “I mean– not my first, like my first,” he sputters. “Although… you would be my first. You know. That way.”

He looks kind of sheepish. “Do you… think about that a lot?” Charlie asks as they arrive at the Blueberry. “Us…”

Nick plants his face in his palm. “Like… so much, Char. Frankly it’s concerning how much I think about it.”

Charlie can hardly believe his ears. THE Nick Nelson, constantly fantasising about HIM in a SEXUAL way? He decides to have a little fun with it and leans in. “Me too,” he whispers, blowing wet, warm breath onto Nick’s ear. “So much.”

“Fucksake, Charlie,” Nick says, jumping back and going around to get into the driver’s seat. “You have to stop or I’m going to crash my car on the way home.”

Charlie just smirks and slides into the passenger seat. Where all this confidence is coming from, he knows not, but it sure feels nice.

During the ride home, Charlie nonchalantly keeps one hand resting on Nick’s upper thigh. He notices something that might be a fold in the fabric of Nick’s trousers… or might be something else. He tries not to drool. Tries.

Sooner than he’d like, they’re in front of his house. He just sits looking at Nick for a minute before tearing himself away. As he gets out of the car, Charlie realises they don’t have any solid plans for tomorrow. But he also doesn’t want to appear clingy, so they merely promise to text one another and then he goes inside and Nick drives off.

It’s Charlie's turn on washing up duty. When he finally finishes, he turns and is startled by Tori standing behind him.

“Your cat-like stealth is so freaky, you know,” he says.

Tori ignores him. “Nick Nelson posted something interesting on Instagram.”

Charlie’s eyes dart back and forth before he plays it cool. “Oh?”

Tori holds her phone up, Nick’s account displayed on her screen. It’s a picture Charlie took of him at the basketball machine. He’s mid-throw, the ball just leaving his fingertips, and he looks bloody amazing. It’s a good picture.

“Nick with a basketball, breaking news,” Charlie replies, hoping not to sound too interested.

“It’s not the ball that people are talking about,” Tori says, deadpan. “It’s the bracelet.”

Charlie’s eyes glance at Nick’s wrist, and indeed the bisexually themed bracelet is clearly visible. He hadn’t thought much of it – it’s not as if anyone knows Charlie gave it to him.

“Now the Date Me Nick Nelson account is going feral trying to figure out who it’s from,” Tori continues. “Everyone is speculating. My guess is it’s from the person he dated this past week.”

Charlie shrugs. “Seems like a good guess,” he says noncommittally.

Tori lowers her phone and the two siblings just stare at each other for a solid two minutes without speaking. Charlie kind of wants to tell her, but also, he knows that underneath that calm façade it’s driving Tori crazy that she doesn’t know all the tea.

It’s only because Olly comes racing in demanding they watch Totoro with him that Charlie and Tori stand down. And if he spends the entire movie texting with his boyfriend, that’s Charlie’s business.

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the excellent betaing 💜

Believe it or not, photo booths are a key part of queer history. Before technologies like Polaroids or digital photos, photo booths were one of the few safe ways for queer people to take romantic photos with partners, because the film was developed by the machine, not a stranger. So next time you see a photo booth, go and have a queer kiss in it, to honour those who came before us.

Chapter 11: 11

Summary:

It's Sunday morning, six days since the Date Me dare. The good vibes from Nick and Charlie's Saturday date are dashed when Jane discovers something.

Notes:

Please direct your attention to the fourth tag on this fic, because that's how this chapter begins. It doesn't linger too long, and I swear the later parts of this chapter will make you smile and feel warm inside. But first, angst.

See end note for cw's.

Charlie takes his time in the shower on Sunday morning, basking in the warmth of the water and the memories of the day before. He washes Nick's kisses off his skin, safe in the knowledge that they'll be replaced with new ones because they are actually, properly boyfriends now. He has a boyfriend! And he's amazing! And cute and sweet and horny as fuck. Charlie squeals and does a nerdy little shower dance that he's immediately embarrassed about doing, even though there are no witnesses. He has a boyfriend!

Much as he'd love to stay there all day, the water does eventually start to run cold. Charlie climbs out, dries off, and spends slightly too much time arranging his hair, but hey, you never know when your boyfriend might FaceTime you. He brought the clothes he’s changing into with him to the bathroom, so he throws on a pair of his signature dark, ripped skinnies and a plain black long-sleeved tee. He’s glad he managed to complete all his weekend homework on Saturday morning. Now he can spend much of today reading or playing on his Switch while pausing every now and then to daydream about Nick.

When he steps through his bedroom doorway, Charlie is surprised to find Jane standing there, her back to him while she looks at something in her hands. There's a basket of clean washing on his bed, and beside it his copy of The Odyssey, spine cracked, pages splayed open against the mattress. That book had been closed when he'd left for his shower. Charlie’s certain because it's where he had chosen to stash the most important things he owns, his copies of their arcade photos.

So those are what his mum is studying. His photos. His stomach lurches. Was she snooping? She has no right to look at his private things! The betrayal burns, but it's no match for the fear that swiftly follows, throwing a bucket of ice water over the anger inside him. She's studying his very private, very gay photos.

“What are you doing?” Charlie asks, his voice cracking.

Jane swivels on her heel. The photo strip is indeed in her hands, and a tear is falling down her face. A vice forms around Charlie’s lungs; suddenly, he can’t get enough oxygen.

“What… Charlie, what is this?” Jane asks, her voice shaking.

Charlie’s mind races. He could try to come up with some story. Background research for their presentation on queer people? Props for a school play? That’s his evil twin from the mirror universe, you just can’t see his goatee?

None of it’s plausible. And Charlie is actually kind of glad there’s only one possible explanation for those photos. He straightens his posture.

“Mum… I’m gay.”

Charlie feels ambivalence as those words leave his lips. On the one hand, it feels so, so incredible to finally say that out loud, to claim his label and share himself fully. On the other hand, he wasn’t ready. He’d always anticipated coming out at uni… and maybe even to his parents after uni. But that was still years off. He’d contemplated telling them about him and Nick more recently, but those were only passing thoughts. He wasn’t prepared for this, not really.

He also wasn’t prepared for Jane’s reaction. With a loud, dramatic gasp, she sinks down onto his bed, apparently unable to continue standing at his pronouncement. She’s visibly shaking and clutches one hand to her heart.

“No, that can’t… that can’t be right.”

That comment slices clean through Charlie’s heart better than any scalpel ever could. He figured his mother wouldn't react well to the news, but he hadn’t expected a reaction quite this bad. She’s always been kind of harsh and hard to connect with, but Charlie had never questioned whether Jane loved him.

Until now.

“What’s going on?”

Julio’s voice behind Charlie startles him. He hadn’t heard his father approach. Julio steps past him and towards Jane, who shoves the photo strip at him and buries her face in her hands. Julio looks at the pictures and his eyebrows raise.

God, Charlie can’t cope with both his parents hating him. He can’t cope with any of this.

Almost on autopilot, he launches forward, grabs his phone off his desk and flies down the stairs, slowing only long enough to grab a pair of Converse sitting by the front door.

He’s still on the front step shoving his feet into them when the door opens and Tori and Olly emerge. “Charlie, are you all right?” Olly asks, his voice small. Clearly the tension has steeped through the entire house at lightning pace.

“Yeah, buddy, I’m fine,” Charlie says, tears building in his eyelids. It’s a patent lie, so bald-faced even Olly must see through it, but he can hardly admit otherwise right now.

“Charlie–” Tori starts.

“I can’t– I just can’t, Tor, I have to get out of here,” Charlie interrupts. His breathing shaky, he finally just shoves his second foot into the shoe haphazardly, stands and walks away.

The second he’s past their front gate, the tears start streaming down Charlie’s face. He walks, crying, and knows he must look absolutely insane right now as he passes a man walking a dog and a woman pushing a pram, but he can’t be arsed to try to pull himself together. It’s all too much surging through him and it’s all he can do not to collapse into a pile of jelly.

He makes it around half a mile before he’s able to think more clearly. He’d been on autopilot, but looking around he realises he’s headed in the direction of Nick’s house. Walking there would take a while longer and he’s suddenly bone-tired.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Charlie ignores the three missed calls from Tori, the one missed call from his dad and the 17 or so text messages from them both and dials Nick, who answers after two rings.

“Helloooooo boyfriend, how is your Sunday going?”

Charlie’s throat clogs at Nick’s light and carefree tone. He’s not sure what he was going to say, but he feels physically unable to speak suddenly.

“Char? You there?”

He manages to suck in a breath, which is apparently loud enough it translates over the line.

“Charlie. What’s wrong?” Nick suddenly sounds serious. His tone is firm but comforting.

“I… need you,” Charlie gasps out. “Please.”

There’s no hesitation on Nick’s end. “Where are you?”

“I, um…” Charlie looks around, but he’s not great at maps. He knows the street he’s on is named after a flower… or maybe a plant. Fuck, why is he a “good at maths” gay and not a “capable of driving” gay?

“Charlie, can you add me on Find My Friends? I’m on my way now.” He hears the sound of keys jangling and a door slamming shut.

“Y–yes,” Charlie warbles. He pulls the phone away from his ear and adds Nick on the app. A little dot suddenly pops up at his house; Nick must have immediately approved him back. Charlie puts the phone back to his ear. “Done.”

“Char, are you in physical danger?”

He sniffles. “No.”

“Thank god, okay… I’ll be there in like ten minutes, I’ll be so fast.”

“Thank you,” Charlie says, ending the call and sitting on a little stone wall in front of a green house. The sky is overcast, and the lack of sun and mid-spring temperatures soon have him shivering in the cool air.

Seven and a half minutes later, the Blueberry comes ripping down the street and screams to a halt in front of Charlie. Nick hops out, leaving the engine running and his door wide open as he darts across the (thankfully empty) road and into Charlie’s arms.

“Darling, it’s okay,” he murmurs into Charlie’s ear as he completely melts in Nick’s arms, more tears flowing. “I’ve got you now, you’re safe.”

God, that really is true, isn’t it? As Charlie nuzzles into Nick’s hoodie, he realises this might be the first time he’s felt truly safe. He trusts and loves his friends and Tori, of course, but this somehow feels different. It feels bigger.

After a minute, he peels his face back from the rather embarrassing wet spot he’s left on Nick’s right shoulder.

“Sorry,” he whimpers.

Nick glances down and back up at Charlie.

“It’s nothing, it’ll dry.”

Charlie shakes his head. “No, I mean for calling you. For… falling apart.”

Nick puts one hand against Charlie’s cheek, rubbing away his tears. “No sorries. You have nothing to apologise for,” he insists. “I want to be here for you. That’s what boyfriends do.”

They stand on the pavement a minute longer.

“Do you want to come back to mine?” Nick eventually murmurs as Charlie calms. “We could talk about it, or not talk about it. We could hang out, watch a film or read a book or just do nothing. You know, 'nothing' is Nellie’s favourite activity.”

Charlie sniffles and nods, layering on a weak but sincere smile.

“God, you’re shivering,” Nick suddenly says, noticing Charlie is wearing just a shirt.

Charlie sighs. “I forgot a coat.”

“Well, here,” Nick replies, and before Charlie can say anything, Nick is pulling his Nike hoodie over his head. The flash of midriff Charlie receives when Nick’s t-shirt gets pulled along is eye-catching, and the sight of an unexpectedly dark patch of hair running between Nick’s perfect fucking belly button and the waist of his joggers is… yeah. Hey, he may be emotionally devastated, but he’s still a teenage boy with an energetic libido and a smoking hot boyfriend.

If that sight hadn’t heated Charlie up enough, the warm fabric of Nick’s hoodie settling over his torso also makes him feel a lot better. He inhales while it’s sliding past his face, intoxicating scents of body wash and lemon and… well, Nick, Charlie guesses. If only that came in a bottle, Charlie would huff it.

Ensconced in Nick’s clothing, Charlie holds out his hand, making Nick preen. They cross the street – looking both ways this time, phew – and get into Nick’s car. They’re silent on the ride back as Charlie collects himself. He’s starting to crash from the adrenaline surge. The warm interior of Nick’s car, the comfort of his seat and the knowledge that he’s with the person who makes him feel safest mean Charlie’s eyes slowly drift closed.

When they open again, they’re sitting in Nick’s driveway. He’s slightly disoriented from waking up, but he’s sure that Nick whips his head in the opposite direction when he notices.

“Did I fall asleep?” Charlie asks, stretching.

“Just for a couple minutes,” Nick says, turning off the engine.

Charlie gives him a look.

“Okay, maybe like 15 minutes,” Nick says sheepishly. “You just looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake you.”

Charlie rolls his eyes but smiles. “Vermont called, it wants its sap back.”

Nick sticks out his tongue. “You love it.”

Fortunately Nick’s occupied undoing his seat belt, so he can’t see Charlie’s eyes widen at the L-word being dropped so casually. He knows Nick didn’t mean it that way – couldn’t mean it that way, not yet. But still, Jesus. His heart is definitely pumping again.

Inside, he greets a jubilant Nellie just as the person he assumes is David steps around the corner. He does resemble an older Nick, though his hair is sandier with a longer fringe, and he's a little shorter and not quite as muscular. His left arm is in a sling, and there are bruises on his face.

“Forget something in the oven, Nick?” David asks, though his eyes are roving over Charlie.

“Oh my god!” Nick shouts as he jumps towards the kitchen, but David stops him by raising his right hand.

“I heard the buzzer and pulled it out. You didn’t burn down the kitchen.”

Nick sighs with relief. “I didn’t even think, I just ran out the – oh, David this is my friend Charlie. Char, this is my brother David, I’ve told you about him.”

“Hi,” Charlie says, kicking his shoes off. “Glad you weren’t hurt too badly in the accident.”

“Yeah, cheers,” David says, extending his hand to shake. “Nice to meet you.” He’s eyeing Charlie, who realises he must look like he’s been crying. And if David recognises Nick’s jumper, he says nothing before grabbing his coat off the rack.

“Going out?” Nick asks.

“Just round Jimmy’s. I’ll be back for dinner, though.”

“Where’s Mum?”

“She got a call after you left,” David replies. “Aunty Diane needed to go over some paperwork or something. Didn’t really get details.”

Nick nods and David departs, leaving the two of them alone in Nick’s house. Charlie’s phone buzzes in his hand again – another message from Tori. He knows he shouldn’t leave her worrying, so he dashes out a quick reply.

Charlie 10.38: i’m safe. need some time

Then he sticks his phone in his shoe. He can’t deal with the constant buzzing and needs to disconnect.

“Do you want to nap some more?”

Charlie considers it but shakes his head. “I’m feeling better now. But I don’t – I need a little more time. Before I talk. Um. What were you going to do today?”

“Oh, um,” Nick says, rubbing his hands together nervously. “Well, actually, I kind of like to bake on Sundays. Do you want… do you want to do that? You don’t have to help if you don’t want to, you can just watch me.”

“Just watch you?” Charlie asks, waggling his eyebrows. “Tempting, but I’ll do my best to help.” It feels nice to joke around, even if he’s having to force it a little. Like maybe everything can be okay eventually.

Nick tilts his head and they head off around the corner, where there’s a banana bread cooling on the counter. Nick apparently does that thing where you put a split banana on top for decoration. Charlie secretly hopes it has chocolate chips.

“So do you often burn down the kitchen?”

“I didn’t burn down anything!” Nick protests. “I kind of had to leave in a hurry.”

“So much so you forgot about a cake in the oven,” Charlie says. “That’s very… gallant.”

“Gallant?”

“Chivalrous.”

“You make me sound like a Knight of the Round Table,” Nick says, moving the loaf off the main workspace and out of the way. He slaps his hands on his thighs. “So. What should we make?”

“Erm… something easy? But sweet.”

“You like it sweet, Charlie?”

Charlie lets his jaw drop slightly. “Nicholas Nelson. Are you flirting with me?”

Nick smirks. “I would never. After all, you have a boyfriend.”

Nellie, in a spectacle of perfect timing, makes a weird harumph noise and wanders into the living room to climb into a doggie bed on the floor.

“Wow,” Charlie said. “Too treacly even for Nellie.”

“She can only take so much fluff,” Nick said. “How do you feel about brownies?”

“Yes, perfect.”

Charlie watches curiously as Nick pulls out a pot, fills it with water and places it on the hob.

“What are you doing?” Charlie asks.

“Just getting the bain marie going.”

“The what?”

“The bain– oh no. Oh Charlie, no.”

“What?”

“Don’t tell me you’re a… box mix family.”

The box mix, right. That’s how you make brownies. Dump out the bag, add eggs and oil, badda bing badda boom, you’ve got brownies. He nods tentatively. “What else is there?”

Nick very dramatically places his hand over his heart like he’s been shot. “Oh Charlie, no! You’ve never actually had a real brownie, made from scratch?”

Charlie shrugs. “I guess not?”

Nick frowns. “I came into your life at just the right time.” Charlie would laugh if Nick didn’t sound so serious. Nick picks up a dark blue apron with some white powder marks on it, dropping it around his neck and tying it behind his back.

“Meat Master?” Charlie says, reading the block lettering on the front. “Are you sure you had no idea before you might be bi?”

Nick blushes. “My mum bought it for me years ago. I guess she thought it was more ‘manly’ than a lot of other aprons.” He shakes his head. “I don’t think she got the joke.”

“Well, the text aside… yeah, this is doing things for me,” Charlie says appreciatively, openly drinking in how the fabric wraps around his muscular boyfriend.

Nick plays along, modeling for Charlie in a few poses until he braces against the counter and sticks out his rear end, and Charlie stops thinking about brownies and starts thinking about cake.

“Okay, enough frippery,” Nick says, and Charlie files that word away to talk about later. “Let me get you an apron, you look like the messy type.”

He pulls one out of a drawer and tosses it to Charlie, who unfolds the pink monstrosity. “Pass me the wine and watch me get fabulous,” he reads off the front.

“A gift from Aunty Diane, but Mum seems to like it,” Nick explains as he pulls various ingredients out of cupboards. He pauses and looks at Charlie. “Don’t worry, though, she’s only a social drinker.”

Soon the counter is covered in ingredients: butter, eggs, two types of chocolate, instant coffee – are these brownies caffeinated, Charlie wonders?

“Nick, brownies are supposed to be easy-peasy.”

“You’ll thank me when you have it in your mouth.”

One raised eyebrow has them both giggling, laughter that’s definitely not covering a slowly simmering mutual attraction that’s at risk of boiling over.

There are, Charlie learns, quite a few more steps than the box mix, but to be honest, that just gives him and Nick more time to be together and tease each other and flirt shamelessly. Charlie also learns about stuff like what bain maries are and about how Nick is a huge fan of the American chef Ina Garten. Charlie's only familiar with her through some gay icon memes, but Nick raves about her recipes and her show.

Eventually, they’ve seemingly compiled all the ingredients. Charlie’s apron is somewhat dirtier than Nick’s, although in fairness he was put in charge of the sifting process, which Charlie is still suspicious about because what does it do, really?

“Okay,” Nick says, “now – do you like nuts?”

“For your sake, I hope so,” Charlie says without thinking, and the way Nick’s jaw drops has him laughing into his tea towel.

Assured that Charlie does not have a nut allergy, Nick sprinkles in some walnuts and slides the pan into the oven. Then he pulls out his phone again and does a “Baker Charlie” photoshoot, doing things like holding a whisk caked in brownie batter and pretending to wash up.

It’s when Nick suggests Charlie lie in repose on the counter that he finally puts a stop to it.

“Come on, please? It would be such a good photo,” Nick whinges.

“Enough, Ansel Adams!” Charlie says, waving his hands in the air. “I’m starting to think you’re obsessed with me or something.”

Nick sets his phone down. “And what if I am.”

He doesn’t phrase it like a question. Charlie’s throat is suddenly parched, and the sight of this tender-eyed, muscular boy inching towards him looking like Charlie is the tastiest snack in this room makes him want to do things that are not considered sanitary enough for a kitchen.

Charlie shivers despite his proximity to the oven, and then Nick closes on him, wrapping one arm around his back and planting his palm firmly against the small of Charlie’s back. Nick’s other hand runs up Charlie’s arm until he cups his face, rubbing his thumb against the corner of Charlie’s mouth.

“The truth is,” Nick mutters, his eyes roving down to Charlie’s lips and up to the curls on his forehead before returning to his azure eyes, “I am completely and totally obsessed with you, Charlie Spring.”

Is it possible to die of exhilaration? Charlie doesn’t have much time to wonder because then Nick is tilting his head and closing the distance and their lips touch. Charlie’s eyes flutter shut and it’s soft and warm and he’s thinking about that bench again, and Nick’s slotting his leg in between Charlie’s thighs and his arse is pressing back against the kitchen counter and Nick’s tongue is pushing inside Charlie’s mouth, and the smell of chocolate in the air is somehow enhancing the experience, and Charlie could live in this moment forever. Please let him live in this moment forever, please please.

The sound of the front door closing makes them burst apart.

Both boys immediately begin patting themselves down, fixing their hair, wiping their mouths on their sleeves, rearranging their aprons to hide their… excitement. Trying to breathe again and not look quite so flushed.

“Nicky, David… I'm home!”

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the excellent betaing 💜

CW: Being outed, parental malfeasance, running away from home, David finally appears (but as noted earlier in this fic, has a better relationship with Nick than canon)

Chapter 12: 12

Summary:

It's Sunday afternoon, six days since the Date Me dare. The boys continue to hang out. Charlie tells Nick what happened with Jane. They have, shall we say, interesting interactions with David and Sarah.

“Nicky?” Charlie mouths at Nick, who shrugs and shakes his head.

A small woman walks into the kitchen, her eyes zoning in on the dishes piled high by the sink so she misses Nick and Charlie entirely. From behind, Charlie notes her honey brown bob and soft pink cardigan. Nick speaks so highly of her that Charlie's a touch nervous.

"Well, thanks for all the dirty dishes Ni–” She begins, stopping abruptly when she turns to find not one boy but two. “Oh hello! Who's your friend, darling?”

“Uhm… well…”

Charlie studies Sarah Nelson as Nick blushes and panic stammers beside him. Her eyes are bright, despite her sleep schedule surely being out of whack because of her night shifts, Charlie thinks. Her eyes crinkle a little in the corners when her full, rosy cheeks lift as she smiles a warm, welcoming smile. Charlie’s nerves melt away and he immediately feels comfortable around her. She just radiates loveliness.

“He's… Mum… this… this is Charlie. So, uhm. Yeah,” Nick falters, worrying at the back of his neck and looking intently at a small dusting of flour on the countertop.

“Okay, dear…” she replies, her eyes flicking between Nick and Charlie a few times.

Charlie jumps into action, remembering how Nick had sweet-talked Jane. Least he could do is return the favour. “Charlie Spring,” he says, sticking out his hand. “Nick and I are in form together. And, uh, well, he was letting me help him bake. Although frankly I think I was holding him back.”

He gestures to the messy kitchen.

Sarah studies him with a warm smile. “Well, I’m just glad someone is making use of that apron,” she says, and Charlie suddenly remembers what he’s wearing and blushes.

Just then, the oven timer goes off. It beeps four or five times before Nick seems to realise, jogging over and pulling the tray out of the heat. When it passes his toothpick test, he sets it on the counter to cool.

“Why don’t you two go relax?” Sarah says. “I’ll wash up before I take my pre-work nap. One-time offer!”

Nick and Charlie share a glance before accepting. Charlie hands over Sarah’s apron while Nick dishes out some of the banana bread from earlier, and then they make their way upstairs to Nick’s room. Following Nick up the stairs… now there’s a view Charlie will never get tired of.

“I'm so sorry, Char.” Nick apologises as soon as his door closes behind them. “I'm so, so sorry.”

“Wot, why?” Charlie asks, plonking himself on Nick's big bed and shuffling back so he's propped up against the headboard. It’s funny how quickly he’s become comfortable here.

“I didn't tell her who you are! I should've come out to her. You were right there and I didn't tell her…” Nick spirals, his head dropped down and his posture shrinking with every word.

“Nick!” Charlie interjects gently, trying and failing to snap him out of it.

“You deserve better than that and–”

“Nick!” Charlie says sharply and loudly, almost but not quite a yell. This time it's enough to break through to Nick, who stops talking and lifts his head to nervously meet Charlie's eyes. “Come here,” Charlie tells him softly, opening his arms to his lovely, distressed boyfriend.

Nick shoots him a watery smile and climbs onto the bed, crawling up beside Charlie and resting his head on his chest. Charlie wraps his arms around Nick and holds him close, stroking his head tenderly.

“Listen, Nick. I think there's this idea that when you're not straight, you have to tell all your friends and family immediately. Like you owe it to them. But you don't. You don't owe anyone anything.”

Nick is quiet for a moment.

“What was it like for you? Telling people?”

Charlie sighs. “Mm. I think my friends had pretty much guessed by the time I came out to them last year. It was a little easier because of Elle, obviously, but… yeah, it was still hard. But they were so happy for me. And my sister Tori walked in on me looking at–”

He stops just short of admitting something embarrassing.

“Porn?” Nick asks, raising his head and looking at Charlie.

“No!” Charlie protests. “No no no no no. I would have had to move to Argentina under an assumed name. No. I was looking at… pictures of someone I used to find hot.” Nick’s eyebrows raise ever so slightly. “Used to find hot,” Charlie reiterates, and Nick frowns and lowers his head back to Charlie’s chest. Okay, so he’s a little possessive, but there are worse qualities.

“And that’s everyone you’ve told?”

Ice clutches Charlie’s heart. He’s put it off for a few hours, but he has to face this sooner or later. Might as well be while cuddled up on his boyfriend’s bed.

“Not quite,” he says, his voice quiet. “My… my mum found our pictures this morning. From the photo booth.” Nick raises his head again but says nothing. “She didn't take it well. She said it can't be right… Like I can't be right. Like it's wrong. And my dad just… didn't say anything.”

“Oh, Char,” Nick whispers, shifting his body so that he’s sitting flush beside Charlie.

“She’s the wrong one, not me,” Charlie states firmly. “And you don’t owe your mum anything. Or anyone else for that matter. I’m not saying she'd be the same as my mum. She doesn't seem like she would. But it's your information to share if and when you want to.”

As he talks, Charlie’s voice becomes strong and sure. Fuck Jane. Fuck Julio.

“But–”

“You owe nothing, Nick.” Charlie asserts.

Nick hums noncommittally, clearly still upset with himself for not immediately coming out to his mum, despite Charlie's sage and correct words of reassurance, and now he's presumably upset for Charlie, too. Charlie changes tact. Maybe a little light-hearted teasing will help Nick shake it off?

“Besides, you have to save something for next week! You've crammed a queer awakening, first boy crush, first boy kiss, first boyfriend and a sexy baking montage into seven days! I'm supposed to be the overachieving nerd here, not you, rugby lad, mmkay?”

Nick smiles, and while it doesn't quite meet his eyes, it's a damn sight closer than it was when they got to his room. “Are you sure you're okay with her not knowing?” he checks again, twisting his head to look up at Charlie.

“Yeah, of course,” Charlie nods. “Just... I want you to come out when and how you want to. That’s your right. And if that takes a while, that's completely okay. Besides, much as I'd love everyone to know you're my boyfriend, I'm not keen to be out at school yet. Being outed at home is bad enough.”

Nick takes one of Charlie’s hands in his own and plays with his fingers. “Okay. Thank you for being supportive. For holding me. I've never been held like this before.”

“That's okay. I'm happy to hold you… in any way you please,” Charlie purrs at him, a teasing, playful edge to his voice.

“Charlie! Are you coming onto me while I'm being vulnerable?” Nick gasps.

“Yes. Yes I am,” Charlie confirms brazenly.

“You are a very cheeky boyfriend!” Nick responds huskily as he manhandles Charlie into a deep, hot kiss.

When Nick pulls back, he strokes a curl out of Charlie's face and looks deeply into his eyes. “Do you want to talk about what happened with your parents?”

“Not really. I cried it out earlier and now I'm just a bit numb. I think I'd rather just… be?”

“Okay.” Nick nods. “Well, I’m here for you whenever you're ready. So, how do you want to spend the rest of the day?”

“I mean, I was enjoying the kissing…” Charlie murmurs, chasing Nick's lips for more.

“Yes, so was I, but we can't kiss all day,” Nick says firmly, allowing Charlie one more quick peck on the lips before pointedly pulling away to give Charlie a stern look.

“Yes we can. We're teenagers. We're just skin, bones and hormones,” Charlie reasons.

“No, we're skin, bones, hormones and emotions,” Nick contests, taking Charlie's hand in his. “You were so sad earlier. What makes you happy?”

“You.” Charlie admits his simple truth. Nick makes him happy. Despite the secrecy and the challenges ahead of them and the consequences happening at home, Nick makes him happy. The happiest he's ever been, in fact.

“Stop making me want to kiss you again, I'm trying to be a good boyfriend!”

“Good boyfriends give kisses,” Charlie pouts, but he sees Nick's point. “Erm... I like Netflix binges?”

“Oh yeah, what are your comfort shows?” Nick asks, reaching for a remote and switching on his TV.

“I like lots of things. Maybe we could watch Wednesday? Did you like it?”

“I heard it was creepy and Harry said there was a monster so I just pretended I'd seen it and nodded along when they were talking about wolfing out or whatever.”

“Do you not like supernatural stuff?” Charlie asks as Nick opens Netflix and searches for the show.

“It's not that… I don't like scary things,” Nick mutters, blushing.

“Aww, baby. I'll keep you safe.” Charlie teases, snuggling into Nick's side when he lifts his arm as the opening credits begin.

“Baby?”

“Erm–” Charlie cannot believe he just said that. Baby? Damn, that slipped out after watching too many stupid romance shows. Now Nick's going to–

“I like it.” Nick smiles, dropping a sweet little kiss onto Charlie's nose, quieting his self-conscious thoughts. “Keep me safe please, baby.”

And he does. Mainly with his mouth.

Piranhas, gorgons, sirens, re-animated hands, anything remotely creepy graces the screen and Charlie is on Nick, straddling his wide hips and kissing the scaries away.

At the first mention of a hyde, Charlie pulls Nick's t-shirt up over his face ‘for protection because the hyde is, like, super scary’ and plants soft kisses all over his exposed chest and belly. That happy trail glance on the side of the road earlier hadn’t been nearly enough. It was supposed to be cute, but when Nick stirs and whines a little Charlie's kisses become firmer, and Nick pulls the t-shirt clean off and writhes beneath him.

As Charlie's lips approach the waistband of Nick Nelson's joggers (seriously, how is this not an elaborate dream?) Nick groans loudly and Charlie comes to his senses. What the hell is he doing? Nick's mum is probably asleep in the next room, and his brother could come home at any time. He can't risk two accidental family outings in one day.

“Nick, we should stop,” he says, pulling away in a frankly superhuman display of restraint. “This isn't how you should come out to your mum. If she walks in or hears something…”

“What would she hear, Charlie?” Nick questions, voice throaty, eyes darkened, breath ragged – all those sexy things. “I’m sure I can be a quiet boy, can’t you?”

“Absolutely not,” Charlie stutters. “I mean, I assume not. I've never… But no. I can't. Especially if you say things like that...”

“Yeah, I've never either…” Nick says, sitting up awkwardly. “We should leave. I don’t think I can focus on anything else when you're in my bed.”

“I don't want to go anywhere else,” Charlie admits, worrying at the pattern of Nick's duvet, not meeting his eye. “If my family are looking for me they might–”

“No. Not outside the house,” Nick quickly reassures him. “Let's go to the garden. Rugby's pretty good for relieving tension. I can teach you.”

Charlie likes the plan, except for the part where Nick puts his t-shirt back on. At least Charlie gets to watch his built torso stretch as he lifts the t-shirt over his head and shimmies into the fabric. Why can’t he screen record with his eyes, Charlie silently whinges when Nick is once again fully clothed.

As they prepare to go outside, Charlie is confronted with a screen full of messages and missed calls when he moves his phone to slip his shoes back on. He ignores them all, and follows Nick out into an expansive garden that he idly thinks would look beautiful in the snow. Nick’s right about rugby relieving tension, not that Charlie will ever admit that to him. The fresh air and physical activity helps get him out of his head.

It's conversely good for building a different kind of tension, though. With every bend for the ball or use of a strong, strong arm to make a throw, Charlie's desire to jump Nick's bones increases, and don't get him started on the tackling. All this wrapping arms around waists, pushing down and pinning to the ground has him questioning if this sport is quite as het as it seems.

Just as Charlie is beginning to feel the chill through Nick's hoodie (that is now his property and he'll fight anyone who says otherwise) they hear David calling from the back door. “I'm back, I've made some pizzas, are you coming?”

Nick looks at Charlie and raises an eyebrow, to which Charlie nods. He's cold and ready for food. They grin at each other as they go to wash their hands, Nick heading to the family bathroom and Charlie upstairs to Nick's en suite.

As the water warms his hands, Charlie wonders what comes next. He can't face going home. Not yet. Could he spend the night here? Would that be too much? He doesn't want to impose. Still, the thought of a night spent in Nick's bed… in Nick's arms… Suddenly it's not just his hands that are feeling hot.

How would that go, sleeping over? Would Sarah be okay with it? Would Nick? He could text Tori to bring him a uniform to school tomorrow, and Elle could drive? She knows about them, and Nick can't drive because of the bet. Practically it would work, the only thing needed is a toothbrush. Charlie checks Nick's bathroom cupboard for a spare one, quickly finding a multipack with just one missing. It's naturally the purple one. Nick is so bisexual.

He also finds condoms… Well, now he's definitely staying over. Charlie notices that the box is open and one or two condoms are missing. Now there’s something to ponder.

All freshened up, Charlie heads back downstairs and sits opposite Nick, who smiles hello and connects their feet under the table. David brings over a pizza and a bowl of salad and Nick stands to grab plates, cutlery, cups and water for the table. David sets aside two slices for Sarah's breakfast when she wakes up later, and then they tuck into their dinner.

“So, I'm guessing you two didn't make friends on the rugby pitch…” David asks Charlie, breaking the ice.

“Because I'm too small and weak for rugby?” Charlie reasons, prodding at a slice of yellow pepper with his fork. Thank fuck they're a yellow pepper family and not a green pepper family, because eww.

“He's stronger than he looks, David,” Nick chimes in, rubbing Charlie's shin with his socked foot in a way that tickles just enough to make Charlie jerk and lose the pepper from his fork.

“No,” David narrows his eyes suspiciously, “because I watched him attempt to play out there and he's shit.”

“Oh, yeah. That's fair,” Charlie nods, recapturing the pepper piece and biting into it.

“No, we erm. We met in form,” Nick explains, watching Charlie's jaw movements just a little too intently.

“A long time ago, but Nick just noticed me this week.”

“I noticed you before.” Nick says, with a shy little head dip, which is frankly adorable.

“No you didn't!” Charlie laughs. “I had to literally ask you– Erm. No, you didn't.”

“Yes, I did,” Nick confirms, and it's all Charlie can do not to reach out and take his hand across the table. Instead they share a heated gaze that says it all.

David clears his throat, reminding Charlie that he is in fact still in the room. “Est-ce qu'il se passe quelque chose entre toi et Charlie?” Is something going on with you and Charlie? David directs at Nick.

Is that French?

“Vous flirtez et vous regardez beaucoup pour deux amis juste platoniques.” You're just doing a lot of flirting and staring at each other for two platonic mates.

Nick’s eyes widen almost as much as the hyde Charlie ‘protected’ him from on the TV earlier.

“Euh, … on… on s’entend vraiment bien, c'est tout. Il est super gentil, et intelligent et drôle…” Well… We… We get on really well. He's really kind and clever and funny…

Is that Nick... speaking French?

“Est-ce que tu l’aimes bien, David?” Do you like him, David?

Yep. That's Nick speaking French. Colour him dazzled. If Charlie was ever going to ovulate, it's going to be now.

“Pas autant que toi apparemment.” Not as much as you, apparently, he answers with a casual shrug. With that David gets up and walks out of the room, leaving Nick with a puddle of Charlie at the table.

“What was that?!” Charlie manages to ask when he's recovered enough from that sensational performance to speak.

“Well…” Nick says, blushing profusely, “David might have an idea about us. Apparently we're not that subtle.”

“No, Nick! What was that?” Charlie demands, pointing at Nick's mouth.

“The French?”

Charlie horny nods and Nick answers obliviously.

“My dad's French. He basically only speaks to us in French so we–”

A gasp escapes Charlie's mouth and he claps a hand over it to contain it. He can't help it. His boyfriend is Nick Nelson, like 10/10 Nick Nelson, and he just leveled up to 11/10. He could literally scream and die right now.

“Are you? Wait… Do you like the fact that I speak French?"

“Oh… it's fine… it's cool…” Charlie plays it off, trying to look nonchalant but seriously, holy fuck.

Nick stands up and holds his hand to Charlie, “Mon amour…”

Charlie calls him a dick, though he definitely doesn't mean it. They dispose of the leftover food on their plates into Nellie's bowl, put the rest of the pizza away in the fridge, dump their plates in the sink with David's and rush towards Nick's room. They bump into Sarah making her way down the stairs on their way and she smiles at them warmly.

If Charlie's going to ask, he might as well do it now.

“Mrs Nelson…” he begins hesitantly, nerves flooding his body.

“Sarah, please, dear.”

“Oh. Okay. Erm, Sarah…” he continues, turning to Nick too when he realises he hasn't asked him yet either, “And Nick. Both of you… Do you think I could stay the night, please?”

Nick smiles softly and nods, blushing a little. Sarah’s eyes flick between the two of them and she nods too.

“I don't see why not. Did your mum say it's okay?”

“Oh. We… I…” Charlie trails off, not sure what to say, or if he can even face verbalising it all to an adult. He doesn't want to sit down and talk it through and receive advice and, god, be driven home or–

“Mum,” Nick steps in, taking a deep breath and reaching for Sarah's hands. “Charlie's gay. I'm bi. We're boyfriends. His family found out today and… well… it didn't go too well.”

“Ahh. I see,” she smiles at her son and squeezes his hands. She gazes at him for a moment, loving and proud, and then turns to Charlie. “You don't feel safe going home?”

“I do eventually. I just… don't today.”

“Okay, sweetheart,” she says softly, dropping one of Nick's hands to give Charlie's a brief squeeze too. Her hand is warm and soft and her touch tells him everything he needs to hear. It lasts a moment, then she drops both their hands and claps in that ‘let's get to business’ way that mums often do. “Can you please send her a message to say that you're safe but won't be home tonight? We have spares of most things you'll need. Nick will see you get set up properly. I'd suggest the spare room, but let's not start our relationship on a lie, shall we? Be sensible please.”

She gives Nick a goodbye hug, then pulls Charlie in for one too. “I hope you boys saved me some dinner?”

“We did, Mum. There's pizza in the fridge.” Nick tells her. “I'll get it for you–”

“No, darling, that's okay. I'll pop it in my bag and head to work. See you tomorrow. I love you very much.” She bustles past them down the hall and turns just before she gets to the kitchen. "Nicky, are you... fully stocked?"

Nick's eyes widen and he looks like he wants the ground to swallow him whole, a job Charlie wanted to do actually, but whatever. "YES Mum BYE Mum."

"Err, because you know I didn't anticipate this possibility, which is on me…" Sarah continues, ignoring her son's lobster red face.

Nick tilts his head and looks confused and it's comical enough to override any awkwardness Charlie feels at being present for this particular bonding moment. Charlie eventually catches him up, stage whispering, "She didn't buy you any lube, Nick."

“Mon Dieu,” Nick mutters, grabbing Charlie by the hand and marching them upstairs without a single pause to look back. Charlie calls over his shoulder as he's dragged away, “We won't be needing any yet, but thank you!”

“You're welcome Charlie, darling! Bye!”

“Bye Sarah!”

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the wonderful betaing, and Infinite Reads for the French support 💜

So about Chapter 13... and that E rating... yeah.

Chapter 13: 13

Summary:

It's Sunday evening, six days since the Date Me dare. It may be weekend, but when they're left to their own devices, Nick and Charlie act like it's Wednesday, if you know what we mean. (Click here if you don't know what we mean.)

Charlie saunters into Nick’s room and flops onto his bed. Nick follows a moment later, closing the door before banging his forehead on it five or six times.

“So…” Charlie says, enjoying watching THE Nick Nelson in such a state of embarrassment. “Sarah’s not like a regular mum, she’s a cool mum?”

Nick stands facing the door for a few more seconds before turning around. He’s an almost alarming shade of beet red. “She’s not a cool mum, she’s a physician mum who’s been teaching her sons about STIs and sexual health since way, way before Mr Lange ever made us put a condom on a cucumber.”

Charlie nods. Awkward. “So… earlier, I was checking to see if you had any spare toothbrushes and I stumbled, completely accidentally, on a box of condoms…”

Nick closes his eyes and nods. “Yes. Her.”

Charlie just whistles. Nick slowly slumps to the floor and covers his eyes with his hands.

“Now you know,” he moans. “Nick Nelson’s mum buys his condoms.”

Charlie sits up and wraps his arms around his stomach. “I noticed… um. No, never mind.”

Nick looks up at him. “What?”

Charlie just shakes his head.

“Is it – you said you saw the box. Is it about how it’s open?”

“It’s none of my business,” Charlie says, shaking his head. He’d been wondering, because Nick said he’d never done that before. But suddenly it feels too personal.

Nick stands and walks over to sit beside Charlie. “You’re wondering because I said I’ve never… had sex.”

“Really, you don’t have to answer.”

Nick breathes shakily. “If I can’t be honest with you of all people…” He takes Charlie’s hand in his own, gently rubbing the taut skin. “I, uh. I used them on myself.”

Charlie replays Nick’s statement in his head a few times but can’t make sense of it.

“Yeah… I don’t get it.”

Nick sighs. “I… like, I tried them out a couple of times. To see how they felt. While I. You know.”

When Charlie realises what Nick is saying he claps his free hand over his mouth and stares at Nick, who is now giving a boiled prawn a run for its money in the redness department.

“Oh, Jesus,” Nick cries out, standing and running over to his window. He stands there, staring out into the fading light and wrapping his arms around his chest.

Charlie gives him a few moments before padding up behind him and wrapping his arms around Nick’s waist, plastering his front to Nick’s back.

“Nick, that’s… really hot.”

Nick turns his head. “What?”

“Well, I’m just imagining you… doing that to yourself… fuck.”

“You’re… imagining me doing that?”

“I have all week but now I have a specific visual and… mmm, yeah.”

“Oh, god,” Nick groans, his face crinkled in the reflection of the glass.

“So… how did it feel?” Charlie asks. Apparently he’s feeling very, very brazen tonight. “I’ve done the cucumber thing in Mr Lange’s class but I’ve always wondered.”

“It’s… interesting,” Nick replies, still not looking at Charlie. He’s so bashful, it would be cute if they weren’t currently discussing him wearing a condom while masturbating. “Not as tight as you might think. Not that I didn’t fill it out or anything!”

Charlie snorts into Nick’s back, the fresh smell of laundry detergent filling his nostrils. “Good to know.”

He hugs Nick closer, letting them sway in the quiet and low light of the room.

“Do you… do you want to–”

Charlie cuts him off there. “The answer is yes, I want to, but only if and when you’re ready. We don’t need to move any faster than you’re comfortable with. This is all new to me, too, you know.”

Nick turns and nuzzles into Charlie’s neck.

“How are you so wonderful?” Nick murmurs against his skin.

“I was just born this way,” Charlie replies.

He enjoys feeling Nick’s hot breath flowing over his skin, but then it becomes significantly more wet and he realises Nick is kissing the underside of his jaw – just lightly, not enough to cause a hickey, thank goodness. As much as he’d like Nick to latch on, everyone at Truham and Higgs knew after Max Robinson gave Ella Lawson a love bite on the Paris trip and they never lived it down, so avoiding marks is probably for the best.

Charlie involuntarily moans and Nick pulls away, panting.

“I’m not ready for… for full-on sex yet,” he says, flushing even more maroon. “But… there are, like, other things we could do.”

Charlie nearly expires then and there from oxygen deprivation as all of his blood immediately rushes to fill his dick.

“I like other things. Other things are good,” Charlie says, nodding vigorously.

Nick smiles and looks down at his lips again before capturing them in a passionate kiss. He’s just started pressing his tongue forward and gripping Charlie harder when they hear David in the hallway calling Nellie, followed by his bedroom door closing.

“Hold that thought,” Nick says, hopping up. He doesn’t even try to hide the obvious jutting out in his joggers – not that Charlie isn’t enjoying the view – as he waddles over to his door and locks it. He also turns off the main light, leaving them illuminated only by his desk lamp and a string of fairy lights haphazardly taped to the ceiling, and if that doesn’t encompass Nick Nelson’s sexuality, Charlie doesn’t know what does. And finally, Nick whips out his phone, connects to a bluetooth speaker and puts on a Sub-Radio playlist.

Charlie rearranges himself on Nick’s bed, arms behind his head and one knee bent to prop up his leg in something he hopes approaches attractive. It must work, because when Nick finishes with the playlist he sets his phone down, growls and then pounces onto the bed. Charlie braces when it becomes clear he’s going to land on top of Charlie, but Nick splays his arms and legs to stop himself from landing on Charlie directly, although the bouncing of the mattress jostles them together in a rather pleasant way.

Nick looks down at Charlie, his ginger fringe hanging over his forehead and his eyes wide and wet. It hits Charlie then that whatever happens, this is so much more than he’d ever hoped to dream would happen to him, at least not before uni, and maybe not even then.

He cranes his neck upwards until he meets Nick in the middle, their lips touching again. Nick lowers his body onto Charlie’s, applying the weight slowly, which is easily a million times better than that weighted blanket Tori got online.

Nick breaks away from Charlie’s mouth, kissing down the side of his face until he’s whispering babbled praise into Charlie’s ear. Words like ‘beautiful’ and ‘hot’ and ‘amazing’. Charlie’s dick is straining against his skinny jeans, and he curses this fashion choice; although it makes his arse look fantastic, it really does confine things up front when he needs more manoeuvring room.

Charlie is so pent up he barely even realises what he’s doing when he plants his hands on Nick’s shoulders and rolls them so that Charlie is now on top. The little gasp Nick makes when Charlie manhandles him… oh yes, that’s going to fuel his dreams for years. They resume making out until Charlie breaks away and kisses his way down Nick’s jaw and neck to the hem of his t-shirt.

He rears back and pauses for a moment as they each try to regain their breath.

“Can I… um… can your t-shirt come off?” Charlie’s as red as a pomegranate from the request. It’s so brazen and bold, he hardly recognises himself.

Nick just smirks and sits upright for a moment, pulling the shirt over his head with Charlie’s help. It’s tossed into the shadows, completely forgotten, as Nick flops back down on the bed and Charlie drinks in the sight. Nick Nelson, his top half naked and flushed. Charlie places one index finger on the cleft of his chest and runs it down to Nick’s belly button, making Nick quiver. He didn’t really take in the details earlier when Nick was shirtless, mostly because every single one of his brain cells had been busy shouting “holy shit a fit boy has his shirt off gay paniiiiiiiiiiiiiic!” He’s surprised how little hair there is on Nick’s chest, despite the thick patch he got a glimpse of earlier between his navel and his… well, his joggers, which now have a rather prominent wet spot on the front of them and did Charlie do THAT? To Nick Nelson? What a world!

“Oh, Jesus,” Charlie whimpers. “It’s not fair.”

Nick preens under Charlie’s praise. That bastard is definitely flexing right now, not that Charlie’s going to dock him any points for it.

Charlie plants his palms on Nick’s meaty chest, squeezing those things gently as he lowers himself to resume kissing his boyfriend. Nick draws his arms around Charlie’s waist and pulls him closer, until Charlie goes to rearrange himself and–

They both gasp as their clothed dicks rub against one another, sending electric sparks shooting up Charlie’s spine.

“Oh fuck,” Nick moans beneath him.

“Was that… was that okay?” Charlie asks hesitantly. He isn't sure just how far Nick wants to go tonight.

“Okay?” Nick asks, running one hand through his hair. “I’ve never been so okay in my life.”

He pulls Charlie by the neck until they’re kissing again, and then starts rolling his hips up against Charlie’s. The pressure against his dick is fucking amazing, and soon Charlie’s breathing is ragged enough that he can’t breathe through his nose while kissing Nick. Instead, they keep their faces just inches apart, scorching hot breath intermingling between their slacked jaws.

“God, you’re so hot Nick, I can’t believe it…” Charlie moans.

Without warning, Nick plants one hand on the small of Charlie’s back and the other on his shoulder, and with a little “oof” he manages to flip them so that Charlie is once again on his back with Nick hovering over him.

“Charlie, you’re so beautiful,” Nick says purposefully, looking down into Charlie’s eyes. “I’m so lucky you’re my boyfriend.”

“I’m beautiful?” Charlie asks, a little skeptical. He’s slightly distracted by the way Nick’s stomach looks from this angle, just the slightest pudge hanging down that hides what he knows are some powerful abdominal muscles. Nick hasn’t pressured Charlie to take anything off, probably because he’s such a twig.

“You’re beautiful, and hot and sexy,” Nick replies. “You’re everything, Char.”

Charlie must still have a skeptical look on his face, because Nick shakes his head.

“Is this not proof enough of what I think about you and your body?” Nick asks, and then he rolls his hips forward and their dicks rub again and holy Jesus fuck if this feels so good, what will actual clothes-off sex be like? Charlie can’t help the noise that escapes his lips, and then Nick is on him again, attacking his lips and jaw and neck and ears with his mouth while their hips gyrate again and again.

The one percent of his brain not completely overwhelmed with horny hormones clocks that Nick’s playlist has happened to land on King of My Heart, possibly Sub-Radio’s gayest – or at least horniest – anthem.

You had a dream,
What does it mean?
I knew it but I couldn't say

The bed has started creaking a little as they rut against one another, but Charlie’s already pretty close, and judging by the harsh breathing sounds raggedly sputtering from Nick’s lips, he’s not far off, too. Hey, he’s a teenager, it’s his first time and he hasn’t had an orgasm in over a week despite spending all his time around Nick Fucking Nelson – frankly that’s superhuman behavior, so Charlie excuses that he’s about to pop after just a few minutes.

Hand to my heart
I have always been your subject, that's true

“Nick, I’m gonna… gonna come if you don’t stop,” Charlie gasps, praying that Nick doesn’t fucking stop because he might expire immediately if that happens.

“Me too, Char, oh god,” Nick cries, his hips growing erratic as he continues to rub against Charlie.

Baby, you're the only one
I don't hit the floor for no one
But you, you, you

“Is this okay? Are we doing this?” Charlie asks.

“God yes, please, can we please?” Nick begs.

You are the king of my heart
Got the key to my body
And I think everyone knows

Charlie just nods and pulls Nick down for another kiss, and then Nick twists his hips just so and the pressure bearing down on Charlie’s nether regions reaches a crescendo and he’s over the edge, groaning in unkempt pleasure as his body shakes through its orgasm and he completely ruins his pants.

Nick follows right behind, emitting a rather loud grunt that turns into a simpering moan as he drops his head into the notch of Charlie’s shoulder, crying and writhing on top of Charlie. He can feel warmth blossoming between them as Nick shoots into his own pants. He can hardly believe he just brought Nick Nelson to orgasm. Even if they are mostly clothed.

Charlie could die now very, very happy. But thankfully he doesn’t.

Nick’s tremors subside and he shifts his body to fall to Charlie’s side. Charlie’s bones are mostly jelly at this point, but he manages to turn his head and drink in the image of post-coital Nick. His boyfriend is heaving, his chest and stomach undulating as he gasps in oxygen. Every exposed part of his body is flushed and damp and Charlie is struck by the strong desire to lick it and taste the salty sweat all over Nick’s torso. His lips are puffy, his eyes are glazed and his hair is completely fucked up.

And that dark splotch on the front of his joggers… holy fuck.

Charlie manages to roll his body onto its side, resting his hand on Nick’s bicep and stroking the steaming muscle. As they both recover, they just look at each other and giggle.

“Okay, that confirms it. I am very, very bisexual,” Nick says when he finally finds the power of speech again.

“I can’t believe we didn’t do that sooner,” Charlie says, thinking about how on edge he’s been.

“We’ve only been dating for a week,” Nick jokes. “I don’t want you to think I’m a slag.”

Charlie buries his nose in the pillow and breathes in that quintessentially Nick smell.

“You didn’t mind that I… kept my shirt on? And, uh, all my other clothes?” Charlie eventually asks.

Nick grabs Charlie and pulls their bodies flush together.

"Charlie," he says, "I loved every single second of what just happened."

"Okay, me too," Charlie replies. "But I think we're going to have to practice. A lot."

Nick just nods, and kisses Charlie once on the lips. His face turns pensive.

"Does it count as sex? When we still have our clothes on?"

Charlie nods immediately. "We just made each other come. Pretty sure that's the definition of sex." He wriggles his hips and grimaces from the unpleasant sensation of cold stickiness in his boxers.

"Erm, yeah," Nick says sheepishly. "We should probably shower." When Charlie raises his eyebrows and smirks, Nick quickly adds, "Separately!"

Charlie rolls his eyes. "We'll save that one for week two, then."

They reluctantly part and stand up. Nick rummages in the en suite cabinet and produces a fresh towel and flannel, offering for Charlie to go first. Charlie avoids getting his hair wet – he doesn't want to spend time trying to fix it right now – and instead focuses on cleaning his body. As he's scrubbing, he hears Nick knock on the door and crack it open.

"Charlie, don't worry, I'm not looking, but I found some old clothes in my closet that might fit you. I'm leaving them on the side."

A few minutes later, Charlie turns off the water and dries himself. He rubs the steam off the mirror and looks at his body. It’s funny, he doesn’t feel all that different, having had sex for the first time. Charlie’s eyes and fingers trace the arms he always thought were puny and the stomach he thought was flat and pale. Of course, Nick hasn’t yet really seen those parts of his body… but Charlie looks at his face in the reflection, his sharp features and aggressive eyebrows and prominent ears. He never thought he looked all that special. But the way Nick looked at him made Charlie think twice. He still thought maybe Nick’s description of him as “beautiful” was more of a horny brain thing than a real declaration, but still, it felt nice.

He looked at the clothes Nick had laid out – old trackies, a Truham Year 8 shirt and… and a pair of briefs. That’s Nick’s underwear. He’s going to wear Nick’s underwear. Charlie feels his dick twitch at the thought… good to know he could do a round two, though he thinks maybe once tonight is enough.

The clothes are still a little loose, but for sleeping in they won’t be so bad. Charlie figures he can do a cheeky hand wash of his boxers and jeans and hope they dry by morning, but he can’t seem to find them.

He steps out of the en suite and spies Nick lying on his bed, his hands tucked behind his head and his feet kicking to the music as he stares at the ceiling with a little grin on his face. Charlie notices he’s wearing different joggers and a t-shirt again, drat.

“Nick?” Charlie asks. “What happened to my clothes?”

He sits upright. “Threw them in the wash, along with mine. Hope you don’t mind, but I also figured… you wouldn’t want them to smell or anything.”

Charlie shakes his head. “Do you still need to shower?”

“Oh yeah,” Nick says, standing. “I did a quick wipe but uh… yeah.”

Both boys blush and look away from each other before Nick slips past him.

“Can I make us some tea? And maybe we could have some of those brownies?” Charlie asks.

“Tea sounds lovely, do you know where everything is?” Nick asks, sticking his head out the door. Charlie nods and Nick closes the bathroom door, which is followed by the sound of running water.

Charlie puts the kettle on in the otherwise quiet kitchen. Waiting for the water to boil, he frowns and retrieves his phone from the front hall. He’s missed a bunch of messages from both family and friends. Apparently going incommunicado for – he checks the time – 10 hours had made the Tao/Elle/Isaac group chat worried.

First he opens his messages with Tori.

Charlie 20:06: can you bring a uniform to school tomorrow? and my backpack? and books? 😬

Tori 20.06: where are you? are you ok?

Charlie 20.07: i’m at Nick’s and i’m ok

Charlie 20.07: although not looking forward to tomorrow night

Tori 20.07: they’ve been fighting on and off all day

Tori 20.07: and i told mum off for being homophobic and she seemed kind of shocked

Charlie 20.08: thanks. see you tomorrow

He’s curious about whatever’s been happening with his parents, but Charlie also doesn’t want to wade into that morass while his brain is still steeped with Nick Nelson-related serotonin.

Which reminds Charlie that he needs to throw some tea bags into some mugs, after which he opens the outcast group chat.

Charlie 20.08: Elle can you please pick me up at Nick’s house in the morning? i’ll drop a pin

Isaac 20.08: 😏

Elle 20.08: 🥰

Tao 20.08: 🙄

Charlie 20.09: 🤫

He watches the questions pour in but decides not to answer now except to reiterate that they’re a secret and no one else can know. He’s not even sure he has answers to all these questions.

The kettle boils and he finishes off the tea, plates a couple of brownies and makes his way back upstairs. He notices an envelope taped to Nick’s door, but his hands are full so he pushes through just as Nick steps out of the en suite, rubbing a towel all around his hair. He’s wearing yet another pair of joggers and is, blessedly, once again shirtless.

“Ooh, thank you,” Nick moans as he takes the brownies and a mug. Charlie sets the other mug down and pets Nellie, who is now lying on Nick’s bed wagging her tail happily, before he returns to Nick’s door, peeling off the envelope he’s sure wasn’t there before.

“What’s this?” Nick asks when he hands it to him.

Charlie shrugs. “Got your name on it.”

Nick rips the envelope open and a sleeve of condoms falls out onto the floor. It’s like, eight condoms, all attached in a long strand. The boys both blanch looking at it before Nick fumbles around in the envelope and finds a sticky note that he reads out loud.

“Congrats bro. You’ll also need lube but I don’t keep any at home. Pro tip: Don’t buy Tesco’s own, splurge on a name brand. Happy for you. David. PS please don’t have sex when I’m in the next room. Or at least be quieter.”

Charlie’s holding back laughter by the time Nick finishes reading it. He looks deeply uncomfortable and is eyeing the string of condoms on the floor warily.

“Do you… want to keep those at your house?” he finally asks.

Charlie shakes his head. “Much as I’d love to give my mother an aneurysm, I don’t think that’s the best idea right now.”

Nick picks up the condoms and shoves them and the note into his bedside table drawer that he slams shut.

“So,” he says, clapping his hands and turning around. “Do you want to watch something?”

“Mmm… how about something Marvel?” Charlie says. “I could go for something you don’t need your brain for right now.”

Nick crosses his arms, trying to look annoyed, except when he’s not wearing a shirt it has the effect of making his arms bulge and his chest squeeze together and suddenly Charlie’s thinking about what it would feel like to run his tongue up Nick’s cleavage so he forces himself to look away and focus on his tea.

“I’m going to put on Civil War just so you can see how cerebral Marvel can be,” Nick says.

Since Nellie’s spread out to take up like half the bed, Charlie is forced, just forced, to cuddle up close to Nick as they lay down to watch the film. The tight space means Charlie also has to rest one hand on Nick’s chest, where he idly plays with the fair hairs there, especially the ones around Nick’s nipples.

Frankly, Charlie’s pretty sure neither of them are watching the movie, and after about an hour Nick goes downstairs to move their clothes over to the dryer. When he returns, they give up pretending to watch the movie and kiss lazily for a while before chatting quietly about seemingly nothing, then turning off the light and cuddling until they drift off.

If Charlie had been asked where he’d be falling asleep on Sunday night, he never in a million years would have guessed it would be in Nick Nelson’s arms.

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the wonderful betaing 💜

Chapter 14: 14

Summary:

It's Monday morning, one week since the Date Me dare. Nick faces a crossroad when someone asks him out for the week. Charlie has an unpleasant encounter at school.

Notes:

Oatsie is on holiday and since we know some UK readers like to read new chapters before work, Henry is posting early for all y'all.

See end notes for cw for this chapter.

Charlie rouses on Monday morning, finding himself on his side in a bed that's not his own, to the sound of an unfamiliar alarm and the sensation of a heavy, freckled arm draped over his stomach. His boyfriend’s arm. Squeal! Nick pulls away to silence the alarm, and Charlie pouts for all of five seconds before he’s back, holding him tighter than before. This is bliss.

“Good morning,” Nick says from where he's nestled in behind him, his breath warming Charlie's neck, causing him to wriggle back into him and oh. Hello, morning wood.

Charlie rolls over to face him and Nick leans in, making a ruffled growl just before their lips meet. “Teeth,” he groans sleepily. “I need to brush them first. I'll be back.”

Charlie flops back while Nick potters to the bathroom, sitting up to take his turn when he returns, but Nick guides him back down, a playful tilt to his mouth. He presses minty kisses along Charlie's jaw, down the crook of his neck and across his shoulder. The warmth of the bed, the scent of Nick all around them, and Nick’s soft lips exploring his skin combine to create the best kind of sensory overload.

Charlie relaxes into the attention as Nick licks and nibbles his way down his bicep, before yelling when Nick nuzzles into his armpit and his touch turns from highly arousing to infuriatingly tickly. Nick leans into it and flutters his fingers over Charlie's chest, waist and thighs while he squirms and does his best not to knee Nick in the face, though it would be very much in self defense if he did and he's pretty certain that no court would ever convict him for it.

“Nick! Stop it, you dick! I need to pee!”

Nick backs off with his hands splayed in surrender, though the twinkle in his eyes leaves Charlie less than convinced that this is truly over. Pointedly glaring at his absolute favourite person, Charlie leaves to sort himself out. He checks Nick's bedside clock when he comes back and drops beside him with a frown.

“We have to get ready for school now.”

“Noooooo,” Nick sulks, pulling a truly Oscar-worthy puppydog face.

“We don't want Monday detention twice in a row!” Charlie laughs at his cute boy, using a stray pillow to lightly smack him in the face.

“It'd be worth it,” Nick mumbles from beneath the pillow, and it only takes Charlie a fraction of a second to decide that yes. Yes, it would. Happy to be convinced, Charlie throws a leg over Nick’s hips and tosses the pillow away, leaning down with a seductive smile. They kiss teasingly, then Nick's hand is in his hair and he's pulling him down deeper and that bulge in his pants is back, pressing into Charlie's thigh. Just as Charlie's wondering how anyone with a boyfriend gets anywhere on time, his phone vibrates with several rapid fire texts from Elle telling him to get up.

He groans frustratedly into Nick's mouth, and Nick laughs and rubs his nose against Charlie's affectionately. “Come on, Char. Let's not keep Elle waiting.”

“But… uggh!” Charlie grumbles, climbing off Nick and into his freshly washed and tumble dried clothes from the night before, shrugging on one of Nick's hoodies he finds on the floor beside the bed. They stand facing away from each other as they dress, but if Charlie sneaks a glance when Nick’s still just in his briefs, then what harm is there?

He's still grouchy about having to stop grinding kissing when they climb into Elle’s little car a short while later, though squishing up close in the backseat helps a bit. Nick's hand brushes against his thigh when he buckles Charlie in and he sighs hornily, before remembering Isaac is also in the back with them, bearing his teeth in a silent beaming grin as he reads, like the insufferable little shit that he is.

Charlie shoots him a ‘shut up!’ glance and Isaac laughs. “What?! I didn't say a word!”

“You didn't need to!” Charlie exclaims, before grinning back at him.

“You don't seem to say many words, I've noticed,” Nick says to Isaac after a few moments of quiet. He sounds shy and it's so cute Charlie can barely cope.

“No, I save my words for friends and making impacts,” Isaac replies, turning his page.

“Ah, I see.” Nick nods, resting his hand on Charlie's thigh. It astounds him that Nick feels comfortable doing that in front of Isaac, Tao and Elle, three people he barely knows. It took Charlie years to come out to them and they're literally his best friends.

“Nick?” Isaac says, lifting his head to look at him properly.

“Yeah?” Nick replies, smiling apprehensively.

“...I don't actually have anything to say. I just wanted to make the point that I'll talk to you now, too. Because, you know…” Isaac says, gesturing between Nick and Charlie. “And because you seem nice.”

Nick nods and blushes, and Isaac returns to his book. Charlie catches Elle shooting a sappy look towards Tao, whose face he cannot see but who is surely grimacing flamboyantly as the only sap he can stomach is his own. Charlie is filled with a sense of contentment. The Spring family might have gone to shit yesterday, but that's not the only family he has.

As traffic slows near the school it becomes clear that the Monday Date Me crowd are out in force again. Just like last week, Elle has no chance of pulling into the Truham car park. They do have time for her to let them out of the car on a side street near the school, though, so they don't have as far to walk this time.

“I won't miss this dare,” Elle mutters under her breath as Tao pecks her on the cheek and gets out first.

“Neither will I. Thanks for the lift, Elle,” Nick says as he follows, climbing out of the back seat. “That was really nice of you to drop me off, too.”

“What, like I'm going to pick Charlie up from your house and leave you there?” she chuckles, bemused.

“I don't know, we don't really know each other…”

“I know enough,” she smiles warmly. “You make Charlie happy. That's all I need. I’ll pick you up later?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Nick smiles and shuts the car door. Elle indicates and drives off, leaving the four of them to walk to Truham together.

Nick and Charlie fall into step side by side, pinkies almost but not quite brushing, shooting pastel sparks into the air as they walk, with Tao and Isaac bringing up the rear. It's a little quiet at first until Tao breaks the silence. “Will we be seeing more of you this week, Charlie? Or…”

“Oh. Maybe, probably,” Charlie half turns to answer. Nick frowns a little and Charlie gives him a sad little smile. “We're keeping it quiet at school, and we can't hide behind the project anymore.”

“We could have lunch together? People make friends when they do projects together. That's logical,” Nick argues. Clingy boy.

“Friends. Yep. Because you look so platonic together. No longing gazes or shared smiles at all,” Isaac chirps up, receiving a severe look over Charlie's shoulder. Isaac grins wickedly. “And then there's all the kissing...”

“Shut. Up!” Charlie hisses, conscious that they're fast approaching the school building.

“I know chapped lips when I see them, Charlie!” he teases, earning a snort from Nick and an arm slap from Tao.

They get within eyesight of the school gate and stop, hanging back out of sight to watch the tail end of some kind of Date Me kerfuffle. It appears Imogen may have just elbowed some other girl to the ground to get first position, judging by the girl's anguished cries, the red droplets dripping down her chin, and the way Imogen is rubbing at her arm and rotating her shoulder.

Damn, she's terrifying.

“How the fuck did he get over there?”

Imogen is the first to spot Nick and she’s off like a shot, galloping across the car park, over a grass island and even sliding her rear end atop the hood of Jason Chang’s Audi (to his vocal consternation). Even with the parkour-style theatrics, Imogen beats some of the other girls by only a couple of seconds. Nick instinctively shrinks behind Charlie as she approaches.

“Nicholas! I'm first! I'm finally first!” Imogen shrills, clapping giddily and beaming up at him when she reaches them as she completely ignores Charlie and the others. “Date me, Ni–”

“Imogen, I–”

“Don’t interrupt me! Date Me, Nick Nelson!” she squeals, knocking Charlie out of the way with her hip and grabbing one of Nick's arms with both of her hands. “I can't believe how long I've waited to say that and now I have and you're my boyfriend and it's very exciting isn't it, are you excited? I just know you're excited! I know it! We're going to look so cute together! We can walk our dogs together, and go to Nando’s and to the cinema! I bought us matching…”

Charlie, Tao and Isaac exchange glances while she yaps and Nick tries and fails to get a word in to stop her.

“Nick, mate!” an obnoxious voice calls from behind the gaggle of disappointed girls sullenly watching Imogen writhe around on Nick’s arm.

Oh, good. Now Harry's here, too.

He pushes through the pack, sauntering over cock first, and puts a patronising finger on Imogen's lips to stop her yammering. He's such a twat. It's effective, Charlie will give him that, but still, what a twat.

“Harry, please don't touch my friend like that,” Nick frowns, batting Harry's twat hand away from Imogen's face.

“Girl-friend, silly,” she beams smugly, wrapping her arms around Nick's neck in a way that makes Charlie's eye twitch and Nick visibly uncomfortable.

“She finally got to you first! Well done, girl!” Harry laughs, slapping her on the butt like a prize cow.

Her grip around Nick's neck tightens and Nick's frown turns into an outright scowl. “Do we need to have another talk, Harry?” Nick asks in a sharp tone that's unfamiliar to Charlie.

Harry scoffs playfully. “Alright mate, it's just banter! I'm pleased for her!”

“It's not just banter though, is it?” Nick snaps before turning and softening his face. “Imogen, I’m sorry, but – the bet is off.”

“What?” Imogen gasps, pulling away from him, clearly crestfallen. “What did you…”

“I'm dating someone for real. So I lost.”

Charlie involuntarily sucks in a breath. He hadn’t been entirely sure if Nick was really going to go through with publicly losing the bet. Yes, Charlie was the one who asked him to keep them secret at school. But surely Nick has no desire to be outed either. After all, Charlie is terrified of the prospect, and he’s had years to come to accept himself. Just one week ago, Nick apparently thought he was straight. So even though he doesn’t share any other details, Charlie is a little surprised when Nick doesn’t keep up the charade of the bet when it would be so easy to hide behind that shield.

Charlie doesn't miss how Harry's eyes flick to him after that gasp, although since pretty much everyone in earshot had reacted similarly he didn’t think he stood out. Harry quickly looks back to Imogen, who is demanding more information from Nick that he declines to share multiple times. Tara, who apparently got drawn into the drama while passing by with Darcy after getting off the bus, quickly chimes in that Nick doesn't owe anyone private information, and soon the entire crowd is noisily gossipping about which girl has ensorcelled Nick.

Backing out of the horde before anyone gets a chance to put two and two together, Charlie spots Tori hovering by the bus stop next to the gate. He reluctantly leaves Nick in their hands to grab his bag and clothes from his sister.

“Tori!” He shouts as he jogs over, gaining her attention.

“Charles,” she replies, holding a bag towards him, her arm outstretched.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Charlie dips his head, unsure what to say. He feels like a different person than the one who left his siblings at the doorstep just yesterday. His whole world seems to have changed. He's changed.

“You left me to fend for myself against our parents,” Tori says, folding her arms across her chest. “Oliver's in a bad mood. He didn't understand why you left. He wanted to play Mario Kart with you, and I think Mum might be willing to apologise. As wild as that sounds.”

“Do you think?” Charlie asks, looking at his sister in surprise.

“Maybe. I told her that her behaviour was unacceptable. She didn't tell me I was wrong.”

Charlie hums. It's more than he was expecting.

“I hate society,” Tori says, leaning back against the side of the bus stop.

“You don't.”

“I hate this one. This one where our sexuality and gender has to define us for some unfathomable reason.” Anger flashes across her face and Charlie almost feels like she's not just talking about him, despite how things may appear with Michael. “I worry about you all the time, Charlie. Did you know that?” she adds quietly, and suddenly she looks vulnerable in a way he's never seen before. Charlie drops the bags to the ground and pulls her in for a hug. It's brief and stiff, but she lets him hold her for a moment.

“I wish we could rewind and start yesterday all over again,” she sighs as she pulls away. Charlie almost agrees, despite the good that came from running to Nick's arms, because he can see that Tori is affected by this more than he had realised, maybe Olly too, and he doesn't want that.

“Pizza tonight?” she asks and he nods. “Mum offered.”

Charlie’s eyebrows raise up above the curly locks hanging over his forehead. Their mother offered to serve pizza? In a non-emergency? Just a few days after having pizza?

Damn, maybe Jane really is changing.

“I have to go,” Tori continues. “If I don't get to form now I'll be penalised with more time in form.”

“Society strikes again.”

“Indeed,” she says, wiping one eye with her finger before spinning on her heels to march towards Higgs.

He watches her go for a minute, feeling a rush of love and appreciation for her, before turning and heading towards the school. The peanut gallery appears to have disbanded, though he can’t see Nick or Tao or Isaac anywhere, so they must have headed inside.

The toilets by the front entrance are mercifully empty. He enters a stall and shimmies out of yesterday's clothes. They smell like Nick's washing powder, and as he lifts the fabric over his nose he has to bite his lip to keep himself from squealing at the memory of why Nick had to wash them for him.

As he swaps them out for the new ones and pulls his trousers on, he hears the footsteps of someone else entering the bathroom.

“Yo, Spring. You in here?”

That's Harry's voice. What does he want?

“Yeah…” Charlie replies cautiously, shrugging his shirt on and lining up the lower button with its corresponding button hole.

“You need to stop this thing with Nick.”

Wot? How does he… Charlie's fingers freeze on his shirt. He knows, somehow.

“Stop. It. Now.” There's a snarl to Harry's voice that makes Charlie glad for the locked door between them.

“I don't know what you mean,” he stutters out, lying through the teeth that not twelve hours earlier had been sunk into Nick's shoulder before they'd come together on his bed.

“Let me explain then.” Charlie can hear Harry pacing the room, covering the ground between him and the door. If he timed it right could he burst out and run? Could he make it out of the door before Harry reaches him? No. He's safer in here.

“Last week you got to Nick first and he was too soft to tell you to fuck off. He's always been soft. I thought maybe he felt sorry for you, because you're so embarrassing and pathetic, but I watched you both and it seemed like he was… not weirded out by you. I thought I'd give him the week to get it out of his system. But he hasn't.”

Charlie can't move. He can't breathe. Harry knows his secret. Worse still, he knows Nick's secret.

“And now he’s dating someone? Whoever could that be when he didn't leave your side all of last week?”

“He has… We just hung out at school…” Charlie offers weakly.

“Oh yeah? What lessons were you learning at the cafe and the gig and the pier?” Harry pauses, before storming to the stall door and slamming his fist against it, making Charlie flinch back as the harsh rattling of the stall door reverberates in the tiled space. “You're turning him gay, and it's not okay. I'm warning you. Leave him alone. My friend is not a f–”

The bell rings, interrupting Harry. Charlie knows where he was about to go though. What he was about to say. It's what he's feared people would say from the morning he woke up and thought, “guess I'm gay now.” This idea that people will suddenly think he's a completely different person, or tell him he's disgusting right to his face. It's all about to happen at the hands of his boyfriend's best friend.

Harry gives one final “just stop,” and then Charlie hears the door open. The brief din of boys in the corridor spills into the toilets as Harry leaves, and then the door closes and Charlie is left in peace to shakily finish dressing and make his way to form just seconds before the bell rings.

Nick's there, at what now seems to be their table, looking beautiful to the point of angelic as sunlight streams over him from the window behind him. Charlie aches to sit beside him, to curl up into him like yesterday and feel safe again, but he can't. Now it’s up to him to protect Nick. Charlie was already mindful of being too close to Nick at school, wary of what people might think or say, but now? He can't.

Instead Charlie slips into an empty seat beside some hockey player named Blake who he's spoken exactly three words to in his entire life, and one was accidental because he kind of looks like Isaac from behind. Nick scrunches his face up when he sees Charlie deposit himself there and Charlie just gives him a half shrug in response. What else can he do? Shout across the room that Nick's best friend is a homophobic prick who's onto them so they better sit apart? Because that'd be subtle.

Charlie gets his notebook and pen out of the bag that Tori brought for him, thinking he'll busy himself translating song lyrics into Spanish for something to occupy his brain other than the residual fear from Harry's vague threats. He can't switch the thoughts off though.

Just stop – or what? Harry is nowhere near as built as Nick, but Charlie has no doubt he could still inflict serious pain if he attacked the gay boy descending on his best friend. At least Charlie knows the repercussions waiting for him when he goes home tonight won't be physical. All this just because two boys like each other is so fucked up. A familiar cloud descends around his head and he allows it to take him, not even trying to fight it.

Notes:

We know the bleeding thing doesn't make Imogen look great but we're pretty sure it was (mostly) an accident. Don't worry, the other girl is okay.

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the excellent betaing

CW for this chapter: Threatened outing; near-use of a slur.

Chapter 15: 15

Summary:

It's Monday afternoon and evening, a week after the Date Me dare. Nick worries when Charlie is distant. Then it's time to face the music in the Spring household.

Charlie is still fully closed off when Nick catches up with him after form.

“Do you want to get lunch together?” Nick asks quietly, hopefully.

“Um…” Charlie stalls. The answer is yes, but he doesn’t know what Harry would do if he even got a whiff that Charlie hasn’t followed his instructions. “I can’t,” he finally chokes out. “Sorry.”

Nick's face drops a little but he nods, presumably reading the brush-off as nerves about being seen together at school like they talked about earlier. “I'll see you after school then? When Elle takes us home?” Charlie nods robotically and his feet carry him to class on autopilot.

Instead of eating lunch with Nick, like he wants to, Charlie joins Tao and Isaac outside at their usual bench. He eats virtually nothing, nibbling constantly but ingesting little as the long-term problem of Harry hits him.

Charlie can put Nick off for a day or two, but this isn’t some mere problem of conduct at school. Harry had known about the cafe and the concert and the pier. Maybe Nick has mentioned the concert, but it seems unlikely he’d talk about the other things. That means Harry must have been watching them off school grounds as well, somehow. And will probably continue to do so. It’s one thing to ignore Nick at Truham. But Harry seems to know everything. And clearly he won’t let it continue. Charlie’s suddenly glad he ate nothing as the thoughts roiling through his head make his stomach clench painfully.

At one point, the rugby team meanders by, casually tossing the ball amongst themselves and laughing. Charlie instinctively looks in the other direction, knowing that if he meets Nick's gaze he won't be able to stop the emotional dam that's groaning within him from breaking. He shudders slightly when Isaac leans against him quietly.

Charlie is no more mentally present back in Elle's car at the end of school, although Nick is in good spirits for whatever reason. Isaac giggles and Tao begrudgingly chuckles as Nick animatedly recounts his day, his hand firmly wrapped around Charlie's in the back, not that Charlie can feel it much through the numbness. Nick's face is flushed and his eyes sparkle at their attention. He looks happy. Charlie's not sure he could bring himself to tell Nick about Harry right now, even if he felt emotionally capable to, because seeing Nick looking like he finally feels like he fits somewhere is pretty beautiful.

“Charlie?” Elle's concerned tone breaks through his haze.

“I think something might actually be wrong with him,” Isaac worries, leaning over to touch the back of his hand to Charlie's forehead. “He's been withdrawn all afternoon. I thought he just didn't want to be noticed at school but now we're back in our safe space he's still not himself…”

“I'm fine,” Charlie lies, looking out of the window. He doesn't want to talk about any of it, he just wants to make it to his room and become one with his covers, riding out the fog in his mind in isolation.

“He’s–” Nick begins to explain, before turning to Charlie for his approval. “Can I– Should I tell them about yesterday?”

Charlie nods and Nick squeezes his hand before filling the group in about the blow-up with Jane. “So, yeah. You're right that he's worried about being found out at school, but I think he's nervous about going back home and worried about how he'll be received there, too.”

Charlie lets Nick believe that for now. If he weren’t in such torment, he’d laugh at the idea that Jane is no longer his number one source of consternation.

“Oh my god, she's such a dick! What the fuck is wrong with her?!” Tao exclaims, anger seething from him in the front.

“I'm so sorry, Charlie.” Elle adds softly, reaching back over her shoulder as she drives and floundering around with her hand until she connects with Charlie's knee and gives a brief but loving squeeze.

“I can recommend some books for her to read…” Isaac offers, trailing off when he sees a single tear fall down Charlie's cheek. “Oh, baby. We love you. You can have sleepovers with any of us anytime you need a break from home. You know that, yeah?”

Charlie nods and Elle pulls up outside his house. “Want me to come with you?” Nick offers, everyone humming to indicate they'd come too if he needed.

But Charlie shakes his head as he unbuckles his seat belt. “I’ll be alright,” he mumbles, opening the door and sliding out. He turns and leans back in so his face is right up against Nick’s. Charlie just hovers there, staring into the honey brown eyes that he could just go swimming in. Nick is clearly searching for something in Charlie’s eyes as well, and after a few seconds Charlie feels their lips moving closer. He wants this so badly, one sign of intimacy before he feeds himself into the wood chipper that is Jane. Before he spends the night thinking about whether there’s any way around Harry’s threat.

It would be nice if there weren’t three pairs of eyes trained on them, though.

Charlie turns his head and glares at his friends. They all make surprised noises and busy themselves – Elle with adjusting the car’s side mirrors, Tao with pawing through the glove box and Isaac, shocker, with his book.

With as much privacy as they were going to get, Charlie plants his lips on Nick’s and melts into the sensation. It doesn’t last nearly as long as he wants it to (which for the record is forever), and then he pulls away and closes the door and waves goodbye.

Inside, only the sound of the clock in the kitchen ticking permeates the house. Charlie is often the first one home, since their parents are at work, Olly’s school runs later, and Tori prefers taking the bus so she can stew and be alone, although Charlie suspects since Michael arrived on the scene she hasn’t been as alone as she claims.

He trudges upstairs, dumping his backpack on the ground and collapsing face first onto his bed. Time passes – he’s not sure how much, but the ray of sunlight coming through his window has shifted a couple of feet – and then Tori is knocking on his door, which is uncharacteristically thoughtful of her.

“You don’t really look like someone who’s dating the most popular boy at school,” she intones dryly.

Charlie turns and sits upright.

“That’s the thing,” he mumbles, his voice cracking after hours of silence. “I don’t think I can.”

Tori crosses her arms and squints at him.

“What do you mean?”

Charlie glances at her before looking down at the hands he’s squeezing in his lap out of anxiety.

“Charlie, has something happened? Has… has someone said something?”

He thinks about telling her about Harry. She’d probably offer to castrate him and then feed him his own testicles with some fava beans and a nice chianti. But in reality there’s little she can do to protect him. Or Nick. Only Charlie can protect Nick. He just needs to summon the courage to do what’s best for him, even if it hurts Charlie beyond measure.

“I have homework,” he eventually says, standing and dumping his notebooks on his desk. Charlie refuses to look at Tori as he sits down, knowing he couldn’t withstand her scrutinising gaze. “Lots to do. Very busy.”

After a few moments she sighs loudly. “I’m trying to help, Charles.”

And then she’s gone.

Charlie spends time on his school work, and for a while he lets himself disappear into derivatives of hyperbolic functions. Although Charlie doesn’t particularly like maths, he’s unfortunately rather good at it, and he has to admit right now drowning his brain in numbers and graphs is helping him block out the throbbing dullness otherwise threatening to consume him.

The next thing he knows, Julio is knocking on his door.

“Hi, Charlie,” his father says softly. “Pizza’s here. We got your favourite – plain cheese.”

Charlie’s favorite is actually sausage pizza, but he doesn’t feel like correcting the olive branch his father is hanging out there, and also there’s the whole “having a coming-out-as-gay conversation while eating sausage pizza, the gayest, porniest type of pizza there is” thing.

By the time he steels his nerves and washes his hands, the rest of his family has sat down. Olly’s already halfway through a slice, having ignored so far the salad no doubt placed on his plate by Jane.

He slides into his seat, avoiding any eye contact, and they all quietly eat for a few minutes in silence. Even Olly is uncharacteristically quiet, perhaps having sensed the mood in the house.

“So,” Charlie says when he’s managed three whole bites of pizza.

Before he can get another word out, Jane interrupts.

“Maybe we should talk later,” she says, tilting her head towards Olly. “Little ears.”

Charlie looks at Olly, then at Tori, who’s just as confused as him.

“What?”

“I do want to talk, Charlie, but I don’t think it’s appropriate around Oliver,” Jane replies. “He’s too young to be exposed to… things like that.”

Both of Charlie’s hands clench into fists and he feels his temple throb in anger.

“What do you mean?” Tori asks, her voice unusually tense. “All we’re talking about is–”

“We’re not talking about it, not in front of Olly,” Jane snaps.

Julio places one hand on Jane’s forearm. “Jane, maybe–”

“I said no, Julio.”

Olly sighs loudly. “What’s going on?”

“I’m gay!” Charlie shouts. “I’m gay. That’s what’s going on. I’m gay.”

The silence is palpable. Julio looks uncomfortable, while Jane is staring angrily down at her plate.

Olly’s eyes dart around for a moment. “What’s gay?” he asks genuinely.

“It just means that I like boys instead of girls, that’s all,” Charlie replies. He stands and throws his crumpled napkin down on the table. “And it’s not inappropriate, or disgusting, or anything else. I like being gay. I like liking boys. And I’m done with anyone who won’t accept that.”

He stomps upstairs to find a few texts from Nick on his phone, a few flirty comments, another baking picture (something called a pavlova?) and a message that he can come round if Charlie wants to talk.

Charlie feels guilty, but he fires off a message lying about being fine and then sits down at his drum kit for some percussion therapy. He spends 15 minutes slamming his sticks into the plastic and rubber pads, the cacophony roaring through his headphones but doing little to drown out the screaming he feels inside, anger and frustration and fear coursing through his veins as tears drip down his face.

He’s so focused he nearly falls off his stool in shock when someone pokes him. He quickly wipes away the tears on his sleeves and swivels around to find his siblings standing there with another piece of pizza on a plate.

“We warmed it up in the oven, Charlie,” Olly says proudly, holding the plate out, and Charlie can’t help but smile and take it. He half-heartedly eats a few bites, making some yummy sounds that make Olly smile proudly. Once it’s down to the crust, he stands and places it on his desk before sitting on the edge of his bed.

“Thank you for the pizza, buddy,” he tells Olly. “Listen, I wanted to say that, um, I know I was angry at dinner tonight, but I want you to know that I wasn’t mad at you, not at all.”

Olly just nods.

“Do you… have any questions about me being gay? Or liking boys?”

Olly looks thoughtful for a moment, and Charlie’s not sure what to expect.

“Is Isaac your boyfriend?”

Well, he wasn’t expecting that.

Charlie laughs, he actually laughs, and it feels so foreign but so lightening.

“No,” he replies.

“Is Nick your boyfriend?”

That one he was expecting.

“He is, I think,” Charlie says. “It’s very new, though.”

Olly nods approvingly. “I like Nick. He’s bad at Mario Kart.”

“The only metric that matters,” Tori says, rolling her eyes.

“So gay means you like boys. And straight means you like girls,” Olly says, clearly ruminating. “Can you like boys and girls?”

Charlie shoots Tori a look. “Yeah, that’s called bisexual. Or pansexual. You can like boys, girls, both, neither – it’s all possible.”

“Cool.” And with that easy acceptance, Olly wanders off down the hallway.

Tori plops down beside Charlie. “Do you think he…”

Charlie shrugs.

“So are you going to talk to me about what’s going on? I mean, besides our mother.” Tori’s giving him one of those knowing looks. “For what it’s worth, literally all anyone was talking about at Higgs today was who Nick Nelson’s girlfriend is. I didn’t hear even a whiff of reality. So I think you’re safe.”

Charlie withdraws a little. He’d had a blessed few minutes there where Harry Greene wasn’t in his peripheral vision and it had been wonderful. But he can’t escape his threat forever. Maybe he shouldn’t have told Olly that Nick is his boyfriend. It might not be true much longer.

“I can’t talk about it yet,” he finally says. “I need to… figure it out. But if I need you, I promise I’ll ask.”

She just frowns at him silently.

They’re interrupted by Julio knocking on Charlie’s door for the second time tonight.

“Hi, Charlie. Could I talk to you alone? Would that be all right?”

Tori looks at Charlie, but he nods lightly and she stands and walks past their father. He closes the door gently behind her, and the two men have an awkward silence for a while.

“Son, I’m sorry about… well, I’m sorry about your mother and how she’s reacting to your news. But I’m not here to apologise for her. She needs to…” he trails off, then restarts. “I’m sorry for my reaction. When you told us yesterday, I was just kind of surprised, I guess, although in retrospect, it kind of makes a lot of sense. And then you left before I could pull myself together, and I hate that I think I contributed to hurting you.”

Charlie wraps his arms around himself but looks up at Julio. He’s never heard his father speak this way before. He wasn’t even sure Julio was this self-aware, to be honest. But he seems to have recognised his wrongs.

“Can I… sit down?” his father asks, gesturing at the bed beside Charlie.

He nods, and Julio settles a foot or so away from Charlie, not touching him, but not “I can’t be near my gay son” distance either, so Charlie’s not sure how to interpret this.

“Charlie, I think… I think maybe I haven’t been the best dad to you,” he starts, and wow this is not where Charlie thought this might go. “Your mother is… strong-willed, shall we say. And for a long time I’ve let her take the reins.”

“Let her?” Charlie snorts.

Julio smiles wanly. “Well. Anyway, this isn’t about her. This is about the fact that you had every reason in the world yesterday to question how I feel about you. And I hate that I let that happen. I wish… I wish you’d been able to be confident that when you came out that I would be there for you. I wish things had gone differently.”

Now Julio’s eyes are watery, as well, and his breathing is unsteady. This is uncharted territory for the two of them.

“So I want to be clear about this, Charlie. I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I held your tiny body in my arms in that hospital room. I love you as much as I can love anyone. I love everything about you and I want you to want to share your life with me because you’re compassionate and thoughtful and everything I could have dreamed for in a child. I’m sorry I haven’t been clear about that before, but I’m going to be from now on, I promise you.”

Charlie is… he doesn’t know what he is. As his father speaks, a little knot grows in Charlie’s throat, from a pea to a lemon to an entire apple. He hasn’t breathed in long enough now that his lungs are starting to burn.

Finally he gasps, taking in sweet oxygen as a fresh round of tears fall from his eyes.

“Dad,” he cries simply, and Julio scoots over and wraps Charlie in his arms. For the second time in as many days, Charlie sobs into the jumper of someone he loves, and when it’s over, he knows that, despite whatever problems he still has, he can survive this, and things will get better.

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the amazing betaing

Chapter 16: 16

Summary:

It's Tuesday morning, a week and a day since the Date Me dare. Nick gets added to the group chat. Tori is wise. Charlie goes to school. Harry isn't happy.

Notes:

See the ends notes for spoilery CW

Charlie has been lying awake for over an hour when the first text message from Elle dings on his phone. His sleep last night was fitful at best, and when he did dream, he had unsettling nightmares about Jane and Harry. Charlie finds it kind of funny, in a non-funny way, that standing up to his overbearing mother had been easier than telling some arsehole at school to fuck off. Of course, Jane didn’t come with the risk of outing Nick to the entire school…

Charlie can’t think of any way to respond to Harry’s threat besides breaking up with Nick, but he really doesn’t know if he has it in him to do that. Charlie knows it’s fast, but he’s developed very serious feelings for Nick Nelson and he doesn’t think he can pull away from the best thing that’s ever happened to him. If he wants to keep Nick safe, though, which he does, it seems like that’s possibly what he’s going to have to do. He just needs time to figure it out, to think of some way to make this work. If he can avoid Nick at school today he can mull it over some more and maybe come up with some kind of solution.

Pushing aside those thoughts, Charlie opens the message from Elle to find it’s part of a new thread – along with Tao, Isaac… and Nick.

Elle 07.45: Charlie, wakey wakey

Elle 07.45: We need to get you a little earlier if we’re going to add Nick to the daily route

Charlie’s heart aches knowing he’s done the impossible and brought someone into the outcast group, only for him to potentially have to cut ties if he can't come up with some way of fixing this. Before he can respond with an excuse to wriggle out of being in Nick's company, his phone vibrates again and he watches the conversation continue.

Nick 07.48: OMG I made the gc? I’m honoured!

Nick 07.48: But don’t worry about picking me up. I’m taking the bus.

Elle 07.48: I don’t mind

Nick 07.48: I mean, taking the bus was part of the terms of losing the bet, so…

Isaac 07.49: I didn’t expect Nick Nelson to be a chipper morning person

Nick 07.50: Just got back from the gym

Nick 07.51: Used to work out in the afternoons but now I have other things I want to do then

Isaac 07.52: Are we calling Charlie “other things” now?

Tao 07.52: not in the gc PLEASE

Nick 07.52: I didn’t mean it like THAT omg

Isaac 07.53: Sure Jan

Nick 07.53: Charlie please defend my honour

Elle 07.54: There’s no way her majesty is awake already

Elle 07.54: CHARLIE WAKE UP

Despite himself, a smile tugs at the corner of Charlie’s lips. Charlie might not be having a positive experience with Nick's friends, but Nick sure is with his, and it's beautiful to witness. Nick needs this, after so long feeling like he doesn't fit with friends. There must be a way he can let Nick keep these friendships? Charlie rolls over when his door cracks open and Tori’s head sticks through.

“Morning.”

He notes she didn’t append “good” to the front of it, which makes sense as it’s not.

“Hi.”

“I know you have first shower, but I was up early so I already went.”

Charlie sits up and shrugs. He doesn’t have it in him to care about shower order today, not when he has so much thinking to do.

Tori steps fully into his room and closes the door. “So Mum was shit.”

He doesn’t react. Tori stands there awkwardly.

“Charlie, what’s really going on? There’s something besides Jane, isn’t there?”

He breathes slowly. Apparently he cried himself out last night because he’s dry as a bone right now.

“I think I might have to break up with Nick.”

Tori scrunches up her face in confusion. “What? Why?”

“It’s too dangerous,” Charlie says, looking down at the floor to avoid Tori’s scrutiny as he tells half of the truth. “He’s under a microscope now. Everyone will be watching his every move. And if he’s hanging out with me instead of some girl, people might figure it out.”

Tori crosses her legs where she stands. “What does Nick say?”

Charlie sighs.

“You haven’t discussed it with him.”

“You don't know what he’s like!” Charlie insists. “He’s way too nice, he’d say he doesn’t care if people know when he really does care. He has to care because no one wants to be outed against their will!”

“I get that,” Tori says slowly. “But when you’re in a relationship, you can’t just make unilateral decisions. Especially not about the big stuff.”

Charlie scoffs. “And what do you know about being in a relationship?” When Tori doesn’t answer, he looks up and sees she’s biting her lip. “Oh my god! Are you and Michael–”

“Shut up!” Tori says, although her tone lacks most of its usual firepower. “It’s complicated.”

“So that’s a yes.”

“That’s an ‘it’s complicated.’”

Seems he's not the only one telling half a story. The two siblings stare one another down for a moment before Charlie’s phone buzzes aggressively.

Elle 08.00: BLOODY WAKE UP CHARLIE

Nick 08.00: Char, wake up!

Tao 08.00: good god is that a pet name

Isaac 08.01: Aww it’s cute

Tao 08.01: Isaac don’t encourage them!

Isaac 08.01: I respectfully decline.

Charlie 08.02: i’m up i’m up

Elle 08.02: It’s a miracle!

Isaac 08.03: Talk about a Spring Awakening

Tao 08.03: that was funny once, the next 57 times not so much

Charlie gets a text directly from Nick as Tori sighs loudly, reminding Charlie that she’s still there.

Nick 08.04: I assume Spring Awakening is a really smart joke I don’t get

Charlie 08.04: you could google it

Nick 08.05: You’re my Google.

“Don’t think I don’t see that grin on your dopey face,” she mutters, turning on her heel and exiting his room. And, well, Charlie can’t argue that he’s back to dopey. Which only makes him feel guilty. It’s so, so easy to fall into the gravity well that is Nick Nelson’s charm and charisma.

Maybe Tori’s right, maybe he should talk to Nick about it. Worst case scenario is Nick would want to break up, which is what Harry is trying to force them to do anyway. Maybe they could still be friends, at least. Ugh, even Charlie knows that he could never just be friends with Nick Nelson, not anymore.

Charlie 08.06: i have to shower now

Nick 08.06: Are you suggesting we FaceTime?

Charlie 08.07: fresh!

Nick 08.07: You know FaceTime goes both ways…

Charlie 08.07: you know a week ago you were straight

Nick 08.08: Well a week ago, I didn’t know you very well yet 🥺

Charlie 08.08: seriously I’m going now ❤️

Charlie locks his phone and puts it in his desk drawer. If he keeps flirting he’ll never get ready, and he’s feeling pretty cruddy since his last proper wash was Sunday night. He inches out into the hallway, making sure Jane isn’t there, before scooting into the bathroom.

After washing he returns to his room to dress and stays there until Elle arrives. When she does, Charlie tiptoes downstairs, avoiding the creaky steps, and quietly slides out the front door without being noticed, thank goodness. He knows Jane needs time to cool off, and frankly, so does he.

Elle, Tao and Isaac don’t even pretend to be nonchalant. They pepper him with questions about what happened with Jane as soon as he’s in the car. Once they’re off his street onto the main road – and Charlie can be sure Jane isn’t coming after them with hook hands like the T-1000 in that old Terminator movie Tao made them watch a couple of months back – Charlie tells them everything that happened.

“She’s so awful,” Elle mumbles. “I’m sorry, Charlie.”

“Don’t apologise, Jane sucks,” Tao says. “We’re not doing any good pretending otherwise.”

Isaac just takes Charlie’s hand in his own, and it’s warm and comforting and enough.

Without the Monday Date Me crowd blocking the way, Elle easily pulls up to Truham and the boys clamber out. Charlie says goodbye to his friends and heads towards his form room, where he slides into a random seat far away from his usual one and doodles in his notebook as people file in. He doesn’t even look up when the seat next to him is filled.

“What, not even a good morning?”

His head shoots up. “Nick! You shouldn’t be sitting with me!” He glances around the room, but no one seems to be paying them much attention.

“I’m allowed to sit with my friend,” Nick replies firmly.

They can’t have The Conversation here, and Charlie’s still not sure how he’ll broach the fact that Nick’s best friend is effectively blackmailing him when they do. Maybe he’ll keep it vague and say he doesn’t know who’s threatening him, he hasn't decided yet. For now, he just leans into the nice moment, grateful that Harry is in a different form, and he and Nick can chat happily about Doctor Who and indie pop and nothing and everything and he can have some respite from the worry until the bell rings sending them to class.

“Can we have lunch today?” Nick asks, making his best pleading face. “Pwease?”

Charlie’s tempted, seeing how being with Nick is the only thing that brings him any joy right now, but until they talk they shouldn’t spend much time together publicly. Definitely not over lunch where Harry will see them.

“Um… I’m going to eat with Tao and Isaac today,” he says. “But, um. Maybe I could ride the bus home with you after school?”

Nick grimaces. “We have practice after school.”

“Right, right,” Charlie says, shouldering his backpack. “Well, maybe I could come round later then.”

Nick’s grin is a beacon of light. “I’d like that.”

They agree to text when Nick is done at rugby practice and then part for the rest of the day.

Charlie is almost starting to feel positive about their chances after a semi-productive brainstorm during his first lesson, but that’s dashed on the rocks when he leaves his Latin class and suddenly finds the arm of Harry Greene slung not-so-casually around his neck.

Charlie's instincts must be worn down after the past few days because while every part of his insides clench, he doesn't move to push Harry away or try to run. Instead he feels his body fall passively into step as Harry guides him down the corridor to god knows where for god knows what.

“Nick's been smiling a lot today,” Harry remarks, his expression light, but his tone edged.

“Uhm, yeah? Maybe. I haven't really seen him.” Charlie hates the meekness in his voice.

“Wrong. I think you have seen him today. I definitely have. I saw him in maths just now actually. He seemed… perky. Bright. Happy.”

“That's good, right? You want your friend to be happy?” Charlie whispers, a surge of panic climbing its way from his stomach up his oesophagus.

“Of course I do,” Harry nods calmly. “Just in the right way.”

There's that word again. Right. It's enough to rouse a little fight in Charlie, enough for him to stop passively following Harry and stand firm. Harry stops too and tightens the bro-arm he has wrapped around Charlie's shoulder. The squeeze might appear laddy, supportive even to the casual observer, but Charlie understands the threat it carries as his flesh is manipulated by the pressure. “I think someone might have overlooked a certain conversation they were supposed to have with him. I'm very disappointed.”

Charlie's words fail him. All he can do is wait this out now. He'd hoped he'd have more time to find a solution, but apparently not. At least they're not moving any more. He's not being led to an unused classroom or an obstructed corner of the yard. Boys mill past, scooting around them from all directions as students weave their way to their next classes, like they both should be doing too.

“Well, if you won’t do the right thing for Nick, I will,” Harry chirps, releasing him with a clap on the back and joining the throng of people, leaving Charlie to focus on breathing and staying upright on his now wobbly legs. It seems that his time is up.

It starts towards the end of chemistry, while Charlie is in the midst of planning the quickest route to the English block to catch Nick and warn him about Harry after class, like he should have done yesterday. His overthinking mind is first distracted by the cacophony of vibrating phones, followed quickly by surreptitiously pointed fingers, curious glances, muffled sniggers, and whispers of ‘gay’ in the air. The hairs on the back of Charlie's neck stand up. The teacher is asking questions about double displacement, but no one's attention is on her.

It's all on him.

He knows without looking at his own wildly vibrating device that Harry has indeed carried out his threat. He's been outed.

The blood drains from his face as he shuts down from the room. From life. His secret is out, his sexuality thrust into the school spotlight against his will, just like it has been at home. The truth he's tried so desperately to keep hidden for so long is out there for all to see now. See and judge and shun. He thought in this moment he'd feel devastation or anger or fear. Instead he feels empty.

That is, until he remembers there's two people involved in this. It's not just him. Nick. He has to know if Nick's been outed too. Sweet, kind, beautiful Nick who doesn't deserve this. Charlie stumbles up, his feet carrying him to the art room. His safe space. He finds it empty so he drops into a seat – the one where he sat knee to knee with Nick not one week ago, before everything went to shit – and pulls out his phone.

He sees a text message from Truham-Higgs itself, the system they use to mass text students about snow days and assembly reminders and stuff. Charlie’s blood runs cold. If Harry somehow hacked that system, he may have not only outed Charlie to the entire student body simultaneously, he could have sent it to teachers and parents as well.

It's a pair of photos. In the first picture a boy is straddling another boy’s lap on a park bench, his hands covering their face, his tongue pressed into their mouth. In the second, the boy has pulled back and is smiling down at the unidentifiable boy beneath him. Thankfully, it's not clear it's Nick being kissed. Only that it's Charlie doing the kissing. That Charlie Spring kisses boys.

He wonders vaguely if his mother just got texted a picture of him making out with a boy in a park. He’s equal parts terrified and thrilled by the prospect.

Charlie’s phone vibrates again and again in his hand as people forward screenshots of the photos to him, including from numbers he doesn't even recognise. He locks it, stuffing it deep into his blazer pocket. He can't be here right now. It's too much. He stands and rubs his stinging eyes with the heels of his hands. They're wet. He hadn't realised he'd been crying again. He thought he was out of tears by now. He takes a few calming breaths, telling himself not to fall apart here, to wait until he's under his covers with his ratty old kitty. Not that home is a particularly comfortable place to be at the moment, either, but it's certainly the better of his two options. The place he actually feels safest is Nick's bed, but it hurts too much to think about that now.

Charlie tears his hands from his eyes when he hears people burst into the room. It's Isaac and Tao… and Nick.

“He's here, you were right, Nick,” Isaac exclaims, rushing to Charlie and wrapping his arms around him tightly.

“Thank god,” Tao breathes, following behind and snaking his long arms around his two friends. “Who the hell even did this?”

“I don't know, Tao,” Isaac answers, his head resting gently on Charlie's shoulder.

“I'm going to find them and I'm going to murder them,” Tao says, pulling back from the embrace, looking angrier than Charlie has ever seen him.

“That's not helpful,” Isaac responds, loosening his grip on Charlie to address Tao.

Charlie wants to push past them and run to Nick, to sob into the large, squishy chest that smells so comforting and feels so warm and soft, but he can't. Harry's seen to that. Boys could walk through the art room door any moment for the next class, and anyone, anyone seen close to him would instantly be suspected. So instead, Charlie stares through watery eyes at the person he wants most in the world, who is right now standing within his reach, but that he can never have again.

“Well, what is helpful, Isaac? Just tell me and I'll do it!”

“I don't know, Tao!”

“Then shut up and let me be homicidal!”

“Char…” Nick whispers, his voice full of care and concern and… love. Love that Charlie absolutely cannot face right now. Nick takes a step towards Charlie.

Charlie shrugs off Tao and Isaac and holds up one hand numbly to stop Nick, who looks confused at being spurned.

“Nick, we can’t,” Charlie chokes out.

“I just want–”

“I’m fucking radioactive now, don’t you get it?” Charlie shouts. Nick flinches and steps back, shocked by Charlie’s outburst, and now Charlie gets to feel remorse on top of everything else. He shakes all over. “I have to… I have to go.”

“I’ll come with you,” Nick says, still certainty in his voice despite Charlie being a complete arsehole a moment ago. The guilt presses uncomfortably on his sternum.

“No, I… I need to be alone right now. I’m sorry.”

He grabs his bag and heads for the door, operating almost on autopilot.

He passes Mr Ajayi in the doorway. “Charlie? Are you all right?” The art teacher looks confusedly back and forth between the clearly distraught Charlie and the trio of boys left abandoned in his classroom, but Charlie just ignores his favourite teacher and lets his feet carry him.

As soon as he’s back in the corridor, everyone is whispering and looking at him – the school’s new resident freak show.

He walks away, leaving Harry and school and his friends and his boyfriend – ex-boyfriend? – behind. He’s charging down the corridor, past Mr Farouk as he snatches the phone out of one laughing boys’ hand, out the front door, through the car park and down the street, not stopping until he reaches home half an hour later. He crawls fully dressed into his bed, hiding away from the whole, cruel world so he can break alone.

Notes:

CW: Being outed. 🫂

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the lovely beta work

Chapter 17: 17

Summary:

It's Tuesday afternoon and evening, a week and a day since the Date Me dare. Julio and Jane react to Charlie being outed at school. Charlie's friends and boyfriend text him a lot. Olly shares dinosaur facts.

A knock at his bedroom door surprises him. It's the middle of a Tuesday, who would be home right now? Has Tori heard what happened and rushed home? Was the door unlocked when he got here? Was there a car on the drive? He hadn't noticed. Please let it not be Jane. Charlie doesn't think he can cope if it's Jane.

“Charlie?” He hears his dad's voice and sighs in relief. Oh right, he’s on a new hybrid work schedule. “Charlie, can I please come in?”

Charlie sits up in his bed, wiping his eyes and hiding kitty under his pillow before shouting the affirmative.

“Charlie, what's going on? Why are you home?” Julio's concerned expression softens when he sees Charlie's puffy eyes. “What's wrong?”

Charlie opens his mouth and closes it a few times.

“You didn’t get a text a little while ago? About me?”

Julio scrunches up his eyes, then shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”

At least Harry didn’t send that picture to the parents as well. Charlie supposes he got the desired effect by outing him to just the student body. Still… a couple thousand people have now seen an intimate photo of him kissing a boy. The hiccups and tears flow fiercely as Julio rushes to his side and wraps his arms around him without hesitation.

“You can talk to me, Charlie. I meant what I said yesterday. I want to be part of your life. I'm here to support you and protect you. You can let me in if you want to, even if some of these tears are about me and our relationship.”

“That's not… They are but they're… Dad… Some things have happened. I don't know what to do.”

Nestled in his father's arms, Charlie tells him everything. About the bet and the detention and the secret, fake relationship that somehow turned real. He omits quite how much rubbing took place, but he shares it all, up to and including Harry's threats and the circulating photographs. Julio rubs circles on his back while he talks, and for the first time Charlie appreciates this quiet quality in his dad, the way he can just listen.

“You've had a lot going on haven't you, son?” he says when Charlie finishes explaining everything.

Despite it all Charlie laughs into the wool of his dad's jumper. That's one way of saying it, yes.

“Shall I warm up the leftover pizza for lunch and we'll talk it all through properly? Assess what your options are about home and school and Nick?”

“Yes please,” Charlie nods, pulling away from his dad to wipe his eyes and offer him a small smile.

Julio returns the smile. “Do you want the veggie? Or your favourite, cheese?”

“Actually, I like sausage, Dad.” Charlie says.

His dad smirks and Charlie laughs again. He has a feeling they might get on better than he'd ever thought they could. At least some potential has come out of all this.

Charlie is just putting their dishes in the sink later when the front door slams and Jane comes storming in.

“There you bloody are,” she yelps when she spots Julio sitting at the kitchen table. “Why aren’t you answering your bloody phone?” Julio pats his pockets and Charlie immediately intuits he left his phone in the study. “Never mind that, Truham called and apparently Charlie scarpered. In the middle of the day! I swear he’s been different lately.”

“Jane.” Julio tries to get his wife’s attention as Charlie watches, out of her line of sight.

“I left a very important meeting for this. When I find him we are having words, and I swear if he’s over at that Nick boy’s house–”

“Jane.”

“And if they’re having sex–”

“JANE!”

Jane looks affronted by the anger and frustration in his tone and Charlie is awed. His dad never speaks to his mum like this. No one does. Not that he's ever been privy to at least. Actions speak louder than words, and Julio's actions are saying everything he needs to hear – he supports him, he’ll protect him, things are going to change.

“First of all, our son is right there,” he says after a moment, pointing at Charlie. Jane swivels around and takes Charlie in.

“Second, did you wonder why our son, who has never done anything like this before, ran away from school?”

Jane’s mouth gawps like a fish out of water – the unstoppable force finally meeting an immovable object.

“Jane, would you stop worrying about your meetings and about whether Charlie’s having… hanky-panky…” Julio clearly has a hard time saying the s-word; Charlie blushes and is glad neither of his parents are looking at him. “... and look at what’s happening in our home! Tori is totally disengaged, Olly… well, he’s not addicted to video games, he’s just a kid having fun. But more immediately, our son has been attacked and you don’t seem to give a damn!”

Jane looks back at Charlie, who as much as he is enjoying watching this delicious comeuppance, is also shrinking into himself with discomfort at the shouting in his home.

For a few moments the only sound in the kitchen is the ticking of the clock on the wall and the distant sound of some lorry passing by. Eventually, Jane turns towards Charlie.

“Are you… injured? Do you need a doctor?”

Charlie’s confused for a moment.

“No, not physically attacked,” Julio says. “He’s not been hurt.”

Charlie notices Jane’s shoulder drop slightly and her hand flutter over her heart. She drops her bag on the table and slumps into one of the chairs.

“Tell me, then. What's happening?”

Julio looks at Charlie, who nods but stays standing over by the sink.

“Charlie was… outed today. At school. Apparently everyone got sent pictures of him…” Julio trails off for a moment, and Jane leans in anxiously, “...kissing. A boy.”

His mother tenses again, and Charlie prepares for the worst, also known as the usual.

“Is it Nick Nelson?” she asks.

Charlie avoids meeting her gaze, preferring instead to undertake a detailed study of the floor tile, but nods his head. “He was censored out, though. You can’t tell it’s him.”

“How many people saw it?” Jane asks.

Charlie shrugs. “Probably everyone. It was sent from the school’s distribution system.”

“The school’s distri–”

Jane’s outburst cuts off when she abruptly stands, her chair skidding back on the kitchen floor from the force. She yanks her phone out of her handbag and taps angrily a few times before holding it up to her ear.

“Yes, this is Jane Spring, my son Charlie is a Year 12.” A pause. “So then you’re aware of the situation. And yet the school has not yet informed me about this breach. I’m on my way over. Please inform the headmaster I expect him to see me immediately or so help me fucking god I will burn your school to the ground.” Another pause. “Lovely, thank you.”

She angrily hits the red button on her phone. “Fucking unbelievable.”

Charlie and Julio share a look. It’s nice to see Jane on the warpath with someone else as the target for a change.

She sucks in a deep breath and turns to face Charlie. “Now. When was this picture taken, do you know?”

Charlie nods. “After the concert Friday night. In a nearby park.”

His mother’s eyes drop to the floor and dart back and forth for a minute. “Could there be more photos?”

Charlie squints. “More…”

“Photos of you and Nick doing… more than kissing?”

Charlie’s jaw legitimately drops. “No! Noooo! Nonononononononono,” he babbles, waving both his hands in front of himself in emphasis. “Absolutely not, no. That’s all we did that night.”

That night, a little voice in the back of his mind sniggers. Pleeeeease don’t ask about Sunday night, Charlie silently prays.

Jane seems relieved, her shoulders easing ever so slightly. “Good. Well. Before things… go further, I think you and your father need to have a talk about the birds and the… other birds.”

Charlie and Julio meet each other’s gaze and grimace before turning away. That’s not going to be fun. Especially since Charlie is fairly certain he knows way more about gay sex than his father. Maybe they can just chat about Eurovision for half an hour and then lie to Jane.

“Last question. Do you know who did this?”

Julio pushes off the counter. “He said he was getting threats from a boy named Harry… it was a colour… Greene. Harry Greene.”

“He’s Nick’s best friend,” Charlie adds. “But I don’t know for sure he did it. Or how, even.”

Jane tilts her head. “Why would Nick’s best friend do something like this?”

Charlie sighs. “He thinks I, like, seduced Nick or turned him gay or something. Which, for the record, he’s bi, actually. And I’m only telling you because you’ve seen those photo booth pictures.”

Jane studies him, and Charlie can’t get a read on what she’s thinking. After a few moments, something that may have been a flash of guilt passes over her face, but it’s quickly gone and replaced by her usual carefully constructed mask.

“I’m sorry this happened to you,” she finally says, and Charlie is so shocked to hear that word come out of his mother’s mouth that he has to have the court reporter in his head read it back to him a couple of times. “And to Nick. He seems like a nice boy. His taste in best friends aside.”

Charlie glances out the window in case he catches a pig flying past the window, but it’s the same drab overcast sky as usual.

“Julio, come on,” Jane says, grabbing her bag and marching towards the front door.

“Mum…” Charlie calls out. She stops and turns to look back at him. “Please don’t tell anyone it’s Nick in the photo. He’s not out to everyone. I don’t want him…” He falters, his voice catching and a tear forming in his eye. “I don’t want him to go through this. Please don’t tell anyone.”

Jane frowns, then steps over toward her son. Charlie shrinks a bit, unsure what to expect, but it’s definitely not her thin arms wrapping around his body. It’s an awkward hug, stiff and lukewarm, but it’s definitely a hug. Charlie’s not sure when his mother last hugged him… Christmas, maybe. He’s so surprised he never even lifts his own arms to return it.

“Nick’s secret is safe with me,” Jane says, stepping back and flattening her blouse. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go kick some arse.”

She marches out the kitchen toward the front door, and a surprised-looking Julio scrambles to follow her. Charlie is also left rather shooketh. Was his mother… defending him? She was definitely defending him.

Numbly, he finishes the washing up and then wanders up to his room. He’s never skipped school before, if that’s what this dissociative experience could be called, so he’s not sure of the rules. At a loss, he pulls out his Latin books and sets about the homework he’d been assigned earlier. He may have missed half his classes, but he can at least keep up in the ones he did attend. It doesn’t hurt that conjugating verbs helps take his mind off everything.

Eventually, the regular buzzing of his phone overwhelms him, and he unlocks it for the first time in hours.

He must have hundreds of text messages, Instagram notifications, emails… the sheer volume is overwhelming. Charlie tries to tune it all out and navigates to the group chat, which has been exploding the whole morning. Apparently no one can figure out who did it. His friends have been speculating that it’s Imogen in some kind of sick payback for yesterday, although they can’t entirely make logical sense of how she knew Nick was with Charlie, or what she would get from outing Charlie. As he scrolls through the messages, Charlie watches as they realise he’s left school completely.

Charlie 15:03: hi. i’m at home. i’m okay.

Tao 15.03: OH THANK FUCK

Isaac 15.03: Charlie 🫂

Elle 15.03: This is all so fucked, I’m so 🤬

Tao 15.03: Yeah how did someone hack the school system?

Isaac 15.04: Can we come over after school, Charlie?

Tao 15.04: I won’t even talk about Donnie Darko

Elle 15.04: omg that’s how you know he’s serious

Charlie 15.05: please don’t

Charlie 15.05: i just can’t rn sorry

Elle 15.05: It’s ok, we understand

Isaac 15.05: Yeah no need to apologise

Charlie realises that although this has all taken place in the new group chat that includes Nick, he hasn’t said anything since the outing. Curious, Charlie navigates through his messages until he finds his text thread with Nick, which now has several new notifications.

Nick 12.34: Hi Char

Nick 12.35: I know you said you need time but I miss you and can’t help but message you.

Nick 12.35: But I don’t expect a response. I respect your need for time.

Nick 12.40: Everyone’s talking about you at lunch. I hate this.

Nick 13.45: Do you think it could be Imogen? I know she was kind of obsessed with me but I never thought she’d do something like this.

Nick 14:53: Please don’t hate me but I was worried so I looked at Find My Friend and see you’re at home. I hope you’re OK. Please just let me know you’re OK?

Nick 14:53: Got rugby practice now if you text me in the next hour and I don’t immediately text back, I’m sorry.

Charlie feels so guilty. Nick is so kind and sweet and caring. Even though Nick knows that Charlie is completely toxic at Truham right now, he can’t help but reach out.

He knows it’s not fair to keep Nick worried.

Charlie 15.08: i’m okay. i mean, not okay, but, you know

Charlie 15.08: i still need more time. I’m sorry

Charlie 15.08: but if you want to keep texting me… i like it x

Just then his father texts. Charlie is surprised they’re still at the school, it’s been a couple of hours. He asks if Charlie could pick up Olly from his school, which is only about a five-minute walk away. Frankly, Charlie would be glad to get out of the house, so he agrees, swaps out his Truham jacket for a cosier jumper, and heads out.

“Charlieeeeeeeeee!” Olly shouts as he runs down the school steps and ploughs into Charlie’s waist. “You never come get me, it’s always Dad, can you come every day?”

Charlie smiles at Olly’s jubilance. How he ended up so different from his siblings remains a mystery.

Once he clears his identity with the monitor, Charlie and Olly strike out for home. His brother spends most of the walk, which takes more than twice as long at his slow, meandering pace, raving about the dinosaur facts they learned in science today.

Finally, when they turn onto their street, Charlie explains to Olly that he has something to tell him.

“Someone at school told everyone about me today. That I’m gay,” he says. “That’s why I picked you up, I came home early because I was upset.”

Olly is silent for a few steps. “Why did they do that?”

Charlie huffs. “That’s a good question. I don’t really understand it. But I think this boy was mad that Nick is my boyfriend.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Olly declares, and the barest hint of a grin tugs at Charlie’s lips. “Being mean is wrong.”

“I agree,” Charlie says, pulling open their front gate.

“So you’re sad?” Olly asks.

Charlie nods.

“Then we should play Mario Kart,” Olly says sagely. “I’ll let you win so you feel better.”

“Right,” Charlie says, rolling his eyes. “Let me.”

Twenty minutes later, Tori walks through the front door and pauses in the living room doorway. Charlie meets her gaze and the barest raise of her eyebrows is met by him shaking his head.

Silently, Tori slides down beside Charlie and picks up another controller, joining their next race as she rests her head on his shoulder.

A while later, their parents walk through the front door and come into the living room. They look a little exhausted. Tori stands and pulls Olly past them and towards the stairs, talking about getting a start on their homework, and then it’s just Charlie and Jane and Julio.

They perch on the couch as Charlie curls up a bit while they relay the afternoon’s events.

The headmaster, with some, erm, cajoling, had been able to determine that one of the school’s governors had used her access code to send the message. There had been some confusion about why she had done that, complicated by the fact that she’s on a business trip in Japan at the moment. But when the headmaster finally revealed her name – Prudence Greene – Jane and Julio knew exactly what had happened.

Mr Farouk, as the disciplinary lead, had hauled Harry out of rugby practice and interrogated him. Apparently he cracked like a walnut in about three minutes and confessed he had stolen his mother’s credentials and sent the photographs. He was put on a one-week suspension pending a formal hearing on the unauthorised use of a school communication system, and might just be facing expulsion, even with his family’s connections.

Jane recounts all this with increasing excitement, like she’s solved the identity of the Zodiac Killer or something, but it’s so nice to see her powers used for good instead of evil that Charlie decides to take the win and gloss over, you know, the last 16 years or so of his life. For the second time today, Charlie finds himself appreciating what he thought were his parent’s worst qualities. Turns out this tough side of Jane can work for him as well as against him.

Jane and Julio head off to make dinner – a simple roast chicken and veg – truly, they’ve had enough pizza lately. Charlie’s suddenly bone-tired, curls up under a blanket on the couch and closes his eyes just for a minute.

He only reopens them when Olly starts poking him to come to the table. It’s one of the smoothest meals the Springs have had in years, and Charlie is surprised to find himself so engrossed in the conversation that he cleans his plate without even realising. It really feels like there’s a shift, and things certainly aren’t perfect, and they’re not always going to be this easy. But for the first time in a long time, Charlie’s family is more a source of comfort than anxiety.

He’s excused after dinner and goes up to practice the drums for a while, losing himself in the cacophony.

It’s not long before there’s a rap at his door, sharp and loud – his mum's rap. He braces for her entering without waiting as she usually does, but his door remains closed. She does rap again impatiently after a few moments, because she's Jane Spring, but she waits for him to invite her in before she enters, which is way more respect than he's used to from her. That's positive.

She walks over and sticks her hand out, offering him some papers. It’s two photos. One is the strip she found of him and Nick, and the other is an aged photo of a girl that looks a little like Tori, but slightly older, sitting on a beach in shorts and a dark t-shirt and sunglasses.

“Those are your photos with Nick. I'm sorry I found them. I shouldn't have done that. I'm just… well, I'm not good at connecting with people. With you. Or Tori. Or Oliver. I'd like to be, but…” she trails off and shifts from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable. “I shouldn't have looked at them. I was dropping off your washing and I saw the glossy paper sticking out of your book and… well. I'm not proud of myself but I wanted to know what was going on in your life.”

“You could've just asked,” Charlie says, smoothing out a crinkle in the photo strip from where it had been roughly grabbed and clutched in her hands.

“I know. I should have. I should do.”

She takes a deep breath and perches on his desk chair. She seems nervous. The hurt part of him thinks good, she should be, but the part of him that wants to fix this wants to reach out and comfort her. They've never been all that physical though, so he's not sure how to approach touching her.

“The other photo is me when I was younger. I didn't get on with my mother at the time. I mean, I still don't but… My mum, your grandma, she was overbearing with me. Unavailable. Cold.”

She looks down, worrying at a spot on her arm with her fingers, pulling and scratching and picking at it until Charlie recognises that she isn't nervous at all, she's anxious. He makes the connection that her highly strung snipping and shouting and standoffishness might have been anxiety all along. He gets up and gently takes her hand in his, lest she make herself bleed. She looks at his hand on hers and smiles the tiniest of smiles. Like she appreciates it but she's not sure she deserves it. For showing vulnerability to him, he thinks she does.

She exhales shakily and continues speaking. “I didn't want to become like her but it's all I know how to be. I know I need to do better for you. For us. I'm going to look into some strategies we could implement at home. Read some parenting books… it won't happen overnight, and I'll probably still get things wrong but I'm going to try harder for you and your siblings, because I’m sorry. And I do love you.”

“I know you love us. I guess I just didn't realise that you… I don’t know, care? I didn't know about Grandma either,” Charlie says. “I'd like things to get better. Maybe we could look at some strategies together?”

Jane smiles fully. “I'd like that.”

She leaves and he studies the photographs in his hands. He's never thought about his parents when they were younger. Never wondered what they were like when they were around his age. Looking at this picture of Jane is fascinating. She looks relaxed, warm and kind of fun. He'd like to know more about this Jane, and about the Julio that met her way back then. But now he's tired. He'll ask another day.

He tucks the photo in his bedside drawer and turns his attention to the photo strip of him and Nick. They look so happy together and his heart aches. He misses him. He misses him so much. He switches to his pajamas and crawls into bed, hugging the photo to his chest as he submits to the emotional and physical exhaustion of the day.

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the spectacular beta work

Chapter 18: 18

Summary:

It's Wednesday, one week and two days since the Date Me dare. Charlie stays home from school because of the... you know. At the same time, he tries to embrace the freedom of being out. Charlie worries about Nick as they have a difficult conversation.

Charlie rouses on Wednesday, the photo strip of him and Nick still clutched in his hand. He sighs at the sight of Nick's face beneath his fingers, unsure if it’s driven by contentment or melancholy. He places the strip down carefully on his bedside table, smoothing it out for a second time in as many days. The angle of the light spilling in through the curtains indicates it’s way past morning, but that's okay. His parents had already agreed to him taking the rest of the week off if he wanted. Because, you know. Public outing.

He nips to the toilet and returns to his bed, resting back into his pillows and replaying the events of yesterday in his mind. His delusional hope that he could make his relationship work, the pictures being sent out at the hands of Harry, his rejection of Nick, his numb walk home, his conversations with Olly and his parents… Yesterday was a lot.

He feels a little brighter this morning though. He may not be waking up with Nick, but he's waking without the threat of being outed hanging over him – okay, it's lifted because it's been enacted, but still – and the atmosphere at home has shifted, too. He doesn't feel like he has to hide here anymore. He doesn't have to hide anywhere anymore. He's never woken up like this before. Free, easy, unburdened.

He's out.

The realisation is astounding and he pushes his Nick sadness aside for a moment to really feel it. It may not have been his decision, and he's sure he's facing years of trauma counselling for the absolute shit show the past couple of days were, but… he did it. Okay, he didn't do it, but he survived it and now there's no more hiding. No more secrets. He can just be.

He decides to lean into it. He asks Alexa to “play some gay music,” throws on the t-shirt he keeps buried in his wardrobe in stripes of green, white and blue, and frees the various rainbow nuts he has buried away at the back of his underwear drawer like a timid little homosexual squirrel. He's still himself, of course, reserved and more comfortable in the shadows – it's not like he's suddenly going to change into a way louder, brighter version of himself – but it's nice to drop his guard, display some pride knick knacks, and let a little colour creep in. Or out. At least at home, until he assesses just how accepting the student body of Truham is going to turn out to be.

Alexa's gay music choices are wildly stereotypical and not his thing at all, but he tolerates them for the sake of The Moment. He didn't think he'd have this moment for a long, long time. If it was up to him he wouldn't be having it now, but he doesn't want to dwell on that, or on the wider implications of being out right now. What he wants is to enjoy the positives. To embrace freedom. And to eat breakfast. Or brunch. Maybe lunch. He really should check the time.

He grabs his phone to see what meal he's about to eat and frowns at his lock screen, a classic Mario Kart picture. Yes, he loves the game, but also it was something safe. He doesn't need that cover anymore. He unlocks his phone, swiping away a string of notifications without reading them in favour of a quick Google search and settings change. Once complete he takes a screenshot of his new background and sends it to the Nick-free GC.

Tao 11.28: Gay panic?

Charlie 11.28: yeah... i'm gay

Tao 11.29: I don't know how to… Are you… You know we know, right?

Elle 11.30: I think he's having a moment Tao

Tao 11.30: A moment of memory loss?

Elle 11.30: 🙄

Isaac 11.31: A moment of feeling seen, maybe?

Charlie 11.31: yeah. seen. free. etc. it's all messed up and shit and awful but…

Elle 11.32: But it's finally out there?

Charlie 11.33: yeah

Elle 11.33: I remember that feeling. Weirdly terrifying and calming, right?

Charlie 11.34: yeah

Charlie 11.34: wait, is this triggering for you?

Elle 11.35: No, no

Elle 11.36: A bit, but I'm here for you

Isaac 11.36: We all are. We love you

Tao 11.36: We do

Tao 11.37: I can't believe I'm saying this, but so does your golden retriever boyfriend. I swear all he's done all day is whimper about you

The smile that had tugged at Charlie's lips at talking with his idiot friends fades as his heart clenches at Nick's name. He can't avoid thinking about him forever.

Elle 11.38: Tao!

Tao 11.38: What, it's true!

Isaac 11.39: It's a bit of a sensitive topic, Tao…

Elle 11.40: Charlie, Tao's right

Tao 11.40: I am?

Isaac 11.40: He is?

Elle 11.41: I know it's weird, but yes. I think you should talk to Nick when you're ready. He's a good person, Charlie

Charlie 11.41: i know. and shit, sorry, you're all in class

Isaac 11.42: We don't care, poppet. We're here for you 💜

Charlie 11.42: 💜 so are my parents now. seems it's okay to be gay

Elle 11.43: Really?! Things are okay at home?

Charlie 11.43: yeah. i think so

Elle 11.43: 💖

Isaac 11.44: 💖

Tao 11.44: cool

Elle 11.44: 🙄

Tao 11.45: Fine. 💖

Charlie rolls over, telling Alexa to stop playing the music – honestly, he's just not a Gaga guy – and goes to open his messages with Nick. He really wants to share this news with him but he doesn't know how. When he presses on Nick's name he sees message after message following the last ones he sent yesterday and his heart breaks a little more.

Charlie 15.08: i’m okay. i mean, not okay, but, you know

Charlie 15.08: i still need more time. I’m sorry

Charlie 15.08: but if you want to keep texting me… i like it x

Nick 15.09: thank god you're okay

Nick 15.10: I know you're not okay, but you're talking. You're here

Nick 15.10: I think I understand. You need time to process what's happened. It's a lot. I can process with you though, if you want?

Nick 15.12: You don't have to do this alone

Nick 15.15: Unless you want to

Nick 16.27: I got a bit in my head after saying what I just said so I went to the shop for some fresh air and to buy baking ingredients. I don't mean to invalidate you wanting to process alone

Nick 18.40: I made two cakes and a tray of flapjacks

Charlie smiles at the three pictures Nick sent of his baking. The two cakes look good. The big bear hands supporting the flapjack tray look even better. Charlie thinks back to when he and Nick baked together, the easy way they had moved around each other and talked so openly. He remembers how Nick had soothed and supported him, and how they'd taken their own baking photos for Nick's display. Then he remembers what they did in front of that display and bites his lip.

If only they could have that again. All of it. The playfulness and the realness and the heat. He misses him so much it's almost excruciating. He doesn't regret telling Nick he could keep messaging him while he takes his time though. Hard as it already is, it'd be ten times harder without his boyfriend. He's pretty sure that's what they are still. At least until they talk.

Now that Charlie's feeling more positive, he wonders if maybe they can find a way to stay together. No one's egged the house or come to beat him up or anything awful. Maybe Truham isn't as bad as he thought it'd be? It is the 21st century, after all. Home ended up being okay. Maybe it's just Harry that's the problem, and Harry might not be around for much longer. If people accept his sexuality then he might not need to hide his friendship with Nick. They could just stay low key at school until Nick wants to come out, then Charlie can help him and make it perfect for him…

Full of renewed hope, he scrolls through the rest of Nick's messages, mainly thoughts full of warmth and care and concern, tinged with anger and frustration towards the mystery person who sent the pictures to the school, but the overall tone is that of love. Charlie wipes his eyes when he gets to the end of the messages, the last few having come through not too long before he messaged the GC.

Nick 08.40: I haven't heard from you this morning. Did you sleep much? I didn't. I couldn't. Not knowing how much you're hurting

Nick 09.05: Form sucks without you

Nick 10.04: People are proper dickheads. You kissed a boy, so what!! Why do they care? Why do people have to care?

Nick 11.17: I miss you ❤️

Charlie wipes away the moisture that’s gathered around his eyes and slowly taps out a response.

Charlie 12.05: i miss you too. i miss you more than i ever thought possible. i wish you were here so we could figure this out together

Charlie pauses before he sends the reply, his thumb hovering over the send button... What exactly did Nick mean when he said people are dickheads? Exiting the app, Charlie flicks over to Instagram and is assaulted by images of himself kissing Nick, the comments flooded with cruelty and negativity. Even some people he thought were nice are openly calling him disgusting. The boy he sits next to in Spanish is asking for volunteers to swap seats with him. Some guy on the wrestling team that Charlie doesn’t even recognise says he’ll beat Charlie up if he so much as looks at him in the changing room. Ben Hope is particularly vocal in his disapproval which stings in its own special way and, god, its all so fucking awful. There's a few supportive comments, sure. And there seems to be a small gaggle of Higgs girls desperate for him to become their new gay bestie who goes shopping with them and has pillow fights and stuff, which makes Charlie shudder. But for the most part it's just naked, unadulterated hate.

Charlie blindly stumbles out of the app and throws his phone on his bed. It's not all going to be okay. He'd fooled himself into thinking it might be, but it's not. Not at all.

He takes a few deep breaths and goes to make his brunch/lunch, although now it's more for something to busy himself with than due to hunger. He has no real appetite after seeing those awful comments. Thank god he stayed off school.

When he gets to the kitchen he finds his dad working from home at the table, tapping away on his laptop with a half drunk cup of tea beside him.

“What time do you call this?” Julio teases, not glancing up from his laptop.

“Kind of going through something, Dad…” Charlie replies numbly, reaching for a bowl from the cupboard.

“Are you? Hadn't noticed,” Julio deadpans, pausing his work to take a sip and frowning at his mug in disgust at what Charlie assumes is now cold tea.

Charlie grumbles, not particularly in the mood for humour. “Why are you even at home today? Aren't you supposed to be in the office on Wednesdays?”

“I wanted to be here today in case you need me,” Julio replies gently as Charlie fills his bowl with cereal and milk. “In case you need to talk.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

Charlie studies the spoons in the cutlery drawer instead of making eye contact. He knows he should take the opportunity to unload, to get advice and support, and he thinks about doing it, he really does, but the words just don't come. It’s too hard. Too raw. Charlie sighs and shakes his head instead. His dad can't fix this. There's no magic cure for homophobia. “People at school… You wouldn't understand.”

“What, you think the only Spanish kid in his class didn’t get picked on?” his dad huffs, and Charlie spins around to look at him.

“What?”

“I know a bit about being different at school,” Julio smiles ruefully. “There were bullies and bigots in the olden days too, son.”

“Oh.” Well, Charlie wasn't expecting that. Julio still won't get it though. He might know how it feels to get comments or looks or even the cuts and bruises that might be waiting for him when he goes back, but he can't possibly understand the bigger problem. The one that matters most – how it affects his relationship with Nick. With anyone. With everyone. Will Isaac and Tao get dragged along with this too? Will they be accused of being his boyfriend? What will happen to them if they are?

“These kids will always be there. They'll always say what they're going to say and do what they're going to do. You can only control how it affects you,” Julio waffles, oblivious to Charlie's inner turmoil. “Here.”

His dad grabs a bag from the chair beside him and holds it out to Charlie. Curious, Charlie carries his cereal to the table and sits across from his dad, who slides the bag over to him. Inside it is an A4 photoframe.

“I went out to the shop while you were asleep,” Julio explains when Charlie raises his eyebrows.

“I thought you were working?”

“Yeah, but I'm working from home, it's not that serious.”

Charlie looks at the framed poster in his hands. It says, Stand Tall and Show Them All.

“Uhm… thanks?” he says, not totally sure how this is practically going to help and a bit too morose to appreciate the sentiment alone.

“You're welcome. I thought it might help to have a visual reminder.” Julio spins his laptop around and shows Charlie his desktop background, a motivational quote about how the best view comes after the hardest climb. Cringe. And also, he's seen his dad huff his way up a flight of stairs. Julio on a mountain? Please.

“I change it every Monday. It helps. I hope it helps you, too.”

“Uhm, yeah. It does. Definitely.” Charlie lies, then slowly eats his cereal while his dad goes back to tapping away.

After he finishes his slow eating, he sets his utensils in the sink, about to wash them when a knock at the door stops him. Who the hell is knocking on the Spring door in the middle of a weekday afternoon? His dad peers curiously at him over the laptop screen and he shrugs back. He has literally no idea. Isaac? Tao? …Nick?

Charlie's stomach rolls as he abandons his bowl and spoon to go and answer the door. He really wants it to be Nick, but equally he wants it to be anyone other than Nick. Except for ballbag Harry. Or homophobic prick Ben. Or Imogen, even though she's not really done anything wrong other than being annoying. He wipes his slightly sweaty palms on his pyjama shorts and pulls open the door. Keeping his head down, he comes face to face with a familiar pair of school shoes.

Nick.

Of course it's Nick. Charlie's heart lurches so hard he thinks he might throw up. Nick Nelson, strong and soft, sweet and sexy, popular and lonely, the boy he loves but isn't allowed, the one he was hoping it both would and would not be is on his doorstep. All the dichotomy hurts his head.

“Nick, what are you doing here?” Charlie asks, not daring to look up at him in case he breaks and pulls him into his arms.

“You messaged! You said you wished I was here? You said you want to figure it out together, so I'm here. I came straight from–” Nick must read his confusion because he cups Charlie's face in his hands and bends down just a little to look him in the eyes. Charlie isn't sure he can cope with this level of intimacy so he keeps his gaze firmly on Nick’s shoes.

“I didn't send you–” Charlie starts to say, before stopping abruptly when he remembers the message he drafted to Nick before he saw some things he can't unsee. “Oh shit. I didn't mean to send that message! I threw my phone down and it must have sent…”

Charlie finally looks Nick in the face and is shocked to find that his left cheek is grazed purple, and his lower lip is swollen and split.

“Your face!” Charlie gasps, instinctively reaching out to gently touch Nick's mouth. Nick's eyes flutter closed at Charlie's touch and he inhales and exhales slowly, like Charlie's physical contact is somehow restoring him.

Nick relaxes into Charlie's touch while Charlie's eyes grow wet with tears, knowing this is very possibly the last time he'll get to be intimate like this with Nick. He wants him so, so badly. He wonders if he'll ever feel desire quite this deeply again in the future, some time years from now when he's somehow over this beautiful, complex boy. He doubts it.

The spell breaks when Nick eventually opens his eyes to see Charlie's wet cheeks. He moves to wipe the tears away and Charlie jerks back and folds his arms in front of his chest. "Rugby practice?" He asks, deflecting from the hurt he sees in Nick's eyes when he pulls away.

"No,” Nick whispers sadly. “Me and Harry got into it.”

“What?!” Charlie exclaims, a little shriller than he'd like to admit, causing a bird in a bush in his front garden to fly away disgruntledly.

Nick rakes his hands into his hair. “I was going to Higgs at lunch to confront Imogen when I realised Harry wasn't at school. I messaged him to ask where he was and he just said ‘ask your boyfriend’. I figured he must have tracked my phone to the gig and took the pictures without us seeing. I went straight to his house after school and… well, I didn’t mean for it to happen, but…”

“Nick, I’m so sorry.”

Nick shakes his head for a moment before scrunching up his eyes. He studies Charlie carefully, clearly thinking something through. “You don’t seem surprised about Harry.”

Charlie bites his lip and looks away. He hadn’t been sure he was going to tell Nick this part, but it seems he deduced it anyway.

“Harry… came to me on Monday,” Charlie says, continuing to avoid eye contact. “He said he knew we were dating, and he knew about the concert and the pier somehow. And he said that if I didn’t dump you he would do… something. He didn’t specifically say what. I didn’t think he’d do this.”

“Monday?” Nick says after a few moments of silence. “Why didn’t you tell me, Charlie?”

He sighs. “I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position.”

Nick tilts his head. “What do you mean?”

Charlie waves his hand in the air, trying to indicate he thought the answer was obvious.

“Well, I just know how important Harry has been to you — is to you. And… I didn’t want to make it so you had to choose between us.”

Nick sucks in a breath and steps back, his hands clenching into fists at his side.

“I’m so… I’m fucking angry,” he spits, his voice trembling with obvious rage. Charlie tenses, hoping that Nick doesn’t hate him too much. “Harry is – Harry was like a brother to me. And he’s always been kind of a twat but I thought… I thought he wasn’t like that anymore.”

Charlie eases slightly upon realising Nick’s ire is aimed at Harry, but Nick is still apoplectic. “Nick…”

“He outed you to the whole school! He didn't even deny it!” Nick continues, gesturing wildly with his arms. “He said he was helping me, stopping me from making a huge mistake! It's bullshit! It's such bullshit!” He cups his hands over his face and rubs hard before looking at Charlie again. “I don’t want anything to do with Harry Greene any more. He’s dead to me.”

Charlie hugs his arms around himself. “I’m sorry this is happening to you,” he finally says, and he’s not sure if he means Harry’s betrayal or Charlie inserting himself into Nick’s life.

Nick reaches out to gather Charlie into his arms, but Charlie shakes his head and steps back. “You can't just hold me Nick. We can't just–”

“Why not?!” Nick pleads, his confused, desperate tone almost a beg.

“Because I will destroy your whole fucking life, Nick!” Charlie shouts more loudly than he’d intended. The look of confusion on Nick’s face flummoxes Charlie. How can he not see that being with Charlie would ruin his friendships and make him a pariah? Charlie’s used to being an outcast, but Nick doesn’t know what real cold feels like and if he gives it all up for Charlie, sooner or later Nick will come to resent him.

“Look at what everyone is saying about me,” Charlie says, wrapping his arms around himself. “Do you really want them saying that about you, too? Do you want all your mates to stop talking every time you enter the room? Your rugby team to mutter about you in the changing room? I know you’ll say you’re okay with being out, but this thing between us is only like a week old, much as it feels like more… You need to pause and think about what you really want.”

“I want you, Charlie!” Nick argues. “I know you think I'd be better off without you, but I need you to know that my life is way better because I met you.”

“You don't have to say that,” Charlie scoffs, shaking his head and looking away.

“I clearly do! And I'll keep on saying it until you believe me.” Nick ploughs on, passionately. “I don't care about getting into fights or pissing off my mates or any of that. It's all worth it to be with you.”

Charlie looks at Nick and finds nothing but earnestness in his expression. He wants to give in, to wrap his arms around Nick and cry out ‘yes, yes I'll marry you!’ in a spectacularly dramatic fashion, but he can't. He cares about Nick too much. Charlie knows he needs to think this through properly before he can bury himself in that broad, broad chest and never come up for air. “You say that now, Nick, but what about when–”

“You are the kindest, most thoughtful and caring person in the whole world, Charlie Spring,” Nick interrupts, firmly. “You see me. You actually see me! And you bake with me and listen to Sub-Radio with me and grind–” Nick blushes wildly, and takes a minute before he continues. “You're very pretty and hot and I'm not lonely when I'm with you. I don't want to break up.”

“Neither do I, Nick. I promise. I just need you to think this through for me, okay?”

“Okay,” Nick nods. “But my answer isn't going to change,” he says adamantly. So adamantly Charlie almost dares to believe him.

Notes:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the sublime beta work

Chapter 19: 19

Summary:

It's Thursday, one week and three days since the Date Me dare, six days since their first kiss, four days since they had sex, two days since Charlie was outed. Cripes, what a fortnight.

Charlie decides to return to school for the first time being outed. He meets with Mr Ajayi about the situation and it's kind of cringe. An overheard conversation makes him glad he's protecting Nick. And something unexpected awaits him at the end of the day.

Notes:

see end notes for spoilery cw

Charlie 07.40: wake up elle

Charlie 07.40: ha that felt good

Elle 07.41: what kind of parallel universe is this?

Charlie 07.41: i know

Charlie smirks at his phone. At least there's a small silver lining to having tossed and turned all night dreaming up increasingly terrible scenarios about returning to school until he haunted himself into alertness at 4am.

Elle 07.42: I thought you'd be off again today so I didn't want to bother you?

Charlie 07.42: yeah. i wasn't going to come back yet but I think I need to. you know, stand tall and show them all, right?

Tao 07.43: Wot?

Charlie 07.43: nothing. just. i don't want to hide. i was up all night thinking about stuff and i figure it's going to be shit whether i come back today or next week or next month. i’ll still be gay, so 🤷🏻‍♂️

Isaac 07.44: Will you? Even next month? Gasp.

Charlie 07.44: shut up. you know what i mean

Isaac 07.45: I do. And you know we'll be right there with you today?

Charlie 07.46: just today? might be a few rocky days ahead…

Elle 07.46: 🫂 We'll be there for them all

Elle 07.46: So is this your way of asking for a lift?

Elle 07.47: You can have front seat

Tao 07.47: Hey!!

Elle 07.48: He's sad Tao!

Tao 07.48: So will I be if I have to origami myself into the backseat

Charlie 07.49: don't worry tao, i'm sure my dad will drop me off. he's working from home all week in case I need him

Charlie sees a message come in from Isaac, but it’s directly to him.

Isaac 07.50: I see we’re not using the gc with Nick in it

Isaac 07.51: Should we talk about that?

His fingers hesitate over the keyboard. What’s he going to tell Isaac? That he told the hot, adorable, caring guy who’s by all accounts somewhat crazy about him that he needs to rethink his attraction, that it’s too dangerous to be together? Isaac honestly might slap him for that one, and Charlie tries really hard to not think about why he’s imagining the reaction of his wisest friend to his life situation.

“Charlie!” Jane calls from the bottom of the stairs. “Breakfast!”

Thank fuck. Saved by the bell.

Charlie 07:53: gotta go

Isaac 07.53: …

Isaac 07.53: See you in geography?

Charlie 07.54: maybe. apparently i have to go see mr ajayi when i get to school. i dunno how long that'll take

Charlie 07.54: something about a mental health check in

Isaac 07.55: Oh yeah, he's the student wellbeing lead isn't he? Have fun with that…

Charlie 07.56: 🤦🏻‍♂️

Charlie pockets his phone and heads to the kitchen, where Olly sits at the table waiting sort of patiently for pancakes.

“Charlie! Can you pick me up from school again today? Pleeeeeeeease?” Olly asks enthusiastically as Jane tests the readiness of the pancakes with a jiggle of the pan.

“I'm sorry buddy, that was a one-off while I was off school.” Charlie answers, sliding into an empty seat beside his brother and wincing at the sweet scent in the air. “I think I'm going back to Truham today.”

“Why?”

“Motivational poster,” Julio fake coughs from his seat beside Olly, earning an exasperated eye roll from Charlie and a confused face from Tori, who's pouring herself a glass of apple juice from a carton in the fridge door.

“Have people stopped being mean now?” Olly asks.

“No,” Charlie sighs.

Jane plates up the pancake and places it in front of Olly.

“Why are you going back, then?” Olly asks as he clumsily adds a fruity topping to his breakfast.

Because my mental health can't take prolonging the inevitable, Charlie thinks, but doesn't say. “Because I haven't done anything wrong. And because I won't let anyone make me disappear,” he opts for instead. May as well make it a teaching moment for the little guy.

“That'd make an excellent quote for a poster…” Julio muses.

“Dad, stop. Please.”

“Okay! Okay! But are you sure you're ready to go back so soon, Charlie?”

Charlie just nods, and Jane presents him with his own pancake. He doesn't want it. He doesn't want any food. The thought of eating actually sickens him, which is how he knows he has to eat something. Not for his body but for his mind. He's meeting things head on today.

He soon regrets eating the few bites he managed as Julio drives him, and his reluctant sister, to school. The closer they get the heavier and heavier the food sits in his stomach. At this rate he might throw up at the school gate. That'd definitely help with the bullying he's about to experience.

When they park up he considers staying put, maybe offering to help his dad work instead. Businesses need apprentices, right? His dad's company could hire him and he could learn on the job and never have a need for school qualifications. It's perfect…

Except he knows full well it's not perfect. It's running away. And not even plausible. Or fun. No, if he was going to run away it'd be with Nick to a tropical island where it's warm and calm and being shirtless is mandatory if your last name is Nelson.

God, he misses Nick. He hasn't been in touch since Charlie sent him away last night. He hopes he's okay. He hopes he hears from him soon. He doesn't want to reach out and rush Nick's decision though. He meant it when he said he wants Nick to take time to think it over, and giving him space is part of that.

“Are you getting out of the car or…” Tori asks eventually from the backseat. Charlie nods, pushing down his Big Nick Feels and focusing instead on finding the inner strength to haul himself out of the car and walk into a building full of people whose reactions will fall somewhere between ‘gawking at the gay freak’ and ‘verbally and possibly physically attacking him’. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths.

“You really don't have to do this today, Charlie,” Julio says softly.

Charlie shakes his head. “I think I do, though. I was up all night running worst case scenarios through my head and I'll only keep doing it. The thoughts kind of made me want to not eat.”

Tori's head snaps up at this, and Julio inhales sharply. “That's serious, Charlie.”

“I know. I think that way sometimes but I'm trying not to. That's why I had some pancake this morning. And why I'm going back. I need to just do it, I think.”

Julio scrutinises him. “Okay,” he finally says. “I'm really glad you feel that you can be more open with me now. We can talk through this whenever you need, okay?”

Charlie nods and pushes the car door open. He can do this. “Call if you need me,” Julio says as Charlie climbs out and closes the door behind himself. There. He's out of the car. Step one, done. Now all he has to do is make it through the rest of the day.

With feet heavier than lead, he makes his way to the school gate, braced and ready as he'll ever be for the flinging of words, items or fists in his direction.

What he isn't ready for, but should have been in retrospect, is Isaac and Tao waiting for him by the gate. They don't say anything, but they don't need to. He exhales heavily when they flank him and walk him into the building. There's some whispering and staring as they go, but no overt aggression. He might just get by with their support.

The bell goes just as they reach the corridor where the teachers' offices are, and with regretful looks Tao and Isaac peel off to head to form. Charlie watches them go, feeling a little more vulnerable with every step away they take. When they disappear around a corner he turns his attention to finding Mr Ajayi's office.

His mum called school this morning to tell them he'd be back today so Mr Ajayi should be expecting him at 9am. Charlie's a pretty good student, both in behaviour and grades, so he's never needed to come back here before. He assumed he'd never have to. Then he rage-asked a boy out, fell for him and Harry happened. Fucking Harry.

Charlie walks slowly, checking the names on all the doors until he arrives at the correct one. He lifts his hand to knock, but flinches at the last second when he hears a thud inside. He leans closer to the door and listens in, trying to work out if there's someone else in there, and if so, who it is. There are a lot of people he'd rather avoid today, including most of the boys who would usually be found in the Head of Discipline's office. If he hears the voice of anyone on the rugby team, he is out of here.

“Nathan!” an adult male voice giggles between gaps of what sound like… muffled kissing? The voice is kind of familiar but Charlie can't quite place it. Holy crap, though!

Before he can decide whether he should knock or just leave, Charlie hears Mr Ajayi respond with a flirty sounding “What?!” and well, now he's loitered long enough that he's definitely eavesdropping. May as well continue…

“Kissing at school is a terrible idea!” the familiar voice says sternly, before devolving into the soft kind of moans that come from being kissed senseless, presumably against office furniture. Get it, Mr A!

“But kissing’s so much fun, Youssef…”

Youssef? Charlie only knows of one Youssef on the faculty and his jaw drops. Mr Farouk?!

“We could have even more fun,” he hears the voice that is definitely Mr Farouk agree. “Take your shirt off.”

“I can't. I have an appointment at 9.”

“It's 9 now, Nathan.”

“Oh, shit! You have to go then. Meet you by the car later?”

“Yeah. Yeah.”

Charlie panics that he's about to be caught as he hears footsteps moving towards the door and he knocks loudly as if he's just arrived. The door opens a moment later and out walks Mr Farouk, pink in the face and thanking Mr Ajayi for “the files.” Charlie can't help but note where exactly he's holding said files. He looks down at them and looks up and meets Mr Farouk's shifty gaze. Gotcha. Mr Farouk swears under his breath and stalks off down the corridor.

Well, well. Charlie now has the ammunition he needs for a permanent hallway pass, Mr Farouk.

“Come in, Charlie,” says Mr Ajayi, looking slightly more ruffled than usual. Charlie enters and takes a seat in front of the desk, trying not to smirk as the art teacher says he sent a note to Mr Lange about Charlie’s absence from form.

Clearing his throat, Mr Ajayi sits down behind the desk. He takes a few leaflets from his desk drawer and places them silently between them. Charlie sees far too many rainbows for this early in the day, and the title BEING GAY IS A-OK printed on the top leaflet in a swirly font. No. Not this.

The atmosphere immediately turns awkward and Charlie stares down at his hands in his lap. It helps that Mr Ajayi is his favourite teacher, and clearly queer himself if Mr Farouk's boner is anything to go by, but still. This is going to be cringey.

“I'm contractually obliged to give you these stupid leaflets. Please feel free to bin them on your way out.” Mr Ajayi smiles conspiratorially at Charlie and he can't help but smile back.

Okay maybe it won't be that bad. Mr Ajayi rumages deeper in the drawer and pulls out a strip of condoms and chucks them to Charlie, too. “Now those you might want to keep, though…”

Charlie's face flames and he shoves them into his pocket, muttering a ragingly embarrassed “thanks.” The ground can swallow him whole now, he's ready.

“Safe sex is very important. Now, I know a bit about what's happened this week, Charlie.” Mr Ajayi says, leaning back in his chair with a sad shake of his head. “What you've been through must be very traumatic. Any queer person should have autonomy over coming out. It should be how and when and if you choose, and I'm so sorry you didn’t have that choice.”

Charlie nods, trying not to well up. Mr Ajayi gives him time and space to speak if he wants, then picks up on the fact that he isn't going to, and gently continues. “I want you to know that seeking help for what you've been through, what you're going through, is okay. I know a great therapist called Geoff. I could pass his details on to your mum, if you'd like?”

Charlie nods again, tears pricking the backs of his eyes despite his best efforts. That's probably a good idea.

“I'd like you to come to my office again tomorrow morning, and then on Monday and Friday mornings for at least the next few weeks, so I can keep a close eye on you, okay? If anyone says or does anything, I want to know about it immediately and I will rain down more hell on them than your mother rained on the head teacher this week.”

Charlie huffs a laugh and wipes his damp eyes with the back of his hand.

“I mean it, Charlie. I know it might feel like telling on the bullies is a bad move but trust me, I hold the power here. Power to give detentions and suspensions, up to and including expulsion. They are teenagers. They don't have power here, alright?”

Yeah, it is alright. Charlie believes him when he says he'll take care of any shit that happens. The bell rings for his first class and Mr Ajayi nods for him to go.

“Thanks,” Charlie says, preparing to leave before turning back and elaborating, “not for the condoms. That was horrible. Thanks for… Thanks.”

“You're welcome, Mr Spring. Now, off you go,” Mr Ajayi says with a warm smile.

Charlie obliges, making his way to class. The one thing he’s really grateful for about that mandated visit with Mr Ajayi was that it got him out of form – out of having to face Nick. He’s already pulling against every fibre of his being by putting distance between them, and while he knows Nick would be respectful and distant, Charlie’s not sure he could actually handle sitting so close to the sun and yet be so far from its warmth.

He sits at the back, keeping his head down and making absolutely no eye contact with anyone, pupil or teacher, until the bell rings and he can do it all again in his next lesson. After a quiet lunchtime spent hidden in the art room with his friends barricading the door comes the real test. With his hands clenched into white, shaking fists around his backpack straps, Charlie makes his way to the changing rooms for PE.

He hates the corridor that leads to the changing rooms. He always has. The echoes of long since spoken words like ‘nerd’ and ‘skinny’ ricochet off the walls, every time he walks it. He supposes that's only going to get about a million times worse now. So far today he can add ‘gay’, ‘fairy’ and 'poof’ to that list and that's just what he's overheard from a few boys who don't know how to regulate the volume of their own private conversations.

As he approaches he hears lads chatting and laughing. ‘Bantering,’ they'd probably call it. Fucking sports boys. Except now he knows better than to think that. They aren't actually all that bad… at least one isn't. He still doesn't want to come into contact with any of them today though. He stops outside the door, riding a particularly powerful wave of pining for Nick, when he hears voices from inside the changing room.

“I hope coach lets us pick our own teams today.”

“Coz you need the best players to make up for how shit you are, Ben?”

“No, dickhead. So I can make sure I'm not on a team with Charlie Spring.”

What's happening? Charlie knows he should walk away, or go in and cut the conversation short with his presence but some sick, twisted part of his psyche wants to hear this, wants to know what they're saying about him. What Ben is saying about him. The boy who used to have his heart is about to break it into a million pieces and Charlie is actively listening to it. Engaging in it, almost. He just has to know.

“Why, what's wrong with Charlie?”

“Haven't you heard he's gay?” Ben scoffs, his voice full of disgust.

“Yeah, and?” Someone challenges him. Charlie thinks maybe it’s Sai, but he's not sure.

“I'm not playing rugby with a gay boy. There's no way I'm getting in a scrum with him. He’ll probably like, look at me when I bend over. Or touch me or something. He's so gross.”

“Mate, that's–”

Charlie can't listen anymore. He stumbles back, turning and fleeing to the toilets. Hot tears of embarrassment fill his eyes because once upon a time he had wanted to touch Ben, not that he ever would in that context or without consent. Is that what people think now? That he's going to go round touching people like he's some kind of predator or something? He's not unsafe to be around, he just likes boys, not girls. That's all. He's still the same person.

It suddenly hits him that this is how people would feel about Nick, too, if they knew about him. Would they call him gross? Stop feeling comfortable around him? Would they kick him off the rugby team? Then what would happen to Nick? Would he be okay no longer being the Rugby King? He knows Nick scoffs at that name, but also that it makes him stand a little taller. He can protest all he wants, but it definitely makes him feel proud.

This just serves to reinforce that Charlie made the right choice to distance himself from Nick, even though it's killing him. Even though all he wants to do is run to him and hide in his big, warm frame. Nick would be giving up so much to be with him. He has to really understand that.

Charlie keeps his head down after that, just trying to get through the day. He doesn't receive a detention for skipping PE, probably either out of pity, the faculty’s newfound fear of Jane, or at the direction of Mr Ajayi. He's not sure which, but he's not questioning it.

He also doesn't see Nick all day. Maybe their paths just don't cross. Maybe Nick's avoiding him while he thinks things over. Maybe Nick has thought things over and this is his choice? Whatever the reason, it sort of sucks. Everything sucks without Nick.

Two people are waiting for him at the gate when school ends. He can tell by the way they flap their hands at him to get his attention and animatedly gesture him over to them. It's not his usual two people, Tao and Isaac, wanting to talk literature, music and cinema. Thankfully it's not his feared duo either though, Harry and Ben, here to verbally or physically assault him. Instead it's a surprising pair, two people he kind of knows from Higgs. Elle's friends Tara and Darcy. What do they want him for?

It becomes apparent they don't just want to say hi, when they link arms with him, one on either side, and steer him away from the car park and towards the street.

“Erm, Elle usually takes me home…”

“We told her you won't be requiring her carriage services today,” Darcy says, her eyes gleaming mischievously.

“Oh?” Charlie asks, nervously.

“Yes, we wanted to talk to you. If that’s okay? We thought we could walk you home?” Tara asks. Charlie notices that her eyes are kind.

“Okay…” he agrees. Guess he's walking home today. He's confused, but they are giving safe vibes and he has to admit he's intrigued.

“We're very excited we found another one,” Darcy beams, when they're out of earshot of the main school body.

“Another one?” He asks.

“Another gay!” Darcy declares, triumphantly.

“Anoth– So you?” Charlie asks, his eyes darting between the two of them, who both giggle and nod.

“Yeah, we're together,” Tara confirms with a soft smile.

“Massive lesbians,” Darcy nods enthusiastically.

“So that's why you wanted to talk with me,” Charlie says, a small smile playing on his lips.

He never thought about this side of coming out. He'd only considered the friends he'd lose, never the ones he'd gain. There's something about queer friendships that feel so easy and freeing. This is something good. He needed this today. “Does anyone else know about you?”

“Just Elle,” Tara answers.

“And an unfortunate year seven who caught us in the music room one time!” Darcy cackles, making Charlie’s jaw drop.

“And Nick Nelson, too,” Tara says, looking up at Charlie knowingly. “He knew all about us and dated us both as part of the dare to help us stay under the radar. We're more comfortable now, but it was helpful at a time when we were scared about being found out.”

“And he never said anything to anyone?” Charlie asks, yet again impressed by Nick.

“Not a word. Nick’s cool like that… But we don't have to tell you that, do we?” Darcy teases, making Charlie blush.

“I…” he sputters uselessly.

“My gay intuition never lies!” Darcy declares theatrically.

Tara shoots Darcy a stern look and explains. “We noticed Nick seemed happier when we came to watch him play rugby last week. He seemed much more himself.”

“And he couldn't take his eyes off you…” Darcy chips in.

“And that,” Tara nods, with a smile. “So when those pictures came out we wanted to check in with you. We trust anyone that Nick trusts, whether he vouches verbally or with puppy eyes. It was him in the photos, right?”

“I…” Charlie starts, before trailing off and looking at the two of them helplessly.

“You don't want to say? That's cool,” Darcy says, and Tara nods in agreement.

Charlie is flooded with a rush of appreciation for these two people he barely knows. They kept his secret when he didn't even know they knew. Clearly they’ve deduced everything, and they have a trusting relationship with Nick. His initial instinct to deny, deny, deny is soon overcome by his burning need to talk about this with people who could truly understand. Maybe he could walk a fine line.

“If it was someone who wasn’t out yet, hypothetically,” he begins, letting them in a little but not ready to be fully transparent, “I might have asked him to take some time to think about what he wants... Whether he wants to be associated with me now that everyone knows.”

“Why wouldn't he?” Tara asks, gently.

“Because it seems like everyone in a three-mile radius is watching everything I do now,” Charlie grumbles. “We could never just hang out or try to date secretly. People would figure it out, probably immediately. And being outed has been… awful. I don’t want him to suffer like this.”

“I can understand where you’re coming from,” says Tara. “But, to be honest with you, Nick… or whoever this guy is…” Charlie doesn’t miss the world-record eye roll Darcy makes at the fig leaf they’re using before Tara resumes. “...Whoever he is, I kind of get the feeling he’s still suffering right now. Just in a different way. Because he thinks the boy he has feelings for is rejecting him.”

They walk in silence for a street or two as Charlie mulls their words.

“I don’t want him to be in pain right now,” he finally says. “But coming out to be with me would mean changing his entire life. I don’t think he fully realises that.”

Tara slows to a halt, and they all three stop under the shade of an oak tree.

“I agree that it would change his entire life,” she finally says. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean it would change for the worse. Not on balance.”

“Yeah,” Darcy adds, looking Tara in the eyes. “Some things are worth it.”

Notes:

cw: Charlie overhears Ben say homophobic things

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the superb beta work. Appreciate you all 💜

Chapter 20: 20

Summary:

It's Friday, one week and four days since the Date Me dare, seven days since their first kiss, five days since they had sex, three days since Charlie was outed, and two days since they last talked. For Charlie, those last two days have seemingly lasted longer than all the other parts combined.

Olly drops some kid wisdom on Charlie's ass. And then Tori says something that changes everything.

Charlie makes it through the school day on Friday tired but intact. Yes, there are looks and mutters and the occasional burst of outright laughter in his direction, but with the support of his friends and Mr Ajayi he survives the day. Somehow he makes it through the whole day again without seeing Nick, and he can’t decide if that’s a blessing or a curse.

Soon he’s safely back home, curled up on the couch playing Mario Kart with Olly.

“Is Nick still your boyfriend?” Olly asks when Donkey Kong comes in second place on Rainbow Road. Charlie would laugh at the mental connection Olly has made if Nick's name didn't make his heart hurt so much.

“Umm… sort of,” Charlie replies, unwilling to try to boil down the complex situation into terms a seven-year-old can understand. Hell, that Charlie himself can understand.

“Then why isn't he here?” Olly wonders as he flicks through the options for the next track for them to race on.

“Because–”

“He said he'd help me with my maths again.”

“Well–”

“Do you not like him anymore?” Olly interrupts, continuing his interrogation, landing on Bowser's Castle for their next race.

“I do, it's just–”

“Does he not like you now?” Will this peppering of questions ever end?

“He does, we just–”

“Then why isn't he here to play Mario Kart with us?” Olly inquires as he selects his car mods, tipping Charlie over the edge.

“Because!” Charlie shouts in frustration, throwing his hands up in the air, narrowly missing flinging his controller across the room. “Because I'm looking after him!”

“Did he ask to be looked after?” Olly asks, unaffected by Charlie's momentary loss of cool.

“Well, no…” Charlie admits.

“Kid’s got a point, Charlie,” Tori remarks from the doorway, the shock of her unknown presence making Charlie's heart skip a beat.

“Jesus, Tori!” he gasps, his hand fluttering to his chest.

“You might want to check your phone,” she says bluntly, before rolling off the doorframe she was leaning against and disappearing off to haunt some other room of the house.

Charlie rests his controller on the floor beside him, earning a soft “awww” of disappointment from Olly, and finds a bunch of notifications on his Gay Panic home screen. Like, more than when he was outed. Shit, what's happening now? He opens Insta to find that Nick has posted on his grid for the first time since he posted the basketball photo that showcased his bracelet.

Two pictures.

Two pictures that change everything, just like Harry's did. Except these two pictures are everything that Harry's weren't. They're clear and honest and loving and courageous and they make every synapse in Charlie's body fire simultaneously.

The first is a picture of the two of them on their pier date. In it, both of their faces are clearly visible, not just Charlie's. It’s a selfie taken after Charlie secured a big victory on the claw machine, not long before they'd bumped into Tao and Elle. In it, a clearly besotted Nick Nelson is kissing a beaming, proud Charlie Spring on the cheek. Charlie’s whole body floods with warmth as he remembers how it feels to have those lips on his skin and to feel Nick look at him that way. It's everything.

The caption captures Charlie's attention and then his heart in quick succession.

nick_nzzzz I've made my choice. I'll wait for you. 🩷💜💙

With shaking fingers Charlie swipes to the second photo. It's of a bench, seemingly a random one, but Charlie knows better. It’s not random at all. Charlie recognises it from the gig in Canterbury. It's the bench from the photo that outed him. It's kind of poetic, actually, that Nick has chosen this bench to come out from, like he's reclaiming it for them. For Charlie, his boyfriend.

Charlie, almost on instinct, clicks through to read some of the comments.

clara_jonas1632 holy shit is Nick Nelson dating a BOY

mcbride_christian This explains all the moony eyes then

moustachewannabe Omg congrats! ❤️

sai.tunseen Oh captain my captain

benthemagnificent Another gay boy? This is why I don’t drink the tap water at Truham…

tara_jones_co So so happy for you guys ❤️

teadispenser When did you guys get together?

jaredlambers That’s the bench ull be sitting on when no 1 will play rugby w you anymore

Charlie scrolls for a bit, his heart clenching at every negative comment as much as it thrums at each positive one. He knows that Nick is a strong person, and not just physically. But he also knows Nick often feels lonely and vulnerable. He imagines Nick scrolling through the comments, reading the hate and feeling more and more of that pain that bunches in your sternum until you can hardly breathe.

Charlie shakes his head, his curls flopping back and forth. What is he doing scrolling through Insta? Charlie scrambles to his feet. He should be with Nick right now. He should be with his boyfriend right now.

Charlie thinks for a moment. The bench picture is in sunlight, so it was almost certainly taken today. He whips out his phone and opens Find my Friends – and immediately spots Nick’s dot situated in that little park in Canterbury, the place they unequivocally went from fake to real boyfriends.

He has to get to that bench before Nick leaves! The post is timestamped 20 minutes ago. Since he’s still there, maybe he's waiting for Charlie, hoping that he'll see it and they can talk. Only Nick Nelson would be so respectful of Charlie’s (stupid, silly, dumb, what was he thinking) request for a little distance that instead of just texting him, he would out himself to the known universe on the off-chance Charlie sees it.

He’s about to run out the door when he realises he can’t make it to Canterbury on foot. But his parents aren’t home yet – and anyway, he can’t drive. Oh shit, why is he the “can do algebra but can’t drive” kind of gay? What use is that? He’s considering ordering an Uber, although the cost of the ride might actually give Jane an aneurysm, when Tao texts him.

Tao 16.32: Get your skinny arse outside

Isaac 16.32: Yeah we’re two streets away and I’d bet my first edition of Emma that you need a ride

Charlie doesn’t know what kind of gay gods are watching over him, but apparently someone up on Mount Hole-ympus still likes him. (Hey, just because he’s in a rush doesn’t mean he can’t pun in his head!) Charlie runs to the door, shoving his feet into his Converse, and for the second time since he asked Nick Nelson out, runs out of the house in just a t-shirt and jeans, not even thinking about a coat. This time though, he's running to someone, not away from someone.

Elle’s powder green car screeches to a halt in front of his drive, and it’s already pretty full. The front side window rolls down to reveal Tao's beaming face. “Get in, loser, we’re going shopping!”

“Excuse me?!” Charlie scoffs a laugh at Tao Xu, self declared arthouse cinema buff, quoting Mean Girls in the giddiest voice he's ever heard him use.

“I've just always wanted to say that!” Tao grins. His face turns serious as he adds, “Do not tell Nick I did that, or he's not allowed to be your boyfriend anymore. Now get in!”

Charlie laughs and climbs into the back, squishing between a reading Isaac and a beaming Tara, with Darcy on her knee. He buckles his seatbelt and accepts the hand offered to him by Isaac.

“What are you all doing here?!” Charlie laughs.

“We saw Nick's post,” Tara replies, as if the answer is obvious.

“Clearly you have somewhere you need to be…” Elle grins as her car’s overloaded engine attempts to ferry a mess of mostly queer people.

“Yes, please,” Charlie beams, airdropping a pin to Elle’s phone. He’s thrilled that his little found family have grouped together for this moment. It feels like the start of something new, and not just for him and Nick, but for the friendship group as a whole.

The closer they get, the tighter his grip on Isaac's hand becomes. He really hopes Nick is still there. If he's not he'll call him, find out where he is and chase him down like in the movies (so long as Nick’s not about to board a flight, airport security doesn’t really make exceptions for desperate romantic gestures the way it used to). Either way, he needs to see him today. He needs to fix this.

Tara notices his leg bouncing up and down beside her and rests her hand gently atop it. “You've got this, Charlie. Nick likes you. We went round last night to help him decide, but his mind was already made up. He wouldn't have posted what he did otherwise.”

“Yeah, he's like, obsessed with you.” Darcy adds. “Has been for ages.”

“What are you talking about?” Tao asks from the front. “Charlie only asked him out two weeks ago.”

“Yeah, but I ‘went out’ with him months ago,” Darcy says, making air quotes with her fingers, “and he mentioned you in passing more than any other guy, even that Harry wanker. He might not have known that he like liked you back then, but he definitely noticed you.”

“He did?” Charlie asks, agog. He's been on Nick's radar this whole time? He did know his name the night the dare was born… Wow.

After a short anticipation-filled drive, Elle indicates to pull in by the venue where Sub-Radio played and Charlie barely waits for the wheels to stop turning before he's out and jogging towards the park. Towards the bench. Towards Nick. Please still be there, please still be there.

He hears his friends whoop and cheer as he goes, shouting words of encouragement and support and, if he heard Darcy correctly, something rather lewd. Tao shouting “Guess we'll wait here then!” followed closely by a loud “ouch” as Elle undoubtedly smacks him on the arm is the last thing he can clearly make out as he races to his target.

After crossing the road and entering the park, he turns the corner and sucks in a sharp breath when he sees a nest of ruddy red hair on the person sitting on the bench. He slows down as he approaches, taking a seat beside Nick who's bent forward with his head in his hands, not having noticed him.

Poor, sweet boy. Charlie feels awful that he's made Nick feel so sad. That really wasn't what he'd intended. He hadn't intended on any of this, actually, when he'd demanded Nick date him, but here they are. Time to fix it.

“Hi,” Charlie says softly, rubbing Nick's back.

Nick turns his head to look at Charlie. His bruising has settled a little since he last saw it, the angry colours now muted, the swelling gone down. His face is so beautiful, it should never have been marked like that. Nick's cheeks are damp but he smiles up at him when their eyes lock. “Hi,” he sniffles, sitting upright, his voice sounding shaky but relieved. Charlie wants to bury his entire being into Nick, but he's not sure he can just yet. They need to talk this through first.

“I'm so sorry. I've been an idiot pushing you away,” Charlie offers, grinding his heel into the ground.

“Yeah, you have,” Nick says sulkily. “I didn't want you to do that. I missed you.”

“I know,” Charlie whispers, dropping his head in shame. “I was just trying to protect you. I didn't want you to get hurt.”

“Yes, but that really should have been my choice, no?” Nick replies, lifting Charlie's chin back up and guiding him to look him in the eye. “Or ours to make together.”

“Tori said that. I didn't listen to her.”

“Smart girl. Maybe I should date her instead,” Nick says, a little tease creeping into his voice and the minutest tug pulling at his lips. It's reassuring and it perks Charlie up. They're definitely going to be okay.

“Please,” he deadpans, "she'd eat you alive.”

“And you?” Nick asks with a flirty twinkle in his eye.

“Me?”

“Will you eat me alive?”

Charlie gasps and giggles. “Nicholas Nelson, are you flirting with me?

“We are boyfriends. It's allowed. Encouraged even,” Nick confirms, entwining their fingers together in the space between them on the bench.

“For the past week, yes…” Charlie plays along, menace mode activated. God, he's so much happier when he's with this boy.

“I’d prefer for forever?” Nick says earnestly and Charlie's heart might literally burst.

“That's a long time to spend getting the bus, Nelson…”

“You're worth it, Spring,” Nick says huskily, grabbing Charlie by the neck of his t-shirt with his free hand and pulling him in.

“Are you really, really, definitely sure?” Charlie asks, hesitating briefly.

Nick growls in exasperation and closes the gap himself, cupping Charlie's face and pressing his warm, soft lips against Charlie's. Despite the preceding noise, Nick’s tongue is gentle and tender in Charlie's mouth. It's sweet and loving and perfect and everything that Nick is.

It's been like four days since they’ve kissed though, so it takes Charlie exactly three seconds to rake his hands into Nick's floppy hair, pull him in harder and add a little bite to deepen the kiss, consumed by an urgency for the boy he almost lost. Nick's hands grip into Charlie’s hair as he gives back all that he's getting and more. Seems he's missed Charlie too…

It's Nick that ends up above Charlie this time, climbing onto his lap and kissing him into the bench in a move that solidifies to Charlie that Nick has definitely made his decision. Charlie smiles into the kiss, then laughs remembering where they are. “Nick, we're in a public park, in the middle of the afternoon!”

“So what?”

“So it's not exactly private, is it?!”

“You worried someone's gonna take a picture?”

Charlie smacks Nick on his perfect boob. “Too soon, Nelson!”

Nick laughs and grins that beautiful grin. “Deepest apologies… I like you, Charlie Spring. I like you a lot. I maybe even more than like you.”

“I maybe even more than like you too, Nick Nelson,” Charlie admits, the waterworks starting again. He never cries this much. He's a little raw right now, so he figures it's allowed. Nick smiles fondly and gently wipes Charlie's eyes.

“It's not my fault! That was really sweet,” Charlie says defensively, before burrowing his face into Nick's neck in embarrassment.

“I know. You have a very sweet boyfriend.”

“I do,” Charlie nods, pulling out of Nick's neck to kiss him again.

They're startled apart by the sound of bouncy footsteps crunching on gravel as they approach. “Hey, are you two– Oh, you're being gay… Good job, carry on!”

“Darcy!” Charlie yelps.

“Sorry, we were curious…”

“We?” Nick and Charlie lean to look past Darcy and see the whole gang standing a little further back, leaning comically around a large bear-shaped bush like they’re in a Scooby Doo cartoon. Elle, Isaac and Tara are competing for the “biggest heart eyes” trophy while Tao fakes retching.

“Fuck,” Charlie mutters under his breath, while Nick grins and waves as he stands up. “Hello, friends!”

Now that the cat’s fully out of the bag, they all jog over. “Guess you won't be needing a lift back, Charlie?” Elle asks with a cheeky smirk.

“No, he can ride with me,” Nick answers.

“Obviously,” Isaac observes, causing everyone to titter as they leave the lovebirds and make their way back to the car.

“Are they going to be kissing like that everywhere we go now?” they hear Tao asking huffily.

“Yes!” Charlie shouts after them, before pulling Nick into him by the neck and asking more quietly. “Yes to kissing like this everywhere we go now?”

“Hell yes.”

Notes:

Next time: The epilogue... featuring an E rating. 🤭

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian, Thisismeht and Androidsdreaming for the wonderful beta work

Chapter 21: Epilogue

Summary:

It's a Friday, about three weeks since the Date Me dare.

Charlie and the gang celebrate his birthday.

Notes:

This chapter is E-rated so if you don't like steaming hot smut then too bad.

Elle 14.05: So someone's asked me for a lift home. Her dad can't pick her up, something about an important meeting. Does anyone mind squishing for ten minutes? She's closest to school so it won't be for long

Tao 14.07: I can keep my demeanor contained to the front seat

Elle 14.08: Haha, very funny. Seriously, Isaac, Charlie, Nick?

Isaac 14.09: I can cope for ten minutes

Charlie 14.10: me and nick can share a seat, it's fine

Isaac 14.10: Like you wouldn't have anyway. Please

Charlie 14.10: what?!

Tao 14.11: I believe Isaac is (correctly) implying that you and Nick have now morphed into one being and couldn't sit on two separate seats if you tried

Charlie 14.11: we have not!

Elle 14.12: You kind of have

Nick 14.12: I would if I could 😍😍😍

Tao 14.12: See

Charlie 14.13: fine, tell your friend sorry but there's no room. we'll show you we can sit apart

Nick 14.13: But I don't want to show them, Char 😭

Elle 14.15: Oh my god. She and I will be with you in 20

Isaac 14.16: 👍🏻 I'll round everyone up. We'll meet you at the gate

At 2.30pm Isaac does indeed round them up from their various classrooms and marches them out to the gate to wait for their ride.

“So if we get to the pier at 4pm we can play two games of bowling, then get some food, and then hang around the arcade for a bit?” Tao waffles as they walk, as if this wasn't already the confirmed plan.

No one answers him as they reach Elle’s car and find Imogen is the extra passenger, sat neatly in the back middle seat of the car, her spine straight, knees together, and her skirt splayed in a perfect semicircle around her as if she fanned it out after she sat down, which knowing her she probably did.

“Erm… okay,” Nick ventures, while Charlie blinks rapidly and Isaac quietly facepalms with his book.

“She needed a ride home!” Elle chides them as they all awkwardly gawp at the car. “Get in!”

The boys nod and do as they're told, Tao climbing into the front seat and Isaac and Charlie sliding in on either side of Imogen, both trying and failing to avoid sitting on her perfect pleats. Nick climbs onto Charlie's lap, secures the belt around them both and they set off.

The first few minutes of the drive are spent in silence, with Isaac reading, Charlie absentmindedly playing with the toggle on Nick's coat and Nick staring uncomfortably out of the window before Imogen unexpectedly pipes up.

“Nick,” she says, and the interruption of the silence causes all three boys in the back to jump. “About you and Charlie…”

“Erm… yeah?” Nick asks, sounding hesitant. Charlie holds his hand and stares Imogen down. She'd better not upset him. He will end her if she does. Verbally.

“Like, it totally makes sense now. The whole ‘you two suddenly together all the time’ thing, and the whole ‘date me’ thing… You didn't like me because you're gay.”

Nick squirms in Charlie’s lap, which is definitely having an effect on his outrageously hormonal teen body.

“Well, I… I'm bisexual, actually,” Nick says after a few moments.

Imogen just stares straight ahead, unblinking for several seconds.

“Oh,” she finally says.

“Yeah,” Nick says apologetically.

There’s 30 seconds of awkward silence before Imogen speaks up again.

“I'm sorry. I don't actually know how to react. It's weird.”

“Weird? Okay. Wow,” Charlie bites, tightening his embrace around the lovely boy on his knee. Fuck. Her.

“I mean, not weird. No! Ah!” Imogen scrambles to correct herself as she flinches under Charlie's cold glare. Tori would be so proud right now. “Um... not weird. Um... oh, it'll... it'll sound bad if I say it.”

“Pretty sure you're going to have to say it or be kicked out of the car…” Isaac muses, turning the page of his book.

“It's just–” she starts, swallowing before continuing, “I'm not sure I did like you like that, Nick.”

“O…kay?” Nick says, furrowing his brow.

“I think I kind of felt, um, like, a pressure to have a boyfriend. You know, because I’m a cool girl, and that's what cool girls do. And I think I, um... I like having attention from boys.” Imogen’s voice has gone from rapid and anxious to slow and quiet. Tao even has to tilt his head a little so his ear is aimed toward the backseat. “It makes me feel important and like I’m... doing life right. But I don't think I've ever liked a boy, actually, when I really think of it, though.” She pauses and there’s an entirely new kind of awkwardness in the car. “Sorry, that probably makes no sense. Uhm, I'm sorry I was so–”

“Creepy?” Nick asks.

“Aggressive?” Charlie supplies.

“Annoying?” Tao offers.

“Intense?” Isaac adds.

“Passionate,” Elle growls, glaring at the lot of them. “Passionate.”

“No, they're right. I was all those things. And I'm sorry,” Imogen says quietly, her big eyes wet and ashamed.

She does look sorry. Really, truly, genuinely sorry. And sad. Her remorseful expression drives Charlie to do the ridiculous. “Imogen,” he starts, already kind of regretting it, “do you want to come to my birthday party tonight? We're going bowling and to the arcade.”

“Really?” Imogen asks, as do the rest of the passengers.

Charlie suppresses a sigh. Whatever, he got his man, he can extend an olive branch. “Really.”

“Yes please,” she answers, smiling tearfully. “I'd really like some proper friends.”

Elle pulls up outside the house where this whole thing started and Imogen climbs out, thanking Elle for the lift.

“Meet you at the pier in an hour?” Charlie calls out of the window.

“An hour! How am I supposed to choose a look in one hour? I need an outfit and hair and makeup and shoes — oh my god, SHOES!” she screeches, running into her house in what appears to be a blind panic.

“Am I going to regret this?” Charlie asks, receiving a round of resounding nods and an “oh, big time” from Isaac. Oh well. He tried.

The rest of them head to Nick’s house to change and lounge for a bit before they’re scheduled to meet Tara and Darcy at the pier. Nick’s mum is just gathering her things to leave for the hospital when they walk through the front door, and after a quick round of introductions and a brief chat about their celebratory plans, Nick directs Isaac to the ground floor bathroom to change and sends Tao and Elle up to David’s room, top of the stairs, second door on the right.

“Are you still… stocked, Nicholas?” Sarah asks when the others are out of range, her eyebrows raised high.

Charlie bites his lip to keep from laughing; thank god it’s not his mother being so up-front about sex, he’d shrivel up and die. But watching Sarah do it to Nick is just… oh, it’s the best entertainment money can’t buy.

“Yes, Mum,” Nick hisses. “You think we burned through a 24-pack in a week?”

Sarah raises both hands in a defensive gesture. “I just remember being your age–”

“Mum,” Nick barks as he turns as red as Mars.

“Alright, I’m going, I’m going,” she says, rolling her eyes. “And if you drink and can’t drive, be sure to call an Uber, darling.”

“I’m not gonna—”

“I’m just saying, just in case.”

Despite being clearly mortified beyond belief, Nick still hugs Sarah before she’s out the door. Nick closes it behind her, bonking his forehead on the pane of glass.

“So,” Charlie says after a moment. “Did your mum just imply she was a teenage slag?”

Nick whips around. “No. No. We’re not – that never happened. We don’t talk about it. It’s classified.”

Charlie raises his eyebrows. “It’s classified?”

“Yes,” Nick says. “Now come on, we have to change.”

He grabs Charlie’s hand and pulls him upstairs to his bedroom.

Even if Sarah hadn’t just brought up the issue, Charlie’s mind definitely would have turned to sex the moment he walked through the threshold. Despite Nick’s protestations about it having been only a week since that romantic moment at the bench, they hadn’t exactly done nothing.

It was still just, you know, hand stuff, but… oh lord. Hand stuff was so much better with a partner than on one’s own, Charlie had found.

There was last Saturday, when Sarah told them she had a few errands to run, and would they be okay on their own for a couple of hours? She was probably still at the stop sign down the street by the time they were grinding against one another on Nick’s bed, culminating in a repeat of their activities the prior Sunday.

And then Monday after school, when Charlie came over and they kept up the pretense of doing homework for about nine minutes before Nick grabbed him and one thing led to another and they discovered the wonderful world of handjobs. It was the first time Charlie had ever touched another dick. He hadn’t anticipated the power he’d felt when just the light flick of his wrist devolved Nick into a whimpering, spasming pile.

And there was Wednesday night, when Holby City was on and Charlie knew his mother never moved away from the telly for the hour. He closed and locked his door, shoved a pile of dirty laundry in front of it just in case Olly tried to push through, and FaceTimed Nick. Technically Charlie was in his own room for that one, he supposes, but the sight when they were done and Nick angled the phone so Charlie could see the splattered mess on his stomach and chest…

Oh god, Charlie’s never going to fit into his skinny jeans in this state. And Nick unbuttoning his shirt (and neatly hanging it up, the square) is not doing him any favours. How does he have arse dimples? And then there’s the whole six-pack situation… honestly it’s like he was built in a lab specifically to make Charlie quiver to death.

“Oh, Char,” Nick says nonchalantly when he notices he’s being watched like Nellie looks at a hunk of cheese. “See anything you like?”

“N-no,” Charlie says, leaning against the closed door.

Nick frowns and saunters over.

“Really?” he says, his voice extra low, stepping into Charlie’s personal space and slotting between his legs, which are now maybe kind of trembling slightly. Charlie could swear he never used to be this horny… but then he also hadn’t been in such close proximity to the sexiest man alive before.

“I… I mean…”

Nick just smirks and closes the remaining gap, planting his lips on Charlie’s as he wraps his arms around him. Charlie can’t help but melt into it. He’s putty in Nick’s hands, every part of him but one softening rapidly. Fuck, maybe they do have time to—

“KNOCK KNOCK!” shouts Tao from the other side of the door as he slams his fist against the wood, making it rattle and startling Nick and Charlie apart. “You better not be doing it in there!”

“Or if you are, make it quick, please!” Elle adds.

Flustered, Charlie and Nick wipe the wetness from their lips and breath heavily as they hear their friends clomping down the stairs outside.

“Maybe we should –”

“Yeah, save that thought.”

Charlie takes his bag into Nick’s bathroom and shuts the door, lest they indeed give into temptation. He cycles through some quadratic formulas and thinks about the plot of Donnie Darko until finally thinking about a few elderly relatives relieves him of his… problem. It takes just a few minutes to swap out his clothes for a more comfortable, casual look, and then he spends five minutes playing with his curls before Nick knocks gently on the door.

“Are you about ready? No rush if you’re not.”

He could spend another half-hour poking and prodding, but frankly they’re probably going on a roller coaster later, so there’s not much point in continued work on his hair. Charlie opens the door and Nick looks him up and down.

“Do I look okay?” Charlie asks. He’s still nervous about how Nick sees him.

“Okay?” Nick says. “Please. If I weren’t already bi…”

Charlie rolls his eyes. “I didn’t turn you bi, you know.”

Nick bobbles his head. “I mean, you didn’t not turn me bi.”

When they get downstairs, Elle tells them Tara and Darcy agreed to pick up Imogen as she was on their way.

“Darn,” Nick whispers to Charlie as they all gather their things. “I was really looking forward to sitting on your lap again.”

Charlie quirks an eyebrow. “There’s always later.” He’s secretly slightly relieved as he didn’t want to arrive at the pier with a wet spot – or worse.

“Promises, promises,” Nick purrs, his kiss to Charlie’s jaw too quickly interrupted by a conspicuous cough from Isaac.

The five of them head on down to the pier and meet up with the girls. The group is so large they have to split across two bowling lanes, but fun is had all around.

When they pause in between games for a bathroom break, Charlie sits back and looks around at his friends chatting happily with one another. For a long time, he’d worried that coming out would formalise his outcast status, make him a complete and total pariah. And yeah, some people were arseholes, but already the weird looks and gossiping had started to diminish. And instead of being even more alone than before, he’d gained the world’s best boyfriend and several new friends to boot. Still, Charlie knows not all queer people have that kind of luck, and he knows to be grateful for his good fortune.

After the second game, the group pile into a bar and order a mess of fish and chips, pizza, wings and other crap, and have a grand time talking shit about their bowling skills and chatting about which arcade games are their favourites.

Charlie’s munching on a chip when he notices Nick growing still beside him. He follows his boyfriend’s gaze to find he’s staring at three of the rugby boys passing by outside the window – Sai Verma, Otis Smith and Christian McBride. They haven’t noticed Nick or the group inside, instead chatting amongst themselves, and soon they pass out of sight.

Charlie squeezes Nick’s hand under the table.

“You okay?”

Nick hasn’t talked much about the reaction of the rugby team, apparently because there hasn’t been much of one. No one had even commented on Harry’s abrupt disappearance from the school, at least not in front of Nick. And they certainly hadn’t brought up the now well-known fact that their captain liked to snog boys. Well, one specific boy, at least.

“Yeah,” Nick responds quietly. “I think out of anyone on the team, they’d be the most cool, but, I guess you never really know.”

Charlie just leans against Nick and rests his head on his shoulder. Nick squeezes his hand back, and soon they’re back in the group conversation about whether Tao’s claim of being the highest scorer on the alien laser game is true.

“Then why does the name read TAL instead of TAO?” asks Isaac.

“I typed it in wrong,” Tao insists, and everyone nods their heads sarcastically. He looks around angrily. “Fine then, come on, I’ll prove it!”

They clear their table and then gather in the arcade to watch Tao on the alien blaster. Elle slots into the seat beside him to compete as the rest circle around to cheer Tao on (or occasionally boo him teasingly, in Charlie and Isaac’s cases).

Ultimately, Tao comes close to beating the high score, but falls a few flying saucers short. “Oh, I was so close!” he moans. Insult is added to injury when he types his name as TAL again, making everyone howl with laughter.

Undeterred, Tao grabs Elle and pulls her toward Dance Dance Revolution, while Isaac gets distracted by the shiny 2p machine and the others try to win Pokemon plushies from the claw machines.

With everyone busy, Charlie takes Nick by the hand and pulls him over toward the sports game area. “Come on, I want to watch you shoot basketballs again.”

“You want to be back at the place where I wore your bracelet and everyone started gossiping,” Nick says knowingly.

“I can have two reasons,” Charlie says stubbornly, pulling Nick behind him.

He stops suddenly, so hard that Nick runs into him and nearly knocks them both over.

Sai, Otis and Christian are playing on the basketball machines. They haven’t spotted Nick and Charlie yet.

“Come on, let’s go–”

“No, it’s okay,” Nick says. “At least, if you’re okay with it. I think I’d rather know for sure who’s still my friend and who isn’t.”

Charlie doesn’t have a problem with it. He may have disliked sporty people generally, but he’d never had any problem with these three in particular. As they march over, he hopes that they’re cool with Nick being bi. Nick chose to sacrifice certain things in his life to be with Charlie, and he’s trying to accept that, really. But Nick should still have friends, at least ones beyond his new queer friends group.

“Hey, guys,” Nick says once they’re right behind them.

The three boys turn and take in their rugby captain holding hands with Charlie.

“Alright, Nick,” Otis says as the four of them do that bro-style greeting where they nod their heads up sharply and jut their chins out. “You… out on a date?”

Nick sucks in a breath. “Um. Sort of… We’re celebrating Charlie’s birthday–”

“Mate, it’s your birthday?” Christian says to Charlie.

Charlie nods.

“Happy birthday!” all three lads shout in unison, and Charlie can’t help but smile. He glances at Nick and sees him stand down slightly as well.

“Do you guys want to join us on a round here?” Sai asks. “We were about to start another game.”

Nick glances at Charlie, who turns and nods again. “I have to warn you, though, I’m not very good,” Charlie says.

“S’all right,” Otis replies, throwing one arm around Charlie’s shoulders. “It’s just a fun game. And honestly, you can’t suck any more than Chrissy here.”

“Oi!” Christian yelps. “I’m good at rugby.”

“But this ain’t rugby, is it?” Otis laughs.

They load the machine up with coins for their little mini-tournament. “Alright, loser buys a round of slushies,” Sai declares. “Unless it’s Charlie, because it’s his birthday, and then I say his boyfriend pays.”

“What? Hey, wait,” Nick says, scrunching up his face. “How’s that fair?”

“Mate, you’re the first one of us to have a girlfriend or a boyfriend or whatever,” Otis says. “We’re not gonna hold back from taking the piss out of you just because you’re bisexual.”

“Yeah, it’s equality,” Christian adds with a firm nod.

Charlie can’t help but laugh, and Nick follows right behind him. He feels relieved that they’re being so open and friendly. It’s a sign that Nick’s life isn’t going to be totally upended by coming out. Nick also looks relieved, and Charlie feels that deeply. He’s likely been wondering which of his former friends he can still trust, so having these three in his corner probably feels comforting.

Christian is actually pretty bad at the basketball game, but it turns out Charlie is just slightly worse, so Nick is indeed on the hook for their slushies.

“I’ll get you back for this,” Nick says as he taps his card with a beep. “I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but you will pay.”

“So I’m not great at basketball,” Charlie says, shrugging. “I have other redeeming qualities.”

“Like what?” Nick asks, and Charlie can’t help but notice their noses are about half a millimeter apart.

“Oi, get a room, you two,” Sai calls out, and Charlie turns red at having forgotten himself amongst relative strangers – even if they are, tentatively, also new friends.

Suddenly, Tao appears, slotting himself between Nick and Charlie and the three lads.

“Are you alright, Charlie?” Tao asks, though he’s looking at the rugby boys.

Charlie steps over and places one hand on Tao’s shoulder. “Yeah, we’re good. We just played the basketball machine with Otis and Christian and Sai here.”

After a moment, the tension leaves Tao’s body. It’s cute that he’s willing to throw down for Charlie, even if Tao is much more likely to be thrown down given his arms are basically twigs.

“How’s it, Tao?” Otis asks.

“Yeah, good.”

Fortunately, Elle and the others arrive just then, and the whole big group spends a while chatting.

“Oh, boys, we gotta go,” Otis says, looking at his phone. “We’re going to see that new zombie movie if you want to come along?”

“Not tonight, sorry,” Nick replies, wrapping his arm around Charlie’s waist.

“Okay, but let’s all hang out again some other time, yeah?” Sai suggests.

Nick nods and the lads turn and walk towards the exit. Charlie squeezes his hand, and leans his body against Nick’s.

“I’m so proud of you, and I’m so happy your friends are cool,” he whispers to Nick.

“Me too,” Nick replies.

The rest of the group load up on sweets and spend the next hour or so just wandering around the pier, snacking and chatting and taking loads of photos on their phones. Soon, it’s fully dark, and they decide to call it a day. Elle drops Charlie back off with Nick, and Charlie ignores the lewd looks Tao and Isaac shoot him as Elle is backing out of the driveway.

They let Nellie out into the back garden and Nick plasters himself to Charlie’s back, wrapping him in his strong, warm arms as they watch her run around and sniff stuff.

“Remind me when your curfew is,” Nick mumbles into his ear.

Although Charlie’s birthday is technically today, the family gathering is tomorrow during the day, so he’d been given reprieve to spend the afternoon and evening with his friends. Although he had, possibly, maybe, perchance led Jane and Julio to believe that he’d be spending the entire evening with his friends on the pier instead of being alone with Nick right now.

“11 o’clock,” Charlie says, swaying gently in Nick’s arm. “I might have been able to swing midnight if you’d been there to charm her, but…”

“Well, then let’s make the most of the time we have left,” Nick says. “Are you ready for your present?”

Charlie spins around and smiles.

“Come on, it’s in my room,” Nick says, calling for Nellie.

“In your room, huh?” Charlie says, waggling his eyebrows. “I see the slag apple doesn’t fall far from the slag tree.”

“I told you that’s classified!” Nick cries as they walk inside. He locks the back door behind them as Nellie settles into her bed, and Charlie follows Nick upstairs. Now there’s a view he’ll never tire of.

Feeling chilled after standing outside for a few minutes, Charlie immediately picks up the jumper that Nick pulls off and dons it before settling against his headboard. Nick opens a desk drawer and pulls out a small wrapped rectangular item.

“It’s, um, it’s not much, I’m sorry,” he apologises as he hands it to Charlie and plops down beside him. “Between all the drama and studying for A Levels and rugby and, you know, our, um, extracurricular activities… I genuinely didn't have time to go out and buy you something. So this is a bit handmade.”

Charlie’s heart flutters. “Nick, I don’t need anything special. Or anything at all.”

“I know, but… actually, you deserve so much, Charlie.”

He smiles and moves to rip open the wrapping paper. It’s a framed picture of Nick pressing a kiss to Charlie’s cheek at the pier, the same one he posted on Instagram to come out. Charlie can’t help but let out a gasp at the intimacy of the gift, at the thoughtfulness. This was so much better than anything Nick could ever have bought in a store.

“It’s wonderful,” he says, running one finger over the frame, which is covered in bright little stickers. Which apparently Nick had on hand, and don’t think Charlie isn’t storing that away to discuss later.

He turns and leans in to kiss Nick. “It’s perfect, thank you.”

“Glad you like it,” Nick says, and then he’s rotating them until his body is half draped over Charlie’s and they’re kissing slowly and sensually and then suddenly hotly and passionately. Charlie’s hands roam over Nick’s muscular back, his slightly squishy sides, and finally to that arse, god that arse.

They make out, groping each other and grinding together for a solid ten minutes, and Charlie's just started thinking they're about to have a replay of the first night he was in this bed when Nick rears back on his haunches, his chest heaving and his lips swollen red.

“Ready for your second gift?” he asks.

“There’s a second gift?” Charlie says, slightly dazed. “And you had to wait until now?”

“Yeah, I, um, sorry. It’s… the gift is that I want to… use my mouth on you. If that’s okay?”

Charlie just stares at him dumbly. Did Nick Nelson just offer to give him a blowjob? And is this really happening or did he fall into a coma several weeks ago and this is all some incredible dream?

Nick laughs uncomfortably and lifts one hand to scratch the back of his neck.

“Um, if you don’t want me to, that’s fine–”

“I WANT,” Charlie shouts, somewhat more loudly than he intended. He grimaces sheepishly. “Sorry, I mean… yes, I want that, Nick! Sorry, I was just a little surprised. Is that… are you sure you want to do that?”

Nick laughs. “I’ve kind of been dreaming about it all week, actually.”

“You’ve been dreaming about me?” Charlie asks, propping himself up on his elbows.

“Well,” Nick says, bending down until their faces are just about to touch. “You are a dream, Charlie.”

And then they’re kissing again, and Nick lowers himself onto Charlie like the world’s best weighted blanket, and it’s not long before Nick’s hand has reached Charlie’s zipper. He pulls his head back and looks into Charlie’s eyes questioningly. As soon as Charlie nods, both of Nick’s hands are opening his jeans and then he’s reaching inside and grabbing Charlie’s length and CHRIST that feels good. Charlie can’t help but moan as Nick strokes him slowly.

“You’re so wet for me, baby,” Nick growls into Charlie’s ear. Charlie had never really been much of a leaker before, but apparently everything was different with Nick.

Nick removes his hand and yanks Charlie jeans and underwear down to his knees, then literally licks his lips staring at Charlie’s cock and dear god Charlie might just expire on the spot.

Cause of death: horny beyond belief.

Nick fully pulls off Charlie’s pants, tossing his clothes to the floor before springing up and ripping off his own shirt and jeans, leaving him in just a pair of badly strained briefs with a prominent wet spot. Charlie doesn’t think he’ll ever get over knowing that somehow, he puts Nick Nelson in that state.

Charlie spreads his now-freed legs and Nick settles between them, staring at his ruddy red cock bobbing in the air. He ghosts his fingers over it slowly, cupping Charlie’s balls with one hand and just ever so slightly stimulating his head with the other. He teases Charlie like that for a few minutes before shuffling down the bed so he can be right above Charlie’s dick.

He eyes it up and down several times.

“I completely forgot,” he suddenly says. “Should I get a… condom?”

Oh god, Charlie hadn’t even thought about that, his brain was so overcome with hormones.

“I mean, I’ve never… with anyone else,” he says. “But if that makes you comfortable, I’m 100 percent on board.”

Nick mulls it over for a minute and then shakes his head. “I’ve never done this with anyone else either,” he says, and Charlie wonders how on earth no one had ever jumped this man before he came along, but also he’s rather glad they didn’t at this particular moment.

“And I want… I want to taste you, Char,” Nick says, blushing hard.

How, how, HOW can he be so fucking steaming hot and yet cutesy adorable at the same time? It boggles the mind.

But Nick could be boggling something else right now, and Charlie’s been on edge since playing car seat this afternoon.

“Taste me, Nick Nelson,” he says boldly. Funny. This all started because he said something very similar a few weeks ago.

Nick sucks in a breath and then lowers his head slowly. Charlie’s not really sure what to expect, but the wet heat descending over his dick as Nick takes him into his mouth is about the best thing he’s ever felt in his entire fucking life. His neck muscles all give out simultaneously, and Charlie’s head falls back onto the pillow as he gasps for air.

The overwhelming sensation consumes more and more of his cock, as inch after inch disappears into Nick’s mouth, and wow this is not where he thought he’d be three weeks ago. Soon about half of his dick is in Nick’s mouth, but he winces when something hard and slightly sharp grazes his skin.

“Sorry, sorry,” Nick says, popping off with a lewd, wet sound. “The internet said to watch the teeth.”

“The inter… you researched this?” Charlie asks, heaving.

Nick blushes, which is impressive given how lobster-like he appears with desire right now. “I wanted to be good for you.”

Charlie giggles. “You are, you’re so good, Nick,” and his boyfriend preens as Charlie checks off “praise kink” on his internal notes list.

Nick shivers a little and dips back down, and soon he’s got half of Charlie’s dick in his mouth again, combining that silky warmth with a little suction action that frankly feels like it’s about to pull Charlie’s soul out of his body. It seems Nick can’t go any further, but frankly he has an impressive amount in his mouth already, so Charlie figures they can work their way up to deep-throating. It will require a lot of practice, of course, but it’s worth it.

Nick smartly works the rest of the shaft with one hand while fondling Charlie’s balls with the other. Someone really has been doing “research” on the internet. As he’s sucked off, Charlie feels a tingling sensation south of his heavy sack, and he’s momentarily overcome by the desire for Nick to let his hand wander lower and touch his hole. So, is that what being a bottom feels like, Charlie wonders. But he’s kind of also liking having all this attention on his dick. Maybe he’s vers. Oh, but they have lots of time to figure out what they are. Right now, he just lets himself go, floating away as Nick makes it feel like his cock is taking a warm bath.

As Nick works him over, Charlie feels warmer and warmer all over until he’s positively burning up. Grunting, he leans up and yanks the jumper up over his head. It pulls his t-shirt off along with it, and although Charlie’s never been shirtless in front of Nick before, he doesn’t really care at the moment because his boyfriend is currently doing things to him he didn’t even know were possible.

Nick glances up at the movement and then pulls off of Charlie again.

“You’re so fucking sexy, Charlie,” he says, leaning forward and kissing Charlie’s chest. His lips feel like they’re branding Charlie’s skin, and he watches with awe as Nick works his way down to his stomach, stopping to suck on a patch of skin that’s absolutely going to leave a hickey before following Charlie’s trail back down to his cock.

As he enters Nick’s mouth for a third time, Charlie knows he won’t last much longer. This is just too good. He’s writhing around and gripping the sheets in his fist and moaning and gawping and very, very quickly approaching the edge.

Shit, they never talked about how Nick wanted to end this. Charlie taps his head and says, “I’m gonna come soon, Nick.”

Judging by the way Nick speeds up, he’s into that.

“Nick, seriously, if you don’t get off now I’m gonna… gonna… oh god, it’s happening, Nick I’m coming I’m coming ah ahh ahhhhhh–”

Charlie’s groans turn to outright shouts as the tension coiling in his groin suddenly snaps and waves of pleasure emanate throughout his body. He can feel himself shooting into Nick’s mouth, feel as Nick hungrily gobbles down his spend, and holy shit if his body weren’t currently twitching sporadically that knowledge alone would have pushed him over the edge a second time.

He seems to have lost some time, because the next thing he knows, he’s staring at Nick’s ceiling. Fighting the boneless feeling pervading his whole body, Charlie props himself up to find Nick quietly licking his still mostly hard cock. Jesus Christ, like a lollipop. Charlie finally gets that rap song. The sight makes a last tiny bit spurt out, and it’s immediately lapped up and swallowed down. It’s so pornographic, Charlie can hardly believe it.

Apparently finished with his meal, Nick looks up at Charlie through his long lashes.

“Was that… good?”

Charlie flops back onto the pillow. “Was that good?” he laughs. “Nick, I think I almost died, of course that was good!”

Nick crawls up and lays beside Charlie.

“I’m glad,” he says, kissing Charlie. There’s something off about the taste, and Charlie realises… it’s himself. He’s tasting himself. Mother of god.

He pulls back after a few moments and looks down at the prominent bulge in Nick’s white briefs. He’s straining so hard against the cotton, Charlie can not only tell he’s uncircumcised but that he also has a large vein running down the left side.

“Can I touch you?” he asks.

“Oh god, yes,” Nick says, falling onto his back. “Fair warning, I’m absolutely not gonna last.”

Charlie kisses Nick’s broad, strong chest, running this tongue over one nipple as Nick sighs beneath him.

“That’s okay,” Charlie says, shuffling down slightly and laying beside Nick on his side.

He grabs the front of Nick’s waistband and pulls it down, slowly, so slowly, until his dick springs free, a sight Charlie will absolutely be storing in his spank bank. Nick lifts his arse so Charlie can shuffle his pants down and off, and then he wraps his hand around Nick’s throbbing shaft and slowly starts jerking him off. He’s enamoured watching his foreskin slide back and forth, revealing his sensitive pink head, but he doesn’t have too long to admire the sight. By the fifth stroke, he can see Nick’s balls tightening up, and on the seventh Nick grips his shoulder and squeezes it.

“I’m close, Charlie,” he gasps, his voice shaky.

“Come for me, Nick,” Charlie whispers, and a few strokes more has Nick doing just that.

His whole body tightens up and he makes this silly jerking groaning noise, and then suddenly, as Charlie keeps jerking him, his cock spurts white strands. The first lands amongst the hairs growing on his chest, and the second just to the right of it, with subsequent shots landing on his heaving, sweaty stomach. Each burst comes with a lewd gasping noise from Nick’s mouth, ringing sweetly in Charlie’s ears.

A final dribble slides down his shaft like wax on a candle until it alights onto Charlie’s fingers. Releasing Nick’s thick cock, Charlie, intrigued, brings his hand to his mouth and takes a tentative lick. It’s salty, kind of like the ghost of flavour he felt on Nick’s lips earlier. He wouldn’t call it pleasant, not like Percy Pigs or anything. But knowing that he’s tasting it because he just brought Nick Nelson to orgasm – and quite skillfully, if Charlie does say so himself – is a heady feeling, indeed.

Returning to Nick, Charlie gently fingers the sweaty hairs along his temple as his fit boyfriend sputters back to life.

“Thank you,” Nick says, his mouth loose like he’s drunk. “Thank you, Char.”

“Oh, well, it was my pleasure,” he replies, then leans over to kiss Nick.

When he feels Nick’s pulse return to normal, Charlie pulls back and slides over to the edge of the bed. “I’m just going to get a flannel to clean you up,” he says.

“Your arse is so cute,” Nick calls out as he watches Charlie walk over to his en-suite.

Charlie smacks his own cheek in response, prompting Nick to moan “Charlieeeeeeeee.”

Crouching under Nick’s sink to get a new flannel, Charlie notices two rather large bottles of lube, both unopened. Interesting. He warms the water and soaks the cloth before returning to Nick’s side. His boyfriend is drawing silly patterns in his own cum, which is extremely hot, but gets distracted staring at Charlie’s dick swing back and forth as he walks over.

“So,” Charlie says, perching on the edge of the bed and running the warm cloth slowly and sensually over Nick’s torso. “I noticed an awful lot of lube in there.”

Nick sighs and closes his eyes. “Yes, apparently both my mother and brother decided I couldn’t be trusted to buy my own.”

Charlie finishes by running the cloth over Nick’s half-hard and still rather pudgy cock. God, he loves that thing.

“Well, I guess we need to write them a thank-you card,” he teases.

“Don’t even joke about that, Char,” Nick replies. “We’re British. None of us are going to acknowledge that ever again.”

Charlie finishes cleaning Nick up and then tosses the flannel cleanly into his hamper. From 15 feet away. Oops.

“Wait…” Nick says, sitting upright. “Did you… Charlie, did you fake losing the basketball game tonight?”

“Me?” Charlie replies, fluttering his eyelashes like a Southern belle from one of those American movies. “I would nevah!”

“You… little shit!” Nick laughs, grabbing Charlie and pulling him into bed. They wrestle – both of them fully naked, the first time they’ve ever been that way with each other, Charlie realises, and he’s surprised at how easily he had done it and how comfortable and right it felt – but they quickly settle down into a cuddling position, with Nick grabbing his duvet to throw over them and keep them warm.

Charlie plasters his head against Nick’s warm, soft chest, his heartbeat soothing him after all that excitement.

“Will you come to the party tomorrow?” he asks suddenly. “I mean. Only if you want to.”

There’s a beat and then Nick responds, “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“You don’t have to, because you know it’ll just be lots of boring relatives and probably some awkward questions. And I think my mother got a piñata? Although honestly that may be more to distract Olly.”

“Charlie,” Nick says, his thumb calmly stroking his back. “I’d like to meet your family. It’s always fun to hang out with Olly. And maybe I’ll get on Tori’s good side.”

He bites back the memory of his sister the other night casually saying that Nick doesn’t annoy her too much. Which is basically a gushing endorsement.

“How are you real?” Charlie asks.

Nick chuckles. “I was about to ask you the same question.”

They lie in silence for a minute.

“How long before I need to take you home?”

Charlie glances at the clock on Nick’s wall. “About an hour. Why? Did you want to…” He looks at Nick and raises both his eyebrows suggestively.

“Charles Francis Spring, you are going to be the death of me,” Nick moans, pushing his head back into his pillow.

“That wasn’t a no,” Charlie points out.

“Give me five more minutes, I’m only human,” Nick says, but Charlie can feel the way Nick’s cock twitches against his thigh. That five minutes may be an overestimation.

“Besides,” Nick adds, meeting Charlie’s gaze. “Right now, just you and me, together, completely… this is the most perfect moment I’ve ever experienced.”

Charlie clamps his mouth shut. The L-word is on the tip of his tongue, but he swallows it back. It’s probably too soon – no, it’s definitely too soon, he thinks. But in his heart, he knows that Nick feels the same. There’s no need to rush. They have all the time in the world to find the right moment to say that to each other. For now, lying here, snuggling together, this intimacy… never has Charlie Spring felt so content or complete.

He and Nick have chosen each other. They’ve each chosen happiness. It really is a perfect moment.

Notes:

Thank you so much to the beta team:

Thank you to Erinthelibrarian for fixing all of Henry's Americanisms. Sorry to trigger an hourslong discussion on whether the kids still use the word "canteen" and about whether "jeans" are "trousers." We really hope you find a tall bottle of Charlie coke. You're wonderful, you deserve one.

Thank you to Thisismeht for the grammar and punctuation work, and for saving us from repeating words so closely together. You did good. You always do good. Oatsie is having an emotional moment thinking about how good you do. (I love you)

Thank you to Androidsdreaming for turning all of Henry's em-dashes into en-dashes, for adding all the HTML coding we kept forgetting, for generally flailing in the comments and being so obsessed with Tao. Your support is appreciated so much. Not just on this 🫶🏻

And a personal note from Henry: Thank you to Oatsie for proposing jointly writing this fic. I'd been in a bit of a writing rut and this was a joy to work on with you. And even more importantly, it was an opportunity to solidify our friendship.

And a personal note from Oatsie that she put off until last night because EMOTIONS: Thank you for saying yes. That yes meant a lot, and has lead to a lot of fun, a writing partnership that I'm learning lots from and most importantly a friendship that means a lot to me. I feel myself closely repeating 'lot'... Thisismeht, I need you...