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Contrary to popular belief Nicholas Nelson is a huge dork.
Not that Nick necessarily tries to hide that aspect of his personality, and really all the signs are there if you just paid attention. The good thing is Noticing Things About Nick Nelson happens to be a favorite pastime of one Charlie Spring.
Like how Nick will watch any film with an inkling of horror mostly through the (slightly) open gaps between his fingers, unironically defends bubblegum as an acceptable ice cream flavor (spoiler alert: it isn’t) and can, more accurately will, put on something Marvel at least once a week.
It’s not that Charlie doesn’t get Marvel films per say or even that he dislikes them (there’s only room for one film purist in their friend group and Tao wears that badge honorably), it’s just that there’s so many. That even if Charlie had wanted to start, the sheer volume of it all is massively overwhelming. Though Nick for his part tries to help where he can, sending Charlie videos to help explain characters and story arcs a bit more and even guided film lists to help him follow a particular story line.
It's a lot. Films shouldn’t involve coursework, and Charlie doesn’t think that opinion is entirely controversial.
Like now, Nick and Charlie are watching an Avengers movie to “prepare” for a new release, he uses the word prepare lightly as they’re more than halfway through the film and all they’ve done is made out stopping only when Nick needs to point out characters Charlie doesn’t recognize. Still, it’s required viewing because according to Nick, Charlie will enjoy them more if he “has the full context.” He finds that notion a bit silly and he says so.
“You know If you spent half as much time on maths than you did on this” Charlie sits up slightly and gestures to one of said lists that had fallen limply on the floor long ago “you probably wouldn’t need to do your homework going down the corridor.”
When a pillow lightly hits him in the back of the head Charlie only acts half surprised.
“I’m only trying to help you so you aren’t lost when we go to the cinema tomorrow!” Nick reminds him. “’the multiverse is a concept of which we know frighteningly little’” Nick does a truly terrible American accent when he says this so Charlie’s sure it’s a quote from something, though he can’t quite place it.
“And you call me the nerd” Charlie snorts turning into a full bodied laugh at Nick’s faux offended expression. “Oi! Shut up” Nick pulls himself up as well barely masking his own amusement, his eyes crinkling at the effort.
Charlie reaches out his index finger to trace out the lines as an apology, Nick’s quiet melodic hum giving Charlie the all the answer he needs.
“I’ll have you know liking superheroes is cool now” Nick says “Besides, I don’t expect you’ll watch any of them after you go home, I know Marvel isn’t really your thing.”
The statement isn’t accusatory, just a matter of fact.
“I liked the last Spider-man” Charlie admits earnestly, Nick took him to that one a few months prior and they both wept through the entire third act.
“Yeah well that’s only ‘cause you fancy Tom Holland” Nick laughs, causing Charlie to roll his eyes even if it is more than a little true. “Want to pop on over to South London and see if we can meet him?” Nick teases, his smile slanting into his signature grin. “It’s only about an hour drive from here.”
When a pillow not-so lightly hits Nick on the back of his head Nick doesn’t act the least bit surprised.
“Yeah and maybe on the way we stop off and say hi to Andrew Garfield for you”
Nick blinks at Charlie and Charlie blinks back. They both burst out laughing at the same time, laying back down to their previous positions on their sides of Nick’s double. “Truce” Nick says putting his hand out to shake “Truce” Charlie relents intertwining their fingers, bringing them to his lips and pressing his lips to them for good measure.
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to” Nick says breaking the silence after a while “Otis and Christian will be there, so don’t feel like you’re obligated to come just because I’m going I want to you to en-“
Charlie kisses him soundly to stop was surely to be something completely sappy and romantic. “Nick I’m going” he emphasis the last word “because I want to… and because you’re always so cute when you get excited about things.”
“God you really are obsessed with me” Nick chaffs.
“Just a bit” Charlie agrees, pinching his pointer finger and thumb close together to show how much. “But I have a feeling you’ll learn to live with it.”
They start giggling again and Charlie lets the levity wash over him, relishing in the slight flutter he feels in the pit of his stomach and cherishing the comfortable serenity the two of them have fallen into.
Charlie’s phone lights up from a notification and he catches a glimpse at the time, his smile falling slightly. “I have to go soon.” Charlie laments, now showing the screen to Nick who unconsciously matches his expression, willing the clock on his phone to freeze at 21:45. It doesn’t.
“Let me walk out then” They both dawdle as Charlie puts his shoes on and as he collects his things into his school bag, trying to extend every second they can, but sure enough Charlie is on the Nelson’s front porch while Nick stands in the doorway. Charlie hates how achingly beautiful his boyfriend looks even under in the orangey glow of his incandescent lightbulbs. It’s completely unfair.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then, yeah?” Nick says, running the back of his thumb over Charlie’s knuckles. Charlie nods, leaning up to quickly peck Nick on the lips. Self-aware enough to know if they did anything more Charlie would not be home in time for curfew.
Nick nuzzles his face into Charlie’s neck the way he always like to in response before stepping back a little further into his house giving Charlie’s hand a final squeeze.
Charlie squeezes back with equal measure before responding. “Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow nerd” savoring the smile that spreads across Nick’s entire face the entire walk home and lets it be the last thing he thinks about until his eyelids become heavy from sleep.
Contrary to popular belief Nicholas Nelson is a huge dork, but luckily for him that’s one of Charlie’s favorite things about him.