Chapter Text
Of all the things that Nick Nelson was expecting when he got home from practice with the lads off the bus, it was not the entire terrace house they’d scrimped and saved for last year completely blacked out, save for the front porch light illuminating a note stuck to the door.
He had just expected the whole house to be lit up as he walked through the door, hung his coat up, put his kit down next to the washing machine and walked into the kitchen to lovingly embrace his boyfriend of 5 years from behind as he made dinner. Then, if he was able, he would set the table and they would talk about their day before he went up to their new shared office to finish off more schoolwork and revision before clocking out for the night.
It had been like that for a while, their routine. Nick was just always so busy and he honestly didn’t know just how Charlie took it so well. He had enough on his own plate with his own schoolwork and doing stuff at home all the time. It had been literal ages since they’d had a proper sit-down meal that didn’t consist of Nick taking his share and disappearing into the woodwork while Charlie binged tv shows downstairs.
Plus, he was going to ask what Charlie wanted for their anniversary, considering it was in like a few days or so. It was a big one, 5 years now since that fateful meeting in their form thanks to an unexpected shakeup for students, so he wanted to give him something better than just “good”, as the last few had been small affairs with a party once in a while, usually ending with some form of sex away from prying eyes and ears.
Guess it would have to wait, given Charlie never said to him that he was going out. Which was very unlike him, but considering he’d grown more daring over the years, could just be a step in that direction, despite not knowing what exactly a full-on Charlie Spring rebellion would look like. Somehow. Like at all. Given his boyfriend was normally so gentle. Anyway-
Huffing through his nose in curiosity, he made it up the 3 small stairs for once without somehow tripping, only to find that it wasn’t just a note, but a note sticky taped to the door along with a walkie-talkie attached to the knocker above it, masking tape on its bottom with ‘rugby lad’ written in black ink crudely, Charlie’s handwriting screaming out to be heard.
Okay. Now this officially has escalated to just plain…weird. Proper weird. Shouldering his rugby kit as well as his house key so that he had both hands free, he took the walkie-talkie off its mount carefully so he wouldn’t suddenly drop and shatter it into a million plastic pieces and unpeeled the note from where it was against the grain of the wood.
It read:
“Hi babe. It’s been 5 years since you came into my life and I can’t thank you enough for being there and putting up with me (and my problems) for as long as you have.
This year, we’ve bought a house, you’re graduating into a career that you’ll do wonders in and once again, I ’m going into my final year of something without you by my side, but still cheering for me on the sidelines like I still do you. Just my luck.
Well, despite this terrible truth that I’ve already lived through once before, I don’t hold any grudges (at least, since the new therapist), so I have a special treat for you tonight.
All you have to do is do the five things I’ve asked you to do. I’ve left you notes and of course, the walkie-talkie so you can tell me when you’ve done everything by turning it on, pressing the button and saying ‘Done’ into the speaker.
I’ll know if you haven’t because I’ll be watching, so I would try and finish all the tasks I’ve written down, because I know that you’ll enjoy them.
Your first task is to head inside the house when you are ready and go into the kitchen. You’ll find what to do next from there. Don’t worry about the kit, it’ll be alright till you’re done.
See you soon!
With all my love,
Char <3”
If Nick’s eyebrows had wings, they would have flown off his face given they had climbed so high that they were practically in his hairline as he reread the note a further 2 times after the first time before he understood it. Charlie was literally sending him on a scavenger hunt. How? Why? Charlie was never into this kind of thing, but Nick wasn’t exactly /not/ wanting to find out exactly what the other boy had in store for him. Was this for their anniversary? Was this just to wind him up after practice? Maybe Tao was in town and surprising them? He wouldn't put this past him.
It didn’t really matter in the end if it was most likely Charlie masterminding this, did it? He might as well play along despite his whole head swimming with worries and timelines and questions, right? So, despite his hesitations, he puts the walkie-talkie in his pants pocket and opens the door up to stare at the dark hallway and dimly lit kitchen in front of him before he moves towards it, the door barely making a sound as it closes behind him.
So much for just a normal evening.