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Nick Nelson refuses to believe that there is anything in the world that is brighter, or better, than Charlie Spring’s smile. So, when the bell over the door rings just before he begins closing up and the person that walks in is Charlie Spring, you absolutely cannot blame Nick for how he reacts.
The cake that Nick had been meticulously icing for the last half an hour is effectively ruined as he attempts to raise his hand to wave. In doing so, he forgets that he’s holding the piping bag in his hand and not only sprays icing all over his workspace, but he also hits the side of the cake.
Bear in mind that the cake is a four tier cake, so the structural integrity was already spotty at best. This means that when the piping bag slams into the cake with the full force of Nick’s excitement, it immediately begins to fall apart. The top two layers fall off entirely, and the bottom two are deformed from where he managed to basically punch them.
Nick can do nothing but watch on in horror as all of his hard work is ruined.
Well, shit.
While staring at the disaster that he has just created, Nick had almost forgotten about the other person in the small shop. So, when Charlie lets out a muffled giggle, Nick jumps and spins to face him.
He almost regrets this as he is hit with the full force of a radiant Charlie smile, dimples out and everything. It makes his breath catch in his throat and he is helpless to do anything but stand there, staring dumbly.
“I’m sorry, I was trying so hard not to laugh, but I just couldn’t hold it in any longer.” Charlie still has a large smile stretched across his face, and he occasionally lets out small bursts of laughter that he keeps trying to cover with his hand.
He eventually manages to compose himself enough to notice that Nick has been frozen for an abnormally long time. “Nick, are you alright?”
Nick, through no small effort, manages to get his brain back online. His face is burning red at this point, and he’s sure that he looks absolutely ridiculous. After all, he is still holding the dreadful piping bag that caused this mess, and he is now covered in pale green icing.
It’s when he finally drags his eyes away from Charlie and down to the counter in front of him that he realises exactly how bad this is.
“I am so fucked.”
Charlie laughs in response, but clearly tries to smother it and play it off as though he didn’t. “It has to be fixable, right?”
“No, no this is definitely not fixable,” Nick adamantly shakes his head.
The cake has been reduced to a collapsed pile of chocolate crumbs and green icing. Half of it on the cake stand, and the other half on the counter in front of it. There is absolutely no salvaging this.
“I’m sorry for causing this.”
Nick’s head whips up at Charlie’s voice. It seems that in the short amount of time that Nick had been sullenly gazing at the disaster in front of him, Charlie’s demeanour had drastically changed.
“Why are you apologising?”
“Well, I don’t know,” Charlie’s face is pointed towards the ground and he’s wringing his hands together. “It’s just that, it happened right as walked in, so-”
“No. This isn’t your fault. You don’t get to apologise for it.” Nick insists.
He conveniently leaves out the part where Charlie’s smile makes him stupid, but Charlie really doesn’t need to know that. Plus, it’s not Charlie’s fault that his dimples make Nick’s brain melt out of his ears.
For the first time that afternoon the two make direct eye contact, and Nick swears his heart stops. Yeah, Charlie’s smile is everything, but his eyes (really his whole being) are just as heartstopping.
Charlie has a guilt ridden look on his face, and his bottom lip trapped in between his teeth. Nick aches to walk across the store and smooth out the line between his brows with his thumb, maybe kiss his bottom lip better, but he doesn’t.
As much as Nick is desperately pining for Charlie, Charlie is just his friend.
When Nick wandered into the bookstore next to his small bakery one bitingly cold, February afternoon, he had not expected to see the most beautiful man in the world behind the checkout counter. In all honesty, he didn’t have a goal when he entered the shop.
He was on his lunch break and he had wanted a change of scenery, so he decided to check out the newly reopened shop next door. Before, it had been a bookshop as well, but the previous owner passed away and it was closed temporarily. When it was reopened under the new owner, it had undergone a complete revamping.
So, with nothing better to do, Nick had entered the cosy space. The remodelling had taken the previously dreary, dark, and messy space and turned it into a vibrant and lovely looking shop. The colour scheme was warm with lots of soft yellows (a direct contrast to the cool tones of blue in Nick’s own shop) and several inviting chairs and small tables were now scattered throughout it.
Just as Nick had begun to aimlessly poke around the book selection, a head of black curls had appeared behind the front counter. “Can I help you?”
“Oh, no, thank you. I’m just lo-” Nick had been turning to face the person, and stopped dead in his tracks once he did.
The person behind the counter was the most beautiful person Nick had ever seen.
Nick realised that he was bisexul during sixth form, and since then he’d had many short-term, and a couple long-term, relationships with both men and women. No one that he had gone out with or had ever seen in passing held even a match to who Nick assumed was the new shop owner.
He felt like he had been hit in the head with a frying pan and he could do nothing but stare. He saw the man trying to talk to him, his mouth clearly forming words, but Nick could not make sense of what he was saying.
“Um, are you alright?” The words finally registered in Nick’s brain.
He quickly tried to rearrange his face to not be so slack jawed before attempting a small smile. “Yes, sorry, I’m just looking.”
The man hesitated, looking as though he wanted to say something, before he simply nodded and smiled in return. And there went Nick’s ability to function like a normal human again. Wow, he really needed to get his shit together.
Nick looked away from the man’s face, purely as a self preservation tactic, and down to the small nametag on his jumper. Charlie.
While Nick had been doing his own perusal of Charlie, it seemed he had been doing the same. “Oh, do you work at A Batch Made in Heaven ?”
“Yeah, um, I’m actually the owner.” Nick glanced down at his shirt with the store logo on it. He was thankful he had at least remembered to take off his apron. He often forgets to do so and just walks about with it in public.
“Oh, nice to meet you then.” Charlie’s voice drew Nick’s eyes back up to his. “I’m the new owner here.”
Nick’s heart jumped to his throat at that. He had been right, then. This meant that this gorgeous man is Nick’s new neighbour. Oh god.
“Nice to meet you, too. My name’s Nick.” Preemptively, Nick had let his eyes linger near Charlie’s collarbone so that he wouldn’t be paralyzed by Charlie’s smile again.
“Charlie.”
A moment later, he risked a glance up, Nick was relieved to find Charlie wasn’t smiling full on. He actually looked a little dazed; his gaze was not on Nick’s face. Rather, when Nick followed his line of sight, he was pretty sure that Charlie was staring at his arms.
Oh.
Maybe he’s not the only one then.
As soon the thought crossed his mind, Charlie’s eyes snapped up to his face. He cleared his throat before saying, “I should probably get back to work, but, nice to meet you…again.”
Nick, feeling more than a little disappointed, just smiled politely. “You too.” A moment of hesitation, then, “see you around.”
Charlie nodded once, then, walked faster than seemed strictly necessary, back through the door he had come through.
It had been about eight months since that first meeting, and Nick had gone from hopelessly infatuated, to even more hopelessly in love with Charlie.
They see each other nearly every day, and Nick is not sure how much longer he could keep his feelings hidden.
He now knew Charlie. Yes, he is absolutely gorgeous, pretty, cute, beautiful, handsome, etc. But now Nick knew he was so much more than that. Charlie is kind, thoughtful, funny, sarcastic, stubborn, smart, strong, and so much more. He is an amazing neighbour and friend who never fails to put a smile on Nick’s face simply by being him.
Basically, Nick is screwed.
In the mornings, Nick is up by 4 to begin preparing the various desserts for the shop. He turns on music and falls into his routine where little can distract him. At least until a few hours later when Charlie wakes up and takes his run, which involves him passing by the windows of the shop. Nick stares as discreetly as he can as Charlie stretches before and then after to cool down. Charlie waves when he notices, and Nick tries to hide his attraction and appear friendly as he waves back.
They eat lunch together most days and talk about anything and everything. Nick brings some of whatever he has been working on that day, and Charlie insists on preparing him some tea in exchange.
In the evenings when both of the shops are closed, Nick walks Nellie, his dog, and sometimes Charlie joins them. They wander through the streets aimlessly, taking their time as the sunset lights the sky in beautiful hues of orange and purple.
On the weekends, they head to a nearby pub with some of their friends and participate in the trivia night. Their friends fit well together, all of them as one group is truly so nice, and Nick is so grateful.
The first time that Charlie had met Nick’s closest friends, it had been by accident.
Nick had been in the bakery, working on some chocolate eclairs that he made using his grandmother's recipe, when Tara and Darcy had stopped in.
“Nicholas, long time no see!” Darcy’s loud voice announced their presence.
Nick rolled his eyes fondly. “I literally saw you two days ago. We got drunk and watched a movie with Imogen at my flat. Ring any bells?”
“Yes, but that was two days ago, which is a very long time.” Darcy’s wide grin was infectious and Nick couldn’t resist smiling in return.
Tara, who had been silent thus far, rolled her eyes at her girlfriend, and walked directly behind the counter where Nick was working. She stood on her toes to kiss Nick on the cheek in greeting, and at that exact moment, Nick heard the bell over the door chime.
Nick turned around to find Charlie, standing stock still just inside the entrance of the shop. “Oh, um, sorry, I’ll just…”
“No, wait, Charlie. I want you to meet my friends.” Nick was desperate for Charlie to stay, and his voice must have revealed that because he could feel Tara turn to examine him.
Darcy, who has little regard for personal space, marched right over to Charlie and threw an arm around his shoulder. “So you’re the famous Charlie we’ve been hearing about.”
Charlie’s head swivelled to look at her. “What?”
Nick wanted to die.
“Darcy, leave the poor man alone.” Tara’s voice was teasingly stern, and Darcy pouted in response.
“But this is so exciting.”
“Yes, but some people like their personal space.” Tara’s words only made Darcy pout even further, but she eased her grip on Charlie once she had brought him over to the counter.
Upon closer inspection, Nick noticed that Charlie was wearing the cosiest looking blue sweater and the sleeves were too long, so Charlie had sweater paws. He thought it might have been the cutest damn thing he had ever seen.
Tara stepped up to the counter and reached a hand across. “I’m Tara, it’s very nice to meet you.”
Charlie scrambled to pull his sleeve up before meeting her hand for a handshake. “Charlie.”
“And I’m Darcy, which I’m sure you already know.” Darcy moved to hop up onto the counter as she said this, forcing Tara and Charlie to move out of her way.
“Darcy, this is a business.” Nick insisted, hoping to persuade her down from the counter.
“And?”
Tara, being Nick’s best friend in that moment, moved forward and pushed Darcy off the counter.
“Did you just push me?!” Darcy’s mock outrage made Nick snort, turning back to Charlie.
He found Charlie already looking at him, something almost withdrawn in his gaze. That was weird. Shit, maybe Charlie was having one of his bad days and Nick was forcing him to interact with new people. He should have just let Charlie leave.
He leaned across the counter so that he was close to Charlie, and less in hearing range of the girls. Using a low voice, he asked, “Are you okay, Charlie?”
Charlie, who seemed slightly startled by the proximity, cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? I didn’t mean to force you into meeting my friends, it’s just when you showed up I thought it would be a good opportunity. But if you're having a bad day or if you just don’t feel-”
Charlie interrupted Nick and rested a hand on his covered shoulder. “I’m okay. Really.” He paused and made sure Nick was looking directly in his eyes. “Promise. I was just surprised.”
Sharp relief swept through Nick, and he let out a long, slow breath. They had recently reached a point in their friendship where Nick knew Charlie wouldn’t lie to him about how he felt. Nick knew he had a hard time voicing his feelings, especially when he’s not doing well, but they were close enough now that he was honest with Nick when he wasn’t feeling well.
They were still making direct eye contact, and the weight of Charlie’s gaze and his hand on Nick’s shoulder was nearly making Nick lightheaded. They weren’t physically affectionate. Nick was with Tara and Darcy, Imogen too, but with Charlie, he just knew that any physical touch between them would be too revealing on his part and too hard to not lean into.
A loud throat clearing broke Nick from Charlie’s gaze. Darcy and Tara were staring at them with brows raised. Darcy had a shiteating grin on her face, and Nick knew that whatever she said next would make him burst into flame with embarrassment. So, he spoke before she could. “Does anyone want anything to drink?”
Nick ended up closing early for the evening and the four of them sat down together to chat over pastries and tea. He had been happy to find that Charlie fit in so easily, it was like he was meant to be there. Just like every other aspect of Nick’s life, there seemed to have been a Charlie shaped hole that he wasn’t even aware of until Charlie was there to fill it.
Charlie talked about his friends, and how Tao was obsessed with trivia and incredibly competitive, which Nick knew was hypocritical of him. Upon hearing this, Darcy shared their relatively regular plan of meeting at the nearby pub on Fridays for trivia and told Charlie he should come along with his friends. So, they did.
From then on, almost every Friday, Nick, Charlie, Tara, Darcy, Tao, Elle, Isaac, and Imogen met at the pub and played trivia and drank. They all shoved into a too small booth and laughed and talked. Nick usually tried to avoid being next to Charlie because, again, being that close to Charlie and not touching him was too much.
Tipsy Charlie was something to marvel at though. The alcohol had a way of bringing out a softer side of Charlie, one who wanted to express his love to all of his friends, Nick especially.
On their first trivia night, Nick, who never drank much because he had to be up so early, went to grab another drink from the bar. Once he ordered he leaned on the bar, messing around on his phone.
“It seems like this was a good idea.”
Nick turned to face Charlie. Charlie with his curls, and dazzling blue eyes, and dimples. Charlie who was just his friend.
Nick cleared his throat and met Charlie’s eyes. “Yeah, everyone seems to be getting along well.”
Charlie hummed in acknowledgement, but he looked distracted, like he’s thinking about something else. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but ultimately stayed silent, still staring off into space.
“Charlie, ar-”
“Tara’s really pretty.”
Nick was taken aback at this statement. “Um, yeah, she is…”
Charlie, who was studying Nick’s face intently, just nodded, but his face fell just a bit, like he was disappointed.
Nick was so confused. Why was he disappointed? What were they talking about?
“How long have you two been together?” Charlie’s voice was small when he asked, but Nick heard him loud and clear.
“What?” Nick was absolutely baffled by that point.
“I was just asking how long you guys have been going out…”
“You think that me and Tara are dating?”
Now Charlie looked confused, “Are you not?”
“I, what, of course not.” Charlie’s face scrunched like he’s even more confused. “Charlie, Tara is a lesbian. Her and Darcy have been dating for a decade since they found out they were soulmates.”
At that, Charlie’s mouth fell open and his face flushed a beautiful scarlett.
“Why did you think we’re dating?” Nick asked.
Charlie’s blush deepened, and he seemed deeply embarrassed. “Well, I don’t know.” A pause. “When I first met Tara she was kissing you, and she’s pretty, and you’re…you, so I guess I just assumed.”
Nick couldn’t help but laugh. He never would have guessed that Charlie thought he and Tara were dating. He then realised that Charlie had thought this for almost an entire week since meeting Tara and Darcy. “Oh my god, did you think this the entire time? Why didn’t you ask sooner?”
Charlie spluttered. “How was I supposed to just randomly bring that up in conversation?”
Nick could not get his laughter under control.
“Nick, stop it, I’m already embarrassed enough.” Charlie hit him in the arm.
Nick settled and wiped his eyes before looking at Charlie. “Charlie, don’t you think I would have told you by now if I was in a relationship?”
Charlie stayed silent at that, clearly considering it.
“Charlie! We have been friends for months now, how would that have not come up in conversation?” Nick was shocked by this turn of events. “Oh my god, are you in a relationship?”
Charlie hit his arm harder, his cheeks still a vibrant red. “Shut up. You know I’m not.”
“Well I don’t know, clearly we need to have a clarifying conversation about this.” With mock seriousness, Nick leaned forward and placed his hands on Charlie’s covered shoulders. “Charlie, I am not dating anyone, man or woman.”
Charlie’s brows drew together quizzically, “Man or woman?”
“Or other.”
“Wait,” Charlie shook his head and stepped back, Nick’s hands dropped from him. “Are you saying you would date someone who wasn’t a girl?”
Nick froze. Had this not come up? He knew that Charlie was gay, and Nick was almost sure that he’s told Charlie he’s bi, but maybe not…
“Uh, yeah, I’m bi.”
Charlie’s too beautiful for any facial expression he ever makes to be considered comical, but with his eyes bugging out of his head and his mouth open, he was bordering on it.
“You’re bi?” Charlie forced out once he found words again.
“Yeah. I’ve been out for almost ten years now.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
They both fell silent for a moment, and Nick just stood there, observing Charlie’s face. With the alcohol already running through his system, Charlie’s face was open, easier to read. He was clearly struggling to process this, and Nick tried not to feel anything about that. He refused to let himself have even the smallest hope that this meant anything more to Charlie than it being a new fact about Nick, his friend.
“Thanks for telling me.” Charlie’s expression finally cleared and he was giving Nick a small smile.
“Honestly, I thought I told you a long time ago, so, I’m sorry I didn’t.” Nick shifted so that his side was pressed against Charlie’s lightly, and Charlie leaned into the contact. He was warm, and Nick wished that they were both wearing short sleeves so that he could feel direct skin to skin contact.
A throat cleared behind him and he turned to see a drink now on the bar. He threw a thanks at the barkeep before he grabbed his drink and turned back around.
Saying fuck it, Nick threw his arm around Charlie’s shoulder and started to move back towards their group of friends. Charlie seemed to have no problem with the new contact as he brought his hand up to rest on the small of Nick’s back in return. Nick was thankful for the layers between them that time as he likely would have dissolved into a puddle otherwise.
The rest of the night went swimmingly, and Nick began to greatly look forward to Friday nights.
“Nick.” Charlie says in a way that makes Nick think it’s not the first time he’s said his name. His eyes find Charlie again, and the worry that had been marring his expression has only deepened. “Where’d you go?”
“Sorry, I don’t know, I just got distracted.” Nick feels sheepish, only just realising how far he zoned out.
Charlie must have moved closer to the counter in the time that Nick hadn’t been paying attention because he is now close enough to touch. One of his hands is partially raised between them like he means to reach for Nick, but it drops when Charlie notices Nick looking at it.
“So, what are you going to do about that?” Charlie says, motioning to the mess in front of Nick.
Nick had almost forgotten about the demolished cake, so the reminder makes him grit his teeth.
Dammit, this really isn’t good. The client wanted it ready by mid-morning tomorrow, meaning he would probably have to stay up overnight to get it redone if he still wanted to be open tomorrow.
“Well, I’m just gonna have to pull an all nighter to get it redone.” Nick is already exhausted as he hasn’t been sleeping well the past couple of nights, but he absolutely refuses to just not have something ready.
“Do you want company?” Charlie’s question is quiet and when Nick tries to meet his eyes, Charlie’s are directed firmly down at his hands.
“You’ll help me?”
Now that Charlie knows Nick isn’t outright rejecting him, he looks up to meet his eyes. “Yeah, of course.”
“Thank you,” Nick’s voice is slightly too reverent for his liking, but Charlie just tucks his head bashfully, not before Nick catches the smile on his face.
“Are you already done with everything at Spring Into Reading for the night?” Nick asks.
“Yeah, I was coming over to see if you wanted to get dinner?”
The fact that Charlie was going to ask about dinner means that he is most definitely hungry. So, Nick formulates a plan. “Why don’t you go pick up some dinner for us and get anything you need from next door while I close up for the night? Then we can eat before starting on the cake.”
Charlie smiles again, and again, Nick tries not to look directly at it. “Alright, I’ll meet you back here in like thirty minutes.”
Charlie goes to leave, but Nick puts his hand on Charlie’s covered arm before he can get far. Charlie turns around, confusion in the downturned corner of his mouth. “I just, thank you, Charlie. Really.”
Nick squeezes Charlie’s arm before letting him go, and this time he doesn’t turn away as Charlie smiles wide enough for his dimples to pop out. “Stop thanking me. It’s not a hardship, spending time with you.”
He leaves before Nick can say anything else, and Nick is so devastatingly in love.
After a moment of melancholic pining, Nick grabs his keys from the small office in the back and locks the front door before flipping the sign to read “closed.”
When he gets back to the counter, he studies the cake remains in front of him. He decides to throw all of it out and start from scratch because he doesn’t know how much he could salvage anyways. He then gets to work wiping down his work station (and himself), ridding the area of the green mess. His apron and shirt are in desperate need of a wash, so he swaps out what he is wearing for a blue hoodie and some grey joggers. He will put on a new apron after they eat.
While he grabs a change of clothes, he gets Nellie too, and brings her back down to the shop with him so that she can go out then curl up in one of her dog beds near Nick.
Once Nellie has gone out and he deems the area clean, he begins to gather up the ingredients. He also grabs all of the kitchen tools and eight different cake tins he will need. He has just begun laying everything out in an organised fashion on the counter when he hears a knock on the door.
Nick tries not to stare as he lets Charlie in, but Charlie is all bundled up in a soft yellow jumper, coat, and beanie even though it’s only September, and Nick really wants to hold him.
He does grab the bags from Charlie’s hands, refusing to let him carry them any further. While he walks over and sets the takeout on one of the tables closest to the kitchen, Nellie gets up to brush against Charlie’s legs. Charlie bends, cooing, and scratches behind Nellie’s ear. As Nick takes everything out of the bags and puts it on the table, Charlie moves to the mini fridge in his office to grab them each a water. Then they sit down opposite each other with Nellie curled up beneath the feet of Charlie’s chair and it’s all so domestic that Nick could cry.
As they eat, Nick does most of the talking because even though it has gotten easier for Charlie to eat, Nick knows that he still doesn’t love to talk while doing so. He tells him what the cake is supposed to look like, and what it’s going to require.
He also relays a story about an old woman who had come in that day to order an eight tier wedding cake for her daughter’s wedding, but what she failed to mention until the end of the conversation was that it was supposed to be for the next day. It was simply not possible for Nick to have it done in time, especially given that he doesn’t have any help, and the lady got very angry when he told her that. She yelled and hurled insults at him, scaring off some of Nick’s customers until she finally got tired and left with a kick to one of his display cases as a parting gift.
“Wait, what was she wearing?” They are both done with their food now, and Nick has begun to gather up their rubbish.
He pauses, “Um, I think it was a pink cardigan, grey skirt, and a matching pink hat.”
Charlie bursts into deep belly laughter and nearly falls out of his chair from laughing so hard. As previously mentioned, Nick is in love with that laugh and smile so he is helpless to join in even though he has no idea why they're laughing.
When Charlie finally calms down, he explains, “I think the same lady came into my store after. She was muttering about some wanker who was apparently incompetent. She left without purchasing anything though, so there was no argument with me.”
“Are you kidding me? I was so polite, even when she was yelling, I was calmly asking her to leave. I didn’t yell back or insult her.” Nick gapes at Charlie.
Charlie breaks down again at this, his head thumping against the table as he gasps for breath.
“Sure, laugh at my misery, Charlie. I see how it is.” Nick tries to pout, but he keeps smiling by accident. Too in love with the dork in front of him to keep a straight face.
Once Charlie’s giggles have run their course, they both finish cleaning up the table before they move to the kitchen. There, they both don aprons and wash their hands. Nick preheats the oven and then they set to work.
Since they need so much cake batter, Nick decides the easiest way to do this is to prepare cake batter and have Charlie prepare some at the same time. Charlie listens intently and is extremely concentrated. Nick, on the other hand, finds his eyes straying to Charlie’s cute, focused face more than they should. He really can’t help it though.
The sun has long since set, so the only light comes from the fluorescent lights above them. It definitely washes Nick out in a highly unflattering way, but Nick strongly argues that it makes Charlie look angelic.
His curls are slightly unkempt from his beanie earlier and the light is behind him, giving him the effect of a halo. His sleeves are pushed up to his elbows to avoid getting any food on them, so Nick can see the long lines of his forearms and pianist hands. His nose is scrunched in concentration and he keeps biting his lip. Nick has remarkable self-control.
It takes a while, but they finish making the first round of cake batter and fill the first four tins before Charlie sets out to make another batch of batter for the four remaining smaller tins and Nick starts on the icing and ganache.
Now that Nick doesn’t have to give Charlie direct instructions, he turns on his speaker and shuffles the playlist he and Charlie created together.
Nick loves his job and he is so incredibly grateful that this is what he gets to do for a living, but he hasn’t had this much fun baking in ages. He keeps dancing even though he has no rhythm just to make Charlie giggle, and Charlie sings dramatically into whatever cooking utensil he is using whenever Adele comes on. Nellie sleeps peacefully on her bed in the office despite the noise the two of them are making, and Nick is just so happy he could die.
After a few hours, the cakes are out of the oven and cooling while they prepare everything they can for the decorations on the cake. Charlie is good at everything he does, so when he asks if he can help pipe later and Nick gives him a piece of paper to practise on, he is not surprised to find that Charlie easily matches what Nick does.
The cakes still need time to cool, but they've done as much prep as they can, so Nick makes himself a cup of tea and Charlie a cup of coffee, and they move to sit on the small couch in his office, talking in hushed voices about everything and nothing.
It’s that time of night where the night owls have gone to bed but the early risers are still asleep, and there is a quiet stillness that makes them feel like they are the only ones awake. The scent of coffee and chocolate cake lingers in the air, and it’s pleasantly warm from the ovens. Even so, Charlie is sitting under a blanket because, well, he’s Charlie and he’s always cold, and Nick is putting a considerable amount of effort into not reaching for him.
Charlie takes a sip of his coffee before setting his mug down on the floor next to him. He angles his body to face Nick completely, his knees knocking into the side of Nick’s thigh, and he rests his head on the back of the couch. “I don’t think I’ve stayed up this late since uni.”
Nick mirrors his position, also setting his mug on the floor. “I definitely haven’t. I usually go to bed super early since I get up so early. So this is definitely out of the norm for me.”
Charlie is staring at him so intensely that Nick begins to blush. Why? Why is Charlie doing this to him?
“I’m honestly surprised that I don’t feel more tired.” Nick rambles on, unable to sit quietly with Charlie looking at him like that. “Normally, I would be getting ready to get up for the day, which means I have been up for nearly 24 hours, and-”
“Hey, Nick.” Charlie’s voice is barely above a whisper.
“Yes, Char?”
Charlie pauses with an open mouth. Why’d he stop? Oh, shit, Nick said Char . Well, that’s telling, but it’s okay, he can play it off.
“Char?”
“Um, yes, sorry. It kinda slipped out.”
Charlie is sitting up now, and he has leaned forward slightly into Nick’s space. “I like it.”
The teasing smile on his face makes Nick blush. “Stoppp. This is embarrassing.” Nick brings his hands to cover his burning face.
“No, it’s cute. Say it again.” Charlie’s voice reveals the smile on his face, and Nick is glad he’s not staring right at it because he doesn’t think he can possibly be any redder than he already is.
“Now I’m never saying it again.”
Charlie giggles. “Oh come on. It’s alright. What if I call you Nicky to make it even?”
Nick scrambles to uncover his face, giving Charlie a look of disgust. “Absolutely not. That’s what my mum calls me, which is bad enough, I can’t have you doing it too.”
Charlie smirks, “Whatever you say…Nicky.”
Nick must be delirious because he gives into his impulse and reaches out to poke one of Charlie’s dimples. He means to shoot back a teasing remark, but the second his skin touches Charlie’s tingles travel down from the point of contact through Nick’s whole body and he is rendered speechless. The tingles seem to concentrate on his right wrist even after he pulls his hand away, and it almost tickles.
Instinctively, he reaches with his opposite hand to grab his right wrist. Charlie does the same thing at the same exact time and they both freeze. Neither of them is smiling anymore, in fact they are both staring at each other in shock. What just happened?
Oh.
Oh.
There’s no way, there is absolutely no way that Nick is going to look at his wrist and see what he thinks he’s going to. No way.
They both break eye contact to look down at their wrists. Nick moves his left hand out of the way, and there it is. On his inner wrist, the name Charlie is written in elegant font.
Holy fucking shit. Holy fucking shit.
Nick brings his left index finger to trace the letters, they aren’t raised, rather, just part of his skin. Almost like they were always there.
He breaks out of his reverie and looks up to find Charlie staring just as intently as his wrist.
“Char.”
Charlie looks up, and Nick swears that he can feel a physical connection between them the moment their eyes connect.
Nick slowly brings his wrist up so that Charlie can see, and when he does, Charlie gasps. His hand moves as if of its own volition to touch his name on the inside of Nick’s wrist, and in doing so, he exposes the inside of his own wrist.
There, in the same font, is the name Nick.
Nick is going to cry.
Their fingers meet and automatically intertwine, completely pressed together, so that their names line up on top of one another. From every point of contact on their hands, small zaps of electricity race down Nick’s arm.
“Charlie.” Nick is unable to say more, but Charlie seems to understand.
Keeping their hands entwined, they both lean forward until their foreheads are touching. Both of their breathing is slightly more rapid than usual, and the increased contact only increases that.
Nick brings his free hand up to cup Charlie’s face, and Charlie brings his to rest on Nick’s leg. Every place that their skin touches lights up, and Nick is afraid he is going to float away on the sense of euphoria that surges through them.
“We’re soulmates.” Charlie whispers between them. His nose brushes Nick’s as he speaks, and Nick can’t help but lean forward to gently brush their noses together.
“Fucking hell, I love you, Char. So much. I’m so fucking lucky.” Nick’s voice breaks on the word “lucky” and he has to swallow down the urge to cry.
Charlie gasps at Nick’s confession, like he hadn’t been expecting it, but he brings his hand from Nick’s thigh up to the back of his neck, pulling him as close as they can be without actually kissing.
“I love you, Nick. So much.” At that Nick can’t put off kissing him any longer.
The kiss is intense from the first second. There is no finesse, but Nick can’t bring himself to care, not when it’s the best kiss of his life.
Nick pulls back and uses his hand on the side of Charlie’s face to tilt his head before leaning back in and reconnecting their lips. It’s smoother this time, both of them quickly learning how to fit together.
Finally after so long of seeing Charlie bite at his lip, Nick gently swipes his tongue along it, as if to soothe where Charlie so often bites it. Charlie whimpers and responds by biting gently on Nick’s bottom lip before similarly soothing it with his tongue.
Nick pulls away to breathe, taking in Charlie’s face. His eyes are still closed, his lips wet and red. His cheeks are a warm pink that Nick wants to feel, so he gently smoothes his thumb over the cheekbone his hand is already holding.
Charlie’s eyes finally open and they are a stunning blue that Nick is certain he could drown in.
“I love you.” Nick simply can’t help himself now that he is finally able to say it.
The smile that breaks across Charlie’s face is just as heartstopping as always, only this time, Nick can do something about it. So, he gently pushes his thumb into Charlie’s dimple, since it was right there, and swoops back in for a devastating kiss.
Charlie’s free hand reaches up to Nick’s hair and gently tangles in it before lightly pulling. Nick’s mouth drops open at the action, and he releases a helpless sound from the back of his throat. Charlie tongue is quick to take advantage of his open mouth and tentatively push inside.
From there everything is a whirlwind of heat and desperation that leaves Nick gasping and needy when Charlie pulls back.
They are both still sitting on the couch, facing each other, with their legs in between them, and Nick’s back is starting to hurt from leaning over to bridge the gap between them. Charlie must be thinking the same thing because he gently eases out of his tangled blanket before swinging a leg over Nick’s hips and coming to rest in Nick’s lap.
They finally release their hold on each other’s right hands; Nick’s now free hands falling to grip Charlie’s hips and Charlie’s flying to rest on his shoulders. Charlie is looking down at him slightly from this angle, and Nick gives in to his urge to tip his chin up so that Charlie has easier access to his mouth.
The kiss that follows is softer than the previous ones. It’s deep and languid. Dragging on for an unidentifiable amount of time until all that Nick knows is Charlie.
When they part this time, Nick tips his head back against the couch, and Charlie follows to rest his head in the crook of his neck. His hands come up on to lie flat on Nick’s chest between them and Nick's fall to wrap around his waist. Both of them sit contently in silence, so unbelievably happy. The music they put on before is still playing, and Nick is completely happy to remain here forever.
“I love you.” Charlie’s lips lightly brush Nick’s neck when he speaks, and a shiver runs down his spine. From the words or the touch, he doesn’t know.
Nick’s arms slung low around Charlie’s back squeeze in response, pulling Charlie impossible closer.
That feeling of electricity is still there in every point of contact between them, and Nick can’t believe that this is real.
“I can’t believe it took this long for us to have skin-to-skin contact.” Nick breaks the silence.
“I do wear a lot of layers and long sleeves.” Charlie’s voice is a low mumble.
“That is true.” Nick debates whether he should say what he’s thinking. He goes for it. “I, also, purposefully avoided physical contact with you for the most part because I didn’t think I could handle it if it was only platonic.”
At that, Charlie emerges from his hiding spot and his hands move up to gently hold either side of Nick’s face. “I noticed that you weren’t very touchy with me, but I took that to mean you didn’t want it, so I wouldn’t touch you if you didn’t initiate it.”
Nick’s face falls, and he picks his head up from the back of the couch to face Charlie more head on. “Aw no, Charlie. That was never the case, love, I promise. I was just desperately pining and I needed to protect myself somehow.”
Charlie smiles and leans in to kiss him lightly. “I know that now.”
“I’m sorry I made you feel that way.” Nick can’t help the guilt he feels.
“No, you can’t apologise for that if I can’t apologise for the cake.”
Charlie’s head falls back down to Nick’s shoulder and his hands slowly map out Nick’s arms. Interesting.
“I was pining just as hard, in case you were worried.” Charlie seems hesitant to admit this, but it makes Nick’s breath catch to hear that his feelings weren't entirely one sided.
They fall back into easy silence, and Nick is worried that he is going to fall asleep.
Thankfully, but unfortunately, his daily alarm for 4am goes off, and Nick remembers that they have a purpose for being here at this hour.
“I need to get working on the cake, love. I’m sorry.” And he is apologetic because he also doesn’t want to move.
Charlie makes a small noise of protest before slowly sliding off of Nick’s lap.
They both make their way back into the kitchen where they redon aprons and wash their hands. Then, the morning continues as it had been, just with more touching.
When Nick successfully stacks the tiers together, Charlie pulls him in for a quick kiss that makes Nick light up inside. When Charlie finishes piping a beautiful pattern, just as Nick showed him, on the smallest tier, Nick kisses him on the forehead in thanks and awe. When Charlie passes behind Nick to move some dishes to the sink, his hand gently passes over the small of Nick’s back. When everything is done Nick pulls Charlie in for a tight hug.
“Thank you, Char. I love you.” Nick’s words are buried in Charlie’s shoulder, but Charlie hears him.
“I love you, too, but no thank yous.” Charlie’s hand gently runs through Nick’s hair on the back of his head, and Nick never wants to move.
Sadly, it’s nearing 7am, and both men still need to finish getting their stores ready to open, and probably shower some of the flour, icing, and other baking ingredients off.
So, Nick pulls his head back and leans into Charlie for one final kiss. As Nick kisses him, his hand grabs Charlie’s and he runs his thumb over where his name resides.
After what is nowhere near enough time in Nick’s opinion, they pull apart reluctantly, and step away from each other.
“I love you, I’ll see you later.” Charlie’s eyes are sad, but his voice is gentle and happy.
“I love you.” Nick watches as Charlie walks out the door, resisting the urge to call him back.
Then Charlie is gone, and Nick is left alone to fully think about what just happened.
Charlie kissed him. Charlie loves him. Charlie’s his soulmate.
Absentmindedly running his thumb over the name on his wrist, Nick can’t help but marvel at how lucky he is. Sweet, beautiful, wonderful Charlie with a brain melting smile is his better half, literally. Charlie Spring completes him, of course he does, he didn’t need a name on his wrist to tell him that, just to confirm it. They are destined by the cosmos to be together.
Nick cannot imagine anything better.