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Nick is laying on the sofa in Charlie’s flat, playing Animal Crossing on his Switch. He has his focus face on - brows furrowed, eyes narrowed, tongue poking out. Charlie is spread out at the bottom with Nick’s legs acting as a blanket even though it’s the middle of May. The weight of Nick’s body provides a strange sense of comfort to Charlie. Besides, that’s just what they do, ok? Ok.
It’s the end of another academic year for the two of them and with Nick finishing his earlier, he couldn’t help but come to stay with Charlie for the last few days of his deadlines and exams for the year. Nick has been trying to be a considerate boyfriend, giving Charlie time to study in peace even though all he wants is to give Charlie kisses, make him cuppas, cuddle him… the list goes on.
Right now, Charlie’s taking a well deserved break and they’re relaxing in the living room together.
Nick decides to take a break from the game feeling the effects of straining his eyes so much. He puts the Switch down on the table beside the sofa and looks at Charlie.
Uh oh. Charlie has his worried face on. He’s clutching his phone very close to his face, scrolling away, while chewing on his left cheek. His eyes are wide open and he looks like he’s forgotten blinking is a required movement for a human. His right hand is occupied by playing with one of his curls.
Charlie never plays with his curls.
“Char?” Nick says softly, not to give his boyfriend a jumpscare since they’ve been sitting in silence for some time.
“Hm?” Charlie hums, still vigorously scrolling through his phone.
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?” Charlie gives Nick a quick glance, his mind clearly still set on his task.
“I know this face. You’re worried. What’s wrong?” Nick says gently but confidently, nudging Charlie’s thigh with his foot.
That seems to do the magic because Charlie locks his phone and puts it down next to him. “Nothing. Everything is great,” he rests his head on the sofa and offers Nick one of his I’m-fine-but-something-is-eating-me smiles.
“Come on, you can’t bullshit me,” Nick says playfully. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you play with your curls like you’ve been doing just now. And you’re chewing on your cheek, and you’ve got—“
“Alright, alright, Mr. Observant,” Charlie interrupts, poking Nick in the belly.
“I shall take it as a compliment. So what’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
“It’s stupid. You’ll think it’s stupid,” Charlie looks down and starts playing with his fingers.
“Char, I’d never think your worries are stupid. You can tell me anything,” Nick states truthfully, extending a hand for Charlie to hold and Charlie does.
“Okay, fine. Do you remember that guy we saw at the train station when you arrived the other day?”
“The one we both thought was hot?”
“Yeah…”
“I remember,” Nick nods. “I still can’t believe we fancied the same person for once! I think it was the skirt.”
“Well… that’s sort of what this is about,” Charlie breaks eye contact again, now focusing on bending Nick’s fingers up and down.
“Wait, what? Are you thinking about that guy?” Nick asks, curiously rather than accusatory.
“No, silly. I’m talking about the, ummm, the skirt. Not the particular skirt he was wearing but a skirt. Skirts in general.”
“Okay? What about them?” the taller boy asks, missing Charlie’s point by a mile.
“I kind of… liked how he looked in it? And I…I wanted to maybe buy one?” Charlie replies with uncertainty in his voice.
“Oh, Char,” Nick lifts his legs off Charlie and sits up facing his boyfriend. “Is that what made you so worried?” he says, cupping Charlie’s hands in his.
“Not worried, but like…” the curly-haired boy sighs. “I dunno. I don’t feel confident enough to wear one.”
“Hey. Look at me,” Nick grabs Charlie’s face in his hand and gently turns it to face him. “I think you’re plenty confident, darling. You have a lot more confidence and strength in you that you give yourself credit for. I mean, you only joined a rugby team because you had a crush on someone ,” he states truthfully, a smirk present on his face.
“Oh, shut up,” Charlie retaliates, gently shoving Nick away. “This is serious!”
“I am being serious. I think you should do it. There’s no hurt in trying.”
“I guess…”
“Besides,” Nick closes the gap between them and places a gentle kiss on Charlie’s lips. “I think you’d look really hot in one.”
They proceed to have a tickling battle, followed by a heated make out session.
Later that night, as Nick lays on his back with Charlie fast asleep next to him, he thinks back to their conversation and decides that there’s only one way to help Charlie in this situation.
The next day Charlie is busy with studying so Nick needs to occupy himself. Normally, that’d be an issue but since his realisation the night before, he manages to spend a! whole! day! without bothering Charlie.
After spending most of the day out, he comes back to the flat, a BHF* bag in his hand. The flat is free of any other occupants as they had all finished the week before so the noise he hears in the kitchen must be Charlie.
His boyfriend hears him entering the flat and leaves the kitchen to greet him.
“Hey, how was your da—,“ Charlie attempts to ask.
“Can’t talk right now! Be with you in a minute,” Nick blurs out and practically runs to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him, leaving Charlie stumped in the hallway.
Nick wastes no time and quickly changes into his newly acquired clothing item. He leaves the bathroom and walks over to the living room expecting to see Charlie there. He takes a peak but sees no sign of Charlie inside.
“Nick?” he hears Charlie’s voice behind which scares the living shit out of him. He jumps up and turns around abruptly.
And that’s when Charlie sees.
Alongside his usual vans and a white T-shirt, his boyfriend is wearing a long, checkered skirt in blue.
Charlie’s eyes go wide at the sight, his jaw drops, both because it’s not something that he expected to see but also because the sight is doing things to him. He is consuming the visual in front of him, looking Nick up and down. His mouth opens and closes repeatedly as he’s struggling to formulate something to say.
“Do you like it?” Nick asks cheekily and gives Charlie a twirl, making the fabric spin around in the air.
Still struggling to say anything, Charlie bolts towards Nick and launches himself into his boyfriend’s arms. Nick catches him, only slightly stumbling back.
“You did this for me?” Charlie says after a moment, head still buried into Nick’s neck.
“Of course I did,” the taller boy replies, running a hand up and down the smaller boy’s back. “You seemed really troubled by it and I wanted to support you.”
Charlie moves his head to look into Nick’s eyes, his own now filled with tears. He sniffles. “How are you the best boyfriend in the world? I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Char.”
They share a kiss filled with mutual appreciation, a silent thank you communicated between the two.
“Now, when are we buying one for you then?”
There’s nothing Nick wouldn’t do for Charlie. If wearing a piece of fabric in a different shape than he normally does is what he needs to do, he’ll do it. Because guess what?
Clothes have no gender.