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It all started when Tori introduced Nick to Charlie.
Nick and Tori had been working together at a primary school in Kent, and with Nick’s classroom being the closest to Tori’s office, they had formed an unlikely friendship. When Tori had taken Charlie as her plus one to an end of year party the school had thrown, she had introduced the two of them as soon as Nick had shown up.
Charlie remembered thinking their friendship was funny at the very least, with Nick giving off much of a golden retriever personality while Tori was… well, Tori. She was quiet, sarcastic, and dark; Nick was sweet, dorky, and proactive. And yeah, they did say opposites attract and all that shit, but it just felt… peculiar.
Nick and Charlie however, they just fit.
Their friendship started naturally. After being introduced by Tori, they had spent the whole party talking and laughing and just enjoying each other’s company, and once Charlie left, he did so with Nick’s number safely saved on his phone. Countless text messages and FaceTime chats later, Charlie started considering Nick a close friend, even if they didn’t hang out in person much, with both their schedules being a bit hectic during the end of the year and the beginning of another.
But then they did, and Nick started spending a lot of time over at Charlie’s flat, where they could mostly be by themselves since Charlie didn’t have a flatmate. It was also around that time that Charlie started noticing that he might not see Nick only as a friend.
And Charlie Spring with a possible tiny crush and too much time to overthink often led to bad ideas. Which was why, as they were rewatching New Girl and talking about how they both had crushes on the characters, Charlie was teasing Nick.
“So you’re telling me your dream partner is like Jess?” He shook his head, watching as said woman made another stupid decision that led her to stuff meth into her bra. As funny as it was to watch in a show, someone like that in real life was bound to be a nightmare.
“Not exactly like Jess. I mean, having someone like her as a friend would already be too much anxiety inducing, let alone as a partner,” Nick huffed out a laugh, basically echoing Charlie’s thoughts, which made him giggle in response. “I just– Well, my friends say I have a type.”
“A type?”
“Yeah. It’s basically, you know, the big blue eyes and dark hair,” Nick scratched the back of his neck, light pink colouring his cheeks as he sheepishly glanced up at Charlie.
Charlie raised a brow, his blue eyes never leaving Nick’s reddening face. “That sounds very basic, Nick.”
“I know! I said my friends think I have a type, I never said I agreed with it.”
“I’m sorry, but if – and I’m assuming here – Tara and Darcy think you have a type, then you for sure have a type,” Nick mumbled something under his breath and Charlie frowned. “What was that?”
“The rugby lads also think so.”
Charlie snorted loudly. “Then you really do have a type! Come on, tell me more.”
“I don’t know, Charlie, I never thought about it!” Seeing Charlie’s unimpressed look, he complied. “Okay, alright. Objectively, I’d like them to be nice and a good friend, at first, but also cute and maybe a bit like… sunshiny? Smart but also dorky and snarky, and even a bit competitive, to be honest. That’s why I compared them to Jess, I suppose.”
Something nagged on the back of Charlie’s mind, but he couldn’t figure out what, so he just smiled teasingly at Nick. “Sunshiny?”
“Fuck off,” flustering, Nick threw a cushion at him, and Charlie giggled again. “How about you then? What’s your type?”
That took Charlie a bit off guard. “I– Well. I don’t have much of a type, I don’t think. Just like… a guy who’s a nice person, and well, nice to me and whom I can have fun with.”
“That’s not a type, Char. That’s a basic human expectation.”
“I know that! That’s why I said I don’t have a specific type, but given my track record…”
Nick frowned, no doubt also remembering when Charlie told him about his twat of an ex boyfriend. “Okay, fair enough, I guess.”
Then went back to watching the telly, both lost in thoughts but still chuckling softly as the episode progressed, and then…
“I like bigger guys, though,” Charlie blurted out before he could think about what he was saying. He mentally facepalmed as Nick whipped his head around to look at him again. “Not like giant lads or anything just… a tad taller, perhaps? And athletic too.”
Nick didn’t utter a word for a few seconds, a strange look on his face as his eyes didn’t leave Charlie’s. Then his lips stretched in a lopsided smile. “Taller and athletic, huh?”
Well fuck, maybe he did say a bit too much.
“Fuck off,” he mumbled, parroting Nick’s words from before and making Nick’s smile grow. He didn’t comment on it though, turning back to the telly.
As they went on with their New Girl marathon, Charlie couldn’t help himself in over analysing Jess. Her hair, although dark, had a lighter tint to it, unlike Charlie’s, which was as dark as black could be. Her blue eyes were also a bit lighter than his, because Charlie’s eyes were slightly, well bluer. For a second, Charlie entertained the idea that maybe he could fit Nick’s type – and objectively he did – but whatever had been nagging his mind became a full on coherent thought that flashed like an alarm and made all the air rush out of his lungs in one go.
Tori fitted Jess’ description to a fucking t.
The dark hair, the bangs and even the eyes, since Tori’s blue eyes were lighter than Charlie’s, although it wasn’t much noticeable. And granted, Tori wasn’t the most sunshiny person in the world; she spoke in sarcasm and deadpan and she probably didn’t own a single light coloured piece of clothing to save her life. But he had to admit that ever since she had changed therapists after university, she had been a bit lighter. A bit happier too. And it was even more noticeable once she started at this current job at the school’s administration office.
Nick and Tori… Yeah, he could see it. He really could.
And as much as Charlie had a teeny tiny crush – who wouldn’t crush on Nick, to be honest? – he could already see himself getting into their business.
✼・゜゜・．・゜✼ ゜・．・゜゜・✼
“What do you think of Nick?”
His sister, who had been chopping some veggies for their dinner, stopped suddenly, looking at him weirdly. “Why do I have to think something about Nick?”
“It’s impolite to answer a question with another question, you know?”
A brow went up. “He’s nice, I guess. Too much of a golden retriever for me, though.”
“Do you think he’s attractive?”
“Charles, what the fuck is this about?” Tori gave up altogether on her task, letting go of the knife and fully turning toward her brother.
Charlie blushed. “It’s nothing… forget I even asked anything.”
“No fucking way, now you’re telling me. Go on.”
“Okay, okay,” he also stopped mashing the potatoes to give her his full attention. “I think Nick might like you. As in like like you.”
Charlie definitely wasn’t expecting the loud snort that left Tori’s lips. “Excuse me?”
“We were talking about, you know, types and all and well. He basically described you.”
“He described me.”
“Yeah, like. Dark hair, blue eyes, cute,” Charlie shrugged. “We were watching New Girl and he had a pretty big crush on Jess when he was younger so…”
Tori hummed. “Are you really sure that meant me and not you?”
“Why the fuck would Nick describe me?”
“Well, I could ask you the same thing. Why the fuck would he describe me?” Tori scoffed. “You are way more of a Jess than I am, Charlie, come on.”
“I mean–”
“No, that’s true,” she started counting on her fingers. “First of all, dark hair, blue eyes, cute, just like you just said because we look very alike.”
“Okay, fair.”
“Second, dork, sarcastic, a bit stupid, that’s also true,” she continued, ignoring Charlie’s hey! “But also ridiculously loyal and just overall nice. Nah, that’s absolutely you.”
Realising Tori was not only describing Charlie, but also saying almost the exact same things Nick had said about his type, Charlie blushed, not knowing how to reply.
“And to top it all off, we’re barely even friends.”
“What do you mean? I thought you said he was your mate?”
“Workmate, yes. But we don’t interact much outside of it. I for certain have never been to his flat, nor have I met his dog.”
“Oh,” he frowned, thinking about her words. “Still, it could be you.”
“Charlie, stop being dumb on purpose, it’s very annoying,” Tori grabbed the knife, resuming her task. “And I don’t think anyone would ever describe me as cute.”
The contempt on Tori’s voice saying the word ‘cute’ made Charlie giggle. “Yeah, I have to admit you’re not the best description of cute.”
“You, on the other hand…” Tori sent him a sly smile. “I’d bet anything you want that Nick is interested in you, especially because I see how flustered he gets whenever your name is mentioned.”
That made Charlie pause, another thought crossing his mind. Nick was very prone to blushing, being as white as he was, but Charlie had noticed that the blonde man blushed even more whenever he was around. Charlie had always related that to him teasing Nick relentlessly, but maybe…
Maybe it was something more?
His mind took him to a day in late January, when they had been hanging out at Nick’s for a change, and it started snowing. The two of them had layered themselves up, running outside with Nellie, Nick’s border collie, to play in the snow as if they were still teenagers. It had been one of Charlie’s favourite days ever, and definitely his favourite day in the year so far.
And while they were laughing and throwing snowballs at each other, there was this moment. This one fleeting moment, where Nick fiddled with Charlie’s curls, plucking some stray snowflakes that had stuck in his hair and for a few seconds – a few glorious seconds – Charlie thought Nick was going to kiss him.
But it passed quickly when Nellie came barreling down towards them, making Charlie stumble and Nick flat out fall on his arse. Suffice to say, the moment was well and truly gone after that.
So Charlie tried to forget about it, convinced he had imagined the whole thing and not wanting to ruin their friendship. But it was impossible to forget the way Nick had gotten this smitten heated look on his face, as his eyes darted down to Charlie’s lips and he noticed Nick’s cheeks reddening from more than just the cold.
And if what Tori was saying was true… maybe he really didn’t need to forget about it. Maybe Nick and Charlie could be more than just friends.
Just to be one hundred percent sure, he asked. “You sure you’re not interested in Nick, then?”
“Fuck’s sake, Charlie,” Tori rolled her eyes, exasperated. “I know you have a tendency of not believing people could like you, but surely you are smarter than that.”
He huffed. “No need to be rude, Victoria, dear God.”
“Sometimes I honestly feel like it’s the only way to get something inside that thick skull of yours.”
Now the only real question was: would Charlie be brave enough to try and make a move?
✼・゜゜・．・゜✼ ゜・．・゜゜・✼
It was a few weeks later that Charlie got his answer.
He had been working from home that week due to some gas leak situation in his work office, and Nick and Charlie decided to get lunch together, since they usually didn’t have much time to see each other during the weekdays.
Because Nick couldn’t really leave the school grounds for too long, they decided to just eat in Nick’s classroom. So Charlie arrived at the school a little after midday, carrying a takeout bag from their favourite sushi place, after being allowed in without much problems, as everyone knew he was Tori’s brother.
He found Nick near his own classroom, but he wasn’t alone. Tori and him seemed to be lost in a conversation, Nick gesticulating wildly while Tori looked at him as expressionless as always. Then Tori said something that made Nick laugh and Charlie paused, observing the scene before him.
Whenever Nick laughed at something Charlie said, his cheeks would flush in this lovely shade of red, that Charlie just thought was common. However, he couldn’t help but notice that Nick, at that moment, wasn’t flustered or anything. He was just… normal.
Hm.
Maybe what Tori told him actually had some truth to it.
Charlie made his presence known then, approaching the duo and watching as Nick’s face lit up, a light pink colour spreading across his face.
Oh.
There was no way it was a coincidence. Right?
“Hey guys,” he smiled. “Hope I’m not interrupting?”
“Hi, Char,” Nick’s arm went around Charlie’s waist, bringing them both close enough for Nick to plant a kiss on the top of Charlie’s head. Charlie’s breath got stuck on the back of his throat. “And of course you aren’t.”
“Hello, brother,” Tori made a show of pointedly looking at Nick’s arm still around Charlie’s waist and he rolled his eyes, understanding exactly her meaning. She smirked. “I’m gonna leave you two for your lunch date and hop out to get something for myself. See you.”
Fucking hell, Tori was such a sly little shit.
Not missing the casual drop of the word date, Nick cleared his throat, looking slightly redder than before. “Shall we? The kids are all outside with Mrs. Dohnal, but I’m sure someone is bound to crash our lunch at some point.”
“Let’s try to make the most of it then.”
✼・✼・✼
“And then David started being fucking disgusting, saying that I was wrongfully influencing Tommy and that’s why he ‘turned out gay’,” Nick stabbed a salmon sashimi with his chopsticks, looking frustrated and angry as he munched on it afterwards.
He had been recounting the coming out of his eleven-year-old cousin, who had made the announcement on the big family group chat, after debating with both Nick and his parents if he really wanted to do that and go fully out. And of course, in true David fashion, he had been a downright knob about it.
Charlie had never met the jerk but he absolutely despised him.
He had, however, seen pictures of the man and he couldn’t fathom how two people could look so alike and yet be so different. David had the exact same build as Nick, although he was a bit shorter, with also the same blondish hair and brown eyes. But while Nick’s eyes were kind and always warm, his brother seemed to always have a sneer on his face, eyes hard and malicious.
It was totally noticeable they were siblings, but one would think something went really, really wrong with David along the way.
They probably weren’t wrong.
As Charlie said exactly that to Nick, making the other man snort, he also thought about his own siblings. And about, well Nick’s type.
“Do you think Tori and I are alike?”
Nick paused, a sushi roll mid way to his mouth, and looked at Charlie contemplatively. “I mean, yeah. At least in a physical sense. You both look very much the same, although you’re taller. But personality wise you’re very, very different,” he chuckles to himself. “I don’t know Tori very well, but she’s definitely more closed off while you’re– well, a bit sunshiny, basically.”
Then it was Charlie’s turn to pause, staring unblinkingly at Nick. The blond man was busy, getting a bit more sauce for himself, not even noticing Charlie’s bewilderment.
He had used the word sunshiny, just like he did when they had that first conversation. And just like that, every single doubt he could still have left Charlie’s mind.
Before he could come up with a response though, the classroom door opened and in came two of Nick’s year 2s. Both kids, a boy and a girl, were gingers and shared the same green eyes and enough of other facial features that it was obvious they were twins. The boy entered first, his hand tightly clasping his sister’s while he gently pulled her inside with him, speaking so softly at her that both adults couldn’t hear what was being said.
Nick immediately jumped into teacher mode. “James, Orla, what’s wrong?”
Noticing they weren’t alone, both kids blushed and looked from Nick to Charlie to Nick again, before James took the lead. “Some older kids were being mean to Orla because she’s missing her tooth,” he frowned, offended on his sister's behalf.
Nick sighed. “Is it because of your lisp, sweetie?”
“Yes,” Orla replied, her lisp very clear to hear even though the softness of her voice.
“Aw, I’m sorry. I’ll talk to the other teachers so they can talk to their students. That’s not acceptable behaviour.”
“It’s fine. I told them I’d beat their arse if they kept making fun of my sis,” James said, a look way too smug to be on the face of a 7-year-old. Nick pinched the bridge of his nose. Orla giggled.
“James. We’ve talked about it, you won’t be beating anyone’s behinds, let alone an older kid,” he fixed his students with his best stern gaze. “And mind your language, please.”
Again, James' sigh was too strong for his little body and Charlie had to hold back a laugh.
He opened his mouth to reply, but Orla suddenly gasped, pointing at Charlie. “Hey, I know you! You’re Mr. Nelson’s boyfriend!”
“I’m what?” Charlie managed to choke out through his shock. Nick, the poor man, had gotten so red it was a mystery he wasn’t combusting.
“Mr. Nelson’s boyfriend,” she smiled adorably at Charlie, showing her missing front tooth.
“Orla,” Nick cleared his throat. “What gave you the impression that Charlie's my boyfriend?”
“Well, you have a picture with him on your desk, just like our mummy has of our mammy!” She said it so matter-of-factly that Charlie had to stop himself from snorting.
Nick shot a glance at said picture, which was sitting in the corner of his table, it was one of Nick, Charlie and Nellie during that one snow day, then he looked up at Charlie, smiling ruefully. Charlie hadn’t noticed the picture before, because it was aimed slightly away from him, and looking at it made his heart skip a beat.
Nick didn’t get a chance to explain they were only friends though, because James continued, “It’s okay, Mr. Nelson. We won’t tell anyone we met your boyfriend!”
Then he turned around, heading toward the back of the classroom pulling his sister with him, leaving the two men speechless.
Charlie looked at Nick at the same time Nick looked at him and they both dissolved in a fit of silent giggles.
Since it wouldn’t be long until Nick’s lunch break was over, the two of them disposed of their rubbish and Nick accompanied Charlie to the school’s front gate, after making James and Orla promise to behave.
As they walked side by side, with their fingers occasionally brushing each other’s, Charlie made a decision.
“So…” he bumped Nick’s shoulder’s with his. “How long do you think it will take for the whole school to know Mr. Nelson has a boyfriend.”
Nick groaned, blushing again. “They are probably already talking about it, so I’d say it will take until the end of classes.”
“Are you bothered by it?”
“Nah, not really,” Nick looked at him with barely concealed fondness. “I can think of worse things than you being my boyfriend, Char, even if it’s not true. Although…”
“Although what?”
“Well,” he noticed Nick breathing in deeply. “I’d like it to be true.”
Charlie stopped dead in his tracks, an exasperated sigh leaving his lips. “Ah for fuck’s sake, Nick!”
Nick followed suit, stopping just a few steps ahead of him, a confused look in his face. “What?”
“You had all this time to say something and you didn’t, and just as I’m about to do it myself, you jump ahead of me?”
Nick’s confused look gave way to an disbelieving one. “Are you serious right now? You can’t get rid of your competitiveness, not even in this situation?”
“No,” Charlie huffed, the hint of a smile a giveaway that he wasn’t truly annoyed. He resumed his walking, not missing Nick rolling his eyes affectionately. “And if I understood your type correctly, you like me this way.”
“No idea why, but you’re not wrong,” they reached the school gate, stopping once again and turning toward each other. “So?”
“So what?”
“Aren’t you gonna ask me out? Since, you know, you want so badly to be first at something.”
Charlie narrowed his eyes playfully. “Will that mean I made the first move?”
“Obviously not,” Nick scoffed.
“Then I won’t.”
“Charles.”
“Nicholas.”
Nick sighed. “Fine, we can compromise and say we both did, then.”
“Hm,” Charlie pretended to assess the statement. “Okay, I can accept that.”
Nick looked at him anxiously, hands shoved inside his pockets. “So?”
Charlie couldn’t pretend he wasn’t enjoying their banter, or that he wasn’t happy as hell that they were finally moving on from just friends. He smiled. “Will you go out with me, Nick?”
“Yes,” Nick’s returning smile was sweet and he poked Charlie’s left dimple. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Tonight.”
Charlie giggled. “Are you that anxious?”
“Actually, yeah,” Nick’s eyes were soft as he gazed at Charlie with so much affection it melted Charlie’s insides. “I’ve wanted this since we met, to be honest.”
“So have I,” Charlie bit his lip, smiling as Nick flustered. The school bell sounded then, and Charlie knew it was time to go. “I’ll set something up and text you the details later.”
“Okay,” as Charlie turned to leave, Nick’s hand grabbed his, pulling him back stronger than necessary, and making Charlie fall into Nick’s chest. Nick's eyes focused on Charlie’s lips. “Can I–”
Charlie didn’t even wait for the question to be fully out of Nick’s mouth before replying. “Yes.”
And then their lips met, softly yet firm. It wasn’t a full kiss, just a lingering peck, since they were both aware of where they were. However, it was enough to make Charlie feel goosebumps covering his arms and a tingle shooting down his spine, and honestly, he could not wait for them to fully properly kiss.
“See you later?” He asked as soon as they separated, wondering if Nick felt as shaken up as he did.
“Yeah,” Nick’s breathless answer was enough for him to assume that it was a yes.
As he walked towards his car, Charlie smiled. He had secured a date with Nick, he had gotten a kiss – well, a peck, but still – and he just knew that by the end of the night, he really would be Nick’s boyfriend.
Charlie was fully aware that more often than not he could be oblivious as hell, but he had to admit.
He was truly happy with the outcome of events this time.