Work Text:
19.32, Charlie ❤️🐱🖕🏼
i’m so bored
remind me why i let mum talk me into this again
19:37, Nick ❤️🐶🖕🏼
Because, my sweet Char
If you go to this boring ass lecture with your mum tonight, then you will be in her good books
Meaning when you ask her if you can spend a week of the Easter hols up here with meeeeeee she’ll say yes
you know that’s not guaranteed
don’t get your hopes up yet
Too late
They’re up
They’re up hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh
A whole week of you and me and freedom
Can’t fucking wait
manage ur expectations, nelson
this is jane spring we’re talking about
And you have been The Perfect Son for weeks
We’ve got this
we can hope
what are you doing tonight?
Missing you xx
🤢🤢🤢
And also going to Tesco because Callum finished all the pepper and salt
ew
why did you say it like that
Say what like what?
pepper and salt
its salt and pepper, you twat
It’s the same thing though?
what do you mean
how is it the same thing
……… Charlie
It’s the same two words
And they mean the same
What do you mean, what do I mean?
for fuck’s sake
that’s like saying pans and pots
What the fuck is wrong with pans and pots!!!
What are you, the fucking word police?
nah you’re just being a dick now
you can’t be serious
you’re doing it to torture me
Next you’re going to tell me I can’t say fork and knife
BECAUSE YOU FUCKING CAN’T
NICHOLAS
TELL ME YOU’RE WINDING ME UP
😏😏😏
Charlie scoffs and stuffs his phone back into his pocket as he spots his mum coming back from the bathrooms, trying to ignore how disgusted he is with Nick’s nonsense. His boyfriend is an utter menace and Charlie will be sure to punish him for it later.
For now, however, he has a very specific plan to execute.
“Right, shall we go in?” his mum asks as she reaches him, a tight smile on her face.
Well. It’s marginally better than a frown, Charlie reasons.
“Sure,” he agrees, following her towards the lecture theatre.
The last thing Charlie wants to do is attend a lecture on anthropology at the local university with his mother, but he has a plan.
Missing Nick has taken over his life these last six months. Ever since his boyfriend left for Leeds, Charlie has had a constant ache in his chest. The first semester in particular had been hell – Nick had struggled adjusting to uni and Charlie missed him so much that he couldn’t quite keep his grip on real life as well as waiting for Nick’s calls. Add to that worrying about Nick’s mental health, not to mention his own, and it was a lot.
It’s been better since Christmas. They had spent Nick’s two weeks at home having long conversations about how to communicate better while they were 200-odd miles apart, making schedules and plans and promises until they both felt far more comfortable with the distance.
One of those plans had been for Charlie to spend a portion of the Easter holidays in Leeds. It was a longshot, but they were willing to give it a go. It was easy on Nick’s side, of course. He had asked his flatmates if they’d be okay with a week-long visitor, and they had shrugged like it didn’t make a difference to their lives whatsoever. Charlie’s end, however, is far more difficult. He has to convince Jane ‘my default setting is to say no before you’ve even asked the question’ Spring.
And so here he is on a Friday night, hanging out with his mum and doing something he has absolutely no interest in in a vain attempt to butter her up. Charlie is still pretty convinced that the answer will be a resounding no, but Nick had convinced him it’s still worth trying. He’s right, of course. If he pulls this off, they’ll have a whole week unsupervised, just the two of them. Charlie literally can’t think of anything better than spending his school holidays curled up in Nick’s bed, in his arms.
He checks his phone one last time before the lecture starts, seeing a trail from Nick.
19:47, Nick ❤️🐶🖕🏼
How’s it going, darling?
Good news, I have secured the pepper and salt
Gonna put it on my chips and fish later
19.51, Charlie ❤️🐱🖕🏼
i fucking hate you
why are you doing this to me
are you doing that thing where you act like a dick so i break up with you because you can’t be bothered to do it yourself?
Aye that’s what it is
Please break up with me xx
Omg even writing that jokingly made my eyes all wet fucking hell
Don’t you dare leave me
Never
Never ever ever
dork
never, i promise. you know that.
unless you start calling us charlie and nick or something
…
Are those not our names?
it’s nick and charlie!
It’s the same thing!!!
it is quite literally not
What, would you prefer Narlie?
Chick?
oh my god
okay i’m actually breaking up with you now
we had a good run xx
Dickhead, stop saying those words
You’re PANICKING me
soz
anyway, no. no update. it’s been thirteen minutes since you last asked.
mum was in the loo for most of that time
… that’s a lot of time in the loo.
Everything okay, Jane?
ajjkdjladjf fuck off
that is a mental image i do not need, nicholas
gotta put my phone away, she’s glaring at me
will talk to her properly in the car
love you, even if you’re a tosser
(and i’m never breaking up with you)
Love you lots
Off to watch some telly
Love me some Dec and Ant
NO
NO!!!
no.
Amazingly Charlie doesn’t fall asleep during the talk, which he counts as a win. As soon as it’s over, his mum starts babbling excitedly. He doesn’t really care about what she’s saying, but her mood is good and so he figures he might actually be in with a slim chance of getting his way here.
He listens to her chatter the whole way back to the car, barely pausing for breath until they’re on the main road towards home. Then, Charlie takes his chance.
“So, mum?”
“Mhmm?”
“I was wondering, um… how would you feel about me going to stay at Nick’s?”
“You were only there last weekend, Charlie.”
“I know, I don’t mean now. I mean, um. Maybe in April?”
“You mean when you’re off for Easter? You’ll be busy with exam revision over the holidays, Charlie.”
“Yeah, I know. I’d take all my revision stuff with me.”
“That seems like an awful lot of hassle when you could be at home in your own space.”
“Well, actually,” Charlie starts. He has a script in his head for this part. “Nick would still have lectures, so he’ll be in classes all day. He’d leave me with his library pass so I can go and study there. They have so much there, things I would never have access to here. I’d actually probably get ahead of my classmates with all the books and information I could get at a uni campus.”
As expected, his mum’s expression changes. It goes from frowning disapproval to vague interest in less than a second. Jane Spring is nothing if not predictable. The fish has taken the bait, now all Charlie has to do is reel her in.
“Well, I suppose that’s true. Would you actually study though, or would Nick distract you?”
“Mum,” Charlie whines, because he thought they were long past the Nick is a bad influence on you phase.
“Sorry, I know,” Jane shakes her head, like she’s physically trying to rid her brain of the thoughts. It’s progress, at least. “Can I think about it? These exams are so important, Charlie.”
“I know. I’m taking them seriously, I promise. You know my predicted grades are enough to get me into all of my top uni choices, too. I want to go to uni, I want to do well, I’m not going to throw that away. And exams are still a month after this anyway, so I have loads of time. I just really miss Nick and I think not having to miss him for a week will help me focus on revision.”
“A whole week?”
“Yeah. If – if that’s okay with you. I’d go the first week of the holidays and then have the whole second week to study here, at home, with all the resources I can bring back from Leeds. I have a study plan and schedule all set out; I can show you when we get home?”
“Fine, okay. I’ll look at it. But no promises. This really is a lot to ask, Charlie.”
Charlie sighs, bites back his eye roll and says, with as much sincerity as he can muster, “thanks, mum.”
she’s thinking about it
the word “week” nearly made her shit herself
Oop, another 13 minutes in the bathroom for Jane
stop it omg
but she didn’t crash the car or chuck me out on the motorway so
i’m actually vaguely hopeful?
she was super keen when i told her about the library
You nerds and your libraries, I s2g
do u want me there or not, bitch?
YES SORRY
Pls
Pls come
🤨
Yeah that too
😜
shit okay she’s calling me downstairs
gonna go show her the study plan
wish me luck
You don’t need luck
You’re a genius, you’ve got this
I LOVE YOU
i love you too, dickhead
“Hey,” Charlie greets his mum at the kitchen table, hovering nervously.
“Charlie. Show me this plan, then.”
Charlie spends the next forty-five minutes pitching to his mum. His dad comes in halfway through and immediately fanboys over the books Charlie might find at the Leeds Uni library. Jane shoots him a withering look and Charlie hides his laugh behind his hand.
“And it’s only a week of it, like I said. I’ll be home ages before school starts back up, so I’ll be fully prepared going back.”
His mum and dad look at each other, obviously having a whole silent conversation between themselves. It’s oddly similar to the way he and Nick communicate when they’re around people, which… ew.
“Fine,” his mum says eventually, and Charlie nearly squeals out loud. “But! There are conditions. I need to see proof of all your homework being done before you leave, and I’m going to need study updates while you’re there.”
“Jane…”
“No, it’s that or nothing. I won’t let you fall behind on revision, especially not for a boy.”
Charlie’s delight is quickly replaced by a very familiar, protective kind of rage that is saved especially for Nick. He gets it whenever David is around or whenever Stéphane cancels a visit or ignores a phone call. He gets it whenever anyone is mean to Nick, and his mother acting like Nick is just some boy when he’s been Charlie’s boyfriend for nearly three years already is definitely one of those times. As if she hadn’t watched Nick figure out Charlie’s mental health issues before anyone else, as if he hadn’t been there holding Charlie’s hand when he told them everything he’d been through, as if he wasn't there by Charlie’s side every day through it all, always showing up for him, encouraging him and supporting him. As if he wasn’t there in the hospital, being the one constant in Charlie's life when everything felt upside down. To call that man a distraction is downright disrespectful and it makes Charlie’s blood boil.
He bites his tongue though because he doesn't want her to change her mind now.
“You know we’re very fond of Nick, Charlie,” his dad tacks on, picking up on the tension in Charlie’s shoulders.
“Yes, of course,” Jane agrees quickly. “I’m sorry, Charlie, you know I just worry. Things were hard for you last term, being so far apart.”
“And we got through it,” Charlie reminds her, trying to keep his voice patient. “All it proved is that we both think our relationship is worth the hard parts.”
“Yes, well, I suppose so,” Jane sniffs. “Right, it’s getting late. Time for bed.”
Charlie manages to stay polite and thankful until he gets back to his room, and then he punches his pillow a few times and pretends it’s his mum's face for every time she has belittled Nick. He knows she’s trying, and letting him go to Leeds for a whole week is a huge step, but it still gets to him.
Once he’s properly calm again, he grabs his phone and calls Nick.
“There he is,” Nick beams when he answers the FaceTime. “How did it go?”
Charlie rolls his eyes and Nick cringes.
“Uh oh. She said no?”
“No, she said yes.”
“What? Oh my god, Charlie! Don’t do that to me! So you can actually come for the whole week? Like, legitimately? You don’t need to go on the run or risk getting grounded?”
Charlie manages to crack a smile at that. “Yeah. The whole week, just you and me and the library and daily update calls with my mother.”
Nick winces at that. “Ah. So that’s why you don’t look excited.”
“Sorry,” Charlie sighs. “I am, I promise.”
“No sorries, silly. What did she say about me this time?”
Charlie looks into Nick’s eyes through the screen, wishing they could be having this conversation in person so that he could gauge Nick’s mood properly. He seems cheerful enough, but Charlie knows how Nick’s been struggling with his self esteem since he’s been at uni. The last thing Charlie wants is for his mother’s opinion to make it worse.
Ultimately, though, Charlie can’t and won’t lie to Nick.
“Nothing terrible,” he replies. “It’s her tone, you know? Like… implying that I’m wasting my precious study time because I miss a boy. As if you’re just some guy I picked off the street a week ago and not the man I’m going to…” he trails off, because Nick knows. They both know.
“Yeah, it’s frustrating,” Nick agrees. “But imagine how much fun we’re going to have when we prove her wrong, hm? When we move in together as soon as uni is done for me and when we get married and when we go and visit her in the old people’s home when she’s 97 and spends all day moaning that her kids don’t visit enough. Maybe by then it’ll have finally sunk in the I’m not going anywhere, eh?”
Charlie snorts. “Yeah, maybe. Sorry for ruining the good news by being grumpy. I am excited, you know I am.”
“I do know that, yeah. You don’t have to jump for joy, babe, you’ve had a difficult conversation. We’ll do all the jumping when you get here, yeah?”
“I can actually think of better ways to celebrate than jumping, but sure, Nick,” Charlie smirks at him.
Nick laughs, his eyes sparkling even through the pixelated video connection. God, Charlie misses him.
“Just think,” Nick continues. “Next year when you’re at uni, we won’t have to go through any of this for visits. You can jump on a train or a bus or a fucking bike, depending on where you are, and we can make our own decisions. Just me and you.”
“Yeah,” Charlie smiles warmly, finally feeling that excitement he was meant to earlier. “Just me and you.”
When Charlie wakes the next morning, it’s with his phone still in his hand. Nick must have ended the call at some point this morning, because Charlie distinctly remembers waking up in the night and still being able to hear Nick snoring. He smiles to himself, wishing he could fast-forward to the days when falling asleep on FaceTime isn’t necessary anymore, when he’ll fall asleep with Nick in his arms instead. He wouldn’t really fast-forward, of course. Charlie knows how important this space is for them, as hard as it is. He knows that if – when – they survive this distance, they’ll only be stronger for it. They’ll have whole lives outside of each other, learn how to live on their own, learn how to make new friends and go on nights out and go about their day to day lives without being attached at the hip. It’s a good thing, in the long run. Sometimes, though, he wishes they could do all that and still fall asleep together at the end of the day.
He checks the time on his phone and sees a whole slew of texts from Nick waiting for him, as per. It’s already 11.30 and Nick has early rugby training on a Saturday so he’s already been up for hours. He’s probably home and showered and eating a breakfast so big that it should break him by now.
07:39, Nick ❤️🐶🖕🏼
Good morning, my sunshine boy
39 days until I get you for a whole week <3
09:57, Nick ❤️🐶🖕🏼
Jfc that was brutal
Its fucking pissing it down, training was a mess
I am VERY MUDDY
Come wash me off? 😇
10:33, Nick ❤️🐶🖕🏼
Omfg
Char kljkjdsadh
I signed up for this website where you can do surveys and shit to make some extra money (if I do it I can come home for cuddles before you come here weeeee)
And look at this fucking question on one of the survey things
Lesbians Guns Bisexual Transgender Quality
Title of your sex tape ahahahaha
Oh my god wait
LETS GET BURGER TODAY
CHARLIE I’M THE BURGER
I’m a burger
Omg
I want a burger so bad now
What time do Maccies stop doing breakfast? Fuck
11:27, Nick ❤️🐶🖕🏼
Callum told me it was too early for burgers and now I’m sad :(
Char tell me I can have a burger now pls
Chaaaarliiiieeeee wake up and tell me I can have a burger
I Am Burger
11.37, Charlie ❤️🐱🖕🏼
sweet lord my boyfriend is a maniac
no, ur boyfriend is a burger
also good morning
morning sweetheart <333
:)))))))))))
Sweetheart 🫠
🙄
did you at least make some money out of being a burger?
I made £3.37
I’ll do a few more and then I book a train weeee
you’re a strange boy, nicholas
and no, you cannot have a burger for breakfast
Wow
Just say you don’t love me, Charles, it’ll take less words
i want you to stay alive beyond ur 30s
i think that’s love
Fucking fine
But I’m getting a burger at midday
I have played SPORTS already today, what have you done? Sleep?
Pfft
fuck off
also where are my pictures of you all wet and muddy
if it was raining then you should’ve taken pictures for me. i think we actually have a written clause in our relationship contract about this???
nick must: kiss charlie as much as physically possible, provide him with dog cuddles as often as he can, and send thirst traps every time he gets caught in the rain
🙄
*four pictures attached*
yeeeeeahhhhh that’s the stuff
🥵🔥
Sometimes I think you’re only with me for my body
I’m simply a poor, lonely burger looking for love
And you just want me for my arms
i dunno what to tell you, babes
they’re very good arms
maybe work out less and i might see beyond the body
Wow.
Just wow.
I am a PERSON with FEELINGS, Charles
i thought u were a burger
… hm
Hoist with my own petard
bisexual disaster reads shakespeare once for GCSEs
quotes the one line he remembers for the rest of time
Excuse me, I am an INTELLECTUAL
A genius, out and in
no
nick don’t start that again
you know that’s not it
I know how to put my socks and shoes on the right feet and everything
no
Gentleman and ladies (and everyone else)
Perceive my great intelligence
NICK
Just you see and wait, I’m going to change the world
nick i swear to god
i won’t come and visit over Easter if you keep this up
You will
Come shine or rain
You’ll be here
why are you the way that you are
😁😁😁
I’ll stop now
Go get coffee so you’re nice to me pls xx
hmph
I love you
Lots and lots and bots and thots and gots
Embarrassing amounts
Can’t wait until you’re here <3
*sigh* love you too
even if you’re a menace and a villain
Heheh sorry
You know it's all just games and fun
nicholas i swear to god………!!!