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Nick was acting weird lately, and it hadn’t gone unnoticed by the lads. Sure, there was a marketed difference in Nick in the last few months. He faded a bit more into the background, started hanging out with Charlie Spring and some other Year 10 kids. Seemed more sure of himself some how, Sai thought. Otis admired how he started standing up to Harry – something the three of them always thought about doing, but the notion never manifested. Christian thinks he seems happier.
But over the last week or so, Nick has been....for lack of a better word – suspicious. Whenever they were alone with Nick, playing video games, having lunch or collecting the cones after rugby, Nick would call for their attention and start to speak only to fumble his words and then tell them the oddest things. Like how it’s the male seahorses that give birth, or that ants don't have lungs, and Christians personal favourite, platypuses sweat milk. Either Nick was a sudden fan of the Discovery channel, or something was going on up in that head of his.
'Nick-knack paddy-wack' group chat
Otis: What is this?
Sai: This has Christian all over it.....
Christian: Thought it was about time we had a chat about Nick. He's been suuuuper weird lately.
Otis: But why the name?
Christian: 🤷
Christian: Anyway... I think we should say something.
Sai: And what would we say? Hey Nick, why do you keep muttering and then spitting out random facts?
Christian: Well....yeah?
Otis: 🤣
Christian: We could ask Charlie? They seem to be pretty tight these days.
Sai: 😑
Otis: 🙄
Christian: What?? Surely he'd know if something was going on.
Otis: Oh there's deffo something going on
Sai: 🙈
Chrstian: Sooooo. We ask Charlie?
Sai: No!
Sai: Let's just go and see Nick. Hang out and casually ask him if there is something is wrong.
Otis: Saturday? Could ask him to go out for milkshakes at the park?
Christian: Yes!!
Sai: Good idea, he'll be more comfortable with Nellie there too.
Christian: I do kind of enjoy the stuff he tells us though. Bet he learns it all from Charlie, he's well clever.
Otis: Bet he learns lots from Charlie...
Sai: 😶
Christian: ?
And so that was how the three rugby boys found themselves on the Nelson doorstep pressing the bell one Saturday morning. Sarah Nelson answered the door with a warm smile and motherly affection.
"Boys! It's been too long! Come in, come in". Sarah ushered them over the threshold and gave them each a hug. "Nick didn't say you were coming?" She pulled back from them and asked, a bit confused.
"Oh, he doesn’t know. We just thought we'd call and see if he fancied a kick around." Otis answered.
"Oh lovely, I'm sure he'll like that. He's just out walking Nellie at the moment, but he's due back any minute. Take a seat in the living room! I'll get you a cuppa while you wait, yeah?"
Never to refuse Sarah Nelson's hospitality, the three boys piled into the living room and made themselves comfortable. They had been in this house countless times, playing video games or watching films over pizza. Occasionally they would actually help each other with their studies, but it nearly always led to throwing a ball around in the back garden.
Only minutes later, the living room door opened and Sarah was carrying in a tray with cups of steaming tea, and a plate of chocolate biscuits. She was such a darling.
"Right boys, I'm afraid I have to go to work now. But don’t feel like you can't wait still. You've been here often enough, and Nick usually is back by now. No doubt Nellie got distracted chasing a squirrel or something."
"Oh, are you sure Sarah?" Sai asked.
"Of course dears. Drink your teas at the very least. And don’t be strangers any of you, eh?" Sarah smiled at them, then patted the shoulders of Christian and Otis who sat on the sofa by the door closest to her. "See you soon, boys!"
Sarah made her way out of the living room, shutting the door behind her. They heard the rattle of keys and the front door open and close before the house fell into silence.
"Should we really wait? Feels kind of weird, even if it is just Nick's house." Christian suggested.
"Let's drink our teas and the biscuits, wash them out, and if he isn’t back by then we'll leave." Sai had decided for them, and was met by nods from the other two.
The boys blew on their drinks to cool them down faster, and took tentative sips and slurps as they went. They were half way down their mugs when they heard the front door open and the clatter of paws on the wooden floor.
Woof woof.
"One minute Nels, let me get your lead off first." Nick said slightly exasperatingly.
The three rugby boys were about to stand and make their presence known, but were frozen by the sound of an unexpected voice.
"Don’t be mean to my girl, Nicholas."
Is that Charlie? Sai mouthed to the other two, being furthest from the door and less able to hear. Otis nodded.
"Starting to think you only go out with me for my dog, Char" Nick said teasingly.
"Amongst other things" Charlie replied, and you could hear a smirk in his voice. Nellie must have bounded into the kitchen from the sound of sloshing water coming from the other door of the living room that joined on to the kitchen.
The three rugby boys look at each other with wide eyes and open mouths.
What the fuck! Christian whispers, and is cut off by Otis poking him and putting a finger to his lips to silence him.
Nick and Charlie had stopped talking, and the boys began to wonder if they'd heard Christian and had been caught. But then they began to hear some scuffs, a light thud and a wet smacking sound.
Are they kissing?! Christian mouthed, maintaining silence this time.
The three boys suddenly felt very uncomfortable. Not only did Nick and Charlie not know they were there – which is awkward in it's own right, it's super creepy to be listening in on your friends private moments – but they also didn’t know they had effectively just outed their relationship to three people.
What do we do? Otis asked.
We can't keep listening, it isn’t right. Sai said.
But if we go out their they will know we know. Otis replied.
Is there another way out? Christian asked.
Only through the kitchen, but then we'll just be trapped in backyard. Sai said.
"Mhm" A soft moan escaped the lips of one of the boys in the hallway, but who knows which one. Otis put his hands over his ears in reaction to the development.
"Nick...." Charlie let out, raspy and followed by some heavy breathing. "We really shouldn’t be doing this in your hallway."
"Mmmm. Mum's at work." Nick's voice sounds deep and low. "S'fine"
Charlie lets out a giggle before saying seductively, "Down boy." Then they heard Nick give a huff and another loud smack of lips. "C'mon. Let's get a cuppa and you can tell me what was bothering you so much you had to drag from me from my bed on a Saturday morning."
"If it's a bed you're after, I have a perfectly good one upstairs with room for two." Nick responded coyly.
Then they heard Charlie let out a barking laugh, which got louder and then quieter as Charlie walked past the living room door and on to the kitchen. "You are insatiable, Nelson."
They began to hear the tell tale clatter of mugs and spoons, then taps filling kettles and water beginning to boil.
"Come on then, tell me what's wrong. You can snog my face off after if you so wish." Charlie said once the clattering of porcelain and spoons ceased.
"Promise?" Nick asked.
Charlie giggled again, "Promise."
Should we try to sneak out now they've moved? Otis asked the others.
What if they see us down the hallway? Christian pointed out.
We're going to get caught if we stay, so may as well risk it. Sai said, and motioned for them to move slowly and quietly.
As they stood and tip-toed to the door, they were stopped by what they heard Nick say next.
"It's the rugby lads. Sai, Chris and Otis." Nick let out a bit sigh. "I keep trying to come out to them, but then I get nervous and forget my words, so I start randomly telling them things so they don't think I'm some lunatic that can't string a sentence together or forgot their words. Now I've done it so many times it just gets weirder and harder every time I try."
"Oh." Was all Charlie said.
The three rugby boys looked at each other with heartfelt expressions and small smiles. They wouldn't know until they could properly talk later, but each of them felt a mixture of the same feelings. Relief nothing was actually wrong with Nick. Happy for him for being so obviously besotted with Charlie. And touched that Nick considered them important enough in his life that he got himself in a tizzy over coming out to them.
"I'm sorry, Charlie"
"Hey, no sorries. You have nothing to be sorry about."
"I don’t want to keep us a secret. It's just hard. I don’t even think they'd have a problem with it. But my mind still gets stuck on what if's, you know?"
"I know, that's natural. There's no rush though. Maybe just take a breather. Try again another time?"
More smacking of lips carried through the crack in the door between the living room and the kitchen.
We have to go. We have to let him tell us in his own time. Sai says.
The boys make it to the door and inch it open slowly so as not to make any creaking noises.
"What did I do to deserve you?" Nick says, and the boys could tell it was his sappy voice.
They only heard Charlies giggle in response, before they must have resumed their kissing from the soft moans now coming from the kitchen.
These two ever take a break? Christian asks, peering out the door to check the coast is clear. They are literally going at it on the kitchen table. I've eaten food from that table!
Otis and Sai suppress their giggles and lightly slap Christian on the arm to stop him getting distracted from their covert operation.
"Oh, hang on. My mum's calling." Nick said.
Otis, Christian and Sai all wore matching expressions of dread. Sarah Nelson knew they were there. If they didn’t get out before the phonecall was over, they would surely be caught.
Shit! Otis mouthed.
The boys then made quick work of tip-toeing into the hallway, staying to one side in the hopes of not being seen in Nick or Charlies peripheral vision.
"Hey mum, what's up?.... Errr, no I'm at home, why?....... I've not seen them.......What?......What time?!"
They heard the door between the kitchen and the living room swing open quickly, and Nick's mad dash of footsteps.
"Nick? What's wrong?" Charlie was asking as Nick darted into the now empty living room.
"Yeah I will, mum. Gotta go, bye" Nick said, a bit clipped.
It was at that moment that the boys reached the front door and were about to sneak out when their escape attempt was foiled by the white and brown creature now barrelling towards them down the stairs.
Woof woof woof
This was quickly followed by Nick and Charlie barging into the hallway from the living room. Everyone stood motionless taking the scene in and it's repercussions. Nellie, none the wiser, jumped up at Christian wagging her tail so hard it knocked over the umbrellas stood by the door.
"Errr...hi" Otis broke the tense silence. Christian and Sai both followed suit with meek waves and subdued hellos.
Nick looked stunned and petrified where the boys thought he might have been angry.
"Ho-how long have you guys b-been here?" Nick whispered.
Christian and Otis had some sort of telepathic agreement and lightly pushed Sai forward, volunteering him to answer. Cowards, Sai thought.
"Five minutes before you got home-ish. You're mum made us a cuppa and told us to wait." Sai looked from Nick to Charlie waiting for a reply. He was waiting to be reprimanded, but Nick still continued to look fearful, while Charlie kept his focus on Nick looking worried.
"Were you.....Wh-what did you hear?" Nick asked looking at the floor.
Sai didn’t know what to say. He felt so guilty for finding out this way, for Nick not being able to do it on his terms. But at the same time he just wanted to stop his friend looking so apprehensive and scared. Nick was his friend, and he hated the idea that Nick thought they would see him any other way.
In Sai's moments of hesitation, Christian decided to grow a back-bone and then some. "Not going to lie to you mate, we heard more than we wanted to."
Nick's face fell even more, and Charlie reached out to place his hand on his shoulder.
"I see." Nick spoke, sounding so sad.
Otis realised how what Christian said must have sounded to Nick and started blurting things out rather rapidly. "No, no, no! He didn’t mean it like that! Chris, you pillock! He meant the kissing and the...noises. Never exactly fun listening to your mate make out with someone. We don't care that your kissing Charlie! I mean we do care. We like Charlie. We just don't care that he's a boy.... I just mean we care about you and Charlie, but we don’t care that it's you and Charlie?"
"Christ, man shut up. You are not helping!" Sai muttered, nudging Otis.
Nick and Charlie looked at each other. Charlie smiled at Nick like he hung the moon and Nick wasn't much better. Then they both began to laugh, and the tension in the hallway began to dispel.
"No, that did help. That was hilarious." Nick said towards Otis. "You guys are really ok with it? With me?"
"Why the fuck wouldn’t we be?!" Christian exclaimed. "Personally I think Charlie's slumming it with you, but love is love"
Nick and Charlie both began blushing at that, letting out choking chuckles and Nick ran his hand over the back of his neck.
"Anyway....." Nick said, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere. "What are you guys doing here in the first place?"
"Oh, well....You'd been acting a bit weird lately. And we were actually coming to ask you if something was up." Sai said.
"Oh. Haha. Yeah. Sorry, guess I've just been kind of nervous." Nick said, looking less afraid and more guilty now.
"No we're sorry. We feel really bad with how we have found out." Sai said.
"Yeah, we wanted you to tell us in your own time, like." Otis added.
"Wanted?" Charlie asked, now holding Nick's hand. "Did you already know before today?"
"I didn't! Total shocker for me!" Christian said.
Otis and Sai gave each other knowing looks before Otis said, "We kind of had an inkling."
"What?! And you didn’t tell me?" Christian looked offended at being left out.
"Well we didn’t know know, we just noticed stuff and were on the same wavelength. Not our place to point stuff out to you about peoples personal life that might not even be true." Sai said.
Christian pouted a little but conceded to their point. Charlie and Nick chuckled lightly in the background at Christians dismay.
"What stuff did you notice?" Nick asked them.
"Well you don’t carry me about the field on your back, Nick. Nor do you spend as long as you do looking at Charlie looking at anyone else. And don’t get me started on the smile glued to your face whenever you are texting each other during lessons."
Nick was now beetroot red, Charlie just looked smug.
"Honestly Nick, it's like your obsessed with me or something" Charlie quipped.
"Shut up, you." Nick turned his head to look at Charlie but he couldn’t help but smile.
"Make me."
*cough cough*
"We are here still, you know?" Otis said smirking.
"Sorry." Nick said, but even with the mild embarrassment, he really wasn't sorry. "You guys want a cuppa? Charlie and I were just going to make one and then play Mario Kart."
"Don’t lie, Nick. We heard you. You were going to have a cuppa and then resume kissing Charlie's face off." Christian deadpanned.
Charlie let out a loud snort before covering his mouth to compose himself. Nick glared at him playfully.
"But a cuppa would be lovely." Sai interjected. "I am sorry you didn’t tell us how you wanted to. But maybe you could tell us now? I'd love to know how you managed to convince Charlie to go out with you. Knowing how much of a sap you are, I bet it's good."
Nick smiled at his friends then for a moment, not saying anything. He felt relieved and happy and strangely more like himself now that his worlds were fully colliding.
"I'll let you guys talk." Charlie said, giving Nick a smile and then making his way towards the front door. Nick pulled him back, not letting go of his hand.
"Where do you think you're going?" Nick asked.
"Giving you some time with your friends. I'm sure you have plenty to catch up on."
"Yeah and a big part of that is showing off my awesome boyfriend. You're staying." Then Nick pulled Charlie back to him by his hand, and planted a sweet kiss to his cheek. Charlie just smiled and bit his lip slightly to contain his own happiness from exploding.
"Wow... You two are one of those sickeningly cute couples aren’t you?" Christian asked, and then all of them began to laugh together on their way into the kitchen.