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“Bye Nicky, thank you for this lovely weekend! I had such a wonderful time,” Sarah said with a big smile, hugging her son tightly.
“Bye, Mum. It was great!” he said, returning the hug. “I’ll send you all the pictures later,” he added.
“Please do! I can’t wait to show them to the girls at work,” she giggled and patted his cheek. “Alright, I need to get in, otherwise this train will leave without me! I love you, baby,” she said, waving to him as she walked into the train car.
“Love you too, Mum. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Nick waved back and once she was gone, he started to walk towards the exit. After a few steps he noticed two people, a man and woman, walking fast to catch the same train his mum had just boarded. They looked very similar to each other, and he thought it likely that they were siblings; the woman was shorter and had straight hair and bangs.
The man looked like a mix of Zooey Deschanel and Timothée Chalamet, aka the most gorgeous people on Earth, so of course Nick stood still and couldn’t take his eyes off of him. He looked ethereal and moved with grace, almost in slow motion. He had beautiful, lush, dark curls which danced with the wind around his angular face and strong cheekbones. He was tall and lean and had silky, tanned, olive skin. He was so hot - Nick’s poor bi heart started beating extremely fast.
He couldn’t hear what the pair were talking about, but the woman said something and smirked and then the man reacted with the most beautiful smile Nick had ever seen. His whole face lit up and two adorable dimples popped out. That man is simply gorgeous, he thought.
Nick observed the pair as they hugged each other (platonically, he happily noted) and after a few seconds the woman walked onto the train and continued to talk with the beautiful man from the door while the man stayed standing on the platform. So he was staying here? Interesting.
Moving to Barcelona sounded very appealing to Nick all of a sudden.
He didn’t want them to notice him staring and think he was some kind of creep, so he quickly walked away and hoped to see the Hot Spanish Guy again during the next few days he was in Barcelona.
It was Nick’s third full day there and he loved the city already. It was so loud and vibrant, so colourful and full of life. He loved the architecture, wide beaches, greenery and the energy of the city, and the crowds didn’t bother him that much. It was beautiful, so interesting and unique - no surprise it was so popular among tourists. He wanted to explore Barcelona some more, and because his mum had to go back to work already after their city-break weekend, he decided to stay a few extra days to return to his favourite spots and soak up the gorgeous, summery atmosphere a bit more. And maybe meet someone…? He felt that he had been single for way too long.
After walking around the port, Nick felt hungry so he decided to take a short walk to La Boqueria, a famous food market, to find some delicious local lunch options there. And maybe drink a glass of sangría - that was always a good idea.
The place was packed with people, but the mix of different smells and aromas was divine. He couldn’t decide what to get so he walked around the alleys and looked for different options. He finally settled on buying some tortilla de patatas, which he’d eaten before and enjoyed a lot. He found the right stand and gasped when he saw a familiar mop of curls in the queue.
Hot Spanish Guy was right there.
“Una porción de tortilla de patatas y otra con cebolla, por favor," he said and Nick was dumbstruck. He already thought this man was hot, but now, when he was speaking Spanish, his hotness was off the charts. Nick was in trouble. Big, big trouble. He’d never learned this language, but now he wished he had so he could at least talk to his new crush.
“No, nada más.¡Gracias! ¡Adiós!” Nick heard. After paying for the food, Hot Spanish Guy walked toward the olive stand and Nick shuddered. Yuck! But I guess no one’s perfect, he thought. He didn’t want to get caught looking at “his” stranger again, so he bought his tortillas and walked out of the market to find a free bench to enjoy his lunch. After that, he went looking for churros for dessert - after trying them for the first time he decided they were his new favourite treat and ate them at least twice a day.
The next day Nick went to visit Park Güell again - he had been there with his mum, but it was so stunning he felt that he needed to visit it again. He spent a few hours walking around the park and admiring Gaudí’s works. He was looking for the familiar face, but couldn’t find “his” stranger anywhere. That made sense, though. It was probably the most touristic place in the whole city and locals would probably spend their time elsewhere. In the afternoon, Nick took the bus and went to his favourite sunset spot in Barcelona - Tibidabo Hill.
While he was trying to find the perfect place to sit, he suddenly saw him - Hot Spanish Guy was sitting crossed legged on a bench with iced coffee in one hand and a book in the other. Nick couldn’t see the book’s title, but he noticed the man’s t-shirt. Or, more importantly, what was on it: it was a cropped white t-shirt with a sparkly “Orgullo” inscription in big, rainbow colours. Nick didn’t know the meaning of it, but a quick Google search told him it meant “Pride,” and Nick could feel the biggest, happiest smile growing on his face. Hot Spanish Guy was queer!
It was the third time Nick had accidentally seen him and he knew it wasn’t that common in such a big and crowded city as Barcelona. Maybe the universe was trying to tell him something? His Hot Spanish Guy would have to at least speak some English, right? Maybe Nick should approach him and ask him something? He had nothing to lose, after all.
But after a few seconds he thought better of it and decided to not disturb him; he turned around and went to find a perfect spot to watch the sunset and take some pictures to send to his mum.
Nick was starting to wonder if the Hot Spanish Guy might actually be a tourist after all. Surely a Barcelona local would not be visiting all these beautiful, yet obviously tourist-filled places? Perhaps he came from a different town further South? Whatever the reason, he thanked whatever queer gods had sent the man on holiday to Barcelona to provide eye candy for him as he explored the city.
If we’re meant to be, we’ll find each other again, he thought. Cheesy? Maybe, but Nick always was a big romantic at heart.
The next day he resolved that if he saw Hot Spanish Guy, he was going to talk to him. He was only here for three more days – it couldn’t hurt. What was the worst that could happen? The man looked at him blankly because he had no idea what Nick was saying?
Later that afternoon (after eating churros yet again) as he wandered towards La Sagrada Familia, he had every intention of looking for the handsome man, but he was soon so enthralled by the majestic building that he promptly forgot to look for the familiar head of curly black hair. Deciding to walk around the structure before going inside, Nick was captivated by the two completed facades, amazed that work had been continuing for over 140 years and the building was still not finished. The towers and sculptures covering the facades were more spectacular up close than they had looked from a distance. Even if he stood gazing up at each façade for days, he imagined he would still find new details in the scenes carved there. No wonder the basilica was the pride of Barcelona.
When he entered the cathedral, the atmosphere took his breath away. As he took in the cavernous space, the first thing he noticed was the light. The interior of the basilica felt warm and dreamlike, the colours from the stained-glass windows reflecting on every stone surface and bathing the visitors in rainbows. The shapes of the massive columns were so beautiful, resembling trees more than architectural supports, many with an illuminated lamp at the top, each bearing a unique artistic symbol.
Nick had just taken a step backwards to get a better look at one of the lanterns that seemed to have a winged lion for its design, when he felt something connect forcefully with the back of his knees. Tipped off balance, he pitched forward and felt his shoulder slam into the column next to him. He hissed in pain, feeling his weakened rotator cuff tendon - the remnant of an old rugby injury - connect with the stone edge of a deep groove carved into the column’s design. Bending over, he grasped his shoulder, moaning through gritted teeth as he tried to bear the pain.
He felt someone behind him put their hand on his back and propel him forward to one of the nearby pews, muttering ‘Perdón, perdón, disculpe’ in apology to the woman with a pram that Nick had just backed into. He felt the person’s other hand grasp the bicep on his other arm and help him to sit down. When the owner of the hands moved to stand in front of him, Nick sucked in a breath.
It was him.
The owner of the curly hair and sparkling eyes that he had been admiring from afar was currently crouched down in front of him, with a glowing halo of coloured light surrounding him. Despite knowing it was just the refractions from the stained-glass windows, Nick couldn’t help but feel he was in the presence of some sort of divine queer angel.
He was so mesmerised by the miraculous vision that he didn’t notice the man was talking to him. It wasn’t until the man clicked his fingers in front of his face that Nick was roused from his daze, his eyes focussing on a gorgeous pair of blue eyes that were just inches from his own face.
“Are you okay?” Hot Spanish Guy asked in a concerned tone.
“It’s you,” Nick gasped, shocked to find himself in his current predicament.
In reply, the man let out an adorable giggle before asking “How is your shoulder?”
Nick gave it a little stretch to test how painful it was, simultaneously realising that it was indeed very painful, and that the man was speaking English – with a British accent.
“You’re British!” he exclaimed.
“Yes, yes I am,” the man laughed. “Did you think I was Spanish?”
“I did,” Nick replied. He groaned at himself internally for seemingly only being able to manage two-word responses that stated something bleedingly obvious. In his head, he had imagined himself saying something clever and funny to draw the man’s attention. Now, however, all he could do was blink repeatedly in an effort to fight off the pain in his shoulder.
“Are you in a lot of pain?” The man’s gorgeous eyebrows were furrowed together now as he stared at Nick’s face. His eyes looked concerned (and also a little bit like he suspected Nick might’ve knocked his head against the column as well as his shoulder).
“Not really,” he lied, before hastily adding, “It’s an old rugby injury, I think the knock just twinged it a bit.” Thank god, a whole sentence!
“I thought those looked like rugby arms,” the man said with another giggle.
Nick felt his mouth drop open. Hot Spanish British! Guy had noticed his arms!
“Um, thanks!” he whispered. Fuck! Another two-word sentence! Speak like an adult, you muppet!
Nick winced as he shook his arm out again and felt his deltoids pull.
“Maybe we should get some ice to put on it?” the man offered, looking around. Seeing nothing helpful in the near vicinity, he looked thoughtful for a moment and then smiled.
“I have an idea of something that might help. Do you think you can make it outside?”
Feeling like his next two words were going to be “I can,” Nick closed his mouth and opted for a nod instead.
“Do you need help getting up?” the man asked, offering his hand to help.
Nick probably did not need help getting up, but he absolutely did not want to waste a chance to hold the hot man’s hand, so he clasped the lovely slender fingers being offered to him and let the man pull him to a standing position.
With a smile, the man dropped Nick’s hand once he was sure he was up, and turned and headed to the exit.
It was a miracle Nick didn’t bump into anyone else on the way out. He was like a sheep returning home, blindly following the fluffy bottom of the sheep in front of it. But instead of a fluffy tail, Nick was enraptured by the bounce of curly black locks. Wherever those black locks went, Nick was sure to go.
When they finally arrived outside, the man gestured to Nick to go and sit on a nearby bench and told him to wait. He was only gone for a few minutes when Nick saw him returning with a handful of ice lollies.
“Maybe these will work?” he grinned, passing them to Nick.
Nick laughed at the man’s ingenuity, tucking the ice lollies through the neck of his t-shirt and holding them up against his shoulder. In this heat it would probably not take long for them to melt, but he figured he had a good five minutes to woo the man before they did.
Nick was pleasantly surprised at how easily they began to chat. Perhaps the man had not been as put off by Nick’s awkward responses as he’d thought?
While waiting for the ice to soothe his shoulder, Nick discovered many things about the handsome man he was sitting with. His name was Charlie, and he was indeed half-Spanish, explaining why Nick had been so easily fooled into thinking he was a local. His whole family had been visiting relatives in Barcelona, but all of them had left already, his sister the most recent departure from the station several days earlier.
“I, um, saw you saying goodbye to her,” Nick confessed, sounding a little bashful. “I was dropping my mum off on the same day and I noticed you on the platform.”
“You noticed me?” Charlie asked quietly, almost like he was surprised, before the corners of his lips curled up into a smile.
Nick realised he had been paying so much attention to Charlie’s more obvious attributes that he had not noticed just how pink and soft his lips were.
“I did,” Nick replied.
“You will probably not believe this,” Charlie began, “but I also happened to see you on the platform that day. Actually, I’ve been seeing you all over Barcelona.” Charlie gave him a grin. “I promised myself that if I saw you today, I would try to talk to you,” he added with a quirked eyebrow. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw you inside. I was coming over to talk to you just before you stepped back into that pram.”
Nick ducked his head to hide his blush.
“How embarrassing!” he mumbled, cringing at the fact that he was using two-word sentences again.
The sound of a giggle made him look up once more. As embarrassed as he was, he needed to see what shape Charlie’s lips made when that lovely giggle was produced.
Suddenly aware that Charlie would probably notice him looking at his lips, Nick hastily raised his eyes and admitted shyly that he had been seeing Charlie around Barcelona, too (although he left out the part where he considered Charlie to be one of the best features of the beautiful Barcelona scenery).
The two of them sat silently for a moment looking at each other. Nick wondered if Charlie was also feeling that their paths crossing so many times over the past few days seemed delightfully serendipitous.
He was about to say so, when he heard Charlie gasp.
“Oh my god, your t-shirt!”
Nick looked down to see red liquid pooling through the fabric of his shirt around his shoulder where the ice lollies had melted into a sloppy soup against his warm skin and escaped their flimsy wrappers. Clearly the dreamy trance caused by Charlie’s lips had prevented him noticing the sticky red liquid coating his shoulder.
“Oh shit!” he swore, pulling what remained of the make-shift ice pack out from under his t-shirt, his hand quickly filling with red liquid as he threw the sticky mess into the bin beside the bench.
Nick’s heart sank. He had barely been making coherent conversation before, and now it seemed his flirting with Charlie was going to be cut short even earlier.
He had to do something though; he would never forgive himself if he left Barcelona without getting to know Charlie better. The uncomfortable feeling of the sugary liquid running down his chest forced him to act quickly. He hastily wiped his hands on his already ruined t-shirt and took a breath.
“Um, Charlie,” he began nervously, “I need to pop back to my hotel and change out of this t-shirt, but is there any chance you would be interested in having dinner with me tonight?”
Nick watched with glee, and then uncertainty as Charlie’s face went through a series of emotions. At first his face had broken into a wide grin, but then his eyes had narrowed, and he had frowned a little. He had then looked down at his watch with a grimace, classic body language for someone trying to find somewhere else to be.
“I’m so sorry, I really can’t,” Charlie started. Nick hoped his disappointment was not showing too obviously on his face. “I have to go to my great-uncle’s house for dinner tonight,” Charlie continued. “I promised him I would see him before I go and I’m leaving tomorrow. I’m really sorry.”
Although he had turned him down, Nick was surprised to see a look of genuine dismay on Charlie’s face that reflected his own. Again they looked at each other for a few moments before Charlie’s eyes grew wide as if he had been struck by a flash of inspiration.
“Do you have plans tomorrow morning, by chance?” Charlie asked him. “There is a café close to the station called Roma & Sants. Maybe we can get breakfast there before my train leaves?”
“That would be amazing,” Nick quickly agreed, surprising himself by releasing a giggle of his own.
“We could meet there at 10am?” Charlie continued. “My train goes at 2pm. Does that work for you?”
“That’s great!” Nick replied. “I think I know where that café is. I’ll definitely see you there.”
“Amazing,” Charlie laughed. “I’m guessing you want to go and get out of that t-shirt now. It looks like someone has stabbed you in the shoulder!”
“You’re right,” Nick groaned. “I don’t suppose I can just say it’s the new Barcelona fashion?”
“Probably not!” Charlie grinned. “You know, you never actually told me your name, rugby lad.”
That surprised Nick. He had blurted out so many other combinations of two words, it seemed highly unlikely that he had not said ‘Nick Nelson’ before now.
“It’s Nick,” he said, holding out his hand. “Nick Nelson.”
“Oh, we are sharing last names, too?” Charlie laughed, shaking Nick’s hand. “Well in that case, Nick Nelson, it was very nice to finally meet you. My name is Charlie Spring, by the way. I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”
“Yeah!” Nick said, reluctantly dropping Charlie’s hand when it became apparent they had been shaking hands for a little longer than was socially acceptable.
With a final glorious giggle, Charlie gave him an adorable little wave before turning around and walking in the opposite direction of Nick’s hotel.
As Nick watched him go, he realised that he had stupidly forgotten to ask for Charlie’s phone number. He immediately opened his phone and set alarms to go off every ten minutes from 8am the next morning. There was no way he was going to miss his breakfast date with Charlie.
His dozen alarms proved unnecessary.
By 9:30am, Nick was already at Roma & Sants, having been unable to stand being in his hotel room alone any longer. The small café was warm and welcoming, the blue tables and chairs set out on the sidewalk looking cheerful in the morning sunlight. Inside, the exposed brick walls, large windows, and lush hanging plants made the place feel airy and much larger than it actually was. He was captivated by the multi-colored, patterned tiles on the floor, smiling to himself that of course the most beautiful man he’d ever seen had picked such a gorgeous café for them.
He perused the large selection of pastries, taking far too long looking at each one in his attempt to kill time until Charlie arrived.
“¡Hola! ¿En qué lo puedo ayudar?” A middle-aged woman was smiling at him kindly from behind the counter.
“Um…” Nick frantically searched his mind for Spanish words. “Just, um… just… regarder?” He cringed. French? Really?
The woman smiled at him warmly, reminding him of his mum. “Just let me know if you want something,” she said cheerfully in accented English.
Nick chuckled, rubbing his neck. Of course she spoke English. “Thank you. Gracias,” he said.
She gave him another warm smile and then turned to busy herself at the till.
He felt awkward hovering by the pastries, so he decided to head back outside. He checked the time on his phone: 9:42am. Should he walk around the block while he waited? Or just sit at one of the tables?
Nobody was seated outside, despite the beautiful day, so he decided just to wait there so he didn’t risk missing Charlie’s arrival. He took a deep breath as he sat down, trying to calm his nervous excitement.
He’d realised when he returned to his hotel the night before that although he knew Charlie was likely queer given the Pride shirt he’d been wearing at Tibidabo Hill, he’d never actually told Charlie he was bi. So just to make it clear he was definitely queer and definitely bi, he’d worn a light pink, button-up shirt, dark blue shorts, and bright purple socks, plus a braided, multi-colored belt. From Charlie’s confession that he’d also noticed him around Barcelona and had been trying to work up the courage to approach him, Nick was hopeful that his attraction was reciprocated. He just had to try to not make a fool of himself again like the day before.
He fiddled with his hands, not quite sure what to do with them, as he sat outside the café watching the world go by and waiting for those beautiful curls to make an appearance. He had just pocketed his phone again (9:48am – did time move more slowly in Barcelona or something?) when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
“Hi!”
He turned around and there he was, looking even more breathtaking than Nick had remembered.
“Hi!” Nick returned, jumping up to greet Charlie. He instinctively moved to hug him, but then realised that would probably be strange for someone he had just met the day before. Should he shake his hand? That would probably be weird, too, though. He was stuck in a strange limbo, suddenly not sure what to do with his hands and arms. So much for not making a fool of himself…
Charlie giggled, pulling him out of his spiral. “You okay there?”
Nick rubbed at his neck. “Yeah, I um…” He smiled at Charlie. “It’s good to see you again.”
Charlie blushed and looked down. “It’s good to see you, too,” he said, looking up at Nick through his lashes. “Sorry I’m a little early.”
Nick laughed, feeling more relaxed at the knowledge that Charlie seemed a bit nervous, too. “I was even earlier, so…” He shrugged bashfully and he and Charlie gazed at each other for a long moment before Charlie bit his lip and looked away, smiling to himself.
Then he shook his head slightly, seeming to gather himself, and looked back up at Nick. “How’s your shoulder feeling today?”
“Oh!” Nick had nearly forgotten all about his injury from the day before in his anticipation of seeing Charlie again. “Much better, thanks for asking,” he said warmly, smiling at Charlie. They got stuck gazing at one another again for a beat too long before Nick cleared his throat, not wanting to make Charlie uncomfortable. “Should we go inside and get something to eat?”
“Sounds good! That’s why we’re here after all, isn’t it?” Charlie laughed.
I’m here for you, Nick wanted to say, but he just smiled at Charlie and followed him into the café.
They stood side by side looking at the pastries together, a little thrill going through Nick’s body when Charlie moved to stand slightly closer than was strictly necessary. He could feel the warmth of Charlie’s arm right next to his and Nick tipped his head to the side, his cheek brushing lightly against Charlie’s curls as he pretended to look closer at the croissants. To his delight, Charlie didn’t move away, but seemed to lean almost imperceptibly closer.
“Do you know what you want?” Charlie asked after a moment.
“Yeah,” Nick said softly, turning to look straight into Charlie’s eyes.
Charlie blushed and his lips twitched as he looked away. He cleared his throat. “I’ll, um…I can order for us if you like?” he offered.
Nick wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to hear Charlie speak Spanish again, so he didn’t say anything about the woman working the counter being able to speak English. Instead, he just tried not to swoon as Charlie ordered for them, watching Charlie’s perfect lips form the round, melodic sounds that came out of his mouth.
They decided to eat outside, seeing as it was a beautiful day and Charlie had a long train ride ahead of him. The tables were small, with the two chairs placed side by side instead of across from each other so that customers could sit and people-watch while they drank their coffee and ate their pastries. Charlie put his backpack on the ground and then they both sat down, their knees brushing slightly as they got comfortable.
“How was your dinner with your great-uncle last night?” Nick asked as he took a bite of his croissant.
“You remembered.” Charlie smiled at him over the lip of his mug and Nick blushed. Of course he remembered. “A little awkward, but fine,” Charlie continued. “It was nice to see him. Thank you for asking.”
“’A little awkward but fine’,” Nick repeated with a chuckle. “I sense there’s a story there.”
Charlie huffed a laugh as he put his coffee back down on the table.
“Yeah… he’s… he’s older and he’s always trying to make sure I know he’s completely fine with me being gay, but it’s a little heavy-handed at times. Last night, he kept asking if I had a “compañero” and that he’d love to hear about him and all that. He didn’t seem to believe me when I said there wasn’t anyone – like he thought I was trying not to make him uncomfortable or something.” Nick willed himself to just smile and nod sympathetically rather than break into a spontaneous happy-dance at learning that Charlie was single. “I mean, don’t get me wrong,” Charlie continued, “it’s way better than him being openly homophobic, but it’s still awkward, y’know?” He wrinkled up his nose adorably and then took a bite of his pastry as Nick geared himself up to make sure Charlie knew he was bi and single, too.
“Yeah, definitely,” Nick said, clearing his throat. “My grandfather is sometimes the same way. Like, he’s always been accepting of me being bi, but sometimes it’s a little uncomfortable the way he asks if I have a girlfriend or a boyfriend.” He hadn’t missed the way Charlie’s eyes had lit up when he said he was bi, a tiny smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
“Well, do you?” Charlie asked, his eyes dancing.
Nick tore off a piece of his croissant and then looked Charlie straight in the eye. “Nope,” he said as he popped the piece of pastry in his mouth, raising his eyebrows and grinning at him.
Charlie blushed and looked away, laughing slightly and biting his lip. Then he shook his head, the sun bouncing off his gorgeous curls. “So,” he said, turning back to Nick. “How much longer are you in Barcelona?”
“Sadly, I leave the day after tomorrow.”
Charlie made a sympathetic face and, after asking Nick about all the places he’d been so far, gave him suggestions of things to see before he left. Nick got out his phone, not wanting to forget a single thing Charlie told him, and determined to fit in as many of his recommendations as possible.
“Oh!” Charlie exclaimed, after a moment lost in thought. He laid a hand on Nick’s arm in his excitement and Nick looked down, smiling in delight at the contact. “Sorry,” Charlie stammered, hastily withdrawing his hand.
“You don’t have to apologise,” Nick assured him. “I liked it,” he added softly.
Charlie blushed again, laughing a little. “Well then,” he said, purposefully pressing his fingers to Nick’s forearm once again as a wave of tingles spread through Nick’s body. “You should definitely go to the Dalí Museum if you have time. It’s about an hour north by train, but it’s so worth it.”
“I’ll do it tomorrow,” Nick said decisively, nodding as he typed it into his phone.
They continued to talk – about their time in Barcelona, about other trips they’d taken, about trips they’d like to take, about embarrassing travel moments – while also learning about one another’s lives, aspirations, frustrations, and hopes for themselves. Nick marvelled at how completely at ease he felt with Charlie – it was like they had known each other for years and yet had an endless number of things to still learn about one another. The more they got to know each other, the more they laughed and flirted and started to exchange little touches – on the arm, on the hand, bumping legs under the table. Nick felt loose and free, all of the awkward nervousness from the day before evaporating as he lost himself in Charlie’s beautiful, sparkling blue eyes and their engaging conversation.
“And then once when I was in Switzerland,” Nick was saying, Charlie grinning up at him as he recounted another of his embarrassing travel moments, “I was staying at a hostel for a few days and I wanted to go on an easy hike. An easy hike, Charlie,” Nick emphasised, laying his hand on Charlie’s arm and looking him dead in the eyes. Charlie giggled and Nick wanted to kiss his adorable dimples. “So the wonderful woman who ran the hostel gave me a recommendation. I figured I’d hike up in the morning, eat lunch at the summit and then hike back down. But no, it was nearly dark by the time I got to the top! I had to stop at a little restaurant along the way and eat like ten sausages, I was so hungry!”
“Oh, you like sausages, do you?” Charlie teased, waggling his eyebrows at Nick.
Nick blushed crimson. “Not the point!” he groaned and Charlie giggled again. “I learned when I got back down finally that the hike I had taken was considered a good hike for children.”
Charlie laughed loudly at that, placing his hand on Nick’s where it still rested on his arm. Nick beamed at him, knowing he probably looked far too smitten for how little time they’d known each other, but not really caring. Charlie blushed under his gaze, but didn’t look away. “Yeah, the Swiss are pretty serious about their hiking! And their sausages are pretty good, too.” He winked at Nick as he said it and Nick nearly died.
Nick felt like he could’ve stayed there talking to Charlie for hours, days even. He was so smart and so funny, and Nick wanted to learn everything there was to know about him. When Charlie told him about the work he did as a book editor, Nick was sure he looked like he had literal stars in his eyes, he was just so in awe of this incredible man he'd met. He felt a little silly saying he was just a primary school teacher, but Charlie visibly melted when he said that, so that seemed like a good sign.
Somehow, they ended up talking for over three and a half hours, the time absolutely flying by. It was time for Charlie to leave to catch his train, but Nick couldn’t bear to say goodbye just yet.
“Could I walk you to the station?” he asked hopefully.
Charlie gave him a dazzling smile as he adjusted his backpack. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
As they stood up, the kind woman who worked at the café came outside to clear the table next to them.
“Gracias, estaba delicioso,” Charlie said to her.
“De nada, cariño. Usted y su novio se ven muy tiernos juntos ¡Espero que tengan un día maravilloso!" Nick didn’t understand a word she’d said, but Charlie blushed and ducked his head, thanking her in evident embarrassment.
“What did she say?” Nick asked quietly as they walked away.
Charlie blushed again and chewed on his lip. He took a deep breath and then looked straight ahead as he answered. “She thought you were my boyfriend.”
“Oh!” Nick said, not able to hide the delight in his voice.
“You don’t seem upset by that,” Charlie said slowly, turning to look at him as a small smile grew on his face.
“Why would I be upset by that?” Nick asked, smiling back at him. “To have someone as amazing as you as my boyfriend… that would be…yeah…” He trailed off, suddenly hoping he hadn’t gone too far.
Charlie didn’t respond right away. He turned forward again and smiled to himself. “I agree, that would be…yeah…” he repeated, mimicking Nick’s cadence.
“Are you making fun of me, Charlie Spring?” Nick laughed in mock indignation.
“I might be, Nick Nelson,” Charlie quipped, shooting him a teasing glance. “Or I might be agreeing with you…”
They walked a few minutes in charged silence, Nick buzzing with what Charlie had just implied. They’d established over breakfast that they were both from Kent and now living in London, so the possibility of seeing Charlie again after his trip was definitely there. He just hadn’t known how to ask Charlie if he would want that, but it sounded like maybe he did.
Just then, they came upon a Xurreria and Nick turned to Charlie in excitement. “Churros!” he exclaimed, bouncing on his heels.
“Yes?” Charlie said, giggling in a bit of confusion.
“Do we have time for churros?” Nick asked hopefully.
“You sound like a five year old asking for sweets!” Charlie laughed.
“Churros are so good! I’ve been eating them like every few hours since I’ve been here!”
Charlie shook his head fondly and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the small Xurreria. “C’mon, then, let’s get you some churros.”
“Really? We have time?”
“If we’re quick!”
To Nick’s amazement and delight, Charlie held onto his hand the entire time he ordered their churros. They’d decided to get one order to share, plus chocolate dipping sauce. Nick was disappointed to realise this meant they couldn’t continue to hold hands as they walked, but he was hopeful that maybe Charlie would want to hold his hand again after they finished eating.
He clutched the paper packet of churros in his hand as they left the Xurreria, holding it out to offer one to Charlie as they continued to make their way to the main station. They were chatting and laughing, bumping shoulders as they walked, and Nick didn’t remember the last time he’d felt so happy.
“So there’s this tiny little churro place my family found years ago,” Charlie was saying as he dipped his churro into the chocolate sauce for the first time, “and they have some of the best – oh my god.” Charlie moaned deeply as he took a bite of the chocolate-coated churro. “Oh fuck, that’s good chocolate.”
Nick swallowed and blushed, suddenly feeling much too aroused by the noises Charlie was making as he enjoyed his churro. He looked down, trying to get himself under control.
“Nick, you have to try this,” Charlie groaned in ecstasy, holding out the cup of melted chocolate.
“Uh… yeah, um…” Nick stammered.
“Are you okay?” Charlie asked, suddenly concerned.
“Yeah, I’m, uh… I’m fine,” Nick said, unable to meet Charlie’s eye. He reached up to rub his neck, his face flaming hot as Charlie’s reaction to the chocolate repeated on a loop in his head.
A devilish grin slowly unfurled on Charlie’s face as he realised what was going on. His tongue flicked out to wet his lips and then he took another bite with deliberate slowness. Nick found he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Charlie’s perfect, pink lips as they wrapped sensuously around the churro. “Oh yes,” he moaned, his eyes twinkling at Nick playfully. Excruciatingly slowly, he slid his lips further down the length of the churro, taking a big bite. Nick felt nearly paralyzed watching him, his entire body absolutely on fire.
Then Charlie’s face changed to one of mild dismay as he realised he had literally bitten off more than he could chew, his face screwed up in awkward embarrassment as he attempted to eat the giant piece of churro in his mouth.
Nick threw his head back, shaking with laughter as Charlie swatted him on the arm, protesting unintelligibly as he tried to chew. Charlie was laughing, too, and between the churro in his mouth and his laughter, he sounded like some sort of deranged bird, which only made Nick laugh harder. They stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, clutching at each other as they got themselves under control and Charlie was finally able to swallow his mouthful.
“I could’ve choked!” he protested through his laughter once he could speak again.
“Serves you right, you menace!” Nick shot back playfully as he wiped at his eyes.
Charlie bumped him with his shoulder and they both looked at each other sideways, their eyes meeting as they grinned at one another. Nick’s eyes dropped down to Charlie’s lips involuntarily and he noticed there was a bit of chocolate clinging to his upper lip.
Payback time, he thought.
“Hold on,” he said. “You have, um…” Charlie looked at him quizzically as Nick reached out and brushed his thumb gently across Charlie’s lip, lingering far longer than was necessary. Charlie’s breath caught and his eyes went wide, staring at Nick as he popped his thumb into his mouth, making a show of sucking off the chocolate.
“You had some chocolate on your lip,” Nick said casually as he resumed walking, smiling to himself when he noticed that Charlie hadn’t moved.
He turned around, walking backwards down the street, grinning at Charlie where he was standing dumbstruck in the middle of the sidewalk. “C’mon, you have a train to catch, remember?” Nick teased.
Charlie narrowed his eyes and shook his head, a smile playing at his lips as he walked forward to catch up with him. “You are very smooth, Nick Nelson.”
Nick looked straight ahead, smiling to himself as he bumped Charlie with his shoulder. To Nick’s astonishment and delight, Charlie wrapped his free hand around his bicep, squeezing slightly as he lay his head on his shoulder for a moment. Then Charlie took a breath and Nick could tell he was gearing himself up to say something.
“So um…” he started hesitantly. He uncurled his arm from around Nick’s and stepped away a little bit before reaching for another churro. He took a bite and Nick waited. “I’ve um… I’ve been trying to work up the courage to ask you this since you said you were bi,” he continued. Nick’s entire body was filled with butterflies at what he hoped Charlie was about to ask. “I know I’ll regret it forever if I don't at least ask, so um…” He took another bite, chewing deliberately and Nick felt like he wouldn't be able to contain himself much longer. Then Charlie swallowed and looked over at him. “Would you like to go out on, like, a… a date when we –”
“Yes!” Nick exclaimed.
“Nick, you didn’t even let me finish!” Charlie giggled.
“You said ‘a date’! Yes! I will go on a date with you any time, any place!” Nick said eagerly.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re quite enthusiastic?” Charlie teased.
“Yeah, maybe once or twice,” Nick chuckled. “Sorry, I know I can get overexcited.”
“Please don’t apologise for that,” Charlie said warmly. “I love it, honestly. It’s very endearing and quite different in a good way from most guys I’ve met.”
Nick beamed at him.
“As I was saying,” Charlie teased, popping the rest of the churro into his mouth. “Would you like to go on a date when we both get back to London?”
“Yes! Absolutely, yes!” Nick confirmed.
Charlie blushed a beautiful pink and looked straight ahead again, smiling to himself. “Good. That’s settled then.” He looked like the cat who got the cream and Nick wanted to shout with happiness.
As soon as they finished their churros, Nick wiped his hand off on his shorts and looked over at Charlie, holding out his hand tentatively. Charlie’s face melted into the most beautiful smile Nick had seen yet as he wiped off his own hand and then interlaced their fingers.
“This makes me really happy,” Nick said softly.
Charlie looked over at him adoringly. “Me, too.”
All too soon, they reached the main station. Charlie found his train platform and Nick went to wait with him, wanting to spend every last second together. They stopped halfway down the platform and turned to face one another, their hands still intertwined.
“We need to exchange phone numbers,” Charlie said.
“Yes!” Nick agreed, pulling out his phone. “I was kicking myself last night when I forgot to get yours yesterday.”
“Me, too.”
Once they had added each other to their contacts, they stayed facing one another, gazing into each other’s eyes.
“I can’t believe I met you,” Nick said, his voice hushed. “This may sound crazy because I know we’ve only just met, but I feel this insane connection with you, like we knew each other in another life or something.”
Charlie looked at him in wonder. “Are you always like this?”
“Like what?”
“You just wear your heart completely on your sleeve. I’ve never met anyone like you,” Charlie said.
Nick smiled at him fondly and squeezed his hand, taking a step closer. “I mean, yeah, I’ve always been pretty much an open book. My friends say I have no poker face. But also, I know I’d regret it forever if I didn’t tell you how I feel about you.”
“Nick,” Charlie breathed, his eyes huge as he looked up at him. Their bodies were only inches apart and Nick tried to memorise all the intricate little details of Charlie’s face as he gazed at him softly.
“Sorry if it’s too much, but I wanted you to know,” he said quietly.
Charlie brought a hand to his bicep and smiled up at him. “It’s not too much. I feel exactly the same way.”
“Madrid. Vía 14,” a robotic female voice announced over the PA system.
“That’s my train,” Charlie said regretfully. They both turned to look up at the LED display and saw they only had two minutes until Charlie’s train arrived. Even though they had exchanged numbers and made plans to see each other again once they both got back to London, Nick suddenly felt like he couldn’t bear to let Charlie go.
They turned back to look at one another, neither of them saying anything at first. Charlie’s gaze flicked down to look at his lips before meeting Nick’s eyes again, a question floating in the blue depths.
“Please,” Nick whispered.
Charlie smiled, bringing his hand up to gently cup Nick’s neck. They looked at each other a moment longer before leaning in at the same time. Nick’s eyes fluttered shut as Charlie’s soft lips met his. It was hesitant at first, the most delicate of touches. Nick felt a bolt of electricity fly through his body as Charlie’s hand contracted against the back of his neck, pulling him closer. As Nick wrapped his arm around Charlie’s slender waist, their lips slotted more firmly together and they began to explore each other’s mouths, the feel of Charlie’s warm lips absolutely intoxicating. Charlie sighed and let Nick’s hand go, sliding his palm up to lay on his chest as he gripped his shirt slightly and Nick felt like his entire body was vibrating with happiness. Their lips continued to find each other over and over and Nick curled his arm around Charlie’s narrow shoulders, loving the feeling of Charlie’s body pressed close to his within the circle of his arms. Even though it was their first kiss, it felt like coming home, and Nick never wanted to do anything ever again but kiss this amazing man he had somehow almost literally stumbled upon in Barcelona.
Far too soon, the train rumbled into the station and they pulled apart, never breaking eye contact.
“That was…” Charlie started, his voice full of awe.
“Yeah,” Nick agreed. “Best first kiss of my life. Best kiss of my life, actually.”
Charlie giggled and lowered his head to Nick’s chest. Nick wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight.
“God, you give really good hugs, too,” Charlie whispered, slipping his hands around to Nick’s back.
They held each other for a long moment before Charlie pulled back, looking at Nick timidly.
“What is it?” Nick asked, reaching up to cup Charlie’s cheek. Charlie leaned into his hand and Nick smiled at him as he stroked his thumb over his gorgeous cheekbone.
“Could I have another kiss?” Charlie asked.
Nick beamed at him and then leaned in, kissing him deeply. There was no hesitation this time, just a promise of what was to come when they got back to London.
“Promise you won’t ghost me?” Charlie asked when they broke apart. His eyes were playful, but Nick could hear the note of anxiety in his voice.
“Charlie, Barcelona is one of the most beautiful, interesting cities I’ve ever visited, but the most beautiful, interesting thing I found here is you. I will be counting down the minutes until I get to see you again,” Nick said earnestly.
Charlie rolled his eyes, but he looked thrilled. “I guess I'll have to get used to this level of sap,” he teased.
"Yes, you will," Nick said, his eyes twinkling.
When they finally parted and Charlie got on the train, Nick walked down the platform as Charlie went to find his seat, stopping once he saw Charlie stow his backpack and sit down. He waved at him through the window, feeling much too happy when Charlie giggled, his dimples popping out as he waved back. When the train began to back out of the station, Nick stayed there, waving until Charlie finally disappeared from view.
As he turned to go, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
Charlie ❤️ [14:01]: you look like a dorky dad standing there waving like that x
it’s adorable x
Nick laughed, running his hand through his hair in delight as he texted back.
Nick [14:01]: You’re adorable all the time x
I miss you already
Charlie ❤️ [14:01]: wow
eager much? x
Nick [14:01]: Very xx
Charlie ❤️ [14:01]: i’m sure you say that to all the boys you meet while on holiday
Nick [14:01]: Just the ones with beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous dark curly hair x
Charlie ❤️ [14:01]: flirt x
Nick [14:02]: I’m trying to make up for yesterday when I could barely say two words to you 😅
Charlie ❤️ [14:02]: you did seem pretty flustered, ngl 🤭
it was cute though don’t worry x
Nick [14:02]: Can you blame me?
The hot guy I kept seeing all around the city was finally talking to me and I had just made an arse of myself by crashing into that pram! 🤦
Charlie ❤️ [14:02]: and thank goodness for that
it gave me the perfect excuse to finally talk to you x
Nick [14:02]: I didn’t actually need help getting up, btw 🤭
I just wanted an excuse to hold your hand x
Charlie ❤️ [14:02]: nicholas!
i’m shocked!
you wooed me under false pretences!
Nick [14:03]: Seems like you wanted to be wooed if those kisses were any indication… 🤷
Charlie ❤️ [14:03]: oh i VERY much wanted to be wooed x
They continued to text as Nick walked back to his hotel, giggling at his phone like a teenager as he made his way through the streets of Barcelona. For the rest of his trip, he sent Charlie pictures of himself in front of the various places Charlie had recommended, grinning at the camera and giving an enthusiastic thumbs up. He even found a Xurreria where he could get a huge bag of churros and then sent Charlie a picture with the caption, "Wish you were here to share these with me!" Charlie hearted each picture and then teased him mercilessly for how dorky he looked, making Nick’s heart soar.
As wonderful as his trip had been, he couldn’t wait to get back to London to see Charlie again. Barcelona would always have a special place in his heart, though. He could already feel that meeting Charlie was going to change his life forever.
