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💙💙
“Stop it Darcy, I will not wear this tomorrow!”
“Oh, you will.”
“No, I won’t, I’m not that desperate yet.”
“Yet. Interesting choice of words, my friend,” Darcy says, their grin so teasing and knowing, Nick almost huffs in indignance. Instead, he focuses on the fabric in his hand.
“I’ll never be that desperate to wear a shirt that says,” Nick pauses and unfolds the t-shirt to read the full sentence and not just the ending like he did when Darcy had handed him their gift from the charity shop. “’I’m going to punch you in the mouth, with my own mouth, softly, because I like you'. Darcy, please. What even is that?”
Darcy’s girlfriend Tara snorts and clears her throat before she giggles again from where she’s sitting on their worn-out black sofa in the living room knitting a beanie in the same blue as Darcy’s hair – and obviously eavesdropping on her friend's discussion. Nick had been sitting next to her not even five minutes ago, crafting leaves of all kinds and materials, before he had been summoned by Darcy the moment they’d stepped into the hallway of their shared flat.
Darcy throws up their hands in exasperation but doesn’t relent. “Nick. It’s the perfect opening line to finally end your month-long pining. Mutual month long pining, I must add. Watching you both crushing on each other from near and far truly is a pain that I’m not willing to suffer any longer.”
Nick rolls his eyes. Surely he's not that bad.
“Okay, let’s say I wear this for tomorrow’s LGBTQ+ –“
“HA!”
“Not finished yet Darce. IF I wear this tomorrow, how does Charlie know that I want him to read this and not anybody else at the gathering?”
“As if you ever talk to anyone else as soon as Charlie is in your vicinity my dear Nicky. Nobody will even get a chance to read this. But,” they stop for dramatic antics and look at Nick pointedly, “If you want to be a tit, just wear a hoodie and only take it off when you and Charlie have found each other.”
Nick looks down to where his hands hold the white shirt with the pink writing, pictures himself talking to Charlie and revealing the shirt, pictures Charlie’s deep blue eyes taking in the words and – nope.
“I will not wear it! It’s embarrassing. What if he just laughs at me and thinks I’ve lost my mind? What if he looks at me in irritation and walks aways? What if –”
“What if he says, ‘I like you too’ and kisses you?”
Now that is something Nick is on board with picturing, given he’s already done that in various ways for long periods of time. Usually in bed, when he can’t sleep. Or during lectures, daydreaming. Or at the café where they have both worked for four months now, watching Charlie’s plump lips form words as he speaks to customers, wondering how they’d feel pressed against his. Or at the library, acting like he’s reading his coursework but in fact is simply observing how Charlie’s teeth chew his lower lip in concentration, wishing for his own teeth to bury deep into Charlie’s lips. Or –
Darcy’s cackling is what pulls him back from his delicious and distracting train of thought. “Oh, you’re so gone on him Nicholas. You just have to wear it, it’ll work, believe me!”
“I highly doubt that, Darce, I really do. Charlie will just think it’s a joke.”
“Or he’ll take the hint. You both just need a little more courage to finally make a move. You’re both so obvious to everyone but yourselves!”
“But, Darcy,” Nick all but whines, “You know I like him so much! I don’t want to lose him or scare him off. He’s one of my best friends.”
“You won’t. You literally never will. He’s down bad just as you. I bet he thinks the same, doesn’t dare to make a move to not lose you. You’re both smitten losers and it’s unbearable to watch sometimes. I mean, for a while I thought it was cute but by now I even expect Charlie’s grumpy friend Tao is desperate for you to make a move!”
Nick feels his cheeks warm up as he remembers Tao’s expression and how it turned from a scowl whenever he spotted Nick at the beginning of Nick and Charlie’s friendship to a soft smile and fond gaze which bounces from Nick to Charlie and back again – something he always tries to school back into an exaggerated eye roll whenever Nick catches him staring. Maybe Darcy was right after all?
“Stop smiling like that, Nick. You’re scaring me.”
“Then stop getting my hopes up!”
“Just wear the t-shirt, I promise it will turn out well!”
“No. Tara?”
“No, don’t even try. I won’t get in the middle of another bisexual-disaster-Nick-meddling-Darcy fight.”
“Thank you, I love you!” Darcy leans over to peek into their living room and blows Tara a kiss.
“I’m not taking your side, Darcy, I’m Switzerland,” Nick hears Tara reply, a suppressed laugh heavily colouring her voice.
“Still, you not getting involved is already helping me, so… thank you!”
Tara just hums in acknowledgement and somehow Nick just knows he’s lost the fight. With as much conviction he can find in himself, he says,
“I’ll not wear it, end of discussion.”
🍂🍂🍂
“Darcy, I hate you, this is so embarrassing! I’ll just keep my hoodie on and no one will ever know.”
“Sure, do that. And keep pining until there’s no trees left and one of us friends has had enough and locks the two of you up in a closet ‘til you’re both ready to come out as a couple. Or...”
“...wear the t-shirt openly,” Nick sighs in mock-defeat, “Won’t happen and you know it. I humoured you to make you shut up about it but I never intended to actually show it off. Or use it on Charlie. If only it weren’t so hot in here.”
Nick looks back at his friend as he grabs the hem of his dark green hoodie with both of his hands and use it as some kind of a fan to cause at least a little bit of air-circulation, but their expression stays neutral – apart from teasingly dancing eyebrows. But before he can even begin to decipher what that look could mean, the door opens and as if being called by a force that is beyond Nick’s comprehension, he turns his head and watches Charlie and his friends enter the room Darcy and Tara had decorated so lovingly for the party.
💛💛
“D'you think he’s here?”
“Charlie. His roommates and best friends are the ones organising this event. I bet on Elle that he’s here.”
“Hey!” Elle exclaims with laughter, her colourful braids bouncing as she shakes her head, “I’m not even sure how to take this… should I be proud? Should I be concerned?”
“Always proud, love, and you know it,” Tao says while leaning towards his girlfriend and kissing her on the cheek and it’s so sweet, Charlie has to accompany it by the kind of fake retching noises that speak of years of fond friendship.
Tao pulls back to look at Charlie, his expression utterly unfazed.
“I just know for a fact that your Nick Nelson will show up if Tara and Darcy organise something and especially, if there’s hope for him to see you.”
Charlie turns his head towards his friends while his left eyebrow wanders so high it disappears under his black curls.
“Don’t look at me like that. You and Nick are both ridiculous and oblivious idiots. I’ve never seen people more in love without realising or actually being together.”
“Tao!”
His friend just shrugs. “You know I’m right. I mean, I didn’t believe it at first but even I could see it after only a short while, and I didn’t even need Elle’s help for once!”
This time, it’s Elle who leans in to kiss her boyfriend, “I’m proud of you, too.”
Charlie rolls his eyes at his friends but with their focus solely on each other, it ends up being directed at no one in particular so he just sighs and turns his attention towards the open room again. It’s autumn leaves everywhere, some made of paper, some made of fabric, some even real ones gathered from the cold November grounds, shining in yellow, red, brown and every shade in between. It feels cosy, especially with all the fairy lights entwining pillars, covering surfaces and framing windows. Charlie lets his eyes wander until he finds what he’s really looking for – Nick. Who is smiling widely, his honey-brown eyes already resting on Charlie. In fewer strides than less eager people would need, they cross the room and stop so close to each other, 'personal space' loses its meaning.
“You came!”
“You’re here!”
They both chuckle as they hug tightly in greeting. It’s something that started pretty early in their friendship after an especially demanding shift with more rude customers than usual, growing from the need to find solace. It turned into a habit afterwards, hugging to say hello, to say goodbye, to share joy and tears. It never fails to amaze Charlie how instantly calming it still is to his whole being; how Nick’s warmth envelops him completely and evaporates the usual cold in his veins, how his scent feels so familiar it’s like coming home, how intriguing Nick’s muscled body feels pressed so closely up against Charlie’s.
There’s a ruckus as new guests arrive and they don’t need words to know what the other thinks – let’s go find somewhere quieter again.
They make a beeline for the makeshift bar, grabbing a beer for Nick and a cider for Charlie before they find a small high table in the corner of the room where they clink their bottlenecks and each take a sip followed by a contented sigh that makes them giggle.
While Nick’s eyes roam the room, a small smile on his lips, Charlie lets himself take in Nick’s gorgeous face; his cheeks so flushed it’s almost hiding his freckles; his eyes sparkling golden with the fairy lights above their heads; his hair, taken over by a reddish glow now that the summer sun's gentle brightening is slowly fading by late autumn. They connect gazes when Nick’s returns to Charlie after a few beats and for a while that could easily be eternity, they just smile at each other.
“Tara and Darcy truly outdid themselves this time, the room is so beautifully cosy,” Charlie says, lowly, to not break the calming quietness of this moment.
“Right? I mean, our apartment is a mess of leaves in all kinds of state and material but what they did here is simply stunning. But I swear, they somehow tinkered with the thermostat. It’s so hot!” Nick replies, his last words so loud they’re almost startling Charlie.
“Then why don’t you take off your hoodie?”
“I –”
“What?” Charlie asks when Nick doesn’t continue. He watches a blush slowly spreading on Nick’s cheeks as the other man’s gaze falls to where his hands are nibbling at the bottle labelling.
“Nick?”
Nick looks up at that, but his smile is mixed with embarrassment.
“I.. I can’t?”
“You can’t? Why, are you naked underneath? I’m sure there are many of us who would appreciate –”
“Charlie!”
“Sorry,” Charlie giggles, “But tell me, why can’t you take it off?”
“Darcymademewearsomething,” Nick mumbles so fast, Charlie can only manage to make out ‘Darcy’ and ‘thing’.
“What?”
“Darcy made me wear something,” Nick repeats, his eyes downcast again and well, Charlie knows how persuasive Nick’s friend can be so he nods his, “Oh, dear,” in meaningful understanding. His curiosity grows though.
“Yeah,” Nick agrees and lifts his beer to tap it against Charlie’s cider, a silent toast to their friend’s shenanigans.
“But I’m sure it’s not that bad?” Charlie continues after taking another sip himself, a smile still tugging on his lips, “Sure it’s better than dying from being overheated?”
“I don’t know? I’m really not sure.”
What is going on with his friend?
“Nick. It’s just us in this corner. Take the hoodie off until you feel cooler again and put it back on when other people join us if it stresses you so much.”
“I don’t think I could be any cooler wearing it,” Nick replies before he pauses, hesitating. “And it’s not other people who concern me, it’s you, I –,” Nick rolls in his lips and presses them together tightly as if to keep himself from saying more.
“Nick –,”
“Okay,” Nick interrupts Charlie with a sigh, “Promise me not to laugh though?”
“Of course,” Charlie complies instantly.
Nick glares at him knowingly which causes Charlie’s breath to hitch in his throat. He knows me so well. He chuckles to cover up his stupidly aching heart.
“Okay, I’ll at least try.”
“Thank you, I appreciate your effort,” Nick deadpans and winks, which sends a tiny shiver down Charlie’s spine.
He’s quiet while Nick starts lifting his hem, their eyes locked until the fabric hides Nick’s gorgeously pinked face and Charlie feels like he should hold his breath in anticipation and sure, Nick taking off his clothes would probably always make him gasp for air but still, he feels a bit ridiculous. What is Nick on about?
And then.
Ah. Oh. That.
His eyes are firmly locked on the pink writing on Nick’s otherwise white – and pretty tight, Charlie can’t help but notice – t-shirt but he feels Nick’s gaze resting on him. He takes his time reading it and it’s mostly to reign in his mind from running in every possible direction because if Nick’s making such a fuss about it, does this mean these words are holding some kind of meaning to him? He likes someone and wants to kiss them? Who? Could it be…?
No, not too much hope all at once, he’s been falling spectacularly hard for his friend for what feels like ages now, anyway.
Charlie looks up and what he finds constricts his chest for real this time. It’s a mixture of lips pulled into a shy smile, nose crinkled in embarrassment, eyes shining with hope, watching him expectantly but with a hint of vulnerability that translates to slightly raised eyebrows.
Oh. Now he’s unable to stop hope from slowly but steadily piercing him through every pore.
“Why did Darcy make you wear this?” Charlie asks, aware of how soft his voice sounds with all the possibilities lacing it, already surmising the answer to some bits if he’s reading this right. And god, does he hope he’s reading this right.
Nick's eyes flutter shut briefly while he inhales deeply as if to steel himself for his next words and Charlie desperately wants to reach out, wants to squeeze his hand to reassure him, tell him that he doesn’t need to worry.
“Darcy wanted me to finally make a move,” Nick exhales, giving his words reverence that causes Charlie to smile softly but they still bounce off the guard surrounding Charlie’s heart. He needs more to let it crumble, Nick’s too important to Charlie to let his infatuation ruin what they have. He doesn’t know how to respond so he stares in slight disbelief and waits, hoping that Nick will continue nevertheless. Which he thankfully does a moment later. “They found this t-shirt in a charity shop and did such thorough persuading, I gave in and well, here I am, wearing it. As you can see. Obviously you can. I’m sorry, I’m rambling, I’m just so nervous.”
Charlie watches Nick’s hand fly to his neck in his tell-tale anxiety-ridden movement, his eyes bouncing from Charlie’s face to the table to his bottle to Charlie to the open room to Charlie.
“I mean, I’ve wanted to kiss you for ages now and I like you so, so much, Char. But now I hope I didn’t ruin it or that you think it’s too stupid or god, offensive! I shouldn’t have listened to Darcy, please, don’t make a run for it, I –” Nick stops dead in his tracks, his eyes wide open. Charlie looks down to their suddenly intertwined hands.
Acting on its own mind, Charlie’s hand had apparently finally overruled Charlie’s brain and gently cradled Nick’s nervously fidgeting one resting on the table, squeezing it one, two, three times before their fingers slotted together in a tight embrace.
Charlie tilts his head to look at Nick and what he finds is so intense, it stirs awake all of his deeply hidden yearning and love at once and he all but feels the last bit of armour around his heart crumble.
This is it.
Charlie's eyes drop to Nick’s chest where he reads the text one more time before he rounds the table to close as much distance between them as possible.
“I’d love your mouth to punch my mouth softly, Nick, because I like you too.”
💙💙
Nick needs a moment to fully comprehend Charlie’s words, their proximity and intertwined hands not helping in getting his brain back into gear, the touch so soft and tender, it sends constant sparks up and down his arm. But then.
“You like me too?”
Charlie giggles softly. “So much. Wasn’t that obvious?”
“Darcy said so. But I wasn’t sure. I didn’t dare to hope.” Nick looks up and finds Charlie's gaze resting on him, his expression an endearing mixture of fondness and mischief.
“Darcy said so?” Charlie asks, one eyebrow raised teasingly high, his smile big and his blue eyes sparking in competition with the fairy lights; his gentle squeeze of Nick’s hand a contradiction to the playful lilt in his voice.
Nick blushes around his chuckle and shrugs. “They held a very convincing speech about us being smitten losers and how we’re both equally down bad but oblivious. You know, stuff like that.”
Charlie laughs quietly, as if mostly to himself.
“Tao said something similar. He called us ridiculously oblivious idiots. Coming from him, that must truly mean something, he’s normally the socially blind one!”
Now they’re both laughing, shaky movements that bring them even closer until Nick can feel Charlie’s soft exhales against his neck. He curls his free arm around Charlie’s slender waist and gently untangles their fingers to cradle Charlie’s face instead. Charlie leans into the touch immediately, his gaze holding so much affection Nick’s heart is aching with happiness.
“Good thing these days of oblivious pining are over now,” Nick agrees quietly, his last words a mere puff of air against Charlie’s lips. Lips he fantasised about so many times before, now as close as never.
“Can I kiss you,” Nick whispers, already slowly closing the last, almost imperceptible, distance. Charlie’s nod lets his nose rub gently against his until finally, he knows what kissing Charlie feels like.
It’s nothing like he’s imagined, his in-depth imagination does not even come close to reality. Charlie’s long curls tickle Nick’s eyelids gently; his exhales brush Nick’s cheek in a beat yet unknown to him; his achingly familiar scent is so intense, pure and all-encompassing, it makes Nick’s head spin in the most delicious of ways. Charlie’s lips are as soft as the flesh of a ripe sun-warmed peach and so sweet and tender as they press against Nick’s over and over again, Nick just knows he’ll never get enough of tasting it. And when Charlie’s tongue licks its way into Nick’s mouth, all of Nick’s capacity to find words washes away and for the first time, he lets himself simply fall and lose himself in the feeling of Charlie.
🍂🍂🍂
“What are you planning on doing with your t-shirt now? I mean, now that you don’t need it anymore?” Charlie teases and only because Nick knows him so well, he hears the slither of insecurity laced in his voice. He pulls him even tighter, bringing their naked bodies so close it’s a miracle they’re not melting into one.
“You’re right, I don’t need it anymore,” he says, full of conviction, having known that Charlie is his person for a long while now. He tilts his head to kiss Charlie’s forehead while he tries to remember the words on his t-shirt. “Char, I’m going to punch you in the mouth with my mouth softly for as long as you let me.”
A low chuckle and contented hum are the only sounds Charlie makes as he wiggles his body until he lays on top of Nick. Once he’s settled, he lifts his head to look at Nick, his eyes sparkling even in Nick’s dimly lit bedroom, his dark curls a mess from Nick’s insatiable hands, his thoroughly kissed lips cherry red and pulled into a soft smile – and Nick’s so happy he could cry.
“For as long as possible then,” Charlie whispers before he turns to look at the clothes strewn all over the floor, Nick’s t-shirt glowing bright with its white colour.
“In the best case,” he continues as his gaze returns to Nick, “Like, our case,” he adds, leaning up for a short kiss that holds so much affection, Nick can’t help but squeeze his boyfriend even tighter in his arms, “This t-shirt is a single-use product that should be returned to the charity shop for the next smitten loser or meddling friend coming to pick it up and make someone else insanely happy.”
