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Nick rolled over and pushed his fringe off his forehead as he struggled to catch his breath.
“Well, that was….”
“Yeah,” Charlie agreed, panting.
Nick rubbed a thumb over his husband’s cheek. “I love you. Oh! Also, I forgot to mention, you got a parcel today.”
Charlie moaned and threw an arm over his face. “Not sure I have the energy to open it right now.” Nick laughed, and the two of them giggled in each other’s embrace as their bodies cooled. Finally, they had the energy to roll out of bed and take a quick rinse in the shower. While Nick brushed his teeth, Charlie opened the box that Isaac had sent — an early Christmas present: a stack of books. There was a note tucked into one that said this one might consume you .
Pajamaed and tucked up warm in bed with Nick pillowed on his chest, Charlie opened the book and read the first chapter, then set the book aside. “Going to sleep?” Nick asked, lifting up to kiss Charlie on the chin.
“Yeah, I can’t quite get into it. Maybe once I read a little more?” Charlie reached over and turned out the light. “I love you, Nick. Goodnight.”
~~~~~~~
When Nick woke up the next morning, Charlie was already awake, cuddled under a blanket on the sofa with the book in hand. The elves on their mantle had been rearranged to be stringing popcorn, leftover from their movie night two evenings ago. “There’s a fresh pot of tea,” he told Nick as he stumbled in.
“Can I make you some eggs and toast?”
“Oh, that would be grand,” Charlie replied vaguely. Nick smiled to himself as he poured a cuppa and got out a skillet. It wasn’t the first time Charlie had fallen into a story. He plated up the food, freshened Charlie’s tea, and kissed his husband on the top of his head as he distractedly turned the page. Nick ate his own breakfast, watching as Charlie’s eyes skimmed over the text. Eventually, Charlie looked up and smiled sheepishly. “God, I’m ignoring you, aren’t I?”
“Enjoy your book,” Nick reassured him, patting his hand. “I’ll see you after practice, Char.”
Charlie did come and meet him and the lads for a pint and some lunch after, but Nick could tell he was frantic to get back to his reading, so he sent him home. He did usual weekend chores — the shopping, a bit of cleaning. They cooked dinner together, and Charlie went back to his book while Nick did the dishes. Nick couldn’t help but be amused by Charlie’s expression, one eyebrow lifted just slightly as he read.
“You don’t know what’s going to happen,” he accused.
Charlie raised his head. “No! I don’t!”
This was a rare event indeed. Charlie was a big reader, and it took a lot to stump him. No wonder he was so fascinated. Nick found the whole thing adorable.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two days later, Nick was starting to find it a lot less cute. The book was an absolute door stopper too, so there was no promise that Charlie would finish it soon. It was difficult to flirt with someone who wouldn’t engage in conversation or even exchange heated looks with him. Charlie seemed to be either working, sleeping, or reading.
They hadn’t made love in three days.
Nick wasn’t going to complain. That seemed… gross? But it was beginning to get under his skin. They never went this long, not unless one of them was out of town or ill. The last time had been back in February, when he’d caught a case of strep throat and Charlie had tucked him into bed and fed him soup and tepid tea and antibiotics until he felt better. After a couple of attempts to subtly get Charlie’s attention, he decided to just go to bed. Alone.
A few hours later, he felt Charlie slip into bed next to him, his sleek limbs wrapping around him, a warm kiss on his neck, but he was too knackered to respond and fell back into sleep quickly. When his alarm woke him, Charlie was gone again. Nick sat up with a frown, pushed his hair off his face, and shuffled to the bathroom to get ready for the day. When he emerged, he could hear the kettle rattling and the sound of the toaster dinging as it popped up bread. He ambled to the mantle and tried to think of something to do with the elves.
But Charlie had gotten there first.
Then Charlie’s arms were around his waist, his husband’s face pressed into his shoulder. “Hey. I know I’ve been neglecting you a bit the last few days.”
“Did you finish your book, then?” Nick couldn’t help but notice that the elf was not trapped in the tome Charlie had been lost in.
His husband giggled into his skin. “Um, no. But that can wait. I’m sorry. And I miss you.”
Nick considered telling Charlie that he had nothing to be sorry for, that everything was fine, but when he turned and looked at his sparkling eyes and the slight flush in his cheeks, and the way he was biting his lip, he decided to take a different approach. “Do you think there’s time to make it up to me before work this morning?”
“Hmmm….” Charlie tilted his head. “Maybe time for an amuse bouche this morning, and then a three-course meal of earning your forgiveness tonight?”
Nick swung Charlie up into his arms and moved to carry him back to their room. “I think that’s a reasonable start,” he agreed.