Work Text:
Getting Daisy
Charlie could only see Nick’s feet kicking in the air when he walked into their flat, shut the door, and took a few steps inside to find Nick lying on his stomach on the floor in front of their sofa. His chin rested on his folded arms, propping up his head while he scrolled through his phone. Charlie could tell from the soft, giddy look on his boyfriend's face that Nick was looking at the pet adoption website. Again. He tossed his keys into the bowl they kept by the front door and made his way to the sofa, Nick not noticing him until he sat down.
“Look at this one!” Nick says when he rolls towards Charlie, holding out his phone and grinning up at him.
He takes the phone, sighing. Nick had been looking at all different ages and breeds to adopt for the past few months. It’d been a handful of years since they lost Nellie, and he told Charlie that he was ‘finally ready for a new dog.’ So Charlie takes the phone, expecting to see another adolescent dog that someone surrendered or had been found and was now up for adoption. While they were all cute, each something listed in their website description made them hesitate to contact the adoption agency.
Whether it be that they didn’t get along with cats (both Tori and Isaac would bring theirs over from time to time), they had a hard time with children (Nick and Charlie were both in it for the long run with adopting a pet, sure they didn’t have children now but they knew that was something they wanted in the future) or the previous owners noted that the dog didn’t do well being left home alone for more than an hour (they both worked and needed a dog they could train and trust to be at home). What he didn’t expect was to be greeted with a slew of pictures and videos of little golden puff balls.
“Their mum was found with a broken leg while at the park, she’s doing fine and will also be up for adoption soon, but the pups are ready to be adopted as of today an-” Nick starts.
“Message them, oh my god message them now.” Charlie giggles at the video of the puppies falling over each other on Nick's phone, not realizing that he would need it back to message them.
“Already did, love.”
It’s a few days before Nick hears back from the adoption site, their email citing the delay due to the large number of inquiries about the puppies. To both of their delights, Nick ended up being one of the first to email, and they were given a time the next Saturday morning to come pick out a puppy. Nick bounced with excitement the whole way, his fingers moving from toying with the loose thread of Charlie's cardigan to flipping through the picture album of the puppies, trying to decide which one they’d choose. Once they arrived, they spent a few minutes with reception they were brought back to a small room with a bench and instructed to sit down. They waited for a worker to let the puppies in. Originally, there had been seven puppies, and three had been adopted already.
“What do we do if we can’t choose?” Nick asks, standing to peer over the little half wall, trying to catch a glimpse of the puppies.
“Guess we go home empty handed.”
“Charles.” Nick snaps, his tone soft, just as the door opens and little balls of fluff come tripping over each other into the room.
Nick squeaks and sinks to the floor, Charlie watching his over six foot tall semi-pro rugby player of a boyfriend giggle and melt on the ground while the puppies crawl over him. “Oh, this is too good, it’s like those Buzzfeed interviews they do with the puppies. Now tell us, Nick what is your goal for the next rugby season?” Charlie jokes, putting on a posh voice.
Nick doesn't answer, instead he’s lifting puppies into the air, giving hugs, and pressing his nose to theirs. “You all are just the cutest things I’ve ever seen. We’re never going to be able to pick, so we’ll just have to bring all of you home. But don’t tell that grumpy man over there, he said we had to pick just one.” Nick says, holding onto the puppy lying on his stomach while he shuffles to the side to grab a toy.
“Nick?” Charlie tries again without luck, his boyfriend too busy playing the most gentle game of tug-of-war. “Babe?” He asks, squatting down next to him.
“Huh?” Nick says, turning his eyes a little dazed. He looks up to see the most adorable sight he’s ever seen. Sure, he says that a lot because it’s Charlie, and there hasn’t been a day since he was sixteen that he didn’t think that Charlie was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen. But this, this was different.
Charlie stood above him, back skinny jeans dotted with little golden hairs, and in his arms was the smallest puppy in the room, and what Nick thought was the only girl left. Charlie cradled her in his arms, her little head nestled into his chest while his free hand patted her belly. A soft smile on his face, the same one Nick sees out of the corner of his eye when Charlie thinks he isn’t looking. He loved that smile, loved how it reached his eyes and caused just a shadow of his dimples on his cheeks.
“I like this one,” Charlie says, watching Nick finally focus on him. “Always thought we could be girl dads.”
Tori and Michael
“I cannot believe you had me thinking you were adopting a child, Charles,” Tori says, while sitting on a bar stool and watching Charlie cut the apple pie Michael made.
“I cannot think of one thing that I’ve ever told you that would make you think we were adopting a child, Victoria.”
“You gave zero context, and left your phone at home. The last I heard, you were going to the adoption place.”
“What, is it the 1800s now? Did you think we were going to an orphanage and just going to pick up a kid? And I’d take them to work with me while Nick studies to become a teacher, and we’ll annoy our very close neighbors with baby cries all night?”
“I don’t know Charlie! It’s you two, you’ve been together for ten years, what was I supposed to think?”
“Well, Tori, I can promise you that when we do adopt a child we’ll make sure to give everyone ample warning. Plus kids are fucking expensive, one of us might not be giving birth to it but you bet I’m making someone throw us a shower.”
“When?” Tori asks, giving Charlie a knowing smirk.
“Shut up.”
“Knew I was right to tell mum and dad their hopes of grandchildren weren’t dead.” Charlie flips her off before carrying the two plates of pie out onto the back porch.
“Pie?” Charlie asks, making eye contact with Nick. His boyfriend was lying on the grass, letting Daisy crawl over him while he talked to her in what Charlie called his ‘dog voice.’ Charlie watches, content, while Nick rolls over with Daisy, squeaking the little bumblebee toy he’d insisted she needed (because ‘a Daisy needs her bee’) before he slowly moves it across the ground for her to follow.
Nick's head snaps up at the mention of food, and he jogs over to the table, kissing Charlie on the cheek before picking at the pie with his fingers. “I did bring forks, you animal.” Charlie rolls his eyes, poking Nick gently in the arm with a fork before handing it to him.
“Aww, you’re so good to me, bringing me pie and a fork,” Nick says, taking the fork and patting it against Charlie’s chest before taking an obnoxiously large bite and jogging off after Daisy.
“Do you think Charlie’s noticed yet that he now has two golden retrievers?” Michael asks Tori when he walks back into the kitchen. The pair watched Charlie laugh while he scolded Nick for trying to sneak Daisy a small piece of pie crust.
Tao, Elle and Isaac
“Charlie better have a good reason for picking a ladish sports pub,” Tao complains, sitting under the umbrella at the outdoor table, watching the groups at the other tables clink pint glasses together while they cheered at the football game on the TVs.
“It’s clear why he picked it,” Isaac says, using the spine of his book to point at the table across the patio, drawing their attention to a group of girls with a dog curled up at their feet.
“Sorry, we’re late. This one,” Charlie says, pulling his chair out, the metal bottoms of the legs scraping against the concrete while he points at Nick. “Saw a little shop on the way here that sells pet supplies, so we just had to stop.” He says fondly, rolling his eyes.
“Look at the little harness they had, though!” Nick says, pulling a lavender harness dotted with little daisies from the bag. “She needed it.”
“Charlie, this is my formal apology for when you two have kids, Nick is going to bankrupt you both buying things,” Elle says, before bending down to pick Daisy up off the ground. “Hello, my little darling puppy.”
They talk and laugh, passing Daisy around the table while bickering about what food they could order to share for the table. Tao watching Nick check in with Charlie over the menu. It’s so subtle you wouldn’t notice if you didn’t know them. Nick’s thumb grazes over Charlie’s knuckles, followed by a soft sideways glance between his boyfriend and the menu. The silent check in they’ve all watched Nick develop over the years, being there for Charlie in a way that wouldn't draw attention to him but still giving him exactly what he needs. Helping Charlie make it through the small anxiety Tao knew bubbled just below the surface, caused by ordering at a new restaurant.
“I’m going to run to the loo,” Charlie says, once they’ve decided on food.
“Vodka soda?” Nick questions, looking up at him. Charlie kissed the top of his head instead of answering.
It’s the little things Tao thinks. When he first compared Nick to a golden retriever, it was because of his energetic nature and floppy blond hair. Remembering how he, Charlie, and Isaac watched him bounce up and down after he scored a try playing rugby with his mates during lunch. But as he grew to know Nick, the similarities didn’t stop. What started as Charlie's questionable friend turned into Charlie’s boyfriend and eventually Tao’s friend. He’d watch Nick work through his anxiety, start therapy, and come out the other side still ever the golden retriever boyfriend (and friend). His energetic support didn’t stop at Charlie. Nick was always one of the first to send a string of congratulatory emojis to their group chat when someone shared exciting news or offered a shoulder when the news turned sad.
But what really got Tao thinking of the comparison today was the way Nick and Daisy both turned and watched Charlie walk away. The same sad but happy look in their brown eyes, while they trailed Charlie across the patio. The only difference is that Daisy gave a small whimper, causing Isaac to pat her on the head. “Oh, don’t worry girl he’ll be right back.”
Tao reaches over the table, patting Nick on the head. “Same for you, don’t worry he’ll be right back.”
“Oh fuck off,” Nick says, knocking Tao’s hand away, but not bothering to look back at his friends until Charlie’s disappeared into the pub.
“We really should be making fun of Charlie more for adopting two golden retrievers,” Isaac says, putting down his book to dig into the basket of chips a waiter drops off at their table.
“I’m adopted now, am I?” Nick chuckles, taking a sip of his beer.
“Shit of an adjustment period too, almost made Charlie send you back.” Tao groans, Nick knowing Elle’s kicked him in the leg under the table.
“And watching him simp over Charlie for all these years, quit disgusting.” Isaac joins in, smirking at Nick.
“See, Isaac, that’s the nature of the golden retriever. Greatly loyal to their owners.” Elle says, giving Nick a playful grin over her drink.
Nick rolls his eyes. “Oh, he’s my owner now is he?”
“If the leash fits.” Elle jokes, wagging the end of Daisy’s at him
“Are you guys being mean to Nick again?” Charlie says, appearing at Nick’s side.
“Nope, just honest,” Tao says, pushing the plate of appetizers that arrived towards Charlie.
Sarah
Sarah had, of course heard it over the years, her son's friends joking while they compared Nick to a golden retriever. Sighting his sunny attitude and the way he doted on Charlie, for the reason behind the jokes. Nick was always laughing and brushing the comments off, or sometimes blushing when one of his friends would make fun of him for the way he trailed after Charlie while drunk at a party. Sarah pretended like she hadn’t heard those comments. But now that she was watching it, it was a different story.
She watched Nick sip on his third glass of (heavily) spiked vodka punch at their family Christmas party. He ideally followed Charlie from room to room with Daisy close on his heels, only stopping when she found a crumb of food on the floor.. Sarah couldn’t help but giggle at her son from her spot on the couch, where she sat watching Charlie stop to grab some cheese and crackers from the tray on the table. She shakes her head fondly when Nick wraps his arms around Charlie from behind and pulls him down to the chair with him to sit on his lap. Charlie shakes his head, fingers trailing over Nick's pink cheeks before patting his lap, signaling for Daisy to join them.
While she’d never voice her opinions to Nick, Sarah couldn’t say she didn’t agree with her son's friends. She’d watched the two of them grow in their relationship for almost eleven years. She saw Nick stick with Charlie through things two teenagers should never have to go through, but still, he stayed. Though she worried when they were young that Nick’s focus on Charlie got in the way of his own health. But they made it, they made it to where they are today. Sitting in a little armchair in Nick's childhood home, arms wrapped around each other, and a puppy (even if Daisy wasn’t puppy sized anymore) sitting in their lap.
The hours tick by, Charlie patting Nick on the arm and gently taking away his fourth glass of punch. Sarah, hearing him ask Nick if he knew exactly how much vodka David put in the punch, Nick only mumbled something back to Charlie about how pretty his eyes were while he nuzzled his face into Charlie’s neck.
“Sarah, I think I’m going to get these two home,” Charlie says, squatting to put Daisy’s leash on.
“Probably for the best, dear.”
Charlie stands, kissing her on the cheek. “Merry Christmas.”
“Where’s my kiss?” Nick asks, fumbling with his coat, grinning widely when Charlie goes up on his tiptoes to press their lips together.
Charlie Realizing
“You’re just like Daisy after she got spayed,” Charlie says, pressing a cold cloth to Nick's forehead. Nick nuzzled into his side, his body draping over Charlie’s while they lay in bed, while Daisy slept curled up at their feet.
“What do you mean?” Nick asks, his voice rough from coughing, they think he’d picked something up from one of the kids at his teaching placement.
“Clingy when you’re not feeling well.”
Nick looks up, his normally bright brown eyes glazed over. “I’m too weak to fight you on that.”
“Should have listened to everyone over the years.” Nick hums in reply. “Maybe we should have gone with a different dog breed since I already had my own golden retriever.”