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Language:
English
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Published:
2025-06-29
Completed:
2025-07-11
Words:
1,379
Chapters:
4/4
Comments:
18
Kudos:
40
Bookmarks:
3
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830

Support

Summary:

Nick and Charlie support each other in different ways.

Notes:

I took a flight today and this one shot came to me. Not based on personal experience, I’m ok with flying.

This will be a series of one shots of Nick and Charlie supporting each other.

I will update this regularly initially as I wrote 3 of them on the plane. And then after that it will be as the ideas come to me.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: Fear of flying

Chapter Text

He hates this part. The take off, leaving the ground, the motion of the plane as it rises into the air.

He leans back in his seat, eyes closed, hands gripping the armrests, taking calming breaths.

He feels the warm press of a hand covering his, a thumb rubbing circles. He flips his hand over. The hand slides into his, fingers entwining.

He opens his eyes and smiles at his husband. His Char. The person who knows him better than anyone else. Who knows how he will be feeling and is there to support. Silent and subtle. But there. Always.

Chapter 2: Toast: Charlie’s POV

Summary:

Charlie is having a bad day. Nick is there to help.

Chapter Text

Today is bad. His brain telling him lies. Feeling a total lack of control. The urge to harm himself.

He is sitting on the couch, pretending he is ok.

Nick stands and goes to the kitchen. Charlie exhales. Pretending is exhausting.

Minutes later Nick returns, a plate of toast with raspberry jam in his hand. He hands it to Charlie.

Nick knows. That it is a bad day. He always knows.

Charlie is touched. He knows Nick can’t do much to help. But he always tries.

Like making toast. Charlie’s comfort food.

It helps more than Nick will ever know.

Chapter 3: Toast: Nick’s POV

Summary:

Nick notices Charlie is having a bad day.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

He can feel the effort of pretending everything is ok rolling off Charlie.

He hates that Charlie feels the need to pretend. Fifteen years together and he knows that Charlie still thinks he is a burden sometimes.

He feels so helpless. He wishes he could take away Charlie’s pain.

He gets up and does the only thing he can think to do on days like this. He makes toast with raspberry jam.

He hands the plate to Charlie with a smile. A smile that conveys, I love you, I’m with you. It’ll be ok.

He hopes its helps his love.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. I will be continuing this series sporadically.

Chapter 4: Dentist

Summary:

Nick and Charlie have a fight before Nick has to go to the dentist.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Nick woke with a start. Immediately his neck and back grumbled at him.

He sat up and looked around the living room, the events of the past couple of days coming back to him.

He had skipped date night on Saturday to go for drinks with some guys from work. He had had a training day all day and then when they asked him to go out after he hadn’t thought twice about it. He had sent Charlie a text to let him know.

It had been a chaotic night and he had come home very drunk and making a lot of noise waking Charlie.

The next day Charlie had been very cold with him. He had tried to make amends but Charlie was hurt and angry. The main thing Charlie was annoyed about was the way Nick had changed the plans. Last minute and through text.

Nick had to admit he had a point and felt guilty. But then Charlie admitted with a smug look on his face that he had watched the next 2 episodes of their tv show without Nick.

All shame about his behaviour left Nick. Now he was annoyed with Charlie. The rule they had was to watch that show together and Charlie’s attitude about breaking that rule pissed Nick off.

So they had spent Sunday annoyed with each other. Trading muttered insults, bringing up past fights and being generally hostile.

They prepared their own meals and ate in separate rooms.

It got to the point where at bedtime Charlie went early and when Nick came up to get ready Charlie told him to find somewhere else to sleep, he wasn’t welcome in their bed tonight.

“Fine!”, Nick shouted making a point to be as loud as possible getting his things.

There wasn’t another option in their tiny, one bedroom, first flat together. The couch was Nick’s bed for the night.

Nick stretched and sat up. He looked outside the window. Charlie had left for work.

Sadness at their situation started creeping in. They rarely fought and Nick hated when they did. He was always the first to offer peace.

It was the summer holidays so Nick was off work. He made up his mind to clean the house, a grumble of Charlie’s from yesterday, that he didn’t pull his weight with housework. And then he would cook Charlie’s favourite meal for dinner later. He knew his actions had started the fight and he was eager to make up with Charlie.

But all that would have to wait until later. He had something big happening before then. His annual visit to the dentist.

Nick was deathly afraid of the dentist. He had had to have a tooth pulled when he was a kid because of the way it was growing and the experience had been so traumatic he had been filled with fear at even the thought of the dentist ever since.

Today was just a check up and he hadn’t had any problems but still. The thought of the smell of the place, sitting in the chair, sent chills down his spine.

Last week Charlie had promised Nick he would go with him. Arrange to work from home that day and go with him. Support him as Charlie did in multiple ways.

But now Charlie had left to go into work. Charlie must be really annoyed with him.

He desperately wanted to text Charlie to ask if he was still coming. But he couldn’t. Charlie had left for work. That was his sign. He had hurt Charlie and now he would have to live with the consequences.

He got dressed quickly. He busied himself around the house, tidying, preparing for the new school year. But the dentist appointment and his fight with Charlie were constantly at the back of his mind.

They had been together 9 years and Charlie had been there for every dentist appointment. Even when he was 17 and still going with his mum to the dentist, Charlie had surprised him by being in the waiting room after the appointment.

How was he going to do this on his own?

Eventually he had to leave for his appointment. He was running late. He had been delaying going.

He parked near the building and took a few deep breaths. He entered the office and checked in with the receptionist who told him to take a seat in the waiting room.

He opened the door of the waiting room and his breath caught in his throat and a tear started running down his cheek.

Charlie was sitting on a chair, on his phone, still looking annoyed. But there.

Nick moved to sit beside Charlie.

“You’re late! You missed your appointment time and so now they can’t see you for a half hour. Which means I’m not going to be back at work before lunch”, Charlie kept his voice low but there was an undertone of annoyance there.

“I know. I’m sorry. I started to get really nervous and then I was procrastinating. You weren’t there to push me out the door”, there was no blame in Nick’s tone. He was just being honest.

Nick had his hands in his lap. Seconds later he felt Charlie’s hand slide into his, entwining their fingers and squeezing several times. Their signal. I, squeeze. Love, squeeze. You, squeeze.

Nick turned to Charlie, openly crying now. From relief, nerves or the fight he wasn’t sure.

Charlie enveloped him in a hug.

“I’m sorry about date night”, Nick muttered into his neck.

“I know. I’m sorry too. For the tv thing and the things I said”, Charlie mumbled lovingly.

“I love you”, Nick breathed.

“I love you too honey. So much!”

They pulled back and shared a sweet kiss. Charlie wiped the tears off Nick’s face.

“Thank you. For coming today. I wasn’t sure you would after everything”.

“I got a text yesterday to say I had to go in to the office this morning as the owners were coming for a visit. I was too annoyed to tell you last night. But I made it clear to Jason that I had to leave at 11 to be here. I love you. I know how you feel about this. I’m always going to support you. Even when you behave like a dickhead!”

Both men giggled and put their foreheads together.

Twenty minutes later Nick was called in. Charlie went with him and held his hand the whole time.

Notes:

Thanks for reading.

Notes:

Thanks for reading.
I hope you liked it.
❤️🥰❤️