Chapter Text
Nick :
I wake up to my phone buzzing. It’s a text from Charlie, as usual. It has became our morning tradition , messaging each other in the morning. Ever since I started Leeds University last autumn. Today was different though. Charlie was coming to Leeds today. Not to visit though. He is starting Uni next week and he got into Leeds to.. The message reads : Hi. I am at the train station just now! Can’t wait to see you and share a apartment with you from now on. I love you! Charlie xx. Leeds has separate apartments for each person. They do not usually let people share apartments but me and Charlie managed to persuade them. I pick up my phone and type. I can’t wait to see you too! Love you Xx. I send it.
Later that morning I drive to Leeds train station and watch as Charlie searches the crowd for me. When he sees me, he lets out a smile and runs to me. I open my arms and let him jump on to me. We stand there hugging and Charlie leans in to kiss me. As this happens, I start to remember that moment. That moment when me and Charlie kissed for the first time. This was no different. A new Era in our lives. From now on, me and Charlie will live together. This is the start of our future. We both part as Charlie whispers into my ears. “ Hi.” He says and leans back into my blue Adidas hoodie. We walk towards the car, me carrying one of his bags.
I had no lectures this week and Charlie officially starts tomorrow, so I planned a day of fun activities for him.Sadly, that needed to wait for later, the Uni held a society fair at the student union and in the campus this afternoon. We arrived back at the apartment at 11:30 am and we were both starving. As Charlie unpacked, I ordered us each a six piece chicken nugget box from Macdonalds. “I missed us just having time to ourselves,” Charlie says, shoving a chicken nugget in his mouth. I let out a small laugh, “yeah, I missed it too. I have planned a fun first week, just us in Leeds. Also, I thought we could, you know,” . Charlie knew what I meant. He smiles, “ I hoped you would plan that. It’s been too long”. I nod.
Charlie:
Turns out Nick was right about Leeds. I have not been here a full day and I am already very excited. We finished our meal and head off to the Scocieties fair, Nick holding my hand. It was fun. I signed up for the LGBT scociety, Nick persuaded me after he signed up last year. I even got a gym membership joined. We saw some familiar faces, like Nick’s rugby coach and met Nick’s friends: Chloe, Jade, Miles and Laurence. We left and then I persuaded Nick to go to the nearest Waterstones. Turns out I ended up buying a handful of books: Solitaire, Loveless, Radio Scilence and A good girls guide to murder. Then I found a music store. Me and Nick decided to get a CD player and a few of our favourite artists: Taylor Swift, RadioHead, The ark and even some of our band’s CD’s. Queer Intentions had a record label and was touring small pubs, first one being one of the local ones near Leeds University. That was my idea. Nick went and got a new electric guitar as well, which he needed since he joined Queer Intentions last spring. We called it a day and headed back to the apartment, still full of the Starbucks we had an hour ago.
Nick dragged me straight to the bedroom where we shared a bed, and we helped strip away our clothes. I grabbed a condom and we buried ourselves underneath the duvet. “ I love you, so much.” Nick breathed. We lay there, with Taylor Swift’s Folklore album quietly playing in the background. “ I love you to” I replied. “”I love you so much”. Next thing I know, our lips were touching, Nicks refreshing breath heading into my mouth. This is when I knew that Uni was going to be one of the best experiences of our lives.
We lied in the next day. I tried not to wake Nick up because I planned to make his favourite, pancakes. I am not the best cook, but I think I did a pretty great job, and apparently Nick thought so too. “You need to make these more often,” he says, shoving pancakes and rashes of bacon into his mouth. I laugh for a brief moment before replying with “ you know I can’t cook to save my life!” . “Do you want to, you know,” I jestured towards the cabinet beside our bed. Nick replied by pulling of his T shirt.
We later watch Rocketman, sitting on our couch whilst eating Dominoes for an afternoon dinner. “Don’t you think the actor who plays young Elton John looks like you?” I ask. He has the same strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes and dimples. Nick turns his head to look at me. I can tell he thinks otherwise. ”You know he is like 7 years younger than me, right?” He says in a teasing way. I laugh. Nick wraps his arms around my body and kisses me on the head. “Living with you is like a dream,” I whisper. I snuggle up and rest my had on his shoulder.
A few days later:
Nick:
I wake up early, Charlie still sleeping. His head leans on my shoulder. I reach into my drawer and pull out a small ring box. I imagine my and Charlie’s future. Us being husbands. Having kids. I want that. But does Charlie want that? I sigh and put it back in the drawer. The drawer shutting must of woken Charlie up. “What’s up?” He asked. I close my eyes and wrap myself around Charlie. “Nothing,” I say.
We are currently sitting in the student union, the little cafe hangout where students spend their free time. It is quiet for 12:30 in the afternoon. Charlie is typing on his laptop, focused on his first classic literature assignment. I sip on my coffee as I think back to this morning. I messaged the Paris Squad earlier, not on the group chat though in case Charlie sees. I ask myself as I read their response to whether I should do it or not. I’m hesitating, which doesn’t help. It’s probably to early anyway. We have been together for almost five years.
“Char?” I say as I reach for his hand. He looks up at me. “What’s up?” Charlie asked. I love how he could tell if something was wrong by my voice. I breathe. What if he feels like it’s too soon. “I was thinking, what do you see our futures like?” I ask, wondering if he sees it the same way I do. He takes a minute before responding. He lifts his head up from his computer. “I don’t know. Probably living together with kids. Having successful careers. Something like that.” I stay quiet. “Yeah, me too.” I respond. I go back to drinking my coffee. I want to be able to be there for Charlie, no matter what.