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“I mean, obviously we’re both hot. We’d be a very attractive couple, is all I’m saying!” Charlie insisted with a loud laugh and then covered his mouth, looking around the library. Nick chuckled as Charlie sank in his seat when he caught the librarian giving him a stern look.
“And I wasn’t disagreeing!” Nick shot back in a low tone. Charlie jumped as Nick’s foot connected with his shin.
“ Ouch , fuck! Well, that was rude.”
Nick shrugged but his grin remained on his stupidly gorgeous face. Charlie returned the favour and laughed again as Nick winced when Charlie’s shoe connected with his ankle.
“Rrrrude!” Nick trilled in an attempt to mimic Tao.
A shushing sound came from the librarian’s desk and Charlie’s face heated.
He rolled his eyes at Nick. “You deserved it for kicking me first.”
Nick shook his head, still chuckling, and turned his attention to the book on the table in front of him.
Charlie followed suit and looked at his maths book. It was just a jumbled sea of numbers and words that he honestly couldn’t care less about right now. They were supposed to be studying, but anytime Charlie was around Nick, they just ended up joking around and play-flirting with one another.
And it was just joking. It wasn’t like Nick was actually going to want to date a guy like Charlie – a trans guy. Charlie was complicated and Nick didn’t need that shit. He sighed, resting his head on his hand as he stared unseeing at the book in front of him.
It had been a long road to get where he was now but he was still working on building up his confidence in who he was and his self-worth. Some days were easier than others.
They managed to keep quiet for ten minutes before Nick started to pack up his bag.
“Time to go?” he asked softly and Nick nodded, his expression going soft as he looked at Charlie.
“Yeah, I’ve got practice,” Nick answered by way of explanation and Charlie nodded.
“See you for dinner after?” Charlie asked, silently cursing at the obvious hope in his voice. He sounded like a lovesick puppy.
“Of course.”
Suddenly, Nick’s expression shifted to something more serious and he stood from his chair and crouched down next to Charlie. Hazel eyes bored into him, holding Charlie in place, his breath stuck in his throat at how close they were.
" So … when's our first date?"
Charlie blinked. Had Nick just asked him… he must have heard wrong.
“I… what?” The words came out breathy and strained.
Nick chuckled and leaned in, his lopsided smile making Charlie’s heart skip a beat. He should probably get that checked out.
“I asked you, when is our first date?”
“You actually want to go on a date with me?” His voice was high and a little squeaky and Charlie cleared his throat as a flush of embarrassment swept through him.
“Uh, yeah, I actually do. Like you said, we’d make an attractive couple and… well, I like you, Char,” Nick replied softly, as if he wasn’t breaking Charlie’s entire world open with his words.
Charlie glanced around quickly, wondering if maybe he was being punked but there were no visible cameras, no strange lurkers watching. He took a deep breath. Nick Nelson wanted to go on a date with Charlie Spring. What was his life right now?
“Oh, I, Friday night? We could go to the arcade?” Charlie asked tentatively and Nick’s face broke out into a wide grin, his eyes dancing.
“I would love that. Pick me up at six?”
Charlie grinned back.
“Yeah, rugby lad, I’ll pick you up at six.”
Nick stayed crouched there for another moment as the two of them grinned at each other like lovesick fools. Maybe Nick liking someone like Charlie wasn’t so complicated after all. Maybe this was the start of something good.