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Nick pressed his lips to Charlie’s temple, cheekbone, nose, and then lips. Even after all these years, kissing Charlie never failed to make Nick’s breath catch. Charlie grumbled awake as Nick continued to savor the soft skin of his throat, the curve of his Adam’s apple, the dip of his collarbone. Charlie tilted his head to allow Nick more access, but still stubbornly refused to open his eyes.
“Come on, sweetheart, we need to get up,” Nick coaxed, leaving one, two, three more kisses against Charlie’s jaw before leaning away. “I brought you coffee.”
Charlie moaned something that sounded like no, then wrapped his arms around Nick’s neck and buried his face there to hide from the weak sunlight filtering in through parted curtains. “Too early.”
“We need to leave for the airport in forty minutes.”
That sobered Charlie, who pulled back. “Right, yeah. Okay.”
Nick knew the feeling. He was ecstatic that their friend Birdy was moving closer to them, only an hour by plane instead of eight. But the circumstances surrounding the move had made Nick cry in Charlie’s arms for the better part of a day.
“Let’s be there for Birdy when she arrives,” Charlie had suggested when they’d first heard the news. “School will still be out and I can take a few days off.”
Nick fell even more in love with him then, which seemed impossible. “Yes, absolutely.”
The grief had turned into a plan.
They’d booked train tickets and rented a room, then staged a surprise that stretched across multiple countries and friend groups. Now, as the arrival time crept closer, Nick knew they’d made the right decision.
“I’m glad we get to be the ones who pick Birdy up from the airport,” Charlie admitted while nursing his coffee, now awake and leaning against Nick. “Hopefully, seeing familiar faces will make the move less overwhelming.”
Nick left a kiss in Charlie’s curls. “I hope so, too.”
After breakfast and a quick shower—in which Charlie made Nick recite poetry in French and then Charlie returned the favor on his knees—Charlie pulled on his faded The Ark shirt and ripped jeans. Nick tossed Charlie his Converse and was tying up his own Vans when their phones buzzed.
Nick opened the Discord chat with their and Birdy’s mutual friends to read the messages.
Operation Surprise Birdy
Bi-panic-actually : Per the flight tracker, Birdy’s plane will land on time. You ready? 🤭
Forester Elliot : Birdy is going to lose her mind!
Forester Elliot : she still thinks you’re on vacation in France
Nick Nelson: Leaving now!
NicKnack : Did you make a sign??? 👀
Charlie : [photo of sign that reads “Welcome home Birdy and family!”]
Bi-panic-actually : I’m actually crying 😭😭
Forester Elliot : gross
Forester Elliot : (same tho)
NicKnack : It’s raining over my eyelids 🥺
Charlie : we’ll video tape it. or i will because nick will be too busy crying
Nick Nelson : Oi!
Charlie : 🤨
Nick Nelson : You’re right🙂↕️
Charlie: i know
Bi-panic-actually : Keep us posted! 🩷
Nick Nelson : Will do
Charlie : 💛
The trip to the airport was quiet, Charlie keeping the tunes light as Nick drove the rental van through the tight streets toward the airport. They could’ve taken two Ubers or public transit, but Nick had figured it would be less stressful to keep Birdy, her family, and their dog all together. After they parked—which took a few loops around the lot—Charlie climbed out of the van and then wrapped Nick in a hug.
“You’re the best human,” Charlie said, kissing him.
Nick gripped Charlie’s hips, kissing him deeper, the anxiety packed between Nick’s ribs melting away as Charlie’s fingers carded through his hair. “I love you,” he whispered against Charlie’s lips. “Thank you for being here with me.”
“Always will be,” Charlie promised. “You love our forged family with all your heart, and I love you with all mine.”
Nick pressed his forehead against Charlie’s, both lingering in the haze of soft words and a love so deep, it was too big to contain in their chests.
Then their phones began buzzing relentlessly. With a sigh, Nick pulled back and checked the messages from their other group chat.
LGB-Tea Chat :
Elle : Darcy and I have finished cleaning the townhouse!
Elle : Fridge is on
Elle : Windows are open
Elle : I’m going to hang some art too
Darcy : Can U believe I helped CLEAN instead of cause chaos? 😱😅🕺
Tara : Give it 3 hours and some alcohol
Darcy : Rude. But true 😵🫠🥂🍻
Tara : Imogen and I are finishing making the 🛏️ beds now
Imogen : [selfie of throwing a peace sign at the camera. She’s wearing a bandana in the lesbian colors with her hair tied back] ✌️🏳️🌈
Isaac : We’ll be back with groceries in thirty!
Tao : We’d be there faster if Isaac hadn’t made our driver stop at the Airbnb to get a stack of books 🙄😩😒😑
Isaac : They’ll need books to read while they wait for their stuff to arrive, Tao!
Nick : Thanks friends 💙
Nick : At the airport now
Tao : £20 Nick cries first! 👀
Darcy : I’ll take that bet cause it’ll be Charlie 🤝💸
Charlie : it will not be me
Nick locked his phone and tucked it back into his pocket, then reached for Charlie’s hand. The anxiety, the nerves, the bittersweet joy of the situation settled as Charlie’s fingers slotted in between his. Charlie was always his anchor, would always be his anchor.
“Wait!” Nick said. “The stuffed animals!” He leaned back into the van and grabbed the matching rainbow teddy bears they’d bought for the kids.
Charlie’s heart grew four sizes in his chest as he watched his strong, hot-as-hell boyfriend cradle two rainbow stuffies under his giant bicep. “Come on,” he managed, voice rough with emotion, “let’s go get our friend and her family.”
In the end, Charlie and Nick burst out crying at the same time as they hugged Birdy and then her partner. They all agreed to lie to Tao, who had forced them to watch a movie that gave Nick nightmares for three days at the last film night. Once Birdy sent a group selfie to the Discord and group chat, Nick put Birdy’s youngest kid on his shoulders while Charlie wrapped his arm around the eldest.
Then, the newly expanded forged family–carrying two rainbow teddy bears–walked arm in arm out of the airport and into a new life that included many more beach trips and movie nights together, this time not over a phone screen. One that was safe and beautiful, full of love that stretched from all around the world.