Work Text:
Clouds of smoke swirled above red-rimmed eyes as Nick and Charlie lay in the grass behind their favorite log.
“What if the clouds were telling us stories?” Charlie asked.
Nick pulled the acrid smoke in and held it in his lungs for a beat.
“What if Nellie could talk?”
Charlie giggled. “What if I was a worm, would you still love me?”
Nick's eyes got big and filled with tears. “Don't be a worm, Charlie.”
“How about I just give you something vaguely worm-shaped?” he giggled.
Nick clapped a hand over Charlie's mouth. ”Shhhh, Nellie will hear. She might tell.”