Work Text:
Tao and Elle were going to be the absolute death of him.
They were halfway to making out with him still on the bed.
What the genuine absolute fuck.
He’d known Tao was passionate, that he was moody, that his best friend was a completely hopeless romantic and that he and Elle would work out in the end, but this was too much.
It didn’t help that Charlie was completely miserable with Nick gone. Admittedly, Isaac was worried for him-for the both of them, actually; they were the definition of high school sweethearts and destined soulmates, and Isaac didn’t think they would handle even a single day apart very well. But Nick would take his annual three week holiday in Menorca, and Charlie would hole himself up in his room and not talk to anybody because he was too stubborn for his own good.
It was supposed to be movie night, like old times. Just the four of them hanging out in Tao’s room, watching some ridiculous romcom Tao found off the Internet and then eating popcorn and doing a post-watch analysis.
He just wanted to spend some time with his friends.
Instead, Charlie never replied for who knows why, and they’re hanging out on Tao’s bed with his laptop open and Elle and Tao are snuggling and whisper-flirting and almost kicking him off the bed and he wanted to throw up a little bit. Not even Nick and Charlie were this bad when they were dancing around each other with the longing glances and touches, and God Isaac was sick of it. Tao always made big talk about valuing friendship over romance, and Charlie “leaving” the group for Nick, and they need to be friends forever. But the second he got in a relationship, all that just went out the window.
Maybe Tao wasn’t doing it on purpose. Maybe people always ended up this way, and Isaac just got the short end of the stick.
He was comfortable with the label aroace. But he hadn’t gotten this much of an ick from other people’s relationships for… for forever, actually.
He hadn’t felt so ostracized before.
“Right, I’m leaving,” he muttered, pushing himself off the bed as the springs creaked weakly with age. This was suffocating.
Isaac was met with protests from both Elle and Tao, but they were half hearted. The two had each other to worry about, after all.
He’d planned on walking home to his shrine of books, staying up in a cozy corner to read, walk to ignore all the love around him that he’d never get to be a part of.
But then he opened his phone.
Charlie still hadn’t replied.
He wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Isaac looked on wistfully in the direction of his house.
He sighed and turned on his heels.
His best friend needed a visit.
/\\//\\//\\//\\//\\//\
Charlie was fidgeting.
It wasn't new, but it was more severe than it should have been.
It had been better when Nick was around.
They didn't say anything weird. Greetings, missed movie night, something or the other.
But it felt fake.
Isaac hesitated.
“What’s going on, Charlie?”
Charlie kept his eyes on the sheets.
The room was dark, curtains drawn too tight for a mild summer evening, his music sign firmly turned off.
Isaac could have sworn there was a mirror on the closet before.
Nobody in their right mind wore long sleeves in this weather.
Charlie didn't answer.
“It-you don't want to hang out with us anymore. Like, you’ve stopped replying to texts.”
It wasn't what he wanted to say.
“Our friendship group is just all over the place at the minute. We’ve barely done anything together this summer, and, um…”
Tao and Elle. Tara and Darcy. Nick and Charlie.
There wasn't room for an extra wheel.
“I’ve just been feeling a little left out, to be honest.”
Charlie gripped the sheets tighter.
Isaac finally said it, though.
That had to count for something.
But Charlie was stumbling over his words, apologizing, apologizing over and over again for no reason and it hurt a little. He’d seen this before.
The bullying.
What happened?
“It's fine, Charlie, it’s not the end of the world. I just…I just needed to make sure you were okay.”
Charlie looked up.
“I…yeah, yeah.”
His hands loosened their grip a little.
“I've just been missing Nick a lot, and my mum’s been really annoying lately, and…”
He didn't answer after that. Isaac didn't pressure him to.
“You promise that's it?”
Charlie didn't answer for a moment.
“...Yeah.”
It wasn't. Isaac knew that.
But his friend didn't need that right now.
“You could at least reply to my texts though.”
That got a laugh out of Charlie.
“I will.”
Then:
“Sorry.”
He didn't need to be.
But Isaac didn't think him saying it would help.
“Do you…do you want me to leave?” Isaac asked, hesitating.
“No!”
Isaac kept forgetting he still had someone around.
Isaac chuckled awkwardly. “Okay, then.”
They sat in silence for a moment.
“We could watch that Emma adaptation?”
Charlie.
His best friend.
Isaac let out a breath, lips quirking into a grin. “You know that's my favorite!”
He pulled himself onto the bed, kicking off his shoes, but they didn’t start watching immediately. It wasn’t for any real reason-Charlie had the streaming service open, and Isaac had pulled up the title.
Neither of them pressed play.
Charlie sat cross-legged on the bed, staring at the screen.
Isaac picked at a loose thread on his sleeve.
The room was quiet.
Not the uncomfortable, pinching space that begged to be filled with words. Just quiet.
"You know," Charlie said eventually, "I made a list."
Isaac looked over.
"A list?"
"Of all the places we should go when he gets back."
Isaac snorted.
"Is that really necessary? I’m sure he’d love it if you went on a trip to buy dirty used socks from a dumpster with the way he looks at you."
"I know."
Charlie smiled a little.
For a second, he looked more like himself.
"There's twenty-three places."
"Twenty-three?"
"I got carried away."
"I figured," Isaac said dryly.
That earned a proper laugh.
The tension in Charlie's shoulders loosened.
Just a little.
Isaac found himself smiling too.
The feeling from earlier—the one from Tao's room, the one that sat heavy in his chest whenever everyone paired off and forgot he existed—hadn't disappeared completely.
But it wasn't as loud.
Because Charlie was here.
And Isaac was here.
Maybe that was enough for tonight.
They still had movie night.
They still had each other.
Isaac still had his friends.
That's all that mattered, in the end. At least for him.
And when Charlie leaned on his shoulder, he’d proudly let the world know he leaned right back.