Chapter Text
Not entirely sure why he is there, Charlie stands alone in the corner of the room, drinking out of a red solo cup. Whatever the concoction is, he's not sure, but it tastes fruity and sugary so it can't be that bad for him. Nick had invited him and his friends to what was supposed to be Nick's years' graduation party. When he arrived, Nick greeted him at the door with a smile and went with him to get a drink. When Nick ordered at the bar, Charlie couldn't hear what it was but he asked for the same, knowing Nick had good taste in drinks. He watches now as Nick and Imogen dance on the other side of the room. Nick is laughing as he twirls her around, Imogen herself giggling. They dance unrestricted, the others on the floor giving the two more room as they move in broad gestures.
While the hall wasn't quite as nice as the one from Harry's Party in year ten, it's still nicer than anything Charlie could dream of affording from his barista pay. Tall vaulted ceilings that echoed the voice of whatever pop star who was singing at the moment, a bar on the far end opposite the door, with a polished dance floor in the middle, and a glass door leading off into a garden where he had watched Tao and Elle sneak off into just moments ago.
Tired of standing there alone, he pushed off the wall he'd been leaning on to go find Isaac who said he'd be here but whom Charlie hadn't seen yet. Looking through the crowd of dancers and people making out with no luck he decides to check the bar. Pushing his way past the crowd, he makes his way to the bar, slightly damp from his drink being slushed on him when people bumped into him. Feeling slightly sticky and more damp than he wished to be, he reaches the bar with a sigh. Grateful for his choice to wear dark colors, he grabs a bunch of napkins and tries his best to dry himself off before continuing his search for his friend. Pushing himself to his tip toes, he cranes up to see Isaac sat at the last stool of the bar.
"Isaac!" He shouts in an attempt to be heard over the loud music.
Isaac didn't seem to hear him so he moves to the end of the bar and taps him on the shoulder, pulling Isaac out of the book in the brunette's hands. Isaac looks up and meets Charlie's eyes, his mouth immediately upturning into a smile.
"Charlie!" Shouts the teen as he wraps his arms around Charlie.
Charlie returns the hug and asks what book they brought.
Isaac listens intently to hear what's being asked and raises the book to show the cover to reveal The Song of Achilles, a book Charlie knows they'd both read before.
"Rereading? I mean great choice, but that's not like you."
"I wanted something I could read easily regardless of the environment," Isaac laughs.
Charlie nods slowly. He's about to ask if he'd seen Tara or Darcy recently when a hand taps him on the shoulder. He quickly spins around and is greeted with a wall of Nicholas Nelson. Dressed in a slim fitting blue button down with the top two buttons popped, and tight jeans to top it off. It was all Charlie could do not to blurt out his feelings right there if there was even a chance of Nick returning them.
Unfortunately, there was not, he's sure of it. There had been many moments throughout the course of their friendship when Charlie had thought to himself, 'if he felt the same way, this would be the time to tell me.'
Harry's Party, their day at the beach, the Paris trip. But each moment, the bubble was burst by something or other, leaving Charlie sure, he was alone in his feelings for the other.
"Charlie?" Nick questions, waving a hand once to retrieve Charlie's attention.
"Right, sorry, hi. How's the party going for you, did you want a drink?" the teen asks.
Nick chuckles, "Its going good, thanks, but I'm good. Actually I was gonna see if you wanted to dance?"
"Oh, uh. No thanks. You go though. I'm sure Imogen-"
"Imogen left, her friends dragged her off."
"Well, I'm talking with Isaac-"
"No babe, I'm good reading, go dance," Isaac explains with a glint in his eye as he placed the knife in Charlie's back. He'd never let him stop regretting telling Isaac about his crush.
"Come on, please? I don't want to be out there all alone… I'll let you lead?" Nick offers, his eyes glimmering with unabashed hope.
Unable to say no to the serious puppy eyes Nick was using, Charlie sighs. "Fine, one dance."
And god was it worth it just to see how Nick's face lit up at his excitement. Nick gently grabs his palm and quickly leads him to an emptier part of the floor.
The pairs spaces out as much as they can and Charlie starts to awkwardly shuffle back and forth as he watches Nick actually dance. His attempt at shuffling undisturbed was quickly thwarted though as Nick notices him and shakes his head in disbelief.
"Charlie! That's not dancing," he laughs. Nick closes the distance between the two as the song changed. As Frank Sinatra started to croon about how Nice and Easy it is to fall in love, Nick looks to him as if to ask if he could hold him. Charlie sighs and nods, praying that the lighting of the room would hide his blush. Nick places his hands on the shorter teen's waist, leaving Charlie to wrap his arms around Nicks shoulders.
"I thought you said I'd get to lead." Charlie reminds him as he watches the blonde's smile grow.
"Well, you can if you want. I just figured that it'd be better if i took the lead cause it didn't seem like you know how to dance," the blonde laughed.
Charlie smacks the side of Nick's neck lightly. "Prick."
"Hey, I'm just calling it like I see it."
Charlie grins, watching as Nick's smile grows, his eyes shining in the multicolored lights that shine above.
"Whatever, I'm still better at Mario Cart, which is a much more necessary talent."
"Oh is it?"
"Yes. I think it is. When'd you learn to dance? I don't think you've ever told me."
"Oh, um, well that's mum's fault. She had me and David take a course when we were little and I guess enough stuck with me."
"Oh my god. I'd love to see little Nick Nelson learning to do the cha cha. I'm not kidding, I'd be willing to trade my kidney for it," Charlie laughs and he laughed even harder when Nick reveals that his mum does in fact of a video of his dancing class.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing you know how to dance, Imogen seems like a dancer. She was definitely having fun earlier."
"Oh. Yeah..."
Shit shit shit, what'd he say wrong. Should he not have brought up Imogen. Or is it cause he was watching them earlier. God, he should of know it was weird. Why couldn't he have-
"Charlie…?"
"What? Sorry. I didn't mean to-"
No, I'm sorry. You just weren't responding. Listen um..." Nick pulls back a little, looking down at the floor, with his arms still on Charlie's hips, leaving them scorching with Nick's warmth.
"I broke up with Imogen. I lied earlier. We actually broke up yesterday. We were hanging out today as a proof of no hard feelings," Nick said quietly. Charlie had to lean in and strain his ears to hear what he said next, especially over the thumping of his own heartbeat.
"We weren't working as a couple and we both knew it. Plus we we're both going to different Uni's so it made no sense to stay together."
"Oh."
"Um, and there's something else too. About us. I-"
He's interrupted with a bump to the shoulder. Charlie barely registers it and waits for Nick to continue. But the blonde just pauses, glancing around the room.
"Actually, can we go somewhere quieter?" Nick asks. "This is all a bit too much for me now."
Charlie nods quickly, and grabs Nicks wrist to try and lead him out into the garden. Whatever Nick's about to say. Well, it could either be the best or worst thing in the world. Of course its probably going to be on the latter part of the spectrum. Nick's sick of his constant remarks or his yammering about subjects Nick himself had no interest in. Or more likely that Nick is just trying to trim down his friendships so he has less to worry about at uni. That one would hurt less at least.
Finally at a quiet spot, they stop. Charlie spots a bench and sits there, watching as Nick sits next to him, the blonde carefully lowering himself into the small space remaining..
"You, uh… You were saying?"
"Right Charlie, so… we've been friends since what, year 11? Ten for you? You remember when I stopped hanging out with most of the rugby lads?"
"Yeah, and you never told me why," Charlie said, pulling on the sleeve of his sweater.
"Well after I met you I realized how much they sucked. They were just proper idiots. Some of them were even just plain homophobic. Because of you, I figured out how much I needed that not to be in my life anymore and how I needed to stop being on autopilot." Nick paused for a small moment. "That sounds wrong, I mean, not just cause you're gay but because of how much a better person you were than most of them combined."
" So I called them out, and those who didn't make any effort to fix themselves or to cut it out, I stopped talking to them outside of practice. That's around the time I started hanging out with Tara and Darcy. And Sai, Otis, and Christian. And it's when Imogen asked me out. If I'm really honest I don't know why I said yes." He paused again, brushing imaginary lint off his shirt. "She was one of the few of them never caused me stress to be around, and after we start dating… I just, I was just stressed around her."
Nick stops and scooches impossibly closer to Charlie. He cautiously puts a hand on Charlie's arm but the raven haired boy doesn't even glance at it, too focused on the man in front of him to give it as much mind as he usually would.
"But with you I'm never stressed. It's the opposite actually. Well, for a moment there I was stressed but that was just me realizing I was bi."
Charlie could only stare at him in disbelief, letting Nick continue uninterrupted.
"It took a while, but I finally realized why I was stressing over you, and why its usually so easy for me to be around you. Charlie, not only are you my best friend but… I think… No. I am in love with you. And you only don't have to respond- or feel the same way or anything- but I just I needed you to know that. Especially since I'm going to Uni soon and we won't be seeing each other as often so I figured I'd tell you now. That way if you don't feel the same way I can give myself time to get over you. Cause I still wanna be your friend regardless, if that's okay with you."
Charlie, could only stare at Nick, trying to process everything he'd just said. Not only had he broken up with Imogen, he was bi, and in love with him.
If it was literally anyone else telling him this he would be sure it was a prank, but Nick. Nick would never do that.
Before he could even begin to plan a response, their bubble of quiet was interrupted.
"There you guys are. Sorry if I'm interrupting, but we were looking- hiccup for you. We're taking- hiccup pictures." Tao blurted out as he stumbles over to the duo.
Behind him, a ruffled looking Elle moved quickly to his aid, grabbing the drunk Tao before he fell into their laps.
"Sorry," She said, lifting Tao's arm around her neck. He keeps trying to run off finding everyone for a photo and he won't let me take him home till he gets one. "
"Well, it's probably gonna be one of the last times we're all together. Sorry for wanting memories with my friends," Tao huffs, trying his best to stay upright with the help of Elle.
Nick, maybe a bit too quickly, gets up and grabs Tao's other arm.
"I'm fine, Nelson, but… whatever." With a quick glance to the still silent Charlie, Nick helps bring Tao to the main hall. Charlie trails behind the trio as he formulates his response. He wishes it was as easy as explaining his feelings back but its far too late for that. The moment has passed, Nick just broke up with Imogen and Nick is going to be moving soon. Maybe it won't mater as much as he's thinking it is, but maybe it will.
As they approach the entrance to the hall they find Darcy, Tara, and Isaac standing over by the door.
"Look who we found."
"Picture time!" Tao shouts.
"Tao, too loud babe," Elle says, rubbing his shoulder.
"Sorry," he whispers, before grabbing a polaroid camera out of his jacket pocket, eliciting a groan from half of the group.
"Tao, whenever you take a picture with the polaroid it always ends up being half an hour positioning us exactly right."
Tao stammers trying to defend himself before Nick steps in.
"I can take it. I'll get a good angle and everything, promise," He assures Tao, who pouts but ultimately nods his head in agreement.
"Fine, but im- hiccup trusting you Nelson. Don't mess this up," the lanky teen allows before stumbling over to the blonde to hand over the camera.
Charlie watches as Nick moves everyone in front of the fountain of the garden and moves to the right position at over twice the speed it would have taken Tao, especially with him being drunk.
Once Nick is satisfied, he looks to Tao, who begrudgingly nods and gets into position, plastering on a drunken smile.
"Alright, everyone say waffles!"
After a chorus of waffles and the blinding flash of the polaroid, the group huddles around the camera to see its printed results. Tao, surprisingly enough, looks satisfied with the result.
"Good- hiccup job, Nels- Nick" he slurs, patting Nick on the back.
"Alright, who wants to help me get him home?" Elle asks. Unsurprisingly, Nick volunteers to get him to his car and drive the pair home as they had gotten a ride from Tao's mum who wouldn't love seeing Tao so drunk
Charlie silently moves to take the other side of Tao from Elle, and helps Nick bring him back to the car, glancing only once at Nick, offering a quiet smile, which Nick returns.
-
The ride to Tao's house was quiet, only the radio on low to fill the silence. Elle thanks Nick for the ride as she drags the half asleep Tao inside as quietly as she could manage. Nick waits until they are inside safe to drive off.
"Mine or yours," Nick asks lowly.
"Yours," Charlie responds.
Nick turns on the radio and finds a song the both of them know.
As Billie sang about ocean eyes, Charlie found himself looking to the eyes he himself could get lost in.
Nick was everything Charlie had known he'd wanted, since Nick was his friend. Although the same could be said about Ben. The difference was that while Ben had quickly shown his true colors, Nick's had been displayed proudly since day one. As kind and thoughtful as a person could be. Funny and quick witted, not to mention gorgeous with arms he could…
Nick had defended him against Ben, had supported him through all of his plethora of problems. He'd stayed with him every time Charlie thought he'd run screaming.
Charlie thought Nick was everything he could want in a partner but if he had to settle for friends, he would, in a heartbeat to keep Nick in his life. But now… Nicks handing him everything he's wanted since year ten on a silver platter.
But, if he tells him he feels the same. He's going to ruin Nick, He's going to infect him with all his problems, all his worries. He already has a little. He's taken so much of Nicks time and energy when he was in the hospital, same with the rest of his friends but Nick especially. Visiting every week with his family, bringing him movies.
If they started dating, it would just be a further inconvenience on Nick. And with him going to Uni, having a relationship with him leaving in just a few months…
But on the other hand… its Nick… So all in all he's torn. Which isn't great because they're currently in Nicks driveway which means in less then five minutes he probably has to have an actual response.
Nick had also been almost silent the whole ride which was only piling on to Charlie's nerves.
Regardless, by the end of the night. He'll have talked it over with Nick and with either have a boyfriend… or have a Nick.