Author's Note: So originally this was planned to be a one-shot, however I have a few more Meeks/Charlie stories planned out that would have all ended up as one-shots so I decided to just combine them under one heading of How Cheeky. Not only are they considered 'Cheeks', but 'cheeky' is an awesome word. And we all know that Charlie is quite cheeky at times...I do love my cheeky Charlie. Anyway, so this is the first installment, I'm not sure when the next will be up since the school year has started again and I'm swamped and should actually be reading about historiography at the moment. But hopefully you enjoy and the ending isn't too sappy or anything...
Disclaimer: I do not own Dead Poets Society.
Come In With the Rain
The pitter-patter of the rain on the roof of his family's house is distracting to Steven Meeks, who's trying to figure out just exactly how to set up the chemical formula needed to make a love potion. He bangs his head against his desk, cursing the thunder that rumbles outside of his window. He stabs his spoon back into the ice cream carton that now resembles a black hole. He never thought he'd be one of those stupid, sappy girly types that mope over unrequited love, but damn it that's how he's acting right now and he really could care less.
Except that Steven does care. He cares too much, and that's why he's acting this way. And he hates it. He feels weak and idiotic and more than anything he feels like his world is crumbling down because for once in his life Steven doesn't know what to do. And that scares him. Scares him more than he ever expected, but that's apparently what love is supposed to do to you. It's supposed to throw you into awkward situations and confuse you and make your life a living hell. All because one person has captured your attention.
And that one person is Charlie Dalton.
Steven isn't a hateful person, but in that moment, as he's staring blankly into the pit of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream sitting in his lap and the doodles of Charlie's name missed with multiple scientific equations all adding up to nothing, Steven hates Charlie.
Steven hates him because Charlie is just so god damn cocky about every little thing, whether it be getting an A on an English paper or being able to pee in the urinals from five feet away.
Steven hates him because Charlie never wants to talk. Not about feelings or emotions or whatever-the-fuck he and Steven are.
Steven hates him because Charlie makes him feel this way.
And then, just when Steven thinks he's going to explode from thinking nonstop about Charlie, there the boy is, knocking on his window, soaked from the rain that's pouring down from the heavens with no plans of stopping any time soon. Steven gapes at the window for a few moments until Charlie makes a lewd gesture, raises his eyebrow, and frantically beckons for Steven to come and let him in.
Rising from his chair, Steven slowly makes his way over to the window, flipping up the latches and swinging it open, stepping out of the way for a sopping Charlie to clamor into his room. Steven crosses his arms, glaring at the puddle Charlie leaves. He's trying not to succumb to the adorable smirk on Charlie's face, or the way Charlie's hair flops into his eyes when it's wet, or the way Charlie draws him near just to get him wet as well.
Steven pushes him away with a small smile of his own, despite his efforts not to so easily forgive Charlie. "What're you doing here?" he asks, removing his glasses and cleaning them on the hem of his sweatshirt.
Charlie shrugs. "It's raining, I'm bored at home, and there're no girls around." He runs a hand through his hair, shaking his head, and Steven watches as droplets of water fly over the hardwood flooring. "Plus, I haven't seen you in a while."
When Steven hears about Charlie's girl excuse he swears he's about to whip out some sort of Star Trek phaser set to kill and zap Charlie into oblivion, but then Charlie mentions how it's been a while in that way of his that Steven can't even fathom harming one hair on his head. He also holds back from reminding Charlie that it's Charlie's own fault they haven't seen each other in ages. He clears his throat and places his glasses back on the bridge of his nose, adjusting them accordingly before meeting Charlie's eyes. "So you risked a hurricane to visit?"
Charlie shrugs. "I'm a rebel like that," he offers up as an excuse, but the way he's slightly bashfully staring up at Steven through his lashes, his head lowered just a bit like a begging puppy, lets Steven know that that's not why Charlie's here. The reason has nothing to do with Charlie feeling like being rebellious, it has to do with Charlie missing Steven like a crystal radio misses its signal.
Steven licks his lips, running his hand over his crew cut, sighing in emotional exhaustion. "Let me get you a towel and some dry clothes," he finally caves completely, unable to withstand the wounded look Charlie's been aiming at him since his arrival. It's all Charlie can do to keep the wide grin off his face, and he doesn't really bother with all he can do, and instead just lets the smile spread as he plods behind Steven. "You're getting the floor wet," the bespectacled boy scolds.
Charlie smirks. "Are you jealous of the floor?"
With a roll of his eyes, Steven turns and shoves a fluffy towel into Charlie's arms. "Hardly," he states, wandering over to his dresser to fish out some proper attire for once Charlie's ready to put on some dry clothes.
Charlie snickers, easily stripping down to nothing in front of Steven, who burns scarlet when he unknowingly spins to face Charlie with a pajama set, unaware the opposite poet was going to be so open. Then again, this was Charlie, and Steven knew he shouldn't have been shocked at all. He blinked rapidly, gulping, as his throat had gone completely dry. Charlie just grins, placing his hands on his hips and raising both of his eyebrows. "Cat got your tongue, Meeks?" he asks casually, sort of bobbing up and down lightly on his feet, which makes Meeks even more red and causes him to nearly choke on his saliva.
Steven shakes his head, irritated once again at how much Charlie can break through his logical barriers and fluster him beyond belief. "No. I just find it inappropriate how you choose to blatantly display yourself when it's not warranted."
Charlie raises his eyebrows, this time in mock hurt and concern. "Aw, Meeksie…what's the matter? You've never disliked my blatant displays before. And who says it's not warranted?" he practically purrs, sauntering up to Steven, despite the fact that Steven is backing away, and smirks.
When Steven feels himself bump up against the dresser he had previously been digging through, he gulps. He knows his a goner even before Charlie's lips crash against his, kissing him hungrily. No doubt being starved of Steven for the first half of summer, nearly two whole months, has made Charlie's appetite even more voracious. Steven drops the bundle of clothes he had scoured out for Charlie's use, as it doesn't seem like either of them will be using clothes. Before he has a chance to catch his breath and register exactly what's going on, Charlie already has Steven's pants down around his ankles and is tugging in irritation at the hem of Steven's sweater, as if the sweater is purposely trying to hold Charlie back.
It's not long before they're tangled together, along with the bed sheets, rocking in sync with each other, Charlie biting down hard on Steven's shoulder to keep from letting his vocal reactions get too loud, his fingers wrapping around the length of Steven's cock, moving furiously. Steven buries his face in the pillow, groaning deeply, one hand reaching around his back to grapple at Charlie's damp hair, soaked now with sweat instead of just rain.
Together they shudder into relief, panting heavily. Charlie kisses down Steven's back, more or less just dragging his lips down Steven's spine, before removing himself and flopping down onto the bed next to the boy still wearing glasses. Steven blinks over at Charlie through the slightly fogged lenses and a simple smile graces his lips. They don't cuddle, but Charlie does reach his hand out, intertwining his fingers with Steven's, and they lie together quietly, basking in the afterglow of sex well done.
Steven doesn't want to bother Charlie with talk, but now that everything is fucked and done, the annoyed and irate feelings come flooding over him almost as quickly as an orgasm, and Steven feels there's no other choice but to speak. He licks his lips before softly murmuring Charlie's name. The shorter boy grunts, tilting his head to stare over at his freckled friend, raising one eyebrow in question and letting out a content sigh, crooking his free arm behind his head and propping himself up slightly in order to show his attention is fully on Steven.
Licking his lips once again, Steven tightens his hold on Charlie's hand, not wanting the other boy to recoil once he starts to talk. "You can't keep doing this to me," Steven finally warns Charlie.
Charlie gulps, furrowing his brows. "What are you talking about?" he asks, although the shaky tone to his voice just goes to show how much he really understands exactly what Steven is referring to.
This angers Steven, but he still refuses to let go of Charlie, and forges on. "You can't yank me around whenever you feel like it and then leave me flat just because a girl with an irregularly short skirt or an excess of cleavage showing comes around…" It's not fair. It's just not fucking fair how Charlie can so easily jump from team to team, flirting with the ladies and then returning to play around with Steven.
Despite Steven's best efforts, Charlie removes his hand from Steven's hold and runs it through his own hair, letting out a long sigh and rolling onto his side, narrowing his eyes at Steven calculatingly and reaching out to run his fingers through Steven's curls as well. "I can't help it, Meeks," Charlie replies in a low voice, his eyes glued to the sheets. He chews on the inside of his cheek before subtly glancing up. "It's who I am."
Steven gulps, but he knows it's the truth. He nods his head, drawing away from Charlie's touch and rolling so that he doesn't have to face Charlie anymore. A few minutes of tense silence pass, and then Charlie is pressing sweet kisses to the back of Steven's neck. He reaches Steven's ear and nibbles gently. "But if I could change for anyone, it'd be you," he whispers, kissing the spot just below Steven's ear and pressing his forehead against Steven's shoulder.
Steven gulps, but refuses to say anything. He knew this was how it was going to be, but he wanted to find a way out of it. "Can't you at least try?" he inquires thickly, biting his lip.
Charlie's forehead grazes back and forth along Steven's skin in what is obviously a shake of the head. "I have to be me," he says simply, pressing another kiss to the tip of Steven's shoulder before letting out a huff and shifting out of the bed. "Maybe I made a mistake coming here," he states, staring at Steven's back.
Steven blinks at the wall, not bothering to move, his eyes hardening. "Maybe you did."
"Then again," Charlie says, a small grin racing over his lips. "Maybe I didn't."
This irks Steven enough to whip around and glare at Charlie. "No. You did."
Charlie raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Steven's jaw drops. How could one person get him so worked up? "You did!" he argues, pointing his finger. "You shouldn't be allowed to just waltz in and out of people's lives with no intent of finishing what you started!"
Charlie looks stunned for a moment. "And what do you think I started with you that I haven't finished? Because as far as I know, things don't really end until we die."
Now Steven furrows his brows. "You can't make people fall in love with you without the intent of loving them back crossing your mind at least once!"
Charlie's frozen in place at this statement, until he takes an unsteady breath, gulping afterwards and mussing up his hair. "Who says that thought's never crossed my mind?"
Now it's Steven's place to be shocked, and he freezes in much the same way Charlie had. "Can't you act upon that thought?"
Charlie chuckles. "Can't you stop analyzing something that shouldn't be analyzed?"
And then it hits Steven that for once Charlie might be right. That maybe analyzing Love isn't in Love's best interest, and it's better to let it ebb and flow naturally. Steven still hates the fact that Charlie isn't more willing to try monogamy, but that's who Charlie is, and that's what love is all about. Accepting someone without limitation. "Will you stay the night?" he asks after a moment's hesitation.
A smirk makes its way onto Charlie's face and he crawls back into bed, this time wrapping his arms around Steven's waist and drawing him near, placing a kiss against the ginger's temple. "I'll stay as long as you want me to."
And even though Steven knows that sentiment isn't entirely true, it's true in the moment, and the moment is all that matters when it comes to love.