I'm a pretty new Casualty fan, and this is the first time I've written for Chuffy, but they've been calling to me so I just had to write for them ;-)
She giggled into the kiss.
"I do love you, Charlie Fairhead" She breathed into his ear over the loud music filling the room the department had rented for this year's Christmas party.
However, she wasn't as quiet as she may have hoped, she could only have blamed the two glasses of wine she had already had that evening. Several years running round the kids meant her experiences with alcohol had been limited and she was certainly feeling the effects of such lowly amounts with the amount she had consumed tonight.
Unknowing to the couple, Louise and Noel stood behind them, accidentally witnessing the scene before them. The kiss wasn't just a friendly peck on the cheek, it was much more, Louise noted.
"Did you hear that?" She nudged Noel to get his attention away from the drinks list beside the bar on the other side of the room.
"What?"
Louise sighed dramatically, "Charlie and Duffy! There's something going on between them!". She knew Elle had spotted something a few weeks ago and there was the odd rumour traveling through the emergency department, but it was only now she realized just how right Elle had been.
"Those two? They've always soppy with each other! I don't think they'd know any love between them even if it was spelt out!"
"No, this was different".
"Hmm", Noel replied, the only thing he was concerned about was the route for the bar. So with that, he tugged on Louise's arm and made for the other side of the room.
Louise made small, idle conversation through the course of the night, but kept her eye on Charlie and Duffy, waiting for another signal of courtship between the two. She wasn't sure what it was about the two of them, but something fascinated her. Perhaps it was how long they'd known each other, but this seemed to be the first time they'd really seen each other.
"You alright Louise? You're looking at Charlie and Duffy as those they've killed someone!" Elle shook Louise out of her thoughts.
"Oh, it's nothing" She shrugged nonchalantly but continued looking in their direction opposite.
"Well clearly it's not nothing, is it?"
"You know you asked if there was anything going on between them? Well i think you may have uncovered the truth earlier than we should have known..."
"Would you two stop it!" Noel interrupted, "Leave the poor folk alone. She's married for goodness sake!"
"So tell me the rumors aren't true then? 'Cause I bet they are!" Louise exclaimed, giving Noel a small slap on the arm and waved in the couple's direction.
"If you're serious about that bet, then I put a tenner down that they are seeing each other" Elle interjected, raising an eyebrow.
"Fine, put me down for £10 too. Noel?"
"So £20 if they're not in a relationship? Deal!" Noel grinned.
"Hang on, what's this?" Cal joined the small group with a beer already half drunk in his hand, "What's the bet for, and how much?" Eager to make the night more exciting.
"Charlie and Duffy," Noel explained "And whether they're together or not. I say no, but these ladies say they are"
"Well put me down just friends, they can't have known each other for that long and only just got round to getting together!" He spotted Alicia and waved her over with Ethan and Lilly following. "Guys, want to place a bet on potentially Holby's oldest romance?" He nodded in Duffy and Charlie's direction, "I say they're just friends, so has Noel. But Louise and Elle think they're made for each other" He fluttered his eyelashes mockingly, to be stopped by Louise staring at him unimpressed.
"I think there's something there ya know" Alicia spoke up, "Put me down for £15"
"Confident, are we?" Cal winked and she smiled back with a radiating blush in her cheeks. "Bro?"
"Err, well, yeah alright", he looked at Alicia and back toward the group, "Put me down for £15 too. They both deserve some happiness."
The group all turned to Lilly who had remained quiet.
"I'm not getting involved. What they do is their own affair."
"Alright," Started Noel, "So the winners share the money between them? Sound fair?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"What sounds fair?" In their deep discussion on the couple's relationship, no one in the group had noticed Charlie and Duffy wandering toward them, arm in arm.
Elle joined them, having just nipped to the bar, carrying two glasses of champagne in her hand and gave one to each of them.
"Ooh, no! I think I've had too much to drink already!" Duffy exclaimed. Her laughter seemed to light up her whole face and brighten her eyes; with Charlie's smile growing wider, if it even could.
"Well, actually they were more because we feel there is something we think we should be celebrating...?" Elle hinted, looking between the couple, who's smiles seemed to falter for a moment when everyone turned to look at them.
Charlie was the first to break and his warm blush seemed to intensify. "I think she's got us, Duffy" He awkwardly smiled toward the woman on his arm.
"Fine, so much for keeping it quiet!" She hit him gently on the forearm and let her hand rest there for just a second longer than necessary.