Title: First Crush
Summary: Charlie feels like the luckiest boy in the world, until he realizes he is developing a crush on Willy Wonka himself. Devastated, Charlie tries to hide his feelings, but what he doesn't know is that Willy already knows.
Rated: T
Genre(s): Romance, Hurt/Comfort
Pairing(s): Charlie/Willy
Warning(s): Underage relationship
Charlie felt like he was the luckiest boy in the world. Not only did he get to see Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, he got to live in the factory, with his whole family. He had been living in the factory for a year when his feelings for Mr. Wonka started to change. They were already close, but had become even closer in the past month or so as Charlie worked with Mr. Wonka to create new things for the factory.
"Chocolate-flavored gum trampolines," Charlie suggested one day. He had always wanted a trampoline, and to have an edible trampoline would be awesome.
Mr. Wonka laughed, which was the first time Charlie felt something different for the man, though he didn't realize it yet. But he did feel his heart flutter and he wondered what that odd feeling was. He'd never felt it before. "My dear Charlie," he said, "you'd touch the gum and stick to it right when-"
Of course, Mr. Wonka promptly ran smack into the elevator - again.
Charlie shook his head and laughed before going to help the man up. "You all right?"
"If two plus four is seven, then 'm good," Mr. Wonka mumbled, his hair sticking up.
Concerned, Charlie helped him up and reached down on the ground for the man's hat. He smoothed down his friend's brown hair before putting the hat on Mr. Wonka's head. They stared at each other for a long moment, meeting each other's gazes. Charlie tried to read Mr. Wonka's expression but couldn't.
"Right," the man said. "So, you were saying, gum-flavored chocolate trampolines?"
Charlie shook his head fondly and laughed. While most people found Mr. Wonka strange, Charlie thought he was sweet, kind, and funny. He saw Mr. Wonka differently than everyone else, and even more differently than he realized.
Charlie and Mr. Wonka sat together on the edible grass, brainstorming new ideas for the factory. "Ooooh, I've got a great idea!" Charlie exclaimed. "Marshmallow snow!"
"Marshmallow snow?" Mr. Wonka repeated. "Would that even work?"
"We could ski on it!" Charlie suggested. "We could make snowmen, and I could hit you with snowballs."
Mr. Wonka gasped dramatically. "You wouldn't dare."
Charlie grinned deviously at him, completely unfazed. "Oh, I would."
"Take it back!" Mr. Wonka reached over and tickled Charlie.
Tears of laughter filled the boy's eyes. "M-Mr. Wonka, s-stop!" he giggled. "Or I'll t-throw even more s-snowballs at y-you!"
This motivated Mr. Wonka to tickle the poor boy even more. "Say uncle," the man teased.
"Never!" Charlie managed through his laughter.
"Say it!"
"Okay, okay, uncle!" Charlie surrendered.
Mr. Wonka finally stopped tickling Charlie, whose stomach hurt from laughing so hard as he got his breath back. When he had, to Mr. Wonka's surprise, Charlie curled up beside him and rested his head on the man's chest. Stunned, Mr. Wonka wrapped his arms around his heir, holding him close. Charlie had never done this before and it felt nice. Really nice. Charlie could have laid there forever.
"I think marshmallow snow sounds wonderful," Mr. Wonka told Charlie.
But the boy was already asleep.
That night, Charlie lay in bed thinking of Mr. Wonka. He thought of how wonderful it had been laying beside him on the grass earlier that day. He wanted to rewind the clock and go back to that moment. Maybe he couldn't, but he knew what he could do.
Quietly, Charlie snuck out of bed and tiptoed down the stairs and out of the house. He crept across the factory to Mr. Wonka's room, which he'd only seen twice before. Charlie knocked, hoping the man wasn't asleep already. Sure enough, he heard, "Who is it?"
"It's Charlie."
"Come in."
Charlie twisted the knob. The door was unlocked and he opened it. Now that was here, he felt slightly shy about asking Mr. Wonka if he could stay with him. Mr. Wonka would certainly ask why, and, well...Charlie didn't really have an answer. "Mr. Wonka...Can I sleep with you?" He felt his cheeks burning and found himself meeting the man's gaze for an answer.
Mr. Wonka's eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded. "Of course, Charlie," he said, and Charlie could tell he'd startled the man.
"If you don't want me to-" he began.
"I don't mind, Charlie."
Charlie felt awkward, but he got under the covers beside Mr. Wonka anyway. Looking around the room, Charlie noticed the chocolate fountain for the first time. As he moved closer to Mr. Wonka, he said, "You have a chocolate fountain in your room?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," the man answered.
"Cool!"
Mr. Wonka laughed and Charlie snuggled against him. "Goodnight, Charlie," he said.
"Goodnight, Mr. Wonka."
Willy lay awake for a long time after Charlie fell asleep. He still hadn't gotten used to having Charlie this close to him, and he wondered what had gotten into his heir. He liked it, but he wasn't exactly the most touchy-feely person. But with Charlie, it felt...different. Nice.
"Mr. Wonka..."
Willy realized with a shock that Charlie had said his name in his sleep. He hadn't known Charlie talked in his sleep, but he also had never slept in the same room with Charlie before, not counting that day, and Charlie hadn't talked in his sleep then. Maybe he only did it at night-
"I love you..." Charlie mumbled, tightening his arms around the man. Willy's eyes opened wide and he wondered if he'd heard the boy wrong. Emotion overwhelmed the man and he swallowed, wondering what he was going to do in the morning when Charlie woke up. For now, he decided to get some sleep, which he knew would not come easily.
He closed his eyes and eventually, sleep took him.
AN: Please review and tell me what you thought :) NO FLAMES PLEASE but constructive criticism is encouraged. Updates soon