It had been nearly a month since Charlie's birthday where him and Nick had confessed to each other that they liked each other, but Charlie still got the wonderful, little butterflies tickling in his stomach whenever he knew he was about to hang out with Nick again. Charlie was wondering about Nick's request to hang out with him today since Nick had asked him to go out with him the next day but of course Charlie wanted to be with him every chance he got. The days before sports day had been horrible, thinking that it would be better if he avoided Nick, thinking that he was ruining the life of the wonderful, beautiful boy he liked more than he could say. And not just Nick's but others', too.
Charlie pushed that thought away, and a smile spread across his face as he thought of sports day instead - how Nick had taken his hand in front of two whole schools and walked him to an empty school corridor to tell him how he had made Nick's life infinitely better. Charlie knew now that his mind had been lying when telling him that he was ruining others' lives, and he hated it. He was so grateful to Nick for making him see the truth.
He rang the doorbell and heard Nellie's bark. He grinned. This very spot and Nellie's bark reminded him of the wonderful day he had been to Nick's house for the first time.
The door opened.
"Hi", Nick breathed, smiling.
"Hi."
Charlie was still grinning as he gently embraced Nick before stepping inside and closing the door behind him.
"Hi girl!" He scratched Nellie behind her ears and gave her a light kiss on top of her head before untying his shoelaces.
"How's your day?" Nick asked him as they started to make their way upstairs to Nick's room.
"Good, amazing actually since I get to hang out with you though we're going out tomorrow", Charlie said happily. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah, just couldn't wait until tomorrow to hang out", Nick admitted and laughed. He closed the door behind them. "Especially after all the days of you avoiding me... I don't wanna miss another chance to hang out with you ever again."
Charlie gulped and looked guilty.
"I'm...", he started.
"Shhhh", Nick shushed him and wrapped his arms around him to stop him from saying sorry.
Charlie squeezed him gently. They let go of each other and sat down on Nick's bed. Nick held Charlie's both hands in his own.
"Charlie... I can see you're clearly feeling guilty about avoiding me, but you shouldn't - I know you really thought it would be for the best, that you should protect me by doing so. Actually, this is the reason why I asked you to come today."
"Oh?" Charlie frowned. Nick stroked his hands with his thumbs.
"Yeah", Nick looked down at their hands before looking Charlie in the eyes again. "I know you said you believed me when I told you how I feel about you on Thursday. But I just wanted to make it absolutely clear that you didn't cause either of the fights. They were only and completely Harry's fault. If someone makes you feel bad about being gay, it's a hundred percent on them, not on you."
"Yeah, I know", Charlie smiled lopsidedly. "Tori said the same thing about the fights, actually."
"See? Not your fault", Nick pointed out and gave Charlie a small smile.
"Yeah, I know that now", Charlie assured him, "Trust me, I do. I was just being stupid..."
"No, Charlie, you weren't being stupid", Nick said a bit louder, shaking his head, and placed his hands on Charlie's shoulders, "the way we interpret situations isn't always under our control. It's influenced by the things we've been through and felt."
Charlie looked at Nick in awe. Just as he had thought Nick couldn't possibly amaze him more, Nick turned out to be more intelligent when it came to people than Charlie, and probably Nick himself, even realised.
"I... guess", Charlie said slowly, realising just how much sense what Nick had just said made. Nick smiled again and stroked Charlie's cheek.
"What?" Charlie asked, blushing.
"Nothing, nothing really", Nick responded, taking time to look at Charlie's hair, eyes, lips... "you're just really cute when you have an 'aha' moment. Well, you're always cute, really, but..."
Charlie shook his head but laughed. Nick was so silly.
"And you're a dork", he announced, leaning toward Nick briefly and sitting back up.
Nick also laughed, stroking Charlie's hands again. Then he leaned in and planted a long, soft kiss on Charlie's lips.
"Before you distract me more and I forget", Charlie said quickly, unable to hide how much he liked Nick's kisses, "I wanted to talk to you, too."
"Yeah?" Nick asked, frowning in his turn.
"Yeah. It looks like we've both been wanting to convince the other of something", Charlie laughed.
Nick chuckled. "In that case - what was it you wanted to say?"
Charlie took a moment to think where to start.
"I'm not sure if I was able to assure you that you're not like... Ben", Charlie started, taking a nervous pause before mentioning Ben.
"What do you mean?" Nick asked him, now looking tense at the mention of the boy, too.
"You hide it pretty well, I guess, but I still have a feeling that the fact that you haven't come out to many people yet makes you feel like you're just like him."
Nick inhaled and sighed but did not say anything. Charlie noticed Nick looked sad.
"I rest my case", Charlie said to diffuse the tension, and Nick couldn't help letting out a laugh. "And that's why I wanted to talk to you about that again. I feel like I didn't say enough back in the art room after our first kiss... well, kisses."
Nick tilted his head slightly and frowned.
"I said that you're not like him, that this is different, but you need to hear why. Nick, you know that... he... was using me, don't you?"
"Yeah... I do", Nick responded, his voice tense.
"Good. So tell me - when have you ever used me in any way?"
A little smile slowly made its way to Nick's lips.
"Fine, you're right", he admitted after a moment, "I haven't used you, and I never could."
"Exactly!" Charlie cheered and continued more quietly, "so never forget that, alright?"
The smile reached Nick's eyes now, and they looked at each other, holding both hands.
"Alright", Nick promised quietly.
"You've come out to people, haven't you?" Charlie continued.
Nick took a moment to respond.
"Well... yeah, to Tara, Darcy, Elle, Tao, and Isaac, but..." he trailed off.
"When did Ben come out to anyone?"
Nick glanced at Charlie.
"That's right - he hasn't. Unlike you", Charlie attested, making sure to stress the last part.
He let go of one of Nick's hands and stroked Nick's cheek.
"And please don't forget that I, of all people, know how it feels to be outed before you're ready", he continued quietly, "and I really, really, don't want that for you. Ever."
Nick gulped. He looked down at their hands and feet.
"Yeah", he breathed quietly. Charlie wrapped his arms around Nick and Nick buried his face at the side of Charlie's neck.
"Nick, you've treated me with nothing but kindness and caring", Charlie said fondly and they let go of each other, "unlike... him. You want to be with me, not just use me for someone of your gender to make out with. You're not a crafts person, yet you crafted me the best birthday present ever. A present that must have so much thought and feeling behind it."
Nick blushed.
"I haven't been able to get you off my mind after that snow day", he confessed.
A happy smile spread on Charlie's face.
"Is that so?" Charlie teased him.
"Don't!" Nick very gently punched Charlie's upper arm and they both laughed.
"For the record, I haven't been able to get you offmymind since the moment we first met in form", Charlie admitted shyly and hid his face in his hands.
"Oh my god", Nick chuckled and ruffled Charlie's hair, "who's the dork now?"
"You!" Charlie exclaimed and pushed Nick back on the bed, falling next to him, still laughing.
They looked at each other quietly and Charlie took Nick's hand in his.
"He never wanted to be with me, unlike you", Charlie repeated firmly, "you were actually there to see how he treated me when other people were around, and when we thought no one was around."
Nick tensed again.
"Yeah", he scoffed.
Charlie stroked his cheek again, and Nick's tension eased immediately.
"So, have I successfully convinced you that you're nothing, nothing, like him - even if you can't come out to more people than you already have?" Charlie asked, keeping his hand on Nick's cheek, "Or do I need to go on? The list of ways in which you two are different is endless, and I'm fully prepared to present you all of it if I have to."
Nick couldn't help laughing.
"Alright, I believe you", he assured amusedly, "it looks like I haven't been able to see everything how it is either."
Charlie laughed, too.
"Clearly."
They smiled at each other for a moment.
"Charlie?"
"Yeah?"
"I still wanted to say that... I didn't dump my mates for you, I dumped them because I realised that they suck - I realised I need more friends like yours."
"They are really great", Charlie admitted, smiling.
"I didn't dump my mates for you", Nick said again, having noticed Charlie did not comment on that.
"Yeah, I know that now", Charlie assured Nick.
"Good."
They looked at each other for moment before giving in to the temptation to kiss.
After they both needed to take deep breaths, Nick sat up.
"Ehmm, Charlie... I promised my mum we'd have a film night tonight", he sighed.
"I know, I mean, we weren't even planning on hanging out today", Charlie said and sat up, too, "I understand. My parents are probably expecting me home, too. And we do have all day to hang out tomorrow."
He smiled at Nick, and Nick couldn't help smiling, too.
"Yeah... our first real date, I mean, just us", Nick whispered flirtatiously.
Charlie smiled happily and kissed Nick gently. Then he stood up to go home and Nick followed.
"I can't wait."