(Note: based on the musical "An American In Paris", but so not totally American In Paris like I intended, so it's a bit OOC, but I did my best lol)
He knows he has no credence, doing this and it's most likely going to be a bad move considering he's only been in the country for a few weeks knowing none of the customs, but he can't get the boy out of his mind.
He only originally arrived in Paris as it was one of the only ways back home that he was actually familiar with from the front of Tunisia and a sure fire way to get back to his worry stricken mother all the way in the UK. An honourable discharge from a career he never wanted, but was forced to take up. His father and brother, if he still spoke to them, would possibly be proud. He hopes they aren't. Ever.
Then, because his brain loves to spite him, he had the stupid idea to try and become an assistant coach for Le XV de France as a means to make money instead of going back home temporarily and now, here he was, living in an apartment with 4 other UK lads (Ben would most likely object to being called a lad, but Sal, Otis and Christian on the other hand…) and somehow surviving on nothing by Army rations and a guidebook to Paris.
However, if that hadn't been the case - if he had taken that freedom train home - he would have never met Charlie and Charlie was worth all that waiting around for money. After all, it's not every day a French drag queen just appears and somehow, sets everything you know about yourself ablaze.
It's also, as he said before, uncommon behaviour for a struggling rugby coach assistant to show up at the workplace of said drag queen, but he's here and he's clearly not that welcome from the look of Charlie's quite embarrassed out of drag face. This was for them, normal, however, given their interactions so far (having been few and far between) have been quite frosty. He really wants Charlie to warm up to him. Speaking of which…
"Bonjour." Nick grins, flower in hand as he approaches the counter where Charlie had moved to, after watching some of the others who worked there pushing him his way. Well, others except for one Asian guy who stood off to the side, who seemed to be eyeing him off in what Nick can only describe as disdain as he watches.
"Bonjour." Charlie quite reluctantly says back, sighing as he looks Nick up and down. It honestly makes Nick a little nervous, given he's out of both his normal uniforms, army and bartender. Maybe Charlie liked men in uniform? Christ, he really should have thought this through shouldn't he?
Seems his head was being kind of loud, as he's only brought back to Earth with the pink rose he has in hand is plucked out by delicate fingers. "Pour moi? For me?"
"Oui. I mean, yes." Nick stammers, before pausing in slight confusion, eyebrows drawing inwards. "Tu connais l'anglais?"
"Oui, je connais l'anglais." Charlie nodded, before he suddenly switched before Nick's eyes once again, the French's acerbic way of speaking bleeding through. "You are a lot more trouble than I previously thought, though I was warned of this by those traitors."
Nick swallowed hard, peering over to where Charlie's gaze landed and seeing a gaggle of people who were watching them with curiosity behind some ingredient cupboard within the perfumery. They of course dissipated when Nick caught their eyes, but he knew that due to the giggles and talking, they would handle up again as soon as he put his gaze back on Charlie.
Which, of course, he did a moment later as he wasn't giving up that easily. He just /had/ to find out every detail about this person. "I don't mean to be trouble, monsieur, really. I just wanted to ask if you would be up for getting dinner tonight. Please don't say non, if you can. I really think you'll enjoy it."
He can tell that Charlie does want to say no, as he's already done twice. Once when Nick tried to get his number and then over the phone when another gave into him after multiple days of asking about him.
He knows he looks desperate and possibly, extremely pushy for a person who he's just met, but there's a feeling inside of him that he hasn't felt since the Army took him under their wing at16 and to this day, he hasn't felt so alive.
Thankfully, however, Charlie looks directly at him, into his eyes and withering, speaks. "Fine. No show tonight. Dinner. Très tard. Very late. No public places. Oui?"
"Yes, I mean Oui, I mean…thank you ." Nick babbled, wondering if he had stars in his eyes. "Merci. Seriously, I won't let you down.•
Charlie made a noise in the back of his throat (that totally didn't shoot through Nick like the stray bullets he dodged in the trenches not too long ago) before he finally just muttered "Fine, at 8." before he finally stalks off to serve another customer, not wanting to think about what was coming later that day.
What would Ben say when he found out? He tried to think about that.
Meanwhile, Nick's heart fluttered like bird wings as he skipped home to the flat, searching his belongings to make sure he looked the best he possibly could for the date that night, without looking too out of style.
Hopefully, the lads and barflys would understand.