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“Charlie, your 4 o’clock is here, and let me just say, if I was into that sort of thing, yum .” Darcy teased, popping her head into the back room where Charlie was checking on the cat he’d spayed earlier that day.
“Darcy!” he cried, his eyes widening as he flushed.
“What? I’m just saying, he’s cute. He also looks a bit panicked so you might want to get on out there.” she teased before giving the door a couple of pats before letting it swing shut. He groaned, letting his forehead bonk against the metal of the cage, leaning back when the cat he was petting mewed softly at him. He stroked her apologetically. This wasn’t the first time Darcy tried to set him up with somebody he’d met in his office. In fact, it was at least a monthly occurrence.
Also, for a lesbian, Darcy usually had the worst taste in men. Even her girlfriend, Tara, could understand when a man was conventionally attractive, as they tended to debate, but the men Darcy told him were cute in the office were always… something else, to say the least.
She was also quite dramatic, even rivaling his best mate, Tao, on occasion. However, once he made his way out into the waiting room, he quickly figured out that she wasn’t exaggerating on either account.
There were two men sitting in the waiting room, but there was no confusing who his 4 o’clock was. He was broad-shouldered and muscled, but soft-looking in his fuzzy jumper. He had dark blonde, almost ginger, hair and brown eyes with a little bit of facial hair. But his most obvious feature right now was how anxious he looked. He was bouncing both knees, his heels tapping repeatedly on the floor, one hand resting on top of a small cage in the chair beside him, tapping the top of the metal gently while his other hand continuously ran through his hair, pushing his fringe out of his face. Darcy was right, Charlie needed to put him out of his misery.
“Nicholas Nelson with Patches?” he called, fighting a grin when his head shot up comically. Charlie’s eyes darted to Darcy as Nicholas stood up who was grinning from ear to ear and shooting him a thumbs up. It took every ounce of self-control in his body not to flip her off. “You can follow me and I can take her. Hello, darling! ” he took the cage from Nicholas, taking a first glance at the multicolored guinea pig with the fitting name.
Charlie led Nicholas into a room towards the back of the building, gesturing for him to sit down while he unlatched the cage to take a closer look at Patches.
“Mind telling me a bit about what’s been going on with this girl?” Charlie asked, observing her for a moment.
“Well she’s been eating and drinking way more than usual, she’s been louder lately but less active as well. And the other day, I heard a commotion from her cage and she was just lying down but she was twitching so I thought maybe she was having a seizure, but she just got up and acted fine. I still thought I should bring her in. We didn’t get her very long ago but my kids are already attached so I can’t let anything happen to her.” Charlie nodded along while he spoke, but when he mentioned his kids, he froze. He told himself it was just that he was surprised as Nicholas seemed to be about his age and Charlie couldn’t imagine having kids yet, but Darcy’s words were also beginning to get to him. He was very cute.
“Your kids?” he asked curiously as he turned to sanitize his hands before freezing, realizing that probably wasn’t the most appropriate question to immediately ask.
“Yeah.” Nicholas grinned, bright and happy before his eyes widened like saucers and he froze. “I mean no! I don’t actually have kids. I’m a teacher! Patches is our class pet! The kids in my class would be devastated if anything happened to her.” Nicholas rambled, making sure to clarify that he didn’t have kids.
“Right, yeah. That makes sense. Well, I definitely don’t want to disappoint your entire class, so let’s get this figured out, yeah?” Charlie smiled, reaching into the cage and pulling Patches out and onto the cold examination table. She gave a frantic squeak and tried to squirm out of Charlie’s grasp towards Nicholas.
“Sorry about her. She’s a bit skittish.” he apologized, reaching out to stroke the top of her head with his forefinger.
“It’s alright, most guinea pigs are. Although she seems to like you, Nicholas.” Charlie shot him a shy smile, biting the inside of his cheek when Nicholas flushed bright pink.
“Call me Nick. Not even my mum calls me Nicholas anymore.” he laughed, shaking his head slightly.
“Okay, Nick. Can you tell me when you got Patches?” he asked, feeling around her spine, arms and legs, and abdomen.
“We’ve had her for a bit less than two months.” he said and Charlie nodded along while he continued to feel along her abdomen.
“Right. And do you know if she was kept separated or with other guinea pigs where you got her?” he glanced up at Nick, whose brow was furrowed as he thought.
“When I went to see her, she was in a cage with another guinea pig but if you mean was she with another girl, I don’t know.” he admitted, making Charlie nod again. He lifted Patches, cradling her close to his chest so she’d feel safer as he palpated her abdomen to confirm his suspicions.
“Right. I’m going to perform an ultrasound to be certain, but I think Patches might be pregnant. The shortest gestation time for guinea pigs is about two months, so she’s probably acting strangely because she’s getting closer to giving birth. If she really is pregnant, she’s probably fine, but you should monitor her closely for the next couple of weeks.” Charlie said, moving to put Patches back in her cage so they could go into the ultrasound room.
“Oh my god, I’m too young to be a grandpa.” Nick grumbled, mystified, as he trailed after Charlie. He couldn’t help the unattractive snort he let out before smothering his laughter in his shoulder. He glanced back at Nick, who was smiling shyly but proudly at him like he was happy he’d made Charlie laugh.
“Are you going to tell all your kids they’re going to be aunties, uncles, and piblings?” Charlie asked, raising a teasing eyebrow at Nick.
“I’m not sure they’re ready for that kind of responsibility yet. They’re only six.” he laughed, making Charlie smile. He suddenly got an image of a bunch of little kids surrounding Nick who was just smiling and talking to all of them like they really mattered. It was sweet. Charlie shook his head, snapping himself out of it. First of all, he shouldn’t be thinking that about a guy he’d just met at work, and secondly, he wasn’t about to give Darcy the satisfaction.
He went back to focusing on work, taking Patches out of her cage again and gesturing Nick over to them by the ultrasound machine.
“Would you mind holding her while I do the ultrasound? I think it might help her stay calm if you have her.” Charlie suggested, handing Patches over when Nick nodded, letting Charlie guide his hands to hold her belly up so Charlie could apply the ultrasound gel to her stomach and guide the probe over it.
Charlie’s suspicions were immediately confirmed when tiny objects appeared on the monitor. His expression must’ve told Nick everything he needed to know about his pet. Charlie laughed when Nick huffed from beside him.
“Patches! You’re just a baby! You’re in big trouble!” he chastised her, tapping the top of her furry head with his forefinger.
“Congratulations?” Charlie mumbled questioningly, making both of them laugh. He briefed Nick on what to do over the coming weeks and how to help Patches manage her little ones when the time came as she lived in a room full of children, before giving Patches a few scritches, putting her back in the cage, giving Nick a soft pat on the back, and leading him back out into the waiting room.
Right into Darcy who gestured for him to get signed out at her station, shooting Charlie a smug smile as he stood waiting in the doorway.
“You two have a good rest of your day. Bye, bye, darling! ” Darcy whispered, giving a gentle wave to Patches, making Charlie smile when he heard her squeak in response.
“Thank you so much, Dr. Spring!” Nick said, turning back to Charlie with a wave.
“Oh, please. It’s Charlie.” he said, a light flush spreading across the bridge of his nose, only deepening and spreading when Nick just smiled brightly at him.
“Thank you, Charlie.”
And then he was gone. Charlie nearly let a dreamy sigh escape like a proper little schoolgirl until Darcy cleared her throat and he realized she was still in the room.
“See! What did I tell you? I’m sure he’d let you inspect his patches any day of the week.” Darcy grinned smugly, cackling when, this time, Charlie really did flip her off.
~~~~~
“I’m coming, good god! Would it kill you to learn a bit of patience?” Charlie called across the house at the sound of a lead being dragged across the floor. “Who am I kidding, you’re a cat.” Charlie mumbled to himself, shaking his head as he pulled a beanie over his curls just as Artemis nosed her way into his room, lead in her mouth. “Alright, alright! Let’s go, pretty girl.” he smiled, bending down to pet her head as she tipped it up into his hand, before he attached the lead to her harness.
Clearly, Artemis knew it was a beautiful day out and was ready to get back to their normal routine of walks in the park. It had been gloomy for several days now, so they’d had to take their walks around the hallways of Charlie’s apartment.
They quickly arrived at the park and Artemis wasted no time before wandering in the direction of all her favorite smells. While she stopped to nibble on some grass, Charlie felt a tennis ball roll into his foot and when he looked up, there was the fluffiest brown and white dog chasing after it. The dog stopped short of Charlie and sat down like it was asking permission to come up to Charlie and take the ball back.
“Is this what you want?” Charlie asked, his voice going higher in pitch as he crouched down to grab the ball before offering it to the dog. The dog jumped up and walked over to Charlie, gently taking the ball from him before sitting down again, clearly asking for pets. Charlie clanged down at the tag on its collar, seeing that her name was Nellie. “Hello Nellie, darling! Aren’t you a sweetheart?” Charlie grinned, laughing when she licked his nose.
“Nellie, you can’t just run up to everyone at the park!” someone, who was clearly Nellie’s owner, exclaimed as they approached the two of them. Charlie glanced up, a wide grin overtaking his face when he saw who it was.
“Fancy seeing you here. How’re the grandkids?” he asked, laughing when Nick practically skidded to a stop in front of him.
“Hi! Um, yeah, yeah, they’re great! How’re you? Sorry about her, she’s a bit overly friendly sometimes.” he flushed, reaching up to scrub the back of his neck.
“Oh, don’t worry. She’s a perfect little angel. Plus, animals tend to like me, I’ve got the whole, you know…” Charlie mumbled, making a vague gesture with his hands.
“The cool, calm, vet vibe going on? Yeah, you do.” Nick laughed, crouching down beside them to give Nellie a scratch before he noticed Artemis peeking out from behind Charlie. “Oh, who’s this?” he asked, sitting down on the path and crossing his legs, reaching out a hand towards Artemis for her to sniff.
“Oh, this is my baby girl, Artemis.” Charlie said, joining Nick on the ground and pulling Artemis into his lap.
“She’s so cute! Although I might should keep Nellie away from her. She loves cats but she doesn’t realize how big and scary she can be to a smaller animal.” Nick cringed, moving to shift to keep Nellie away from her before Charlie waved him off.
“It’s alright. She comes to the practice with me quite a lot. She’s used to all kinds of animals.” Charlie reassured him, leaning back so Artemis could crawl off his lap and investigate Nellie.
“I bet she wishes I’d get her a pet cat. I mean, she really loves them.” he laughed, shaking his head as Nellie almost immediately licked Artemis’s face.
“Thinking about it?” Charlie asked, glancing over at their pets.
“ God , no! I mean, I love cats, but in an enclosed space with them, I’m, like, really allergic.” Nick cringed. Charlie’s eyes widened slightly, glancing over at how close Nick was to Artemis.
“Are you alright right now?” he asked, a bit frantically, having seen plenty of allergy cases over the years.
“No, yeah, I’m fine. It’s okay outside or inside for a short time, but if I’m inside with one for a long time without medication, it’s not going to be pretty.” Nick laughed self-deprecatingly. Charlie still wasn’t convinced.
“Are you sure? I mean, if your throat’s going to close up on me out here, I’d rather know now.” Charlie said, laughter in his tone but he was completely serious.
“No, no, nothing like that. They’re not going to kill me or anything, it's just the whole red, watery eyes, sneezing my head off situation. I promise you, my throat isn’t going to get anywhere close to closing up.” Nick promised, finally managing to reassure Charlie.
“Okay. I just needed to make sure I wasn’t about to leave the baby guineas without a grandpa. That would be a travesty.” Charlie teased, laughing when Nick’s mouth dropped open.
“Oh, well thank you for your concern for my grandpigs and my grandpigs only .” Nick teased, rolling his eyes at Charlie before they lit up when Artemis finally let Nick pet her, bonking her head into his hand from Charlie’s lap. “Hello, angel! You’re so cute, aren’t you?” he mumbled, his grin widening as she started to crawl out of Charlie’s lap and into his. Charlie smiled fondly as well until he remembered the conversation they’d just had , and reeled her back.
“No, no. We don’t need to send you home with cat hair all over your clothes. If you won’t worry about you, let me do it.” Charlie said, rolling his eyes when Nick just laughed.
“Well, on behalf of future me, thanks.” he smiled softly, still laughing as Artemis jumped off Charlie’s lap to finally go socialize with Nellie, who had been sitting patiently beside Nick this whole time.
“Did your kids like the baby guinea pigs?” Charlie asked, leaning back on his hands and stretching his legs out to the side.
“Yeah! They loved them! Here, I can show you.” he lit up, pulling out his phone. He scrolled through his photos before passing the phone to Charlie, then decided to scoot beside him to narrate. “I didn’t want to move her so I wouldn’t stress her out after I knew she was pregnant, but I wanted to keep an eye on her, so I set up a live streaming camera and the feed went to my laptop. I woke up to take Nellie out in the middle of the night about three weeks after I brought her in and I saw this on the camera.” Nick zoomed in on a picture of his laptop and Charlie could just make out tiny, pink and grey guinea pig babies in a cluster in the corner of the image.
“Oh wow! How many did she have?” he asked.
“Three. All girls, we think.” Nick said, glancing up in surprise when Charlie laughed.
“We? Who have you brought into your guinea pig drama?” he asked, seriously hoping it didn’t seem obvious that he was asking about a potential partner. His heart dropped into his stomach when Nick flushed, ducking his head.
“My mum.” he mumbled, glancing up at Charlie shyly, who laughed, mostly in relief.
“So she’s fully embracing her role as great grandma to your guinea pig babies?” he teased, smiling encouragingly when Nick glanced up, his expression eager and utterly adorable.
“She has. Although she’s used to being a fur baby grandma. I’m also a bit surprised you’re not giving me shit for being a mama’s boy.” Nick admitted, his cheeks still a pretty pink.
“Nah. That’s what some of us look for in a guy. It’s sweet.” Charlie said, harnessing every ounce of courage in his body and praying it wasn’t too forward. Nick just laughed calmly, smiling brightly at Charlie.
“Right, that’s good then. Oh! I also have this video of my kids seeing the babies for the first time!” Nick exclaimed excitedly, completely oblivious to Charlie’s plight. Nick scrolled to a video where he’d clearly set up his phone at the front of the class. Charlie could immediately see Nick’s back as he faced a classroom full of kids.
And, well, Charlie was only human. Nick in khaki trousers and an almost too tight Polo shirt was… something else. The man must live at the gym, was all Charlie could figure.
He clicked play and he immediately heard the excited chatter in the room.
“Alright, alright, settle down. I’ve got a surprise for you lot.” Nick announced, chuckling softly to himself when they still didn’t quiet down until he announced there was a surprise. “Do you remember when I told you Patches was going to be a mummy?” he asked and, not a moment later, the class erupted into a chorus of confirmations, a few distinctive voices announcing, “Yes, Mr. Nelson!” . “Well, she’s had her babies! But, before we get loud, I need to tell you what’s going to happen around here! Being a new mummy is going to be very stressful and a bit scary to our favorite girl and her babies have little, sensitive ears! So, we need to be quieter around here for a while to keep mum and babies calm and stress-free. If we all think we can do that, I’ll take one row at a time and let you see the babies.” Every head in the room nodded frantically and Nick put his hands on his hips. “Can you all promise me to be nice to our new friends?” he asked, waiting until the entire room called a sure, but noticeable softer, “Yes sir, Mr. Nelson!” . He nodded and led one row over to the cage at a time, giving each row several minutes to observe the babies, ask questions, and talk to Patches. Many of the kids hung off Nick like he was a jungle gym, and he seemed to take his responsibility very seriously, crouching down on one knee and letting the shorter kids, one at a time, stand on his knee to see over the crowd into the cage. It was obvious how much they all loved him. Once the whole class had their chance to see the babies, they all settled back into their seats and Nick returned to the front of the room, a big and bright smile on his face as he crouched down to stop the video.
“They really love them. They’ve been really good with them, too. I’m really impressed, actually.” he grinned fondly as he talked about all of his kids. He glanced up at Charlie, furrowing his brow at the expression on his face. “What?”
“You’re really good with them. You can tell they really love you.” Charlie mumbled, certain his fondness was written all over his face. Nick blushed and ducked his head bashfully.
“Well, I really love my job. It’s a bit crazy to think about these tiny humans I’m teaching now could turn into the next world leaders or scientists or something. It’s amazing.” he gushed, and Charlie was happy to sit and listen to him.
They talked about their jobs for a bit longer, still sitting side by side, hips pressed together, until Charlie nudged Nick in the ribs with his elbow, pointing over to the side where Nellie and Artemis had been playing. Now, they were curled up together, both fast asleep, Artemis nestled into the empty space beside Nellie’s belly, her tiny head resting on Nellie’s paws.
“I think they like each other.” Charlie mumbled, beaming at Nick who chuckled.
“I really hate to wake them up, but I’ve got homework to grade and a craft to get ready for Monday morning and I’ve probably already been here too long. We should get together again sometime, you know, purely for their benefit.” Nick suggested, cocking his head in the direction of their pets.
“Right, yeah. I suppose I could hang out with you again for our pets’ sake.” Charlie nodded calmly, playing along, trying not to smile.
“Yeah, I’ll admit it, I’m just using you for your cat.” Nick agreed, preparing for a short face-off, but he quickly cracked, laughing and ducking his head. “So could I get your number? Purely for cat-related inquiries.” he clarified, laughing along with Charlie.
“Oh, of course. We can trade.” Charlie said, handing over his phone and holding out his other hand for Nick to pass his phone over.
“Should I expect puppy-related inquiries only from you?” he asked while they exchanged phones back.
“See, I made no such promise.” Charlie teased, both of them laughing as they got to their feet. “Come here, darling.” Charlie mumbled quietly, scooping the drowsy Artemis into his arms, smiling when she meowed softly. Nick smiled at them, ducking his head down and sneaking a kiss off the top of her head, winking cheekily at Charlie when he rolled his eyes.
“Bye, Nick. And bye, Nellie . What a good girl .” Charlie said, giving her ears a scratch as she yawned, then moved to lick his hand.
“Bye, Charlie.” Nick grinned, bumping his shoulder into Charlie’s as he led Nellie past and back around the path out of the park. Charlie smiled dreamily as he watched them go for a few moments before putting Artemis down when she began to squirm and leading her back home.
~~~~~
“Charlie, you got a text!” Darcy called from the sitting room. There was a certain tone to her voice that made nerves jumble in his stomach. He popped his head out of the fridge where he had been grabbing another round of beers for the group.
“Why do you say it like that?” he asked as he reappeared in the room, handing them out to Darcy, her girlfriend, Tara, Tao, and his girlfriend Elle.
“It’s from Nick !” she teased in a sing-song voice, making Charlie roll his eyes.
“Oh my god, you’re relentless.” he groaned, snatching his phone up and opening the text. It was just a picture of Nellie, her head resting on crossed paws with a message attached.
Nick Nelson:
[Somebody’s missing her new buddy]
“It’s just a picture of his dog.” Charlie told her, and she rolled her eyes.
“And how do you have his number and know his dog?” she beamed, knowing she’d caught him.
“We met in the park. Total coincidence. Besides, I’m pretty sure he’s straight. I gave him plenty of opportunities to say otherwise.” Charlie said, trying not to sound as sad as he felt when he had the realization.
“And yet he has your number. Did he ask for it?” Darcy pushed, clearly desperate for one of her fix-ups to work, and this is the closest she’s ever come.
“Darcy, what have I said about encouraging Charlie’s crushes on straight boys?” Tao groaned. He’d known Charlie for nearly ten years and he’d seen Charlie get his heart broken by numerous straight boys over the years.
“You didn’t see them, though. Plus, he’s cute. If Charlie wants to tap that, I can’t say I’d blame him.” she shrugged calmly, only for Charlie’s and Tara’s heads to whip around.
“Excuse me?” they both exclaimed, in sync.
“ What? Just because I’m not trying to tap that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate beauty when I see it.” she raised her hands in surrender but she was still smirking at Charlie. He rolled his eyes and let the matter drop for a bit before he moved to text Nick back. He took a picture of himself and Artemis as she had tucked herself under his arm on the floor and was snuggled under his chin and sent it along with a message.
Charlie Spring:
[Someone else misses their buddy, too!]
Nick Nelson:
[The cat. Obviously]
Charlie Spring:
[Obviously. What else would I be talking about?]
Nick Nelson:
[Not a clue. It’s not like I miss you or anything 😉 ]
Charlie Spring:
[Same. Clearly, I was talking about the cat.]
Nick Nelson:
[How’s your weekend?]
Charlie Spring:
[Good. My friends are over and we’re having a film night.]
Nick Nelson:
[Oh, sorry. I can let you get back to your friends.]
Charlie Spring:
[Nah, my friend Tao picks the worst movies but he’s also the most stubborn. It’s not worth it to argue with him. Plus, I like talking to you.]
Nick Nelson:
[I like talking to you too, Charlie. And how bad can his choices really be?]
Charlie Spring:
[Literally, you would be surprised. You should join us next week. We do this every Saturday night]
Nick Nelson:
[I’d love to, but I wouldn’t want to crash your evening.]
Charlie Spring:
[Really, it’s not a big deal. Plus you’ve already met Darcy at the office. I’m sure they’d love you.]
Nick Nelson:
[Well, okay then. I can’t wait]
Charlie Spring:
[ 😊 ]
After about five minutes straight of Charlie smiling down at his phone, he jumped as a throw pillow collided with his head.
“Charlie, stop texting your boyfriend!” Darcy exclaimed. It didn't help Charlie’s case that he flushed all the way down to the collar of his shirt.
“Shut up.”
~~~~~
Charlie had barely stepped foot outside before he heard an excited woof and a familiar ball of brown and white fur came hurtling towards him.
“Well isn’t someone out and about early this Monday morning!” Charlie laughed crouching down to give Nellie pats and scratches before she nosed her way around Charlie to lick Artemis. “Alright then, I see how it is.” he rolled his eyes, standing back up just in time to see a very anxious and very shirtless Nick come running towards him.
“We can’t keep meeting like this.” he joked, clearly calming down after realizing who Nellie had found, still breathing heavily as he skidded to a stop a few paces in front of Charlie.
“Yeah, I’ve gotta say, I’m a little offended that your dog is more interested in licking my cat than getting pets.” Charlie grinned, laughing when Nick flushed pink.
“I think she must’ve smelled her buddy nearly the second we stepped out the door. I didn’t have a grip on her lead because I was locking my door and she took off running. She’s literally never done that before. I should’ve known.” he rolled his eyes giving Nellie an admonishing scratch.
“So, you live around here?” Charlie asked, forcing himself not to look at his watch and praying he wouldn’t be late for work.
“Yeah. I live about a block down.” he said, pointing back in the direction he’d come from. “School’s on a long weekend today so I figured we could turn our afternoon walk into a morning jog. I didn’t count on having to full-on sprint after her.” they both laughed, Charlie, making sure his gaze didn’t drift down to Nick’s bare chest.
“Of course, we’re almost neighbors. I don’t know what else I’d expect from us at this point.” he huffed a laugh, trying to tame his blush when Nick laughed gleefully along with him.
“We really shouldn’t be surprised. Are you two going to the park?” Nick asked, motioning to Artemis and then laughing as she batted her paws playfully trying to catch Nellie’s tail.
“No, I’m taking her to work with me this morning. I bring her in a lot but especially when someone has to bring their pet in for euthanization. She plays her role as, “therapy cat” very well.” Charlie smiled sadly but reassuringly when Nick’s face fell.
“Oh, I’m sorry, that must be tough having to do that. I know I couldn’t.” he mumbled softly, nearly making Charlie’s heart nearly stop when he reached out a hand to squeeze Charlie’s elbow.
“Yeah, I’d say it’s the hardest part of the job. Although I don’t think I could wrangle thirty kids every day, either.” he pointed out, raising a teasing eyebrow.
“Touché. Hey, I should let you get to work. And, um, would you maybe want to grab coffee when you get off? My treat, for your hard day.” Nick offered, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck as he blushed. Charlie couldn’t help but track the way Nick’s blush trailed clear down his chest, barely stopping at his, dear god , abs. When his gaze shot back up to meet Nick’s his face was flaming red as well.
“Sure. But you don’t have to pay, really. I get off at 6.” Charlie smiled bashfully when Nick beamed and nodded.
“Try and stop me. Okay, um, I’ll text you. See you later, Charlie. Bye Artemis! ” he waved at them both, crouching down to scratch under her chin before standing back up and pulling Nellie on down the street towards the park. Charlie watched him go, unable to tame the bright flush that was still spreading across his entire body. It took Artemis meowing impatiently at him to snap him out of it.
“You’re late.” Darcy commented as Charlie burst into the clinic only two minutes after 8, thank you very much.
“Yeah, I know. I got caught up this morning.” Charlie admitted, letting Artemis off her lead and smiling when she immediately hopped up on the desk, bumping her head against Darcy’s chin.
“You look flushed. Did you run here ?” she asked, her eyes widening comically.
“Something like that. I’m gonna go get ready for my 8:15. See you later, Darcy.” he waved at her before he ducked into the back to store his jacket and keys.
~~~~~
“Hey Darce, is everything set for today? I just checked on all our overnights and they’re all set?” Charlie asked, popping his head into the waiting room.
“Everything should be all good. Why so eager to get out of here today?” she asked, nosey, as always.
“Has it ever crossed your mind that I might have a life?” he teased, coming all the way into the room, crossing his arms, and leaning against the door.
“Do you have a date? Cute Mr. Guinea Pig?” she asked, propping her head up on her hands, beaming.
“We’re getting coffee. It’s not a date.” he sighed, relenting.
“And is that why you were late this morning?” she asked, all the pieces fitting together and Charlie could see it in the way her eyes lit up.
“He lives near me. His dog ran off and ran up to us this morning. We talked. That’s all.” Charlie said adamantly.
“Where he invited you for coffee? Who’s paying?” Darcy asked, cocking her head to the side suspiciously.
“...he said he would. But I told him he didn’t have to.” Charlie mumbled, flushing when Darcy cackled.
“So he asked for your number, invited you for coffee, offered to pay , and you still don’t think it’s a date? You still don’t think he likes you?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I told him that, sometimes, being a mama’s boy was something we look for in a guy, and he just brushed it off. If he was hitting on me and wanted to ask me out, he would’ve then.” Charlie replied adamantly. Darcy sighed, letting her head flop into her palm. Tao would be proud. He wasn’t giving himself the opportunity to get his heart broken by another straight boy.
“Okay. You know him better than I do. I trust you. But I do only want you to be happy, Charlie.” she gave in, smiling encouragingly at him now and reaching out her hand for him to come closer and squeeze. He sighed, walking over, taking her hand, and squeezing it.
“Thanks. So, are we good? If I have time, I want to go home and shower.” he asked, nodding when Darcy nodded. He turned to go grab his things when she cleared her throat and he turned back to her.
“He is cute though, right?” she asked, grinning when he groaned, turning around and walking out.
“Bye, Darcy.” he mumbled, rolling his eyes.
“I’ll take that as a yes!” she exclaimed victoriously.
“Bye.”
~~~~~
Nick Nelson:
[I’m on my way over. I know a cute place if you wanna bring Artemis and I’ll bring Nellie?]
Charlie Spring:
[Oh sure! I just got out of the shower so when you get here, you can let yourself in and make yourself comfortable.]
Nick Nelson:
[Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude if you’re not ready.]
Charlie Spring:
[It’s okay. I’ll be ready in about 15. I’m just trying to save you from the smell of whatever might’ve been on me from today.]
Nick Nelson:
[Well in that case, no complaints. I’ll be on your couch when you’re ready for me.]
Charlie smiled and tossed his phone onto his bed, tugging a shirt on over his head, then rummaging through his drawers for a pair of trousers.
Once he was dressed, he went to dry his hair so his curls wouldn’t be hanging in damp ringlets in his eyes.
Right when he turned off his hairdryer, he heard a knock at the door and Artemis’s collar bell begin to ding as she hurtled down the stairs. The next thing he heard was the front door opening and a very distinct voice.
“Hello, sweet girl! How’re you?” Nick asked, his voice muffled but distinct and happy as he talked to the cat. Charlie giggled to himself as he gathered his things, shoved his phone and keys into his pockets, grabbed a jacket, and headed downstairs. When Charlie rounded the corner, Nick was sitting on the floor by the front door petting Artemis, who’d crawled into his lap.
“You didn’t think that through, did you?” he asked, laughing and biting his lip when Nick’s head shot up. He smiled brightly at Charlie.
“I took my allergy meds, you don’t need to have an anxiety.” Nick rolled his eyes fondly, gently moving Artemis to the floor so he could get up. He smiled, opening his arms and it was only when Charlie was almost completely enveloped in Nick’s embrace that he realized he was going in for a hug. Charlie smiled into Nick’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around Nick’s waist. He was a few inches taller than Charlie. He wasn’t sure why that made butterflies erupt in his stomach. “How was your day?” he asked after they separated.
“Pretty good, all things considered. Yours?” he asked, grabbing Artemis’s lead, putting her harness on, and attaching it.
“I didn’t have to supervise thirty kids today, so it’s a good day.” he laughed, grabbing a hold of Nellie’s lead. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah. We can’t have you out too late on a school night.” Charlie teased, laughing when Nick bumped his shoulder against Charlie’s.
“Oi!”
~~~~~
“So, tell me something about Nicholas Nelson. Something other than guinea pigs and puppies and teaching.” Charlie asked, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs.
“What do you wanna know?” Nick asked, compensating by leaning forward, resting his elbows on the table, and taking a sip of his coffee.
“Whatever you’re willing to tell me. I want to know you.” Charlie admitted, coming forward to lean on the table as well.
“Okay. I’m twenty-six. I went to the University of Brighton. I lived with my mum until I was twenty. My dad lives in Paris, I haven’t seen him much. I have a brother, David, that I haven’t talked to since I moved out. He’s… not a good person. He’s my family but that’s it. I played rugby in school and I got a scholarship when I went to college. I still play with a community league on the weekends. Mostly it’s a lot of guys I was on a team with in school or played against. I’m like, obsessed with Marvel movies, and my favorite color’s blue.” he finished, looking like he was wracking his brain. “Your turn.” Nick added after a few moments when Charlie didn’t say anything.
“Okay. I’m twenty-five. I went to the University of Cambridge. I’ve worked at my practice for two years. I lived with my parents and my little brother, Oliver, until I got a steady job at the practice. My older sister, Tori, moved out two years before I did. I work with Darcy, who’s a friend from high school; you met her. We have movie nights every weekend with her, her girlfriend, Tara, my best friend, Tao, his girlfriend, Elle, and sometimes our friend Isaac comes along but he’s a really quiet guy. He can’t deal with our chaos all the time. They were all my friends in school. We got really close when things got bad for me. I got outed in year nine and the bullying was pretty bad, considering I went to an all-boys school and they all stood up for me. That kind of bond is something that doesn’t really go away. I like any movie Tao doesn’t pick out and my favorite color is red.” he finished, glancing up at Nick who had an unreadable expression on his face. “And that’s me, I guess.” he mumbled, blushing lightly.
“That’s it? That’s all there is to Charlie Spring?” Nick asked teasingly, his eyes sparkling.
“Well, no. But that’s all I give up without somebody buying me dinner first.” Charlie mumbled, smiling slyly and raising an eyebrow at him. Nick blushed, ducking his head shyly before gazing up at Charlie through his eyelashes.
“Okay then. Good to know.” he mumbled, nearly making Charlie’s heart shoot into his throat. He sounded bold, but the look on his face was unbelievably shy. Charlie was almost positive Nick was flirting with him. Although the little voice in his head that was telling him that sounded suspiciously like Darcy. Charlie cocked his head to the side, his expression a bit questioning. He didn’t say anything but Nick seemed to understand what he was asking anyway. He smiled sheepishly and blushed deeply, biting the inside of his cheek. And that’s when Charlie knew.
~~~~~
“I’d invite you in for a cup of coffee, but…” Charlie trailed off, gesturing to the to-go cups of coffee in both of their hands.
“Well, if you’d like to pretend to bribe me with something else, feel free. I’ll probably say yes.” Nick admitted, taking a step closer so his shoulder brushed Charlie’s.
“Well, would you like a cup of tea or a beer or something?” Charlie asked.
“Oh, I suppose I could spare a few minutes.” he sighed, shrugging deadpanned, then laughing into his shoulder. It was unfairly adorable. Charlie rolled his eyes, stepping past Nick to unlock his door. Except he froze when he heard Artemis’s little bell. “Are you sure you can? I mean, she lives in here.” Charlie pointed out, gesturing down to Artemis.
“I took my allergy medicine. Let’s not let it go to waste.” Nick rolled his eyes when Charlie still hesitated. “Seriously. You’re much more worried about this than I am. It’s okay, I promise.” he reassured him, smiling when Charlie finally sighed and unlocked the door.
“Well, someone has to worry about you. And, apparently, it isn’t you.” Charlie huffed, calming down when Nick gently laid his hand on the small of his back.
“I really do appreciate it. But really, I’ll be fine.” he told Charlie as they stepped inside.
“Make yourself comfortable, you can let Nellie off her lead as well. I’m sure the kids can entertain themselves.” Charlie said as he shut the door behind them, shrugging off his jacket and hanging it up, then taking Nick’s from him. “Would you actually like anything? I’ve got tea, more coffee, cheap beer, and snacks.” Charlie asked, standing between the sitting room and the kitchen.
“I’m okay. Do you wanna watch a movie or something?” he asked, plopping down on the couch. Charlie still stood in the doorway. Nick had settled at the far end of the couch leaving the door open for Charlie to either sit at the other end, insinuating that they were just friends. Or he could pray that he’d been reading things correctly all night and settle beside him. He sighed heavily, gathering his courage, then moved to sit right beside Nick. He made sure to leave a bit of space between their thighs in case he’d interpreted things incorrectly. Except Nick looked over at him, his eyes wide and eager, a fond smile on his face.
“Here. Pick anything you want. Although, I’ll warn you. If you do decide to come to our movie nights, Tao will never like you if you suggest a Marvel movie to him. I, however, won’t judge you if you want to watch a Marvel movie.” Charlie warned him, grinning when he laughed.
“Well thank you for giving me the cheat code to get on your best mate’s good side.” Nick shook his head, still laughing as he took the remote from Charlie. “And so what I’m hearing is you want me to indoctrinate you into the Marvel Cinematic Universe?” Nick asked, biting his lip to tame his grin when Charlie groaned.
“Oh god, what’ve I done?” he mumbled, flopping his head back against the couch cushions.
“You can’t take it back now.” Nick smiled brightly, scrolling to the first Iron Man movie to truly start Charlie at the beginning. And if Charlie wasn’t mistaken, Nick shifted a bit closer to Charlie.
They turned the movie on and Charlie obviously knew that this was important to Nick so he did his best to pay attention. Except that was exceedingly difficult when Charlie could feel Nick’s eyes on him. There was a low thrum of heat and nerves simmering under Charlie’s skin. He finally couldn’t take it anymore. He tore his gaze away from the tv and met Nick’s gaze. Charlie fought the smile that threatened to overtake his face when Nick’s eyes immediately went comically wide at being caught staring. His cheeks also went red, and Charlie could see in his eyes that he wanted to look away in embarrassment, but he wouldn't let himself.
“You alright?” Charlie asked softly. Nick swallowed heavily, nodding dumbly, shifting again so their thighs were pressed together.
“If I’m wrong, tell me to go home right now. Please .” Nick mumbled, his voice going breathy and hoarse. Now it was Charlie’s turn to swallow all of his nerves.
“You’re not wrong. Not even in the slightest.” Charlie mumbled, his gaze dropping to Nick’s lips, then back up to his eyes. It was then that he realized Nick’s gaze was also jumping from his eyes to his mouth.
“Oh, thank god.” he mumbled, and then his lips were on Charlie’s. Charlie brought his hands up to cup Nick’s face, sliding one back to tangle his fingers in Nick’s hair. Nick’s hands moved to grip Charlie’s hips, twisting his upper body to get even closer to Charlie. He shifted as well, certain the position was uncomfortable, only to let out a surprised squeak when Nick physically picked him up and moved him into his lap.
Which was unfairly hot and Charlie was certain he then made a desperate sound into Nick’s mouth because his grip tightened, the tips of his fingers sliding underneath the hem of Charlie’s shirt. Charlie nipped at Nick’s lower lip to deepen the kiss, his entire body erupting into flames when Nick moaned softly and parted his lips.
Then it was like every sense in Charlie’s body came rushing back to him. He pulled back quickly, hands still on Nick’s face, but now there was a questioning look in his eyes.
“Wait, wait, wait. What? ” he asked, finally moving his hands to gesture, waving them back and forth.
“What, what?” Nick asked, panting, eyes searching Charlie’s face for what could’ve gone wrong.
“You just kissed me?” Charlie said, although it sounded more like a question, then blushed when Nick threw his head back, laughing.
“If you had to ask, I must not be doing a very good job.” he joked, snorting with laughter when Charlie gently smacked his chest.
“I just… I thought you were straight.” he mumbled, now completely embarrassed. Nick finally seemed to take his confusion seriously, though, because he sat up and wrapped his arms around Charlie’s waist in a more comfortable and easy way.
“I asked you for your number, asked you out for coffee, offered to pay , and found any excuse to come in with you before I kissed you and you thought I was straight ?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. His expression softened when Charlie’s whole face turned pink and he bit his lip sheepishly.
“Okay, well when you put it like that! It’s just… I told you that being a mama’s boy was what some of us look for in a guy and made it very obvious that I was gay. I figured if any of those things were you hitting on me, it would’ve been more obvious.” Charlie mumbled, ducking his head until Nick placed one finger under Charlie’s chin and tilted it back up.
“You’ve been flirting with me?” Nick asked dumbly, now making Charlie laugh.
“Yes, obviously! And… you’ve been flirting with me?” Charlie asked, laughing. Nick groaned through a laugh, leaning forward to bump his head on Charlie’s chest.
“Obviously.” he rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Why’re we like this?”
They were both laughing now, Charlie moving his hands back to Nick’s face and tilting his head up to rest their foreheads together.
“Can I kiss you?” he mumbled, smiling when he heard Nick gasp softly and felt his pulse jump underneath his fingers.
“God, please do! ” was all Nick had to say before Charlie was kissing him again. Charlie felt Nick’s palms, firm and heavy, on his thighs before sliding up, one hand coming to grip his hip again while the other slid around to rest firmly on Charlie’s ass, giving it a firm but gentle squeeze. Charlie moved his hands into Nick’s hair as he trailed his lips from Nick’s, across his cheek, and down his jaw. He nipped at his pulse point, grinning against Nick’s skin when a broken groan escaped his lips. If that was enough to set Nick’s pulse racing, Charlie couldn’t help but wonder what other things he liked. He trailed his lips down Nick’s neck, biting down lightly on his skin and sucking. His head fell back against the couch with a moan, his hips bucking ever so slightly under Charlie.
“If you give me a hickey, I have no idea how to explain that to a room full of six-year-olds.” Nick mumbled, making Charlie laugh against his skin. His voice had gone raspy and hoarse and Charlie could tell how affected he was already. Charlie tangled his fingers in Nick’s hair and pulled, eliciting a low moan and Nick’s grip tightening on Charlie.
“Oh god, Charlie!” he groaned, his eyes slamming shut.
“Would you maybe wanna… go upstairs? It’s okay if you don’t. You can tell me. I just thought…” Charlie rambled only to be shushed by Nick grabbing his hands.
“ Hey . Don’t get all shy on me now. I’d love to.” Nick smiled softly, pulling Charlie into a softer, sweeter kiss. He could feel Charlie smile into it before sliding slowly off Nick’s lap, pulling on his hands until he was trailing after Charlie up the stairs and into his bedroom.
While Charlie shut the door behind them to keep the animals out, Nick glanced around Charlie’s room.
“It’s weirdly hipster in here. Would’ve never guessed the hot vet was actually a nerd.” Nick teased, laughing when Charlie rolled his eyes.
“Most of my decorations came from my room at my parent’s place. I can’t exactly afford to be an interior decorator. And I didn’t take you for one either, rugby lad. ” Charlie teased, grinning and stepping into Nick’s space when his jaw dropped in mock offense.
“The only interior decorating tip I have right now is that this would look much better on the floor.” Nick mumbled, toying with the bottom of Charlie’s shirt. He huffed a laugh, his head falling against Nick’s shoulder.
“That was terrible .” he rolled his eyes, making Nick laugh too.
“Is it working, though?” he asked, raising an eyebrow teasingly.
“Shut up.” Charlie laughed, telling the still present, but very small, voice inside his head to shut up as he whipped his top off over his head, ruffling his curls in the process. When he locked eyes with Nick again, he saw that his gaze had darkened significantly, zeroing in on Charlie’s chest.
“God, you’re beautiful.” Nick breathed, taking a few steps forward and reaching out, almost as an automatic reflex. Charlie shivered as his fingers trailed across his sides, biting his lip so he wouldn’t let out a giggle when Nick’s fingers tickled his abdomen. Charlie tugged on the hem of Nick’s shirt, backing them up until the backs of Charlie’s knees hit the edge of his bed. He sat down, pulling Nick on top of him.
He grunted, being careful to catch himself and not squish Charlie, who was significantly smaller than him. Charlie shook his head, though, and tugged Nick completely on top of him as he laid down.
“Off.” Charlie mumbled, very aware of their unevenness, clothing-wise. Nick huffed a laugh, sitting up, still straddling Charlie, as he pulled his shirt over his head. If the pressure of Nick perched on top of him wasn’t already wonderful, now Charlie had a closer look at Nick’s shirtless form. And this time, he could touch.
“Good god , you’re gorgeous.” Charlie murmured, reaching out to run his fingers along the plains of his abs. His entire chest was covered in a smattering of freckles. Charlie wondered if his entire body was freckled. He flushed, realizing that he was probably about to find out. “What did I do to get to see you shirtless twice in one day?” Charlie mumbled teasingly, still stroking Nick’s chest and watching as he flushed a pretty pink over the bridge of his nose.
“Just lucky I guess. I don’t think I’ve ever been more embarrassed than I was this morning, though.” Nick admitted, making Charlie laugh.
“Well, I thought I was going to burst into flames, so you were in good company.” he shrugged, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.
“Oh, did you?” he asked, playing dumb, cocking his head to the side.
“Just shut up and kiss me.” Charlie groaned, rolling his eyes before pulling Nick in by his belt loops. He fell back on top of Charlie, pressing him into the mattress as he kissed him. He wound his hands around Nick’s waist, his nails digging into Nick’s back, surely leaving small, half moon shapes in his skin. Charlie ran one hand further down Nick’s back, making him arch into Charlie’s touch. Charlie gasped as Nick’s crotch brushed against his. He groaned lowly, rolling his hips up to meet Nick’s again.
“You really want to?” Nick asked, mumbling against Charlie’s cheek.
“God, yes!” he sighed, moving one hand to slide a finger through one of Nick’s belt loops before he popped his button open then ran one finger down his zipper, grinning smugly when it elicited a full body shiver and a moan from Nick. “Can we take these off?” he asked, still teasing him by running his fingers around his waistband.
He hummed, although it almost sounded like a desperate whine as he nodded frantically, sitting up again to unzip his trousers before rolling off of Charlie to kick off both his trousers and his pants.
And, well. He was completely covered in freckles.
“Can I…” Charlie asked, not even sure what he was asking for at this point. He was practically drooling.
“If you don’t, I will.” Nick joked, making Charlie’s pulse jump. And okay, that was an unexpected reaction and they would absolutely be revisiting that later. He moved to straddle Nick again, giving him a short but passionate kiss that left them both panting while Charlie trailed his lips down Nick’s neck, dodging the slightly pink mark he’d made earlier to settle right below his collar bone. He knew this was safe territory to bite down on Nick’s chest, sucking softly on his skin, then soothing the slight sting of pain with his tongue while Nick writhed, rambling nonsense and moaning underneath him. Clearly, he liked this. Interesting.
Charlie grinned, pulling back after he was satisfied with his mark, then trailed his lips down Nick’s chest, dragging his tongue and kissing all the way down his abs and nipping at his hipbone. He didn’t give Nick any warning before he wrapped his lips around the head of his cock. He smiled around Nick when he heard him gasp loudly above him. Charlie could feel him fighting valiantly to keep his hips still and not thrust into Charlie’s mouth. He quickly sunk all the way down on Nick, hollowing out his cheeks and sucking, smiling around him as Nick moaned, his hips moving slightly. Charlie moved his hands to rest on his hips, stroking his skin gently, letting him know he was okay to move a bit but so he could still maintain control. He pulled back to swirl his tongue around the tip before sinking back down again.
It was only a couple more minutes before the noises escaping Nick’s mouth became even more desperate and he settled his hands on Charlie’s shoulders to push him back a bit. Charlie popped off of him, a questioning look on his face.
“If this is how you want the evening to go, by all means, keep going but if you want us to do anything else, you’re going to have to stop right now .” Nick groaned, laughing along with Charlie, who flopped against his chest to kiss him softly.
“What exactly are you implying, Nicholas?” Charlie teased, reaching up to stroke Nick’s cheeks gently.
“Do you want me to fuck you? Because I’m very interested in that if you are.” Nick said, so calm and straightforward that Charlie giggled, dropping his forehead against Nick’s shoulder.
“You’re such a dork.” he huffed a laugh, sitting up along with Nick, who wrapped his arms around Charlie’s waist and pressed their foreheads together.
“So is that a yes?” he asked, smiling when Charlie nodded. His grin widened right before he tackled Charlie back onto the bed with a screech. “Can I take these off?” he asked, thumbing at his button.
“Please do.” he gasped as Nick stroked his exposed stomach. They both moved to undo Charlie’s trousers, pulling and pushing until they were both naked.
“Hello there.” Nick grinned teasingly, reaching out to stroke Charlie’s cock slowly, his gaze darkening when Charlie shivered.
“Oh my god. ” Charlie grumbled, somewhere between exasperated and aroused.
“Where’s…” was all Nick managed to get out before Charlie was squirming underneath him, moving to slap at the drawer beside his bed, pulling out a sleeve of condoms and lube. He quickly tore one open and rolled it over Nick before he could even reach out to do it himself, giving him a few slow stroked, dragging his thumb over his slit and, even with the condom on, made him shudder and moan, dropping his forehead onto Charlie’s shoulder.
“God, you’re gonna kill me.” he groaned, turning his head to nip at Charlie’s ear lobe when he chuckled softly.
“I feel like, at this point, that would be doing me a disservice.” Charlie teased, laughing when Nick groaned into his ear.
“Better make it quick, then.” Nick mumbled, quickly sitting up and popping the lid open, drizzling lube over his fingers. Charlie was still looking smug and rolling his eyes until he felt Nick’s finger dragging across and up his thigh to probe at his entrance. He definitely wasn’t laughing after that.
“Oh god Nick, please!” he whined the simple touch making him squeeze his eyes shut and arch into Nick’s touch.
“You okay?” he asked, slicking him up and waiting until he confirmed to push in. He nodded, panting and brushing his fringe out of his eyes. Charlie’s eyes rolled back in his head and he let out a long, low moan as Nick pushed one finger into him, smiling against Charlie’s neck, kissing his skin softly as he adjusted.
“Keep going.” Charlie rasped, adjusting quickly. He quickly pushed another finger into him, fucking into him slowly until he completely adjusted. Nick pulled back to look Charlie in the eye, knowing the expression on his face was overly fond. He smiled softly at him as he tried to reign in his expressions.
“What’re you, shit, Nick! Looking at me like that for?” Charlie asked, moaning and arching his back as Nick hit his prostate.
“You’re cute.” he mumbled, relishing in the way Charlie immediately went red and bashful, turning his head to the side so he wouldn’t have to stare at Nick’s eager, fond expression. He took that opportunity to press a kiss to Charlie’s neck, nosing at the stubble of his jaw and nipping at his neck. When he whined softly, he bit down harder, sucking a bruise onto the side of his neck, and at the same time, he pushed another finger into him.
“Oh my god, Nicholas, if you could stop being such a tease that would be fantastic! ” he moaned, writhing underneath Nick, who now was shaking with laughter.
“You’re so cute.” he repeated, still kissing Charlie’s neck as he pulled his fingers out. Charlie sighed, feeling the emptiness immediately, but it didn’t take long for Nick to shuffle back, and then Charlie could feel Nick’s length probing at his entrance. He sunk in slowly, watching as Charlie’s expression morphed from a slight level of discomfort to pleasure as Nick fully sheathed himself inside Charlie.
“ God , you feel good.” Charlie sighed, running his hands up Nick’s biceps as he supported himself above Charlie. He squeezed Nick’s biceps, sighing as he felt his muscles flex underneath his hands. “What, do you live at the gym?” Charlie mumbled softly to himself, making Nick laugh.
They both shifted together, Nick moving one arm underneath Charlie to hold him even closer to his chest while the other moved to cup his cheek while both of Charlie’s hands moved up to tangle in Nick’s hair, pulling gently on his dark locks. Nick rolled his hips torturously slowly until Charlie tugged more firmly on his hair, making Nick’s hips snap forward, both of them moaning.
“Kiss me.” Nick gasped desperately. Charlie pulled him forward, kissing him hard and desperate, but Nick clutched him so close that their bodies practically meshed together. Charlie thought them being so close together would hinder Nick’s movement, but the closer he clutched Charlie, the better the angle became. With every thrust, Nick nailed Charlie’s prostate. Nick moved his other arm underneath Charlie as well so they physically couldn’t get any closer. Which only shifted Charlie’s hips again and the feeling was borderline euphoric.
“I’m close.” Charlie mumbled into Nick’s mouth, clutching tightly to Nick’s shoulders.
“Me too.” Nick panted, resting his forehead against Charlie’s. Charlie moved one hand between their bodies to jerk himself off, but since they were so close together, his fingers brushed against Nick’s nipples. Charlie had to pause when he felt Nick’s breath stall at the contact. Charlie made a curious noise, purposefully tweaking Nick’s nipples and smiling when he sucked in a sharp breath, whining and bucking his hips harder, seemingly involuntarily.
“Fuck, Charlie!” he moaned as he continued to play with Nick’s nipples, the coil of heat tightening in his abdomen until Charlie lifted his head and bit down on Nick’s shoulder, and it snapped. “Oh, fuck!” he groaned as he came, his thrusts speeding up and going deeper, nailing Charlie’s prostate over and over, making him quickly fall over the edge as well. He came over both of their stomachs, moaning Nick’s name softly as his eyes fluttered shut.
Nick still held himself aloft over Charlie, making sure not to drop his full weight on top of him, then made a move to roll off of him until Charlie gently poked his elbow so his arms gave way and he flopped fully on top of Charlie.
“You okay?” Nick asked, his chin resting on Charlie’s sternum. Charlie smiled at him, moving his hand to run his fingers through Nick’s hair.
“So good . You?” he asked, smiling when Nick’s eyes fluttered shut and he turned his head to rest his cheek on Charlie’s chest.
“Mmhm. And, just to clarify, I’m, like, definitely bisexual. I just didn’t realize you were flirting with me.” Nick admitted sleepily, smiling when Charlie laughed and leaned forward to press a kiss to the top of his head.
“Well, neither did I, so it’s okay. And thank you for telling me that.” he gave Nick’s scalp an appreciative scratch, sighing when he hummed happily.
They laid in silence until Charlie could feel Nick’s weight becoming heavier on top of him.
“You staying?” he asked softly, not wanting to assume or get his hopes up.
“Unless you want me to go home.” Nick mumbled, and Charlie was right. He sounded only a few seconds from falling asleep.
“No. stay.” he gave him a gentle squeeze before nudging him up. “But if you’re about to fall asleep on top of me, we need to get cleaned up first.” Charlie told him, laughing when he groaned dramatically and rolled off of Charlie. Charlie went to retrieve two wet cloths while Nick tied off and discarded the condom into the bathroom trashcan. They both cleaned themselves up before flopping back in bed together, Nick scooting back against the wall and pulling Charlie against his chest, spooning him. Except Charlie rolled over in Nick’s arms, nuzzling their noses together before leaning in to kiss him softly.
“Goodnight, Nick.” he mumbled, shifting to kiss his cheek.
“Goodnight.” he said, his eyes already closed, a content smile still on his face. It seemed like less than a minute before Nick’s breathing evened out and he was asleep. Charlie gazed at Nick’s soft, sleeping expression, shaking his head fondly. So much for his crush on the hot straight guy. He kissed his cheek again, and Nick nuzzled closer in his sleep, hugging Charlie close to his chest. It didn’t take long before Charlie was drifting off to sleep as well.
~~~~~
When Charlie drifted into consciousness, it was because he could feel the edge of his bed dipping. And then he realized Nick’s warm weight wasn’t cuddled up to him anymore. He made a soft, sleepy noise, rolling over and scrubbing his eyes. He opened his eyes and saw Nick smiling down at him, now fully dressed in the clothes he was wearing yesterday.
“Hey. Go back to sleep. I’ve got to go home and get ready for work. I’ll text you later, okay?” he asked softly, crouching down beside the bed, stroking Charlie’s cheek with his thumb. He nodded, blinking slowly up at Nick.
“I did give you a hickey. Maybe the kids won’t notice.” Charlie mumbled, reaching over clumsily and running his thumb over the bruise on the side of his neck.
“Yeah, I think you’ve got a couple yourself. I’ll wear a polo neck.” he shrugged, grinning at him. Charlie smiled, nuzzling his cheek into Nick’s hand, his grin widening when he leaned forward to kiss him. The first one was long and sweet, followed by a few short pecks. “Bye, Charlie.” Nick mumbled against his lips, kissing him one last time before standing up and heading towards the door. Charlie just waved sleepily at him, smiling at him until he’d closed Charlie’s bedroom door behind him. He rolled to look at the time on his phone. Seeing that it was almost 6:30 am and he had about forty-five more minutes to sleep before his alarm was going to go off. It didn’t take long before he was drifting off again, warm and happy.
~~~~~
“How was your date?” Darcy asked, taking Charlie by surprise the second he walked in the door, making him jump.
“It was fine.” Charlie shrugged, trying to fight the smile that threatened to overtake his face.
“I see you’re not claiming it isn’t a date anymore.” she pointed out suspiciously. Charlie just shrugged, turning to smile cheekily at her before turning to head into the back before he heard her screech.
“Is that a hickey?”