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Chapter Text

Another year of school. Charlie tears off a piece of tape with his teeth, sticking his Henry Maddox poster up on the wall. A new year, and a new dorm.

Charlie had initially been upset when he’d been allocated to room 312, a larger dorm, but knowing that Isaac was going to be one of his dorm mates made him feel better. At the end of the day, though he might not know the other two boys in the big room, they wouldn’t be total strangers.

Truham Grammar School for Boys is a large boarding school north of Leeds, located in the rolling hills of the countryside. Some students come for the day, but many students board. With home a five hour trip from here, Charlie only goes home for the holidays.

Luckily, Charlie’s big sister Tori is at the girls school nearby, Higgs. She’s in her final year this year, before she goes off to university. They see each other often, and FaceTime their parents once a week, usually from a local cafe, just to keep the peace.

“Spring,” Isaac walks in, duffel bag over one shoulder, towing a suitcase behind himself, “good to see you.”

Charlie puts the tape down to go and give Isaac a big hug. “New year, new dorm.”

“Wonder who’s ended up with us?” Isaac throws his bag onto the bed in the far corner of the room, closest to the window.

“Don’t know, but I’ve got the bottom bunk here.” Charlie has already put his blue and yellow striped sheets on the bed, Kitty, his special cat toy he’s had since childhood, is tucked under his pillow.

“Early bird gets the worm,” Isaac starts unloading stacks of books from his suitcase.

“Isaac,” Charlie groans, “I literally bought you a kindle, why won’t you use it?”

“I do use it,” Isaac insists, “I used it on the train, see?” Isaac pulls the kindle out of his backpack. “I just like the smell and feel of physical books.”

“Your obsession with hardcover books is deeply unwell,” Charlie mutters, but he pitches in to help Isaac stack the books on the allocated white wooden shelving.

Pulling open the drawers under his bed, Charlie starts unloading his stash of snacks. Bags of crisps, chocolates, gummy lollies, sour snakes, red and black licorice, all stacked neatly and lined up.

Isaac throws a cardboard box of tea at Charlie, hitting him in the head, “Go on, put the good tea in there too. Who knows what kind of guys these other dorm mates are going to be.”

Charlie laughs, “Doubt they’d be stealing your tea, but sure, if it makes you feel better.”

Isaac walks over to the bay window, sitting in the little nook in the sun overlooking the gardens, “I love being home, but I’ve missed this.”

“I’ve hated being home, I’ve missed this more,” Charlie walks over and sits next to Isaac.

“Your mum…” Isaac starts.

“No, I don’t want to talk about it.” Charlie leans on Isaac, and Isaac wraps him in a hug. “Fine, no talk of Jane. I’ll be your mum.”

“Sounds great.”

A few minutes later, footsteps are heard down the hall. “Oi!” A voice comes from down the hall, “312!”

“Ah, here we go!”

A tall blonde boy with slightly wavy hair comes stumbling into the room, “Hiya, oh! Isaac! Didn’t realise we were in the same dorm.”

“Oh, Christian, this is Charlie,” Isaac smiles warmly, giving Charlie a reassuring nod.

Another tall blonde boy comes in a moment later, lugging with him what must be four bags. “Hi fellas,” he gives the room a wave, “oh, shit, is this the last bed?”

The tall boy has broad shoulders, his hair is parted slightly to the side with an undercut and his brown eyes are large and gorgeous. He’s also wearing short rugby shorts, showing off his strong thighs.

Charlie smiles, realising this handsome boy is going to be his bunk mate. “You snooze you lose,” Charlie gets up off his mattress, “I’m Charlie.”

“I’m Nick,” the tall boy looks at Charlie for a moment longer, “we had… Spanish together? Two years ago?”

“Three,” Charlie corrects, “good memory.” Secretly, Charlie congratulates himself on being remembered by this gorgous boy.

“You know how it is, too many people in our year,” Nick gives Charlie a smile, “so I guess I’ll be in the top bunk above you then.”

Charlie shushes his internal monologue that wants to make a rude joke about Nick being on top of him.

“I’m Isaac,” Isaac walks over, interrupting Charlie’s thoughts.

“Oh hey,” Nick gives Isaac a polite nod, “and I see you guys have already met Christian.”

“You’re both year twelve as well?” Christian asks.

“Yeah,” Charlie answers, “we’re both 16.”

“Well then,” Christian rubs his hands tougher, “Nick here is turning 17 in three days, what do you two say about a small party?”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Charlie says quickly, “a good way for us to all get to know each other.”

“Go ahead,” Isaac says, “but I’ll probably just be reading in my new favourite spot here, parties aren’t really my thing.”

“I respect that,” Nick says, and then hoists himself onto the top bunk.

An hour or so later, Mr. Ajayi gathers all the boys around in the common room to give a speech about the rules for Clark House. Lights have to be out by 10, no one is to use their phones in study period, uniforms must be dropped into the laundry cubbies by 7pm or they will not be washed, and no one is allowed to leave school grounds without express permission. There’s also the normal rules about not drinking, not sneaking in girls, no shenanigans.

Afterwards, the students spill into the common rooms, and someone turns on the tv to watch the football.

Christian and Nick sit side by side on the couch, looking at videos on their phones.

Charlie tears his eyes away from Nick, and pretends to scroll Instagram.

Charlie knows he’s gay, or queer, or something, but coming out at an all boys school? There’s just no way. The only people in the world who know his secret are Tori and his best friend Darcy, who is also not out.

CHARLIE: SOS

DARCY: spill, what have you done

CHARLIE: new dorm mate is HOT. So fucking hot. And blonde. And tall. And he’s on the top bunk.

DARCY: oh god here we go

CHARLIE: what?! I can’t admire?

DARCY: you have to live with him all year. Can’t you go and have a crush on some other tall blonde boy?

CHARLIE: I never said anything about a crush! He’s just… delicious.

DARCY: okay but…..

CHARLIE: what?

DARCY: my roommate is… 🥵

CHARLIE: adafsffhfjslsh

DARCY: we’re both doomed.

Isaac sits next to Charlie and smirks, “Who are you texting?”

“No one,” Charlie locks his phone.

“I know that look! Who is she?”

Charlie sighs, if anyone asks, Charlie and Darcy had agreed that they’d use each other as cover. “Just Darcy, remember her?”

“Oh! Nice one,” Isaac pats Charlie on the back.

“She sure is,” Charlie tucks his phone into his pocket.

“So… you like her then?” Isaac asks.

“Shhhh…stop…” Charlie pretends to be embarrassed. Isaac drops the subject, and Charlie doesn’t have to lie to yet another person.

Lying in bed, Charlie does his best not to toss and turn. The sheets are fresh and clean, but there’s something about sleeping in a new location.

On the top bunk, Nick rolls onto his side and unlocks his phone. Charlie Spring. He looks Charlie up on Instagram, and his finger hovers over the follow button. He locks his phone, and rolls onto his back.

Having taken the train all the way from Herne Bay, he should be exhausted, but his mind is racing. After brushing his teeth, Nick had wondered back into room 312, pushing the door open without knocking. Standing in the middle of the room was Charlie, in his boxers, facing away as he pulled his long sleeve top off over his head. Nick had quickly launched himself up onto his top bunk, but it was too late, he’d seen one of the hottest sights he could imagine. There’s just something about the long lean muscles on Charlie, his perfect wavy dark hair that frames his face with his brilliant blue eyes.

When Charlie had pulled his top over his head, his body had arched so that Nick could see his perfectly formed back muscles, and the little dimples in his lower back. The pants hadn’t helped the situation either. Tight black boxer briefs that hugged Charlie’s perfect bum. Nick swallows.

Cautiously, he presses his hand down to confirm a suspicion, and yeah, he’s completely hard. Chastising himself for being a creep, he tucks both of his hands under his head. Fuck.

Nick knows he’s not straight. He’s known this for quite some time, to be very fair, but with only two years left at school, he didn’t see the point in coming out. Why bother? People would treat him differently, and it’s not like he has a reason to come out, right? Nightmares of people mocking him in the changing room come flooding back, the idea that people might taunt him or joke about him watching when they got changed. People also didn’t really understand bisexuality. If he came out as bi, there would be even more uncomfortable questions. Perhaps University would be a better place.

And yet, lying here, there is nothing straight at all about these thoughts. Was Charlie gay or bi, too? He didn’t seem gay, but then again, the notion of guessing someone’s sexuality is wrong. Other people probably wouldn’t guess he was bi either.

Charlie had seem to have bought his lie about only remember Charlie from Spanish, whereas in fact, Nick had seen Charlie plenty of times, jogging around the field in those sinfully short running shorts. He’s almost hurt at the notion that Charlie doesn’t really know who he is, which sounds conceited and ridiculous, but it’s a thought, nonetheless.

It’s unfair. Why is his fucking bunk mate so fit? Nick decides that it’s just going to be a full year of grinning and bearing it.

Those short shorts, though. Nick wonders to himself, does Charlie get changed in here after he showers often? Does he touch himself in the shower? Everyone does that, right? There’s just no other privacy at boarding school.

Nick’s erection is now back at full mast. Fuck it, Nick thinks. As quietly as he can, he jumps down off the top bunk. Sneaking down the hallway, he grabs his bathroom bag from the cubbies, and a fresh towel from the linen stash.

The wide open shower room is empty, and the self timer lights stutter and light up as he enters. Just a quick one, Nick thinks to himself. He’s been so busy the last few days, he really has been neglecting his needs. Walking down to a shower cubicle at the very end, Nick hops in and pulls the flimsy curtain. The shower pressure is abysmal, really, but there’s no alternative. As the water slowly heats up, Nick squirts his favourite body wash into his hand, and gets to work.

His brain can’t help but replay that moment of seeing Charlie’s tight bum in those pants, and Nick strokes himself. He’s not particularly experienced, sexually speaking, but even he has to admit, having a wank just doesn’t feel as good when you’re doing it to yourself.

In an effort to try and make his orgasm a bit stronger, he slows down as he gets close, delaying the climax as much as possible, until he can’t wait any longer. The sound of his palm isn’t as quiet as he’d normally try and be, but it’s the middle of the night, who gives a fuck?

Nick gets closer, closer, closer, and finally, with a few strong tugs and imagining Charlie’s hand being the one to finish him, he paints the wall of shower white.

Using his hands to channel the water towards the mess he’s made, Nick sighs a breath of relief. That was a good one, he’d really needed that. He wraps his towel around his waist, and starts to pack up his things, walking out.

The toilet flushes, and Nick swears to himself. This was going to be embarrassing. Anyone would be able to guess what Nick had just been doing, even if they hadn’t heard the thwack thwack of him tossing off.

Time to face the music, Nick puffs out his chest and walks past the sink basins. To his shock and horror, Charlie is standing there, washing his hands.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Charlie asks.

“Yeah,” Nick doesn’t know what else to say.

Charlie smirks, looking at Nick through the mirror, “I’m sure you’ll sleep alright now.”

“Shit,” Nick rubs his neck nervously, is he going to deny it?

“It’s natural, don’t be embarrassed. Everyone does it,” Charlie gives Nick a cheeky smile, Nick looks at the floor.

“I’m just gonna…” Nick gives Charlie a nod, and walks toward the corridor.

“Might as well wait for me,” Charlie giggles, “we’re literally going to the same bed.”

“Ah, yeah, of course.” Nick is beet red now, “look, can you please, just…”

“I’m not going to tell anyone I heard you wanking,” Charlie says, “it’s fine.”

Nick laughs nervously, dignity going out the window, “Yeah, uh, thanks, I’ve been so busy with coming back to school and everything, it’s just…”

“Been a few days?” Charlie guesses with a cheeky grin, “go on, how many days?”

Nick swallows, holy shit, it’s actually only been two but he’s going to sound like such a… such a desperate mess, “Oh, like five days, at least.”

“Five days,” Charlie whistles, “no wonder.”

Nick smiles sheepishly, “I didn’t think anyone would be around.”

“It’s all good,” the boys are nearly in their room now, “talk in the morning.”

The dark room is lit up only by Isaac’s digital alarm clock, and Nick realises he’s still wrapped in only a towel. He can hardly climb onto the top bunk in this state to get changed, so he walks to his set of drawers and pulls out a pair of pants, and lets the towel fall around his feet and quickly yanks them on.

Charlie is already tucking himself into bed. His whole body is nearly vibrating from the excitement of the last ten minutes. He hadn’t meant to actually follow Nick to the bathroom, in his defence, he had really needed to pee, but once he got there, there was no doubt as to what he had walked into.

Steam floating through the air and the persistent and rhythmic slap had given it away, Nick Nelson was wanking in the shower. After peeing, Charlie had admittedly waited a moment to see if Nick would come out.

What a sight to behold. Nick’s flushed cheeks and dazed look, clearly the face of someone who had just had a very satisfying orgasm. It was mean, really, to call him out like that, but the teasing was so… fun? So playful, and really, it had broken the ice. They now had their own little secret.

Charlie knows he needs to sleep, but as his eyes adjusted to the dark, Nick had then dropped his towel, and Charlie had been able to make out the faint outline of his perky bum. This was going to be a long, hard year.

The next morning, Christian, Nick, Isaac and Charlie start setting up the room. Isaac, always one for order, sets out where people can put their things, and Christian and Nick drag the furniture around the room, giving it a slightly better layout.

“Was I dreaming, or did you two come back to bed really late last night?” Christians wonders aloud, taking a break from dragging the navy blue couch against the opposite wall.

Nick flushes, Charlie just smiles, “Late night loo trip, drank too much squash with dinner.”

Christian shrugs, “Oh, and I saw you have a snack drawer under your bed. I’ve got some goodies if you want to add them to the stash?”

“It’s not really a stash,” Charlie says, “but yeah, I suppose sharing is caring. As long as I’m not the only one topping it up.”

“It’ll be good for morale in exam season,” Nick lands with a thud on the dated couch, “but I bet Coach will be on us about nutrition again this year.”

“Rugby, right?” Isaac says, looking up from his kindle.

“First fifteen,” Nick says, clearly chuffed with himself.

“Yeah turns out they’ll let just about anyone play,” Christian says, playfully smacking Nick on the arm.

“And your birthday,” Charlie asks, “what do we want to do for that?”

Christian shrugs, “My older brother can sneak us some drinks, maybe we just all hang in here?”

After a very full day of school on Monday, the boys tidy up their room, and Christian’s older brother drops in with a box of beer and a bottle of vodka, “Nicky,” he says, giving Nick’s hair a ruffle, and then pulls him into a hug, “when did you get so massive? Look at the pecs on you!” Christian’s brother pokes Nick’s chest, “I still remember you and Chris chasing Rose around the garden with the hose.”

“Time flies,” Nick smiles, “thanks for the booze, what do I owe you?”

“Don’t be daft, it’s your birthday,” Christian walks in, “he wouldn’t charge us, would you?”

“You cheeky little shit,” Christian’s big brother hugs him, “this one’s on me, but next time I’m charging, okay? And if you get caught, leave my name out of it.”

Nick fakes zipping his mouth shut.

“Good, you boys have fun.”

A bunch of boys from the rugby team show up, introducing themes as Sai, Otis, James and Caleb, and Nick wedges a book under the door to stop anyone from opening it without any warning.

“Right, cheers!” Christian raises a glass, “I’ve got a little speech.”

Nick rolls his eyes, Charlie can’t help but smile watching Nick looking so embarrassed and… cute? Oh god.

Christian rattles off a little speech about how long he’s known Nick, and makes a few jokes about how Nick has not always been the brightest with school, which, honestly, Charlie finds a bit mean.

“At the end of the day, we love you, Nick. Here’s to you.” Christian finishes his speech and raises a glass.

Everyone raises a mug stolen from the communal kitchen, filled with various combinations of beer, sprite, vodka and orange juice.

The sound of footsteps pattering down the hall is followed by a quick bang-bang on the door.

“Shit,” Nick hisses.

The warning bang, from a student in the year below who’d been put on watchtower duty was to signal the potential approach of Mr. Ajayi, or another teacher.

“Here,” Charlie pulls the snack drawer out from his bed. “Hurry!” He whispers.

Squeezing past each other, Otis and Sai dive under Charlie’s bed, and Charlie pushes the drawer in halfway, concealing the boys.

Isaac jumps up off the window seat, and James, the bigger boy, hides in the under seat gap. “In here,” Nick hisses, and pushes Caleb into his wardrobe, before quickly kicking away the book, wedging the door closed.

Christian has already quickly put the lids on any open drinks, and stashed the vodka under his pillow. The box of beers is out, but on the other side of the bed.

Nick opens the door, in anticipation of Mr. Ajayi coming, just to make them look less suspicious.

Grabbing a random book off the shelf, Nick starts reading aloud,

“The father of Safie had been the cause of their ruin. He was a Turkish merchant and had inhabited Paris for many years, when, for some reason which I could not learn, he became obnoxious to the government. He was seized and cast into prison the very day that… oh hi Mr. Ajayi,” Nick says, as nonchalantly as he can muster.

“Lights out in 10, how was the first day?”

“Tiring,” Charlie says, “we’re just about to go brush our teeth.”

Mr. Ajayi eyes them suspiciously, “Very well then.”

Closing the door, Mr. Ajayi walks down the hallway checking on the other dorms.

“Your reading aloud voice is quite soothing,” Christian giggles, “but what are you babbling about?”

“It’s Frankenstein, you dimwit,” Isaac scoffs, “literally one of the most famous books ever.”

“Is the coast clear?” Comes Sai’s voice from under the bed, “I think Otis farted.”

“I get nervous gas!” Otis squeaks, “I can’t help it!”

“Shhh!” Nick kicks the bed, “just wait!”

Charlie can’t help but laugh. Previously, he wouldn’t have given any of these rugby boys the time of day, but it seems like they’re actually quite decent and fun lads.

“I’ll go check,” Charlie volunteers.

“Good lad,” Nick says, giving him a nod.

Charlie smirks and thinks for a moment, “Can’t have anyone getting caught now, can we?”

Chapter Text

It really was unfair. Charlie gets up at 6am for a run before school. He would wake up and begin undressing and changing into his sports clothes. The light filters through the curtains, and even though the room is mostly dark, there is just enough light for Nick to be able to see the outline of his slim figure. Charlie throws his sleep t-shirt into the hamper, and then lifts his arms above his head for a big stretch, before kicking off his joggers and changing.

After his run, Charlie would go for a shower. Like clockwork, fifteen minutes later, he would then reappear in the dorm, towel slung low across his hips, hair now damp and combed back. He’d walk around, grab his phone, check his messages, and then pick out a pair of tight little pants and get changed.

Nick scolded himself. What a creep he was being, peering in on his roommate. He would force himself to roll over, face the wall, ignore the desire to just… watch. Of course there was a desire for more too, but that was never going to happen. Nick laments the fact that Charlie is, by all accounts, sorrowfully straight, or at least into girls. He’d eavesdropped on enough conversations between Charlie and Isaac to know Charlie had a special friend, Darcy, who went to the girls school nearby. It seemed like Darcy and Charlie texted an awful lot for them to just be friends. So there Nick would lie, the object of his desire mere metres from him, while the desire turned into an ache between his legs.

Unfortunately, the ache wouldn’t go away, and instead would become a throb. So after he was sure Charlie had sat himself down by the window to read, he’d climb out of bed and try to beat the rush of boys to the showers so he could quickly make the throbbing go away. This goes on, day in and day out, for a few weeks.

Later one fateful Wednesday, Christian is running across the field, and Nick is panting, trying to keep up. “Nelson!” Coach Singh barks, “You’ve got to work on your fitness, were you training over the break?”

“No, coach,” Nick heaves, hoping that he doesn’t throw up right there after running shuttles.

“I want you to run at least three times a week. We can’t have you huffing and puffing, even if your size makes you an asset to the team. Do you understand?”

“Yes, coach, I understand,” Nick puffs as he leans forward to rest on his thighs.

Up in the showers, Nick is talking to Christian while they rinse off, his towel thrown over the metal railing. “I’ve got to sort this out, it’s utterly embarrassing.”

“You’ll be fine, mate,” Christian says, reassuringly, “you’ll get back into it.”

“I hate getting up early,” Nick whines, which is true, except for when he’s ogling Charlie.

“Well why don’t you talk to Charlie?” Christian suggests.

“Hmm?” Nick feigns confusion, but is not entirely sure what’s driving him to act indifferent.

“He’s up at the crack of dawn, get him to drag your sorry arse out with him.”

“He won’t want me to go with him,” Nick soaps his body, ignoring the way his body seems to immediately react to talking about Charlie.

“Just ask him,” Christian turns off the water, “and hurry up, you always take so long in the shower.”

“I don’t!” Nick insists, “I’ve just been spacing out.”

“Whatever, see you back in the room.” Christian wraps his towel around his waist, and Nick finishes off his shower, switching the water to cold to make the unwanted boner go away. After all, other people are in the showers right now.

Sitting around the dorm room, Isaac is checking Charlie’s school work, while Charlie checks Isaac’s. Nick and Christian come barging in, chatting and laughing. Isaac gives them a look and they immediately shut up.

“Did you ask him?” Christian whispers.

“No, fuck off, leave it be.” Nick pushes Christian gently.

“Ask what?” Charlie pipes up, “I’m bored of studying, what’s the gossip?”

“There’s no gossip,” Nick lies down on Christian’s bed, enjoying the sun coming in through the big bay windows, “I got told I need to start going for runs because I need to work on my stamina, and Christian said I should try and run with you.”

“Why not?” Charlie crosses his legs, and then leans forward on his elbows.

“Because you’re literally a proper runner, I couldn’t keep up with you!” Nick groans.

“Well, I could train you? I don’t run long distances, I’m just out on the field most days, so if you came with me, at least you’d be up and out of bed?”

Nick pauses, “Yeah, I guess.”

“Well it’s sorted then,” Charlie gives Nick a friendly smile, “we’ll have you fit in no time.”

The next morning, when Charlie gets up to his alarm, he gently pats Nick on the shoulder, “Morning, sleepyhead. We’ve gotta go train.”

“Hmmmmm.” Nick grunts.

Charlie pulls off his sleep shirt and changes into a tight fitting top, “Come on, are you ticklish? I’m happy to find out?!”

“Ah, yeah, okay coming.” Nick forces himself to sit up, swinging his legs over the side of the bunk, “It’s still dark.”

“Not for long,” Charlie whispers, “come on, don’t want to wake the others.”

Nick tries to let his body just run on autopilot, how does anyone do this for fun? Before he knows it, Nick finds himself jogging around the field.

“There you go, you’re all warmed up now,” Charlie says, jogging backwards, watching Nick pant.

“I’m tired,” Nick sighs.

“Oh, come on,” Charlie laughs, “chin up, after we get all sweaty, the shower will feel so good!”

Oh, fuck. They were going to get to shower at the same time. Suddenly, Nick finds he does have the energy.

Forty five minutes of sprints and then slower runs up and down the field later, the two sweaty boys make their way back into the dorm to retrieve their things. Stopping by the cubbies to grab their shower things, Charlie grabs two towels and hands one to Nick.

“Thanks,” Nick smiles, “for the towel, but also for dragging me out there.”

“You’re welcome,” Charlie smoothes his sweaty hair out of his eyes, “I think we’ve earned a hot shower, don’t you?”

Standing under the stream, Nick can’t get his head out of the gutter. Charlie is right there, one cubicle over, completely naked.

Charlie is in a similar state, and his body can’t help but react. Watching Nick running in those sinfully short little rugby shorts was already getting him hot under the collar, but being in such close proximity, Charlie’s mind kept dwelling on the memory of being in the bathroom and hearing Nick touch himself. Fuck it.

“So,” Charlie starts, “have any fun in here lately? Anyone else catch you red handed?”

“No,” Nick croaks, oh God, he’s so awkward.

“No you haven’t done anything or no you haven’t been caught,” Charlie decides he might as well just be cheeky.

Nick hesitates, “Still the safest place to do it, haven’t been caught by any other nosey people.”

Charlie laughs, and it echoes along the tiles in the big bathroom.

“Well, for full transparency, this is when I normally, you know,” Charlie offers, “but I’ll abstain, for your sake.”

Nick feels himself swelling, holy shit, Charlie is telling him… “Oh! Well! Don’t abstain on my count, I’ll finish up quickly in here and you can, uh, have the space.”

“No,” Charlie giggles, “then I’ll just be standing here wasting water until you’re gone, and water is a precious resource. I’ll find another time.”

Nick bites his lip, don’t say it, don’t say it, he shuts his eyes, shut the fuck up, Nelson, he thinks to himself sternly. “I mean, I won’t be long, really.”

“It's okay, Nick. But it’s kind of embarrassing that I do this after my run, everyday, right? The endorphins really, uh,” Charlie pauses mid sentence, “never mind, I’m being annoying and oversharing.”

“What! No! Weren’t you the one who said it was natural?” Nick laughs, using Charlie’s words against him, “Are you going to lecture me about wasting water and then go and have a needless second shower later on today?”

Charlie groans, “Ugh, are you always this annoying?”

Nick smirks, “Only when I’m right. Look, I kind of, uh, need one too, and I won’t be long. I’ll be really fast. It doesn’t have to be weird, right? Well just get it over with.” Nick clenches his jaw and closes his eyes, why the fuck did he just suggest that? Now Charlie is definitely going to know he’s a creep.

“Well…” Charlie pauses, “I suppose if we’re going to be training together, I’ll have to change my whole schedule, so I guess…”

Nick takes a deep breath, and bites his lip.

“Yeah,” Charlie continues, “it’s only weird if we make it weird. Let’s just get it done.”

Swallowing thickly, Nick glances down and fuck, he’s so hard. “Okay, zero weirdness,” Nick reiterates.

“It’s just bodies,” Charlie agrees, “so, uh, I’ll talk to you in like… five minutes.”

“Cool.” Nick tries to act as if this whole thing is indeed nonchalant and cool.

“Cool,” Charlie fakes the same.

Charlie can’t hold back anymore, had Nick just suggested they both toss off together? He must be so fucking straight to be able to just come up with that. Charlie is throbbing, his cock urgently needs attention now. Taking a deep breath, he gets to work, sighing as the familiar hand motion causes the tingly feelings to spread from his groin to his tummy, and down his thighs.

In the silence of the showers, Nick can hear the sound of Charlie touching himself, and God, it’s doing things to him. What does Charlie think about? What does his cock look like? Nick closes his eyes and imagines that it’s Charlie’s hand wrapped around him, coaxing him along and prolonging his orgasm.

Charlie can hear Nick’s breathing speeding up, but it doesn’t sound like he’s touching himself that quickly. The tingly feeling spreads as the realisation dawns on Charlie that Nick is making himself last, probably trying to build up to a stronger orgasm rather than just a messy fast one. Charlie swallows hard, determined not to accidentally let out a whimper or a moan, but fuck it feels so good, it feels so much better than normal.

Nick strokes slower, unwilling to let himself come so fast, because then surely Charlie will cotton on to the fact that his mere presence got him over the line. Nick holds his breath, leaning a hand against the wall. Charlie’s hand must be working faster now, as the telltale noises are speeding up. Very faintly, Nick hears Charlie make a tiny noise, right at the back of his throat.

Nick isn’t sure he can continue and not come immediately so he stops, right on the edge. Taking a big breath, he wills himself to keep going. Another very muffled noise is heard, and Nick bites his tongue to try and stop himself from making a noise just like that.

On the other side of the tall shower wall, Charlie is biting on his fist to keep himself quiet, right on the edge of his orgasm again. He can’t hold it any longer, the tingling and tightness in his belly is too much, his body is on fire. He tightens his grip and jerks himself at full speed, sighing as quietly as he can as he comes all over himself, face scrunched, pressing his balled up fist against his mouth. He must come quietly.

Nick hears Charlie speeding up and his breathing changes, a quickening, a stop, and then a sigh. Nick realises Charlie is coming, right next to him. His body releases the built up tension and he leans forward, painting the wall, and breathing out in huffs as quietly as he can, even though it’d be very obvious to anyone listening exactly what’s going on.

Rinsing himself one last time, Charlie turns off the water. Nick follows suit, and pulls his towel off the railing.

Walking out, the boys face each other. Charlie gives Nick a nod, and without discussing what just happened, they walk back to their dorm.

Chapter Text

It doesn’t happen every time, but a couple times a week, Nick and Charlie will end up in the showers after their morning training, and without really discussing what’s happening, one of them will kick things off. “Right. Talk in five minutes?” Biting his fist to stop himself moaning, Nick forces himself to edge and edge, refusing to finish until he feels like Charlie might be close too. He’s ashamed at just how much it turns him on. Sometimes, late at night, Nick will sneak in another wank, just to the thought of being so close to Charlie in that intimate moment. Sometimes, Charlie isn’t as quiet as normal, and Nick finds himself straining to take in those precious little moans and spluttery breaths.

What started with infatuation has quickly developed into a monster sized, fat crush for Nick. Watching Charlie literally run laps around him, and then hearing him breathing heavily, huffing to himself in the shower, and then seeing him in nothing but his towel straight after is almost too much.

When Nick wakes up, he thinks of Charlie. In his biology lesson, he thinks of Charlie, when he gets his lunch from the canteen, he thinks of Charlie. Slowly, Charlie starts to make more and more appearances in Nick’s dreams, ensuring that when Charlie taps his arm to wake him up for a run Nick is already at full mast.

After finishing their lessons for the day, Nick, Charlie, Christian and Isaac end up hanging out in 312, lying on the floor as the remnants of the afternoon sun burns amber. Nick’s hair, fluffy and blonde, glows like a halo.

“You’re actually ginger,” Christian laughs.

“Am not,” Nick throws a sweatshirt at Christian, “it’s blonde!”

“Strawberry blonde,” Isaac teases, “but not ginger.”

“Yeah, Harry’s properly ginger,” Charlie defends, “you’re blonde, it’s just the lighting.”

Charlie’s phone vibrates, and he unlocks it, rolling onto his back.

“Darcy again?” Isaac smirks, “Why don’t you just ask her out?”

“Stoooooop,” Charlie laughs, “I’m no good with girls.”

“Oh?” Christian rolls onto his elbows, “Darcy? What’s she like then?”

“Blonde,” Isaac answers, “sporty, quirky, and definitely the funniest person I’ve ever met.”

Nick’s heart sinks. He can’t compete with that, but he smiles. “How long have you liked her?”

“Oh piss off, I’m not talking about girls with you guys,” Charlie feels bad lying but that’s the agreement with him and Darcy, after all. Realising he might have come across a little defensive, Charlie quickly adds, “Might see her in the mid-term break though.”

“Are you going home?” Nick asks, trying not to sound disappointed at Charlie clearly having a crush on someone.

“No,” Charlie laughs, “my family is going to Spain to visit my grandparents, and I can’t think of anything worse than going away with them. I’ve told them I’ve got a big project to work on.”

“Big project? Is that code for trying it on with Darcy?” Christian teases, “Is she sticking around?”

“She is indeed,” Charlie taps away on his phone, “she gets so bored in term break, her roommates are all going home. I might sneak her in.”

“Lad’s got game!” Isaac slaps Charlie on the shoulder, “Get in, son.”

“I’m sticking around too, actually,” Nick says, slightly quieter than he’d intended, “my brother is going home and I don’t want to be around him.” I’d rather be with you, Nick thinks to himself. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay out of the way, won’t cockblock your date.”

“More the merrier,” Charlie smiles at Nick, “hang with us, it’ll be fun.”

Nick can totally see why Charlie would like Darcy. On the first day of term break, dressed in short sports shorts and jumper with a mop of messy blonde hair, Darcy climbs up the fire escape on the side of the building.

“Jesus Christ,” Charlie sighs, peering down, “I can’t watch.”

“I can,” Nick stares in awe, “this is a mean feat. We must be forty feet up!”

Darcy smiles up at them, her phone held between her teeth in her mouth.

“Give me a hand with this window,” Charlie yanks at the stubborn latch, “it won’t budge!”

Nick gives it a hard yank, and the window opens about a foot wide, “Hope she fits.” The freezing autumn wind gusts into the bedroom, wailing loudly.

Climbing the ladder, Darcy makes it to the window, passing her phone in through the gap, then her backpack, and then shimmies herself in, tumbling onto Christian’s bed. “Hello boys,” she says with a charming smile, “I’m bloody freezing!”

“Darce,” Charlie sighs and then gives her a big hug, “this is my roommate Nick, he also didn’t want to go home for the holidays. Nick, this is Darcy.”

“Rubbish family?” Darcy guesses.

“Just a rubbish brother,” Nick sits on the bed next to Darcy. “Do you do this a lot?”

“Yeah,” Darcy grins, “can’t come in through the front door though, can I? Jeez, your room is pretty tidy, I don’t know what I was expecting with four of you in here.”

“Charlie did some tidying up,” Nick points to the laundry hamper. He might as well try and help wingman Charlie.

“Such a gentleman,” Darcy kisses Charlie on the cheek and winks, “you’re a keeper.”

“Oh sod off,” Charlie giggles.

“Jesus Christ my hands are numb,” Darcy says, rubbing them together.

“Cold snap,” Nick nods, “you warm enough? I can lend you a jumper?”

“I’ll take the jumper,” Darcy says, smiling wide. Her lips are faintly blue.

“Are you trying to charm my lady friend?” Charlie jokes.

“Never ever,” Darcy smacks Charlie around the back of his head, “refer to me as your lady friend again, Master Spring.”

“Ow! Okay! Message received loud and clear, bossy bitch!”

Nick just laughs and throws a navy jumper to Darcy, utterly amused at this unusual friendship dynamic. Isn’t this supposed to be Charlie’s almost-girlfriend? He supposes their teasing could be construed as flirting.

After spending the morning eating snacks, gaming and chatting, Darcy sighs, “I’m bored. Let’s go cause mischief.” She pulls Nick’s hoodie up over her hair. “See? I look like a boy now.”

“Flawless plan,” Charlie rolls his eyes, “except for the fact that literally everyone here knows everyone.”

“Bollocks, hardly anyone is here and if they cotton on, I’ll just make a run for it, let’s go.”

Darcy leads the way as they walk through the corridors, peering around each corner before proceeding, “Oh! Look! This must be your teacher’s room,” she says, pointing to the name on the door labelled ‘MR AJAYI’, “shall we?”

“We can’t go snooping!” Nick hisses.

“We sure can,” Darcy pulls a pin out of her pocket. “You don’t have to, but I’d like to have a look around. You wouldn’t believe the spicy stuff I’ve found in my teachers’ rooms.”

Nick sighs, and Darcy sits on the floor of the hallway cross legged and starts poking the pin into the locks. “Cheap locks like this are easy,” she mutters.

With a pop, the door unlocks and Darcy pushes it open, “Ladies first,” she says, waltzing on in.

Nick looks at Charlie who just shrugs. “What? We’re not going to get caught.”

Darcy squeals and Nick jumps, getting a fright, “Check this out! Your teacher has left some goodies on the bed.”

Bright blue and unmissable, a jock strap sits folded on the blankets. “Looks like Mr Ajayi likes to dress up,” Charlie chuckles, “Oi! Don’t touch it!”

“I’m not going to touch it,” Darcy laughs, “who knows where that’s been.”

Looking around the room, Darcy peers at the marked papers on his desk and his collection of self-help books before getting on her hands and knees and looking under the bed. “Bingo.”

“What is it?” Nick peers past, trying to look at what Darcy is so amused over.

“Naughty magazines, so retro,” Darcy cautiously picks up a magazine using just her fingertips, “Ooo! Gay porn!”

“Jesus, Darcy,” Charlie laughs, “put it back!”

“What’s he going to do? Ask around?” Darcy laughs, and then imitates a low adult male voice, “Say, kids, has anyone seen my pornography? I do hope you’ll return it.”

Darcy carries it out of the room, locking the door behind her, “I reckon we could make a cool collage with it. Person to finds the biggest penis wins.”

Half an hour later, Nick, Charlie and Darcy are in fits of giggles on the floor of the dorm.

“How!” Charlie gasps, “How is anyone taking this cock?” Charlie holds up the cutout.

“Beats me,” Nick sighs, wiping a tear from his eye, “I’d wager it would split anyone in half.”

“Maybe the school internet block on porn is a good thing after all,” Charlie sighs, putting down the scissors after cutting out yet another large circumcised penis.

“Oh come on, I bet you miss the unfiltered internet!” Darcy insists, “Poor Mr Ajayi is being forced to go old school. Everyone knows boys watch more porn than girls anyways.”

“And how would you know that?” Nick laughs, “Sounds like you’re falling victim to stereotypes. Gender is a construct you know.”

“I like him,” Darcy nods at Nick, talking to Charlie, “he can stay.”

Charlie flips over the page, “Oh, an ad for warming lube, now I bet that’s a recipe for disaster.”

“Imagine that,” Darcy giggles, “do you just go to the hospital like, hi, my dick is burning?” Lying back she sighs at the tail end of her laugh, “Either of you ever used lube before?”

Nick blushes bright red, “Uhhhh…”

“Go on,” Darcy chides, “this is a safe space, you can trust us.”

Nick feels the blush spreading to his ears, “Oh god, no judgement, okay?”

“We promise.” Charlie holds out his pinky finger but Darcy swats his hand away.

“Okay… so at the risk of sounding like a complete loser… I’ve never done anything with anyone that’s… required lube.”

“Oh yeah?” Darcy smiles, “Tell us more! Just hands and mouths then? You’ve got a girlfriend?”

Nick is beet red now. “I… I had a girlfriend, yeah, uh, we broke up before school started this year. And yeah… I mean, we didn’t do heaps of… stuff… God I can feel my cheeks burning, stop looking at me!” Nick laughs and hides his face in the pillow on his lap.

“Yes Nicholas!” Darcy pats him on the back, “But I’m sorry about your breakup.”

“It’s fine, we weren’t anything serious,” Nick explains, “I think we kind of just went out because everyone expected us to, you know.”

“That’s a bit shit,” Charlie gives Nick a sympathetic smile.

“Well go on then,” Nick tries to lighten the tone, “fess up, have you ever used lube?”

Charlie shakes his head. “Nope, much like yourself, my sexual rendezvous only went as far as hands and mouths too.” Charlie gives Darcy a knowing glance, as she catches him being careful not to use any pronouns.

“Same,” Darcy shrugs. “I don’t know why everyone seems to think having sex is super common, I’d wager most of our year isn’t sexually active at all.”

Nick gets up to use the toilet, and Darcy whispers to Charlie, “Sorry pal, afraid your love interest is straight.”

“Shh!” Charlie hisses, “I know he’s straight.”

“Then get over him,” Darcy sighs, “and for the love of God, get under someone else!”

“Not that simple, and you know it,” Charlie playfully smacks Darcy. “It’s too bad, in another universe we would have made for quite a cute couple.”

As night falls, Darcy decides to head back to the girls’ school before her absence is noticed, and Nick and Charlie hang out in the common room, half-watching some mid-2000s action film and sipping Coke.

“Hope that was okay, before, with Darcy?” Charlie fiddles with the strings of his hoodie.

“Oh about the lube? It’s fine, honest.”

“I meant more about prying about your personal stuff,” Charlie says softly.

“About my ex? Don’t worry, I’m really not that torn up over it. Like I said, we were mainly together because my friends wanted us to go out.”

Charlie scoffs, “If you didn’t like her, why’d you mess around with her?”

“Look…” Nick sighs, “her dog died?”

“I’m sorry?” Charlie chokes on his drink, “Nick, I need more context.”

Nick groans. “Truly, I didn’t really want to go out with her, but then her dog died and I didn’t have the heart to make her feel worse... Even if he was an old dog, and she knew it was coming, but I don’t know. I'm a chronic people pleaser.”

“But you stayed with her, and like… did stuff? Sorry I’m just not following, feel free to tell me to piss off.”

“Yeah, you’re right, it makes me sound like an idiot. But honestly, I hadn’t… done stuff before, and we were both having fun, you know? She broke up with me in the end, it had just run its course. I don’t want you to think I was, like, leading her on?”

“Yeah,” Charlie sighs and leans back on the couch, “I kind of get it. Doing stuff is fun. It’s the only thing I miss from my last relationship,” Charlie admits sheepishly, afraid that any moment he’s going to out himself.

Nick groans and leans back as well, “It just feels so much better, like God, have you ever seen online that if you, like, you know, with your non-dominant hand, it feels more like someone else doing it?”

Charlie snickers, “I actually have read that, but I don’t know if I buy it.”

“Have you ever flown first class?” Nick asks, seemingly out of nowhere.

“Business, once? Why?” Charlie looks at Nick quizzically.

“It ruins economy class for you, you know what I mean? Like after you have that experience, then what you’re used to is just… underwhelming.”

“Ah,” Charlie nods once, “I see what you’re saying. Yeah. I think you’ve got that right.”

A loud crack of lightning breaks the silence, and both boys jump. Nick walks over to have a look out the window, “It’s really blowing a gale out there,” he looks up at the swirling dark clouds, “I hope Darcy got home okay.”

“Don’t worry I already sent her a text and she said that she got in okay. No one saw her so that was good. What do you think of her?” Charlie asks, pulling a blanket up to his chest.

“A little bit quirky, and I’d be scared to hang out with her all the time because I’d be worried about getting into trouble but I like her.”

Charlie just nods and goes back to sipping some of his Coke and half watching the trashy movie. “I hope you had fun today, and it wasn’t really weird hanging out with me and Darcy. I don’t want you to feel like you're a third wheel or something?” Charlie quirks a smile.

“I had a really good time. Actually, it was nice just to muck about. I still can’t believe she broke into Mr Ajayi’s room though, that was so naughty, probably one of the naughtiest things I’ve ever done, if I’m honest.”

“Oh yeah, the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done? Aren’t you rugby lads known for your antics?” Charlie teases.

“Oh, me and the rugby lads get up to mischief, but stealing Mr Ajayi’s porn? God, those images are burnt into my brain!”

Charlie giggles and sighs, “I’m freezing! What the hell is up with this weather?”

“Me too, early night?” Nick asks.

“Yeah, cosy night in, aren’t we just wild?” Charlie laughs and throws the blanket over Nick’s head.

Back in their dorm, Charlie changes out of his jeans, pulls on a pair of sweatpants and a pair of socks, and Nick pretends not to notice Charlie wiggling his bum out of those tight jeans. “So,” Nick clears his throat, “you and Darcy… I don’t mean to pry but are you two like… together? Or do you just fancy her?”

Charlie grimaces, the lying is the worst part, and it’s Darcy’s cover too, and he owes her that much, so he sighs. “Honestly, it’s… it’s confusing. We aren’t, like, together together, but I don’t really know if I can explain it. I… look. It’s kind of not my secret to tell, is that okay?”

“That’s fine, I don’t mean to push you, it just seems like you two are awfully close, but… Nevermind,” Nick shrugs. Internally he groans, because clearly, whatever is going on between Charlie and Darcy, it’s a special relationship. A pang of jealousy hits him in the gut, he’ll never have what they have.

All of a sudden, another loud crack of lightning strikes, and the power goes out. Both of the boys are plunged into complete darkness.

“Shit!” Charlie curses, “My bloody phone’s flat too!”

“I can’t see anything,” Nick laughs, “well this is a bit rubbish!”

“No….” Charlie whines, reaching over to the radiator, “the heating has gone out too. We’re going to freeze.”

Nick opens the curtain to let in a tiny smidge of light to check his watch, “Well, that settles it. I guess it's an early night for us both.”

Hopping into bed, the sheets are positively freezing, and Charlie’s teeth chatter as he tosses and turns.

Half an hour later, Charlie is still fidgeting. “Every time you roll over the whole bunk shifts,” Nick grumbles.

“I’m bloody cold!” Charlie whines, “and I really can’t sleep.”

“Hop in with me?” Nick asks, “it’s what they say for wildlife survival, I read it in a book.”

Charlie laughs, “Really? What, snuggle for warmth?”

“Got a better idea?” Nick retorts, biting his lip and holding his breath. God he wants to hold Charlie close, even if it won’t ever mean anything to Charlie.

“Alright, coming up,” Charlie huffs and climbs up, pulling himself onto the top bunk, “move over, or I’ll fall off!”

“I wouldn't let you fall,” Nick says quietly.

Nick pulls his duvet up and Charlie rolls in, “Cosy,” Charlie elbows Nick, but Nick just laughs, “I’m already warming up.”

“Who was the last person you shared a bed with?” Nick asks, and Charlie clenches his jaw. The answer to that question would totally out him. He swallows.

“Never mind,” Nick whispers, “I just felt your whole body tense up, sorry. I’ll quit prying.”

“Thanks,” Charlie whispers back, “some things are just… hard for me to talk about.”

Nick pauses, has someone hurt Charlie? He curses himself for opening his big dumb mouth. “Are you sure you’re okay sharing a bed? I don’t want to like… trigger you? I’m so sorry, Charlie, I should have thought, sorry. Fuck.”

“No,” Charlie sighs, “no, it’s not that it’s triggering bad memories or something. I just…” Charlie takes a deep breath. “I’m worried if I tell you… you won’t want to be my friend in the same way anymore. Things might get weird.”

Oh.

Nick lets out a breath that he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. “Can you keep a secret?”

Charlie turns his head slightly, “Yeah?”

“I lied earlier. Well, I didn’t lie, I just didn’t tell the whole truth. I did stuff with my ex-girlfriend… But… before that… I also did stuff with my ex-boyfriend.”

Chapter Text

The confession falls from Nick’s lips and immediately he regrets it. His friendship with Charlie, their dynamic as roommates, their early morning runs, is it all going to disintegrate?

Instead, Charlie, presently faced away from Nick softens, leaning into the cuddle they are sharing under the heavy down duvet. “I’ve done stuff with boys before too,” he says softly.

“You don’t think of me differently now?” Nick asks, feeling tears collecting in the back of his throat.

“God, no. Do you?”

“God, no,” Nick whispers. “Thank you... um, you’re the first person to know, I mean, except for my ex.”

“Thank you for trusting me, Nick. Your secret is safe with me.” Charlie leans back slightly, feeling his body finally warm up. Perhaps it’s from the shared body heat, but it’s more likely from the warmth of a shared secret.

“Is this still okay?” Nick asks, realising how close their bodies are cushioned.

“More than okay,” Charlie reassures, “it’s so cosy.”

“I think I’m touch starved,” Nick confesses, “I’ve missed feeling close to another person, like this.”

“Cuddle me,” it’s not a command, nor a request. It’s a gentle offer. Nick lets his right arm drape over Charlie, pulling him in close.

“Night,” Charlie whispers.

“Night.”

The morning light peaks over the clouds, bathing the room in a light yellow haze. Waking from his slumber, Charlie realises that he’s slept the whole night in Nick’s embrace. Behind him, Nick is breathing softly, each exhale tickling the hairs at the base of his neck. Closing his eyes, Charlie wills himself to fall back asleep, or maybe just a sleepy state, just to enjoy basking in the moment.

As his body slowly wakes up, Charlie feels something behind him, something that had not been present the night before. His jaw clenches as he realises his body has reacted the same way.

The memories of the night before are still fresh in his mind, and Charlie takes stock of the new information. Nick is queer, or something like that, and trusted Charlie enough to tell him.

Charlie had wanted so badly to be able to tell Nick the whole truth, unveil the farce of his “relationship” with Darcy, but he’d bitten his tongue, keeping in mind the sacred promise he and Darcy had made to cover for each other, just until the end of secondary school. The predicament was now that Charlie held both Darcy and Nick’s secrets, stuck somewhat in the middle. To tell Darcy that he didn’t need their relationship cover any longer would out Nick, but to tell Nick about the situation with Darcy would out them both. He sighs, wishing it didn’t have to be so complicated.

Nick stirs slightly, and the hardness Charlie had felt before presses against the back of his left thigh. The point of contact feels like a current is running between them, electrifying Charlie’s whole body. Morning wood is common, Charlie reminds himself, and just because Nick is hard doesn’t mean it’s a big deal. It’s just the body doing body things, right?

In the silence of the morning, Nick lets out a little whimper as he wakes from his slumber, before his eyes snap open. “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry,” he mumbles, quickly rolling onto his back.

“It’s okay,” Charlie lies still, unsure of what he should do or say. Tentatively, he decides that teasing might be the best route to quell any awkwardness. “Our chat last night got you riled up then, I take?”

“Piss off,” Nick snorts, “okay fine, maybe just a little.”

Charlie giggles, nudging his bum back slightly, “I don’t care, keep holding me. I’m bloody freezing. Power must still be off because I can see my breath.”

Nick pauses, but then rolls back over to spoon Charlie again. Charlie smirks, “You really are at full mast.”

“Oi, cut it out or I’ll leave you to freeze,” Nick retorts.

Nick shifts slightly, causing the front of his sweatpants to rub against Charlie’s backside, and he lets out an involuntary gasp.

“You okay?” Charlie asks.

“Yeah… Sorry, just feels… nice. I’ll stop, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mind,” Charlie says quietly, “you said last night you were feeling touch starved, and neither of us are strangers to messing around with boys.”

Nick swallows, holy shit. What is Charlie saying? He doesn’t mind? He knows what Nick just did, right? Accidentally grinding against him, making that embarrassing noise.

“You…” Nick can’t find the words.

“Do it again,” Charlie presses his hips back.

Another offer, not a command. Nick leans into Charlie’s words, letting his body press forward, but this time a little harder, intentionally.

“God,” Nick sighs, “I’ve missed this kind of thing.”

“We’re alone,” Charlie muses aloud, “I really don’t mind Nick, do it like you mean it.”

Using his arm to pull Charlie in closer, Nick slowly starts to rut against the curly haired boy, feeling his breath quicken.

“Feeling nice?” Charlie asks, still not believing what is actually unfolding.

“Yeah,” Nick manages, “it might not get me there, you know, but it’s nice.”

“Do you want to get there?” Charlie says, squeezing his eyes closed the moment the words leave his mouth, holding his breath in anticipation of Nick’s response.

Nick’s hips freeze, letting out a whimper so quiet Charlie nearly misses it. “Yeah,” Nick whispers.

“Then hold my hips, move a little faster,” Charlie arches his backside towards Nick, pressing against him. Nick whimpers, but lets himself be given over to his carnal desires. Holding Charlie’s hips, he shifts up, rubbing his clothed length against Charlie, breath shuddering at how good it’s feeling already. “Oh fuck,” Nick breathes, his lips now mere inches from Charlie’s neck, “it feels good.”

“Is it tingly?” Charlie asks, feeling himself growing harder by the second. His brain refuses to think about what this might mean for them as friends.

“So tingly,” Nick breathes, “so fucking tingly, oh my God.”

“Is it building yet?” Charlie asks, “I bet it feels nice.”

“It’s starting to, yeah,” Nick answers. It occurs to him that he might not be the only one needing release. “Face me?” Nick asks, tentatively, “I’ll help you out too, if you want?”

An electric fizz of nerves, hormones and pure desire grips Charlie, and without a second thought he rolls over, pressing himself against Nick, “This okay?” Charlie checks.

Nick grabs hold of Charlie’s slender hips, his nails digging in slightly to the fabric of his pyjamas. He pulls Charlie closer, causing Charlie to let out an embarrassing little whimper when his clothed erection brushes against Nick’s thigh. Instinctively, Charlie snaps his hips forwards to chase the physical sensation, his head tucking under the larger boy’s chin. “Oh fuck,” Charlie curses, “it’s too good already.” Nick groans as he presses against Charlie, their bodies now sliding against each other, hands gripping tight onto each other to leverage each thrust and movement as they rut furiously against one another.

“I’m… I’m close,” Charlie chokes out, “feels too good, it feels so good Nick.”

“Me too,” Nick pants, “oh my God I’m so fucking close.”

“Stop,” Charlie pants suddenly, and Nick’s hips still immediately, his eyes wide as he checks in with Charlie. “I don’t want to make a mess,” Charlie smiles, “look, we don’t have to keep… Going? I just know I was about to cream my sweatpants.”

Nick laughs and huffs, “I’m glad you’re still capable of stringing two thoughts together, I was prepared to just… Deal with it after.” Nick blushes and looks away.

“Look, I…” Charlie moves back slightly to look into Nick’s eyes, “I’m going to pop down.”

Before Nick can form an answer, Charlie pushes back the duvet, letting the cold air hit them both, and climbs down to the bottom bunk. “No different to the shower,” Charlie says, “I’m just going to, uh, finish up down here. I’ve got tissues…. Right here. Do you want some?”

Nick smiles and shakes his head, this is utterly ridiculous but he’s so fucking horny, “Oh go on then.” Charlie pulls a few sheets of tissue out of a box and then hands a wad of them up to Nick. “Talk in five?” Charlie says with a cheeky smile.

“Less than five,” Nick laughs, “I’m actually so close already.”

“Oh thank fuck,” Charlie gets himself comfy on his bed, and pushes his boxers and sweats down to free his aching cock, “I’m nearly there too.”

Nick shuts his eyes and bites his lip, trying desperately to hear every noise Charlie might make. Each movement of their wrists jolts the rickety bunk slightly, and Nick can tell Charlie is stroking himself fast and earnestly.

Whereas normally they would never speak when they do something similar in the showers, Charlie finds himself squeezing his eyes shut and imagining what would have happened if he’d had the balls to just offer to stroke Nick off for him, instead of being a coward and retreating to his bunk. The conversations from last night rattle around in his brain. Nick is queer, for sure, and Nick’s body had reacted to sharing a bed with Charlie, so much so that Nick had been the one to initiate their little activity.

God, how Charlie wants to climb back up there and straddle Nick. Even if they just touched themselves, he wants to see what Nick’s face looks like when he comes.

Interrupting his train of thought, Nick lets out a little whimper. “Feel good?” Charlie asks, without thinking.

“Yeah,” Nick chokes out, “but even just pressing against you seemed to feel better.”

Charlie is sure those words alone would make him come, so quickly he stops touching himself, “Agreed,” Charlie manages, “fuck I’m close though.”

“Me too,” Nick whines, “so close.”

The room returns to silence, bar the noises of the boys working themselves, “I’m gonna,” Charlie bites his tongue, but wonders if telling Nick he’s going to come will push Nick over the edge too.

Nick groans quietly, and Charlie can tell Nick is coming by the way the bunk shifts, his body shuddering and his breath stuttering. Charlie comes hard, his eyes squeezing closed, whimpering quietly as his orgasm causes his whole body to tremble.

Out of breath and blushing, Nick uses the handful of tissues to give himself a wipe down. The post orgasm clarity floods his mind and he groans internally. Had he really just woken up hard and then essentially humped his roommate nearly to completion? The shame manifests in a hot blush across his cheeks and sweat along his brow.

“I need a shower,” Charlie announces, “come with me?”

Nick wraps himself up in the tissues and pulls his sweats up, “Pants on?”

“Pants on,” Charlie confirms.

“Not that it matters,” Nick laughs, trying to dissipate any awkwardness, “I basically just woke up and started grinding on you. Sorry about that.”

“I’m not sorry,” Charlie says softly with a smile, “we were both into it. Like you said. Touch starved. It’s just bodies.”

“Thanks for being cool with me coming out too,” Nick adds as he climbs down from the top bunk, “and then for allowing me to follow it up with, you know, this morning. Sorry, I’m just feeling a bit awkward now.”

“Seriously, thanks for trusting me,” Charlie says with a smile, “do you want a hug?”

“Yeah,” Nick whispers, “I would love a hug.”

Charlie pulls Nick in and holds him close. It should be awkward, the fact that they’ve both just been grinding and then tossed off together, but it just feels right.

Nick's shoulders shake slightly, and Charlie pulls back. “Hey, hey, you’re okay, you’re okay,” he says, rubbing Nick’s shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” Nick chokes out, “it’s just been so hard keeping who I am a secret, and then I was so scared I just fucked up our friendship, just because I’m…” Nick gestures broadly, “a mess,” but Charlie shakes his head.

“I’m good at keeping secrets, and nothing has to change between us. So we’re both a bit fruity. Nothing is wrong with that.” Charlie holds Nick tightly.

“Thanks,” Nick sniffles, “this is so embarrassing, I just feel kind of overwhelmed I guess.”

“Hot shower will do us both good, I’m still quite sticky,” Charlie giggles, “come on, I’ll get us both the really nice fluffy towels and we can just hang out today, okay?”

Nick nods but looks away.

“Nick.” Charlie says, squeezing his shoulder, “Listen to me. Nothing has to change. You’re still my friend. It’s all okay.”

“Thank you,” Nick whispers.

The boys walk down to the shower block, and Nick realises that the power must have come on again. “Lights are working.”

“Thank goodness,” Charlie takes his favourite shower cubicle and turns on the water.

“Charlie?” Nick asks as he undresses, hanging his towel over the rails.

“Mmm?” Charlie replies, turning the shower on hot.

“Do you think it’s possible to just be friends with someone and… well, you know.”

Charlie pauses, the words all caught in his throat. Nick, handsome, blonde, rugby player Nick, seems to be floating the idea of fooling around just as friends.

It does make sense, to be honest. Neither of them are ready to come out, and both of them obviously got a kick out of the intimacy of sharing a bed and grinding.

“Theoretically,” Charlie replies, “the main concern with that would be… feelings?” He’s not sure why they are talking about this as if it’s not them.

Nick swallows. Oh shit. Feelings. God he likes Charlie so damn much, but to play with Charlie’s heart like that when neither of them could be anything more than a secret, and at the same time, there has to be something more going on with Darcy. “Look, I’m sorry, honestly forget I said anything.”

“No, no, let’s talk about it,” Charlie says, pouring shampoo into his hand, “if it was just friends, and just because we both can’t be out, and just to satisfy the… Needs?”

“It would have to be a secret,” Nick says quickly, “and we would both have to be cool with it just being… our secret.” Nick swallows, the elephant in the room is gone. They’ve both said ‘our’ and ‘we’.

“Let me just think a little about it,” Charlie says, “I do like the idea. Being close like that last night and this morning has just made me realise how much I miss it.”

Nick takes a deep breath, “Look, I know you didn’t want to tell me any more last night when I so rudely pried, but can I ask you a yes or no question about you and Darcy?”

Charlie holds his breath, “Yes.”

“If we did stuff, could you keep it from her?”

“Yes.” Charlie bites his lip again and rinses out his shampoo. He’s already said enough the night before about him and Darcy not being together together, which is more than he’d intended to say. He could keep Nick a secret and still keep Darcy’s secret too. Fuck, it’s so complicated already though. “Yes, that wouldn’t be a problem,” he decides.

“Okay,” Nick turns off his shower and reaches for his towel, “no pressure on this. I’m just thinking out loud. At the end of the day, being your friend is more important than getting off.”

Charlie smiles to himself, basking in Nick’s words of how much their friendship means to him already. “Definitely, I agree. I do have one question though.”

“Yeah?” Nick tips his head upside down to towel dry his hair.

“We haven’t exactly… done stuff? More than our little… ‘cuddle’ this morning.” Charlie says, trying to keep his voice even.

“Do you think we need to check? To make sure that we have the chemistry for it?” Nick feels his mouth going dry.

“Yeah,” Charlie throws his towel over his shoulder, “we could just do a… trial run?”

“Yeah?” Nick squeaks, “what do you have in mind?”

Charlie walks over to Nick’s shower cubicle, “Let me know if I can come in.”

Nick hangs his towel over the glass, and takes a deep breath, “Go ahead, I’m naked though.”

Chalkie smiles, “Me too, is that okay?”

“Yeah,” Nick takes a deep breath.

Charlie pulls the curtain aside, walks up to Nick, and then drops down to his knees on the tiles.

Chapter Text

Nick’s eyes nearly pop out of his head, and his cock twitches. Oh God, oh God, oh God, he panics internally, torn between wanting this so badly and also being uncertain if this is the best way to go about testing their chemistry.

Quickly, he drops to the floor, pulling his knees up to his chest. “Wait wait wait…”

Charlie looks across at him, his expression pained. “You don’t want me to…?”

“I do, God I do want that,” Nick takes a deep breath, shuddering on the exhale, “I just… look, I’ve done stuff before, but not much, and I don’t want to rush into this. I really care about you and I feel like we need to set boundaries first? I’m so sorry, I don’t mean to reject you, honestly that’s not my intention.”

Charlie copies Nick’s pose, pulling his knees up to his chest as he sits on the cold tiles, the position providing each of them with a modicum of privacy. Charlie swallows and nods, “Boundaries. Yeah, I can do that.”

“We’ll get cold sitting here. How about this; let’s go get some breakfast, and then later on let’s have a chat about it? I really didn’t mean to make you feel rejected. I just knew if I didn’t say anything quickly, I wouldn’t be thinking with my brain.” Nick pushes his damp hair out of his face, and Charlie smirks.

“I respect that, thanks. Boundaries are good. Let’s get some clothes on and eat something.”

Heading back to their room, Charlie playfully nudges Nick. Charlie shoves him back and they exchange a mischievous grin. Nick is relieved everything seems okay again.

Closing the door behind them, the sun has now risen and the room is bright. Charlie locks his fingers together and stretches his arms up above his head, and his shoulders click.

Nick feels himself blush crimson. He’d seen Charlie naked not five minutes ago, but seeing Charlie’s lean frame extended and flexing causes his breath to hitch.

“So, uh, we’ve seen each other naked now, so I guess…” Charlie starts, fingers holding the tuck of his towel at his hips, waiting for Nick to confirm.

“Oh, yeah,” Nick tries to sound nonchalant, “just bodies.”

“Just bodies,” Charlie agrees, letting the towel fall. He leans over to dry his legs and thighs, and Nick realises that he’s already getting hard. Again.

He drops his own towel but scrambles to quickly put on a pair of boxers, bending at the waist to towel dry his hair.

“Huh, it’s Sunday. Wonder what’s for breakfast?” Charlie pulls on a sweatshirt, and then jumps slightly as he shimmies into his tight skinny black jeans.

“Hopefully croissants, maybe eggs?”

“God I hope so, I’m starving.”

Down at the cafeteria, the open window to the kitchen has the roller door slid up, with three metal trays containing scrambled eggs, beans and mini sausages.

Nick helps himself to three pieces of toast before piling his plate high. Charlie follows suit, and the boys take a seat by the floor to ceiling window overlooking the field. Half a dozen other students are milling around, chattering, and the sound of the clatter of cutlery fills the hall.

James, a blonde boy with glasses walks over and takes a seat with them. “Ah, more orphans,” he jokes.

“Piss off,” Charlie laughs, “why aren’t you home?”

“Dad’s away for work,” James replies glumly, “it’s fine though, I’ve got loads of coursework to do. Haven’t seen you two since Friday, what have you guys been up to?”

“Well,” Nick lowers his voice, “Charlie snuck a girl in, and we…”

“Shhhh….” Charlie hisses, smacking Nick lightly.

“Charlie!” James giggles, “Get it. And you, Nick? Third wheel?”

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” Nick takes a bite of his beans.

“Have you got plans today?” Charlie asks James.

“Na, Matt and Josh are both away so I’m on my lonesome.”

“Hang with us,” Charlie suggests, sipping his terrible filter coffee.

“Sounds good, shall we go for a walk to the domain later?”

Nick gives him a thumbs up, on account of his mouth being full of food.

“Slow down, Nick,” James teases, “you’re eating like you’re famished, too much rugby and physical activity?”

Charlie snorts raising an eyebrow at Nick, “Yeah, that’ll be it.”

After breakfast, the three lads head out for a walk, bundled up in jackets and beanies. Despite the sunny cloudless day, the windchill gives the air a frosty edge.

Walking to the perimeter of the school, James lifts the broken fence post so Nick and Charlie can climb under, and they trudge through the high grass towards the domain, a large grassy field with big willow trees drooping into a stream.

After walking far enough that they won’t be seen from the school, the three sit by the stream, and Charlie flops back onto his back in the sun.

James rummages in his bag, “Smoke?”

“What are we smoking?” Nick bounces his eyebrows once.

“The marriage iguana,” James says, pulling out a ziplock bag of weed, a grinder, some papers, filters and a lighter.

“Marriage iguana, my favourite type of iguana,” Charlie jokes, “go on, let’s see you roll one.”

James grinds up the weed before tentatively pinching some and placing it in the paper. He folds the end and rolls the paper slowly.

“Clumsy,” Charlie snickers, “want me to do it? That’ll fall apart.”

“Sure,” James hands Charlie the half rolled blunt.

Charlie uses his long nimble fingers to roll a tighter joint, before licking the end and pressing it flat. “There.”

“Impressive,” Nick looks at Charlie, “I didn’t know you… did this stuff?”

“Because I’m a nerd?” Charlie flicks the joint to press it in tighter.

“No! No not that, just-“

“So you’re saying I’m not a nerd?” Charlie retorts.

“No! No not like that, you’re clever, just I didn’t take you for…”

James laughs, “Keep digging, Nick.”

Charlie smiles, “I’m teasing. My sister taught me how.”

Half an hour later, the boys are well and truly baked. Charlie can’t stop laughing and giggling, and Nick’s continually making animal noises.

“I’m actually starving,” James heaves himself up off the grass, “it’s got to be about lunch time.”

“Coming right behind you,” Charlie says, rolling over.

James takes one look at him and laughs, “Your eyes are so bloody red, mate.”

Charlie blinks a couple of times, and then looks at Nick and James, “You both look pretty bloody stoned, too.”

Back at school, the giggling trio line up to help themselves to lasagna, and then sneak out into the courtyard to eat in the sun.

“This is the tastiest, most sumptuous lasagna I’ve ever eaten,” Nick says, eyes hooded and heavy.

“You bloody lightweight, you,” Charlie teases, giving Nick a little shove.

“Could go for a nap after this,” Nick says, sleepily. He leans back on his elbows and lets the sunshine bathe his pale skin.

“Don’t worry, I’ll supervise him,” Charlie says to James.

Back up in their dorm, Nick is starting to sober up. “Charlie, can I tell you a secret?”

“If you’re about to tell me you’ve never been stoned before, I can tell,” Charlie smirks, “you coughed up more than you inhaled.”

“Ah, shit,” Nick giggles, “did I make a fool of myself?”

“Not at all,” Charlie lays out his duvet in the sun by the window, “God, the sun sets so early already.”

“I want to talk,” Nick says, somewhat abruptly.

“Talk?” Charlie looks away from Nick for a moment, partly to try and hide any emotions that have painted themselves across his cheeks.

“About our plan, you know, our… arrangement?”

“Have you had more thoughts?” Charlie keeps his voice even, just barely.

“I guess boundaries? Could we start with that?” Nick sits up, facing Charlie. “I guess… As a start, the purpose is to fulfil each of our needs, right?”

“This sounds like you’re pitching me a business plan,” Charlie says, giving Nick a gentle smile.

“Okay fine, but do you agree? About the purpose?”

“Sure,” Charlie nods once for good measure.

“So to ensure we both feel comfortable with the… arrangement, are we okay to keep it absolutely a secret, like, no one would be able to know?” Nick bites his lip.

“Absolutely no one, just us,” Charlie agrees.

“And as far as what we do, can we just take it really slow?”

“Fine by me,” Charlie says gently, “we both have to want to do the same stuff.”

“And kissing?” Nick holds his breath, waiting for Charlie’s reaction.

Charlie struggles to read Nick’s expression, but the worry makes him hesitate, “No kissing, then. Just keep it focused on our end goal?”

“End goal, yeah,” Nick forces himself to smile, but feels his stomach flip uncomfortably. Charlie hadn’t wanted to kiss him, which is fine. Completely fine. “As far as our friendship, other than the occasional activity, per se, it’ll stay the same.”

“Friends with benefits, to be blunt?” Charlie spells it out clearly, “Just so we are clear?”

“Yeah,” Nick can’t handle how awkward this whole conversation is, but it was his idea to bring up boundaries. “And as far as what we want to be doing, uh, look, I don’t know how to put this delicately, uh… Have you… uh…”

“I’ve had two previous sexual partners,” Charlie says quickly, "and I got tested after we broke up, about four months ago, and I haven’t been with anyone since then.”

“I’ve only had two as well,” Nick says, “but we didn’t do anything that would be… uh… risky? Is that okay? Do you need to know the specifics? I’m really not that experienced.”

“No, that’s fine.” Charlie smiles and moves closer to Nick, “you look so uncomfortable, are you sure you want to try this? If you change your mind, then we can just write off this morning as just… you know, weird hormone things.”

“I do want this,” Nick leans his head against Charlie's shoulder, I want you.

“Is there anything that’s off limits? Anything you wouldn’t want to do?” Charlie reaches his arm around to rub the back of Nick’s shoulder blades with the tips of his fingers, “We really can just cuddle and leave it there. Sorry about in the shower, I don’t know what I was thinking, barging in on you and expecting you to be okay with going straight to, well, that.”

Nick laughs, “It was quite forward, but don’t worry, really. As far as limits, can we just start with what we did this morning, you know, in bed, and slowly work up to other things?” Nick pulls his jumper down, fuck, he’s already getting hard remembering Charlie’s sinful moans in the bottom bunk, and then later the sight of him on his knees in the shower. What would it feel like to have Charlie’s mouth-

“We can start slow, even just cuddling is nice. You said you wanted a nap, why don’t we just start with that?” Charlie lies down on the comforter on the ground, pulling a pillow from off the bed under his head.

“Cuddle,” Nick agrees, lying down next to Charlie, “Is it normal to feel so tired after getting high?”

“Very normal,” Charlie pushes his body back and snuggles under Nick’s arm, forcing himself into the little spoon position. Nick wraps his arms around him, resting his forehead on the back of Charlie’s head. “This is so nice,” Nick says quietly.

“It’s a bit sore on my hips,” Charlie whispers, “even through the comforter. Bed?”

“Bed.” Nick's heart is thudding in his chest as he gets up and helps Charlie put the blankets back on the mattress. “Your bed this time,” Nick sits on Charlie’s bed, pulling himself under the covers.

Charlie slots himself in front of Nick, shuffling back. “You’re hard again,” Charlie says, pressing his hips back.

“Just all the talk of sexy stuff, you know how it is,” Nick smiles to himself, trying to push any awkwardness away. If this is going to work, he’s going to need to get over it.

Charlie rolls over to face Nick, causing Nick to roll onto his back. Charlie then swings one leg over, “Is this okay?”

“Cosy,” Nick replies, “are we going to… Chemistry test this?”

Charlie nods once, “I’m game for whatever, so just get out of your head and see what your body wants to do.”

Nick reaches down and pulls Charlie’s hips closer, partly on top of himself, feeling that Charlie is also now hard. His groin is now pressed against Nick’s hip. Holding Charlie’s hips, he angles himself so they’re both able to just grind against each other slightly. Charlie whines quietly, a tiny noise escaping as he exhales.

“Like that?” Nick checks, pulling Charlie’s hips down again. Charlie nods, his hips twitching slightly.

“What are your boundaries for… during? Anything you want me to avoid?” Charlie says, voice straining as his breath quickens.

“Just tell me if you like something or don’t like something, it might take some practice to get the hang of what we both like,” Nick pulls Charlie’s hips in once more, and smiles at the noise he makes. “For example, does this feel nice?”

Charlie’s right arm grips Nick’s bicep for leverage as he thrusts slightly, “It feels good,” another thrust, “really good.”

“Do you want to get on top of me?” Nick loosens his grip on Charlie for a moment.

“Yeah,” Charlie climbs up, and Nick tentatively puts one hand through Charlie’s thick curls, pulling his head down against his shoulder, “Can I hold you like this?” Nick lets his other hand slowly ghost over Charlie’s lower back.

Charlie uses his own hand to readjust Nick’s grip, “Hold my arse, pull me against you properly. And yeah, I like you holding my head, and I like my hair pulled a little, is that okay?”

Nick’s cock jumps at that thought, and he gives Charlie’s curls an experimental tug, “Like this?”

Charlie grunts into Nick’s shoulder, thrusting slightly, “Just like that. Pull it a bit harder when I get close, but otherwise that’s a good level of force.”

“Noted,” Nick gives Charlie’s arse a squeeze, “Okay?”

“Harder.” Charlie huffs, “really squeeze.”

Nick obeys, and he swears he can feel Charlie throbbing through his jeans, both of them now aching for relief.

“Do you want to strip down to pants?” Nick rubs Charlie’s arse with the heel of his hand before squeezing him again.

“Please,” Charlie whispers, “I’ve been dying to take these jeans off, but I didn’t want to push you.”

“I appreciate that,” Nick fumbles between them to try and help Charlie get out of his annoyingly hot and tight black jeans, “these are a nightmare.”

“But they make my arse look good,” Charlie looks up at Nick through his dark lashes, and it takes everything within Nick’s control not to grab his cheeky little face and kiss those plump lips silly.

“They do indeed,” Nick decides there’s no point lying or beating around the bush, “I’m an arse man, myself.”

Sitting up so he can actually get his damn jeans off, Nick follows suit. A damp spot is evident on the front of his tight boxer briefs. For a moment, he feels the need to cover up, but quickly changes his mind, as it’s time to just get comfortable, after all.

“So,” Charlie straddles Nick, and Nick instinctively pulls him down, “I’ve never done any friends with benefits stuff before, have you?”

“No,” Nick blushes a deeper shade of red, “like I said, I’ve done stuff with two people. My ex-girlfriend and my ex-boyfriend.”

“What kind of stuff did you do with your ex-boyfriend? Just so know what you might be more comfy with.” Charlie’s voice is soft and so close to Nick’s ear that the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, goosebumps slowly travelling down his body.

“Just… well, mostly just hand stuff, and I guess, grinding?” Nick lets his hand return to holding Charlie’s hair, and feels the younger boy’s body soften and relax into the embrace.

Charlie moves his hips, grinding against Nick in earnest now, “Like this?”

“Yeah,” Nick feels a noise bubbling up from his chest, “but fair warning, I really struggle to stay quiet, even with stuff like this. Sorry if that’s annoying, I-“

“It’s not annoying,” Charlie strokes the side of Nick’s face, “you don’t have to try and impress me here, we’re friends. Being noisy is nothing to be ashamed of.”

“It’ll just take a while for me to relax,” Nick explains, “I have some baggage, I guess, as far as what is the right or wrong thing to do.”

“Just do what feels right, I promise, this is a no judgement zone. Now, what do you need? I’ve told you about liking my hair pulled.”

Just fucking kiss me and shut me up, Nick thinks. “I don’t think I have enough experience to know what I really like, but…”

“You can tell me,” Charlie murmurs against Nick’s neck, pulling the striped duvet up around their shoulders.

“I don’t know why I’m so embarrassed,” Nick chuckles, “but I like my nipples being… played with?”

“Would you like me to play with them now?” Charlie lets his hand travel down to the hem of Nick’s shirt.

Nick nods, and Charlie’s long fingers make their way up his stomach, causing him to arch into the touch, “Fuck.” Charlie uses the pad of his fingers to brush lightly across one of them, rubbing gently back and forth until it’s a hard little pebble. Nick’s stomach muscles tremble and quiver, and he whimpers quietly.

“Need more,” Nick manages, finally relaxing and letting his body grind up harder against Charlie. Charlie is just as hard as he is, and the pace has clearly ramped up.

Charlie’s hand slides down Nick’s chest to his waist band, tracing his finger along the very bottom of Nick’s belly, causing him to shiver in anticipation. Charlie hooks his finger under the waistband, “Then ask nicely.”

Chapter Text

Nick resists the urge to buck his hips into Charlie’s hand, head now swimming with the dizzying thought of actually being touched by Charlie. “Please,” Nick whispers.

Charlie’s fingers, ghost along the top of Nick’s waistband, then lift for a moment. Nick holds his breath, preparing himself mentally for what is about to unfold. Instead, Charlie’s fingers gently meander down and over Nick’s boxers , the pads of his finger tips pressing and dragging along. Only the slightest of pressure is applied, and Charlie smiles to himself.

“Please what?”

“Touch me,” Nick rasps, attempting not to moan at barely being stroked outside of his underwear, “touch me under my pants,” he adds quickly, guessing that if he doesn’t specify, Charlie will make him spell it out.

Charlie squeezes Nick, through his pants, enjoying how hard Nick has become. Looking up, he takes in the sight of a very puffed, pink cheeked Nick, eyes fixed on what’s going on below. “You really want this.”

It’s not a question, it’s not even an observation. It’s a confirmation, of sorts.

“Stop fucking teasing,” Nick whispers, “you know I do.”

Giving Nick another hard squeeze for good measure, Charlie’s long fingers drag up, pressing lightly against Nick’s clothed tip, before resting on his lower belly.

“Tell me to stop whenever,” Charlie confirms, “otherwise, enjoy.”

Nick nods once, clenching his jaw and tensing his stomach muscles as Charlie’s hand slowly moves down into his pants. Even the slightest touch of his hand against bare skin makes Nick’s hips shunt up. Charlie’s other hand rests on Nick’s hips, pressing him back down.

“Relax,” Charlie whispers, leaning against Nick so he’s cuddled close. His other hand is now occupied with making Nick’s whole body tingle.

“Trying,” Nick whimpers, “feels so good already, please!”

“There we go,” Charlie holds Nick and gives him a tentative stroke, “okay?”

Nick’s little whimpers and shuddery breaths would be downright embarrassing in any other context, but he can’t bring himself to give a toss. “You know when it’s a little dry,” Nick manages between whimpers.

Pulling his hand out of Nick’s pants, Charlie licks his palm, “Good. Keep speaking up, otherwise I won’t know what you like.”

Nick lets out an honest to God moan when Charlie’s wet palm makes contact with his body again. “Better?” Charlie checks.

“Hngggg,” Nick cannot manage to string together any words, and feels himself pressing his shoulder blades back hard into the mattress. “Ah!”

“Well done,” Charlie praises, and smirks to himself when he feels Nick’s cock jump in response. Looks like Nick might be into more than he knows.

Giving him a proper tug, Nick bites his lip and whimpers. “Not gonna last, fuck!”

“That’s okay,” Charlie reassured him, “might take some practice. Do you want me to slow it down and draw it out for you?”

“Please,” Nick pants, “if you wouldn’t -ah, mind.”

“How about this?” Charlie brushes his thumb over Nick’s tips, gently flicking back and forth, and Nick immediately thrusts his hips up, “That! Yes!”

Charlie licks his hand again, and then goes back to touching Nick, flicking, rubbing and stroking him. He’s careful to keep all movements slow so that Nick can slowly build up intensity.

Nick finds his left hand touching his own chest as the feelings grow more and more intense. Charlie glances down, and smiles. “Touch your own nipples if you want, are you ready to come?”

Nick nods and whimpers, quickly reaching under his own shirt to pinch his left nipple, “Fuck, nearly, nearly, nearly, I’m right on the edge…” Nick whimpers on every exhale, thighs trembling, muscles tensing, eyes watering from squeezing them so tightly.

Charlie finds himself grinding against Nick’s thigh just for some relief as he watches the other boy coming apart and melting under his touch. Despite the slow strokes of his hand, Nick looks like he’s about to combust. “Faster?”

“Please,” Nick begs, “finish me off.”

Nothing could have prepared Nick for the intensity of Charlie stroking and squeezing him at speed. The fire in his belly becomes a pyroclastic flow, the lava building up a heat so intense that Nick can’t do anything to hold it back. With a loud moan, quickly covered by Charlie’s hand against his lips, Nick comes. The nerve endings and muscles of his whole body tingle and burn, his lungs singed with a breath held, and his eyes are squeezed so tightly that holographic lights dance across his vision. There are no words, nothing could describe the heat and pleasure searing through his body from the inside out.

Charlie, with one gentle hand pressed to Nick’s lips to try and encourage the moaning to be taken down a notch, is right on the edge as well. Nick’s explosive orgasm is bordering on contagious, and he feels the warmth he craves bubbling within his gut, ready to be released at any moment. Nick’s still breathing heavily, and Charlie wipes his hand on Nick’s t-shirt without thinking. “Nick, please, I can’t, I need, fuck,” Charlie pants.

Nick rolls over, pressing Charlie down and pulling his pants down under his cock, “Tell me if this is too fast…”

“Fuck no. Don’t you dare stop, please,” Charlie hadn’t meant to sound so bossy, but the throbbing between his legs is becoming unbearable. “Don’t stop, please don’t stop.”

Nick takes a hold of Charlie’s cock, and Charlie holds his other hand up to bite down on his knuckle. Remembering what Charlie had confessed earlier, Nick weaves his fingers between Charlie’s thick dark locks of hair, grasping and pulling just slightly against his skull.

Charlie moans. Bingo. Nick pulls a little harder.

Stroking Charlie off, despite his brain being, for all intents and purposes, one hundred percent offline, is so easy. Charlie’s body language is easy to read, and he reacts with muscles twitching, moans, gasps and thrusts as Nick slowly speeds up.

“Fucking close,” Charlie gasps, “harder!”

Nick fists Charlie’s hair, yanking a little tighter than before, “Okay?”

“Harder!” Charlie whines, “I’m so close, please don’t stop, fuck!”

With a final hard tug of Charlie’s hair, Nick feels the telltale throb of Charlie about to orgasm. His filter out the window, Nick finds himself whispering into Charlie’s ear. “That’s right, come hard for me, you like having your hair pulled, don’t you? Come now, do it.”

Charlie whimpers and shakes, “I’m coming, I’m coming, oh my god keep going!”

Nick wrings Charlie out, making sure his body is completely drained. Charlie shunts and wriggles, mumbling and begging all the way through his orgasm.

Both shaky and exhausted, Charlie looks over at Nick.

“Holy shit. You talk dirty. That was…. so fucking good.”

“You think so?” Nick is feeling bashful, and he lowers his gaze.

“I know so. Was that okay for you? I see what you meant about being loud.”

“Oh my god, was it okay?” Nick laughs, “it felt like my soul left my body. I honestly can’t remember the last time I came that hard.”

“Then it’s settled, A-plus for our chemistry test,” Charlie giggles, “I felt the same. You’re good with your hands.”

“Plenty of practice,” Nick pretends to wank himself off.

“It’s different doing someone else though,” Charlie insists, “you really are good at it.”

“Well,” Nick blushes, “thanks. You’re good, too. Hope my dirty-ish chat at the end was okay, it wasn’t something we’d really discussed.”

Charlie rolls his eyes and laughs, “Completely, one hundred percent fine. I wasn’t kidding when I said I wanted my hair properly pulled, either.”

“I didn’t want to hurt you!” Nick puts an arm around Charlie, “also you wiped my come on my top!”

“Here,” Charlie sits up to grab a box of tissues, “but yeah, sorry about that. My brain wasn’t working.”

Nick sits up as well, pulling his t-shirt off and throwing it across the room into the wicker basket against the corner. “Just a ploy to get me shirtless, you little shit.”

“You’ve got me,” Charlie giggles, “despite the fact that I’ve literally seen you shirtless almost every day this year.”

“I work hard for this chest,” Nick smiles, “good for others to enjoy it.”

Charlie realises that the vibes post sex of cuddling a very shirtless and blushed Nick Nelson are far from completely platonic. Was there a possibility that Nick maybe felt the same way he did, or was this just some kind of lad-adjacent friendly banter? A heaviness fills his chest.

“You okay?” Nick rubs Charlie’s arm, “you seem… spaced out?”

“I’m fine,” Charlie forces himself to smile.

“Fine as in fine, or fine as in fine?” Nick says, putting an arm around Charlie, “come on, don’t play guessing games with me.”

“I guess I’m feeling a little awkward?” Charlie swallows, “this kind of post-sex cuddle reminds me kind of how it was with an ex, and you and I are friends, so it’s confusing my brain, I guess.”

“Would you prefer it if we didn’t cuddle?” Nick tries not to sound wounded.

“No, not at all, I like it, I guess… nevermind.” Charlie slumps into Nick.

“You don’t want it to get complicated, am I getting that right?” Nick guesses, giving Charlie’s hair a gentle stroke.

“Yeah,” Charlie whispers, “I really, really don’t want to complicate things. It feels a bit like after doing, well, that, we’ve unlocked something we can’t close again.”

Nick smiles and squeezes Charlie, “Yeah, you’ll never be able to un-hear my embarrassing orgasm noises.”

“I’m serious though,” Charlie whines, “like what if things just don’t work? What are we doing?”

“We don’t have to do it again,” Nick says softly.

“But I want to,” Charlie sighs, “I’m just… confused.”

“Do we want to just keep it to a minimum then? Only when we’re really, really pent up and need to come? Would that make you feel better?”

“It’s a good idea, I guess,” Charlie says glumly, “probably to keep things from getting weird.”

“We won’t have a chance to really do this after everyone else returns from break,” Nick tucks the blanket around Charlie, “so maybe… just as an idea, do we want to try and get it out of our system in the next week, and then after term starts, we can just do it on one-off occasions?”

“That… could work. Sorry Nick, I feel like I’m ruining our little moment, my brain just gets all… tangled.” Charlie sighs.

“Don’t say sorry, I’d so much rather you just told me what you want, I promise.” Nick strokes Charlie’s hair again, and Charlie instinctively presses into the touch. “You really like your hair being played with, don’t you?”

“I always have,” Charlie says softly, “it’s why I keep it long.”

“Well, for the record, I love playing with your hair. This kind of gentle physical touch is really like… life-giving for me?”

“Makes sense,” Charlie sighs, “it’s not fair. Girls always play with each other's hair, and then if guys do it, suddenly it’s weird?”

“It’s bullshit,” Nick huffs, “I like cuddling and I love this.” I think I love you, Nick wonders to himself.

Charlie presses himself against Nick, taking a deep breath. Something about the scent of Nick is deeply relaxing, like one of those essential oil burners, but the smell is just entirely soft, sweet and Nick. “You smell nice.”

“Thank you,” Nick holds Charlie close, he leans down to smell Charlie’s hair. “You smell nice too.”

“Not to be fucking weird, but you really just smell… so comforting to me,” Charlie hears himself speak the words and immediately wants to face-palm. Who in the hell says stuff like that?

Nick giggles, and Charlie’s stomach drops for a second. “I agree, actually. Is it weird to tell your friends they smell nice?”

“Not as weird as jacking your friend off in their bunk bed,” Charlie giggles. “Speaking of, I love this cuddling moment we’re having, but I can feel I’m getting all crusty and gross.”

“Delightful,” Nick groans, “fine, shower?”

Charlie grunts, and his stomach rumbles.

“And dinner. Shower and then dinner,” Nick sits up, pushing the blanket off them both.

“Fine.” Charlie swings his slender legs over the bed and pulls on some sweatpants.

“I actually had a thought of something that might be nice to try in the shower,” Nick says, grabbing a clean pair of boxers and a t-shirt out of his set of drawers.

“Oh my god, Nick, I appreciate the enthusiasm but I really couldn’t go again, your refractory period must just be…”

“Not that, you silly goose,” Nick smirks, “but trust me on it.”

In the shower hall, Charlie steps into his favourite cubicle down the very end, hanging up his towel over the rail and sorting through his little plastic caddy of shower products.

“Knock knock,” Nick taps the glass side.

“Who’s there?” Charlie replies.

“Shamp.” Nick holds in a laugh.

“Shamp Who?”

Nick pushes the curtain aside, still dressed in his sweats. “Feel free to say no, but how do you feel about me washing your hair? I can keep my boxers on if that feels less weird?”

Charlie laughs out loud, “Get in here.”

Nick pulls the curtain, “Undress, we might as well shower together at this rate,” Charlie says.

“Save water, shower with a friend!” Nick says in his best local TV news voice.

“We really are doing the most for the environment,” Charlie jokes.

“The most,” Nick steps under the water, standing behind Charlie, “our height difference is kind of perfect for this.”

“Here,” Charlie hands Nick a bottle of his shampoo, “it’s especially for wavy hair so it doesn’t foam up as much as normal shampoo. It’s a little bit expensive so you don’t need to use much.”

“Do you just rub it through your hair?” Nick realises he’s actually never washed anyone’s hair, except his own.

“You have to rake it through, press your fingers against my scalp?”

Nick motions for Charlie to show him how much to use, and then rubs the liquid between his palms. The smell is so unbelievably Charlie that it makes his head swim a little.

Starting at the crown of Charlie’s head, Nick gently presses and pulls his fingers through the dark locks, and Charlie instinctively leans back against Nick’s chest.

“The other stuff is nice, but this….” Charlie doesn’t have the vocabulary for the level of intimacy between them right now.

“It’s perfect,” Nick breathes, “tell me if it hurts or pulls?”

“Mmm,” Charlie closes his eyes.

Rubbing his fingers in tiny circles, Nick works the shampoo into Charlie’s hair, coating all the strands, and scrubbing his scalp gently. Charlie can’t help but mumble and make little happy noises.

“I think you’re all lathered up,” Nick whispers.

Charlie puts his head under the water, letting the suds float down the drain. Nick reaches out to cup some of the water flowing down Charlie’s back, before emptying his cupped hand onto himself. Perhaps a small part of the essence of Charlie will stick to his skin.

“What’s next?”

“Conditioner,” Charlie hands Nick a little tub, “just scoop out a little bit and rake it through my ends, okay?”

Doing as he’s told, Nick pops open the lid. The smell of the conditioner is somehow even more intensely the essence of Charlie. “Smells really nice.”

“Thanks,” Charlie leans back, lifting his chin. Scooping some of the thick creamy conditioner onto his finger, Nick massages it into the ends of Charlie’s wavy hair. “If you rake it through, it helps it not get knotty.”

Nick starts halfway up Charlie’s hair, but his fingers catch on a knot and he accidentally pulls.

“Ah,” Charlie jerks his head back.

“Sorry,” Nick uses his fingers to try and detangle the little knot. “Does that get you going?” He teases.

“Well,” Charlie blushes, and Nick looks over his shoulder and sees that Charlie is indeed semi-hard. “It’s probably more just us showering together, but having my hair played with is making my whole body tingly.”

“Do you ever watch those ASMR videos?” Nick asks, somewhat randomly.

“Yeah, with the tapping and clicking noises?”

“I get tingly listening to those, is it like that?” Nick replies.

“Very much so,” Charlie smiles, and his shoulders relax. Their friendship has developed so fast it almost gives him whiplash. Here he is, standing in the shower having his hair washed, not even hesitating for a moment to share the impact the physical touch is having on his body.

“Do I rinse it?” Nick asks, finally satisfied that Charlie’s hair is now saturated in the delicious smelling conditioner.

“You have to let it sit for a few minutes, it’s when I usually wash the rest of my body.”

“Oh, of course,” Nick hadn’t realised this was how conditioner works. “I’ll scrub up too, wait, can I have some body wash?”

Charlie squeezes a dollop into Nick’s hand and then proceeds to lather himself up. “Am I going to smell like you?” Nick wonders aloud.

“Probably, but I don’t think anyone will notice. I hope you don’t smell like me, because I like it when you… smell like you.” Charlie confesses.

“I’ll put on extra deodorant,” Nick jokes, scrubbing his body.

“Thanks for washing my hair,” Charlie says quietly, “that felt… just so special. I felt really cared for.”

“I’m glad,” Nick puts his soapy arm around Charlie to give him a squeeze. “I think us boarding school guys don’t get enough care, so I’m glad that within this slightly random arrangement you can feel like some of those needs are… taken care of.”

“No one’s ever washed my hair before, well, except my mum when I was a little boy, but you know what I mean.”

“It was my pleasure, and I’d be happy to do it again if you ever want me to.”

“Yes, please,” Charlie turns around to face Nick. “Hey, you're hard again.”

“Just bodies,” Nick smiles and chuckles, “I’m still very much satisfied.”

“I’m so hungry,” Charlie laughs, leaning back to rinse out his conditioner.

“Same. I’m freaking starving.”

“So do you reckon Coach Singh will be surprised when at the start of next term you suddenly have a whole heap more endurance?” Charlie teases.

“Piss off,” Nick splashes Charlie.

Charlie opens his mouth under the water, fills up his mouth and then spits a jet of water at Nick’s chest.

“Oi!” Nick squeaks, “you cheeky shit.” He takes a step back and quickly knocks the shower tap to cold, and then reaches over to hold Charlie still as the water changes temp.

“You fucking tool,” Charlie giggles, “ah! Fuck! Cold!”

“Cold water is good for you,” Nick smirks.

Charlie slides out of Nick's grip and turns off the tap, “You big buffoon. Come on, dinner time.”

Chapter Text

The next day, both of the boys roll out of bed and go for a run together. The damp autumn air is chilly, burning in their lungs slightly.

“Oh God, I can’t carry on,” Nick gasps, jogging slightly slower than Charlie.

“You just need a distraction, come on, can you talk while you run?” Charlie is much too sprightly for a 7AM run.

“I’ll try,” Nick wheezes a little, “if we slow down a bit, maybe I’ll manage?”

“Fine by me, there’s no rush. The fact that you’re out here doing it is what matters most,” Charlie says with a smile, trying to encourage Nick.

“Thanks,” Nick puffs and slows slightly, “can we just chat? Keep me distracted?”

“Okay. How long ago did you realise you were queer?” Might as well talk about it, Charlie thinks to himself.

“Oh,” Nick laughs, “well, uhhh…”

“It’s okay if that’s too personal,” Charlie says quickly.

Nick chuckles, “Too personal? I think we crossed that line when we started getting each other off, didn’t we?”

“Fair point.”

“Okay, maybe when I was… eleven. There was this boy in my class. I had the fattest crush on him. I didn’t realise it was a… crush? Not at first anyway. But I fancied the pants off him.”

“Oh yeah? How’d you figure that out?” Charlie is being cheeky, a teasing edge to his voice as he bounces along, hair tousled by the wind.

“I just really admired him, like, I wanted to be him, on every level. I even started begging mum to buy me clothes that he had so I could dress like him,” Nick blushes. “I was down bad.”

“And how’d you figure out it was a crush?”

“Well,” Nick puffs, “I started having dreams about him, you know.”

“Oh, I see,” Charlie smirks.

“He made my tummy all fluttery, and then later on, I had a crush on a girl in the year above me, and those fluttery feelings were the same.”

“So you’ve known for quite some time then,” Charlie says.

“Yeah, and then I got into watching Skaam, and well, it all made a lot of sense. I didn’t tell anyone for another couple of years though.”

“Thanks for telling me,” Charlie says gently.

“Yay, queers,” Nick laughs. “So who was the first boy you ever kissed?”

Charlie runs his hand through his hair, “I kissed our French exchange student when I was twelve.”

“Damn!” Nick laughs, “That’s impressive.”

“It was just a little peck, nothing raunchy, for sure. We went to see some dumb movie together, I think it might have been the Incredibles 2. Anyway, we were waiting for my dad, and he grabbed my hand and asked to kiss me.”

“Tough act to follow,” Nick jokes, and then swallows. Fuck. No kissing. That’s right. “Can I just ask you… I don’t mean to…”

“Out with it,” Charlie turns to run backwards to face Nick, “no judgement.”

“You and I, obviously neither of us are in a space to come out, but we have really great chemistry… Do you think kissing would… mess it up? I know we aren’t a ‘thing’, but I guess I was just thinking about the… logic? Like we touch each other's bodies, but not kissing, is that hard line… necessary?”

Charlie doesn’t know where to look, truth be told. Kissing Nick would be everything; everything he’s ever wanted. But those feelings bubbling up in his chest like a bottle of shaken up Fanta follow with a wave of nausea.

“Nick….” Charlie looks off, “I… don’t want to get hurt. I can’t be… I can’t be what you… what you might want.” Flashbacks of Darcy crying in the bathroom, soaking his sweatshirt in tears, trembling. The bullying had been so brutal, nearly ripping her apart from the inside out. “It’s just really complicated. Remember what I said about secrets not being mine to tell?” This will make no sense to Nick, he knows this much.

Kissing Nick would mean absolutely wanting more, even if it was a secret relationship with him. But his public faux-relationship with Darcy was a facade that kept her safe, and he knows she deserves better than to be thrown to the wolves. Even though he knows he could trust Nick with Darcy’s secret, their pact binds him to holding the secret. He knows she would do the same for him.

“Kissing would make me want things that I can’t have,” Charlie says carefully and then sighs, “I’m so sorry.”

Uttering those words, Charlie feels his heart ache, torn between wanting so badly to kiss Nick, to have Nick, for Nick to be all his. At the same time, his loyalty to Darcy is unfaltering, and any hint of the context would out her. Keeping Darcy safe is more important than following his desires. The realisation strikes that kissing Nick would no doubt lead them both to want more and feel more, but such a selfish thing would jeopardise everything.

Nick looks down, “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”

“I wish I could explain. I just can’t.” Charlie feels a burn of bile churning his guts, watching the hurt splashed across Nick’s face for a split second. He couldn’t hide everything.

“You don’t want to kiss me?” Nick asks quietly.

“I do.” Charlie insists.

“Then why?” Nick’s eyes plead.

“Because it makes it too real. Nick, please,” Charlie begs, “I don’t want to hurt you, either.”

“You couldn’t,” Nick sighs.

“You won’t want to share me,” Charlie realises they’re no longer running, standing face to face.

“Oh.” Nick blinks and exhales.

“I can’t be yours,” Charlie explains. “Not now.”

“I’d wait,” Nick closes the gap between them, putting an arm on Charlie’s shoulder, “I really would.”

“I can’t come out at school,” Charlie chokes out, “I just… it’s not an option for me. It’s just not going to happen.”

“I’d wait longer,” Nick pulls Charlie into a hug, “you wouldn’t have to come out.”

“I can’t live a lie, even this…” Charlie presses his face into Nick’s shoulders.

“We can stop,” Nick says gently, “I only want this if it’s what you want.”

“It’s all we can have, let’s not throw it away. Would you come out? At school?” Charlie sniffles.

“I… not unless it was for you.” Nick whispers.

Charlie’s heart aches more than words could ever express. “Do you like me?”

“I really, really, do,” Nick squeezes his eyes shut to try and stop himself from kissing the top of Charlie’s head.

“Then I’m sorry,” Charlie’s voice trembles. “I wish I could explain. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Nick gives Charlie a squeeze, “not your secret to tell. I can live with that.”

“I like you too, Nick.”

They shower separately, washing quickly and then heading down to breakfast together. Afterwards, they collect their books and head to the library to study and finish their assignments.

“Shit,” Nick groans, resting his head on the desk. “I can’t do it.”

“Maths?” Charlie looks over, pulling Nick’s exercise book around to face him, “Ah. Parabolas.”

“This just doesn’t make any sense to me,” Nick mumbles, head still down.

“Do you want some help?” Charlie offers gently.

“Yeah…” Nick groans. “I’m begging.”

Charlie smirks, “Begging, you say?”

Nick blushes, “Charles. Not here!” He hisses in a whisper.

“Let’s get this homework done, and when I’m satisfied you get parabolas… we can… sneak off?”

Within an hour, Nick is very familiar with parabolas. Exchanging cheeky glances, the boys walk briskly to their dorm room. The door doesn’t lock, so Nick jams a book under the door to wedge it closed.

“Hey,” Charlie says quietly, “are you sure you’re still okay to do this? After this morning?”

Nick sits on Charlie’s bed, pulling the younger boy down next to him, “I understand. Well. Not completely. But I understand enough. This is enough for us for now. Friends with benefits.”

Charlie climbs onto Nick’s lap, “You sure?”

Nick pulls Charlie in close to hug him, “I have a secret too.”

“Oh yeah?” Charlie murmurs quietly.

“When we met in the dorm on the first day, I knew exactly who you were. I’d noticed you before and thought you were smoking hot.”

“I did the same,” Charlie giggles.

“Dork,” Nick says, poking Charlie’s nose.

Charlie squeezes Nick tight, “I believe you’re about to be rewarded for learning your maths?”

Nick lies down and pulls Charlie with him, “Cuddling with you is a good reward.”

“Bullshit,” Charlie scoffs, “is that why you put that book under the door? So we could cuddle?”

“It’s a good start,” Nick giggles.

“If I touch you now, are you going to be hard already?” Charlie teases.

“…Maybe?” Nick says shyly.

“Sir, this is a random inspection,” Charlie says in a goofy deep voice, “I need to examine your package.”

“Why, of course,” Nick laughs, “for your perusal,” he says, unzipping his jeans.

Charlie slides his hand into Nick’s boxers and gives him a squeeze. Nick moans. “Hard, like I expected,” Charlie whispers. “Want more?”

Nick nods, “Mhhm.”

“Beg.” Charlie removes his hand, resting it on the outside of Nick’s thigh.

“Please,” Nick breathes, “Please touch me.”

“Mmm… Not sure you want it.” Charlie taps his fingers.

“I do…” Nick whines, “I really do, please, please.”

Charlie giggles and rolls over to be half lying on Nick, “When I stroked you last time, I felt your muscles tighten when I praised you. Did you know that you liked that?”

Nick blushes, “I guess… I thought everyone liked that?”

“You want to be told you’re doing well, don’t you?”

“Yes, please,” Nick bucks his hips slightly, “I want to be good.”

“Oh? You want to be good for me?” Charlie’s long fingers dance up and down Nick’s chest and to his tummy. “Are you good at following instructions?”

“I don’t know,” Nick swallows, crimson blush seeping into his cheeks and drowning his brain. “But I want to try.”

“You were so good, back there in the library, weren’t you? Persevering with all those hard equations?”

Nick nods, as words just aren’t coming to him.

“I think you deserve to come. But I want you to come really, really hard.”

Nick nods, dumb with lust.

“Do you know how you’re going to achieve that?” Charlie says, voice low.

Nick shakes his head.

“I’m going to edge you to within an inch of your life, and you’re not to come until I say so. Do you want to do that?”

“Please,” Nick’s wide brown eyes plead.

“Look at you,” Charlie says, pushing some of Nick’s fringe off his forehead, “your cheeks get so rosy.”

“I hate them,” Nick smiles shyly.

“Shh.” Charlie taps Nick’s lips, “no self-deprecating comments from you, mister.”

Nick nods, and then groans softly as Charlie’s hand slowly edges lower and lower.

“Get yourself undressed,” Charlie whispers, “and I’ll get some tissues so we don’t have a little mess like last time. Sound good?”

Nick eagerly shucks off his jeans and pants in one move while Charlie reaches into the bedside drawer to pull out a box of tissues. “Now, where were we? I think somebody is ready.”

“I am,” Nick whimpers.

“If you get too close, you must tell me.” Charlie’s voice is serious but quiet and soft.

“Promise,” Nick murmurs.

Licking his palm, Charlie gets to work with slow, languid strokes. Nick hums softly, breathing quickly in and out of his nose.

“Staying so quiet this time,” Charlie whispers, “you won’t be quiet when I’m done with you.”

Charlie continues, feeling the heat from Nick’s body radiating through the layers of their t-shirts, burning them both with a sizzle of desire.

“Feeling good?” Charlie asks. Nick tries to say yes but it comes out as a squeak.

“Too good? Shall I stop?”

“Not yet,” Nick pants, “I can take a little more.”

“Can you now?” Charlie strokes Nick faster, “you’re lasting very nicely.”

Nick moans, cock jumping at the praise. “Fuck, close, ah!”

Charlie stops, “Very good. You really do love being praised, don’t you?”

Nick hums his reply, and tries to even out his breathing.

“If I said you were a good boy, would you like that?” Charlie asks, hand hovering above Nick.

“No one’s ever called me that before,” Nick confesses, “but I think I like it. I like it because you’re saying it.”

“Do you now...” Charlie resumes touching Nick, “let’s try it and see if it gets you close, okay?”

“Please,” Nick bites his lip, closing his eyes tightly.

“I want you to let yourself get as close to the edge as you can, do you think you can do that for me?” Charlie rests his head right up against Nick’s ear.

“I’ll try,” Nick whimpers.

“That’s all I’m asking,” Charlie gives Nick a squeeze before twisting his grip slightly.

Continuing, Nick knows it’s going to be a struggle, having just nearly come. “It’s getting good again,” he whispers.

“Hold on for me, just a little longer,” Charlie whispers, “you’re doing so well.”

Nick moans softly.

“There’s a good boy,” Charlie says gently, “you’re following instructions perfectly.”

“Fuck…” Nick arches his back, “Charlie, I’m, fuck, I’m, nearly, nearly…”

Charlie removes his hand, “Very good.”

“Wanna come,” Nick whines, “please.”

“Not yet,” Charlie smiles to himself, realising he’s having far too much fun. A fire has lit in his own core, and hearing Nick begging is like having gasoline thrown on a bonfire. “You can take a little more teasing, I know you can.”

“I’ll take it,” Nick grips the sheets, “I’ll wait.”

“You’re doing so well,” Charlie teases Nick’s tip, rubbing it with his thumb. Nick squirms from how sensitive it is. Charlie’s hand drifts lower to play with Nick’s balls a little, “Do you like this?”

“Yeah,” Nick presses his head back hard, “wanna come, please, I need…”

“I promise you will,” Charlie whispers, “patience.”

“Trying…”

Charlie goes back to tugging Nick, flicking his tip very gently. He wraps one leg over Nick so he can press up against Nick. “Do you feel that?”

“Mhmm,” Nick nods.

“You’ve gotten me so hard, do you like that? Knowing how you make me feel?”

“Yeah I like it,” Nick babbles, “I like it so much,” he can’t help but moan as Charlie speeds up.

“Oh, there we go. Noisy, just like I like it,” Charlie whispers.

“Charlie, I, ah!” Nick thrusts into Charlie’s hand.

“Close again?” Charlie says, teasing in his voice.

“Yes! So close,” Nick gasps.

“Not yet, no you don’t,” Charlie pulls off.

“Please, I’m ready, I want, I,” Nick can’t string together a sentence.

“You’re doing a wonderful job,” Charlie trails his fingers under Nick’s t-shirt to play with his nipples, “I think you need a little break, just to cool off.”

Nick whines, but doesn’t complain.

Charlie checks his watch, “I have a time in mind. If you can last until then, you’ll have been a very, very good boy for me.”

Nick moans when Charlie pinches one of his nipples. “You can do it,” Charlie says.

“I’m aching to come,” Nick confesses.

“Awe,” Charlie goes back to stroking Nick, “but the longer we wait, the better it’ll feel. You know it’ll be worth it, right?”

“It’ll feel good now,” Nick clenches his jaw in response to a particularly good stroke of Charlie’s hand.

“But I want you to wait,” Charlie whispers, “we don’t have to, it’s your choice at the end of the day.”

“I want to be good,” Nick mumbles, “I’ll be good.”

“That’s what I thought,” Charlie presses himself harder against Nick, grinding his painfully hard erection. The experience is utterly intoxicating.

Nick feels his brain melting, trusting Charlie to know when he will get to come. The feeling of letting go and relying on Charlie to read his queues and make the decisions had him feeling all light and dizzy. “God, this is so fucking hot.”

“Thought so,” Charlie touches Nick and Nick moans, louder this time.

After a minute, Nick is moaning and begging again. “Please, please, please,” he chants, “I need it, I need it…”

Charlie lets go and Nick whimpers. He checks his watch. “We’re nearly there.”

“I can’t keep going,” Nick whimpers.

“Yes, yes you can,” Charlie whispers his encouragement, “you’re doing so well, I can feel how hard you are, do you want me to tell you how proud I am of you?”

“Please, anything,” Nick babbles.

“You’ve been so good, though you’ve complained a number of times, I think overall you have held on excellently. It’s going to feel so good when you finally come. When you come, are you going to moan nice and loudly for me?”

Nick’s mind is mush, “Yes, yes, yes…” he arches his neck over to face Charlie.

“Such a good boy, you’re going to last for me,” Charlie says gently, “and good boys get to come, don’t they?”

“Yes, please, please… I’m close, fuck!” Nick whines when Charlie lets go again.

“Last one,” Charlie whispers, “this time is the real deal. Are you ready to come hard? Come nice and loud?”

“Fuck, please, yes,” Nick is panting, sweaty, his whole body so hot and stretched like a rubber band about to snap.

“Good boy,” Charlie says gently, and rolls up slightly so he can snake his other hand up into Nick’s t-shirt to play with a nipple while he strokes him. “Almost?”

“Almost, fuck, I’m being so good,” Nick moans, “so good for you.”

“Yes you are,” Charlie says gently, “you can come now, I promise I won’t stop.”

“Oh, I’m, I, ah! I’m gonna, fuck!” Feeling Nick tensing his body, Charlie quickly pulls his t-shirt out of the way and strokes him as quickly as he can. Nick comes, hard. He’s moaning, shunting his hips, swearing, spine arched completely off the bed. “Still! Still coming!” He moans.

“Such a good boy,” Charlie strokes Nick until he’s sure Nick is totally saited.

Panting, Nick sighs. “Jesus fuck.”

“You okay? That was quite intense,” Charlie says, quickly mopping up the mess on Nick’s tummy.

“I’m… yes, so okay, just…”

“Come-dumb,” Charlie giggles, “you held on for so long, I’m genuinely impressed. Here, cuddle up close.”

Nick curls into Charlie’s chest, burrowing against the fabric of his top. “I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard in my life.”

“Definitely sounded like it,” Charlie stokes Nick’s sweaty hair.

“I’ve edged myself before, but I never have the self control to go for so long,” Nick mumbles, his eyes drifting shut.

Charlie pulls him in close and squeezes him tight. “I really hope that wasn’t too much. I think I got a little carried away.”

“Oh yeah?” Nick says sleepily, “I could feel how hard you were up against my thigh.”

“Yeah… I’ve actually… Never been so… I don’t know, direct? Bossy? Not with anyone.”

“You’re good at it,” Nick mumbles, “I felt safe.”

“That’s what’s important to me,” Charlie smells Nick’s hair.

“You haven’t come yet though,” Nick says, eyes still closed.

“Don’t worry about me. That was quite a lot, take your time to come back into your body. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”

“You’re wonderful,” Nick murmurs, “and I know I’m being stupid, but I still really want to kiss you. Sorry.”

Chapter Text

The boys spend the evening chatting and playing video games until it finally gets too late.

“Night,” Nick says from the top bunk.

“Night,” Charlie replies sleepily, pulling the covers up over his shoulder.

Despite the sunny day, there’s now a light pitter-patter of rain against the glass, and a gentle hum of the wind.

After midnight, Charlie is stirred from his sleep when the window bangs and then bangs again. Tap tap against the glass, looking over, he sees the light from a torch.

Quickly, he gets up to check it out, thankful that Nick sleeps like the dead. Unlocking his phone he sees two missed calls from Darcy and a string of unread text messages.

Yanking the wooden window latch, he opens the top half of the window near Christian’s bed and in the through the gap topples a damp Darcy.

“God you’re useless with your phone,” she says.

“It’s on ‘do not disturb’ at night,” Charlie whispers, “don’t wake up Nick.” He pulls her in for a hug. “What’s happened?”

“I just wanted to visit my special friend,” Darcy replies, but her fingers clutch tightly onto Charlie, and her head rests against his chest, unmoving.

“You’re okay,” Charlie whispers, and Darcy’s shoulders start to shake slightly.

“Can I sleep here with you?” Darcy doesn’t move, still holding him close and waiting for Charlie’s reply.

“Of course,” Charlie walks them both backwards towards his bed, “you get in first, I know you like the wall side.”

“You’re the best,” Darcy quickly yanks off her soaked hoodie. “Fuck, my t-shirt is soaked.”

“Here,” Charlie grabs a baggy sports t-shirt from where it's hanging over the end of his bed.

“Thanks,” Darcy strips off, and Charlie looks around in the dark to try and find her a pair of shorts. Her leggings are soaked.

“Boxers okay?” He whispers, holding up a pair of black striped boxer shorts, hesitant to pull open his squeaky wooden drawers.

“Perfect,” Darcy changes and slides herself under the covers.

“Wanna talk about it?” Charlie whispers, but Darcy just rolls towards his chest and shakes her head. “Just wanna sleep.”

Nick wakes up the next morning with a full bladder, so he sits up slowly so as to not shake the whole bunk, and heads to the loo. Lowering himself down, he sees an unfamiliar body in the bed below him, which gives him a fright. He stops himself from waking Charlie up to query the oddness of the situation when he realises who it is, and instead just watches the two of them, lying there fast asleep. Darcy’s messy blonde hair covers part of her face, and she’s snuggled right up against Charlie’s chest. Charlie has one arm draped around her shoulder.

Upon closer inspection, Nick notices that Darcy is wearing one of Charlie tops, and a sick feeling punches him in the gut. Quickly, he walks to the loo. Their arrangement was just so confusing. Why couldn’t Charlie just let him down gently, Nick wondered. There’s obviously something going on with Darcy, and Charlie is clearly not ready to come out. So why is he stringing Nick along? Nick huffs to himself. When they had talked on their run, Charlie had been so earnest about his feelings towards Nick, and yet…?

Nick tries to tell himself that he’s being ridiculous. Charlie has never once said that they were exclusive in whatever they are, why is he so cross? Memories of Charlie being the one cuddled up against Nick’s chest come flooding back, and Nick takes a deep breath again, forcing himself to forget.

But he can’t.

Arriving back at their room, he pauses before pushing the door open. Charlie is still peacefully asleep, dark hair fluffy and wild against his light yellow pillow case. Nick looks up and sees Darcy is sitting on the window seat, holding her stainless steel water bottle and looking out the window.

“Morning,” Nick says quietly, trying not to give her a fright.

“Hey Nick,” Darcy replies with a smile, “join me?”

“Sure,” Nick grabs his own water bottle, and sits cross legged across from her.

“So, I didn’t wake you up last night?” Darcy whispers.

“No,” Nick leans against the wall and closes his eyes. There is a glare to the sunshine today, clouds covering the sky.

“I just needed somewhere to stay, hope that’s okay. I did text Charlie but he’s useless with his phone.”

“Sure, sure,” Nick says, eyes still closed, “you okay?”

Darcy looks away, “Not really. It’s just quite complicated.”

“A burden shared is a burden halved, let me help?” Nick offers. His offer is seemingly selfless, hidden under the secret agenda of untangling his own web.

“Being a teenager is terrible,” Darcy announces.

“Mm,” Nick agrees. He waits patiently, perhaps she’ll reveal more.

“I…” Darcy hesitates, “Thanks, but it’s not something you can help with.”

“Is it about Charlie?” Nick guesses, voice low, “he’s crazy about you, you know.” Not entirely true, though is it, on account of him still being okay to mess about with me, Nick muses.

Darcy smiles weakly, “You don’t get it, do you? Charlie’s good.”

Nick furrows his brow, “He’s not said much, about you two. Sorry. I shouldn’t stick my nose in your business.” Charlie’s good? More cryptic words to add to the puzzle. Is there a secret here? “I’m happy to try and get it,” Nick says gently.

Darcy is about to start to talk, but then stops. “I’m sorry. I know you mean well, but it’s… it’s really, really complicated.”

“Who’s complicated?” Charlie asks from the bed, rolling over.

“Everything,” Darcy grumbles.

“Sleep okay?” Charlie asks, getting to his feet slowly and sleepily. His sleep shirt is stretched out, revealing his delicate collarbones, and his boxer shorts that are really quite sinfully short.

“I guess,” Darcy replies, “thanks for having me.”

Charlie walks over and sits next to Darcy, “Darcy just needed a friend last night, right?”

Darcy nods. “Can we go… talk?”

Nick realises he’s not the company they need right now. Another kick in the guts.

“I’ll go get breakfast and head to the library, you guys can have the room,” Nick says, getting to his feet.

He walks out of the room quickly, feeling a prickle of tears in the corner of his eyes. Why does he care? Charlie is allowed to have friends? Yeah, his inner monologue adds, pretty, female friends who come crawling into his bed in the middle of the night.

“Fuck sake,” Nick mumbles to himself, trying to regain some sense of control.

“Nick’s nice,” Darcy says.

“He seemed grumpy,” Charlie says glumly.

“It’s early,” Darcy says, “might have woken him up.”

“You want to talk now?” Charlie asks.

Darcy grabs her sweatshirt off the radiator, but it’s still damp so she balls it up. “I’m fucked, Charlie. Totally fucked. I’m absolutely head over heels in love with my roommate.”

“Oh.” Charlie tries to make regular eye contact, but everything inside is screaming at him to tell her about Nick.

“Oh?” Darcy repeats back sarcastically, “Is that the best you’ve got? Come on, I can’t have this happen. Not now. Not with three more years of school.”

“Sorry,” Charlie looks up, “I don’t know what to say. I mean, is there a chance she likes you back?”

“Well,” Darcy pulls her knees up to her chin, “yes? No? Maybe? I don’t know? It’s hard to tell. We get on so well, but if she cottons on to me liking her it’ll probably freak her out.”

“You still want to keep our arrangement? Me being your sporty, mysterious ‘almost’ boyfriend, for cover? What if it blows your chances with her?” Charlie is absolutely aware he’s projecting.

“I… look. We have a Halloween party coming up. Come with me. I want to just… see? See how it goes. Maybe then I’ll get the vibe of what’s going on, see if she asks me about you?” Darcy says hesitantly.

“Mind games are never a good idea,” Charlie says bluntly, “if she likes you, she’ll probably be really confused as to why we’re going together.”

“But if she doesn’t like me, then I can play it off like a joke because I’m there with you? People are… making comments about me again. At least if you make an appearance…?”

“It’ll squash the rumours, sure,” Charlie muses. “Yeah, I’ll go.”

“You’re still crushing on Nick.” Not a question, a statement of complete certainty.

“Absolutely,” Charlie blushes.

“Would he treat you differently? If he knew about you?” Darcy asks.

“No. He seems…. extremely open minded, really safe.” Please Darcy, Charlie begs internally, tell him, for me, tell him everything. “He’d be good with covering for us both, actually… if we ever needed it.”

“We don’t need it,” Darcy laughs, “he already told me you’re crazy about me.”

“Silly boy,” Charlie sighs, “we’re too good, that’s our trouble.”

“I do really appreciate you doing this for me. You know, the deal.”

Charlie lies down on the window seat, his head in Darcy’s lap. “Yep, I know.”

Nick spends the morning struggling through his biology report on ecological niches. Nothing is sticking, nothing is making sense, everything in his brain is stuck and gross and squelchy and crunchy.

A hand lands on his back, and Nick jumps. “Oi, you scared the daylights out of me.”

“Sorry,” Charlie takes a seat next to him. “She’s gone home.”

“Oh, okay. Was she okay?” Nick asks.

“I guess. I think so. How’s the project?” Charlie asks, sliding Nick’s laptop around.

“Terrible. I hate biology.” Nick crosses his arms and pouts.

“You’re cute when you’re grumpy,” Charlie says quietly, “look at that little grouchy face of yours.”

Nick blushes, heart racing immediately as the heat from within reaches the tips of his ears. “Oh, uh…”

“Don’t do any more study,” Charlie asks softly, “please?”

Completely flustered, Nick searches Charlie’s face for a clue or even a crumb of context, but is only met with a cheeky gleam in those deep blue eyes.

“Come play with me,” Charlie whispers, “... please.”

Nick manages to nod, and starts tidying up his school work, trying to not look like he’s frantically flustered.

Walking out of the library, Charlie nudges Nick, “I like how pink your cheeks get.”

“You’re…” Nick forgets how to string together a sentence, and just smiles at Charlie like an idiot, all the thoughts of confusion and pain now gone from his brain. Charlie likes him. Charlie wants him. Charlie is outright flirting with him. Again.

“What do you want to do?” Charlie asks, giving Nick a chance to think.

“Anything you want, we could… go for a walk?” This isn’t something Nick would normally suggest to any of his friends, but the suggestion falls from his lips before he can even think to filter it.

“Excellent plan,” Charlie pushes their bedroom door open, “just going to try and find a warm jumper. Darcy nicked off with mine.”

“Here,” Nick hands Charlie one of his hoodies, “you’ll look cute in it.” Trying his hand at flirting, Nick does his best to sound confident.

“What a gentleman,” Charlie smiles as he pulls the sweatshirt on.

Ten minutes later, Nick is holding the broken fence wire up so Charlie can climb under, and the two are making their way towards the domain, where they had last gone the other day with James.

Trudging down the path, Nick feels his hand twitch and instinctively reach towards Charlie’s hand, but pulls it back.

“You’re… being different today,” Charlie says eventually, “is it because Darcy stayed over?”

Nick nods, still looking down at the muddy path.

Charlie sighs, “I’m sorry. I wish I could explain.”

“Can you just tell me…” Nick wants to bite his tongue, but his brain keeps his mouth moving despite himself, “do you have an arrangement with her? Like us?”

Charlie shakes his head, “Arrangement?”

“So you’re not like…” Nick kicks a stone, “you’re not doing bits with us both, in a way where we both don’t know it, or something? Sorry, I’m just so confused, you just looked so cosy together this morning.”

Charlie smiles gently and reaches out to take hold of Nick’s hand, “No. I’ve never done anything with her before. It’s not like that.” Charlie stops, hoping he hasn’t said too much.

“Do you want to do stuff with her?” Nick knows he’s pushing it.

Charlie shakes his head, “I don’t. I promise. But can we leave it at that?”

“Just one more question,” Nick pleads, “does she know about us?”

Charlie grabs Nick’s other hand and looks him squarely in the eyes, “I would never, ever out you, or anyone else for that matter, but especially not you. I promise.”

“Okay, thanks. She’s your best friend though, isn’t she?” Knowing he’d said no more questions.

“Yes, she is.” Charlie pulls Nick in closer, pausing for a second, “but I really really like you. Can you live with that for now?”

“I can,” Nick pulls himself in closer, resting his arms over Charlie’s shoulders, “I like you too. I really, really like you, too.”

Charlie’s body burns with a desire to grab Nick by the face and kiss him, to answer his doubts with a simple action, but instead, he rests his head on Nick’s chest, and lets Nick hold him.

“Please,” Charlie whispers, “I know I can’t kiss you, but I want to try something else, if you’re okay with it?”

Charlie slots one of his legs between Nick’s thighs, pressing forward slightly. Nick’s head drops and he whimpers quietly, “What do you want to try?”

“Would you let me kiss another part of your body?” Charlie whispers.

“Oh fuck,” Nick breathes. Is Charlie asking to…

“We don’t have to,” Charlie says quietly, “but I really, really want to.”

Nick stutters, his body responding immediately to the suggestion. Part of him wants to beg Charlie to just kiss him instead, but he knows he needs to respect his boundaries, however bizarre they may seem to him.

“Is that a yes?” Charlie’s hands have made their way down the front of Nick’s top, pausing before going any lower.

“Yes,” Nick says, “but you don’t have to do this just to make me feel better, okay?”

“I’m not. I’ve been wanting to do this since that day in the shower,” Charlie smirks.

“Can we sit down first,” Nick says shyly, “I’m worried my legs will get all shaky.”

“That’s fair enough,” Charlie lets Nick lead the way as they both fall back onto the mossy ground.

“And I’m not going to last,” Nick almost whispers, “I’ve not done that…. for a long time, and even then, only a couple times before.”

“To be clear,” Charlie touches Nick’s face gently, “I’m asking if I can suck you off, just so we are on the same page.”

“Want me to pull your hair?” Nick asks with a cheeky grin.

“Absolutely.” Charlie moves his hands down to unzip Nick’s jeans, and Nick bites his lip to try and stop himself from making an embarrassing noise.

Once upon a time, Charlie would have done this begrudgingly, especially when his older ex-boyfriend had made it clear that this was just part of the package. Prior to this, the experience had been tainted by a need to perform. It was a compulsory job, never forced on him, but a job, nonetheless.

But for Nick? No, this was different. Charlie feels himself twitch in his pants, pulling Nick’s jeans down past his hips, and immediately pulling Nick out of his boxers. Starting with just a gentle and experimental lick, Nick whimpers and squirms at the warmth of Charlie’s tongue.

“Are you going to be able to stay still?” Charlie says, his tone playful and teasing with a hint of bossiness about it.

“Uhuh,” Nick can’t decide if he should keep watching the dark haired boy in his lap, or close his eyes so he might last a bit longer.

“You feel so good,” Charlie purrs as his tongue gets back to work, licking just the tip, before going lower to suck. Nick moans, breathy and desperate, and places one hand in Charlie’s hair, weaving his fingers between the locks.

“Mmm, like that,” Charlie pops off to say, “a little harder, if you want.”

Nick can only manage a nod before he’s moaning again, set alight by not just how good it feels, but by how fucking eager Charlie is. The intimate dance of his tongue, burning fresh stripes of pleasure that shoot straight up Nick’s body and zap him to his core, it starts to feel good, far too good, far too quickly.

“Charlie, fuck, I, ah!” Nick pulls Charlie up by the crown of his head, and Charlie meets Nick’s wide eyes with a smile.

“You aren’t ready to come yet?” Charlie guesses.

“Oh, I was about to, I just didn’t know if you were okay with me coming in your mouth,” Nick finds himself blushing, despite the fact that Charlie has now seen him orgasm on multiple occasions.

“Awe,” Charlie’s eyes soften, “no one has ever cared to ask me if I minded before.”

“Well it tastes kind of gross,” Nick giggles, “like I know they say spitters are quitters, but it's kind of like salty snot!”

“Thank you!” Charlie laughs, “Finally! Someone who gets it!”

“Like doing it? Sucking a cock? Any day of the week,” Nick chuckles, “but the taste!”

“The texture,” Charlie shakes his head, doing an exaggerated full body shiver. “Well, if you don’t mind, I am going to suck you off properly, and then spit straight into the grass.”

“Perfectly fine by me, I don’t even have to finish in your mouth, for all I care.”

“I want you to,” Charlie smirks up at Nick who lets out a shuddery breath, “now yank my hair hard, but don’t you dare thrust down my throat.”

The bossy tone of Charlie’s command makes Nick’s tummy clench. Despite the break to talk about swallowing, Nick feels the pressure building up rapidly again.

Charlie finds himself lost in the sensation of being so close to Nick, his nose pressed into his soft belly, breathing in his scent. Each stroke of his tongue and dip of his head causes Nick to gasp and whimper. Even if he can’t kiss Nick’s lips, he can enjoy doing this to the fullest. Tasting as much of Nick as he possibly can, Nick’s muscles start to tense and shake.

“Right there, right there,” Nick pulls Charlie’s hair hard, squeezing his eyes closed, but he’s unable to hold back his orgasm at the thought of his lips touching Charlie’s.

Chapter Text

“Everyone will be back soon.” Charlie has climbed onto the top bunk and snuggled himself next to Nick.

“I’m going to miss this so much,” Nick holds Charlie tight, his fingers dancing up and down the smaller boy's forearm. “I’m going to miss being so close with you.”

“This last week, it just feels like everything has changed,” Charlie breathes deeply, feeling his body relaxing in Nick’s embrace, “I kind of don’t want it to end.”

Nick doesn’t respond to that, and instead just squeezes Charlie slightly tighter, as if holding him close enough might ease the ache at the bottom of his heart.

“Wanna hear a secret?” Nick says quietly, his breath tickling the back of Charlie’s neck gently.

“I always want to hear your secrets,” Charlie says back, wiggling his bum to shuffle into the position of the little spoon.

“When you sucked me off at the domain, it was the first time I’ve done that with a boy. Well, I mean the first time a boy has done that to me.”

“Your ex didn’t…?” Charlie starts.

“Nope,” Nick shakes his head slightly.

“But you said you don’t like the taste, so you…?” Charlie continues.

“Yep,” Nick huffs and laughs a little.

“Selfish prick, if you don’t mind me saying,” Charlie sighs, “I’m so glad I got to do that for you. You’ll never know how much it meant to me that you gave a shit about whether I swallowed or not, you know, that you even checked in with me.”

“Well, I just think consent is important,” Nick says matter of factly, “wouldn’t be right to assume you were okay to swallow, or whatever, in my opinion.”

“You really are the dream guy, aren’t you, Nicholas Nelson?” Charlie muses.

Nick’s heart swells. Then let me, I’d be that for you.

“I want to return the favour,” Nick says quietly, “if you’d let me.”

“I don’t want you to think of it like that though,” Charlie says softly, “you don’t owe me one.”

“Okay,” Nick lets his head rest against Charlie’s shoulder, inhaling deep, “now who’s the dream guy?”

Nick dreams of Charlie.

Waking up, he’s still holding Charlie, but his arm underneath the smaller boy is completely dead. Gently, trying not to rouse him, he shuffles his arm free.

“Nick,” Charlie mumbles.

“Yeah?”

Charlie doesn’t respond. He’s still asleep.

“You’re so beautiful when you sleep,” Nick whispers, “I care about you so much. I just want you to be happy, I want you to feel safe. I hate that we have to hide who we are.”

Charlie sighs, whining as he rolls slightly.

“You’re okay,” Nick says gently, “keep sleeping.”

Nick’s heart aches, that yearning and burning spreading through his being. What would it be like for Charlie to be his? His to hold, his to love, his to care for, his to kiss. In a day, both of their roommates and all the other students will be back, and their precious time alone together will be gone.

Christian comes running up the stairs, bursting into the room. “It’s goooooood to be back!” He throws three large plastic Tesco bags on his bed, “I brought us all treats!”

“Christian!” Charlie says, putting down his book. He walks over and gives him a very platonic ‘bro hug’, complete with a slap on the back.

Nick jumps down off the top bunk, “Mate! What’s all this?!”

“Well, I heard there’s going to be a secret Halloween party, and I’ll be damned if we miss out.”

Isaac walks into the room, just in time to add, “Party? Honestly, no thanks, but I’ll cover for you guys.”

“You’re a legend,” Christian sighs, sitting down. “So you guys get up to any mischief while we were away?”

Nick and Charlie make eye contact before quickly looking away, “We stole porn from Mr Ajayi and got stoned,” Nick blurts out.

“You?!” Christian belly laughs, “Finally!”

“He got baked,” Charlie laughs, “and yeah, Darcy came over a couple of times, it was her idea to break into Mr Ajayi’s room.”

“Where’s the porn?” Isaac asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Tada,” Nick opens the drawer under Charlie’s bed, pulling out the collage of dick cut-outs. “Dicks!”

“That’s actually incredible,” Christian gasps, having a closer look, “Jesus, that’s a monster cock!”

“Halloween party,” Charlie says, clapping his hands, “I’ve already got an invite, do you want me to see if I can sort invites for you both?”

“Actually,” Christian smirks, “I may have been talking to a girl, and she’s friends with the girl hosting the event. We can come as long as we bring booze.”

“Hence the Tesco bags,” Nick nods, “right, that makes sense.”

“And…” Christian pulls out his suitcase and throws it open, “I got us all these goofy off brand Mario costumes.”

The costumes are labelled ‘Italian Plumber’.

Charlie just shakes his head, “You think you’re going to get lucky dressed in that?”

“I could get lucky dressed in a paper bag,” Christian laughs, brushing his blonde hair out of his eyes.

“I’ll believe it when I see it!” Nick sniggers, “Okay! Italian plumbers! I’m so excited for this now!”

After the first morning run of the new term, Nick and Charlie head back up to the showers. “Do you want to…?” Nick looks down at Charlie and bites his lip nervously.

“Fuck yes,” Charlie breathes, “we bloody earnt it.”

Checking all the cubicles for any rogue students, Charlie pulls Nick into the end cubicle, “I’ve missed this.”

“Me too,” Nick pants, yanking off his clothes, “so much.”

“You better be fast for me,” Charlie whispers, “we don’t know how much time we have.”

“When am I not fast for you?” Nick whispers back, but then whimpers a little moan as Charlie’s hand slides down the front of his shorts, giving him a little squeeze.

“Everything off,” Charlie whispers, “make it snappy.”

Nick yanks his shorts and pants off, throwing them in a pile on the white tiled floor. Charlie shucks his clothes off as well, and then presses Nick against the wall of the shower.

“Cover your mouth if you need,” Charlie says quietly, “otherwise, be very quiet.”

Nick manages a nod, and then squeezes his eyes shut tightly as Charlie gives his cock a tentative stroke. “Talk to me,” Nick begs, “just talk a little, then I’ll be fast.”

“Demanding, aren’t we?” Charlie says with an evil grin.

Nick just nods, breathing heavier now.

“Alright, I’ll talk to you. I love touching you, and playing with your cock. You get so nice and hard for me, don’t you?”

Nick nods once, panting already.

“You like me telling you that you’re being so good for me.”

Nick nods again, “More, please.”

“I can’t stop thinking about sucking you off the other day, how gorgeous you looked, right on the edge, trying to hold back for me. Watching you come and thinking about you coming gets me so. Fucking. Hard.” Charlie jerks Nick slightly faster. Nick whimpers quietly.

“Are you going to be a good boy and come nice and quietly for me?”

Nick slaps a hand over his mouth and nods.

“Such a good boy,” Nick can’t even respond, so he just shunts his hips forward, trying to increase the friction against his cock. He’s close. He’s so close already.

“You want to come? Is that right?” Charlie says quietly, whispering into Nick’s ear. Nick can feel his shoulders pressing hard back against the cold tiles, and he whimpers and nods again.

“You’re allowed to come,” Charlie says, “come nice and hard for me, come now.” Charlie trails his other hand up to pinch Nick’s left nipple, and then thumbs the tip of Nick’s cock lightly.

Nick can’t hold back. He doesn’t want to hold back. Holding his breath to stop himself from screaming, his body burns with desire, reaching a crescendo. The orgasm rinses his brain, scrubbing away the ache in his heart for a moment, his only thoughts are Charlie, Charlie, Charlie.

Nick has made a complete mess of himself, now covered in come, and has also managed to cover Charlie’s hand and Charlie’s stomach as well.

“Well done,” Charlie whispers. Nick heaves a deep gulp of air, falling forward and holding Charlie tight. The naked embrace is a level of intimacy completely indescribable, as Nick clings to Charlie while his brain reboots.

“Want to do you next,” Nick whispers, “let me suck you off.”

Charlie turns on the shower to start giving them both a rinse, when the main door to the shower hall opens with a bang.

Nick lifts one finger to his mouth, eyes wide and nervous.

The footsteps walk to the toilet cubicles, and a minute later, someone is washing their hands. The main door bangs again as they leave.

“Don’t worry about me,” Charlie whispers, “I don’t want us getting caught.”

“But…” Nick starts, and Charlie just smiles. “Do you know how much it means to me that you’re so willing? It’s so fucking hot.”

The night of the Halloween party, Nick, Charlie and Christian are all a bundle of nerves. “I don’t want to get in trouble,” Nick giggles.

“You’ll be fine, when have they ever checked on us after lights out? It’s a random Tuesday, no one will suspect a thing.”

Nick helps Christian pack the bottles of liquor into a duffel bag, cushioning shirts and jumpers between each bottle so they don’t clang.

“Outfits to go,” Charlie says, sliding the ridiculous Not-Mario trademark infringing costumes into his backpack, “we are going to look so fucking stupid.”

“Nonsense,” Isaac looks up from his book, comfortably nestled into his favourite window seat spot, “the whole point of a halloween party is that everyone looks fucking stupid. You’ll fit right in.”

Nick slides the duffel bag and Charlie’s backpack under Christian’s bed, “We’ll be fine. Just gotta sneak out.”

“Can’t be that hard,” Charlie says, voice eager, “Darcy did it twice in the break, I’m sure we’ll manage just fine.”

Four hours later, Isaac is holding the old wooden window open as Christian tries gracefully to manoeuvre his body out through the tiny gap.

“It’s tight,” he huffs, “but we’ll manage.” He steps out onto the grate, and Nick passes him the duffel bag of alcohol and Charlie’s backpack.

“You’ve got this,” Charlie whispers, “it’s all up here.” Charlie taps his head and gives Nick a reassuring smile and thumbs up.

“Shit,” Nick hisses, “it feels so high up.”

“You’re alright mate,” Christian holds the other side of the window while Nick squeezes his wide shoulders through.

Charlie slides out last, and Isaac slowly lowers the window. “Thanks again Isaac.”

“You kids have fun,” Isaac says with a cheeky grin, “don’t mix your drinks, buddy up if you do drugs, and wrap your willy if you’re going to get silly.”

“Whatever, Dad,” Charlie teases back, “owe you one.”

The fact that Sahar Zahid, a girl in Darcy’s year at school, had managed to pull off hosting a party without her parents cottoning on was nothing short of a miracle. Dozens of kids were traipsing down the road, changing into their costumes on the footpath, mixing bottles of liquor with bottles of fizzy drink.

Nick, Charlie and Christian duck behind a bush to sort themselves out. The blue overalls are cheap polyester, and the goofy hats are all just slightly too big, but the effect of the three matching lads is quite striking. “One for good luck?” Christian asks, holding out the bottle of tequila and a small shot glass.

“Go on then,” Charlie laughs. They take shots of the nasty budget Tesco tequila, coughing as it burns a path all the way down to their stomachs.

“Blech,” Nick wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Taste bad?” Charlie says with a smirk.

In the house, Darcy finds the boys and introduces them to her friends. Christian quickly slinks off to look for someone, leaving Nick and Charlie to mingle. Darcy introduces them both to her roommate Tara and other schoolmate Elle. Foolishly, Charlie agrees to do shots with Darcy, which ends in them both feeling a little ill.

“I’m wasted,” Darcy giggles, pulling Charlie in close by his shoulders, “are you ready to make a convincing performance as my sort-of boyfriend?”

“Performance?” Charlie squeaks, “I don’t know about that?”

The pop music blares, and Darcy sways with Charlie, “You don’t have to kiss me,” she slurs. “Just lean in close and whisper sweet nothings in my ear.”

“Fine,” Charlie giggles, leaning in right up close so their chests are touching as they sway, “the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.”

“Mmmm,” Darcy sniggers, “yeah, talk science to me you little nerd.”

“Antimony, arsenic, aluminium, selenium,” Charlie whispers.

“Fuck off,” Darcy giggles.

“Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and rhenium,” Charlie smirks, putting a strand of hair behind Darcy’s ear.

Nick looks over at the two, swaying to the music, giggling and whispering together. The shots of tequila have gone straight to his head, and that ache in his heart has grown. Don’t be a coward, he thinks to himself. Striding over, he places a hand on Charlie’s shoulder lightly, “Hey.”

“Oh, hey!” Charlie spins around.

“Come with me, I gotta show you something,” Nick says. He then looks over at Darcy, “We’ll be right back.”

“What?” Charlie giggles, letting Nick drag him out of the lounge and up the stairs.

“Wait, wait,” Nick says, banging on a door. He opens the door, drags Charlie in and presses him against the wall.

Charlie looks at him, utterly confused.

“I need to suck your cock. Please, please let me,” the words tumble out of Nick’s mouth before his tipsy brain can filter.

“Oh my, fuck, yes, please,” Charlie can’t string a sentence together.

Upon hearing his confirmation, Nick fumbles with the silly Velcro on the dress ups, yanking the straps down, falling to his knees and pressing his mouth against Charlie’s stomach, licking and nosing the skin as his hands work to quickly pull Charlie’s overalls and pants down.

If he can’t kiss Charlie’s mouth, then he’ll sure as hell go to town on him below the belt.

Charlie groans and tilts his head up, closing his eyes. He leans back against the wall and trembles at the sensation of Nick’s hot breath on his cock. All of a sudden, Nick’s mouth is on him, and it’s so much better than he’s ever imagined. Flicking his tongue, using his hand to work where he can’t quite reach, Nick sucks Charlie off with a reverence and ferocity that neither of the boys have experienced before.

Charlie groans louder, unable to hold back. “Fuck, Nick, your mouth, oh my fuck, you’re so good with your mouth, oh my god, I can’t, I can’t, it feels so good, fuck, so fast.” Charlie pants and strokes Nick’s hair gently to affirm him.

Nick feels his brain floating, tethered to the earth only at where his knees hit the floor boards, where his mouth engulfs Charlie, and where his fists grasp and knead Charlie’s backside. He sucks Charlie like he wishes he could kiss him; wet, with as much tongue as he can manage, without even pausing to catch his breath. Charlie is whining and praising him creating a feedback loop, causing Nick to suck harder, flick his tongue faster, and grip Charlie’s cock and stroke him desperately.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck,” Charlie chants, trying desperately not to give into the animalistic desire to thrust into Nick’s mouth.

The door bangs open.

Darcy steps in, looks down, and makes direct eye contact with Nick who pops off Charlie and falls backwards onto his arse.

“Shit,” Nick curses, “it’s not, it’s not…” Charlie quickly tucks himself into his boxers. “Jesus, Darcy.” Darcy closes the door quickly.

Darcy smiles so wide that her eyes crinkle, and she gives Nick a thumbs up and raises her drinks, “Cheers to the queers.”

“Please,” Nick breathes, “I’m not out, please…”

“Hey, I’m a lesbian. Your secret is safe with me. I’m going to go and try and get lucky, sorry for barging in. You boys have fun now.”

With that, Darcy turns on her heels and leaves the room.

“Holy shit,” Nick’s head falls into his hands.

“You okay?” Charlie sits down next to him, “She won’t tell a soul, you’ll be okay.”

“Holy shit,” Nick repeats, “we just got fucking walked in on. Caught red handed. Or something. Your cock in my mouth!”

“Honestly, of all the people at this party, Darcy is the best case scenario,” Charlie says gently.

“Lock that door,” Nick laughs, “I couldn’t live with someone else coming in.” Charlie reaches over and clicks the lock. “So you were her cover, and she was yours…” Charlie swears he can almost see the wheels turning as Nick mulls over the new information.

“I couldn’t tell her about us without outing you,” Charlie whispers.

“I appreciate that so much,” Nick looks deep into Charlie’s eyes.

“Cat’s out of the bag,” Charlie says, before looking down and giggling.

“Charlie?” Nick reaches out to touch Charlie’s hand, linking their pinkies.

“Yeah?” Charlie gently tubs Nick’s hand back.

“Please. Will you please let me kiss you now?” Nick pleads.

“Yeah,” Charlie breathes, leaning forward to close the space.

Tentatively, Nick leans forward, looking down at Charlie’s perfect lips, “Nothing has to change, but I can’t go one more minute without kissing you.”

Charlie nods, and reaches his hand up to hold onto the back of Nick’s neck, “Don’t you think the kiss is the point of no return?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Nick breathes, lips so close to Charlie’s that he can feel the warmth from the other boy's skin.

“Nothing,” Charlie says.

“The point of no return for me was when I realised I liked you. I really, really like you,” Nick confesses.

“Fuck it, embrace the point of no return,” Charlie whispers.

When their lips meet, the poles of magnets couldn’t have a stronger pull. Immediately, their bodies move in sync, lips, tongues, hands, fingers grasping, breath held and then gasping. Nick groans as he feels Charlie’s hands digging into his bicep, and he laces his fingers though Charlie’s hair to tug on his curls, just a little.

Coming up for air, the kiss reignites, and Nick moves against the wall, pulling Charlie onto his lap. Charlie rests his knees either side of Nick’s thighs, pressing in closer, tasting, feeling his body melt into Nick’s. Charlie kisses Nick’s neck, causing the older boy to gasp and shiver in delight. “You like that?” Charlie checks.

“Fuck yeah,” Nick whispers, moving his head to one side to help Charlie kiss him again.

“Message received,” Charlie flicks his tongue, tasting the salty skin and breathing in Nick’s scent.

“What were you whispering to Darcy about when you were dancing?” Nick murmurs.

“Just talking about science,” Charlie giggles, giving Nick’s collarbone a playful bite.

“Ah,” Nick gasps, “tell me something sciencey?”

Charlie pauses and looks up, “Did you know if you melt a magnet, at about 80 degrees, it never works again?”

Nick lets his head fall forwards, pressing their foreheads together. “Okay, I changed my mind, no more science talk, just kiss me again.”

Chapter Text

Charlie moves in Nick’s lap, bringing both the boys chest to chest. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Charlie whispers.

“Keep kissing me,” Nick pulls Charlie’s hair slightly, letting his fingers gently dig into the dark haired boy’s scalp.

A minute or so later, Charlie feels his hips subconsciously grinding into Nick, they’re both clearly hard.

Nick smirks, taking a breath as they break the kiss. “Now before Kermit-Darcy burst in on us, I believe I had been quite busy doing something…”

Charlie whimpers as his head falls onto Nick’s shoulder, “Please.”

“Pent up, are we?” Nick chuckles.

“Just a little,” Charlie blushes, “I was actually pretty close before so this whole break has given me a chance to calm down.”

“Well then,” Nick shifts Charlie back, “stand up, I want to do this on my knees.”

“Oh fuck,” Charlie whimpers quietly, shuffling to his feet awkwardly. His overalls are still hanging down, and Nick gives his bulge a teasing squeeze through the fabric.

“No teasing,” Charlie groans, leaning back against the wall, “please.”

“Give me a tap before you come?” Nick asks, hands already finding their way to the waistband of Charlie’s underwear.

“Gladly,” Charlie’s head swims. Excitement, emotion, hormones and joy, having just snogged Nick silly, the sight of Nick now on his knees, gazing up at him is just everything.

“Why does this feel like…more now?” Nick says, almost to himself.

“Because it is more?” Charlie replies gently, giving Nick’s hair a gentle pet. “I’m so done with pretending.”

“Before, when I was sucking you, I guess it felt like it was as close to kissing you as I’d ever get,” Nick admits, blushing deeper as he pulls Charlie’s cock out of his pants.

“You suck cock so well,” Charlie says, “and I’m not just saying that.”

“Probably because I was sucking hard as all I wanted to do was kiss you,” Nick puts his fist around Charlie, and Charlie makes an embarrassing whining noise.

“Then get to it,” Charlie gives Nick’s hair a gentle tug.

Dipping his head down to get to work, Nick sucks Charlie’s tip, licking around the head before sucking hard and sinking lower so his mouth reaches where his fist is pumping Charlie’s cock.

“Oh God,” Charlie sighs, leaning his head back against the wall with a thud, knowing just the sight of Nick sucking him will speed up the whole experience. And he wants so much for this to last more than thirty seconds. “It feels so fucking good, please don’t stop.”

Nick smiles to himself, sucking a little harder and flicking his tongue as he pulls up, sinking back down and moving his hand faster in sync. A sense of pride causes his heart to swell, feeling Charlie’s body trembling, hearing his breath speed up.

“Oh fuck,” Charlie curses. “I’m already close, I’m already close…”

Nick instinctively slows down, determined to help draw the orgasm out. At the end of the day, Charlie had gotten him off more times than he had, not that Charlie would ever complain. But with the other day in the shower when they’d been interrupted, and then before with Darcy bursting in, there’s no doubt in Nick’s mind that Charlie not only deserves to come, but deserves to come hard. The thought of having the opportunity to hear Charlie begging makes Nick’s heart race and stomach clench.

Slowing right down, Charlie instinctively bucks his hips forward to chase the building sensation that’s just not quite enough. “Please,” Charlie whimpers, “wanna come, wanna come so bad.”

Nick lifts up, “And you will, I promise. Be patient for me, okay?”

Nick has no idea where this bossy side has come from, perhaps the thought of giving Charlie a taste of his own medicine, of edging him back is thrilling, or maybe it’s just the knowledge that forcing Charlie to wait will make the orgasm so much more satisfying.

Charlie nods, hands gently stroking Nick’s hair in encouragement. Nick feels Charlie’s thighs trembling, and the breathy little moans he’s been letting out are slowly becoming louder and louder, less and less stifled.

“Close,” Charlie whispers, “so fucking close.”

Nick speeds up, deciding perhaps there will be another chance to properly edge him, preferably when they aren’t at a house party where they could get caught at any moment, and also when they aren’t both dressed as Generic Italian Plumbers.

Charlie holds his breath as the feeling of his orgasm building grows and grows in his lower belly, muscles spasming, clenching his jaw. Nick’s clever tongue is causing sparks of pleasure to reverberate through his entire body, as the growing heat seems to have no upper limit.

“Almost,” Charlie chokes out. Nick moves his hand faster and Charlie knows this is the end. Slapping a hand over his mouth, he comes hard, focusing all his energy on not thrusting down Nick’s throat. He whimpers, moans, keens and shakes, coming so hard he feels himself becoming slightly lightheaded.

Nick licks and sucks until Charlie twitches from overstimulation, and then quickly gets up, walking over to a bedside table where a box of tissues sits, pulls out a few sheets and then spits. Charlie sighs and slides down the wall to sit on the floor, pants still around his thighs.

“Sorry I just…” Nick says, wiping his mouth.

“Hey, doesn’t bother me one bit,” Charlie smiles, “literally could not complain at all, that was fucking phenomenal.”

“Kiss me?” Nick asks, walking back over to sit next to Charlie. “Actually, maybe put your cock away first.”

Stumbling back into the party, Nick and Charlie quickly find a bathroom to wash their hands and face, before giving each other a cheeky grin. “Better go find Christian, it’s almost 3 AM,” Nick says.

Turning a corner, Christian has his arms around a pretty redhead girl with a flower crown wearing sunflower pants, dressed as a hippie. The two of them are making out intensely, Christian holding her and pressing her up against the hallway wall. “Do we… barge in?” Charlie giggles.

“Suppose we have to?” Nick laughs, “Otherwise we’ll need to leave him here.”

Darcy comes running over, stumbling a little. “Hello, pals.”

“Hey,” Nick smiles awkwardly, “thanks… for before… we’ve talked.”

Darcy raises an eyebrow, clearly thinking for a moment and then laughs. “Happy for you, lad.”

“And… you?” Charlie asks quietly.

“No luck yet,” Darcy sighs, “but… we’ll see.”

“We’ve got to try and separate those two,” Nick says, gesturing to Christian and the redhead with a nod.

“Oh Jesus,” Darcy laughs. “Looks like two bears fighting over a salmon.”

“I can’t look away,” Charlie deadpans.

“Straights,” Darcy sighs

“Oi! She could be bi! Or pan!” Nick says, shouldering Darcy.

“True. Well, leave it to me. Oi! Katie! Katie Pie! I need to piss! Come with me! Come to the toilet!”

The redhead looks up and gives Christian a shrug, “Duty calls, I’ll see you around?”

Christian unlocks his phone and shows her his Snapchat QR code, which she quickly scans.

Nick laughs so hard he turns away to cover his mouth, “Holy shit!”

“Christian’s got game!” Charlie laughs, “Yes lad!”

Christian saunters over, “And that, my boys, is how you do it.”

“Cut it out,” Nick laughs, punching Christian in the arm.

The boys walk down the dark streets, and then try their best to drunkenly climb the fire escape back up the third floor as quietly as they can. Isaac has thankfully left the window open, opting to sleep in a cold room and sacrifice his own warmth.

“We owe Isaac, majorly,” Christian says, squeezing through the window.

“Agreed,” Charlie adds, passing his bag through after him.

“Did you guys have fun?” Christian asks, “Swear I hardly saw you two.”

“Oh yeah, got talking to old friends,” Nick laughs.

“Did you have any luck with Kermit?” Christian asks Charlie with a wicked grin.

“I….” Charlie looks at Nick who gives him the tiniest nod, “I couldn’t possibly say, a gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“Nice,” Christian pats Charlie on the back. “Right, well I’m fucked.”

Climbing onto the top bunk, Nick gives Charlie a little smile. “Night.” Charlie smiles back and gives him a nod.

Tucking himself under the duvet, Nick feels his heart ache a little. Whilst he’s over the moon about kissing the boy of his dreams, a part of him desperately wants to just climb into Charlie’s bed and snuggle up close, feeling Charlie's soft hair pressed against his chin as they spoon. Opening his phone, he sends Charlie a text. “Wish I could cuddle you. Sending you a big snuggle over the airwaves.”

Charlie reaches for his phone and taps a reply back, “I can almost feel the snuggle. Thank you for everything tonight. ❤️”

Nick grins to himself, gazing up at the ceiling. He considers that this is the first heart emoji Charlie has sent him. The reality of how silly it is to be swooning over an emoji is obvious to Nick, but he can’t wipe the silly smile off his face. He taps a reply of the same emoji, hopefully the first of many, before rolling over and falling asleep.

The next morning, Isaac turns on the main light and the three other boys groan collectively.

“Up, or Mr Ajayi will know something is up with you, we’re going to be late as it is,” Isaac shakes Christian’s bed slightly, before walking over to make sure the window is locked securely.

“Ugh,” Christian rolls over, “I need a cordial and some ibuprofen.”

“Here,” Charlie sits up and throws his backpack onto Christian’s bed, it lands with a thud. “Help yourself.”

Nick sits up and rubs his eyes, and then instantly feels a giddy joy fill his heart. Last night was real. He had kissed Charlie Spring, right on the lips.

Charlie climbs out of bed. “I stink,” he laughs, “quick shower?”

Christian nods, “On my way.”

Nick suddenly has the energy to climb down from the bunk, “I’ll come too.”

“You three better be fast. We have less than fifteen minutes to make it to breakfast on time.”

Charlie scoops up his folded uniform from the end of his bed, and waits at the door while Christian and Nick scramble to find all the things they need.

Walking into the shower block as a group of three, Nick gives Charlie a cheeky nudge, and the two of them exchange a silent conversation with their eye contact.

As they shower, the boys chat and laugh. “And then!” Christian laughs, “She squeezed my arse! I’m telling you, our chemistry was off the charts.”

“Yeah, you basically had your tongue down her throat,” Charlie turns off the water and bends at the waist to give his hair a quick towel dry.

“She liked me,” Christian laughs, pulling the shower curtain back and walking out with his towel around his waist.

“But has she messaged you?” Nick teases. “Proof is in the pudding.”

“No proof required, I think I’m going to take a leaf out of young Charles’s book here, not going to kiss and tell,” Christian says.

“Whatever,” Nick walks out, waiting for Charlie with Christian, “you literally just told us all about it, hardly not kissing and telling!”

Isaac sticks his head in, “Oi, quit chatting! We’re so late!”

Charlie comes out last, hair damp and all sticking up, “Either way, glad you had fun.”

Running down the stairs to the dining hall, the boys quickly find themselves a spot with two minutes to spare. Mr Ajayi walks in a moment later.

“I bet he knows,” Charlie whispers, “he looks so fucking grumpy today.”

“No one says a word, okay?” Christian hisses.

“On my life,” Nick says seriously, before wiggling his eyebrows.

“You guys are so unhinged,” Isaac chuckles, thumbing through his novel.

Mr Ajayi doesn’t bring up the party, but instead sits at his own table rather than with the other head teacher, glaring at his phone.

“He really does look grumpy, but maybe sad?” Charlie says, taking another bite of his cold toast.

“Hope he’s okay,” Nick says, looking over as subtly as he can.

Walking to lessons, Charlie gives Mr Ajayi a friendly smile, “Morning Sir.”

“Hi Charlie,” Mr Ajayi gives Charlie a weak smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Yeah,” Nick says a moment later, “Sir is going through it.”

After lessons, the boys gather in the common room to watch the football and sit on their phones. A few of the guys are whispering and talking in hushed tones.

“What’s going on?” Nick asks, sitting down by Christian.

“Well,” Christian looks around nervously, “James said Mr Ajayi was crying on the phone, he overheard him talking to someone.”

Nick bites his lip, “What do you think is the matter?”

“Who’s to say?” Christian goes back to scrolling his phone.

Nick makes eye contact with Charlie who has been sitting on the carpet across from the couch. “Should we… do something?”

Charlie nods once.

Quickly ducking into room 312, Charlie opens his snack drawer under the bed and pulls out a bar of chocolate and a packet of crisps. Nick and Charlie then walk to Mr Ajayi’s room and knock on his door, waiting for a moment.

Mr Ajayi answers the door, eyes slightly puffy, “Hi boys, now isn’t really a good time, is everything okay?”

“Sir,” Nick starts, “you seem a little down, so we wanted to bring you some snacks. I know you’re our teacher, but we do care about you, and we just hope you’re okay. You were there for me with my brother being… well, being a dick to me, so I just wanted to return the favour.”

Nick holds out the treats, and Mr Ajayi takes them. He sighs, looking down at the snacks and back up at the boys. “This is… unbelievably sweet, actually.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?”Charlie asks.

“I…” Mr Ajayi rubs the back of his head, “someone must have broken into my room in the break, because I’m missing some… items. I’m just very concerned. It feels like my privacy has been violated, and… I’m worried.”

Nick swallows. “Oh, that’s no good, what’s missing?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mr Ajayi says, looking away, “Never you mind. Thanks for the gesture.”

Closing the door, Charlie looks over at Nick, mouthing ‘oh fuck.’

The boys go back to their room and sit on Charlie’s bed.

“He thinks someone’s going to out him, all because we stole his gay porn,” Charlie says, leaning into Nick.

“Not sure what we’re meant to do,” Nick sighs, “he’s probably scared the school will find out, or that the boys are talking about him.”

“God, I feel like such an idiot,” Charlie huffs. “How could we be so stupid? So careless? He’s not just a dumb kid like us, this is his job for Christ’s sake.”

“Likewise,” Nick shakes his head, “He’s probably just waiting for someone to out him now.”

“I should have just told him just now, you know, that it was me,” Charlie says, eyes welling up.

“No,” Nick sighs, “you’d get expelled.”

“True,” Charlie leans onto Nick, “but I’ve got to fix this.”

“Please don’t get yourself into trouble, just because you’re feeling guilty,” Nick pleads.

“It’s not about that, Nick,” Charlie says, leaning back against the wall. “We’ve hurt someone. We’ve hurt a fellow queer.”

Nick nods. Charlie is right, and the guilt starts to seep in. What must it feel like to think you’re going to be outed at your workplace by stupid teenagers who break into your private space? To give so much to then be stung?

“We’ll fix this,” Nick says, “I just need to come up with a plan. We will fix this.”

“Thanks,” Charlie turns to Nick, “please kiss me, I think it’ll help.”

Nick gets up and shoves a book under the door that’s unable to be locked. “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.”

“Come here,” Charlie smiles, “I haven’t kissed you in 17 hours, make it right.”

“Gladly,” Nick sits back down on the bed. Gently, their pinkies link, and slowly and softly their lips meet next. At first, barely a touch, and then all of a sudden, they’re kissing properly, letting their brains shut off and their bodies lead the way. Nick holds Charlie’s face, stroking his cheek.

“I want more,” Charlie whispers, “but we have to stop, Christian will be back any second.”

“To be continued?” Nick says, looking down at Charlie’s eyes, admiring the shattered glass pattern in the blue.

“To be continued.”

Chapter Text

After brushing their teeth together, the boys linger a little longer in the bathroom until everyone else has left to go to bed.

“Hi,” Charlie looks up at Nick through his lashes.

“Hi,” Nick says back, a nervous edge to his voice and a crinkled smile.

“I miss you,” Charlie says, slowly putting his toiletries in his bag.

“I’m right here,” Nick giggles, bumping Charlie with his hip, “but I know what you mean. I miss the holidays.”

Charlie looks around the bathroom and then moves closer to Nick, “I miss kissing you,” he murmurs.

“Then kiss me,” Nick whispers. The boys give the door one more nervous glance, and then Charlie is pulling Nick into one of the shower cubicles and pressing him up against the wall, relaxing in his entirety to let his body lead the way.

Nick pants into Charlie’s mouth, holding the younger boy’s hair with one hand, and gripping his hip roughly with the other, pulling him in close. Giving Charlie’s hip a tentative squeeze causes Charlie to moan slightly into the kiss. “Okay?” Nick checks, breathlessly.

“So okay,” Charlie whispers, “we don’t have long, the other guys…”

“Fuck,” Nick groans under his breath, pulling Charlie in for another kiss, giving his dark hair another little tug.

“You’ve got me all hot and bothered now,” Charlie laughs quietly, “not that I’m complaining.”

Nick gives Charlie’s hair a gentle comb through with his fingers, a cheeky idea coming to mind. “Better get back to the room,” he sighs.

Lying in bed, Nick’s heart races as he rolls onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows so he can use his phone. He can feel his cheeks burning as he types, deletes, and then re-types a message to Charlie.

You get me hot and bothered all the time, Nick texts.

Nick! Charlie replies, adgdhsgss what are you doing?!

Nothing… Nick types back, grinning to himself, but do you know what gets me so flustered?

Tell me, Charlie texts back, rolling onto his side. His phone screen lights up the otherwise very dark lower section of the bunk.

Remember when you edged me like… seven times? Nick types, before holding in a giggle and clicking send.

Ooooh, I do remember that, Charlie types back, what about it?

You told me to be good for you, and holy shit… I nearly died, Nick confesses.

He sees Charlie type, little dots appearing, and then it stops. Charlie types again. Nothing is sent. Nick bites his lip, had he been too forward?

Charlie starts typing again, and he holds his breath. Do you want to be a good boy?

Nick lets out a shuddery sigh, Yes. I do. I really want to.

Are you hard for me, Nick? Charlie smirks as he types out the message.

Fuck yes. Nick replies. It’s true. This little text conversation has him throbbing, and he moves his hips slightly to give himself a little bit of friction.

What do you want to do about it? Charlie types, or better yet, what do you want me to do about it?

Nick bites his lip harder, Anything you like… I just like the idea of you being in charge, is that weird?

Not weird at all, Charlie takes a deep breath, I’m fucking hard too, should we maybe sneak off?

Nick’s heart beats so loud he can hear it in his ears, Where to?

Wherever we can, Charlie taps back, just so I can help you out.

Nick pauses, his fingers hovering above the screen, before taking a breath. I don’t just want that. I really, really like making you come. Please let me. I want to taste you again.

Charlie immediately locks his phone, rolls over and sits up. Looking around the room, he makes sure Christian and Isaac are out cold before tiptoeing to the door. He gives Nick a nod, gesturing out into the hallway.

Nick puts away his phone and does his best to climb down from the bunk silently, and follows Charlie. The hallway is completely dark, and the boys walk down towards the common room. “Do you think here is okay?” Charlie whispers.

“It’s quite… public?” Nick whispers back, “I’m sure we can find somewhere else…”

They walk past the end corridor to the stairs, and Nick leads the way, “Up here?”

At the top of the school building, there is an attic-like supply room, storing things like spare shelves, mattresses, mirrors and uniforms in boxes upon boxes.

Nick pushes open the door. The room is dusty and dark, the only light that of the moon filtering in through a far end triangular window. “Not very romantic,” Nick whispers sheepishly.

“I don’t care,” Charlie smiles, “kiss me for real now, no one’s going to be coming up here.”

Nick sits on an old mattress and pulls Charlie down into his lap, Charlie swings his legs around to grip Nick. “Finally, alone.”

“So you really liked it,” Charlie starts, “when I said you were being good for me, being a good boy?”

Nick blushes, “Yeah… I did, I do, I guess. I hadn’t really realised that would be something I like until you said it. But I guess I just really want to hear I’m doing a good job? It makes me feel really good.”

“Then I’m happy to accommodate that, anytime. I really like doing it too.” Charlie says, kissing Nick once on the nose. “But you really do suck cock so well though. I wasn’t just saying those things because you’ve got a praise kink.”

“Then let me do it again,” Nick whispers into Charlie’s ear, making him shiver and press himself closer.

“Oh fuck,” Charlie whispers, “but we don’t have tissues or anything, I just don’t think we’ll be able to…”

“Don’t give a fuck,” Nick breathes, “we’ll find a way. Here.” Nick reaches past the dusty mattress to grab a singular drawer from a rickety old bedside table. He reaches in and pulls out the newspaper left inside as a drawer lining, “Easy, I’ll spit there. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

“You’re the best,” Charlie strokes Nick’s cheek, “you know you don’t have to do stuff with me, that we can just kiss, or cuddle, or chat.”

“Do you not…?” Nick looks deep into Charlie’s eyes, “Sorry, am I making this all about sex? I am, aren’t I?”

“No! No, I don’t mind,” Charlie says softly, “I just don’t want you to feel like… we have to keep up the arrangement of always getting each other off, if you ever want to just spend time together? Is that okay? I really do want to do stuff, I just don’t want it to feel like a chore.”

Nick pulls Charlie in closer, resting his head on Charlie's shoulder. “Hey, you don’t have to tell me this, but in your last relationship… did the sex sometimes feel like a chore? Like an obligation? Tell me to shut up if it’s…”

“Yeah,” Charlie whispers, “it kind of did. How about you?”

“Yeah,” Nick whispers back, “he never went down on me. Ever. I think it’s where I get my aversion to swallowing from.”

“My ex was so pushy,” Charlie says, leaning into Nick, “he only wanted to meet up when he wanted to get off, but otherwise he kind of ignored me.”

“Sounds like a dickhead,” Nick huffs, “mine wasn’t pushy as much as, well, I guess we were kind of just together while we figured stuff out. But I really liked him, wanted to impress him, so I guess I let him lead the way on all the physical stuff. You’re… you’re the first guy that’s ever gone down on me, actually.”

“No way,” Charlie breathes, “selfish prick. Well I’ll happily make up for that imbalance. His loss.”

“I know we haven’t really talked about this stuff in depth, but what we’re doing, is that enough for you?” Nick asks, tentatively, nervousness bleeding into his words.

“Of course it is,” Charlie puts an arm around Nick and pulls him closer, “it’s plenty. It’s as far as I’ve ever gone with anyone before.”

“I just don't want you to get bored of me?”

“Did he make you feel like that?” Charlie asks softly, “Because I know what that feels like.”

“Yeah,” Nick replies, letting himself feel the squeeze of Charlie’s arm around his shoulder.

“Our exes really suck, huh? Sounds like those two should go out,” Charlie chuckles quietly, “I never want that for us. We don’t have to do anything at all. I just like being with you.”

“But it’s different with you,” Nick confesses, “when I sucked you off at that party, I swear it was like the hottest thing. I’ve never felt like that before.”

“I felt the same in the park,” Charlie says gently, pushing Nick’s hair out of his eyes, “it isn’t a chore, Nick. I like you so much, I like making you feel good. I like that you’re hot for me.”

“I’m so hot for you,” Nick kisses Charlie’s neck gently, and Charlie hops into his lap “you’re all I can think about. Sorry if that’s a bit much.”

“It’s okay, I feel the same. I’ve been feeling the same for a while,” Charlie leans his head back so Nick can kiss more of his neck.

“And this afternoon? When you knew I was watching you get changed and you spent an extra long time in just your pants? Looking around for clean clothes?” Nick giggles, “Was that to tease me?”

“Yeah it was,” Charlie grins, pressing his hips forward, “I’m glad it worked.”

Nick squeezes Charlie’s arse, “You bet it did, and now here we are, in the dustiest, least romantic spot in school, making out on a mattress that’s probably the same age as both of us combined.”

“We can do more than make out,” Charlie smirks, pressing his chest forward so that Nick is forced to lie back on the old mattress. Charlie climbs up a little, before rolling onto his side against Nick, “Let me make you feel good.”

“Please let me go first,” Nick says, reaching down between them, hovering above Charlie’s waistband. “Please.”

“I’m hardly going to complain about my boyfriend wanting to suck my cock,” Charlie laughs.

Nick, now shuffled lower, stops and looks up, and Charlie seems to realise what he’s said out loud. “Boyfriends?” Nick asks.

“If you… if you want to be? I mean I want us to be,” Charlie stutters, “sorry, I didn’t think, wasn’t thinking.”

“I would love to be boyfriends,” Nick says, “even if we’re secret boyfriends.” Nick looks into Charlie’s eyes, his vision now adjusted to the low light of the storage room, and gives him a reassuring smile to attempt to calm the anxiety that seeks to have found its way into the surface of the moment.

“Boyfriends,” Charlie breathes, “be my boyfriend.”

“Gladly,” Nick smiles, “now, please may I suck my boyfriend’s cock?”

“No, I mean yes,” Charlie sits up, “but I want to kiss you first. I want to kiss my boyfriend. Please. Kiss me.”

Nick throws his arms around Charlie and kisses him, gently at first, as if kissing Charlie will remove any doubts, quell his fears, ease any burdens. Slowly, they kiss for longer, and the kiss is like kindling, setting alight their passion for each other once more.

Nick puts his hand between them, pausing the kiss to check for consent with a glance, and Charlie gives him an emphatic nod.

Slowly, Nick pushes Charlie back to be lying down and climbs between his legs, yanking his elastic waisted pyjama bottoms down and out the way. Charlie’s cock springs free, and Nick doesn’t waste any time at all, licking, sucking, dipping his head and swallowing around him. Charlie stiffles a moan and holds Nick’s hair as gently as he can, “Feels so good,” he pants, “your mouth’s so warm and tight, oh my god your tongue…”

Nick smirks to himself, flexing his hips to press against the mattress below, the friction feeling good against his own aching cock. Charlie moans as quietly as he can as Nick uses his tongue to trace the perimeter of Charlie’s cock, flicking his tongue again as he pulls up, before sucking on the tip extra hard and sinking back down as low as he can go.

Charlie arches back, hand searching for anything he can possibly grip onto. “So perfect,” Charlie says, trying to keep his voice to a whisper, “fuck you’re so good, such a good boy, oh my god.” Charlie babbles away, completely consumed by the building pleasure. Nick brings his left hand up to help touch Charlie where his mouth can’t comfortably reach, and it causes Charlie to moan and shift his hips. The sight of Charlie struggling to hold back, praising him and begging for more creates a feedback loop where Nick responds by sucking harder and somehow becoming even more turned on.

“It’s… it… feels so fucking good, I’m so close, fuck please don’t stop, please don’t stop, please don’t stop,” Charlie begs, and Nick finds his left hand rubbing himself through his pyjama bottoms, the noises of Charlie about to come almost enough to push him over the edge too. Charlie gives Nick’s shoulder a gentle tap before slapping a hand over his own mouth and coming, barely able to swallow the curses and high pitch whine of his orgasm. Nick licks and sucks Charlie the best he can, before quickly spitting into the newspaper. It’s definitely not ideal, but it works well enough.

Charlie pulls his pants up and holds his arms out, “Cuddle me, please.”

Nick smiles to himself before lying close to Charlie, wrapping his arms around him and kissing his forehead. “You okay there, boyfriend?”

Charlie sighs dramatically, “I don’t have any words. That was just so fucking incredible. Best boyfriend award goes to you.” Charlie kisses Nick on his nose and then rolls onto his side, “Let me?”

“Won’t last long,” Nick giggles, “I’ve been touching myself a little, hearing you come was just… God, it was so hot.”

“Touching yourself?” Charlie says with a mischievous glint, “So desperate. But you’ve been so good, and good boys get rewarded.”

Nick swallows, his cock pulses. “Yeah,” he says, voice hoarse, “I’ve been so good.”

“I agree, do you want me to suck you?” Charlie whispers.

Nick manages a nod before pulling himself out of his pyjamas.

“Look at you,” Charlie says gently, “so hard and dripping for me.”

Nick nods, desperate for some relief.

Charlie dips lower into Nick’s lap, and gets to work. The teasing of Charlie tongue across Nick’s tip makes him whimper and moan, but the moment Charlie actually begins to suck, Nick loses his mind. Biting his lip, his breath comes out shuddery and fast, panting through the pleasure. “More, more, more,” Nick begs, “I’m not far, I’m not far, oh fuck!”

Nick, who’s literally been on edge since being in bed back in their room, can’t hold back at all, despite his brain begging his body to let him last. “Fuck I’m gonna come,” Nick pants, trying to warn Charlie, “I can’t hold it, feels too good, I’m about to…”

Charlie's fingers dig into Nick’s leg as he holds Nick’s hips down, and Nick groans and tries to grunt quietly as he comes into Charlie’s mouth. Instinctively, and perhaps for convenience, Charlie swallows, opting to just get rid of the taste in his mouth the fastest way possible instead of waiting to find somewhere to spit.

Nick’s head is arched all the way up and back, his eyes are rolled into his head as his body shudders through his orgasm, left hand holding Charlie’s hair tight. The waves of pleasure radiate through him, and Charlie carefully keeps touching and licking until he’s sure Nick is done.

“You okay?” Nick chokes out, “You swallowed.”

“Yeah,” Charlie wipes his mouth, “just for convenience.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to put you in that position, I just…”

“It’s fine, honestly,” Charlie snuggles into Nick’s side, “it was my choice, just felt easier in the moment.”

They lie together for a few minutes, both catching their breath, “So, guess we have to go back to bed,” Nick says eventually, giving Charlie another squeeze.

“I suppose,” Charlie sits up, “pretty cold up here.”

The two boys tiptoe down the stairs, and quietly make their way back to their room.

Pushing their door open, Nick slips in first, climbing into the top bunk, and Charlie closes the door after them.

Can’t believe we just did that, Charlie texts Nick.

Wish we could just do stuff in our beds, Nick replies.

Same. Sleep well x

Nick feels his heart swelling from the silly little x at the end of the text. You too x

The next morning, Nick and Christian head to rugby practice leaving Charlie and Isaac to hang about in their room. Charlie does a bit of a tidy-up, moving all the various clutter off the shelves to wipe them down properly. Isaac helps him dust, and opens the drawer under the bed. “We’re getting low on snacks, why don’t we go out and replenish the stocks?”

An hour later, Isaac and Charlie are bundled up in their jackets and are walking down the country road to the local Tesco Express. Isaac had been very responsible in ensuring they remembered to bring their reusable bags.

“So,” Isaac starts, “since when are you and Nick fooling around?”

Charlie splutters, “What? No! Why would you think that?”

Isaac deadpans to Charlie, “Both of you were tapping away on your phones last night, so it was pretty obvious you were texting each other, and then you snuck off for… I don’t know, like forty five minutes?”

“We just wanted to talk,” Charlie says, “I’ve got some personal stuff going on and he’s been really helpful.”

Isaac laughs, “Oh ok, so since the term break nothing has changed?”

“Nothing!” Charlie splutters, “He’s just very good with girls, and he’s been giving me pointers. You should have seen him being a wingman at that party,” Charlie lies.

“Sure,” Isaac nods once, “if that’s what you’re saying. But your vibe together… Alright, maybe I’ve misread the situation, sorry.”

Once at Tesco’s, Charlie and Isaac pile up various snacks into a basket and head to the checkout. While Isaac pays for this round, Charlie quickly sends Nick a text. Isaac suspects something between us. We need to be more careful.

We definitely do. Coach said Mr Ajayi noticed the upstairs supply room door was left open.

Charlie rubs the back of his neck nervously. No one suspects it was us, right?

Nick replies almost instantly. Nope, we’re in the clear.

Chapter Text

Nathan Ajayi doesn’t mind being a teacher. For the most part. Teaching art, he doesn’t have to worry too much about marking or lesson plans, often being able to reuse material from previous years and cater them to a particular student’s interest. His colleagues are nice, a bit ‘normy’, as he’d say, but overall? Nice enough.

On Friday nights, Nathan FaceTimes his boyfriend, Youssef, who is a teacher at the girl’s boarding school nearby.

“I’ve looked everywhere,” Nathan sighs, “I swear it was under my bed.”

His handsome boyfriend smiles and sighs. “I’ve checked mine too, you didn’t leave it here. I basically turned my bedroom upside down!”

“Thanks for looking,” Nathan says, his kind dark eyes softening, “stupid bloody kids. Why would they break in here, touch nothing, steal no money, and take my vintage porn?”

“Beats me,” Youssef giggles, “but you’ll find it funny in a few years I promise.”

“It’ll be funny as long as none of the little buggers snitch,” Nathan tries to smile but his heart thuds. Teenagers are terrible, and can be so cruel.

“It’ll be okay,” Youssef tries to reassure him.

“Some lovely students noticed I was feeling down and actually dropped these off,” Nathan says, holding up the half-eaten chocolate and a bag of sweets, “I honestly nearly cried. Guess there’s still some hope for the next generation.”

“I guess so,” Youssef agrees, “and don’t worry. Hey, who knows, your magazine might show up! It might have fallen between the floorboard cracks, or maybe it’s still in your suitcase? Did you check there?”

“No I didn’t, actually,” Nathan muses, “I’ll check tomorrow.”

After chatting and exchanging I love you’s, Nathan goes to sleep.

Annoyingly, at 4 AM, his bladder decides that now would be a really good time to wake him up. Rubbing his eyes and pulling on his fluffy grey dressing gown, he makes his way down the corridor. There is a teachers bathroom, but it’s all the way down the other end of the block, and to put it bluntly, he simply cannot be fucked to walk all the way down there.

Bleary eyed and groggy, he shuffles down the corridor. Afterwards, he washes his hands and looks at himself in the mirror. His hair is starting to show slight flecks of grey, but his physique is still strong. He straightens up and walks out of the bathroom. A bang startles him, and he jumps.

Glancing up he sees the door to the attic storage swinging on its hinges, not quite able to click closed. It’s a pretty stubborn door and it takes a good hard push to actually shut it, so he climbs the steps. Who the hell has opened this door? “Hello?” He calls out, but no one replies. Pulling his phone out of his dressing gown pocket, he switches on the torch and shines it around the room.

Things have been pushed off a mattress, so he takes a closer look. Before he can even see it, he smells it. “Fuck sake,” he mutters, trying not to gag. The unmistakable scent of semen fills his nose. Taking another quick look, he sees the newspaper, and a puddle of fluid having leaked into a separate wooden drawer.

Turning on his heels, Nathan ‘nopes’ the fuck out, opting to instead make a mental note to let the janitor know in the morning. Who the hell sneaks up to the attic for a wank, unless…? Nathan smiles to himself, imagining what it would have been like to have a secret boyfriend when he was young and closeted at boarding school. Must be thrilling, he decides.

Charlie wakes up in a cold sweat, panting, and his heart is thudding hard in his chest. He sits up and forces himself to take a deep breath, shaking his head to try and wake up and rid the nasty dreams from his consciousness.

Isaac clicks the lamp next to his bed and looks over at Charlie, “Mate, you okay?”

Charlie gulps for air, panting and breathing shallowly. “Can't breathe,” he chokes.

Isaac swings his legs over the bed and strides over to sit next to Charlie, “Hey, hey, are you feeling unwell?”

Charlie shakes his head, hyperventilating now.

“Panicking?” Isaac whispers, putting his arm around Charlie, “Hey, hey, deep breath, slowly, in and out, want to be hugged?”

Nick pops his head down from the top bunk, “You okay?”

Charlie shakes his head, and then nods his head at Isaac who quickly embraces him, breathing deeply and rubbing his back.

Nick leaps off the top bunk to sit next to Charlie on the other side, “What’s wrong?”

“He’s having a panic attack,” Isaac says quietly.

“Oh,” Nick mouths. “Sorry Charlie, I can go, sorry.”

“Stay,” Charlie gasps, “we all need to talk.”

Isaac slowly helps Charlie feel grounded in his body again, at which point Christian is awake too.

“What can we do to help?” Christian asks, pulling a throw blanket off his bed to wrap Charlie in.

“You know how Nick, Darcy and I stole that magazine from Mr Ajayi in the term break?” Charlie begins.

“Yeah,” Isaac nods, and Christian nods too.

“Did you tell anyone at all?” Charlie asks, eyes wide.

“No,” they both say. “We wouldn’t snitch,” Christian adds, “cross my heart, I didn’t tell a soul.”

“Same,” Isaac agrees, “was that what your dream was about? Getting in trouble?”

“No,” Charlie leans against Isaac, “I dreamed it resulted in people speculating about his sexuality and that he got fired over it, and I just felt terrible. It felt so real.”

“Oh,” Christian seems to click, “because the porn had lots of cocks?”

Isaac rolls his eyes, “Yeah, Christian.”

“I think he’s realised it’s missing, that’s why he was so grumpy yesterday. I must have just felt so guilty that my dream absorbed it.” Charlie wrings his hands, breathing slowly returning to normal.

“Well, we can make it right, right?” Nick chimes in.

“Just give it back to him,” Christian says, as if it’s no big deal.

“But we cut it up,” Charlie groans, “it’s all in collages.”

“My statement stands, just return it like that with a note saying sorry, maybe £20, then he can buy a new one,” Christian seems quite chuffed with himself.

“You could slide it under his door?” Isaac offers.

“That’s… not a bad idea,” Charlie thinks for a second, “if he’s worried about it floating around, at least then he’ll know what became of it.”

“We can do it today,” Nick suggests, “do you think that would make you feel less anxious?”

“I think so,” Charlie lets out a shuddery breath, “thanks everyone, for being cool with…”

“Totally fine,” Christian says, pulling the blanket around Charlie’s shoulders a little tighter, “I’ve had panic attacks before. They suck.”

“Same,” Nick says, “glad you’re okay.”

“You guys are the best,” Charlie says with a tear in his eye.

“Group hug?” Isaac suggests.

Nick opens his arms wide and they all squish Charlie. Nick buries his nose in Charlie’s hair, giving it a subtle kiss while they’re all packed in tightly together.

Later in the day, Charlie is lying on the floor of room 312 testing Isaac on his biology terms. The door to the room opens and a very sweaty and very muddy Christian enters, with his shoulder under the arm of a very sweaty and muddy Nick. “Here,” Christian balances Nick as they walk in, Nick limping.

“Shit, are you okay?” Charlie jumps to his feet to walk over.

“Sprain,” Nick winces, “my fucking ankle.”

“Have you been to the nurse?” Isaac asks.

“Yeah,” Christian replies, “he’ll be okay. No need to amputate,” he jokes.

“Just a bit of swelling, have to take it easy for a week or so,” Nick explains. “God, we need a shower. I stink!”

“Oh Jesus,” Christian looks at Nick, “mate, we are about to get… up close and personal.”

“Nothing you haven’t seen before,” Nick laughs, “what’s the alternative? Have me limping and slipping over on the tiles?”

Christian cringes, “Yeah, but, okay, sure. Needs must.”

“I don’t mind helping,” Charlie chimes in, “I want to be a doctor one day anyways, bodies don’t bother me.”

Isaac smirks and looks away.

“Oh, if you wouldn’t mind?” Christian says sheepishly, “Look, mate, it’s nothing personal, I just would rather…”

“It’s fine, I get it,” Nick smiles at Christian, “thanks Charlie, appreciate it.”

Isaac bites his lip to stop himself from smiling.

Christian and Charlie help Nick gather his clean clothes and shower items, and then Christian puts an arm under Nick to help him walk down the corridor to the bathrooms. Charlie follows, carrying his own shower things as well as Nick’s. “I might as well shower too, there’s no way I’ll stay dry helping you out,” Charlie explains.

Christian enters his normal shower cubicle, leaving Charlie and Nick to smile at each other. “End cubicle?” Nick asks.

“Yeah,” Charlie replies, trying to sound nonchalant knowing Christian can hear them. “How do you want to… uh,” Charlie starts.

“I’m going to hold you for balance while I try and get undressed, could you do that for me?” Nick asks.

“Sure,” Charlie helps Nick into the cubicle, and Nick leans an arm over Charlie’s shoulder and does his best to pull his sweaty t-shirt off without stumbling. “Ow,” Nick sighs, “it’s quite sore.”

“You’ll be okay,” Charlie says, reaching down between the two of them to brush the back of his knuckles over the bulge in the front of Nick’s shorts. Nick’s eyes grow wide. “What are you doing?” He mouths silently.

“Nothing,” Charlie mouths back, giving Nick a cheeky grin.

Standing shirtless, Charlie glances back down to Nick’s shorts, “Need a hand with those?”

“Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind,” Nick says, “sorry if this is awkward,” he says for Christian’s benefit.

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Charlie plays along.

Christian has obviously had a quick shower, as the water turns off. “You lads okay in there?”

“We’re still trying to get me undressed,” Nick answers back, thankful for the locked cubicle door.

“Okay, well, let me know if I can help. Otherwise I’ll be back in the room, trying to figure out a plan for the.. uh, thing, for the guy, you know.”

“Yes, yes, we know,” Nick smiles, “won’t be long, see you in a bit.”

The bathroom door bangs shut and Charlie squeezes Nick through his shorts and whispers in his ear. “I wonder if maybe you just need a little distraction? Something to take your mind off the pain?”

“Please,” Nick pants, “please distract me.”

“What do you feel like?” Charlie whispers even quieter, “whatever it is, you better decide fast. We don’t have much time.”

“Hands,” Nick begs quietly, “just wank me off, please.”

“Gladly, kiss me,” Charlie moves his mouth up to capture Nick’s, letting their bodies fall into the familiar rhythm of making out, hot and heavy. Charlie pulls Nick’s shorts off for him, being careful of his sore ankle, and then helps him balance and starts stroking him.

“Feels so fucking good,” Nick groans quietly, “but it feels better when I kiss you.”

Charlie pulls Nick’s head in closer by his hair, giving it a gentle tug. Their kiss is passionate, and Charlie strokes Nick slightly faster.

“Won’t last,” Nick pants.

“Yes you will,” Charlie replies, tone slightly sharp, “be a good boy for me and last.”

“Trying,” Nick pants, squeezing his eyes shut, “please tell me when I can come, please.”

“I will, don’t you worry,” Charlie says into his ear, “do you like this?” He gives Nick’s cock a slight twist on the up stroke, and Nick quickly captures Charlie’s mouth to muffle any noises.

“I can’t,” Nick moans, “I’m close, I’m so close.”

Charlie angles them slightly towards the shower wall, and tugs Nick a little faster, “Alright, you can come. Come for me Nick.”

Nick thrusts into Charlie’s hand, pressing his face into the side of Charlie’s shoulder to hold back any noises. He comes against the wall of the shower, panting and swallowing any and all noises as best he can.

Afterwards, Nick tries to catch his breath. “That was. Oh my god. That was just…”

“Happy to please,” Charlie smirks, “now get that water going and let’s get you clean.”

Back in the room, Christian and Isaac have recovered the Collages of Cocks from under Charlie’s bed, and have folded them as neatly as they can to fit into a brown manila folder that Isaac stole from the library stationary cupboard. Christian has found £20 to slide in as well.

Nick and Charlie enter the room as Isaac is beginning to draft a little letter. “What do we say?” Isaac wonders.

“Sorry for stealing your porn. We’ll never do it again?” Christian says with uncertainty.

“Honestly… That's not half bad,” Nick laughs, sitting on Charlie’s bed, hair still wet from the shower.

“Sure,” Charlie agrees, “do we sign it?”

“No!” Christian, Isaac and Nick all say at once, and then burst into a fit of giggles.

“I’ll slide it under his door after dinner,” Christian decides, “and then if I get caught I’ll say someone gave it to me to give him.”

“I’ll come with you,” Nick volunteers, “strength in numbers?”

“Um, no,” Isaac smiles, “you’ve got a sprained ankle, you’ll be no use if you have to make a run for it. Surely me and Charlie do it. We’re known nerds, no one will suspect us.”

“Sounds good,” Charlie nods, “I’m happy to do it. Thanks Isaac.”

Later on, Christian gets some ice from the nurse and helps Nick elevate his ankle onto Christian’s bed by resting it on a pillow with ice and a towel, his back lying flat on the floor. “Still sore?”

“Hurts like a bitch,” Nick sighs, “worried this will affect the rugby season.”

“Don’t say that, it’ll be fine,” Christian says, giving Nick’s shoulder a little shove before lying next to Nick. “Oi, we’re best friends, right?”

“Yeah,” Nick says, eyes closed, “for sure.”

“So you’d tell me, you know, if you felt like you had a problem with me, right?” Christian asks, slightly timidly.

“Yeah, of course,” Nick says, arching his shoulders to get more comfortable on the carpet.

“Then…” Christian sighs.

“C’mon out with it,” Nick sighs, “yes, we’re best friends, but it goes both ways. What have I done that you’re stressing about?”

Christian groans and rolls onto his stomach, looking at Nick, “Look at me.”

“Looking,” Nick says, opening his eyes and facing Christian.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Charlie?” Christian says, eyes revealing the hurt he’s holding in.

“What about him?” Nick says, doing his best to keep a straight face.

“Nick, for God sake, I heard you two. I left my soap in the shower and went back in.”

“What did you hear?” Nick feels his cheeks glowing crimson, his heart fast and his stomach feeling sick.

“I heard you both in the shower with water running,” Christian says quietly, “you said kissing him made you feel alive.”

“Oh.” Nick looks away, “Fuck.”

“I won’t tell anyone, I swear to God,” Christian says, “but I’m just wondering if maybe you thought I was homophobic, and that’s why you didn’t tell me?”

“No, it’s not that at all, I promise,” Nick sighs, “we’re both not out. I do really appreciate you not telling anyone mate and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you… but also it kind of wasn’t my secret to tell?”

“Yeah I guess,” Christian gives Nick a tight lipped smile, “I just was nervous it was because of something I’ve done. You know I love you, right? Like a brother. Better than a brother.”

“Love you too,” Nick says, “and yeah, I suppose since the cat’s out of the bag, I’m… I’m bisexual.”

“That’s really cool,” Christian smiles, “thanks for telling me. Your secret is safe with me.”

Charlie feels much better after sliding the folder under Mr Ajayi’s door, having made sure he had already gone for his nightly cup of tea in the common room before making a mad dash up the corridor.

Getting back to their room, Nick gives him a panicked look and glances at his phone. Charlie checks his.

Christian knows. He heard us in the shower. I couldn’t deny it.

Charlie looks up at Nick, and then back at his phone to quickly reply.

Isaac more than suspects, maybe we tell them? Would you be okay with them knowing?

Yeah, Nick replies quickly, hate living a lie especially in our dorm. Plus then we can share your bed tonight, I can’t climb my bunk with my ankle, and I want to snuggle ♥️

Okay ♥️ Charlie replies. He turns around to make sure the main dorm door is closed.

“So, Christian, I’ve heard you’ve found out,” Charlie starts, unsure how else to break the ice.

“Is this about you two?” Isaac smirks, “Come on, Christian, did you only just click?”

“You knew?” Christian groans, “How am I always so slow with this shit!”

“To be clear,” Nick interrupts, “we’re not just hooking up, we’re boyfriends. But we’re not out. So please keep this a secret. We know it’s a lot to ask but we’re trusting you guys.”

Isaac jumps to his feet to hug Charlie, “This is the best news! I thought I was going mad when you denied it!”

“Sorry,” Charlie sighs, “you can thank Christian here who apparently heard us in the shower together.”

“Not like that!” Nick interjects.

“I mean heck, it could have been,” Christian laughs, “this makes so much sense now, that’s why you didn’t mind helping him shower!”

Isaac laughs so hard he bends over, “That was so deeply unsubtle. I could barely contain myself!”

“Well,” Nick smiles, “I would like to sleep in Charlie’s bed tonight, on account of my ankle being out of action. Is that cool with you both?”

“Absolutely, but no hanky panky,” Christian says sternly, “I’m serious! If I have to come and build a pillow wall, I will.”

“You have my word,” Nick says solemnly, and Charlie nods in agreement.

Snuggling into bed at night, Nick cradles Charlie in his arms, his sore ankle balanced on an extra pillow as he nuzzles his nose into Charlie’s gorgeous curls, taking a deep breath and feeling the soothing scent of Charlie fill his body. Charlie shuffles back slightly, pulling Nick’s arm over him a little tighter.

“I love you holding me,” Charlie whispers.

“Me too,” Nick sighs, I love you, I love you, I love you, Charlie Spring.

Chapter Text

“So they slid it under my door!” Nathan laughs, as he lies shirtless in his double bed on FaceTime with his boyfriend. They’re both laughing, tears streaming down their faces.

“I can’t believe it! All cut up?!” Youssef chokes out, “And only the penises?”

Nathan pulls the Cock Collage up into the view of the camera, unfolding it to show his boyfriend. “Only the big cocks,” Nathan sighs. “Do you really think they’ll think they have gotten away with it? Teenagers are honestly so... daft!”

“So the two boys, you’re positive it was them then? The ones you told about your stuff going missing…?” Youssef asks.

“Absolutely. For it to get ‘returned’ the next day. I also get… fruity vibes from them. They’re definitely messing around, or something. I see them standing around making heart eyes at each other All. Day. Long. Oh my God, did I tell you about the attic?”

“No?” Youssef leans in, “God I live for gossip like this. Tell me!”

“Okay, so I got up to use the loo in the middle of the night, and I noticed the door to the attic had been left slightly open. No one’s allowed up there, so I went to check it out, you know, see if anyone was up there snooping around.”

“…And?”

“Well! The smell! It was absolutely and without a doubt semen. Come. Spunk. Whoever had been up there had come into a newspaper! And left it there too!” Nathan sighs and leans back against the headboard. “Truly, I almost threw up.”

“Oi, I thought you didn’t mind come,” Youssef smirks.

“I don’t mind your come! The thought of it belonging to one of my pupils… I swear to god babe, I just… I walked away from that one.”

“So it’s one of them, right? Or they’d been up there together? Perhaps?”

“Oh, it could be…” Nathan muses, “actually… yeah, perhaps? Maybe that’s why they took my magazines? If they’re gay or questioning, or heck, bisexual? And then maybe they went up there to fool around in secret? If it was just one lad, he probably would have just done it in the loo, or maybe the shower.”

“I hate to think of the state of your drain pipes,” Youssef chuckles, “unthinkable. I hope your maintenance staff are well paid.”

“No one is paid enough to deal with teenage spunk, I guarantee it,” Nathan grins. “Well, perhaps it’s them. I’ll keep an eye out. Honestly, I’m letting the magazine thing slide. Although I would like to know how they broke in, but punishing them for it just brings more attention to the matter. What would you do?”

“Beats me, I work with teenage girls and no one has ever stolen my vintage porn,” Youssef gives Nathan a cheeky grin. “Well, now it’s all cut up, you won’t be able to read it for the articles.”

“You know I’ve never read the articles,” Nathan snorts, “go on, give us a show then?”

Youssef quirks an eyebrow and tilts his camera down, teasing his boyfriend by only showing that his erection is tenting the sheets.

“Nasty tease,” Nathan giggles, reaching under his own duvet to touch himself. “Miss you.”

“It’s been two days,” Youssef smiles, “you just miss my cock.”

“I miss you and your cock,” Nathan clarifies, lowering his voice, “hold up a moment, I’ll get my headphones. Can’t have these nosey teenagers hearing you.”

“If we were at boarding school together, I would have one hundred percent snuck around in the night and wanked you off in an attic,” Youssef giggles.

“Well go on then, don’t stop there. What else would you have done?” Nathan pulls his cock out of his boxers and begins stroking himself.

Room 312 is quiet, except for the sounds of Charlie whimpering quietly as Nick teases the tip of his cock with his tongue, “Please,” Charlie begs, “I want it so badly, please, please, please.”

Nick smirks, giving Charlie’s cock a few more teasing little kitten licks before lowering himself onto one elbow on the bed and sinking lower down, giving Charlie the suction and attention that he’s been craving for the last few minutes of teasing.

Part of Nick’s brain is still humming from just having come so hard. Charlie had edged him and then edged him some more until finally giving him permission to come. Nick had held his sweatshirt over his mouth to try and stop his screams of pleasure being heard by anyone else. Now, body loose and brain foggy, he’s doing his best to concentrate on the task at hand. Nick relaxes his jaw and takes in as much of Charlie as he can, and then brings his hand up to work where he can’t reach. If Charlie thought teasing him wasn’t going to have any consequences, he can think again.

Feeling Charlie’s legs tremble slightly, Nick smiles to himself knowing his little plan is going to work splendidly. He stops, knowing that Charlie will be craving more by now. “Please,” Charlie groans, “need to come. It’s been like, two days. Your mouth feels so good, please let me finish.” The dark haired boy is babbling now.

“No you don’t,” Nick pops off, “you teased me, and now you’re going to get a taste of your own medicine. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll make it really good.” Nick gives Charlie a cheeky grin before getting back to work.

Charlie tucks his hands under his thighs to stop himself from grabbing Nick, and presses his head back into the pillow to just enjoy the ride.

Without warning, the door opens. Isaac walks in, “Coach Singh said you might…”

Instead he’s greeted with the sight of Nick, cheeks bright red from just having come, his blonde hair messy from the activity, sucking Charlie off on the bottom bunk.

“… need to get your ankle rebandaged. Oh my god. I’m so sorry, fuck!” Isaac turns around and leaves, slamming the door in a rush.

“Oops,” Charlie says, looking down at Nick.

“Again?!” Nick whines, “Why is it always when I’m blowing you!”

“We’ve got to find a system to stop this,” Charlie giggles.

“You still wanna…?” Nick looks down at Charlie’s cock.

“Yes! Absolutely!”

Rugby practice without Nick sucks. Christian doesn’t mind the other guys, at all. In fact, they’re all good friends and get along great, but he enjoys running drills with Nick the most. Nick isn’t as fast as him, but he’s a heck of a lot stronger, and phenomenal at tackling.

Caleb, one of the other guys, is paired up with Christian today. He’s a nice guy, and they’ve known each other for a couple of years, but they just don’t gel together as well. Caleb seems to notice. “Miss your buddy?” He asks, tossing Christian the ball.

“Yeah,” Christian replies glumly, “hope his ankle heals quickly, we need him for when games start properly.”

“Hope so too,” Caleb nods. “He’ll be missing playing with us for sure, he’s probably bored out of his brain.

He’s probably busy with Charlie, Christian thinks. “Yeah.”

Heading up from the field, Christian goes straight to their room to grab his shower supplies. “Knock knock,” he says loudly, thudding on the door with his knuckles before waiting a second and pushing it open.

“Did you talk to Isaac?” Nick asks, sitting in the sun with his school work strewn across the floor.

“No?” Christian replies, closing the door. “Jesus Christ, this whole room smells like sex! For the love of God, open a window!” Christian marches over to pull the window down, letting in some fresh air.

“Ah,” Charlie cringes, “yeah, so Isaac kind of…”

“Walked in on you two?” Christian guesses.

The boys nod sheepishly.

“I mean this with all the kindness in the world, but you two need to find somewhere else to get busy,” Christian laughs.

“Noted,” Nick smiles, “well, at least while you two might pop in.”

“La La La La La,” Christian says, covering his ears, “the less I know the better.”

After dinner, the boys are all hanging around in the games room, watching the football and goofing around. Christian has recruited some of the other guys to record themselves doing a Taylor Swift lip sync on TikTok, in the hopes of impressing Katie, the redhead from the party. Christian keeps messing up the words for Cruel Summer, and so Isaac has had to record them multiple times.

Nick and Charlie are sitting back on the couch, laughing at Christian. When everyone seems occupied goofing around, Nick catches Charlie’s gaze, and uses his head to nod towards the corridor. As subtly as they can, the two of them sneak out.

“Shower?” Charlie asks, looking up into Nick’s eyes.

“Let’s see if it’s free first,” Nick whispers.

They walk towards the bathroom, Nick still limping, but sigh when they hear voices coming from inside.

“Attic…?” Nick asks.

Charlie nods, and they walk to the stairwell. Arriving at the old wooden stairs up to the attic door, they look both ways quickly before climbing up the steep steps.

“Oi,” a voice calls.

The boys jump.

“Attic is out of bounds,” Mr Ajayi says, leaning against his doorway.

“Oh we were just…” Although Charlie can’t think of a clever way to save the situation.

Mr Ajayi walks over. “Sit.”

Both of the boys obey, sitting on the hard wooden steps, cold under their backsides.

“You’re not in trouble, not this time, but you know the attic isn’t for students.”

“Yes sir,” Nick says, looking at his feet.

“Whatever is going on between you two…” Mr Ajayi starts, “if you think you’re being subtle about it, you’re sorely mistaken. Look, I don’t want to know what you get up to, but don’t leave a mess like last time for the janitor to clean up. Am I making myself clear?”

Charlie and Nick blush crimson, “Yes sir.”

“Won’t happen again sir,” Nick adds. Charlie mentally facepalms at Nick admitting their guilt so easily. Bloody goody two shoes cinnamon roll golden retriever.

“And thank you,” Mr Ajayi says, his voice softer now, “for returning my things. What do you say we call it even?”

“Yes sir,” Charlie says. “Sorry. Sorry again.”

Mr Ajayi smiles and walks away, but then stops and turns around.

“How did you do it by the way? Get into my room I mean. Do you have a copy of the keys?”

Nick and Charlie share a glance and shrug.

“For goodness sake, I’m not going to turn you in, I just want to know. Amnesty?” Mr Ajayi offers.

“Our friend…” Nick starts, but Charlie talks over him, “We picked the lock. Won’t happen again sir. Promise.”

Mr Ajayi nods, chuckles and walks away.

“I can’t believe you nearly snitched on Darcy,” Charlie hisses.

“I was just trying to be honest,” Nick giggles, “I got nervous!”

“So we really aren’t that subtle after all,” Charlie sighs, leaning his head on Nick’s shoulder.

“Wish we didn’t have to be,” Nick whispers.

“I know,” Charlie says back.

Lying in bed that night, Nick can’t sleep. His mind keeps playing movies of what it would be like to hold Charlie’s hand at school, to be able to go on real dates, to not have to sneak aroundl. Charlie deserves real dates, he decides. He deserves everything. If Mr Ajayi had noticed, and Isaac and Christian had noticed, who’s to say others hadn’t? Would it be so bad to be out at school? Surely it would be worth it.

He rolls over and pulls Charlie in closer. Despite their antics, Christian and Isaac had graciously let them continue to share a bed, at least while Nick’s ankle was still healing. Nick puts an arm over Charlie and pulls him in close. Charlie is already asleep and stirs slightly, rolling back over to snuggle into Nick’s chest. “You’re everything to me,” Nick whispers, “I hate hiding that.”

“You too,” Charlie whispers, still half asleep.

“I’m serious,” Nick whispers softly, “I don’t know how much longer I can take, I want everyone to know how I feel about you.”

Charlie doesn’t reply.

Despite his still swollen ankle, Nick limps down to the rugby field the next morning, plopping down on the slightly damp grass. “How’s the ankle, Nelson?” Coach Singh asks.

“Getting better slowly,” Nick huffs.

“Pity, really. You were getting so fit. I’ve really noticed how much effort you’ve been putting into training,” Coach Singh sighs. “Anyway, no matter, you’ll be back up and running in no time.”

Christian comes off the field and sits next to Nick, “Nice to see you here,” he says, putting an arm around him. “Decided you needed the fresh air? Spending too much time… indoors?” Christian wiggles his eyebrows and Nick elbows him.

“Hey, what’s got you down?” Christian asks, noticing how Nick didn’t tease him back or even laugh.

“Nothing,” Nick says, looking out over the field.

“Come on mate, I know you better than that.”

Nick picks at the grass and sighs, “I hate… keeping secrets. You know.”

“Does he know how you feel?” Christian asks.

“Yes? No? Maybe? I don’t know.” Nick digs a heel into the ground.

“You’re destroying the turf,” Christian huffs. “You need to tell him how you feel.”

“I… I know. I’m just… I’m not good with words,” Nick sighs, “case in point.”

“Well… you could write him a letter? It’s proper romantic. I’ll help you?” Christian offers, smiling hopefully so his eyes crinkle at the edges.

“Yeah… that’s not half bad. If you’ll help me? Wait, when have you ever written a romantic letter before?”

“I haven’t, but it sounded good, right? It’s gotta work,” Christian stands to his feet, “I’m back on, but have a good hard think about what you want. We can brainstorm the rest during the study period!”

Chapter Text

The end of term exams are always the worst. The weather is cold and grey, and everyone is feeling the pressure of not wanting to mess up their futures by flunking them. Despite the general antics of boarding school, a blanket of seriousness falls heavy over the boys and girls schools. Nick and Charlie still have their sneaky shower rendezvous, and when they’re lucky, get to mess about in their room when Isaac and Christian generously grant them the privacy they crave. However, even their spirits are dampened by having to spend their time after classes and on the weekends revising.

The last exam for the term, Biology, steamrolls the whole cohort. A curve-ball question about ecological niches has almost everyone chewing on the end of their pencils, brows furrowed.

“Well that was literally the worst exam ever,” Isaac sighs, collapsing onto his bed.

“I need a fucking drink,” Christian groans. “Mum’s going to kill me if I fuck this up.”

“She’ll be fine,” Nick says encouragingly, “they can’t fail us all. I’m sure it’ll be okay. Should we make some plans? Take our minds off it all?”

“Please,” Charlie opens up the under-bed snack drawer to pull out a bar of chocolate to share, “shall I message Darcy? Someone could probably host something.”

Darcy picks up on the third ring, “Spring!” she says, “How can I help you?”

“Hey Darce, you’re on speakerphone. We just had the worst exam ever, and were wondering if we could enlist your help in throwing together some kind of shindig?”

“Ooo, a naughty little end of year party?” Darcy pauses. “Actually, I kind of think we could get away with a bonfire party. Could be fun?”

“Sounds good,” Isaac says, “we can invite some guys, and then all orchestrate a sneak out?”

“Mass-exodus from the boys school,” Charlie muses, “bonfire Darce, really? Not someone’s house?”

“No chance of a repeat of last time, I’m afraid. Someone puked on the curtains and we are all permanently banned,” Darcy sighs.

“Oi,” Tara’s voice pops up, “if I’m not mistaken, you were the one responsible.”

“Shhhh, doesn’t matter who did it,” Darcy says with a giggle, “but bonfire, yeah? I’ll talk to the others.”

“Thanks Darcy!” Christian pipes up.

“Oh is that Christian?” Tara says, and the sound of the phone being snatched is heard, “Christian?”

“Speaking,” Christian says, leaning in closer, “what’s up?”

“Saw your dumb TikTok,” Tara sniggers, “if you want to impress Katie, that’s not going to cut it. Bring your A-game to this party. She fancies you, so don’t blow it.”

“Aye aye, captain,” Christian laughs, “and thanks.”

Within two days, the party planning is well underway. Nick and Charlie make a trip to Christian’s older brother's room with some cash they’ve collected from the various lads, and he gives them a box of beer and a few bottles of spirits in return. “You kids take care,” he says with a laugh.

“Will do, thanks!” Nick says, attempting to hold all the heavy bags and the big box of booze without dropping it or appearing strained. Christian laughs and takes a box off him. “Okay, but I’m feeling nervous about tonight.”

“Christian McBride? Nervous?!” Nick teases.

“Well I really like her! You know, and we talk on Snapchat and I send her heaps of TikToks.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Nick scoffs, “Is that what you think impresses anyone?”

“I only send her the funniest Tiktoks, and we have a proper snap-streak now.”

Nick rolls his eyes, “I thought you were mister romance, what happened to the Christian that helped me write that letter to Charlie? Come on mate, you need to up your game!”

“I’ll talk to her,” Christian sighs, “I can see it for other people, but when it’s up here,” Christian taps his head, “I get all… discombobulated.”

“Right.” Nick smiles and nods once, leaning against the wall of the corridor so they can talk.

“Speaking of,” Christian raises an eyebrow, “that letter? Give it to Charlie yet?”

Nick gives him a tight lipped smile, and shakes his head. “I’m scared of coming on too strong. He doesn’t even want to be out, why would I push him?”

“Are you sure? He’s told you he doesn’t want to be out?”

“Well… not in so many words, but that’s just the vibe I get.”

Christian shakes his head and smiles. “I see the way he looks at you mate. It’s genuinely sickening. Please, for the love of God, do not keep pining away like this. I’ll have a word to Isaac, we’ll go… I don’t know, do something, let you guys have the room. Heck, we might even go find James and have a few drinks before the bonfire.”

“Ughhh,” Nick groans, pushing himself away from the corridor wall. “Fine. But if this backfires I’m blaming you.”

“It won’t,” Christian puts his free arm over Nick, “come on, we have to get these drinks hidden before we get spotted.”

Charlie is grateful but slightly suspicious when Christian and Isaac make an excuse to leave and pre-drink for the party. “Here,” Nick says, patting the spot next to him on the top-bunk.

His ankle has finally healed, even if he has to take it easy. Somehow, Isaac and Christian have just let them carry on sharing Charlie’s bed. Charlie climbs up and sits next to Nick. “Nice view you got up here.”

“We haven’t shared the top bunk since, well, since we were just friends.”

“When the heating went out,” Charlie recalls, “and you poked me in the back with your erection.”

“Stoooop,” Nick whines, “don’t go making me all embarrassed.”

“You’re so cute,” Charlie smiles, leaning into Nick, “Hey, I can tell when you’re thinking, your eyes dart around.”

Nick groans, burying his face in Charlie’s hair. “Stop reading my mind, it’s annoying.”

“Nah-ah,” Charlie trails his hand up Nick’s thigh, “are you going to start talking or am I going to have to edge it out of you?”

Nick groans and pulls his legs up to his chest, and Charlie moves his hand away. “What? What’s up?”

“I want to talk,” Nick says, peeking up from behind the sleeves of his hoodie.

“Oh.” Charlie looks away.

“Good talk, I promise,” Nick grabs Charlie’s hand. Charlie seems to sigh quietly.

“I… wrote you something,” Nick leans over Charlie to grab the letter from under his pillow, “just because I didn’t want to mess this up. Please don’t laugh, okay?”

“I’m not going to laugh, baby,” Charlie says gently, reaching out to stoke Nick’s face with the tips of his fingers, “Sharing is scary. Thank you for choosing to be vulnerable.”

Nick clears his throat, “Well, here goes. It’s not long, it’s just how I feel. So, uh. Charlie, you are seriously the coolest person I’ve ever met. I’ve had the fattest crush on you from the beginning, and I’m so glad that you like me back. I love how much fun we have together, but sometimes my heart hurts because I think you deserve better. I want to take you on dates. I want to hold your hand when we go for walks. I want to introduce you to my friends back home. I want to call you my boyfriend. Not just when we whisper alone, or when we’re around Isaac and Christian. Charlie, I love you. I love you so much. And if you’ll let me, I want others to know I love you too.”

Nick pauses, his voice shaking and eyes slightly damp.

“Oh, Nick,” Charlie leans in closer, “I love you too. I love you so much.”

“You do?” Nick chokes, “Like… for real?”

“Of course I love you, for real,” Charlie says earnestly, before both of the boys find a laugh buried beneath the anxiety that suddenly bubbles up and bursts.

“I love you so much that I can’t keep it inside.” Nick confesses, “It’s not a dealbreaker about telling people, I love you no matter what, and please don’t feel like you need to answer me right away, but I,” Charlie leans forward and kisses Nick on the lips. “I promise I’ll think about it, is that okay?”

“Yeah,” Nick swallows, before pulling Charlie into his lap and wrapping him in a tight hug. “I love you,” he whispers.

“I love you, too,” Charlie lets his fingers play with the hair at the base of Nick’s neck, “can I show you how much I love you?”

Nick stutters a ‘yes’, still flustered by the curly haired boy in moments like this.

Charlie’s legs fall open and he pulls Nick back and on top of himself, “For old time’s sake, make out with me and grind against me?”

Nick nods, his hands frantically reaching down to undress Charlie. Within minutes, their bodies are moving and arching, lips pressed close to swallow their moans of pleasure. Nick kisses Charlie’s neck, flicking his tongue and biting just lightly, but not enough to leave a mark.

Charlie reaches around Nick to hold him by his hips and pulls him in roughly, “Do you know what I want?”

“Anything,” Nick pants, his body already building and straining to hold on, “I’ll do anything.”

“I want you to fuck me,” Charlie whispers.

Nick can’t hold on, “Oh god I’m gonna come,” he groans, and reaching between their sweaty bodies, he strokes their cocks together, coming first, then dropping his own cock, and helping Charlie finish right behind him.

Lying on the mattress after, Charlie can feel Nick’s heart beating through his chest. “Did you mean it?” Nick asks.

“Yeah,” Charlie chuckles, rolling onto his side, “though I hope I get to fuck you too.”

Nick flicks Christian a text as the boys leave their room to go and get showered. Christian replies quickly, asking if the letter has been brought up. Nick taps back a thumbs up and a ‘fuck yes!’ gif.

Mr Ajayi does the evening rounds, and Isaac and Christian, silly from a few beers, lie perfectly still in bed and pretend to be asleep. After the hallway lights are turned off, Charlie opens the curtains to let in the moonlight.

“Right,” Christian sits up, “I believe you boys need to catch up. I say we pour some shots.”

God knows how Nick and Charlie manage to climb down the fire escape at a quarter to midnight, swaying in the breeze and giggling. James, Caleb, Otis and Sai tag along too, as well as a dozen or so boys from the Year 12 group.

Nick holds the fence up while the guys push through the gap and stumble down the old worn path towards the domain. To ensure they won’t get caught, the meetup point is over a kilometre down the track and out towards the waterway.

Darcy is there already, in a tie-dye hoodie, short shorts, socks and crocs. “Spring!” She yells, running over and picking Charlie up.

“Woah!” Charlie slurs, “Dizzy!! Put me down!”

“You stink like tequila,” Darcy giggles, poking Charlie in the cheek.

“We did shots,” Nick says, grinning like a fool, “and can we tell you a secret?”

Charlie and Darcy lean in close, and Nick drunkenly giggles, “I love Charlie andCharlie loves me.”

“Awe, isn’t that just the most fabulous news!” Darcy exclaims, stepping back, missing her footing and landing on her arse.

Isaac, Otis and Sai, the most sober of the group, set up a small bonfire. Tara, Darcy’s roommate, turns on some music on a portable Bluetooth speaker, and the drunken teens start to sway and dance in the freezing winter wind, kept warm by alcohol and a zeal for life.

Charlie and Nick sit in the damp grass for a moment, taking in the sight. They spot Darcy and Tara dancing and getting closer and closer, and watch as Darcy puts her hand on Tara’s cheek. “They’re together, aren’t they?” Nick muses.

“Not sure,” Charlie answers, “I hope they do get together though. They’d be a cute couple.”

“Mmm,” Nick nods. They watch on as Darcy grabs Tara by the waist. “Girls get a free pass, look at how they’re dancing, no one would suspect a thing.”

Tara moves her hand down to Darcy’s waist, and then goes lower. “Well,” Charlie comments, “still subtle?”

“Mmmm, I don’t know, that’s probably the line,” Nick laughs.

Darcy and Tara lock eyes, exchanging silent words with a glance. Tara nods, Darcy nods, and then the girls lean in and kiss. Darcy holds the back of Tara’s neck and they press their chests in close, consumed by desire.

Nick and Charlie share a glance. “Fuck it,” Charlie says, leaping to his feet, “Nick, will you please kiss me?”

“In front of everyone? You don’t mind?” Nick staggers to his feet, “Are you sure?”

“I love you, and I am not ashamed of it. I’m sick of living in fear.” Charlie holds a hand out, inviting Nick in. “I’m so sure.”

Nick looks around. His friends are dancing and talking, the fire’s embers are simmering to a soft orange glow, with dancing reflections across the water mirroring the deep dark night sky. He takes a mental snapshot, knowing that this is just the start. “Let’s do it.”

Pulling Charlie in closer, Nick looks down into blue eyes, darker than normal but just as wide and sparkling as ever. He leans his head down, letting their foreheads touch. “This is it,” Nick breathes, “no turning back.”

“Like jumping off a diving board,” Charlie replies, giving Nick’s arm a squeeze.

The kiss is searingly hot, slow and gentle, all consuming and yet a controlled heat. Their lips move and dance, their bodies sway, and their fingers intertwine and link. Taking a moment to breathe, they break away from each other.

Christian whoops loudly, “Yeah!!!” Caleb and Otis join in.

“About time!” James yells, “Thought you’d never do it!”

Isaac stifles a laugh, “Yeah! About time!”

Nick turns back to Charlie with a huge grin on his face, “Apparently we’ve been about as subtle as Tara and Darcy!”

“Shut up and kiss me,” Charlie strokes Nick’s face then moves in closer.

Tara and Darcy continue to kiss, before Tara pulls Darcy away from the bonfire, falling into the grass and pulling Darcy down on top of her.

Christian takes a swig from a bottle of tequila and swaggers over to Katie, the redhead from the party.

“So,” he says, leaning to one side, “you’re really pretty, and I really like you.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” Katie replies, looking up at him through her fringe, “so are you going to kiss me, or just send me dick pics and gym selfies?”

“Would… would you let me kiss you again?” Christian stammers. “Because I’d like to. A lot.”

Katie pulls Christian in and they kiss hard. “You can do a lot better than just kissing, Chris. Show me what you’re made of.” She digs her hands into his hips to pull him closer, and before long, they’re vertical on the damp grass, kissing and groping each other without a care in the world.

“Looks like everyone is… occupied,” Nick snickers, looking around at all the various couples keeping themselves entertained. “Why don’t we sneak back, we’ll have the room to ourselves?”

“Let’s go,” Charlie says, giving Nick’s hand a squeeze, “before Christian beats us to it.”

Nick looks over and sees Christian putting his hand down the front of Katie’s sunflower patterned leggings. “Jesus Christ,” he gasps, “is he…?”

“Yep,” Caleb says, popping up behind them, “Katie just asked him if he’s ever done bits outdoors before.”

“Oh my god,” Charlie laughs, “yeah, I think it’s definitely time for us to go.”

Charlie takes Nick’s hand, “Ankle strong enough for a jog?”

“Yeah,” Nick smiles.

Falling onto the bottom bunk, Nick pulls his damp hoodie off and helps Charlie undress, and then their cold naked bodies are being pressed together under the heavy winter duvet.

“I love this,” Nick says, bumping Charlie’s nose with his own.

“I love you,” Charlie bumps his nose gently, “do you want to… do something?” Charlie angles his hips so Nick can feel his erection pressing against his belly.

“Well…” Nick rolls onto his side, “I believe someone said something about wanting me to fuck them?”

Charlie giggles, “Well? We haven’t talked about it much before, but maybe you’d like to try?”

Nick sits up and pushes the blanket off, getting out of the bunk. “Where are you going?” Charlie asks, following Nick’s naked silhouette in the dark room.

“I’m stealing a condom from Christian,” Nick says with a cheeky grin, “he won’t mind.”

“Steal some lube while you’re at it,” Charlie says, sitting up. His heart starts to thud.

Nick kneels on the bed with the condom and lube in one hand. “So we’ve both never done this before… so…”

Charlie lies back and opens his legs, “Start with one finger and work your way up?”

Nick pulls the blanket over them both, lying back down and moving a hand with lubed up fingers between Charlie’s legs. “You sure?”

“Absolutely positive,” Charlie whispers, “I want this with you. I want my first time to be with you.”

The initial press, stretch and burn makes Charlie whine quietly, and Nick stops to try and let him adjust. “Still okay?”

“Keep going,” Charlie says, sighing and breathing deeply, concentrating on trying to relax.

“You’re doing so well,” Nick says gently, “I can’t believe I’m actually inside you.”

By the time Nick has three fingers slowly working Charlie open, his own cock is throbbing so hard it almost hurts, “I’m not going to last,” he whispers.

“When do you ever last?” Charlie teases, kissing Nick’s shoulder, “But practice makes perfect. Come on, now get in me.”

Nick pulls Charlie’s legs up, and lines himself up. “I love you so much,” Nick murmurs.

“I love you too.” Charlie replies.

Pushing in, Nick groans at how tight it is, “Oh my god, you’re so fucking tight, it almost hurts.”

“Take it slow,” Charlie breathes, “there’s no rush.”

Nick wipes his sweaty brow and presses in slightly more, “I’m about halfway, is that okay?”

“More,” Charlie begs, “I can take more.”

By the time Nick actually bottoms out, the sweaty boys are clinging to each other desperately. Nick rocks his hips experimentally, and Charlie moans. “Right there, yes, right fucking there,” he gasps.

Nick whimpers and snaps his hips forward again, “Oh my god, I’m not gonna last at all, fuck!”

Charlie grips Nick’s arm tightly, “No. Last for me. Just a little longer.”

Nick feels his whole body trembling as he holds himself back from the edge, willing himself to keep moving without coming. “I… I…. fuck, it’s, it’s so good,” he stammers.

“A little more,” Charlie begs, “hold on for me.” Charlie’s hand falls to his own cock, and he strokes himself furiously, trying to chase the peak that is far too close for his lover.

“I can’t, I can’t,” Nick groans, “please let me come, I’ll suck you straight after, I promise,” Nick is pleading now, completely breathless and wrecked.

Charlie lets go of his own cock and moves his hands to hold his own thighs, pulling them in close to his chest, “Then fuck me hard and come for me.”

Nick’s head falls forward as his thrusts speed up and he careens towards his peak, “Feels so fucking good, feels so fucking good, oh my God, oh my God, Charlie I’m coming, Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!”

Charlie can’t believe the sight and sound of his gorgeous boyfriend completely coming apart above him, moaning his name and swearing through his orgasm. Whilst he knows Nick would make good on his promise to blow him, the moment over takes him and he can’t wait. Reaching down he thrusts into his own hand and comes hard, splashing them both. As Charlie comes back down to earth, Nick whimpers, “Ah! Fuck! You’re tightening around me and I’m so fucking sensitive.”

Charlie tightens hard again on purpose, loving seeing Nick squirm, “Like that?”

“Ah!” Nick giggles, “You little menace.”

“Suppose it’s too late for a shower,” Charlie sighs, “here,” he hands Nick some wet wipes, “pop the condom in there too?”

After the unsexy cleanup routine, the boys put on their pyjamas and snuggle up close in the bottom bunk. Nick’s phone vibrates.

Isaac: You guys done? I’m freezing out here

By the time Nick and Charlie wake up, Isaac is already reading on the window seat. “Hello sleeping beauties one and two.”

“Yikes. Sorry about last night, we didn’t realise you’d come back,” Charlie says, sitting up.

“I didn’t have to wait long, trust me. Caleb told me you guys had headed back, so I gave you a forty minute head start. Seems like that was plenty of time.” Isaac grins, puts his book down and takes a swig from his water bottle.

Nick grunts, “Where’s Christian?”

Isaac laughs, “Well, when I last saw him he was getting down and dirty in the grass, looks like he ended up back at her’s.”

“Weewww, get in lad,” Nick whistles, “I’ll flick him a text. God, my head is killing me.”

Isaac throws a pack of Panadol across the room, “One step ahead of you, pal.”

Charlie holds out his hand, and Nick pops two tablets out.

“Man, you both look exhausted,” Isaac says with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“You can shut up,” Charlie warns.

“I’m not saying anything,” Isaac laughs, “because that right there on the floor next to the wet wipes says it all for me! That’s a used condom and Christian’s lube.”

Chapter Text

25 Years Later…

Nick and Charlie are sitting on the couch in the lounge, having already said goodnight to their son George. There’s nothing good on TV, so they’re just sitting in silence.

Tomorrow is the big day, where George will be going off to boarding school, and the bright eyed and bushy tailed fourteen year old can’t wait, just like his dads had done so many years ago.

“You reckon he’s going to be alright?” Nick leans into Charlie and strokes his husband's hand, pausing to rub his fingertip over the yellow gold band.

“I hope so. He’s a tough kid, and he’s smart. Besides, Jamie will be there, he’ll keep an eye on him,” Charlie reassures him. Jamie, Christian and Katie’s eldest, is a year older than George. He’s tall with his mother’s red hair and his dad’s witty humour. “Hopefully they’ll get into less trouble than we did.”

“But then, if we had stayed out of trouble, would we be here?” Nick kisses Charlie’s neck, and Charlie giggles, ticklish as always.

“I can’t believe we stole Mr Ajayi’s porn,” Charlie sighs, “and that Isaac waited out in the cold while we fucked!”

“We were the worst,” Nick whispers, “but also the best.” Nick leans in and snakes a hand up Charlie’s jumper.

“Niiiiiick,” Charlie whispers, “we can’t.”

“Why not?” Nick replies quietly, “We’ll be so quiet, and we’ve never been caught before.”

“Except for your mum,” Charlie scoffs.

“That was one time!” Nick laughs. Sarah had opened Nick’s door the first winter holidays Charlie had come to visit, and had been greeted with the sight of Charlie’s pale arse, and Nick bent over the bed. Needless to say that had been embarrassing for literally everyone involved. Thankfully, Sarah had already been told about the boys going out, so at least that wasn’t how she found out.

“He’s only just gone to bed,” Charlie whispers, but Nick is already pulling him onto his lap.

“We won’t be loud,” Nick whispers, “I miss you.”

“Alright hun, soon. Miss you too.”

“Let’s give it half an hour,” Nick suggests, “I’ll go shower, want to join?” Nick lifts Charlie off him, stands up and plants a kiss on his forehead.

Nick washes Charlie’s hair, being gentle with his curl pattern. “Still showers, after all these years,” Nick sighs.

“Our special place,” Charlie agrees. “God, George probably dry retches now he’s old enough to clock what’s going on.”

“No,” Nick laughs, “when we drove to football practice, he actually told me he finds it quite lovely how affectionate we still are with one another.”

“That sweet boy,” Charlie sighs, “God, I’m going to miss him so much.”

“Shhhh,” Nick rubs Charlie’s shoulders, “I’m supposed to be the sappy one, remember?”

“Alright,” Charlie sighs, “water’s going to go cold, hurry up old man.”

“Okay, bossy boots,” Nick rinses the body wash off.

Nick gets out first before handing a towel to Charlie. Charlie’s hair takes longer to dry, so Nick heads to their bedroom first.

With how busy life has been, they haven’t had time to be intimate as often as they’d like. He turns on Alexa and puts on some of his favourite tunes, then turns on a side light for some subtle mood lighting.

There’s no point getting dressed, so he grabs a towel from their stash and sets it on the bed before taking a seat and waiting for his lover.

“Oh, this is nice,” Charlie smiles as he walks in, throwing the damp towels into the washing basket. “What are you up for?”

“I guess all this talk of the good old days has me nostalgic,” Nick laughs, pulling Charlie onto his lap.

“Shhh,” Charlie puts a finger up to Nick’s lips, “seriously, keep it down.”

“It really is like the old days then, sneaking around and trying not to get caught,” Nick kisses Charlie’s neck, biting gently. “Don’t worry darling, I can still be quiet for you.”

Charlie raises an eyebrow before pushing Nick back and sliding down between his legs. “You better make good on that, I'd hate to send you to bed with blue balls.”

“You wouldn’t,” Nick gasps in mock shock.

“We both know I would,” Charlie retorts. Nick swallows his whine as Charlie’s head lowers between his legs, skilfully getting to work just how he knows his husband likes.

Nick bites his fist, and lets his other hand gently rub and scratch at Charlie’s scalp. Before long, Charlie pulls up, and they swap around. Nick gives Charlie’s cock a suck and lets his finger play lower, making Charlie whimper. “Now who’s struggling to stay quiet,” he smirks.

“How do you- ah fuck, how do you wanna do it?” Charlie is already breathless, struggling to keep his voice in a low whisper.

“It really has been awhile,” Nick smiles up at his beloved, “wait, have you given yourself a go recently? Played with any of the toys?”

Charlie shakes his head, “Haven't actually made time for any solo play, last time I came was Friday night with you when you blew me. Oh, hun, when did you…?”

Nick smiles sheepishly, “Last night, when you were out. I’m probably still pretty ready, do you want to prep me?”

Charlie helps Nick roll into position on his back, before pushing his legs up and helping himself to some lube out of the bedside drawer. “Oh my,” Charlie tuts, “you really are still pretty open, aren’t you baby?”

Nick nods, face flushed in anticipation.

A few minutes later, Charlie is wiggling his fingers inside Nick, rubbing against that special spot inside him that makes him keen and whine under his breath.

“You ready?” Charlie asks.

Nick nods eagerly, “No condom.”

“Understood,” Charlie says, pulling himself up onto his knees, “there we go.” He helps Nick manoeuvre onto his stomach, before spreading him open and pressing his cock up against Nick.

“Please,” Nick whispers, “need it, now.”

“Always so needy for me,” Charlie presses in and Nick presses his face into the pillow to drown out any noise he might make.

Charlie breathes out in a huff, “Still so fucking tight for me, aren’t you?”

Nick nods, pressing back and pulling his legs under to elevate himself, “Can I touch?”

“Of course,” Charlie thrusts all the way in at once, and Nick is now pumping himself, chasing the high.

Charlie’s hands squeeze Nick’s soft love handles, instinctively pulling his hips in closer with each movement. As Nick adjusts, he moves faster and faster, able to read Nick’s body language after years of making love.

“Can we swap around?” Charlie asks, voice a little breathless, “Would you mind?” Charlie pulls out and falls back onto his heels, panting.

Nick laughs, and flips over, “You want me on top?”

Charlie nods, “I’m a little tired.”

Nick straddles Charlie, and despite their size difference, it’s what works for them. Lowering himself down onto Charlie, the stretch is back with the new angle.

“God, I love watching you bounce on me,” Charlie breathes, “I’ll stroke you?”

“Not unless you’re ready to come,” Nick giggles quietly, “I’m getting there already.” He moves faster, rocking his hips back and forward like he knows Charlie enjoys. “Oh fuck,” Charlie slaps a hand over his own mouth, “if you carry on like that, I’ll-, ah, I’ll be done.”

Nick gives him a cheeky grin and grinds back and forth faster again. “Touch me.” Recognising Charlie’s tell-tale signs of getting close, he’s already planning the best way to do this.

“Oh fuck, babe,” Charlie sighs, “I’m close.” Charlie reaches for Nick’s cock to get him close as well. “Wanna watch you come all over me first, please.”

Nick squeezes his eyes shut and lets the orgasm he’s been trying to hold back take him at full force, spurting onto Charlie’s chest, while he continues to move and fuck, keeping his lips closed tight so his moans are held in, breathing out hard through his nose. Charlie comes next, and Nick leans down and kisses him to shut him up.

“Fucking messy,” Nick sighs, trying to manoeuvre himself off Charlie. His legs are sore from the angle, and the movements might have hurt his back. He’ll know in the morning. But it’ll still be worth it.

“Shit, the sheets!” Charlie hisses, yanking a towel into place, “Jesus Nick, careful!”

“When I said no condom, I wasn’t thinking straight,” Nick laughs, trying to contain the mess.

“When have you ever thought straight?” Charlie sniggers.

“Walked right into that one. This is what I get for thinking with my dick,” Nick laughs at his own joke.

“Shh!” Charlie scolds, “Quiet!”

“I’ll be back, gotta loo.”

Charlie gives himself a once over with a wet wipe before climbing under the duvet, lying on Nick’s side of the bed to warm it up first. Nick comes back to bed and snuggles into Charlie’s arms. “Love you.”

~~

Nick manages not to cry in front of George, helping him unload his things at the train station. Christian and Katie are giving Jamie a last minute talking-to about not getting himself into any trouble this term. Jamie smiles and hugs his mum, before wandering over to chat with George.

Principal Ajayi, now the man in charge, has already gotten in touch with Nick and Charlie about helping their son settle in, so they know they really don’t have anything to worry about. But it’s still a big day.

“FaceTime us,” Charlie says, squeezing George’s hand.

“Daaaaaaaad,” George moans, “you’re embarrassing me!”

“Say hello to Principal Ajayi from us, and be sure to go and find Mr Henderson as well. He’s a wonderful, gentle man, and will be able to help you if you get into a spot of trouble.” Nick straightens George’s collar, and George squirms.

“Papa, please, I’ll be fine. I promise.” George seems to want to look all grown up and cool in front of Jamie. So Nick and Charlie give him another quick hug, and then he’s off into the train station.

Jamie, chatty as ever, immediately fills George in on a secret little party he’s been invited to, and the boys chat as they board the train together.

Back in the carpark, Charlie turns the car on and Nick wipes a tear from his eye.

“Babe, he’ll be okay,” Charlie holds his hand. “He’s going to have so much fun.”

“I’m sure he will,” Nick sighs, “I’m just going to miss him.”

Charlie leans over and kisses his husband’s cheek, “I’m proud of us, we’ve raised one hell of a son.”

It would only be two weeks before Principal Ajayi would call to inform the Nelson-Springs that their son had been caught running an underground football betting ring. He’d received a detention, and Nick and Charlie were meant to give him a call and tell him off, but honestly? He could have been up to so much worse.