Chapter Text
“Charlie, are you sure we can’t enter Daisy?”
“Yes, I’m sure. What if she’s the best? Which she would be because I’m the judge, and I’d end up losing business for a rigged comPETition.”
Nick huffs and puts the costumes he had spent an undisclosed amount of time researching and finding in the right sizes, back in the bag he was holding before Charlie could see he had actually bought them.
“Are you still ok to donate some biscuits as a second prize?”
“Sure thing. I’ll make a bag of mixed flavours.”
With a kiss and a smile for Nick, Charlie leaves for work.
Nick collapses in the chair beside him, “oh Nell, Dais, you’d look awesome in these, a perfect pair of superheroes I don’t even mind too much it’s DC not Marvel. Alright fine, I do mind. But they’re pawesome.”
Charlie walks through the door and Elle smiles at him, she tilts her head, “somethings different.”
“Huh?”
“Have you had a hair cut?” She starts carding her fingers through his curls.
“What, no.”
“I’ve known you like forever, I know when something’s changed.”
“Elle, nothing has changed. I promise.” He says arching his back away from her hand giggling.
“I don’t believe you.”
He walks past her towards the staffroom for his morning coffee, arm raised and middle finger up. He hears her cackling as he walks away.
He’s in the staffroom waiting for the kettle to boil, with a yoghurt and an apple on the side ready. Charlie’s humming and daydreaming and staring off into the middle distance.
“You're humming.” She says with a smile on her face.
He shrugs but does not stop.
“You’re really not going to tell me?”
He shakes his head, then turns his attention to the now boiled kettle.
“Well, you have Rufus first thing today so that’ll keep you out of trouble for a bit. Also, are you happy with these posters I made advertising the dog Halloween costume comPETition?” “They look great Elle, thank you!” She nods and walks back to reception head high knowing full well she’ll wheedle out the info she wants eventually.
The day plods on. Rufus is more of a pain than usual but somehow Charlie's mood is not dampened, at lunch he eats all his lunch fairly quickly, and even has an extra helping of fruit. Elle has never seen Charlie like this, not even when he was going to propose to Nick.
“Ok Charlie, what is going on? You’ve been floating on cloud nine all morning and I want in!”
He lifts his eye line from cutting his kiwi fruit and smiles. “I can’t help it. I’m so happy!”
He places his knife down and wipes his hands on some kitchen roll.
“Ok. But you cannot tell a soul, not even Tao.” Elle nods, moving to sit on the edge of her seat in anticipation.
“You know how Nick went to uni in Leeds?”
She nods.
“And you know his favourite rugby team is the Leeds Badgers?”
“Yesssss,” she says sceptically.
“Well, I’ve been in cahoots with Sai, he messaged me this morning, and I’ve managed to buy a joint season ticket for the Leeds Badgers.” He holds his hand up as if to silence Elle, “which means,” he continues and she nods in encouragement because yes, she has no idea why this is so exciting.
“Which means, he can go to home and away games with one other person, me or someone else,”
“Okay, but why are you this happy?”
“I have also, with help from Sai because, you know, I don’t know much about the Badgers. He knows a lady called Erin the librarian through the kids league who works with the Badgers and she helped him secure two tickets for a meet the players dinner in Leeds……and…… the players Nick will be meeting are… drum roll please.”
Elle looks blankly, then with an eye roll because it’s clear Charlie won’t continue until she drums, so she slowly obliges by drumming on her knees.
“James and Danny!”
“Right. Well, well done?” Elle clearly has no idea who they are.
“You don’t get it! James is gay and Danny is pan. They are queer rugby players! Just like Nick. They are his favourite, they opened the eyes of rugby to the queer community. It’s people like James and Danny who helped give Nick the courage to come out to his team. He’s going to be over the moon amazed, and I’m going to be the fiancé to give it to him.” Charlie is practically bouncing with excitement. “I’m going to give it to him as his wedding present.” He says with a huge grin on his face.
“Your wedding isn’t until November 17th! It’s only 11th October, how are you going to contain yourself and not tell him before then?”
“Obviously I’m just going to annoy you with my happiness, and I can blame it on wedding excitement when I’m around Nick.”
As the day draws to a close, and Charlie is hoovering the parlour, Nick pops his head around the door.
“Heeeeeere’s Charlie!” He says with an uncanny likeness to Jack Nicholson. “Jeez Nick I’m sorry I ever made you watch The Shining, you scared me half to death.”
“Well, good. Maybe you won’t put me through another horror film ever again! I hate them, and I hate you for making me watch them.”
“I don’t think you hate me. I actually think you love me.” Charlie says, walking slowly towards Nick who has made his way completely into the room.
Charlie makes it over to him and starts running his fingertips gently between the buttons on Nick's shirt.
“What do you say we get out of here?” He breathes into Nick's ear, with a small nibble to his lobe.. “I can try and make it up to you.” He says quietly in between little kisses on Nick’s neck.
Nick scoops him up bridal style making Charlie jump and then laugh out loud. “Nick! You giant rugby idiot.”
“Come on! Soon to be Mr. Nelson- Spring.”
“Errrr, I think you mean Spring-Nelson,”
“Nope I’m pretty sure I don’t.” Nick says laughing and walking through the parlour to the front door. Elle is in reception just shaking her head at their antics. As they walk through the door she shouts “I prefer Nelson-Spring!”
“Traitor!” Charlie laughs back.
Later that evening while cooking dinner together, Charlie comes across a shopping bag and peeks inside. “Umm, Nick?”
Nick has his back to him, stirring the casserole on the hob. “Yes love?” “What are these?”
Nick stops stirring, wondering how could he be so forgetful as to not hide the bag Charlie is looking in?
“Oh nothing important?”
“Oh, really? Because to me it looks like Batman and Robin Halloween costumes for Nellie and Daisy.”
“Umm. That could be what you’re seeing, yes.” Nick refuses to turn and face Charlie, he knows the look he is receiving, it’s burning into the back of his head.
“Have I told you I love you recently?” Nick asks.
“Well, you did just make love to me so,”
Nick chuckles, “but that has nothing to do with the contents of this bag?” Charlie continues.
“Are you mad at me?” Nick asks, now moved to Charlie’s side and wraps his arms around his waist.
“What do you think girls? Shall we try them on?” Charlie is met with excited wiggles and woofs.
A few moments later Charlie walks in with two superheroes at his side and he has also dressed up. He has on a green catsuit with question marks all over it, a bowler hat to match, a gold cane and a small black eye mask. Nick is left speechless. He stands in the kitchen, eyes wide and mouth agape.
“Wow!” Is all he can muster.
Charlie giggles and walks towards him, the dogs following obediently.
“So is this what you had in mind?”
“How did you? How did, when did, what?”
“You left your laptop on the bed, I wanted to check something and the dog costumes were open in a web page. So I thought I’d get involved.”
“You are an absolute menace.” Nick replies.
“Would you like to see what I got for you?”
“I had better not be The Penguin.” Nick deadpans.
Charlie just laughs, delighted at what’s in store for Nick.
