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He was choosing to blame this all on Darcy. Granted, he knew it was probably payback from when he dared her to eat a whole jar of mustard being fully aware that there was no way she wouldn’t do it – and then getting a silent treatment from Tara, even though Darcy was completely fine – but he wanted to blame someone and Darcy was as good an option as any.
So now there he was, waking over to the small shop down the street, about to buy three whole packs of condoms. And although Nick had absolutely no problem with condoms or having to buy them, being quite frank, he did prefer the anonymity of online shopping, which was how he had always gotten them. The only time, back in Secondary, that he had tried buying condoms at a shop, he almost ran into his rugby coach, and even though she was his favourite faculty member, he really didn’t want them to have that common knowledge hanging between them.
But Nick didn’t have a lot of experience with condoms anyways, at least not as much as his fellow teammates in the rugby team seemed to have. He’d only had two previous sexual partners and both were long term relationships, because Nick just didn’t seem to enjoy casual sex. He’d tried and yeah, not for him. He was the type of guy that really enjoyed the idea of intimacy with a loved one, especially since he was surrounded by so many happy couples.
He was nearing the shop’s entrance when his mobile vibrated.
darcy
have you gotten them yet?
tara
he just left darce
darcy
so?
THERE’S NO GETTING OUT OF THIS NICHOLAS
darcy will you calm down
i literally just got here
darcy
well go faster sunshine
i’m hungry and tara said we can only order pizza when you get back
yeah well you were the one to make me leave the flat so
darcy
your point?
🙄
i’ll be right back
As Nick was pocketing his mobile and entering the shop doors, he casually looked around to gauge how many people would be in the place… and then did a double take. There in the only check out station, he spotted dark curls, blue eyes and dimples. Dimples because the owner of the aforementioned features smiled as soon as he spotted Nick.
What in the actual hell was Charlie Spring doing there? For all Nick knew, Charlie only worked on weekdays, and it was a fucking Saturday night. And now he can’t even turn away and go to another shop because he had already been spotted. Jesus, it was just his luck the guy he was crushing on for months would be present to witness his humiliation. Even worse, he would have to ring Nick’s order.
He considered not buying the condoms and just getting something else, but… The thing was, their monthly game nights were a tradition that started when Nick, Tara and Darcy first met in uni, two years prior. Since then, they have changed the rules many, many times. But the only thing that had never changed was that the person that came in last would have to complete a dare chosen by the winner of the night. They would usually play several different games, from board games to video games, and never the same ones from the month prior, so each one of them always had a fair chance of winning. Still, the dares consisted in mostly tame things, such as Darcy eating the jar of mustard or Tara having to add pineapple on her pizza or Nick running around the rugby field late at night in only his pyjamas during a snowfall. Darcy making him buy condoms was really nothing out of the ordinary and he knew he wouldn’t hear the end of it if he gave up.
And Nick hated the idea of losing.
Especially to Darcy.
So, he put his big boy trousers on and marched forward.
“Charlie, hey. Didn’t know you’d be here tonight?”
Charlie gave him a teasing smile. “Knowing my schedule now, are we?”
“Well…” Nick could feel his cheeks reddening. “It’s hard not to when the weekend cashier is not as nice as you.”
More like not as cute, he thought. Charlie’s smile grew almost as if he could hear Nick’s thoughts.
“Yeah, I wouldn’t think so, Cole is a bit of a grumpy arse,” he commented, his eyes shining when Nick chuckled softly. “But he asked me to cover for him today, so here I am.”
“Yeah, here you are,” they stared at each other for some moments and Nick almost forgot what he was doing at the shop. Almost.
Charlie showed off his dimples again. “Aren’t you here to get something?”
“What? Oh, yeah. Yes. I’ll just…” He pointed out in the general direction of the product aisles, still facing Charlie and, as always, blushing. Sometimes he really hated being this prone to blushing. Tara said it was adorable. He thought it was fucking annoying.
“Of course. See you in a bit.”
Nick wandered aimlessly around the aisles, searching for the correct one but since the shop was small, soon enough he was standing in front of a whole shelf full of condoms. And there were so many options that Nick felt momentaneously overwhelmed. Ones with flavours, enhanced sensitivity, thin feel, extra safe, surprise me packs, non-latex…
He didn’t remember seeing so many options whenever he was buying for himself, but then again, he usually went directly to his wishlist. And he couldn’t even spot his favourite brand. Did that mean the one he liked wasn’t actually good? Or was it just hidden between the scary number of packages?
Fucking bollocks.
For a brief second, he considered texting Tara and Darcy, but he didn’t think two lesbians girls would be the best source of information in that regard. And he would be caught dead first before ever asking any of his friends in the rugby team, otherwise he wouldn’t hear the end of it.
He tried to rationalise that it wouldn’t matter which type he got, seeing as he wasn’t intending on actually making use of them so, on a whim, he grabbed three of the packs that were closer to his line of sight and bolted.
⋆・゜゜・．・゜゜・．・゜゜・⋆
When Charlie got asked to cover for his co-worker, he considered saying no. He didn’t really like Cole that much – he didn’t think many did, to be honest – and he had been looking forward to a night out with his friends, seeing as they all had just gone through a gruesome period of tests. But he really needed the money, especially because he had his eyes on a new drum kit that he was sure his parents wouldn’t even consider buying him, so he agreed.
He was not expecting, however, to see Nick Nelson enter the shop doors, at half past nine in the evening, looking completely lost. And he couldn’t help but smile.
Ever since the first time he saw Nick when he started working at the shop, he had been fascinated. Nick was the unassuming type of bloke that would catch everyone’s attention even though he didn’t notice it. Tall, broad shoulders, strong arms, reddish blond hair and the kindest honey brown eyes Charlie had ever seen. It would be too much to ask of Charlie not to be completely attracted to the older guy.
And in any given situation, Charlie would never ever entertain the idea of flirting with a guy like Nick. He knew he shouldn’t be judging people’s sexualities based on their looks, but the thing was that Nick was very straight presenting and Charlie was always a bit reluctant to approach those types of guys.
But during that first meeting, Nick blushed as soon as their eyes met in the check out station and Charlie was a goner. There was just no way he wouldn’t try to get that colour back into his cheeks again. However, what really, really sealed the deal on Charlie’s infatuation happened the third time Nick came by the store. Before, Nick had been wearing hoodies, seeing as the weather up north had been rather cold, but on that third time… He was still wearing a jumper, but the sleeves had been pushed up his forearms, leaving in plain sight the two bracelets he wore. A black one saying love is love with a rainbow underneath the text and another, a beaded one in three colours.
Pink, purple and blue. The bisexual flag colours.
From that moment on, every time Nick would come by the shop, Charlie would flirt with Nick, Nick would get flustered, they would exchange many meaningful looks and some innuendos that made Charlie think that he could actually have a chance with the older man… but it seemed like neither of them had the courage to cross that line, yet.
He was taken out of his musings by the sound of Nick placing his order on the check out counter… and it took everything in him not to react when he saw not one, not two, but three fucking condom packs.
Three.
Fucking three.
Well… seemed like he really didn’t have a chance then.
Still, looking up and seeing Nick not being able to stare him in the eyes while also getting increasingly redder, he couldn’t help himself. “You know, that brand is not very good.”
Nick paused. “I… what?”
“The condoms?” Charlie started regretting ever opening up his mouth, but now that he did, he had to go on. “I mean, I have no idea if that brand is your go-to or if I’m crossing a line here, but I don’t actually recommend it. Especially if you’re about to buy three packs,” he mentally slapped himself, fully aware he was rambling but not being able to stop.
“Oh! Um, yeah, it’s not a problem,” Nick scratched the back of his neck looking down briefly before he frowned and looked up, staring Charlie dead in the eyes. “I’m not actually going to be using them.”
It was Charlie’s turn to pause, cocking his head slightly to the side. “What?”
“It’s stupid.”
“Well, now I’m much more intrigued.”
Charlie was quite thankful that it was already late in the evening and the shop seemed otherwise empty, because they had been hogging the check out station for a few minutes already and Nick wasn’t in a hurry to leave.
“It was a dare from my friends.”
“A… dare,” he asked himself if he had heard it right, but by the way Nick blushed, he was sure he had. He also wondered if it was possible for someone to be permanently red, because Nick seemed to be half way in that path already.
“As I said, it’s stupid,” Nick sighed, leaning his hip on the counter and stuffing his hands into his joggers’ pockets. “We have this monthly game night and whoever loses has to complete a dare chosen by the winner.”
“Oh, that actually sounds really fun,” Charlie looked contemplative as he thought about it. His friends and him also had game nights but they never thought to take it to that level like Nick and his friends.
“Yeah, well. I’m not finding it particularly fun tonight.”
“Yes, can’t even wonder why,” Charlie deadpanned and their eyes met, they dissolved in a fit of giggles. Still laughing, Charlie started to ring the condoms. “You know, if you really aren’t using them, you can come back on my next shift and I can exchange them for you.”
“Oh? But isn’t that against shop policies?” Nick pointed to a sign near the station that stated ‘ALL ORDERS ARE FINAL’ in big bold letters. Charlie’s smile was a lazy one.
“Yeah, but sometimes we can make an exception for a cute customer.”
⋆・゜゜・．・゜゜・．・゜゜・⋆
A cute customer.
Charlie’s words kept echoing in Nick’s mind during the walk back to his flat. He’d been trying to find the courage to ask Charlie out for a few weeks already, but he’d always chicken out at the last minute. Even though Charlie had been flirty on many occasions, Nick still found it hard to believe that the guy would be interested in him. Objectively, he knew he was good looking enough to attract attention from some people, especially being somewhat popular because of the rugby team. And it was no secret between those who knew Nick, that he had never been that good either with approaching his crushes but there was something about Charlie that really disarmed him.
It was much later that night, after they had drunk the beers they had and eaten the pizzas they had ordered, that Darcy remembered the packs of condoms.
“Since we know Nicholas isn’t gonna be using them because he’s not getting it on with anyone–”
“I take offence to that.”
“Sucks to suck, my guy,” Darcy smiled cheekily at him and he just flipped her off. “But really, you know what we should do? We should make balloons with them!”
Both Nick and Tara lost it.
“And do what then, babe? Decorate the flat with them?” Tara asked between fits of giggles.
“Well, we could! It’s the only way this type of condom is gonna be in this flat anyways.”
“Again, I take offence to that,” Nick threw a cushion at Darcy, hitting her straight in the face and Tara laughed harder.
“Come onnnnnn,” Darcy elongated the word in a whine, reaching out to grab the shop’s bag that Nick had set up on the coffee table, but he jumped out of his place on the floor to stop her.
“No, no. We’re definitely not opening them or turning them into balloons.”
“Why not?” Tara leaned forward getting closer to Nick, smiling mischievously. “Is there actually someone? Are you keeping secrets from your best friends now, Nicholas?”
Nick must have taken too long to answer, because Darcy squeaked. “Oh my God, there is!”
“Who are they? Is it someone we know?”
“It’s not… I don’t…” he sighed. He was keeping his crush a secret for some unknown reason even to him, but then he decided to just spill the beans. “Okay, there is someone.”
“WHAT! How did you not tell us this?”
“I don’t know, I just didn’t?” He shoved his fingers into his hair, messing it up a bit. “He works at the shop I just went to. I think he started there a couple months ago.”
“Oh so it’s a ‘he’, then?” Darcy giggled, making a little dance. “Already gay, I love it.”
Nick chuckled. “I don’t even know if he likes me that way.”
“Well, tell us everything anyways!” Tara said excitedly.
And that was how they spent the next few minutes. Nick telling them about every interaction he’d had with Charlie and them giving their input in the matter. Then he got to that night’s conversation.
“So you had to buy that many condoms in front of the guy you fancy?” Darcy was laughing so hard she was crying, literally rolling on the sofa. “I cannot believe my dare ended up being even better than I anticipated.”
“Shut up.”
“But why exactly do you think he doesn’t like you?” Tara asked genuinely. “To me, it seems like he’s been flirting way too much for someone who’s not interested.”
“You think so?”
“Nick, he literally called you cute today!” Tara laughed incredulously. “Of course I think so.”
Nick blushed for the millionth time that night and Darcy sighed solemnly, placing both hands on his shoulders. “Nick, my favourite bisexual mess, my guy. For the love of everything queer in this world, take the both of you out of your misery and ask him out. Listen to your lesbian mum.”
“Okay, okay,” he laughed. “I’ll ask him out next time I’m back at the shop.”
“Yes!”
When Monday rolled around, Nick had every intention to go see Charlie as soon as he left his rugby practice, but his plans went down the drain when the team was asked to stay longer so they could discuss strategies for their upcoming game on the next weekend. By the time Nick was nearing his flat, it had gone past seven, which meant Charlie’s shift had probably already ended. So he resigned himself to waiting until the next day.
Going on Tuesday ended up being a good decision, because his afternoon lecture finished a bit earlier than normal, so he headed straight for the shop.
And he froze when he crossed the doors, because the person sitting on the checkout station was not Charlie. Since he’d been going to that place ever since he moved into the flat with the girls, he also knew that person to be the owner, Mr. Lange. He didn’t know the man’s first name – he didn’t think anyone knew actually – but Nick knew him to be the grumpiest person he had ever met.
He was still standing near the entrance thinking about leaving and coming back the next day (what if Charlie had been fired and that was why he wasn’t there? Oh God, even worse, what if Charlie was fired because his boss somehow managed to find out he was going to exchange Nick’s order?), when Mr. Lange looked up from whatever he was doing and looked right at Nick.
“Do you need something, Nelson?” Oh the joys of small shops and communities where everyone knew everyone. Nick got closer to the man and smiled a bit nervously. Well, if he was already there…
“Hello sir, I was actually wondering if Charlie’s here?”
Lange raised an eyebrow, a suspicious look on his face. “Why?”
“Oh um, we’re… friends?”
Nick’s unsureness made the older man’s eyebrow go even higher, but before either of them could say anything else, another voice joined them.
“Sorry it took so long, sir,” Charlie was nearing them, still half focused on the mobile in his hands. That was the first time he was seeing Charlie standing and it didn’t escape Nick’s notice that the dark haired guy was almost as tall as he was, but Nick was still taller. It was a strange thing to fixate on, but Nick liked it a bit too much.
“It’s fine,” Lange answered as he got up to leave the station and Charlie finally noticed Nick’s presence.
“Nick!” Charlie smiled at Nick, showing off his dimples and it took a lot for him not to swoon.
“I’ll leave you to go back to work, Charlie. If you need anything else, I’ll be in my office,” Lange left without another word and Charlie took his place behind the counter.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. It was just my best friend being overly dramatic because he’s a bit sick,” Charlie leaned back on his chair as Nick leaned his hip on the counter. “So what do I owe the pleasure today? I don’t see you with any shopping?”
“Oh yeah. So, um… I wanted to, you know, exchange the condoms,” Nick could feel his cheeks getting hot and he mentally kicked himself. Especially when Charlie gave him a teasing smile.
“Well, well, you really didn’t end up using them then?”
“I mean, you did tell me that brand was rubbish, so…”
“Oh so now it’s my fault you’re not getting any action?” Charlie laughed and Nick had to bite back a retort because technically, yeah it was Charlie’s fault.
He chose to ignore the teasing. “Can I pick anything then?”
“Yeah, of course. Just do it quickly so Mr. Lange won’t suspect it.”
“Are you sure it’s okay to do this? You won’t get in trouble?”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, then,” he took the three packs of condoms from his backpack and placed them on the counter. “I’ll be right back.”
He ended up getting some Monster Munch for Darcy, ice cream for Tara and a pack of his favourite energy drink for himself. He figured he would have to pay additional money on the total order, but since he was already at the shop, it was easier that way.
He went back to the check out station to see that Charlie was just finishing up with an elderly lady and thankfully the shop was pretty empty for that time of the day.
Charlie giggled as soon as he saw Nick’s picks. “That’s a very interesting combination.”
“Well, most of these are for my roommates, only the energy drink is for me.”
“Of course it is.”
“Oi, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing bad… rugby lad,” Charlie giggled again when Nick rolled his eyes, starting to ring his order.
They stayed in silence for a few moments, but that was enough for Nick to start to spiral internally, second-guessing the whole asking out thing. Not to mention he didn’t want it to sound like he was coming onto Charlie while he was at work, in case the other guy really didn’t want anything to do with him.
But then Tara’s words resounded on his mind as he finished paying for his shopping, and he decided to just go for it.
“Hey Charlie, I was wondering–”
“Nick, would you like to–”
They both spoke at the same time, stopping when they noticed the other was also speaking. For the first time since they’ve met, Nick saw Charlie give him a nervous, reluctant smile. “You can go first.”
Nick took a deep breath. “I was just wondering if you’d be free this weekend?”
“I am actually, yes,” Charlie bit his lip in a clear attempt to hold back a smile and Nick felt hopeful once again.
“Would you like to, maybe, go on a date? With me,” Nick shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking back and forth on his heels. Charlie lost the battle and his smile was back, in full force this time, with dimples and shiny eyes.
“I would love to.”
⋆・゜゜・．・゜゜・．・゜゜・⋆
“Oh my God, Darcy! I’m your girlfriend, you shouldn’t be this merciless with me!”
“Well, my love, all is fair in love and war.”
“This is not a bloody war, this is Uno!”
“Might as well be the same thing to me!”
“Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing, Nick!”
“I’m not doing anything!”
“Charlie, just because it’s your first game night, it doesn’t mean I’ll let you get away with this!”
It was the first Saturday of the month, which meant it was game night for Nick and his friends. And it was also the first time Charlie was actually attending it.
As soon as he and Nick started going out a couple of months before, his boyfriend (yes, he was still taking every opportunity to call Nick his boyfriend, thank you very much) had invited him to join on the first game night that came up. Unfortunately, he ended up having to cover again for his co-worker, that time demanded by his boss himself, so Charlie just had to call it off.
This time though, everything had worked out and they had been playing for hours already, keeping tabs on the score of each player, but still having fun. So far, Charlie had only won the video game round, them having played Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate actually helping them with that. But then Tara won a round of Monopoly, Nick won another and now Darcy was heading to her third victory in Uno. By the general score, if she actually won that round, she would be the winner of the night.
And was exactly what ended up happening a few moments later.
“VICTORY!” Darcy got up from her spot on the floor and danced around the living room while the others threw their cards in the pile in the middle of the coffee table.
“This is so not fair,” Nick moaned from Charlie’s right. “This is your third time in a row, you are definitely cheating!”
“Am not!” she got a cushion and threw it at Nick, missing by a whole inch. “You are just bitter that I keep winning and scared of having to complete another dare.”
“Whatever.”
“Unfortunately for Charlie, he was the one to actually end in the bottom,” Tara giggled looking at her notes. She was the most trusting one to do that, according to Nick.
“Fuck, I’m screwed, aren’t I?”
Darcy let out a mischievous laugh. “So, Charlie, my boy. I dare you to…”