Nick And Charlie Apr 2026

I told my mum. I told my brother. I told Imogen. I’m going to walk into school tomorrow, and I’m going to find you, and I’m going to kiss you in the middle of the courtyard. Not because I want to prove something to them. But because I need you to know that you are not a secret. You are not a phase. You are the only thing that makes sense.

A week later, a letter appeared in Charlie’s locker. It was on torn-out notebook paper, covered in crossed-out words and ink smudges. It was so Nick .

“The lying. The sneaking around. My mum asked if you were my boyfriend and I said no, Charlie. I said no . Like you were nothing. I hate myself. I hate who I become when I’m scared. You deserve someone who doesn’t have to think about holding your hand.” Nick and Charlie

You taught me that being strong isn’t about how much you can bench press. It’s about being honest. It’s about showing up. And I failed. I showed you the worst version of myself.

“Alright, Charlie?” Nick’s grin was easy, genuine. It wasn’t the mocking kind Charlie was used to. I told my mum

Charlie laughed, a wet, broken sound. “You’re an idiot.”

And Charlie, in turn, showed up for Nick. When Nick’s own father dismissed his bisexuality with a wave of a hand (“It’s just a phase, Nicholas”), Charlie was the one who drove two hours to Nick’s dad’s house, sat in the car, and held Nick’s hand while he cried. He didn’t try to fix it. He just stayed. I’m going to walk into school tomorrow, and

Nick stepped closer, crowding Charlie’s space. The air between them went tight and electric. “Yes, I do,” he said, his voice rough. “Charlie, I think… I think I like you. Not as a friend. I think I like you.”

Charlie closed his eyes. He knew that fear. He’d lived it. “They won’t. The real ones won’t.”

Then Nick kissed him. It was clumsy, a little off-center, and tasted faintly of the strawberry Chapstick Nick would later deny owning. It was perfect. Charlie melted into it, his back against the cold metal, Nick’s hand cupping his jaw like he was something precious.