Through the Years with Nick and Charlie

Christmas festivities pt.1

Nick:

     It's Christmas Eve, one of my favorite days of the whole year. To be honest, I like today better than Christmas itself because of what our traditions are, but before all of the festivities, I have training.
     I'm nervous the entire car ride to the facility and during training because I decided that I should just do it today. "I'm gonna ask admin for the 18th of January off so that I can be there for Charlie at our baby shower. " I mumble this to myself trying to work up the courage to go knock on coach's door. I stand right outside of her door and before I can even knock she opens it "o-oh hey coach I um was just wanting to chat if that's alright" I scratch at my neck nervously " Yeah Nick come in, just, how long were you standing there" coach Singh asks but I just smile awkwardly and take a seat in her office "right" she says. "So what did you need Nelson" "I was wondering if I could possibly um....get off...on January 18th" I say looking down in my lap until I finish speaking and look at my coach. Her head is dropped down too, not a great sign. "Nelson, you just asked for a week off and I assume that's for a holiday somewhere, but now you're gonna ask me for another day. What happens if there is an emergency from now to the Olympics and you need another day off. I can't just keep giving them to you and expect you to be fit for the games" I sigh " I know, I know I just really need to be at our baby shower and for Charlie right now with him being pregnant and everything. I promise this is the last day off...unless there's an emergency" "look Nick, we really need you on this team if we want a shot at winning, and usually I don't like my players taking so many days off this close to such an important tournament, but because I understand your circumstances, I will allow you to leave practice early that Saturday, nothing more, got it" "Yes, yes thank you so much" "yeah whatever. I'm putting you to work when you get back from holiday and after your baby shower. Enjoy your Christmas Nelson" "You too coach" I say leaving her office with a huge smile on my face. I immediately text Charlie

My love❤️:
(1:43pm)- hi baby, I'll be home a little later, had to have a quick meeting with coach. I love you!!!

    I'm driving home, jamming out to a playlist that Charlie made for me, still on a joy high from coach approving my day off until I realize that Charlie still thinks that I have just been waiting to get approved by admin. I think about how he could be upset that I didn't get the full day off but, it's the best I could do

     I arrive home and take a deep breath washing away all of my worries so that I can walk into our home with a positive attitude for all of the Christmas festivities. "Lovvvveeee" I let out as I open the door. I turn around to put my things down in the cubbies by the door. Suddenly I feel arms wrapped around my torso "hi" char let's out softly "hi baby" I say smiling and turning around to see his face. He lets go of our hug to kiss me "I've been waiting allll day" "I know, let me take a shower first and we can start" Charlie drops his shoulders in disappointment making me laugh " I'll be quick I promise" i say heading towards the stairs

Charlie:
  
       I swear Nick took the longest shower of his life today when he have things to do.
     He eventually got out after what felt like a decade, but now we're in the kitchen deciding what we want to do first. "So, we can open gifts, make lunch and the treats, ginger bread house, orrrr movie marathon" Nick says checking the list "I wanna do gifts first and then lunch and treats oh and the movie" i say with a smile on my face " alright, gifts it is. Mum wants us over by 7:30 for dinner though" I nod and walk over to our artificial tree in the living room with nicks hand in mine.
    "I want you to open mine first" I say trying my best to sit down. Nick helps me sit all the way down " mmm- fine, which one first" " the big one" he rips the wrapping paper away while I rock back n' forth out of excitement and nerves. Nick reveals the Nike box and looks up with a huge smile and back down to reveal the customized rugby cleats. "Wait how did you even know these were the exact ones I was looking at" Nick drops the box and leans across to wrap me up in a hug. "May or may not have went through your search history" I laugh into his shoulder "You're so sneaky, thank you baby" I let go "look at them" he scoffs with a smile "baby I've been looking at them for months" "No like LOOK at them" I smile. He takes them out of the box examining them carefully and suddenly his jaw drops and my smile gets even bigger.

"N+C" embroidered on the back of the left cleat and a heart on the right.

     "Oh my god" he says and I continue to smile until I feel like I have to explain "They're for when you go to France just in case I can't physically be there with you, I'll be on your cleat Haha" I say still smiling until Nick looks up at me with glossy eyes "I love them, I love you" he says holding his arms out and I fall into them "Baby Nelson can be added to the next pair" I mumble into his neck then leaving a soft kiss. "OK your turn before I cry" Nick says and I unwrap my hands from around his neck. He hands me a small box and I open it to reveal two pieces of paper. I look up at Nick with a confused face meanwhile he's beaming at me. I start to read the papers  "What the fuck...Greece, no way, baby what the hell" Nick is just laughing at me now but I have so many questions "when do we even leave...niicckk" I say pouting as I feel tears coming but Nick is still just laughing at my reactions. I scoot closer to him and lay my head on his shoulder " Char don't cry" he rubs my back and kisses my head " we leave on the 27th and will come back on the 3rd" he says "how did you even get those days off" I ask. It takes him an awkwardly long time to answer "it's a secret" he smirks. I think it's kind of weird but I just let it go.

Nick:

       I didn't have the heart to tell Charlie right then that I only got half of the day off for our baby shower. We were in such a sweet tender moment and I didn't want to ruin it with news that could have a negative reaction.

      When we finished opening each others presents. We made pillsbury Christmas cookies and a couple other snacks to start our movie marathon that only consisted of "The Grinch" and "Home Alone 2" because before we knew it, it was time to go to my mums house. We both got ready in our matching sweaters and packed an overnight bag including mum's presents and  some for Charlie's family that we'd drop off tomorrow.

        Charlie and I are standing outside of my childhood home, waiting for someone to come to the door. That someone wasn't the person I was expecting "David" I say as if it's a question.
  

A/N: thx for reading🕺( this was rlly long before I broke it up so I didn't read over, prob some typos)