(Charlie's POV)
"Would you two please pause your staring contest and save it for another time?" I was tugging at Nick's arm like a child, growing tired of him and Tao's odd dominance-based games. Elle nods in agreement, "yeah, Char and I would like to get home to our fur babies." Looks like I've failed to mention that Tao and Elle adopted a raggedy orange kitten a few months ago, sorry. Well, her name is Chaos, because as we all know orange cats tend to be nuts, and she is no exception. Chaos is named 'chaos' for a reason, after all, she knows nothing about being calm and collected. An example of that is how much she adores tugging at the toilet paper in the bathroom until there's nothing left on the roll.
I for one feel like Chaos is my brother Oliver but in cat form. Well- at least when he was a toddler.
"Charlie is lucky because he gets to return home to an angel of a child whilst I open the door to a crazed animal. She's only ever remotely relaxed when Elle is cuddling with her, but with me? Hah, that's far from the truth. She'd rather choke on a hairball than let me pet her spoiled self." Tao spits out in a growl, still firmly locking eyes with my husband who is more concentrated than I've ever seen him in his life.
I hear a loud exhale coming from the right of me, Darcy. "Listen boys..." she loudly clasps her hands together as if she's a lawyer or something before proceeding, "this is becoming painfully stereotypical and I'd hate to see friends of mine be painted in the same light as an American football player. So, can you two please put your eyes away before they pop out of your heads so we can all say our goodbyes?"
Everyone except for the two boys who are still engaging in a battle of some sort giggle at Darcy's words. Usually, Nick wouldn't give into Tao's antics since they're for the most part all immature, but today is different, today he couldn't resist. The reason being my best friend challenged him, and as much as Nicholas Nelson is competitive, he's also not a quitter.
Following Darcy's words, Elle and I exchange looks, forming a non-verbal plan by just pulling some faces. "Charlie, you're now officially the designated person whom I cuddle with. Come on everyone, let's go to Tara's house and leave these two to do whatever it is they're doing." Hearing his lover's words Tao's attention snaps towards her, causing his eyes to shift away from Nick's. Just as expected he blinks due to utter shock, my boyfriend doing the same.
"No, he's mine," Nick mumbles, crossing his arms. I outright blush at his words. Christ, I'm so smitten.
"Right, we'll be heading home now. Goodbye, everyone!" I announce as I go to hug Isaac. Whenever we part ways I always hug my friends goodbye. Okay- that was a lie, I only started doing that after secondary school, when I had to 'adult' and see my best friends less often.
The last person that I hug is Tao, and it nearly makes me crumble. Turns out I've been needing a hug from my very best friend. When we pull apart I see a sympathetic look on Nick's face which is paired with a soft smile. He knows what I was just thinking, I can tell that he does.
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(Nick's POV)
"I ate breakfast like everyone else, no scraps left over, no excuses." Charlie unexpectedly yet casually blurts out. My gaze automatically shoots towards his direction, the grip that I have on the wheel loosening a tad. Relief had washed over me. I was so afraid that he wouldn't try to eat anything, that the overwhelming anxiety would win and he'd supply his friends with a believable excuse.
As expected Char's knees are up against his chest, his arms of course wrapped around his legs. That's always been a rather comforting position for him to sit in...(at least that's what I've noticed over the years upon years of staring at him in awe.)
Furthermore, like always, Charlie is aimlessly staring out of the car window. He has earbuds stuck into both of his ears as 'Paper Rings' by Taylor Swift blasts into them, the black curls that decorate his head looking adorably unorganized like always. Music has always spoken to him, it never fails to convey a message or a feeling that he can't express or say himself.
Sensing that I'm staring at him, smiling like a huge idiot, he snaps his attention towards me, causing us to share a warm grin that says more than words ever could.
"I'm so proud of you." My eyes are smiling along with my mouth now. Charlie softly laughs in response, visibly feeling greatly loved, but that fuzzy feeling is quickly replaced with brief panic, "Christ! Pay attention to the road Nicholas!"
I immediately comply and turn my attention back to the seemingly endless amounts of blacktop and possible traffic in front of me, both hands steadily gripping the wheel as I still sport an everlasting toothy grin. "Hey, it's not my fault that the mere sight of you makes everything around me melt away! I honestly zoned out just thinking about how incredibly proud I am of you!"
Out of the corner of my right eye, I can blurrily see Charlie turn on his phone and then pause his music, replying to my cheesy statement as he does so, "hush."
Within a split second, I knew exactly how to cheekily respond, "I thought that you like when I'm loud and vocal Char." That response earns me a gentle arm whack from my boyfriend who's using his long sleeves and hands to cover his undoubtedly red face. "I'm never speaking again, you always do that!" He states in an adorably whiny voice, making me fall deeper in love.
"Me?" I jokingly spit out as an offended look on my typically soft face appears, "I'm sorry love but that's not me! Admit it, that's all you. You're the horny one! Why I'm a pure specimen." Charlie dramatically groans whilst lowering his seat down, simultaneously stating in a computer-like voice, "Charlie Spring has left the chat", causing me to chuckle.
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Since we're now at a stop I peer over at him, with my best golden retriever-like puppy dog eyes on my face, "nooo! Come back to the chat, accept my invite!" At the moment I'm continually poking him, announcing that each poke is an invite, all of which he tries to ignore despite being susceptible to the tickling that he knows will soon ensue.
"Don't make me recite what you said in the pillow fort all those years ago Charles! You're literally 'Mr. Initiator', admit it!" Putting his hands up in defeat Char raises his seat back up, "okay, okay, fine! Charlie Spring has joined the chat, are you happy now?" I shook my head as I pressed my foot on the gas pedal. The traffic light had just turned green.
Unsatisfied with my response Charlie moodily crossed his arms, "and why is that the case? Why aren't you happy?" Why am I not happy? Well, things have gone to shit. I can't shake off my anxiety and I hate knowing that if I magically don't, then I'll have to talk to another professional or something.
I'm the therapist, not the therapized.
Anyways, I obviously have a gigantic, mood-ruining answer to that question, but he only really needs to hear the non-depressing explanation at the moment.
I glance at the rearview mirror to my left before replying, "your name is not Charlie Spring, it's that simple, your name is Charlie Nelson." I hear a scoff from the passenger's seat. Even with that response, I know that on the inside he's giddy and ready to tell his friends all about what I just said.
"We aren't married! Hell, we aren't even engaged yet!" He exclaims whilst throwing his arms in the air. Yet, Charlie, yet. That is the key word here, 'yet'.
Smiling at my thoughts, I'm still managing to tune into his rambling without getting lost in my excitement about future plans. Meanwhile, afraid that he'll end up throwing his phone into the back seat since he's dramatically using his hands to further express how he feels, Charlie places his cellular device on his lap, knowing that it will be safer there. And so his argument continues, "There will be no Charlie Nelson or Nelson household if you murder me with your flirtations."
"Me stating that your name in my opinion is 'Charlie Nelson' is me being factual, not flirtatious. Also..." I remove my right hand from the steering wheel and meticulously rest it on his nearest thigh whilst gazing into his eyes.
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(Charlie's POV)
He knows what the fuck he's doing. Just the eye contact alone makes me fall under his control. After all, it's an unspoken spell that demands compliance. My boyfriend is also merciless, the act of his hand resting on a thigh of mine backing that up. However, despite how whipped and undeniably horny I am at the moment, I still gotta have some fun with it. Why not be a brat? What's he gonna do? Pull over and fuck me until I don't know my name?
Before Nick can proceed with his thoughts I strategically state what's on my mind, "fuck me, Nicholas, right now, don't be a little bitch." My boyfriend lowers his head as he smirks to himself, that action of his telling me that he's deep in thought, conjuring up an evil plan that'll have me back in my place.
After a few seconds, he removes his hand and once again focuses on the road, leaving me a bit worked up, causing frustration to rise in me. He knows that if he acts on my words I win. Soon enough he begins to speak about his morning with his mother, acting as if I'm right beside him, desperate and hungry. What a dickhead.
"Oh! How was your visit to your mother's house Nicholas?" He says to himself in a squeaky voice, pretending to be me, effectively setting the scene. Next thing I know he shrugs as he supplies himself with a response, "it was a mix of emotions Charlie, thank you for asking." His words come out a bit passive-aggressively, in a joking matter, of course, cueing me in to make this an actual conversation between two people.
I lean in towards his closest ear and whisper, "you're welcome". If he's going to be a bitch so will I. Two can play this dangerous game, Nicholas.
As I'm speaking my dominant hand glides over his bulge before I retract back into my seat and casually add to the conversation. "Do you want to talk about why it was a mix of emotions?"
Without hesitation Nick shakes his head, shutting the conversation down. He probably didn't expect me to ask questions, and to instead fuck around with him and forget about it. But I'm not going to just forget about his feelings for the sake of pleasure. I no longer want to be a tease, I no longer want to be a part of his game based on distraction. I'm not letting this escape me.
Furthermore, his mixed signals are making me dizzy with confusion. At first, he was ready to jump into the conversation, hell he initiated it, and now he's backing out of it full of regret. Although I desperately want to get to the bottom of this right now, the comfort of our home seems like a better setting than our car in the middle of traffic. Until then I just have to power through a car ride that's encased in complete silence.
Author's note:
I hope that you guys liked this chapter and are looking forward to more! The amount of support and adoration that I've received from you lovely humans keeps that passion of mine for writing burning <33 By the way, I love reading every single comment that's left on anything that I write, (and responding to them,) it's so fun!