Charlie Nelson-Spring was having possibly the best day of his life. When he was 14 years old, walking into class one morning to find a gorgeous boy assigned to the seat next to him, marrying said boy seemed completely impossible. Charlie was more likely to win the lottery or get struck by lightning. Yet, here they were, celebrating their union with their family and friends.
The day went by so fast. Before he knew it, he and Nick were hanging their coats in their private cabin next to the chalet, where their guests would sleep that night.
He had been waiting for this night for so long that he was worried he would mess it up in some way. They had even held off being intimate for the last few days, just so tonight could feel all the more special.
Charlie watched as Nick unbuttoned his black suit jacket before he removed it and hung it with care in the closet. Always so careful, so tender. One of the millions of things Charlie loved about his husband.
Unbuttoning his shirt, Nick noticed Charlie staring and smirked.
Charlie had thought Nick was attractive in high school, but he had grown into the most handsome man. Charlie knew that he was very lucky, ending up with a sweet, insanely attractive man that loved him unconditionally.
Slowly, Nick unlatched each button on his shirt, then let it hang open.
The thoughts going through Charlie's mind were a jumble of eroticism and cuddling. He didn't know where to start. This was their first time being intimate as a married couple and the pressure was beginning to get to him.
Because Charlie did nothing, Nick came to him. He pulled off Charlie's jacket and, with less care than with his own clothing, tossed it to the floor. Nick's lips were pressed to Charlie's, their tongues wrestling with passion as they just short of ripped one another's clothes off. Nick tried to pull his new husband to the bed, but Charlie resisted.
He wanted everything to be perfect, so he paused and said he would only be a minute in the loo. As quickly as possible, Charlie freshened up for this monumental moment in their marriage. Staring at himself in the mirror, Charlie tried to flatten and tidy his hair. In the spirit of making this night as perfect as possible, Charlie took in a long breath, then took off the thin t-shirt he had been wearing under his suit. Trying to fight his dysmorphia, Charlie tried to see what Nick saw. For a moment, Charlie caught a glimpse of that point of view. He wasn't as stringy or disgusting as he used to think he was. With a little weight gain, he could pass as healthy.
Holding onto that image, Charlie found a sliver of confidence and marched out of the bathroom, ready to make love to his husband.
In the bed was Nick, completely naked, and snoring.
Charlie's shoulders slumped with disappointment. He joined Nick in bed, covering his form with the blanket and tucking him in with care. Charlie curled up next to him, unable to stop smiling as he placed loving kisses on his sleeping husband's face. They didn't need to have sex tonight; they had the rest of their lives for such things.
He hadn't felt tired before he joined Nick in bed, but in the matter of minutes, Charlie was fast asleep.