They had been dating for five years. Five years of laughs, cries and everything in between. Five years that Alex Standall looked on with the fondest memories, his lips curling as he played with Charlie's golden locks. They were laying in bed in their small but cosy one bedroom flat, Charlie cocooned under Alex's chin, slumbering in preparation for their flight back to California in the morning.
They had moved to New York two years ago in order for Charlie to follow his footballing dream. He had been scouted at University by the New York Giants, Alex's heart leaping as his boyfriend got the news he had worked so hard for. He didn't need persuading to up and move from Evergreen, a fresh start proving to be the best thing for both of them. After all, Charlie's dreams were Alex's dreams. Seeing his boy happy was like a drug, something he couldn't get enough of. Alex would do anything to show Charlie how much he meant to him, he owed the boy his happiness, he owed the boy his life.
In fact, Alex couldn't see life without him. He pictured a world painted in black and white, drained of colour without Charlie by his side. He felt embarrassed just thinking about it, but his world revolved around his boyfriend, even if he hated to let it show. After all, Alex was the sarcastic one, at least one of them had to be.
He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with this boy, his urge failing to wait any longer as he had begun to plan one of the most important moments of his life. He had spent the last month making phone calls, buying an abundance of string lights and note cards from the internet, all while hatching the perfect distraction to render Charlie oblivious, oblivious that his whole life was about to change.
Alex hated large gestures, it made his anxiety flare, his face often flushing, eyes looking away as he saw the soppy romance films with their grand gestures of love. If he was alone he'd turn them off, faking a throw up sound in reaction. But he saw the way Charlie would smile at them, welling up, completely and utterly fixated on 'the fairytale ending' something he deserved, and that Alex planned to give him, no matter how he felt about them.
The plan was set in place, and if all went to plan the pair would be engaged in less than 24 hours. Alex just prayed he'd say yes.
The idea was to fly back to his hometown for the weekend, his true plan for the trip hidden in a velvet box, stuffed at the bottom of his suitcase. He had made up a dumb story to cover, his dad in on it as the now retired deputy invited the pair over for a 'family meal'.
The flight was in 6 hours, and as Charlie got his last bit of slumber, completely oblivious, Alex laid awake nervous, his eyes on the ceiling as he gripped his boyfriend's limp hand.
"It'll be worth it." He whispered to himself, smiling down at Charlie's sleeping form. "It'll all be worth it."
.
.
"Hello Charlie darling, how are you?" Carolyn Standall beamed as she welcomed the pair into the house. She pulled the younger boy into a tight squeeze before pulling back to cup her son's cheeks in her hands. "Hey sweetie, I've missed you." She hummed, shaking her head as Alex rolled his eyes at her over affection.
"I saw you like 3 weeks ago mum." He tutted, earning a glare from Charlie as his mum's face dropped slightly. He shook his head, pulling her into a hug as she brushed back his hair. "Missed you too mum." He smiled lovingly.
"Now kiddos who fancies steak!?" The pair nodded in unison as Alex's dad appeared with a comical apron and a spatula. "You've got to see my new grill Charlie." He motioned for the boy to follow him into the kitchen, leaving Alex stood on the doorstep with his mum.
"The plan is all in place." Carolyn winked, resting her hand on her boy's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you baby, he'll make the perfect husband for you." She cooed.
Alex could only reply with a nod. His eyes thick with nerves, his stomach in bits. It was nearly time.
.
.
"Thank you Mr and Mrs Standall, that was lovely." Charlie smiled, still cutting into his final piece of beef. "What is the plan this evening?"
Alex stared his dad in the eyes, motioning for him to play his part, so he could make the perfect exit. The only problem was, they had failed to discuss how Alex would leave the house, at least without looking suspicious. Bill quickly registered, pulling an interactive board game from under the table, earning a glare of confusion from his son.
"I thought we could play this as a family." He suggested, motioning for Peter to open the box. "I do think it needs batteries though, I'm not sure if we have any?" At this point Alex could have mentally face palmed, this had to be the most ridiculously obvious exit ever. Nevertheless, he played along.
"Hey, how about I drive round to the corner shop and pick some up?" Alex smiled, pulling away from the table as he fumbled in his pocket for his keys.
"Want me to come with you?" Charlie replied, standing to follow.
"No no, you've gotta stay here with me St.George, we've got to discuss football tactics for your next big game." Peter chucked, placing a friendly pat on his shoulder. "Always best to have a sport talk while Lex is out of the house." He joked, earning a middle finger from his younger brother.
"I won't be long baby." Alex pressed a kiss to Charlie's head before walking to leave. His heart was in his mouth, he could feel the nerves building. Gosh this was hard.
.
.
"He's been nearly an hour now, do you think he's okay?" Charlie had begun to panic after 45 minutes passed, his conversation with Peter ending at least 20 minutes ago. He was constantly checking his phone. What if something had happened?
"I'm sure he's okay sweetie, traffic can be bad in our area." Carolyn reassured, placing a cup of tea in front of him. She was desperately trying to distract him, nodding at her husband as he slipped out the back door, Alex's best suit in hand.
Not even a second later Charlie felt his phone buzz in his Jean pocket, pulling it out to see the face he'd been missing flashing on the screen.
"Hey Lex, where are you?" He spoke quickly, his protective nature lacing his words. "Is everything okay? You've been ages!" He said, eyes widening in confusion as he saw Carolyn and Peter begin to grin.
"Can you remember how you asked me to prom?" Alex hummed softly, earning an apprehensive "yes" from his boyfriend.
"I spent days trying to ask you, pulling all sorts of grand gestures until you finally said yes in that math cupboard I decorated." Charlie giggled as he reminisced, still overthinking the current conversation's relevance, but enjoying the memory nevertheless. "Where are you Lex? What's going on?"
"Well, I seem to have gotten lost on my way home, I'm up near the school." Alex began to giggle over the phone. "You'll have to come and find me St.George." He ordered cheekily, biting his lip as he heard his boyfriend's breath hitch in confusion.
"I love you." Was the last thing he said before hanging up the phone, both his fingers and toes crossed as the plan began to fall into motion.
"Here's your coat Charlie, I suppose you'll have to go and get him." Carolyn was beaming like a child, and it was at that point Charlie realised something was happening. He just wasn't sure what.
As he went to step onto the porch, the dark night sky an the bitterness of the February evening hit him as he looked down to pull his zip to his neck. He walked down the steps absent mindedly, his eyes widening as he looked up to see Jessica stood in his path.
"Jess?" Charlie beamed, pulling her into a hug. "What are you doing here?" She had moved to San Francisco, what was she doing here on Alex Standall's driveway? As she pulled away she appeared teary eyed, holding a smile as she silently handed him a note.
Your ability to make me smile, even on my darkest days - A
Charlie's eyes instantly welled, what was this? He recognised his boyfriend's messy hand writing, and felt his heart melt at the sentiment.
"Follow me." Jess motioned, taking the younger boy's shaky hand. She smiled as she watched him audibly gasp, his eyes widening as he saw what was once the dark street, now littered with little tea lights, creating a path that led towards Liberty. "We're gonna do this together Charlie, you ready?"
"I-Im so confused." Charlie couldn't believe his eyes, this was so pretty. "Y-Yes let's find him." His eyes were welling, tears pricking as they began to make their way along the path. They hadn't gone far before they found Tony, stood smirking as he outstretched his arms to pull Charlie into a hug.
"Here's your second letter St. George." He winked, handing him yet another note.
The way you still make me breakfast in bed every Sunday morning, even after a hard night of training. - A
Charlie giggled, pocketing the note as he continued up the hill. His eyes were fixated on the little tea lights, his heart fluttering with both nerves and excitement as he saw yet another figure in the distance.
Clay Jensen.
"Hey man." He smiled, pulling away from another hug as he was given note number three.
The way you use your cheeky confidence to make me feel better about myself when I'm being insecure. - A
He walked further to find Tyler at the top of the hill, the final home stretch as they begun to approach the school.
The way you stand by me, even when I don't deserve it. -A
"You always deserve it." Charlie mumbled under his breath, gripping tighter onto Jessica's arm as they headed towards the school car park, a tall figure walking to greet them, brandishing another note and a teary smile.
Zach Dempsey. Alex's best friend, one who had become like a brother to the both of them.
"Thank you for putting the light back in his eyes." Zach sniffed, pulling Charlie into a hug. "I love you man, now go and get him okay?" He handed him the carefully wrapped note, embracing Jessica as Charlie pulled away to read it.
Charlie,
These are just some of the reasons I love you, there are so many more that are impossible to put into words. You are my beacon, my light and my hope that there is good in this world. You're my comforting embrace on a rainy day, and the only person able to pull me from my darkest depths. You have allowed me to see a black and white world in bright colour, painting me a picture of a future that looks blissful, filled with happiness, and a love that I know will never fade. I've never been the soppy type, but over the last few years you have made me believe that fairytales really do happen. You are my fairytale Charlie. Now let's start the next chapter of our story. If you still want to find me, go to the place you spent ages decorating with prop candles and string lights. I'll be waiting there, always.
I love you.
Alex x
Charlie felt his tears fall as he walked towards the school doors, his hands shaking, the note pressed up against his chest as if he wanted those words close to him. He couldn't believe what was happening, his heart racing 100 miles an hour. Alex was right, this did feel like a fairytale.
As he entered what he thought would be the dark corridors of the school he hadn't been in in 4 years, he found his path still lit with the same prop candles he'd used for their promposal, his eyes glazed with shock as he saw pictures of the pair of them stuck to various lockers, string lights hanging from them, a warm and comforting amber colour. When had Alex done this? How had Alex done this. He was gobsmacked, teary eyed as he saw pictures of all of their memories, spread out like small bursts of happiness.
As he reached the final corridor, he was greeted with one final figure before he entered the math room. Bill Standall was stood with one more note, tears in his eyes, his friendly arms outstretched. He walked forward, embracing Charlie and kissing the top of his head.
"Thank you." He sniffed, desperately holding back his tears. "Thank you for saving my son's life." He started to break down, gently holding out his hand to shake Charlie's, before placing a note in the boy's clammy grip.
You saved my life, and for that I am forever grateful. -A
"Go on Son." Bill motioned, patting the boy's back as he hesitantly opened the math cupboard door, revealing hundreds of small candles littering the table to the floor, accompanied by string lights hanging from the ceiling, falling to sit around the one thing he cared most about in that room.
Alex.
Charlie walked forward, already crying as he saw his boy in a suit, stood before him with a teary smile, hands outstretched for Charlie to hold on to.
"Hey." He whispered, intertwining their fingers. "Hey." The younger boy replied, pushing forward to peck him on the lips. "Lex this is so beautiful." He whimpered, desperately trying to hold it together as Alex began to gently fall onto one knee, smiling gratefully as Charlie helped him down.
"Charlie, I thought it was only right to do this in the place it all started, in our home town. But standing here today I've realised that it doesn't matter where I am in the world, you are my home , and I never thought I'd find that in a person." Alex took a deep breath, fumbling in his pocket for a small velvet box, one he pulled out and opened as Charlie let out a small inaudible gasp.
"Charles Hayden Brixton St. George, will you marry me?" It was at this point Alex broke down, tears falling as he saw Charlie nod, his hands flying to his mouth as he stood lost for words.
"Y-Yes." He whimpered, pulling his now fiancé up into a standing position as he shakily held out his hand. He smiled through his tears as Alex placed the most beautiful ring on his finger, his hand gently caressing his cheek. "100 times yes." He sniffed allowing himself to fall into Alex's embrace.
"I love you so much Lex, you have no idea." Charlie whispered as they held the hug, Charlie's eyes glistening as he pulled back to look into his fiancé's baby blues. "So, now do you believe in fairytales?" He giggled.
"You are my fairytale." Ales whispered, smiling down as they intertwined their fingers. "And I plan to never let go of it."