( requested by @alishadream48 )
Nick and Charlie have been going out for a few months. They still haven't made things official and they still have yet to tell anyone about them. They didn't plan to anytime soon. They really just wanted to wait until the right time and now wasn't it. Everyone just assumed they were friends. Real good friends.
They went out to eat with Tao, Issac, and Elle for Elle's sixteenth birthday. They were planning on going bowling after as a group. Tao hasn't came around to liking Nick yet and got upset when Charlie invited Nick since it was only supposed to be them four, just like old times, but Charlie asked Elle if it was okay to invite Nick and she was more than happy to have him come along.
"So, how's everyone's food? All right?" Elle asked after several minutes of complete silence. They all looked up at her from their plates. "Good." "Yeah, it's good." "Great." Elle looked over at Tao who was glaring up at Nick who sat across from him, beside Charlie. Tao has barely touched his food. "Tao?" The others looked up at him and Nick gulped seeing him watch him. "Fine." Tao mumbled. Charlie looked up at Nick from Tao, seeing how nervous he was, he grabbed Nicks hand. Nick looked down at their hands then up at Charlie and smiled softly. Charlie smiled back at him. Then they went back to their food, still holding hands.
The group were walking to the bowling alleys from the diner like area. Nick and Charlie were slowly following behind Issac, Tao, and Elle. Charlie looked up at Nick. "Are you okay?" He asked. Nick looked down at him and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine." Charlie furrowed his eyebrows, showing concern. "Are you sure? I saw how bothered you were by Tao when-" Nick grabbed Charlie's hand and let out a soft laugh. "I'm okay. I promise." Charlie looked down at their hands then up at Nick and he grinned. "Okay." They stared at each other in awe before shifting their attention back in front of them. Suddenly, Nick's hand left Charlie's when Elle turned towards them. "Come on! We're lane seventeen." She told them before turning and catching up with Tao and Issac. The couple picked up the pace and stopped at their lane. It feels like just yesterday they were celebrating Charlie's fifteenth birthday here. "Let's go pick out our balls." Tao said to the group and they followed him to the racks of balls.
After two games, they were ready to leave. "You guys ready?" Elle asked Tao and Issac. They nodded at her. "Yes, please!" Tao said, dramatically. Elle laughed and looked over at the chairs Nick and Charlie once sat at but they were gone. Elle looked over at the two boys. "Have either of you seen Nick and Charlie?" Isaac looked up from his book and shook his head. Tao groaned and rolled his eyes. "I'll go and look for them." He stood up from his chair and made his way to the arcade.
Nick and Charlie were at the claw machines. Charlie was trying so desperately to win a stuff animal. He has been trying for the past ten minutes and only had one more chance. "You got this." Nick encouraged him. The claw lowered and perfectly grabbed the stuff animal. The two watched in excitement. "Come on." Charlie repeated over and over again in a whisper. It lifted and made its way to the drop in and it fell in. They celebrated. Charlie leaned over and took the stuff animal from the hole and stood up straight and turned to Nick, showing it off. "Well done." Charlie laughed. He gestured it to Nick and he glanced down then back at Charlie. "What?" The brunette grinned. "It's yours!" Nick let out a soft laugh. "Really?" Charlie nodded. "Yeah. I wanted to win it for you since last time we were here you didn't win." Nick smiled and took it from him. "You're so cute. Thank you." Charlie's grin grew. "Cute?" Nick looked up at him from the stuff animal and let out a soft breath. "Yes. Obviously." Charlie laughed and Nick watched him with a smile. Charlie turned to walk away but Nick grabbed his hand. "Hang on." Charlie turned back to him and Nick kissed him softly. "What was that for?" Charlie asked once they pulled back. "For being you." Charlie laughed and kissed him again. "Uhm..." They broke away and quickly looked over to meet eyes with Tao. Their hearts dropped. "Tao, we were just.. uhm-" "Are you two together?" He asked. Nick and Charlie looked at each other then back at Tao. Nick sighed. "Yeah. For a few months." "But Elle and Issac don't know! Please, Tao, don't say anything to them." Tao just stood there in disbelief. "Tao?" He shook his head lightly. "Sorry. I'm just in shock. I thought Nick was just playing with you but I guess I was wrong." Charlie gulped and inhaled softly. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. We weren't ready to tell anyone." Tao shook his head. "It's fine. We'll talk more about this later. Come on, Elle and Issac are waiting." He turned his back to them and started walking. Nick and Charlie followed behind him. "Are you okay?" Charlie asked Nick for what seemed like the hundredth time. Nick looked down at him and nodded. "Yeah." "There you guys are! Are we all ready to go then?" "Yeah. Let's go." Tao said and they all left together.
