Retrouvaille (Nick & Charlie)

prologue.

A/N: hope you enjoy. much love. x

a tree house, a free house,

a secret you and me house,

a high up in the leafy branches,

cozy as can be house.

a street house, a neat house,

be sure to wipe your feet house,

is not my kind of house at all,

let's go live in a tree house.

(Shel Silverstein)

.

.

.

Leaves rustle. Branches crack. Crickets chirp.

Other than that: blissful silence. The sun was slowly starting to go down, painting the sky into a splendid piece of art made of orange, cyan and lilac colors. Magnificent. A sight that would take away everyone's breath who would take even one second away from the stressful everyday life to admire it.

In the middle of a forest, in the crown of a little tree at the edge of a clearing, was the home of a tiny tree house. It was carefully built of sturdy redwood. A knotted beige rope ladder led up to the narrow opening. If you had not known its location, you would have walked past the well-hidden treehouse unsuspectingly, without ever noticing anything about its existence.

At the very top, on the creaking wood there sunbathed two worry-free, young silhouettes, their gaze directed upwards to the pretty cloud formations. No older than twelve and thirteen. Their hearts, their breath, everything seemed to be in unison with the relaxing nature around them. They enjoyed the mere presence of each other while the last rays of sunshine warmed their skin.

One face turned thoughtfully to the other.

"You know what we should do when we grow up, Nick?", the young soul chirped, voice laced with innocence and pure excitement. His friend faced him with a questioning look, freckled skin glowing in the warm, orange lighting of autumn's golden hour. "What?"

A brief pause. Chocolate brown meeting indigo blue.

"We should build a bigger treehouse, move in there and live together forever. Up in the trees. Would be pretty cool, right?", little Charlie eventually proposed with a dreamy smile on soft lips. Nick couldn't help but mirror it.

"Sounds good, Char. Let's do it.", he replied enthusiastically, grinning so broadly that his eyes shut for a second.

"Yeah. You promise?" Charlie sat up, and Nick followed his lead without thinking.

"Of course." The two smiled at each other, overflowing with joy. Their eyes sparkled with excitement for the far away future's possibilities. Living together sounded fun. They already spent most of their waking hours with each other anyways.

With a smooth movement Charlie reached out to Nick and tucked one of his strawberry-blonde strands of hair behind his right ear. The two boys didn't have to explain to each other how much they cared. No words were needed. No words could ever describe.

Nick softly wrapped his arms around the giggling Charlie and pulled him into a bone-breaking cuddle in which the two remained for a while. With Nick's hand buried in his own brown curls, the other one running soothingly up and down his back, Charlie wished to stay here forever. With the other he could be himself. No secrets, no shame. Nick welcomed and accepted him with all his faults and imperfections. No matter the stupid situations he would sometimes get himself into, Nick was always there. They could always rely on each other.

So, they both enjoyed the other's warmth and tranquility.

They were as content as one could be.

It was perfect.

All the more heartbreaking it was, when only 8 months later, full of tears, their lives would be separated seemingly forever.

.

.

.

Farewell words too often part,

and cleave with sorrow to aching hearts,

with a final wave, all disappears,

beneath the hush of silent tears

Saying goodbye was the hardest thing to do,

I never thought I would, especially not to you.

(Gregory K./ Stepanie Beaudette)

.

.

.

A/N: this will be a bit emotional but also real cute and fluffy. x