Charlie and Nick Fanfic - PG13 Version

Brawl

In hindsight, Nick could admit that he was a little more drunk than he could handle when he noticed that slime ball drinking with his friends across the room. Normally, Nick would have taken the higher ground and simply removed Charlie and himself from the situation. Too bad Nick didn't feel normal that night.

It's his fault. It's always been his fault, Nick thought as he ground his teeth. Maybe things could have been different. Maybe Charlie could have been truly happy if only he hadn't met Ben. Maybe then, Charlie wouldn't inevitably destroy himself and leave Nick behind to mourn him. Ben ruined Charlie's life. He didn't get to pop up in that life after Nick had to witness the fallout of that ruin, unable to do anything help ease Charlie's pain. Ben doesn't get to ruin Charlie again. I won't let him.

"I'm gonna kill him," Nick told Charlie and set down his drink.

Charlie quickly grabbed Nick by the arm as though he could anchor him in place. "Don't," he begged, his voice hushed in fear of Ben hearing it.

Reluctantly, Nick didn't move, only sucking his teeth in disdain as he kept an eye on Ben.

"We should go home," Charlie suggested with a provocative smirk.

Behind Charlie, Ben placed a cigarette behind his ear and excused himself from his friends.

"You're right," Nick said. "But would you mind getting me a bottle of water for the road? I need to hit the bathroom."

Charlie nodded as Nick already started on his way out of the room. He searched the around for Ben, but he was gone. "I'll be here."

As stealthy as a drunk person could be, Nick followed Ben outside.

Ben casually leaned against the building and lit his cigarette.

"Oi!" Nick shouted, trying to summon his inner tough guy.

Taken aback, Ben's posture stiffened at the sight of his old friend from school. "Nick. It's been a minute, mate."

Nick wanted to bash Ben's head into the brick wall. Instead, he smiled at who he had come to think of as his nemesis. Nick was generally a good, stoic man, but he would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about what he would do to Ben given the chance.

"Alright?" Ben inquired, speaking to their situation and Nick's general wellbeing at the same time.

He nodded. "All good. Well, sort of. Charlie just broke up with me."

"That sucks. Did he meet someone new?" Ben wondered pointedly, still jilted.

"Yes, actually," Nick replied. "He cheated while I was in Paris for a family thing."

"Harsh," Ben tsked as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"Yeah, but do you know what would be harsher? If I hooked up with his ex," he stated evenly, swallowing the urge to vomit at his own actions. "Would you be into something like that?"

Ben gave him a once-over with a smug look in his eye. "You're not my type."

"You're not mine either." He nodded to the alleyway next to the club. "Well?"

Ben was so eager that he led the way to the alley and quickly unbuckled his belt.

Nick didn't hesitate. He slammed his forearm into Ben's chest and pinned him to the wall. "You really thought I would have anything to do with you? And you believed Charlie would be unfaithful? You never really knew him at all, did you? You just used him and treated him like shit."

"I-"

"Shut you fucking mouth," he growled. "You don't come to our flat. You don't text him. You don't try to make amends. If you ever come near Charlie again, I swear, you'll regret it." He pushed off of him and clenched his fists.

"You're threatening me?" Ben scoffed as he straightened out his shirt. "You must really worry about me and Charlie, huh? What if I told you that you're right to worry? Maybe we've been fucking since we started working together. His favorite task is sucking my dick."

Nick snapped. Unable to suppress the rage any longer, he sent his fist flying into the middle of Ben's face, nearly breaking his nose.

Ben shoved Nick away and kicked him in the stomach. While Nick tried to regain his bearings, Ben landed a blow to his cheek.

Nick tackled him to the ground where they wrestled for dominance.

Spitefully, Ben bashed his forehead into Nick's before he spat in Nick's face. They continued to wrestle until Nick found himself pinning Ben to the pavement.

Curling his fingers into a fist, Nick prepared to beat the shit out of Ben.

From the mouth of the alley, Charlie's voice cried out, "Nick, stop!"