Nick and Charlie One-Shots

caring for you

Thermos of hot soup tucked under one arm, and a bag containing a new fluffy blanket and Nintendo switch, Nick Nelson made his way up the stairs of his boyfriend's dorm building. Charlie had sounded like he was coming down with a cold when they'd face-timed the day before so, early this morning, Nick had made up a small serving of the chicken soup his mum taught him how to make, and caught the train 2 hours to Charlie's uni to care for him.

"Oh, hey, Nick. You come to visit Charlie?" One of the other guys who lived on Charlie's floor recognised him, going past on his way down.

"Hey, Matt. Yeah. He's not feeling well, so I'm coming to make sure he's okay."

"How sweet. Ugh, why can't more guys be like you? Charlie's so lucky." Nick laughed as he reached the landing.

"The right guy will treat you right. You just have to find him."

"I'll believe that when it happens. Anyway, I've got to run, say hi to Charlie for me." Nick waves to the disappearing guy and continues down the familiar hallway to Charlie's room.

He smiles at the pictures decorating the door, a selection of photos with the Paris squad, photos of Nellie and Nick. And, of course, a picture of Nick and Charlie taken on the last day before Nick left for Uni two years ago. It shows them stood in front of Nick's house, both smiling at the camera, arms around each other as if they'd never let go.

It takes a moment after Nick knocks on the door for it to swing open and a ruffled looking Charlie appears, still wearing his pajamas and his hair still wild from sleep. But his face brightens instantly when he sees who is stood in the hallway.

"Nick! What are you doing?"

"I've come to look after you." Nick says, gently pushing Charlie back into the darkened room.

"You dork. It's only a cold. I can look after myself." Charlie rolls his eyes but follows Nick's directions to sit on his bed.

"I know you can. But I didn't have classes today or tomorrow, so I thought some extra love will help you to feel better," Nick explained, setting the things he brought with him down on the nearby desk, "I made you soup."

"Soup? Nicholas Nelson, you are the sweetest boyfriend in the whole world. I would kiss you right now, if I wasn't worried about getting you sick too." Nick smiled at him softly, blowing a kiss towards him, eagerly returned by Charlie a moment later.

"Get yourself back into bed now and let me look after you." Nick instructed, turning and rummaging through Charlie's 'kitchen' cupboard. Honestly, Charlie was grateful to be able to crawl back into bed and bury himself in blankets. He propped himself up on some pillows and snuggled himself down into the cozy softness, a tiny smile on his face.

Nick couldn't help but smile when he finally turned around, having successfully located what seemed like the only bowl Charlie owned and pouring it full of soup from his thermos. Charlie looked somehow adorable, buried in his nest of blankets, cuddling the plush rugby ball toy Nick had bought for him when he started Uni (so that Charlie would always have something to remind him of Nick, of course). He was about to pass over the bowl of soup when Charlie shivered violently.

"You're cold." Nik observed, making Charlie shrug.

"I'm okay."

"I came prepared for this." Nick placed the bowl of soup onto the desk and turned to where he'd dropped his bag earlier, pulling out the fluffy blue blanket he'd bought. "Here."

"Nick..." Charlie started to protest but Nick just ignored him, draping the blanket over his boyfriend and tucking him in tightly.

"There. How's that?"

"Um, how am I supposed to eat the soup now?" Charlie asked with a small laugh, looking at where Nick had tucked the blanket tightly around his arms.

"I could feed you." Nick replied with a flirty wink, successfully getting a blush from Charlie.

"As cute and adorable as that sounds, I think soup might get a bit messy like that." Charlie wriggled his arms free and reached for the bowl that Nick handed him.

"How is it?" Nick asked after Charlie had had a few spoons. He settled himself at the foot of the bed, watching carefully.

"It's good. You have to promise me that one day when we live together you will cook me all the soups you can."

Nick laughed, "Sorry to disappoint but that's the only one I know how to make."

"That's okay, I can live on this forever." Charlie shrugged, drinking another spoonful. "Now, aside from bringing me soup and a blanket, what exactly do you plan to do while you're here? I'm not exactly in the best mood to entertain."

"I'm happy to just spend time with you, Char. We can watch a movie or something. Or you can sleep, I don't mind. I just wanted to make you feel better."

"I already do. I think this soup is magic." Charlie handed the now empty bowl to Nick who dumped it on the desk and then tucked Charlie back in under the blankets again before settling in beside him. Charlie cuddled into his side, his face buried against Nick's chest.

"Comfortable?" Nick asked, one arm going around his boyfriend and pulling him close.

"Yep. Movie time? You can choose, just please not one of your marvel movies." Nick snorted a laugh as he reached for Charlie's laptop. They both knew each other's passcodes (each other's birthdays) so he turned it on and navigated to Netflix, scrolling through until he found some random rom-com movie. He set the laptop carefully on his legs and made himself comfortable with Charlie in his arms, glad to be spending this time with his boy, despite Charlie not feeling well.

"I love you, Char."

"I'm not kissing you right now to prove it, but I love you too." Came Charlie's cheeky reply a few moments later, both of them giggling like the love-struck idiots they were.