Music sounds better with you

This is a very convincing break up

"And then they asked me if your body count was also one," Charlie says, hands flailing around so dramatically that he almost smacks Nick a couple of times.

He's not had a chance to catch Nick up properly on the events of Sunday night. Nick's eyebrows nearly reach his hairline. "I said yes, by the way. I hope you don't mind."
Nick shakes his head. "I mean, it's true, isn't it? I don't mind."
"I don't know why I didn't assume uni would be like this, to be honest."

Nick snorts. "What? That people ask you about your sex life constantly like they're simply asking you about the weather?"

Charlie nods. "Yep. And when you say you've only had sex with one person, they look at you like you're some kind of alien?"
"Oh yeah," Nick drawls. "And even if you argue that you're in a happy, loving relationship, you get asked why you've come to uni in one when you could be shagging around. It's the weirdest thing to me."
"Same." Charlie moves into the en-suite to brush his teeth. "Like, this second year was talking to me as though I was insane for saying I'd joined you here. He even knew who you were and he acted like I was a maniac."

Nick snorts. "I don't expect much more from a silly prick who left you behind. Who was it?"
"Stephen Smith?"
"Tall guy, nose ring?" Charlie nods. "Yeah, I know him. Nice enough lad, a bit of a player. I'm not surprised he spoke like that."

Nick appears behind Charlie in the mirror and winds an arm around his middle. Charlie leans back into him.
"I wouldn't worry," Nick tells him, reaching for his own toothbrush with his free hand. "The sex talk mostly dies down after fresher's week. You'll get it on the occasional night out, but aside from that, once people get wind of the fact you're in a relationship, the prying will stop."

Charlie hums and leans forward to spit out his toothpaste. "I don't care, really," he mumbles. "I just, like, don't want to tell people much more than I've got a boyfriend and yeah, we've obviously had sex, but that's to be expected when you've been with someone for almost four years?"
"Well, exactly," Nick says around his toothbrush. "I'm not going to give out all our secrets or anything." He pauses. "I did admit in a game of truth or dare once that we've had sex in my car..."

Charlie spins around and slaps him weakly on the chest. " Nick!"
"And in the toilets of that one pub..."
Charlie's mouth drops open. "Nicholas Nelson, you fucking didn't..."
" And about the time we fooled around in the woods behind Tao's house..."
"I am breaking up with you right now." Charlie pouts and stalks out the bathroom, then clambers into bed and crosses his arms.

He's still pouting as Nick emerges sheepishly a few moments later.
"This is a very convincing break up."
"It's too late for me to leave now, I'll go in the morning."
"Okay, darling." Nick flicks the big light off and plunges the room into darkness, then he shuffles over to the bed and flops down onto it.

Charlie shifts so Nick can clamber under the duvet, then he sighs happily as he's bundled into a hug. "Gotta make the most of my last night with you in my arms, I suppose."
"I just didn't think you'd have told people," Charlie mumbles. "Kinda stupid of me, maybe."

He feels lips press themselves to his forehead. "I'm sorry," Nick says lowly. "I didn't think it would upset you. But I should have asked."

Charlie shakes his head against the pillow. "I, um. I'm not upset? I feel like I should mind more than I do, maybe." He pauses. "In fact, I think that's fine. You were playing a game and you shouldn't have to lie on my account. And I'm happy we've done those things."
Nick's eyelashes fan over his cheek. "Yeah? You're not mad?"
"I... I don't think that I am." Charlie huffs a laugh and shakes his head again.

There's a part of him that feels like he should be annoyed, but then he realises it's actually... rather exciting to him that Nick is so open about all the places they've shagged, that he's still able to participate in all these stupid drinking games, but in a way that highlights that he's off the market.
Nick wants to show him off.

Jesus Christ, he's been with Nick long enough that he shouldn't feel so surprised that he actually likes him, but sometimes it still catches him off guard, like he's back in Year 10 or something.

"Are you sure?" Even in the dark, Charlie can see his wide eyes, earnest and so rich in colour. "We should have established what we can and can't bring up, I suppose."
"I don't..." Charlie rests his hand on Nick's bare chest. "I don't want to talk about, like, who tops or bottoms the most, or like... I dunno, the length of our dicks. But other stuff, like, the funny places we've done it is fine."
Nick chuckles. "The lengths of our dicks. Fuck, I love you."
"I mean it," Charlie whines. "At this point, I'm not sure what conversations are or aren't off limits at pre-drinks."
"That's never come up for me," Nick tells him, still giggling. "I think the worst thing I got asked in first year was if I'd ever closed my eyes and imagined you were a girl, and Manrika gave the guy who asked me that the roasting of his fucking life."

Charlie snorts. "Fantastic. What a lovely biphobic arsehole."
"Manrika's choice words were a little bit stronger than arsehole." Nick sighs and pecks a kiss onto the corner of Charlie's mouth. "I haven't, for the record. I'm quite happy having sex with you and you only."
"Flattery will get you everywhere." Charlie rolls over to kiss him properly, then breaks it with a yawn. "Sorry."
"Get some sleep, fresher," Nick hums. "Busy day tomorrow with your course inductions. Gotta be bright eyed and bushy tailed for the morning."

"Can't wait," Charlie grumbles. "What are you doing tomorrow?"
"I've got rugby induction at five o'clock, but aside from that, nothing."
"Cute," Charlie says. "Goodnight, captain."
"Captain of your heart," Nick mumbles, rolling over so he can spoon Charlie from behind. "Love you."

Charlie is half sure he murmurs the words back, but sleep pulls him under before he's completely sure.