nick and charlie: love is the strongest force

chapter fourty two

Tw: David, tyler, attempted sa

The hours after David’s threat passed in slow, painful anticipation. Nick couldn’t shake the nauseating anxiety that clung to him as he stayed close to Charlie. Every time there was a sound outside the house, Nick flinched, wondering if it was Tyler. He felt trapped in his own home, the walls closing in on him as the prospect of seeing his abuser again became more real with each passing minute.

Charlie was by Nick’s side the whole time, never leaving him alone for even a second. They spent the evening curled up on Nick’s bed, Charlie holding Nick protectively. Charlie kept trying to keep Nick distracted—talking about anything and everything—but Nick’s mind was miles away. He couldn’t stop thinking about what David had said, how he’d made him feel like it was his fault, like he was weak for still being afraid.

After dinner, the house had quieted down, but Nick knew better than to believe it was over. David hadn’t come back to gloat, but the tension lingered like a storm waiting to break.

“Do you think he’s really going to bring Tyler over?” Nick whispered, his voice tight with worry as he lay against Charlie’s chest.

“I don’t know,” Charlie answered softly, stroking Nick’s hair. “But if he does, we’ll deal with it together. You don’t have to face him alone, Nick.”

Nick squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could just make the fear disappear. He hated that he was still so affected by Tyler, by everything he’d done to him. The nightmares, the panic attacks, the feeling that no matter how hard he tried, he would never escape what happened. And now, David was throwing it all back in his face, like it was some joke.

“I don’t think I can handle it if Tyler shows up,” Nick admitted, his voice breaking.

Charlie tightened his hold on Nick. “You don’t have to. We’ll leave. We’ll go somewhere else, okay? You don’t have to be anywhere near him if you don’t want to.”

Nick wanted to believe Charlie, wanted to feel safe in the promise, but a deep part of him was still terrified. He knew what Tyler was capable of, and the thought of being in the same room as him again made his skin crawl. But Charlie’s presence, the way he stayed so calm and strong, helped ease the panic just enough to keep Nick grounded.

“Thanks,” Nick whispered, burying his face in Charlie’s chest. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You don’t have to do anything alone, Nick. I’m not going anywhere.”

They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other in the quiet of the night. Nick’s breathing slowly steadied as he listened to the steady rhythm of Charlie’s heart, finding comfort in the familiarity of it. It was the only thing that felt real, that felt safe.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening and closing made Nick tense up again. His breath caught in his throat, and he instinctively pulled closer to Charlie.

“Nick?” It was Sarah’s voice, calling from downstairs.

Nick let out a shaky breath, relaxing slightly. “It’s just my mum,” he said, though the fear still lingered.

“Why don’t we go down and see her?” Charlie suggested gently, sensing that Nick needed a distraction from the tension. “You don’t have to stay cooped up here all night.”

Nick hesitated but nodded. He knew he couldn’t hide forever, and his mum’s presence might help ease his nerves. They both stood up, Charlie keeping a supportive hand on Nick’s back as they made their way downstairs.

Sarah was in the kitchen, tidying up after dinner. She smiled softly when she saw the two of them. “Hey, you two. Everything alright?”

Nick shrugged, trying to act casual even though he knew his mum could sense something was wrong. “Yeah, just… tired.”