YOUR ONE LAST LINE |✔️|

t w e n t y s e v e n t h

"Hey!"

"Charlie!"

"Duck!"

The third call got him a response. Frantic hands shoved headphones around a tense neck, the opening chords to Hackensack filling the air. It was only when wide green eyes met his own nervous blue ones did North relax somewhat.

"Sprinkler?" Charlie responded, eyebrows pulled together as his expression morphed into one of confusion.

"Duck," was all North could bring himself to say. Days of planning, hours of waiting for this moment, and that was the best he could come up with. North didn't have a chance to kick himself over it as Charlie was suddenly backing away, seemingly panicked.

"Oh god. No fucking way," he muttered and sprinted off. Stunned, North watched as the boy raced across the grass. This was not at all the reaction he expected. If anything he assumed Charlie would punch him in the face and North would end up being the one to run away, not the other way around.

"Wait!" He yelled as his senses finally came back to him, taking off after the other boy. "Charlie, wait!"

Someone up above must've been smiling down at North as he somehow managed to catch up to Charlie. Shoes skidding against the dewy grass, North hooked a hand over the red-head's shoulder and pulled the boy to a halt. Unfortunately, the action caused Charlie to stumble, sending them both sprawling to the ground with a loud, collective groan.

Catching his breath, North rolled over onto his side, staring at Charlie's winded expression.

"Today's the day," He started but was cut off by Charlie shaking his head, moving to sit up.

"Don't do this to me," He gritted out, arms draped over knees he pulled to his chest. The green eyes that looked over to North were guarded, letting the blond know that all it took was one false move to start him running again. "I already got the hint."

"Let me just say this, then I swear I'll leave you alone," North promised, pleaded almost, as he dug out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. It was slightly wrinkled from the fall, North taking the time to press it flat. The glossy page was one Charlie recognized if the faint flush that coated his cheeks meant anything. Calmly, North laid the paper on the grass between them. Neatly written passages lined the originally empty margins and Charlie's hands shook a little as he claimed the paper.

"Thought of the day: There's this guy I like," North recited, waiting until Charlie's eyes dropped to the page in order to read alongside his narration. "Unfortunately for me, I might have ruined things with him before they could ever begin. I didn't think he would ever like me back, and that assumption meant I did something stupid–"

"North."

North blinked up at the interruption. The page was held tight in Charlie's grip, tucked against his chest as he stared back.

"– Something stupid that I've regretted every day since because–"

This time North's words were cut off for a different reason. A tight hand gripping his shirt, pulling him close to another warm body, who graced his lips with a soft kiss that only broke when their smiles became too wide for them to continue.

"Stop talking, Compass," Charlie whispered, pulling back to glance down at the page in his hand. Blinking in surprise at North, he chuckled before waving it in front of the blond's face. "Really, 167? No other place you could've decided to pour your heart out to me?"

Still reeling from everything that had just happened North struggled to offer a nod, a shy hand pressing to his mouth. This was turning out a lot better than he had expected.

"The content is months old, I doubt I'll be needing it again," He said, ignoring Charlie's knowing look.

"So, what now?" Charlie asked after a beat, head cocked to the side. North ran his fingers along the short grass, watching the blades as they tickled his palm. When a warm hand laid itself over the top of his own he stilled, looking up at a bright smile and kind eyes. "Question of the day, Compass: What now?"

North felt his lips quirk up, hearing the codename fall from Charlie's own. Turning his hand over, he laced their fingers together and drew to his feet, tugging Charlie up alongside him. When North began to walk in the opposite direction as the parking lot though Charlie frowned.

"What now?" North repeated, smiling over at Charlie. "I don't really know. All I know is I like you, Charlie, and I want to see where this will go in real life."

They came to a stop at the edge of a courtyard covered in fallen leaves. Dead center on the sole patch of grass stood three large maple trees, branches tangled together, surrounding a small picnic table. North threw his bag on top of it, letting go of Charlie's hand long enough to wrangle loose a worn thermos from inside.

"I figured it be nicer to talk first, really talk, face to face. Plus, I thought the picturesque scenery wouldn't hurt either," He stated, taking a seat as Charlie slowly lowered himself onto the opposite bench, a fond look on his face. "I hope you like hot chocolate."

"Now you're just trying to make me feel like an ass for all my assumptions," Charlie said with mirth.

"We might actually be able to catch the sunset later," North added and this time Charlie's entire face lit up as he threw his head back with laughter. It was something North never thought he'd get to see and he could help the wide grin that spread across his face. This was actually happening. Duck was here, in the flesh, with wet hair that faintly smelled of chlorine and a megawatt smile which didn't seem to be slackening. 

"You're something else, you know that," Charlie said, shaking his head. The look he gave North was warm though, fond almost, matching the hand which stretched across the table toward him. North didn't hesitate to take it, to tangle their fingers together as they turned toward the blue sky. It would be hours before sunset, but both of them were more than content to wait it out. 

As the first streaks of violent reds and oranges cut across the sky, warping the white clouds into pink blurs, North spoke again. "I don't want this to ever end, Duck."

Charlie's lip twitched at that, fingers squeezing his gently as he snatched the now cooled thermos. Lips curled around the edge, Charlie uttered a single word in response.

"Shocker."