The sleepover P1

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Alpha_FreakWolf - hope you like it! It's another two parter because I just can't keep things short haha

"Did you boys want anything?" Sarah, Nick's mum, calls out from the kitchen.

It's Friday afternoon and Nick invited Charlie round his house for a sleepover after school. Even now, Nick didn't quite know why he'd invited Charlie. It just sort of happened and he just loves spending time with him.

Nick looked at Charlie who was sat next to him on the sofa, "We have popcorn" He said as more of a question.
Charlie nodded in response, as long as he didn't eat dinner, he could have popcorn.

"Popcorn please!" Nick shouted back and pressed play on the TV. They'd decided to watch Spiderman which usually wouldn't be Charlie's choice, but he knew how much Nick liked Marvel.

Just as the opening credits finished, Nick got up to get the popcorn, "Don't worry, I've seen it hundreds of times" He called to Charlie who was just about to pause it as he left.

"There we go, love" Sarah smiled, handing Nick a big bowl of popcorn, "Now, I've got to go shopping, is there anything Charlie won't eat?"
"I don't think so, he doesn't eat much to be honest" Nick ran his free hand through his hair, checking it in the window reflection
"Okay, I'll see what I can do" Sarah grabbed her bag from the dining table and headed to the door, "Right, I won't be long!" She said as she opened the front door, "And stop playing with your hair!" The door closed and Nick was standing in the kitchen doorway blushing.

"Where's she going?" Charlie looked up from the TV as Nick came in with the popcorn, trying so hard not to smirk at his mum's last comment "Shopping, you're not allergic to anything right?"
I'm allergic to food is what Charlie wanted to say, but he just shook his head, hoping that whatever they were having for dinner would be nice and that he could force himself to eat something. Even if he had to throw up later.

Trying to put those invading thoughts into the back of his mind, he took a single piece of popcorn and rolled it between his thumb and index finger. Just eat it, it's not that hard. Stop being so stupid.

Thankfully, Nick hadn't noticed anything and was too engrossed in watching Tom Holland; Charlie had to admit, he wasn't a bad looking person to have to stare at for a couple of hours.

By the time Charlie built up enough courage to put one piece of popcorn in his mouth, Nick had eaten almost half the bowl and they were almost halfway through the film.

"I'm back-oh!" There was a crash and both Nick and Charlie ran out to see what had happened.

Nick's mum was standing on the doorstep, with hands full of shopping and a bag that must have slipped her grip on the floor, its contents everywhere.

"Are you alright?" Charlie immediately rushed to her, beginning to pick up everything off the floor and put it back into the bag.
"I'm fine, love. Thanks" She watched as Charlie picked everything up around her feet.

Nick just stood there smiling, watching the scene in front of him. He'd never seen this side of Charlie because they'd only ever hung out in school.

"Do you want this in the kitchen?" Charlie asked her, holding up the now full bag
"Yes, please. Thank you!"
Even Nick's mum was slightly taken back by how helpful Charlie was being.

"Nick, could you get some of the other stuff from the car?" Sarah called out as she joined Charlie in the kitchen, "Anywhere's fine, love. Thank you"
"No problem, I'll go help Nick"

Charlie rushed off to the front door again and saw Nick taking things out of the boot of the car.

"I'll take that" Charlie put his hand out to take the bag Nick had just lifted from the boot
Nick didn't say anything, but handed him the bag anyway.

"What?" Charlie giggled
"Nothing" Nick smiled and looked back at the car to avoid looking at Charlie anymore.

He still couldn't figure out what it was, but there was something about Charlie. He just wanted to spend all his time with him and sometimes, like now, he just couldn't stop looking at him.

Lost in thinking about Charlie, Nick almost walked into his mum when she was coming out of the house just as he was going in with shopping bags.

"Charlie's really sweet isn't he?" Sarah said, not noticing how much Nick jumped when he suddenly realised she was standing right opposite him.
"W-Oh, yeah" Nick stammered out, blushing slightly because he was embarrassed about how spaced out he was thinking about Charlie.
His mum gave him a funny look, but didn't say anything.

"That's everything, thank you for all your help boys" Sarah said as Charlie brought the last of the bags to the kitchen.

For a second she was transported to five years earlier because it was the sort of thing she would say to Nick and his brother, David, when they were younger. At that moment she realised it would be nice to have Charlie here more often.

"Oh, it's no problem" Charlie said and disappeared almost instantly into the living room.

Both Sarah and Nick watched as he went before turning to each other.

"Right, pizza for dinner because I can't be bothered to cook anything now" Sarah announced more to herself than anyone else.
"Thanks mum" Nick mumbled and shoved his hands in his jean pockets before going into the living room.

They were just about three quarters of the way through the film when Sarah started bringing in the pizzas for them to eat. She smiled when she saw the pair of them, Charlie had his knees drawn up and had his head resting on the top of the sofa. It looked like it may as well have been on Nick's shoulder.

"Sorry to interrupt" She said softly, so as to not make them jump. She almost felt like she was intruding.
Charlie looked up quickly and paused the film.
"Sorry Charlie, you looked so comfy there"
"Oh-" He glanced over at Nick who was smiling like an idiot, "No, it's alright. Do you want me to help bring anything in?" He started to get up
"Oh, no you stay there. You've done more than enough today already" Sarah smiled, putting the two plates of pizza on the coffee table in front of them.

Nick leaned forward as soon as she had set them down to get a slice.

"Nick! Guests first!" Sarah tried to sound mad, but she smiled at Nick's eagerness, "Sorry, Charlie for my son's awful manners" She over exaggerated rolling her eyes and Charlie laughed.
"Oh, it's okay Mrs Nelson - he's a growing lad!" Charlie joked back which made Sarah laugh.
"Call me Sarah - I'm not a Mrs anymore anyway" She quickly added and Charlie just smiled because he didn't know what to say.

He had no idea Nick's parents were divorced. It never came up in conversation, but it seemed weird to find out about something so big about Nick like that.

The smell of the pizza had woken Nellie who came over, wagging her tail hopefully. She stopped at Nick's feet and rested her head on his lap.

"You've got your own dinner, Nellie!" Nick laughed, patting her on the head
"Oh yes, I'll do that" Sarah took that as her queue to leave
"Aren't you hungry?" Charlie called after her, just as she got to the door, "Eat some pizza, I can feed Nellie"
"Oh" Sarah was genuinely taken back by Charlie's offer, "Okay"

Charlie could feel Nick staring at him and he wondered if he thought he was being too helpful. First the shopping, now this. Those thoughts were quickly drowned out by relief as Sarah sat down on the armchair by the TV. Which meant Sarah had accepted his offer and was going to feed Nellie which meant getting out of eating the pizza.

"Come on Nellie, do you want some dinner?" Charlie cooed in a high voice and Nellie immediately started following Charlie into the kitchen. He'd seen Nick feed Nellie before so he knew where her food was kept. What Charlie didn't see was Nick watching him as he left. Nick couldn't explain it, but he really liked Charlie.

Charlie he felt so safe here. Like he could actually be himself and he hadn't properly felt like that in a long time.

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