Nick and Charlie One-Shots

Powerless

TW: mild sexual assault

Walking home alone was never a good idea, especially for Charlie Spring. A few people had stopped him before—mostly 19-year-old girls who wanted a date, or homeless men who just needed some money. Being the nice person he was, he always handed them a few pounds, or maybe a granola bar or some sweets he had saved in his pocket for Nick, or even for himself, if the day was going well.

On this particular Friday night, there wasn't much he could've done to avoid the situation. Nick had plans with a friend, so he couldn't drive him home from school, and they had cancelled the bus routes because of a complication with the location system. His parents had already left on a weekend vacation, and Tori was out with Rebecca, or maybe it was Michael. The only other option was to walk home, though it wasn't ideal.

The school wasn't too far, only around 20 minutes. He went this way all the time, because sometimes he walked home with Nick if it was a nice day. They were usually fine.

Not this time, though.

Charlie knew something was wrong as soon as he saw a dark silhouette down an alley. It disturbed him more when he realized who it was.

"What do you want, Ben?" Charlie said as soon as he came into view, his voice quivering.

Ben Hope smirked, and it made Charlie's stomach lurch, and a lump form in his throat.

"I just want to talk."

"Well, guess what? You said that last time we saw each other, and the time before. How many times do I have to tell you I don't want to hear what you have to say?"

Anger rose in Ben's face, and Charlie watched fearfully, wanting to run but not finding the energy.

"You are so stupid, Charlie. So stupid. You know I am the only person who will ever like you, and you just won't admit it to yourself. I can give you everything you want."

"Shut up!" Charlie yelled loudly, hoping someone—anyone—passing by on the street could help him.

As Ben approached him, Charlie found himself unable to move his feet, which were frozen and stuck to the ground. It was like the dust on the ground had latched to his feet, pulling him down, down, down into the floor. He was getting smaller, shrinking into a lesser version of himself with each step.

"Stay away from me," Charlie whisper-shouted, hoping his more innocent tone would sway him. It didn't.

Suddenly, Ben attacked him with his lips, pressing into them and nipping forcefully, almost drawing blood. Then he moved to his throat, doing the same, and also leaving purple bruises where he was grabbing his neck.

Charlie was drowning, suffocating from this awful feeling of powerlessness. He needed to be in control of some things, and this was definitely one of them. But now, he felt violated, and there was nothing he could do about it.

When Ben's hands started moving places they shouldn't be, Charlie finally found the willpower to push him off, and he staggered backwards, almost ramming into the wall of the alleyway.

"I told you to stay away from me," Charlie said, confidence spreading over him like sunlight on your skin on a warm day. "Leave me alone."

Ben breathed once, then smirked, running a hand through his hair and picking up his schoolbag from where he had left it on the ground. "See you later, Charlie."

Then he was gone, and the footsteps slowly faded as he got farther and farther away from him.

When he was truly alone in the alley, Charlie felt the tears fall. He didn't know what to do other than to sit down on the ground and let out his feelings. He did some box breathing exercises his therapist had told him about, and he looked around the room, finding things he could touch, see, smell, and hear.

After he had calmed down, and the panic had left his body, Charlie pulled out his phone. His hands were still a little shaky, but he pressed on Nick's contact. His thumb hovered over the "call" button as he hesitated.

I shouldn't bother him... Charlie thought to himself and let the phone fall into his lap.

But he still heard Nick's voice that one day in the summer: "I don't care what time of the day it is, or if we've had a fight or anything. Call me if you need me. Please promise me, Charlie. Call me."

With a final deep breath, Charlie picked up his phone again and pressed the icon. The phone rang three times before Nick's voice sounded.

"Charlie?" he asked, confused.

"Nick, I'm so sorry for calling you but..." he trailed off, remembering. "It's Ben. He—"

"I'll be right there," Nick said quietly but firmly, and he muttered an apology to the rugby friend he was hanging out with. "Stay on the line with me, okay?"

"Okay," he said, his voice still weak.

"Where are you?"

"Um—" Charlie looked out of the alley. "I'm not sure what street, but I'm in an alley across from The North Face. And... and there's a McDonald's next to it."

Charlie hoped Nick didn't hear the hesitation in his voice, because that wasn't something that he wanted to talk about right now.

"Okay, Charlie, I want you to breathe with me, all right? Take a deep breath in—" Charlie took a large gulp of air, "—and out." He let it go, breathing out slowly. He repeating his words a few times, and he continued to follow what Nick said.

"Thank you," Charlie said, smiling slightly to himself.

Nick didn't respond, but he knew he would do anything for him, no matter the circumstances.

"I'm almost there, Charlie."

"Okay."

Charlie waited patiently against the wall, his body returning to a normal temperature, his heart rate slowing, and his breathing evening out.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded, and someone ran past the alley, then quickly backtracked and started walking in.

Charlie flinched, but relaxed when he realized who it was. "Nick," he said, almost in disbelief.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked, getting down on one knee and examining his face with his eyes.

Charlie smiled softly. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just glad you came."

"Of course I came, Char."

Nick held out his hand, and Charlie took it immediately, squeezing it gently. They stayed like that in a comfortable silence as Charlie kept breathing quietly.

When he felt calm enough, Charlie said, "Can we leave? Maybe go to a park or something?"

"Okay," Nick said, smiling. "Anything for you, Charlie."

Charlie stood up, wobbling slightly, but he regained his balance in a few seconds. Nick grabbed his hand again gently, and they walked.

Being out in the open was a little scary for Charlie sometimes. He always saw people he didn't know, and what those people could be capable of was what he feared the most. Any of those faces he passed could be someone out to hurt him. But with Nick by his side, that tug in his chest relaxed, and he could enjoy himself and the fresh air outside.

"What happened?" Nick asked suddenly, then he followed with, "If you want to tell me, of course."

"Yeah, yeah," Charlie said, looking at Nick for a moment, and then looking away. He explained everything that had happened, even when he didn't want to explain the details. But when he finished, he didn't say sorry, even though the urge was strong.

"Thank you for telling me." Nick's voice was powerful, and confident, and it always made his sentences so much more influential than if anyone else were to say them. That was one thing Charlie loved about him—the way he can move people without even meaning to.

Charlie didn't reply, instead he jumped into Nick's arms, surprising him. He hugged back soon enough, pressing his head into Charlie's shoulder.

"I love you," Nick said, letting go of Charlie a little, but still keeping him in his arms.

"I love you too."