(Nick's POV)
So the last time I'd slept with anyone and actually woken up next to them was Luc, Luc was my first love, the guy who made me realise I was Bi, but I fell for him because he was just someone I grew up with and treated me no differently than everyone else we didn't cuddle or be affectionate with each other, we had coffee and we had sex, I was an idiot to think it was anything more. Here, now? With Charlie just lay here on my chest? It's like nothing I've ever done before, but it feels right, it feels like I never want it to end *BUZZ BUZZ* great my phone, to be honest I want to let it go but you never know
Luke: LAZARUS
"OH SHIT" I say, getting up immediately, "Charlie, I'm sorry, but I need you to get into the closet" he raises an eyebrow, "I'm not joking we can laugh at the irony later GO!" Charlie complied, "Charlie, whatever happens, stay hidden" Charlie poked his head out "Nick, what's ha-" a bang from the outer room cut him off and he hid "I'm sorry Sir, The Prince is not to be disturbed" Luke said with a stern voice "Dempsey you get out my way before I have you sacked" Silence fell "I'm sorry Sir, I have my orders" Dad seemingly was not in a mood for taking no as an answer "Fine, I'll call Martin" at which point I knew I'd been beat "Let him in Luke" I say, and I can almost hear the cracking satisfaction seeping across my dad's face and he walks in, Luke stands on the inside of my room, I'm stood stiffly, in survival mode now, why was he here? What was he going to do? "This is privileged crown business Luke" dad said, still staring me down, Luke sighed and closed the door behind him and as soon as he did dad gave me a punch to the gut and threw me onto the bed "Ah fuck" I said "Watch your mouth you pathetic child, christ, I told you I wanted to speak to you and what do you do? You run from Windsor with some boy? Tell me we're not having a repeat of that Luc nonsense..." I'm not going to deny Charlie, I won't do that to him "Fuck sake dad, leave him out of this" he smiled "Ah you like him don't you? Well we'll see what I can do about that" No, he can't hurt Charlie, he's the best thing I have right now. Oh no my breathing "What's wrong with you? Nicholas?"
(Charlie's POV)
What is he DOING? His son is having a panic attack and he's slapping him! "Snap out of it boy!" oh fuck this, I climb out the closet (again) and stare at him "Luke!" I shout and he immediately enters and deals with Nick's panic attack "YOU!" I say with more spite than I intended "What the hell is wrong with you! You don't slap someone out of a panic attack!" "How dare you! I'm the Duke of Belfast BOY!" "Duke of Belfast? More like Cardinal of Cunts, who acts like that? Hitting their own son? Acting like a homophobic piece of shit in 2022?" I realised all too late that I'd stepped on a nerve because now the Duke of Belfast was lifting me in the air "Put him down" Nick said, apparently recovered from his panic attack in record time "Or what?" His dad said, Nick smiled "Charlie hasn't signed an NDA" and apparently those words were magic, because the Duke looked at me, put me down and stormed out all in the space of roughly five seconds.
"Nobody inside Luke" Nick said, Luke nodded and returned to guard the door, locking it this time, Nick sat down "I thought I told you to stay in the closet" he said laughing "Well, you've met me, that was never a solid plan" we both laughed "Hey, are you okay? He seemed to punch you pretty hard" Nick patted his stomach, "I'm fine Char, I can't believe you stood up to him like that, nobody has before, like ever!" I shrugged, "He was hurting you, I dunno it was instinct" he smiled "Come with me there's some people I want you to meet"
We ended up at a Starbucks about 10 minutes away from campus, there's this supply closet Nick and his friends apparently hang out in "I'm Darcy this is my girlfriend Tara and my Apprentice Ammiee" The Girl said, "Darcy Olson since when were you even properly working here and why do you have an apprentice? What is she supposed to learn from you, sorry Ammiee, this isn't anything negative on you I'm just very confused" Nick sharply asked "I'll have you know I've been teaching Ammiee all about the proper milk to coffee ratio all day, now she's learning to relax!" "It's true! Darcy has been very helpful in learning about the big machines!" Ammiee said after which the two of them exchanged a fistbump.
Nick shifted in his seat "Well this is Charlie, I brought him here because he stood up to my father and called him.. what was it darling? The Cardinal of Cunts yes that's it. After he yonked me one in the stomach" the three of them seemed to be rather stunned "You.. called the Prince Consort of England the chief cunt of the world?" Tara asked "Yes, yes I did, I said in a smug voice and Nick put an arm around me. "Isn't he the best" he added "Certainly looks that way, I'm just disappointed I didn't think of doing it" Darcy said and we all laughed.
