Chalex Oneshots

The Proposal

They had been dating for five years. Five years of laughs, cries and everything in between. Five years that Alex Standall looked on with the fondest memories, his lips curling as he played with Charlie's golden locks. They were laying in bed in their small but cosy one bedroom flat, Charlie cocooned under Alex's chin, slumbering in preparation for their flight back to California in the morning.

They had moved to New York two years ago in order for Charlie to follow his footballing dream. He had been scouted at University by the New York Giants, Alex's heart leaping as his boyfriend got the news he had worked so hard for. He didn't need persuading to up and move from Evergreen, a fresh start proving to be the best thing for both of them. After all, Charlie's dreams were Alex's dreams. Seeing his boy happy was like a drug, something he couldn't get enough of. Alex would do anything to show Charlie how much he meant to him, he owed the boy his happiness, he owed the boy his life.

In fact, Alex couldn't see life without him. He pictured a world painted in black and white, drained of colour without Charlie by his side. He felt embarrassed just thinking about it, but his world revolved around his boyfriend, even if he hated to let it show. After all, Alex was the sarcastic one, at least one of them had to be.

He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with this boy, his urge failing to wait any longer as he had begun to plan one of the most important moments of his life. He had spent the last month making phone calls, buying an abundance of string lights and note cards from the internet, all while hatching the perfect distraction to render Charlie oblivious, oblivious that his whole life was about to change.

Alex hated large gestures, it made his anxiety flare, his face often flushing, eyes looking away as he saw the soppy romance films with their grand gestures of love. If he was alone he'd turn them off, faking a throw up sound in reaction. But he saw the way Charlie would smile at them, welling up, completely and utterly fixated on 'the fairytale ending' something he deserved, and that Alex planned to give him, no matter how he felt about them.

The plan was set in place, and if all went to plan the pair would be engaged in less than 24 hours. Alex just prayed he'd say yes.

The idea was to fly back to his hometown for the weekend, his true plan for the trip hidden in a velvet box, stuffed at the bottom of his suitcase. He had made up a dumb story to cover, his dad in on it as the now retired deputy invited the pair over for a 'family meal'.

The flight was in 6 hours, and as Charlie got his last bit of slumber, completely oblivious, Alex laid awake nervous, his eyes on the ceiling as he gripped his boyfriend's limp hand.

"It'll be worth it." He whispered to himself, smiling down at Charlie's sleeping form. "It'll all be worth it."
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"Hello Charlie darling, how are you?" Carolyn Standall beamed as she welcomed the pair into the house. She pulled the younger boy into a tight squeeze before pulling back to cup her son's cheeks in her hands. "Hey sweetie, I've missed you." She hummed, shaking her head as Alex rolled his eyes at her over affection.

"I saw you like 3 weeks ago mum." He tutted, earning a glare from Charlie as his mum's face dropped slightly. He shook his head, pulling her into a hug as she brushed back his hair. "Missed you too mum." He smiled lovingly.

"Now kiddos who fancies steak!?" The pair nodded in unison as Alex's dad appeared with a comical apron and a spatula. "You've got to see my new grill Charlie." He motioned for the boy to follow him into the kitchen, leaving Alex stood on the doorstep with his mum.

"The plan is all in place." Carolyn winked, resting her hand on her boy's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you baby, he'll make the perfect husband for you." She cooed.