This story is based on Nick and Charlie’s conversation in Season 3, Episode 4 about next Halloween after Charlie is hospitalised.

Nick opened the door to his bedroom where Charlie had been getting ready. Charlie was looking at himself in the mirror as he mused, “Why did I let you pick the outfits this year?”

“Because you love me,” Nick smiled back, seeing Charlie in the skin-tight costume he’d picked out for his boyfriend, “and I persuaded you with the promise of a certain kiss.” Nick thought back to the phone call from a year ago, things were so different back then. Charlie was in the hospital, and it felt like his world had just ended until that call finally broke through, shattering the painful silence.

As Charlie turned around to face him, Nick’s smile grew wider as he got to appreciate the full view of the Spider-Man man suit he was wearing. Charlie was still skinny, but he got more and more comfortable with his body, at least when he was with Nick anyway. So seeing the way this costume emphasised everything that Nick loved about Charlie’s sexy body, Nick was sure there would be cartoon hearts in his eyes like something out of Roger Rabbit.

When he saw Nick in his outfit for the first time, Charlie burst out, “Oh My God, Nick!”

“What? Don’t you like it?” Nick asked, smoothing his hands down the tight leather trousers he’d somehow managed to squeeze into.

Unable to control his laughing, Charlie breathlessly replied, “You…you look like Imogen.”

“What?” Nick asked, his head turning to the side in his trademark Nick Nelson confused look, before he walked over to the mirror to see for himself. Looking at his reflection for the first time, Nick panicked, “I swear it’s supposed to be Mary Jane! Do you think everyone’s going to think I’ve come as Imogen!”

Laughing harder now at Nick’s reaction, all Charlie could manage was, “Yes!”

“Oh god! What will Imogen say?”  Nick groaned, putting his head in his hands. He was wearing a sleeveless pink top, with an amply stuffed bra underneath, paired with a pair of deep red leather trousers. Unfortunately the costume shop didn’t have the right colour wig for Mary Jane, so the long wig he was given didn’t look like the character, but unfortunately did make him look like Imogen.

Taking pity on his boyfriend, Charlie placed his hand on Nick’s bare shoulder and tried to comfort him, “It’ll be fine, no one will be looking at you once they see me in this!”

Nick looked up from his hands and let his eyes roam over Charlie’s body again, “It doesn’t leave anything to the imagination, does it.”

“Nope, but when you have an ass this good, why hide it,” Charlie teased as he wiggled his behind in front of his boyfriend.

Nick groaned again, this time reaching forward and squeezing Charlie’s ass, “I just want to bury my face between those cheeks and never come up for air. Do we have to go to the party?” Nick started nuzzling into Charlie’s neck to try and seal the deal, knowing it was one of the things Charlie loved the most.

“Nick,” Charlie gasped, “Nick, we have to go. Everyone’s expecting us.”

Relenting, Nick moved from Charlie’s neck and gave him a final peck before replying, “Fine, I see how it is.”

🎃🕸️🎃

Nick drove them the short distance to Sahar’s house, who was hosting the Halloween party again this year. Nick had no idea how she managed to convince her parents after the amount of alcohol that was drunk at last year’s party, but after how last year ended for him, he was grateful for a do-over. Last year when he hadn’t spoken to Charlie for two months while he’d been in the hospital, he’d ended the night crying into Tao’s costume on the floor.

They didn’t speak. Tao just held him and let him cry until the tears all dried up. Their unspoken bond, their love for Charlie, breaking down the barriers that had once existed between them. Although neither of them has mentioned what happened since, it had brought the pair closer together, and Nick knew that Tao would stand by his side and fight for him just as fiercely as he would for Elle, Isaac or Charlie.

With Charlie by his side, Nick was whole again, and he was looking forward to enjoying this first Halloween together as a couple. Turning into Sahar’s road, the street was lined on both sides with badly parked cars. Driving round the block, eventually he found a space a couple of streets away. Nick idly wondered if he would be being too obvious if he walked a couple of paces behind Charlie so he could stare at his ass some more.

Hurrying round to the passenger door, Nick held out his hand for Charlie to take. “Such a sap,” Charlie giggled as he took hold of Nick’s hand and allowed him to help him out.

They walked hand in hand, Nick tried to hang back a bit but Charlie pulled him forward, “I see what you’re doing,” he teased. They came to a stop and Nick pulled Charlie into his arms so they could kiss, his hands creeping down to grab Charlie again. Pulling their lips apart, Charlie teased, “Don’t start something you can’t finish, Nicholas.”

“Oooohhhh,” Nick groaned, rolling his head back. Reluctantly they pulled apart and continued to walk hand in hand towards Sahar’s house. Pausing outside, Charlie pulled up the attached mask over his face to complete the look. Heading inside hand in hand, they were immediately greeted by everyone they knew over the noise of the music blasting throughout the house.

“How does everyone know it’s me?” Charlie asked Nick close to his ear.

“Erm, it may have to do with you holding my hand,” Nick teased before adding on, “and the fact that we’re always inseparable,” causing Charlie to giggle; Nick loved that sound so much, he didn’t think he’d ever get bored of it.

“Hi guys,” Sahar called out behind them. “So glad you could…” she started before the couple turned around, “Why have you come as Imogen?”

Nick groaned, “Urgh, I’ve not come as Imogen!”

Charlie giggled beside him, “Told you.”

“So who are you then?” Sahar asked.

“I’m Mary Jane!” Nick protested, but Sahar just looked at him blankly. “From Spider-Man,” Nick added, exasperated.

“Ohhh,” Sahar replied, “Never seen it.” The look of shock across Nick’s face had both Sahar and Charlie cracking up.

“Not everyone loves Marvel like you do, Nicholas,” Charlie said, poking his boyfriend in the side. “Come on, let’s get a drink,” he added, dragging him away to the kitchen.

🎃🕸️🎃

Charlie spent most of the evening sitting on Nick’s lap, with Nick’s arms around him, as their friends came and went from the sofa they’d perched themselves on. It was almost like they were holding court in Sahar’s front room, but neither boy really cared. They were both just so happy to be with each other.

“So why are you dressed as Imogen?” Tao asked, sitting down on the sofa.

“I’m not dressed as Imogen!” Nick said for what he felt was the hundredth time of the night, each time causing Charlie to chuckle even harder than the last.

“Next year, I’m letting you pick the costumes,” Nick conceded to Charlie.

“See, I make good choices,” Charlie teased.

“So who are you then?” Tao asked.

“I’m Mary Jane,” Nick replied, but seeing the blank look on Tao’s face he added, “Peter Parker’s girlfriend.”

“Right,” Tao said, “Why?”

Frustrated, Nick buried his face in Charlie’s shoulder. So Charlie explained, “It was his way of getting me to be Spider-Man, he promised we’d recreate the upside kiss,” then turning to Nick he added, “Which I still haven’t had, by the way!”

Nick started tickling Charlie’s sides making him squirm in Nick’s lap.

“Nick… Nick stop it,” Charlie struggled between giggles. Nick stopped his tickling and pulled Charlie back in close again.

Playfully hitting Nick, Charlie spoke again, “Let me up, I need the bathroom.”

Doing as he was told, Nick opened his arms so Charlie could carefully clamber off Nick’s lap, before leaving he said, “When I come back, I’m claiming my kiss.”

“Looking forward to it,” Nick blushed.

🎃🕸️🎃

When the familiar sight of a Spider-Man mask appeared alongside him, resting upside down over the back of the sofa, a broad smile spread across Nick’s face. This moment would make all the times he’d had to explain his costume tonight worth it.

Nick carefully rolled the bottom of the mask down in the same way Mary Jane did in the movie, and when their lips connected Nick wasn’t sure why but something felt off. Sure, he’d never kissed anyone upside down before, but this felt like more than that. Before he could work out what it was, he heard a small, fragile voice call behind him, “Nick?”

Nick’s head spun around so quickly, he wasn’t sure how the wig had stayed on. “Charlie? But if you’re there, who’s this?”

Tao grabbed hold of the hood of the mysterious masked man and pulled it off to reveal the man inside.

“Ben!” Nick gasped, looking at the smug face of his boyfriend’s former abuser.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Charlie announced before he ran back off in the direction of the bathroom.

Ben tried to run away, but Tao grabbed hold of his suit to stop him, “No, you don’t!”

“Charlie,” Nick called as he ran after his boyfriend. Grumbling along the way about how fast Charlie was compared to him. Nick reached the bathroom door moments after Charlie and found it locked. He gently knocked on the door and spoke softly through it, “Char? Char, please let me in.”

Getting no response, Nick tried again, “Char, please, I swear I didn’t know it was Ben. Please, Charlie.” Nick heard Charlie vomiting from the other side of the door and felt the tears start streaming down his own cheeks.

“Charlie, I love you, please baby, please open the door,” Nick begged.

Nick heard the lock on the door click open before Charlie eased it open, tentatively. Seeing the tears streaming down Charlie’s cheeks, Nick wasn’t sure which he wanted more, to pull Charlie into his arms or to punch Ben’s pathetic smug face. Nick held out his hands and placed them carefully on Charlie’s sides, not pulling him in for fear of what reception he might receive.

“Nick,” Charlie cried, and Nick was wrapped around him completely. Holding him tight as he shook from sobbing. When Charlie’s legs gave out, Nick eased him down to the ground without breaking their contact.

“Why?” Charlie whispered into Nick’s chest. It broke Nick’s heart thinking how badly he’d hurt the love of his life.

“I’m so sorry, I swear I didn’t know, Char,” Nick pleaded.

“No,” Charlie said, more authoritatively this time before he looked up into Nick’s eyes. “Not you, why would he do that? Does he really hate me that much?”

“I, I don’t know.”

“Can we,” Charlie paused, “Can we go home?”

“Of course, Char. I’ll drive you back to yours.”

“No! Back to yours,” Charlie insisted before adding more nervously, “Please?”

Nick smiled, “Anywhere you want sweetheart.”

🎃🕸️🎃

“Let go of me, you freak,” Ben snarled.

“You’re one to talk, dressing up as your ex to trick his boyfriend into kissing you,” Tao replied, still gripping the back of Ben’s suit.

“Charlie? My ex? Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ben insisted, causing Tao to roll his eyes.

“Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night,” Tao deadpanned.

“What’s going on here then?” called Harry as he walked in on Tao and Ben.

“This loser must fancy me or something, he won’t let me go,” Ben smirked.

“Please, even if I were into guys, I wouldn’t be into you,” Tao replied before turning to Harry and adding, “Just holding him for Nick, seeing as he just tricked Nick into kissing him in front of Charlie.” Tao didn’t know what reaction that would get from Harry, but he saw no reason not to let word spread about what Ben had done. He was sure Charlie wouldn’t do it himself, not wanting to out him, but Ben deserved it.

“That’s not cool man,” Harry said to Ben, “What did they ever do to you?”

“You’re going to believe him over me?” Ben asked, incredulous at the accusation.

“Yeah, I am!” Harry replied calmly, “Nick and Charlie are good guys, and part of the rugby team. You mess with one of us, you have to deal with all of us.”

Harry turned to Tao, “Mind if I deal with this maggot?”

“Be my guest,” Tao replied, letting Harry take Ben and wishing his camcorder still had charge so he could film him being dragged off.

🎃🕸️🎃

By the time they’d walked back to the car, Charlie was exhausted. His eyes closed as soon as his head hit the headrest. Nick buckled him in and then went round to the driver’s seat. Driving in silence back to his house, every time they were stopped at a red light he would glance over at the passenger seat to watch the gentle rise and fall of his boyfriend’s chest as he slept.

It felt like it took ages to drive back. Once Nick had pulled onto the drive beside his Mum’s car, he shut off the engine and quietly climbed out to walk round to the passenger door. Opening it gently, Nick crouched down to unbuckle his seatbelt and softly wake Charlie from his slumber.

“Hey,” Nick cooed as he saw Charlie’s eyes flicker open.

“Hey, did I fall asleep?” Charlie asked.

“Yeah, it’s ok. We’re home now, can you walk or do you need me to carry you?” Nick asked.

“Nick, you can’t carry me,” Charlie giggled. Taking this as a challenge, Nick reached in and pulled Charlie into his arms, kicking the car door shut with his foot.

“Nick, put me down you giant rugby idiot,” Charlie half-heartedly protested with a yawn.

“Nope,” was all Nick said as he carried Charlie to the front door. With Charlie in his arms, Nick couldn’t reach his keys so he rang the doorbell instead. Less than a minute later, Nick’s Mum, Sarah, was opening the front door.

“Hey babies, I didn’t think you would be home for hours?” Sarah asked, no longer surprised to see Nick carrying Charlie after it happened around their home so often over the last couple of years.

“Long story Mum, I’ll explain in the morning, ok?”

“Sure, darling,” Sarah replied, shutting the door behind Nick and watching as her youngest son carried his boyfriend up the stairs. When they reached his room, Nick placed Charlie down on his bed, the same way he had done so many times before.

Looking up at his boyfriend, Charlie sensed that Nick was still worried about what happened at the party. Charlie knew it wasn’t Nick’s fault, but he also knew that he needed to convince Nick of that too.

When Nick looked like he was going to walk away, Charlie grabbed for the bottom of Nick’s shirt to keep him close. What he wasn’t expecting was that their combined movements caused two soft dog balls to fall out of the top of Nick’s bra, startling Charlie and causing Nellie to jump on the bed to grab one of her toys.

Staring into each other’s eyes, Nick and Charlie both burst out laughing and Charlie knew they would be alright.