Description (May contain spoilers)

Inspired by the October 2024 prompt “I love you, but you drive me crazy”.

David is introducing his partner to Nick and Charlie.

Charlie woke to the most glorious scents coming from the kitchen, the bed beside him empty and cold. The alarm clock on the bedside table read 06:11.

Instinctively he knew something was up, the only reason Nick would be up and baking this early on a Sunday morning was if he was stressed. Normally they would spend their Sunday mornings lazily kissing and caressing each other’s bodies before they got up around 10 to make breakfast together.

Reluctantly climbing out of bed, Charlie grabbed one of Nick’s jumpers and a pair of joggers to keep him warm before he headed downstairs to see his boyfriend. When he reached the kitchen, it was like a bomb had exploded, coating every surface with flour and cake mix.

There were trays of cupcakes cooling, croissants piled up haphazardly where they’d been brushed off a tray so that it could no doubt be used for baking more.

Trying not to startle him, Charlie hesitantly called out, “Nick?” When the older boy turned, Charlie asked, “What’s going on?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” was all Nick said before turning back to rolling out some pastry on top of an uncluttered piece of their worktop. Charlie approached and placed a delicate hand on Nick’s bicep.

“Nick, it’s not even 7am yet. How long have you been baking?”

Nick shrugged in response. Charlie took hold of his forearms, encouraging him to release the rolling pin he was holding. Guiding him to the dining table at the side of the room, he eased them both down onto the chairs facing each other. 

“What’s wrong, my love? You know it’s not normal to turn our kitchen into an explosion of baked goods this early on a Sunday morning.”

“We have guests coming,” Nick replied, hoping that would be enough to satisfy his boyfriend.

But Charlie knew better, “Nope, this is not a normal level of baking for your brother coming over. Spill Nelson!”

“Urgh, I hate that you know me so well.”

“It’s because I love you Nick, you drive me crazy sometimes, but I love you,” Charlie placed a kiss on Nick’s knuckles before continuing. “Are you worried about seeing your brother? I thought you two had patched things up?”

“It’s,” Nick paused, sighing. “It’s not seeing him, it’s the fact he wants to introduce his girlfriend to Me. I’d get it if he wanted me, us, there when he introduced someone new to Mum. But he said he wanted to introduce her to us first, and I just have a bad feeling about it.”

“So you decided that rather than talk to me, your boyfriend, you’d use up all the eggs in Kent and start a new business from our kitchen?”

Nick laughed, “I suppose it is a little crazy, when you put it like that.”

“Look, I don’t know why David doesn’t want Sarah here, but I’m sure it’ll all make sense once he comes over later. Until then, there is no point fretting over the unknown, is there?”

“When did you get so wise?” Nick smiled.

“Years of therapy,” Charlie joked before pulling Nick to his feet, “Come on, let’s get you, and this place, cleaned up.”

👨‍🍳🧁🥐

Once they had gotten both Nick and the kitchen cleaned up, the pair had an early breakfast before David was due at 11. Charlie did his best to distract Nick with kisses at every possible opportunity.

Just after 11 the doorbell rang and Nick jumped from the sofa like someone had lit his trousers on fire.

“Nick, calm down before you have a heart attack will you,” Charlie walked to open the front door while Nick took a few deep breaths.

“Hi Charlie,” David smiled.

“Hi David, on your own?” Charlie asked, confused seeing David on his own on the doorstep.

“Not for long, work was really busy,” David confirmed as he walked inside and took off his coat.

“Oh ok, come on through,” Charlie led David into the living room where Nick was pacing.

“Hi little bro.”

“Hi,” Nick looked at David with one eyebrow raised. Before he could ask why David had turned up alone, the doorbell rang again.

“That’ll be your new girl,” Charlie announced cheerily, heading to the door with the Nelson brothers following behind him.

Opening the door, Charlie was surprised by the new arrival, “Oliver? We weren’t expecting you today?”

“Hello to you too dear brother,” Olly said as he stepped around Charlie and inside.

After greeting Nick he turned to David, “Hi sweetheart, missed you,” he said before standing up on tiptoes to kiss him passionately, causing Charlie and Nick’s jaws to drop open.

“What’s going on?” Nick and Charlie said in unison.

Releasing David’s lips but not letting him go, Olly asked, “You didn’t tell them?”

“I was waiting for you to arrive,” David shrugged.

Rolling his eyes, Olly stepped back from David, held out his arms and with a smile declared, “Surprise!”

“But…you’re straight,” Nick stated, pointing at his brother.

“I’m pan actually,” David mocked, remembering the way Nick had ‘come out’ to him all those years ago.

“But…he’s my little brother,” Charlie whined.

“I’m hardly a child!” Olly replied.

“It’s incest!” Charlie protested.

“He’s not my brother,” David said snarkily.

“Hang on a second,” Nick interrupted, “When you found out I was bi, you were a real dick to me and to Charlie.”

“I know,” David said, looking down at the floor. “I’m sorry, my therapist has helped me to see that I was internalising…a lot…back then.”

Nick and Charlie both looked stunned, while Olly just looked up at him with pride in his eyes.

“You went to therapy?” Nick asked.

“Yeah, I was a real dick, but if I wanted to be with my Ollypop, then I needed to be better,” David said, smiling at Olly.

“Ollypop?” Charlie gagged.

“Oh please, you and Nick are far worse,” Olly chipped in.

“How long has this been going on?” Nick asked.

“About a year.”

“A year!” Nick and Charlie shouted in unison.