Chapter Text
Their time in the apartment was coming to an end, while they were both ready to be done with this time in lockdown and breath some fresh air without worry of contaminating someone, neither were really ready to leave the bubble they had created together in the last two weeks. They were starting to get to know each other on a level they hadn’t previously been able to do. He had shared his dream of opening his own business, Charlie shared her dream of being a writer. They both came to realize that this little crush they had on each other was slightly more than that and they were excited to explore what their future together might be.
"You know... we're going to have to figure out some way of telling Miles about us." Bass mumbled into Charlies hair, she was leaned with her back into his chest on the couch, both lounging in the afternoon sun streaming through the sliding glass door. Charlie groaned and threw her arm over her face dramatically. "I know, but i was hoping we could keep this to ourselves for a little while." She reached back and tangled her fingers in his short curly hair at the nape of his neck. He kissed the top of her head in response. "Nothing we do is secret from him you know that. He's got a nose for suspicious things, secrets are not kept with him around."
Charlie sank lower into his arms. "I know, but this doesn’t involve him, he doesn't need to know right away." Bass chuckled and rolled his eyes, he would let it go for now, but he knew if Miles found out some way other than them telling him, things were going to get ugly. They had decided to go on a real date once lockdown was over, he had already called and made a reservation at one of his favourite local restaurants for their 'freedom day' as they were calling it, and he was all set to take his new apartment they day after that.
Charlie was also set to take possession of her new apartment a week after lockdown, her plan was already cleared with Miles that she would stay with him another week and move into her new place. her parents had been collecting used furniture in their garage for the last few months in anticipation of her moving back. she had done all the sourcing and paying they just had to collect and store until she got her new place.
Charlie had gotten a lot of writing done in her down time in the apartment, had enjoyed time on the balcony in the sun and snuggling on the couch with Bass, it was a dream but she was looking forward to finding a job until the bar could get off the ground and she was very much looking forward to what adventures awaited her and Bass now that their feelings were known.
"Bass?" She asked quietly, almost sounding lost in thought. "hmm?" He responded sounding also lost in thought. "What's going to happen to us once this is over?" He ran his fingers down her arm in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "We're going to be amazing, we're going to go on dates, we're going to spend time together, we're going to build a business together, and we're going to drive Miles absolutely insane with our inability to keep our hands off each other." He replied as he pulled her up to kiss the back of her neck and whisper in her ear. "Charlotte Matheson, we're going to be just fine."
Charlie shivered as Bass continued to administer kisses and light touches up and down her arms. She couldn’t help herself, she turned and kissed him deeply, throwing everything she could into the kiss wanting him to know just how much she cared about him. She knew she loved him, but she was going to keep that bit to herself for a little longer. at least until she was sure that he felt the same. a week into a new complicated relationship seemed a little soon to drop that bomb.
Pushing off his chest Charlie reluctantly got to her feet putting some distance between them. they were having a difficult time keeping their hands to themselves the last few days, Charlie had silently decided that she was going to be the responsible one and not allow themselves dissolve into their passions, if not she was sure they were going to have sex on every surface they could and she didn't think they should do that to Miles.
Bass also got to his feet, and kissed her forehead before moving out of the way and letting Charlie curl back up on the couch. "I'm going to make dinner, any requests?" he asked as he moved to the kitchen. "None at all." she snuggled deeper into the couch and split her attention between the movie on the TV and the man with the golden curls messing around in the kitchen. "Hey Bass?" He paused in his struggle to open the pasta sauce jar. "yes?" Charlie pulled the pillow she was hugging closer. "You're really cute." He raised an eyebrow at her in amusement. "Thanks for the compliment, what brought that on?" He asked as he set the jar down, both hands still poised to open the lid.
She shrugged as she continued to admire him in the evening sun light. "I just thought you should know." He laughed and shook his head as he went back to opening his jar of pasta sauce. He struggled with the jar as he said "well, you should know." he grunted as he twisted, "I think you're cute too." the lid popped free and held them up triumphantly to show Charlie his success. She laughed and applauded.
After their dinner of spaghetti, they decided to play another board game, no cheating allowed. this time they broke out monopoly. probably a terrible choice but that’s what they settled on. they were almost two hours into the game when they decided they couldn’t keep their hands off each other anymore. Charlie watched as Bass made his way around the table, she turned her body towards him as he approached, she was curious what he was planning. When he was close enough to touch her he grabbed her ankle and yanked until she was flat on the floor in front of him.
Charlie giggled as his hand made it way up her leg and crept under her shirt flat on her bare skin. He pushed her shirt up to expose her stomach as he leaned down and gently placed kisses from her belly button up to her rib cage. He observed her watching what he was doing, her breath unsteady and shallow. Her hands had landed lightly on his shoulders since she couldn’t decide what to do with her hands.
something sparked and crackled between them as though something clicked into place. He was now directly over top her face to face. an unspoken agreement was made between them, first date be damned they were ready to take this one step further and they wouldn’t last another few days. they spent the next few minutes kissing on the floor and slowly shedding clothing, they decided to make their way to the bedroom, continuing to shed as they go, they collapsed into the bed completely unable to keep their hands off each other. they spent the better half of the night wrapped in each other.
The next morning neither of them noticed the front door open or the home owner make his way into the living space with his suitcase. Miles stopped and looked around his living room and noticed discarded clothing leading to the bedroom. "way to go Charlie, managed to bring a boy home did yah." He chuckled and dropped his suitcase on the couch. he picked up the clothing he found, thankfully none of it being underwear and folded it up and setting it on the counter in the kitchen. the coffee table was still covered in the remnants of their board game from the night before.
he moved into the kitchen and made started to make himself a cup of coffee. the machine was crackling away happily percolating, he was so absorbed in puttering around in the kitchen he didn't notice Charlie quietly pad her way into the kitchen, she was still half asleep when she shuffled into the room she almost didn't notice Miles standing at the counter. "Miles!" she started.
"Hey kid, good morning." He reached into the cupboard and brought two mugs down to the counter, the coffee machine sill bubbled away as it poured into the pot. once he set the mug on the counter he made his way to fridge to get his bottle of bailey's, he listed the bottle to the light as if he'd be able to see through it. "Did you drink my secret Bailey's" He set it on the counter with the mugs. "very rude to drink a man’s Irish cream."
Charlie sidled up to the counter subtly eyeing the clothing that was neatly folded in the counter. She was desperately hoping that Miles didn't notice that the shirt she was wearing was Bass'. Miles caught her looking at the clothes. "I see you brought a friend home last night" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively with a giant grin. "very well done considering you've been on lock down for two weeks. lemme guess is it a delivery boy, or some guy you've been chatting with online?" Charlie's face started to heat up and turn pink right to the tips of her ears.
Charlie tried to change the subject. "So what are you doing home anyways, I thought you were gone for a couple more days."
"We finished early, something about the hotel having a fire, they decided to cut it short. we're going to have another one in a couple months to finish up." the coffee make sputtered to a stop and he poured two cups, pouring a healthy dose of Irish cream in both mugs.
Bass emerged from the bedroom stretching and yawning as he made his way down the short hallway into the kitchen. "Morning, coffee already? that was quick." He kissed the top of her head, he turned towards the coffee machine and froze.
Miles was holding both mugs, also frozen in place. "What. The. Fuck." Mile's eyes swiveled between Charlie and Bass who stood slightly behind her, shirtless and very clearly having just woken up. Turning back towards the counter he gently placed the mugs back down and turned towards the couple in his kitchen. Bass was looking at him like he's been conked on the head and Charlie's pink face had turned an alarming shade of red. Stepping towards them ever so slowly he tried to formulate words to express his thoughts.
Bass watched Miles moved terrifyingly slowly towards them and stepped behind Charlie holding her arms and using her as a shield incase Miles decided that murder was on the table this morning. Bass leaned down slightly and whispered in her ear. "At least we don't have to figure out how to tell him anymore." Charlies head tilted slightly so she could indicate she was talking to him while keeping her eyes glued to her uncle. "shut up." She hissed at him.
Charlie held up her hands as if she was trying to calm a wild animal. "Listen, I know this is probably weird for you and a little surprising." Miles halted and looked down at his niece. "a little surprising might be massively understating my feelings at the moment."
Charlie stepped towards him and placed her hands on his arm leading to the couch, Bass meanwhile was skirting his way around the kitchen island as they walked past him, he also grabbed the folded t-shirt from the counter and pulled it on, he knew it wouldn’t help but he hoped it would be less distracting so their situation. Charlie managed to get Miles sitting on the couch and breathing at a normal rate. Bass brought the mugs of coffee over to the living room and placed them on the coffee table, it was probably a terrible idea to have a hot beverage that close to an angry Miles, but he also knew what a coffee deprived Miles was like.
"It’s not entirely what it looks like I promise." Charlie said softly.
Miles crossed his arms and looked directly at Bass. "It looks and awful lot like Bass is screwing around with my niece, my one and only nice, of which I will murder anyone who touches her."
Bass stood on the other side of the table closer to Charlie but not so close as to incite rage. "We're not screwing around Miles. I promise." Bass tried to keep the pleading tone from his voice. "we both ended up here by accident, we decided to just share the apartment until we were free to leave. We're adults Miles it was just an easy thing to do. a couple days into our being here we got to talking and some stuff came to light. I'm not going to go into details, but you need to understand that this is not just some fling, were not just 'screwing around'. We're going to do the date thing, the getting to know you thing and the possible serious relationship thing. It just happened, and whether you like it or not, it’s not going to stop me from loving her."
Miles and Charlie both stared at Bass with wide eyes and stunned. "Did you just say you love her?"
Bass rolled his eyes. "You know I did. and I think you know I’ve loved her for a while."
Miles scowled at him and looked towards Charlie, who in turned switched her attention from Bass to Miles. "Can you believe him." he grumbled, Charlie grinned back him trying not to laugh. "I can actually."
Miles sighed and reached for his coffee, he needed to busy his hands to keep himself from strangling his best friend. "Fine. I don’t like it but fine. two things though." He eyed Bass as he raised his fingers. "One, your old. too old to be wooing college girls."
Both Charlie and Bass made noises of derision. "Excuse me! graduated, no longer college girl!" "We're the same age!" they both half shouted at him. He held in his laughter and kept his grumpy face in place, pointing at them. "I know we're the same age, this is why I know you're too old."
Bass crossed his arms annoyed. "Isn't Nora half your age?" Miles waved him off. "She's thirty-one, hardly half my age, we're talking 13 years here. there is 20 between you two." He sipped his coffee while Charlie glared at him. "And two, my bed? really? you had to come to this realization in my apartment in my bed?"
Charlies face lit up again in embarrassment. "It just kind of happened sorry."
"How did this happen anyways." Miles asked leaning back into his seat, he was well over being mad, but now just curious.
Charlie looked up at Bass concerned. "Do you really want details of your best friend sleeping with your niece?" Bass asked giving him a weird look.
"No moron, how did the two of you end up in the apartment together."
Bass' arms dropped to his sides and his rolled his head back in exhaustion. finally feeling less tense he threw himself down into the arm chair in the corner. "Oh that, I talked to Nora weeks ago about staying here to quarantine, turns out Charlie talked to you at the same time about it too. You know this is kind of your fault." Bass smirked leaning forward resting his elbows on his knees.
Mile's eyebrow shot into his hairline. "How do you figure that."
"If you and Nora has better communication, or any at all, you would have realized you double booked your apartment." Miles made a face and paused to think for a moment. "I did tell her; she knew Charlie was going to be here."
Charlie put the math together before the other two did. "Sneaky." She laughed. "this isn't your fault Miles, its Nora's."
Miles rolled his eyes and accepted defeat, his girlfriend knew exactly what she was doing and he was going to have words with her later about her sneakily spy behavior. "Should have known." He downed the last of his coffee and placed the empty mug back onto the table. "What’s the plan now? I know you're still a week out from taking your new place, what about you?" He asked turning towards Bass.
Bass shrugged, “I hadn’t really thought about, I’m guessing Charlie was going to keep crashing here so probably can’t bunk with her on the couch.”
Miles laughed. “have you been sleeping on the couch? You’re too tall, you know that I have an air mattress in the closet right? You could have set up in my office.”
“I did not in fact know that.” He gave Miles a grin. “I didn’t stay on the couch the whole time don’t worry.”
“Oh my god Bass” Charlie buried her face in her hands. “You’re on your own, I can’t save you from your own stupid mouth.”
Bass dodged a flying couch pillow laughing. “I may begrudgingly approve of this, but don’t test me.” Miles leaned forward from his spot glaring at his best friend. “You can both stay here, BUT while you are here, no kissing, no lovely dovey crap and no sleeping in the same space. Charlie will take the couch and you will stay in my office where I know there will be a door between you.” Charlie smiled at her uncle. “Once you leave this apartment I don’t care what you do, but under this roof you will follow my rules.”
“Yes dad.” Bass also grinned at Miles.
After Charlie and Bass cleaned up and packed up her things from Miles’ room the moved their things into his office and cleared out of the apartment for a few hours to let the home owner unwind, unpack and do laundry. They were wandering freely down the road holding hands and sipping coffees they had gone in store to obtain. They felt liberated in all senses. “You know, when I get my apartment you can come stay with me if you want.” He looked at her raising an eyebrow. “I’m not asking you to move in, I’m saying you can stay with me until you find a place of your own, I’ll have the room, no roommates and we and defile my furniture instead of Miles’.” She giggled as she finished off her coffee.
“Only if you think you won’t be sick of me being around all the time.” He pulled her info his side and nuzzled the side her face as she laughed. “I won’t be I can promise that.” They were wrapped in each other and all the future possibilities that laid ahead of them.
Bass never found that apartment, and Charlie never brought it up.