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“I saw you two kissing at the arcade, you know.”
Charlie froze. “What?”
Tao scowled at the rugby field. “By the crane machine? You weren’t being very subtle.”
“And… is that… okay?” Charlie asked hesitantly. “With you?”
A pause. “Give me ten minutes with him. I need to threaten him.”
Charlie let out a startled laugh. “Tao-”
“Charlie.”
“Fine!”
Tao smiled, reluctantly pleased. “Good. Now you owe me all the details of how exactly you ended up snogging the rugby team’s golden boy.”
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Charlie said you wanted to talk to me?”
Nick Nelson looked down at him, nervously wringing his hands as though he’d rather sink through the floor than have this conversation. Tao rolled his eyes. Of all the rugby lads Charlie could’ve managed to snag, he had to pick the one that did a startlingly good impression of a kicked puppy.
At least, he thought viciously, he’s better than Harry.
Tao jerked his head toward the seat opposite him. “Yeah. I think we’re long overdue a little chat.”
Nick sat down hesitantly, and Tao absentmindedly wished Charlie hadn’t insisted on arranging this conversation in the arts room. He’d argued that it’d detract from his intimidation factor and Charlie had instructed him not to intimidate Nick. Tao hadn’t responded to that.
Nick shifted nervously. “Charlie said that you saw us… at the arcade… you know…”
“Snogging?”
Tao was studying Nick’s face intently, and noted the way Nick’s eyes dropped to the table at that. He scowled even more. There was another pregnant pause.
“Look, I’m not going to tell anyone.”
Nick slumped with relief. “Thanks-”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Tao cut him off. “That’s like the bare minimum for human decency. Though I suppose your standards for that can’t exactly be relied upon, considering your usual crowd.”
Nick winced at that. “Yeah, I know Harry’s not-”
“It’s not just Harry,” Tao interrupted again. “You know that right? I didn’t want Charlie joining the rugby team, because they’re exactly the sort of people who picked on him last year. Some of them are the same people. And if not him, then Elle.”
Nick nodded. “Yeah... I’m starting to realise that they aren’t the sort of people I want to be friends with.”
“Yeah? Well, do it faster.”
Nick looked surprised at that. “Sorry?”
Tao sighed, irritated. “Look, it’s okay that you’re still figuring out your sexuality. But I need to know you’re not messing around with my best friend. I get that they’re your mates, and you’re still figuring out who you are and where you belong. But until then, dragging Charlie into your rugby world, all you’re doing is putting a target on his back.”
“Tao, I-”
“I’m not done.” He scowled harder. “That’s without even mentioning the effects on Charlie. He’s not some thing you can just use while you’re figuring out your sexuality. He has feelings, and a long fucking history of low self-esteem already, without you contributing to it. This isn’t just messing around for him. He likes you. And if you come out the other end of this sexuality crisis and realise you’re straight – that’s fine. That’s great. But it’s gonna really hurt Charlie. So you need to decide if being with Charlie is what’s best for him, while you sort your shit out.”
There was a long silence after that, filled only with Tao’s heavy breathing until-
“I’m bi,” Nick blurted out.
Tao choked. “What?”
“Bisexual,” Nick stumbled over his words. “It’s where-”
“I know what bisexuality is,” Tao cut him off, but it was his turn to feel rattled. “I didn’t mean- I didn’t want to force you to come out or anything. I-”
“No, it’s- it’s okay.” Nick looked equally as awkward. “It’s just- you’re actually the first person I’ve told, so…”
Tao’s eyes had never been wider. “Shit, really? Okay.”
Nick winced.
“Well, obviously I… support you?” Tao was fumbling his words now. “Yeah, I support you. It’s cool that you’re bi. Bi people are cool.”
Nick was slightly red now. “Tao, it’s- it’s fine. You don’t have to- I know-”
Tao glared without any heat to it. “No, this is like your first ‘coming out experience’, I have to be supportive. I-”
“Tao,” Nick cut him off with a laugh. “It’s okay. I know you’re not like… homophobic or anything.”
Tao’s scowl softened. “I’m serious though, you know? Bi people are cool. I’m glad you figured it out.”
Nick smiled, dragging a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I’ve been doing a lot of research recently, and I think that’s what suits me best.”
Tao nodded. “And even if it isn’t, that’s fine. Some people take years to figure it out, and labels aren’t for everyone. But if bi is what suits you, that’s cool.”
Nick smiled sincerely. “Thanks.”
Another pause.
Tao frowned. “This doesn’t make us friends, though. I still don’t like you.”
Nick’s lips twitched first, and then they both burst into laughter, slightly awkward, but genuine. Tao could almost see all the nerves seeping out of Nick and laughed more.
“God, I can’t believe you used your first time coming out on me! You couldn’t have done it with someone you’re actually friends with?”
“I’m sorry! It sort of just slipped out!”
“You bellend!”
Nick only laughed harder, but when they both managed to quiet down, some of the awkward tension had dissipated.
“I like Charlie,” Nick admitted, blushing. “Like, really like him. I’m not just messing around with him, I swear.”
“Good.” Tao stared at him intently for another moment, before offering a reluctant smile. “Because unfortunately, he’s decided he likes you too, which means I’m gonna have to deal with you a whole lot more now.”
Nick grinned at him. “Sorry about that.”
Tao huffed. “I suppose it can’t be helped.”
A shared grin.
“Well, I’ll head off now, so you and Charlie can spend the rest of lunch snogging or whatever it is you guys do.”
The tips of Nick’s ears turned pink, but he smiled, waving him back down. “No, you should stay! I wanted to get to know Charlie’s friends better anyway. And besides, I’m pretty sure I saw Charlie and your mate Isaac watching us through the window anyway.”
Tao turned, his jaw dropping because Nick was right. Charlie was hurriedly ducking his head from one of the far windows, but Isaac looked up from his book to wave cheerfully at them. None of the windows had been open, thankfully, but that apparently hadn’t deterred Charlie from watching their conversation.
“That little-“ He shook his head resolutely. “One moment, Nick Nelson, I need to go strangle my friends.”
Tao dragged his friends back inside, not before thoroughly messing up Charlie’s hair and whining at Isaac for not stopping Charlie. The second they stepped into the room, Nick visibly brightened, smiling softly at Charlie. Tao rolled his eyes, cuffing Charlie lightly over the head once more as he tried desperately to fix his hair.
Charlie slid into the chair beside Nick immediately, smiling just as stupidly back at him. There was something deliberate in the careful way Charlie slid his fingers through Nick’s on top of the table, before beaming up at Tao and Isaac.
After a pointed nudge from Isaac, Tao sighed, sitting down with them, eyes lingering only briefly on the nervous but glowing smile on Nick’s face as he glanced down at their hands then back at Charlie.
Yeah. Nick Nelson was an alright guy.