Chapter Text
Nick was still deep in thought as he slipped off his jacket and shoes just inside the door. It was only when Charlie wrapped his arms around his waist that Nick even noticed that he’d come to greet him, but he was so used to the routine that he didn’t jump, only turned in Charlie’s arms to return the embrace.
“Did you have a good day?” Charlie asked.
Nick hummed. Everything at school had calmed down over the past few months. While there was always a lot of work to do, Nick had settled into a routine that he enjoyed. His students brought him joy, even on days when they were a bit more frustrating than usual.
They also had a knack of saying things in the way only young children could, leaving Nick lost in thoughts for hours after whatever conversation had sparked it.
“One of the kids asked me today if we have children.”
Charlie paused for a second before tugging Nick closer. He tilted his head back to look at him. “What did you say?”
Nick couldn’t help but laugh slightly. He pressed a kiss to Charlie’s forehead. “The truth. That we don’t. Yet.”
The ‘yet’ hung in the air between them. They’d had a few conversations over the past few months, often spurred on by developments in Tara and Darcy’s IVF process. While they hadn’t taken any concrete steps towards anything, they had slowly solidified what their plans were, and sooner rather than later, Nick knew they’d be ready to take that first step.
Charlie went up on his tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Nick’s cheek. “I guess we’d better hurry it along then. For your students’ sake.”
Nick laughed and shook his head. “Yes. For their sake. Obviously.”
Him and Charlie looked at each other for a long moment, just smiling. It felt warm in their little bubble, one that Nick hoped expanded soon.
Sometimes it was overwhelming how right everything felt after a couple years spent wondering what he was doing and if it was the right path for his life. He didn’t have to worry about that anymore. He was right where he needed to be.