Archive of Our Own

"You should take part." Elle tapped the paper laying on the coffee table between them.

"Ugh, I don't know." Charlie picked up the flyer, scanning it for the third time.

"I don't know anyone who frets more about not ever finding love than you."

"Well, we can't all find our soulmate in Secondary," Charlie scoffed, only the tiniest bit salty. "Besides, they probably don't even offer same sex matches."

"Uh huh." Elle plucked the flyer from Charlie's fingers and scanned the QR code. With a smug smile and a flourish she presented her phone screen to Charlie. "Tada. First question: How do you identify? Man; Woman; Other (Non-Binary, Gender-fluid, …). Second question: Who are you looking to match with? Men; Women; Other."

"Okay, fiiine." Charlie grabbed the paper and scanned the code for himself. "I'll sign up tonight, pinky promise. Happy now?"

Elle merely smiled beatifically at him and took a sip of her coffee.

–

Charlie deeply regretted his earlier promise. He was stuck halfway through the stupid questionnaire. It had started out okay:

What qualities are you looking for in a partner? After some deliberation, Charlie had picked Kindness and Shared sense of humor.

After that initial question, a barrage of On a scale of 1 to 7 how much do you agree statements had started

I pride myself on telling hard truths. -
from 1 = I'd rather bite off my own tongue
to 7 = Dropping truth bombs left and right
A 1 would probably have been honest but Charlie hated being honest and the way it would have made him look. He went with 2.

I would end a friendship over differing political views. -
from 1 = Everybody is entitled to their opinion
to 7 = Their energy is off. I don't need these people in my life.
This time he went with a 4 first, then – in a moment of daring – upped it to 5. Homophobia was not an opinion in Charlie's book. Ultimately it got people killed. And the same was true of many other political stances. Hence the 5. Maybe even 6?

Drugs Mind-altering substances are fun -
from 1 = My body is a pristine temple
to 7 = Give it to me! *hits vein like Robert Downey Jr. before 2003*
Charlie went with a 2 for cocktails on the weekend and the occasional spliff.

Don't overthink it Charlie, it's just a stupid survey, it doesn't mean anything.

But it only turned trickier after that.

If I do nothing for an entire day I feel bad. -
from 1 = No! I feel like royalty.
to 7 = Yes, wasting time is the worst. I feel like a slab of lard
On the one hand, sleeping and doing nothing was a rare luxury in the light of his heavy course load. On the other hand, Charlie's OCD did not cope well without his routine so doing nothing-nothing wasn't really an option. Charlie's curls were starting to look quite dishevelled.

There is a place for revenge when someone has wronged me. -
from 1 = Turn the other cheek
to 7 = Plotting rn
Here, Charlie turned sad at the discrepancy between how he usually reacted – taking it all inside, blaming himself – and what would probably be a healthier reaction – fuck you Ben, I'll key your stupid fucking beamer.

So yeah, it was slow going with more than one moment of painful introspection.

At 1am he submitted the form – tousle-haired and bleary-eyed – and tried not to think of the Marriage Pact anymore.

–

There was a low-level buzz during his lecture on "Titans – Birthing the Greek Pantheon" that was uncommon even though the professor was as dull as ever.

"What's up?" Charlie whispered to the girl sitting two seats to his right, who was staring at her phone as if to unearth the divine secrets of the universe.

"The results are out. For the Marriage Pact."

"Oh." While Charlie's brain was still debating whether to check his inbox, his hand was already reaching for his phone.

Congratulations, you have matched with Nick!

Reach out to him under [email protected]

What now? Charlie gawped at the rather childish email address. Was he really going to contact this guy? Nick. Nick. A nice, friendly name… Charlie would leave that decision to his future self.

Unfortunately, Prof. Wheedle left much to be desired as a worthwhile distraction.

When he couldn't resist the lure of his inbox anymore, Charlie was surprised to see that there was a new email already. From Nick.

Hi Charlie!
Just got the email that we matched. Are you still interested in this whole Marriage Pact thing? Cause I'd love to meet you!

If you want to stalk me first, my Insta is also nick_nzzz.

It's okay if you don't want to follow up but please let me know, okay?

Cheers, Nick

Charlie switched to Instagram faster than the flutter of a hummingbird's wings to encounter two very contradictory impulses:

This Nick guy is a rugby lad. How the fuck did Charlie match with a rugby lad??
This Nick guy is a rugby lad. The arms! The tiny shorts! The thighs! Fuck, he's fit!

Wait, was this a prank? Did some shithead rugby bros think it would be fun to match with a gay boy to mess with him?

Hm, but no, there was a bi flag in Nick's bio. And several pics from Pride. Nick in a vest, chest hair poking out at the collar, flanked by two girls wrapped in a Lesbian flag. Charlie might have been drooling ever so slightly. The guy seemed legit. Still, rugby …

If he let himself, Charlie would overthink this to the point of never replying. He zoomed in on Nick's bicep. Without skipping a beat, he slid into Nick's DMs and typed furiously, trying to outwrite his insecurities.

hi nick
thanks for reaching out! i'm still on board. what's your schedule like? i could do tomorrow at 4. maybe the milkshake cafe on headingley?

charlie xx

—

Yes! Charlie, his match from Marriage Pact, had contacted him on Insta. Oh no, he was cute! Dark curls, dimples. Was that a nipple piercing he could glimpse through a mesh shirt?

Nick's brain went temporarily offline. After a while, he managed to at least confirm the date meeting.

—

"What's up with you?" Tori clocked him right away. Damn her and her unnerving insight into Charlie's innermost soul – even via Facetime.

"Nothing. Erm… I might have a date tomorrow?" Charlie hedged. "Well, not a date date. But… I'm meeting someone."

"Oh, what's his name? Where did you meet him?"

"His name's Nick." Charlie's eyes look a little dreamy. He might have overdone it with the Insta stalking. "It's through the Marriage Pact thing."

"Marriage Pact?" Michael materialized behind Tori, eyebrows raised. "You actually took part?"

"Yeah?" Charlie gave a small shrug.

"Good for you!" Michael beamed at him through the screen. "And remember, don't marry someone before you have had sex with them, taken a vacation together and shared a flat. Oh, and survived going to Ikea."

"Erm, it's just a first meeting..." Charlie looked to Tori for help but she just slurped her lemonade, indifferent to her brother's flustered state.

–

Nick was 10 minutes early, like the no chill person that he was. Charlie looked so effortlessly cool on his Insta (not to mention pretty!)... Nick wanted to be suave but already knew he wouldn't be. He awkwardly bid his time in front of the café until a head of dark curls appeared at the end of the block.

Fuck him, it wasn't a filter. This guy was just as pretty in real life, with his curls falling just so and his soft olive skin and exquisite cheekbones. Nick couldn't help but smile at him and Charlie returned the smile, dimples popping up in both cheeks. Nick was so done for before Charlie had even fully walked up to him.

"Hi."

"Hi."

–

It was official, Nick was smitten. He'd never had a date first meeting quite like this. He felt like he could tell Charlie anything and he found he actually did want to tell him everything, even the jagged parts. Charlie was just such a great, non-judgemental listener. And his eyes! Like a lake in the mountains on a clear day. It took effort for Nick not to visibly swoon (too much).

Then his gaze accidentally fell on the clock on the wall. "Shit! It's gone six already! Didn't you say you had to leave?"

Charlie started a little. "What? No. OH!." He giggled. Giggled! "Sorry, I did say that. I don't actually have anything at six. I just said that so that there would be an end in case this didn't go well."

Nick considered this. "But it is going well, right?" He reached out across the table and placed his hand close to Charlie's, fingertips touching.

Charlie slowly slid his hand against Nick's, interlacing their fingers. He was blushing hard. "Exceedingly well."

"So, just so I get this right, you're free this evening?"

"Yes."

"Wanna take a walk?"

"Yes!"

–

On their third round along the outer edge of Woodhouse Moor, Nick finally asked, "Why did you take part? In that Marriage Pact thing?"

"Erm, I got talked into it by my friend Elle. And I figured it can't hurt, can it?" Charlie shrugged. "The gay dating pool is not that big."

"Good thing that the male population of the bi dating pool is also available to you," Nick grinned broadly at him.

"It is a very good thing," Charlie confirmed, his hand holding on to Nick's just a tiny bit tighter.

"So, do you wanna do this whole marriage pact thing? I'd love to be your backup plan." Nick waggled his eyebrows.

Charlie could barely hide his smile. "Oh yeah? Shouldn't we like, you know, test the goods?"

"The goods?" Nick's voice turned fully teasing. "Are you propositioning me, Charlie Spring?"

"What if I am, Nick Nelson?"

"I'd be down for that." The last word was almost swallowed by their lips meeting for the first time.

It was perfect.

–

Hours later, they lay next to each other on Nick's bed, sweat still glistening on their skin when Charlie committed, too.

"Yep, I'm in on this pact. I'm so in."

Nick gathered him closer. "What if I don't want to wait till 30?"

"Are you proposing to me?" Charlie wasn’t sure whether to be alarmed or delighted.

"Well, maybe not right this instant, but … Boyfriends?"

"I'd like that – boyfriend."

–

On Nick's 30th Birthday

"For real though… which of our birthdays triggers the marriage pact? Mine or yours?" Nick stepped behind Charlie and closed his arms around his waist, resting his chin on Charlie's shoulder.

"Huh? Not following." Charlie's hands halted on his curls, searching for Nick's eyes in the mirror.

"That marriage pact. From back then. Would it take effect today or only when you turn 30, a year and a half from now?"

"Babe, hate to break it to you but you're not single, so it doesn't take effect either way. Which is just as well, since it would make you a bigamist. You're already married, you numpty."

"Is it really bigamy if I marry the same guy, though?" Nick pondered. "That's more like a renewal of vows, don't you think?"

Charlie turned in the circle of his husband's arms. "You are being ridiculous. But I will renew my vows to you for as many times as you like." He raised to his tiptoes and sealed his promise with a kiss. Nick wasn't a backup plan. He was Charlie's first choice – any day, every day and in every universe.