Chapter Text
Nick shuffled down the stairs choking on small breaths, as he slumped onto the couch. "Nicky? Sweetie? Everything alright." He heard the muffled call from the kitchen and took a deep breath to steady his voice "Yeah mum, everything is great!" Nick's sweet mum didn't even throw out his old clothes. She kept the house the exact same. His room has a layer of dust on it- letting him know his mum didn't even tidy up in there anymore. His childhood room was now a time capsule of the best relationship and the worst heartbreak he'd ever had. "Beds too small though, might sleep out here with Henry." He looked down at the much older pug, the fur around his eyes a silver and much bigger then he remembered. "Honey." his mom breathed out walking her way from the kitchen to where Nick was in the sitting room. "You don't look that.. What I'm trying to say is dear you look like a train ran over you, I'm worried about you Nicky." Nick could admit at least it felt like a train did in fact run him over- his head ached and his chest burned but he pulled himself together "I'm fine mum, the plane ride just has me burnt out." he bluffed so easily to her that it made him feel even worse "Okay love, I've missed you so much, I am so glad your home." his mom cheered out giving him an extra long and warm hug. "Me too." another lie, he was thrilled to see his mom but to be back here placed such a heavy weight over Nicks heat he felt like it would burst any moment. He knew he was being selfish not wanting to see his Mum especially after all that had happened to her. "How are you though Mum." He stressed. His Mum head dropped, tears in her deep brown eyes. "She's gone Nick, she was my best friend." His Mum started to cry softly into her shoulder, Nick had tried to pull her in closer- to make the hug more comforting. "I know Mum, I'm so sorry." His mom just cried no response needed. His Mum held herself together so well, seeing the simple question tear her down made the hole in his chest ache harder. Whoever his mother's friend was, he felt deeply sad he couldn't have met her, his mother always said wonderful things about her.
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"Charlie, get down here." yelled Tori from the sitting room. Charlie dropped his bag on the bed and called back "I'll be down in a second, just putting my bags away." He looked around the room and couldn't help his soft smile. If it was for any other reason Charlie would've been so happy to be back home. This time however was a sad time. His Mum passed last week, he was here for his dad honestly. His Dad was not the same after her death. He wasn't close with his Mum, which he felt horrible now knowing that time was so sort spent between them. He was grasping at the happy moments he had with his mother, like the one time when he was getting bullied and the school called home for someone anyone to pick him up and it was his Mum, she didn't ask about what happened instead pulling him into the shortest of hugs and getting him a plan small cup of ice cream on the way back home from school. He didn't know how much he had cared for her until she was gone, hell he can't recall the last time they had spoken since he went off to uni and that was years ago. He felt fresh hot tears come to his eyes but he patted them down with the end of his jumper. Charlie quickly stuffed his bags into his closet and quietly headed down stairs, there in the sitting room was his now much smaller family. Tori, Olly and his Dad sat on the couch a few inches from one another. "Thank you, both of you for coming." His Dad murmured from his place on the couch, no one said anything the silence being far to loud Charlie couldn't handle it anymore and he rushed and gave his Dad the biggest hug, Olly and even Tori joining in. His Dads eyes filled his tears and he started to sob directly into Charlies chest. He had never seen his father cry, knew the loss of his Mum would effect him- but he didn't feel like his Dad at the moment he felt like Julio a man he only ever heard about from his Mum. Tears fell from Charlie's eyes, and soon Olly's and even Tori's too as they all cried with one another over the loss of a mother, a friend, and a Wife.