Striking the Match Pt. 03

*

So it was just under a month later that Charlie found himself walking arm in arm with Noah into the bar Alice hired for her party. As he had expected, he was a barrel of nerves. This was his first major outing with Noah, and the first time he would see Lydia again, and the seemingly impossible task of matching her up with Ricky Webster the painter decorator. He had dressed in his favourite blue shirt, and Noah had worn a crisp white shirt that gave him goosebumps when he looked at him. His hair was looking particularly golden as it caught the light from the dance floor area Charlie noticed, his silvery eyes were excited and confident. They turned on him and he felt small and nervous next to such a confident soul. Noah smiled.

"It'll be fine, what's the worst that could happen?" He said reassuringly.

"Well now that you mention it there are lots of things, such as-"

Noah put his hands on his cheeks and broke him off with a kiss, when he pulled away finally Charlie smiled. He didn't care what anyone thought, he had Noah.

"Better?" Noah asked.

"Yeah," Charlie breathed out, grabbing his hand tightly as he turned into the room. "Ok let's get this over with."

He felt the eyes on him immediately. He tried to copy Noah's straight backed posture beside him, gripping his hand like a vice as they walked directly towards the bar. He ordered a drink, painfully aware of his voice sounding squeakier than normal. Noah leaned over the bar, looking around casually. He envied his easy confidence, his broad shoulders were relaxed and his eyes passed around with excited interest. Meanwhile Charlie felt like he was developing a stress tick.

"Hey Charlie! Charlie?" The voice came from behind him and he turned to see an old school friend, Mike. It had been at least a couple of years since they had last seen each other, Charlie noticed he looked fitter, broader than their last meeting.

"Hi Mike, good to see you. Want a drink?"

"Pint please mate, cheers."

Charlie ordered the pint and Noah looked curiously at their new companion, clearly waiting for an introduction, but Charlie's tongue had turned to cotton wool.

"How's Lydia? I've heard she's pregnant? Congratulations," Mike smiled and Charlie glanced at Noah before managing to unstick his tongue.

"Um actually, we broke up."

"Oh, then you aren't the father?"

"Well, yes I am actually, it was all quite recent."

"Oh," Mike looked perplexed, and Charlie squirmed under Mike's judging gaze. Noah coughed and Mike looked at him for the first time, his confused and concerned expression only increasing as his eyes fell to where Noah had squeezed Charlie's hand in support.

"Hi, I'm Noah," Noah said extending his hand. Mike shook it, looking from Noah to Charlie in slowly dawning comprehension.

"He's my match," Charlie said and at last Mike's confusion cleared and his smile returned.

"Oh why didn't you say so?! Now it all makes sense. I thought you were against the whole thing Charlie last we spoke?!"

"Yeah, I was," he said deciding not to go into the details of Lydia's actions. It didn't need to be spread around the whole party.

"Well you know how happy Harriet and I are, so no judgement from me. Except that you didn't introduce us straight away! I'll chat to you later, Paul just arrived."

He walked back into the crowd and Charlie sighed deeply.

"See? Not so bad right?"

"No. Sorry I didn't introduce you I just-"

"Charlie it's fine, just please calm down, breathe, you look like you're about to pass out."

He did feel rather hot and decided taking a seat at a nearby high table wasn't such a bad idea. The second friend was easier than Mike, since he had already been told from Alice that Charlie was attending with his new match, and soon most of the party seemed to know and were chatting with Noah in friendly conversation. Charlie began to relax, and it was just when he felt the painful knots in his stomach finally release that he saw Lydia walk through the door.

He didn't know what he felt when he saw her. He could appreciate she looked incredible, her blonde hair cascading in curls, a big smile and bronze skin, a tight dress hugging her model body and showing a now sizeable pregnancy bump. He knew that once upon a time he would have been incredibly turned on by her look tonight, but now he appreciated it in the way you would a sibling looking beautiful at a party, there was zero attraction. However there were plenty of other emotions ready to take it's place, and most of them were painful ones. Guilt, shame and worry sunk into his gut like knives, twisted deep within his skin. She looked happy, but how much of that was show?

"Should I speak to her you reckon?" Charlie asked Noah, who turned to look and then sighed.

"I really don't know, I guess let her come to you? Then she doesn't feel pressured?" She was quickly swallowed by the crowd and Charlie looked mournfully at his beer.

"Hey, look!" Noah said nudging him and pointing towards Alice. She was not far from their table guiding a familiar face in the direction of Lydia's huddle. "she's getting Ricky and Lydia to talk again, she's really going for this matching isn't she?"

"I mean she did organise this party almost entirely as an excuse for them to meet," Charlie pointed out.

"True," Noah conceded, craning his neck to watch as Alice extracted Lydia from the huddle, from their seats they could just hear the conversation.

"You remember Ricky, Lydia?" Alice was saying

"Yes! Kitchen man, hey," Lydia smiled and Ricky smiled back.

"Nice to see you again, you look incredible."

"Oh thank you, that's really kind. You look good too!"

"Slow start," Noah muttered and Charlie shushed him, leaning closer to listen. Watching as Alice melted away into the crowd, leaving them alone.

"So you know Alice well?"

"Yes shes my best friend. You?"

"Other than decorating her kitchen, complete stranger. Was a tad surprised to be invited if I'm honest, I thought maybe she didn't have many mates but apparently she has loads," he said gesturing around the crowd.

"Yeah, Alice is a lot more popular than me," Lydia laughed.

"Well that's just plain wrong, a beautiful chick like you," he grinned and Charlie could see Lydia's cringe from here.

"No! He called her a chick, she hates that!" Charlie moaned, it was his turn to be shushed by Noah.

"I feel pretty big and ugly right now," she said stroking her bump tenderly.

"No way, you make it look easy darling," he said.

"Oh no no no no," Charlie moaned hiding his face in his hands. This was not good. Peeking through his fingers he saw Lydia's forced smile. She didn't like him. He could see it all over her face, he knew her too well.

"Ouch," Noah sighed. "Well that could have gone better."

"I'll be back in a minute," Charlie said dejectedly. He felt so disappointed that his plan had failed so miserably. He trudged to the door and stepped out into the cool air outside, it was not yet dark and he watched people moving around on the London streets, many dressed up for a night on the town. He sat mulling over his next options for a while until he heard the door open. Ricky stepped out beside him, giving him a curt nod, he grimaced back.

He heard rather than saw Ricky light a cigarette and smelt the smoke from his first puff. Charlie wrinkled his nose at the smell but said nothing.

"We've met right?" Ricky said, "what was it...Neil?"

"Charlie, but my partner is called Noah."

"Ah that's it, I thought there was an N name," he smiled but Charlie didn't return it, looking out into the street, still annoyed at his failed attempts to match make.

"Do you know why Alice is try'na set us up with her pregnant mate?" He asked and Charlie turned for the first time.

"That obvious?"

"It's painful," Ricky laughed, taking another drag from his cigarette. Charlie considered, watching him. He was handsome, in a rugged unkempt way. None of the confident charm of Noah, Ricky was shorter, broader and more ladish. Not at all Lydia's normal type. He and Charlie were virtually opposites. And yet perhaps her type had changed? Or would change?

"Lydia has had a hard year," he said vaguely.

"She a friend of yours too?"

"Something like that."

It was quiet for a moment, and Charlie's annoyance lessened and his curiosity grew.

"Do you like her?" He asked and Ricky shrugged.

"She's fit for sure, and seems like a cool girl. Bit weird that she's pregnant but don't mind it as much as I woulda thought. Hard to know, would ask her on a date but I dunno, I get the vibe she ain't interested."

Observant.

"No harm in asking, although for the record she hates names like darling, chick, doll, so don't call her anything like that," Charlie advised and Ricky narrowed his eyes.

"Now you're at it as well, what is it with this girl?"

"She's-" Charlie sighed, "she's my ex."

"Oh shit. Is the baby..."

"Mine. Yeah."

"And you left her?" Charlie sensed the judgement in Ricky's voice.

"Not at first. But I met my match and it was impossible to forget him. The baby wasn't planned and it was all..."

Ricky nodded as Charlie trailed off, unable to find a word to explain just how it was. But Ricky seemed to have relaxed a little at the explanation, everyone knew of the power of Matches. It was common knowledge these days.

"They talk bout how it feels. I ain't had a match so I don't know shit but...That's hard for her man.... doing that all on her own? She don't have her own match?"

Charlie considered this question, wondering whether to just spill the beans, but fearing that it could ruin everything and also get his new friend Elliot in shit, he didn't share what he knew. "No, not yet."

"So she's like me," Ricky murmured quietly, more to himself than to Charlie.

When Charlie stood to return inside, Ricky put out his cigarette and followed him inside. He almost stopped dead in his tracks. Noah was right where he had left him, tellling an animated story, and in his empty seat was Lydia laughing brightly. The sight of them together was bizarre, and also flashed him back to the first time he had seen Noah, sat at that restaurant with her. It felt like a lifetime ago He approached slowly towards the table and they both turned, Lydia smiled a small smile, her eyes looked a little sad, but the anger and pain from their last encounter seemed gone, or at least hidden.

"Hey Lyds," he said and she stood to give him a hug which he returned, feeling a relief wash over him.

"Charlie, it's so good to see you. You look... really well."

"I am, and you- you look-" he pulled away to look at her, his eyes fell to the large bump pushing between them.

"Very pregnant I know," she laughed. Her hand fell to the bump instinctively and she smiled. "I love it, she's been such a comfort."

"She?" Charlie asked and Lydia laughed.

"I don't know, she feels like a she so I'm going with it. But you know I'd be happy with a boy too."

"Hi, good to meet you again," Noah said, shaking hands with Ricky who had followed Charlie towards the table. Noah pulled up chairs and Ricky spoke to Noah as Charlie caught up with Lydia.

"Noah is amazing, I'm a bit jealous," Lydia laughed. "He's hilarious."

"I know, I'm still not used to it all."

"So I hope this means you finally forgive me for getting you on Matched?"

"Lydia I forgave you ages ago, you know that. Do you forgive me?"

Lydia smiled, "there's nothing to forgive, you did nothing wrong."

Noah touched Charlie's hand and asked him if he wanted to get a drink at the bar with him, his quick glance to Ricky and Lydia was enough of a hint. They took orders from the pair and then left them alone at the table chatting. They took their time at the bar, and when they returned Charlie noticed Lydia's cheeks were a little pink, and Ricky grinned as he took his beer. He winked at Charlie who grinned back, glancing at Noah who was keeping his professional cool expression but the corner of his mouth betrayed a smile. The plan was finally working.

*

"She said he was sweet," Alice said on the phone and Charlie sighed, leaning back into the sofa.

"Sweet isn't exactly what we were hoping for was it?"

"No, but she has agreed to meet again. That's got to be at least six meetings now, counting the ones at mine in the kitchen, the party and their date. Surely soon they'll have the eureka moment?!"

"The fall," Charlie said. "Yeah, I thought we would have had something by now."

"Well there is at least progress that she doesn't dislike him? Baby steps."

"Feel like our baby will be doing steps before we get anywhere with those two."

And as expected, the weeks flew by and although Lydia and Ricky continued to meet and flirt, it wasn't the big romantic Matched moment for either of them. Yet it seemed that Lydia didn't need to replace him to feel acceptance. Charlie couldn't help admiring her strength as she invited him and Noah around often, and asked if he would come with her for her doctors appointments. Meanwhile in his own life, he had moved in with Noah. A big step, but a good one. He felt slightly concerned about Ben who was distant or absent during his move, despite him always knowing it was temporary. Charlie had tried calling and texting him since, but it was radio silence.

Charlie didn't have much time to worry about it though because he had been invited to Noah's family home to meet his parents and sister. Despite his nerves, he ended up having a perfect evening. Noah's parents were kind, genuine and just like Noah. His sister was funny and asked lots of questions. He felt a warmth in their home of love, his own family had never felt like that, and it was an odd sensation. It wasn't like his own family were bad people but he couldn't imagine, let alone remember the last time they all sat around a table together.

"You must come again soon Charlie," Noah's mother Jean said, giving him a tight hug. She was a thin woman but her hug was firm, she smelt of expensive perfume.

"I'm so pleased Noah has someone like you looking out for him."

"Thank you, I will," he smiled awkwardly.

"Come by the office anytime," Stephen his father said gruffly, his large moustache and brows hiding his resemblance to Noah. He shook his hand, and behind him Noah's sister waved goodbye.

"Of course, thank you so much for a lovely evening."

"Thanks Mum and Dad," Noah said opening the door for Charlie and they walked together down the steps into the London night.

"Your family are incredible," Charlie said as

the door closed behind them. Noah smiled.

"Yeah they're alright, they liked you."

"Did they?"

"Yeah, mum gave me a wink, I'm taking that as a win," he laughed. "Not that I'm surprised. How could they not love you?"

"Oh easily. They might not think I'm worthy of you."

"Worthy?" Noah snorted, he pushed him out of nowhere and Charlie felt startled as he fell into the brick wall beside him. He was going to complain in protest when suddenly Noah was very close, his hand rested on the wall over his shoulder as he looked at him, looked through him, in a way no one else had ever done. He forgot what to say, what to think, just lost in those silvery eyes that had owned him since he first saw them.

"I wish," he said, his voice low, husky and so overwhelmingly sexy. "That sometimes you would see yourself, how I see you. Then you wouldn't say such stupid things."

"It's not stupid," he argued, feeling suddenly brave. "You are like... fuck... some super successful lawyer who looks like a fucking model, you are funny, you are confident and cool and I'm just-"

Noah pressed his fingers against Charlie's lips, "I'm not going to let you finish that sentence because you'll just make me angry at you. I love you. Don't diss the person I love or we will have a problem."

Charlie smiled reluctantly and Noah's fingers moved to his cheek, lifting both hands to cup his face and kiss him so lightly it was barely a touch. It was a tease. A taste.

It reminded him of a much cooler night, out on the streets with Noah. Their first kiss. It had been so frightening then, a confusing battle of head vs heart, and yet the moment he had kissed him he had felt that wonderful thrill that he had grown addicted to. The sensation of being close to Noah, touching him, feeling him.

Now, in the present day he slipped his fingers between the buttons of his shirt, feeling his warm chest beneath as he leaned forward to kiss him, really kiss him, feeling as Noah leaned into him, pressing him against the wall, he felt his cock hardening in excitement and Noah's lip curled into a smile mid kiss.

"Wanna get home?"

"God yes," Charlie moaned.

When they finally got through the door of Noah's home, they didn't get far. Noah pressed Charlie up against the door, pulling at his clothing with an animalistic urgency. Charlie helped, before turning to Noah's own clothing. When they were both naked it was clear that both were already aroused. Charlie reached down for Noah's cock and wrapped his hand around it and Noah moaned, kissing him and pushing him harder into the door, it hurt but it felt good, his weight and heat and smell were intoxicating.

Noah was stronger than he was, and bigger. But Charlie still gasped in surprise as he grabbed his legs and pulled them up onto his hips, using the door to help hold him. It was incredibly sexy, pinned up like this and Charlie moaned in excitement as he felt Noah's fingers slip towards his asshole. He spat into his hand and pushed a finger in, lubricating him, then another.

"That's good, fuck me, fuck me now Noah," he begged. Noah did not need to be asked twice. Hitching him up a little higher against the door he aligned his cock with Charlie's asshole. Slowly he pushed in and Charlie felt the familiar stretching, burning sensation, but like always as he slipped deeper in the burning lessened and a pleasurable pressure began to build deep inside him.

Noah was always so focused on Charlie's enjoyment and moved in and out slowly waiting for the pain to subside, it didn't take long. Charlie began to moan and bite his lip, rolling his hips, enjoying the sensation this created inside and the resulting groan from Noah.

"Fuck," he gasped "do that again."

He did and Noah moaned leaning forward and burying his face in Charlie's neck, kissing it, licking it, and Charlie moaned too as he began to speed up, thrusting hard and deep. He felt his own cock pressed up between them, but the incredible building pleasure inside him was overwhelming any discomfort he felt. They continued to fuck like this, Charlie feeling so deliciously in Noah's grip, turning him on more than it ever had before. Noah's breaths hitched and sweat began to bead on his chest and forehead but his eyes were unfocused, hungry as he continued to pound deep into Charlie who moaned in satisfaction.

"Oh my god, fuck, Noah I'm gonna-"

He came hard, his cock shuddering between them, his ass clenching hard as every muscle in his body spasmed in response. Noah continued to piston in and out, causing the spasms to continue on, his whole body shuddering in pleasure, feeling like he was going to pass out from it. Then with a deep groan, Noah came, leaning into him, sweaty bodies pressed together, breath ragged, blissful in each other's arms.

*

The next few weeks continued on and Charlie felt his happiness becoming distracted by niggling concern. He desperately wanted it to work with Ricky and Lydia, but from what Alice described they were beginning to go "off the boil".

"She likes him sure, but... and I know it's crazy... but they're both just waiting for their actual match. Can't we tell them that they're basically a match?"

"I don't know Alice... it's risky, and besides they aren't actually matches, technically they might not fall. It was always a risk."