**Midnight Screams**

Charlie was having the sleepover of his life with his friends, Tori, Tao, and of course, Nick. They had spent the evening laughing, joking, and sharing scary stories in Nick's cozy attic. The blankets were piled high, and the pillows were fluffed up, making it the perfect spot for a slumber party. As the night wore on, they started to wind down, and one by one, they began to drift off to sleep. Charlie and Nick had snuggled up together under a blanket, with Charlie's head resting on Nick's chest. It was a familiar and comforting position for them, and Charlie had quickly fallen into a deep sleep. Nick had stayed awake for a while, listening to Charlie's gentle snores and feeling his chest rise and fall with each breath. He had dozed off eventually, but was woken up in the middle of the night by Charlie's blood-curdling scream. "Nick!" Charlie had exclaimed, his voice shaking with fear. Nick's eyes flew open, and he sat up with a start, his heart racing. "Charlie, baby. What's the matter?" Nick asked, his voice soft and soothing. He reached out to gently shake Charlie's shoulder, but Charlie was already sitting up, his eyes wide with terror. "Nothing, nothing," Charlie said, trying to brush it off. But Nick wasn't having it. "Don't lie to me, sugarplum," Nick said, his voice firm but gentle. He took both of Charlie's cheeks in his hands and nuzzled his nose against Charlie's nose, a gesture that usually made Charlie giggle. But not tonight. Charlie tried to pull away, but Nick held him in place, his eyes searching Charlie's face for answers. "I had a bad dream," Charlie said finally, his voice cracking. Nick's expression softened, and he pulled Charlie into a tight hug. "Oh, you poor thing, come here," Nick said, his voice full of compassion. He picked Charlie up, and Charlie wrapped his legs around Nick's waist and his arms around Nick's shoulders, burying his face in Nick's neck. Nick stood up, cradling Charlie in his arms, and walked over to the window. He pulled back the curtains and let the moonlight flood in, casting a silver glow over the room. "Tell me about the dream," Nick said, his voice gentle, as he sat down on the bed with Charlie still in his arms. Charlie shook his head, his eyes still welling up with tears. "I don't remember," he said, his voice muffled against Nick's neck. Nick stroked Charlie's hair, trying to calm him down. "It's okay, baby. You're safe now. I'm here." He held Charlie close, trying to absorb some of his anxiety and fear. As they sat there in the moonlit room, Nick couldn't help but wonder what had triggered Charlie's bad dream. Was it something specific, or just a random nightmare? He didn't press the issue, though. He just held Charlie close, letting him know that he was there for him, no matter what. And as they sat there in comfortable silence, Nick realized that this was what he loved most about their relationship - the quiet moments, the vulnerable moments, the moments when they could just be themselves, without fear of judgment or rejection. But as the night wore on, Nick couldn't shake off the feeling that something was bothering Charlie, something that he wasn't telling him. And he knew that he had to find out what it was, no matter what it took.