The Alex and Charlie Format

Alex walked into the flat he shared with his best friend, carry two large shopping bags in his hands. "Charlie!" He called, heading to the kitchen, "I think I'm going to attempt to cook again tonight!"

Charlie groaned from inside the room that held both of their beds. "We really don't have enough medicine for that." He grinned and waved goodbye to the camera, licking his lips after. That would definitely be on the extras of that video.

"No, no, the instructions on the packet looked really simple. Or at least, the pictures did," Alex said with a grin, walking into their bedroom. "Wait, am I in the video?" he added, noticing the camera set up.

"Yes, you are. As all first years know, pictures do not lie!" he said, a finger pointed up with a smirk. He swivelled his chair around to look at Alex. Charlie couldn't help but smile, he liked when the boy grew out his hair.

Alex laughed, flopping down on his bed, unable to stop grinning back at the boy. "So, what was your video about anyway?" he asked, absently running his hand through the hair at his neck.

"Really? Just loads of me babbling unnecessarily. I've forgotten mostly what it was." He paused and rolled over to the bed, propping his feet on it. "I'll help you cook, though I don't s'pose I'm much better."

"Yet all the fangirls love it when you do that," Alex chuckled, though he couldn't exactly argue with them. "And you're a much better cook than me, you know that," he added, knowing Charlie'd probably end up taking over again so he didn't poison them both.

"Oii," he said, shoving Alex's ankle with his slipper. "Stop being down on yourself, loads of girls easily want you as well. I'm 'handsome and charming', but you're the brains of it all. Which is perplexing, seeing that you can't cook," he teased, quoting because he didn't exactly want to call himself that. He began to realize why he was always down on himself- because everyone else was, too.

"Cooking, my one downfall," Alex said with a chuckle. "But you're right, I am the brains of it all," he grinned, deciding not to mention that he very much agreed with the whole 'handsome and charming' quote.

"Your Achilles heel- I've found it!" Charlie said joyously as he stood. He pretended to draw a sword and waved his wrist in a circle. He grinned down at the boy, he was always a bit weird.

Alex gasped dramatically, jumping to his feet as well, "No! I must not let you used my lack of cooking skill against me!" He announced, waving his own imaginary sword around, grinning back at him. He always loved these little outbursts of Charlie's.

"Ah, but I will!" Charlie yelled, tilting his head back and letting out a false maniacal laugh. "Alas, I will! With this..." he paused and smirked, jabbing at him with the "sword." "...sword."

"NOOO!!!" Alex cried, grabbing his stomach where Charlie has "jabbed" him, falling back on the bed. "You will rue this day, Charlie McDonnell, RUE IT!" He exclaimed, before bursting into laughter.

Charlie laughed, quite loudly and plopped back into the chair. "Rue?" he asked through laughs, with smirks between. "Truly?"

"Shh," Alex said, attempting to throw a pillow at him through his chuckles, "I'm attempting to broaden my vocabulary."

"With 'rue'," Charlie stated. He rolled his eyes and grinned, dodging the pillow, then throwing it at the boy in return. Seconds after, he darted out of the room.

"I happen to enjoy the word 'rue'," Alex called, laughing as he followed Charlie out of the room, trying to figure out where he went.

Charlie hid in the kitchen, smirking. He knew he was going to be chased, not really sure what else, but Alex had tickled him before. The downfalls of having best friends was them knowing where you were ticklish.

Alex found him in the kitchen and smirked at his friend. "Oh hi," he said simply, before jumping on him and tickling him.

Charlie squeaked and scrambled under him, laughing unintentionally and yelling an occasional "Stop!" but not meaning it.

"NEVER!" Alex cried, grinning evilly, tickling him harder, practically sitting on top of him.

Charlie laughed and let his head fall back against the tile floor. He couldn't do anything but kick with his legs and grin like a fool.

Eventually Alex stopped, sitting down next to the boy. "And that is what you get when you diss my vocabulary," he said with a grin.

Charlie lay flat, hair a mess and a stupid grin on his lips. He reached a hand up to rub his face. "Regardless," he breathed after a moment. "You know I will again."

"You never learn," Alex laughed, reaching up to attempt to fix Charlie's hair for him.

Charlie turned his head to Alex, grinning softly. He stared for a moment before he reached up to grab his hand, then for a little longer than a few moments, held it. He stood, moments after, still smiling like an idiot. He held his hand out again to help him again- they had to cook... or something.

A big, goofy smile spread its way across Alex's face he took Charlie's hand and used it to help himself up. "Oh, right food," he said, reluctantly letting go.

The proximity and hands touching seemed to disappear between them. It was just good feelings and stupid grins. He leaned back against the counter, then walked across to the shopping bags. "What did you get?" he asked, finding it kind of funny that he hadn't asked before.

"This San Choy Bow kit thing," Alex said, following him and starting unpack the shopping, "It's just like, chicken mince in lettuce bowls. It looked pretty easy," he shrugged.

Charlie grinned and pulled the dinners from the bags. He held them up. "You microwave this," he replied simply, smirking at him. No wonder it looked easy.

"Hooray for microwaves," Alex grinned, doing as he said. "Pretty sure I'm less likely to screw it up then."

"I think you'll have it all ready by the time I come out of a shower," he said triumphantly. He hadn't showered all day and desperately wanted one.

"Challenge accepted," Alex said with a nod, reading over the instructions again. He really didn't want to screw this up.