A Heartstopper Fanfic

Chapter 52: Wednesday

(Third Person POV)

"A Tell All with David Nelson"

"Beef Between Blood"

"A Gareth Thomas Remix"

"Professional Rugby Player Nicholas Nelson's Favorite Letter is 'D'"

"'B' For 'Bisexual' & 'Bad at Rugby'!"

"The Scoop on Nicholas Nelson"

"May 'B' a PR Stunt"

Nick, going against his mother's wishes, had hopped into a claustrophobic rabbit hole roughly an hour ago. He found himself scrolling past multiple previously opened links, yet still managing to find not-yet-clicked-on ones among the sea of purple. A small part of him was hoping that he'd eventually get to the end of Google results for articles about him. Surely, there aren't enough creative titles in the world to keep slicing away at him. Though, as his stomach began to sink lower and lower, it was beginning to seem that the pit was bottomless.

There's no end.

Despite knowing that the slander is purely for the websites and various news sites to wrack up views from how relevant he is, Nick can't seem to shake off how awful it all makes him feel.

Outwardly, it seems like the usually bubbly man could care less, but inside he does. Hell, it's arguable that he cares too much. So much that his blood is boiling, and he can feel it.

"I'm suing for defamation." He said matter of factly to Charlie, who was on the other end of the line. "I fucking hate David." The usually evenly-tempered Nicholas Nelson was now repeatedly rehashing how much hate he holds in his heart for his older brother, even going as far as to say that David is dead to him. Charlie heard Nick shutting his laptop with such force that he thought-for just a second-that it had snapped. "And those self-proclaimed journalists."

His fiancé quietly listened, but only until he could no longer bite his tongue.

"We can't go around suing dozens of people. Other sites that aren't being sued will snag the opportunity and write a rendition of their own. You'll only be helping along a vicious cycle."

Nick, trapped in his mind, doesn't hear Charlie. So, he continues to angrily rant.

"And this website..fucking 'gofigure.com'-what a stupid ass name-wrote bullshit about you! They can attack me all they want-" Nick turned his head, making purposeful eye contact with his fiancé over FaceTime, "but you? You're off limits. I'm contacting the legal team and getting them on this now."

There was an edge to Nick's voice that Charlie barely recognized because he wasn't accustomed to hearing it. It's fierce, protective.

"There's more of them, too many more." Says Charlie as he digs his fingers into his sleeve, not thinking. "There's no use, love. It's fine. At this rate, I'm used to it, whatever."

I'm used to it.

I'm used to it.

I'm used to it.

Nick found that Charlie's voice was beginning to merge with one that had belonged to a younger, more troubled version of his fiancé. It was making it hard to differentiate the two at times, and that very thought was sickening to Nick.

"We could theoretically go after David, though." The curly-headed fellow began to wrack his brain after blurting out a bold suggestion, making a mental pros and cons list. "But do you really want to have a public feud? That would only give those sites more content to post about. Plus, there's the concern of Sarah being dragged into this by the public." A beat, one that Charlie spent hesitating. And then he let go. "And your father could be as well."