Life After Heartstopper

They're Engaged?!

Previously:
It's moving day and Tao and Elle, and Tara and Darcy have come to help. It's the first time seeing Tao and Elle since they went away...

Nick's pov:
Me and Charlie have been packing our things for a while now so there isn't too much to do on this end. Most of Charlie's stuff is at mine too as he's been spending so much time here so we mostly just have to pack up the last few bits at each of our houses then take everything to our flat.

We hired out a moving van to help us with the majority of the move so we don't have to keep going back and forth with our cars to get everything there. We don't necessarily have a lot of stuff but we'd probably fill a few car loads.

"Could you guys maybe start stacking the boxes in the van for us while we pack the rest of our stuff?" I query.

"Yeah of course!" Elle replies.

Charlie and I head upstairs to pack the last of our things away, ensuring to keep everything we'll need first in one box just incase we don't have the time to unpack everything today.

We put on some music, of course it's one of our playlists, as we start getting into the grove of packing. In hardly any time, my room is almost completely bare, excluding the furniture. Mum said I have to leave it all here, I pled with her to at least let me take my beanbag but she said no.

Once we finished upstairs, we took some boxes down to meet with the others.
"How's it going boys?" Darcy asks with hinting tone.
"Ew gross!" Tao complains, "I don't even want to think about that."
"Haha don't worry, we were just packing!" Charlie replies.
"Although, I wouldn't have minded" I quickly jump in, raising my eyebrows seductively at Charlie.
"Oh I know you never mind" Charlie comments m.
"Guys stop! I'm actually going to puke." Tao protests.
Charlie laughs, patting Tao on the back. "Grow up Tao!" He exclaims.

"We're pretty much done upstairs now" I change the subject, "we just have to bring the boxes down."
"Okay, I'll help" Elle suggests.

We head into my room where Charlie and I had neatly stacked the packed boxes beside my bed, ready to be taken downstairs.
I reach for a box to pass Elle before picking one up for myself. But as I pass her the box, I notice something.
I quickly run to shut the bedroom door to ensure that we're out of earshot from the rest of the group. Elle looks slightly confused before she realises what I've noticed.

"Elle, is that a-" I begin to ask, just so ecstatic that I just can't hold it in.

Elle interrupts, "haha, yeah it is. We were going to tell you all but didn't want to overshadow you and Charlie so we thought we'd hold off."
I pounce on Elle, I can't contain myself. I pull her into a hug, "I'm so happy for you guys!" I try to whisper when really all I want to do is scream out of joy. She and Tao are so perfect together.

"Wait, what do you mean you were going to wait?" I question.
"We didn't want to announce it on the day that you two move into your new flat. Todays about you guys not me and Tao" Elle explains.
I instantly reply without taking a second to think about it "No, todays about US! Not just me and Charlie, Elle. All of us!"

I know Charlie would be just as excited about this news as me, if not more. He loves his friends and always wants the best for them, and what's better then this?

"Okay, I need to hear all the details!" I add, probably way too enthusiastically.

Elle begins to describe how Tao proposed, it honestly sounds so amazing. I listen to the whole story and can see just how happy Elle is. I'm so happy for the two of them! I just can't help thinking about me and Charlie.

"You know, I've been thinking about proposing to Charlie for a while now." I say, softening my voice to ensure that no one hears us.
Elle looks at me lovingly, "I know." She says deadpan.
"You do?"
"We all know you and Charlie will end up together and you two are going to be the cheesiest old couple ever!" She responds. "Everyone knows you guys will get married, it's just a matter of when."
"Are we really that predictable?" I laugh. I mean, I've always known in my mind that we would end up together but it's just the reassurance that other people see it too.
"You guys are Nick and Charlie!"
"What's that supposed to mean!" I exclaim.
"It means that you're Nick and Charlie."

I don't really know how to take that, I don't really know what it means. But I do know that I want to be with Charlie forever.

Elle gestures to the door, "come on, we should probably go downstairs before Tao starts complaining that we're taking too long".

"Haha, you're right. Let's go."

We packed up the van and set off to the flat. After removing all the boxes from the van, we decided that half of us would stay at the flat, and the other half would go to Charlie's to get the remaining things he had there. I stayed at the flat with Elle and Tara while Darcy and Tao went with Charlie to his.
Elle, Tara and I thought it would be beneficial for us to start building the furniture. That way, we at least have somewhere to sit when we needed a break and have surfaces to unpack things onto.

Charlie's pov:
Darcy, Tao and I drove back to mine to get the last few boxes. There isn't much here now but we still brought the moving van to ensure that we definitely have enough room for everything.
We head up to my room and begin going through my stuff. As I'm packing up my bedside table, I come across the picture frame that Nick gave me for my 15th birthday. It's been sat on there this whole time. I reach for it and hold it in my hands for a few seconds, allowing all the memories of that night, and our snow day, to come flooding back. Our first day together, the first time I wore one of nicks jumpers, the first time Nick properly hung out with my friends, our first kiss in public...

Darcy notices me frozen in thought.

"Hey" she yells abruptly, intending to scare me.
"Hey" I reply, still semi zoned out.
"Make sure that's packed nicely, you don't want it to break in transport" she states.

I thought maybe she'd find it silly, me keeping it. But maybe not. It's the first present Nick gave to me and I will honestly cherish it forever. I don't want to ever get rid of it.

Anyway, I need to get this room packed up so we can join the others.
I nod at Darcy, "yeah" I say softly with a smile.

I continue to place all my items into boxes, it's like packaging away my entire life. Although, I can't say I'm complaining. I get to start my new life with Nick! And that's something I could never complain about.

Nick's pov:
The building is going, well, not too good. Flat pack furniture really isn't our thing I guess. We built a whole set of draws before realising we screwed the draws in the wrong way round so you couldn't attach a handle. This really is going to be a long day!

But we continue to build and put together the furniture, waiting for the rest of the gang to return. Eventually, we do get the hang of it. Sort of.
We manage to build the bed, two sets of draws and a wardrobe for the bedroom, a table set for the kitchen and a coffee table and a unit for the living room. We put up some shelves, then put together the sofa and chairs. Everything is finally coming together!

I just hope everything holds up. I can imagine Charlie and I, our first night in our new place, when suddenly, the bed collapses, followed by the draws, then the wardrobe and eventually, everything's fallen down around us. Wow, I really hope that doesn't happen, I want to make sure everything is perfect.

After a while, Charlie, Tao and Darcy arrive at the flat. I rush to the door to take the two boxes that Charlie was carrying in out of his hands. He gives me a quick smile, a thank you. I quickly place them on the floor behind me, then pounce into Charlie's arms.
"I missed you" I say as I lean in for a kiss.
"You literally saw me like an hour ago!" Charlie teases as he leans in for another kiss. "I missed you too."