Heart Attack (a HeartStopper story)

Nick. For the last time

Song recomendation for the chapter: Delicate - Reputation - Taylor Swift.
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Charlie ran through the center as he turned to see him smiling... Nick's mind flew to that time at Harry's party that followed him and it all started. He was drunk, as drunk as he hoped Charlie was, because he didn't want to do all of the unleashing on his own.

He ran after him and thought about whether to hold his hand like he really wanted to, but he didn't. He followed him up the stairs, up two floors, and they came to a metal door. Outside the cold returned, and now they were on the roof.

"Can we be here?" Nick looked out into the night and took a deep breath.

"I think we can take advantage of our friends-of-the-mistresses privileges." Charlie leaned against the railing overlooking the garden, and Nick did the same beside him. He didn't see him, but Nick did. His profile was so beautiful. He loved seeing him when he didn't. He looked so natural, so organic. Without thinking he took out his cell phone and took a picture of him.

"Nick, stop."

"But you look so good."

"You haven't changed a bit."

They both laughed as Nick looked at the beautiful photo on his cell phone, and through the photo he noticed something he hadn't realized before because of how enraptured he was by his beauty... he looked sad, strange.

"Are you okay?" Nick reached over, and opened one of his beers, passing it to him. Charlie took a long drink, but said nothing. "I know you, something happened."

"You... are you drunk?"

"Yeah... but I'm fine."

"We were never to fond of drinking."

"No, that hasn't changed. But I thought today was special. Besides, I needed the courage... are you drunk?"

"Quite a bit."

"Aren't you going to tell me what happened?"

Silence.

"Nick?" Charlie ignored his question and just watched him with desperation. Eagerly. Happy, but confused and clearly tormented by something.

"Charlie."

"I want... I want to ask you for something. Something I have no right to ask."

"Anything."

"I want you to leave Imogen."

He said it. If he was already being selfish, he had to exploit it.

Nick was stunned. Surprised but strangely satisfied. A tingle ran up his legs and into his stomach and chest.

He had requests like that too.

"I want you to leave Matias." The words just gushed out, like water.

They both laughed, as they grinned at each other like fools. They moved closer because of the cold, neither was really ready to respond yet. They weren't touching, but the warmth of each other was enough to keep them from freezing to death.

"I figured that's what you'd want...I, I don't know how I feel about him. He is a real jerk sometimes but... I really hurt him with all of this. He told me you hit on him earlier."

"What...that jerk...that's a lie. He was the one who hit on me, Tao's my witness...i would never do that to you."

"I know...like I said, he's a jerk...wait... Tao?"

"He arrived just to hear the end of our conversation. I didn't even want to talk to him." Nick told him in detail about his conversation with Matias, Charlie just listened as he took swigs of his beer and oscillated between looking at the ground, the night, and Nick. "Tao can corroborate it, I swear." Charlie just stayed quiet again, pondering. "You don't believe him do you? I would never do that to you. I wouldn't do that to anyone...least of all you."