A Heartstopper Fanfic

Chapter 48: "Good" Morning

Author's note: I believe that I mentioned this in the chapter, but I'm going to mention it now anyway. Between the last chapter of this book and this one, there's a sizable time skip. Nearly a year later 🙌

Also, I've decided that any sex scenes that I write from now on will be less kinky and such because, well, I don't know why, but I kind of made myself feel like any scenes of that nature had to be that way. Honestly, it's not my favorite to write stuff like that. Besides, I prefer the sweetness and tenderness of N&C's relationship, so anything physical from now on will match that. Sorry if that's a dealbreaker for any of you!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter! 🫶🙃:

(Third person POV)

Charlie felt like he was out of his body and that time had simply stopped, leaving him planted in a moment he couldn't bear to relive. Although he could hear Henry giving him instructions, all that he managed to listen to were the cruel words from the past, and the hurt that was viciously resurfacing. 

"Can I handle this a second time?"

  Charlie hoped that he wouldn't have to face such a nightmare again, yet here he was. His throat was dry and he swore that all of the water in his body had rushed to the back of his eyes. The pressure was immense, and all he could do was blink.

  Everything was perfect, too perfect, and as a person who spent a period of his lifetime practically killing himself to live in a fantasy world. Charlie had shamelessly gotten comfortable basking in that false sense of security. Now he's holding Nick's phone, wishing that he never picked it up because something so small had never weighed him down so much before.

"Stupid. Christ, I'm so stupid." He thought to himself, loudly enough that he feared he had actually said it out loud.

How could he be so naive? After all, what goes up must always come down.

On the other end of the line, Henry cleared his throat. His voice was cautious, a reflection of what he knew Charlie was teetering on. "I know it's a lot to ask of you, but unfortunately, that's the procedure we have to take considering the situation."

Charlie wanted to go back to bed and be by Nick's side with not a clue in the world about the chaos going on outside.

A few months ago, after officially being part of the team for almost half a year, Nick's manager had him create an account for fans to follow, that way his personal one wouldn't reveal what he didn't want out there. Like details about his personal life.

Including Charlie.

It was a mutual decision between the couple. Being out and proud felt overwhelming under the now millions of varying eyes constantly watching Nick, and studying him. To the fans, Nick Nelson was far from a person. Instead, he's an anomaly.

Privacy was the concern. They didn't mind the speculations and photos of them together being spread around, it's just the idea of Nick being one of the very few queer players to date that had them scared. Nick didn't want to be a poster child or the public's punching bag, and Charlie didn't want that for Nick either. Nick threw himself into the professional rugby world to play rugby, not to be questioned and ridiculed for being a human being outside of a player.

"Fuck." Charlie huffed, hating how incredibly unfair life truly is. "Yes, yeah, I'll do that."

Henry bid Charlie a no-doubt sorry goodbye and hung up.

Alone, he began to rack his brain. Charlie hated the idea of what he was now facing to be inevitable, and he hated that thought.

____________________

"I can't, Tori. I agreed to let him find out through a meeting with his teammates, coach, manager, and the on-site psychiatrist. I gave Henry my word."

Once he had gotten ahold of his own phone, Charlie phoned Tori. He of course ignored all of her worries and queries, instead explaining everything that had just happened.

"I was coming back from the bathroom when Nick's phone started ringing, and obviously I didn't want it to wake him, so I answered. Based on the contact name, I knew that it was Harry, so I had a feeling that it was a pressing matter. Otherwise, I would've let it ring in another room." Charlie said in a single breath, whilst  fiddling with his sleeve, "fuck, I wish that I hadn't answered the phone."

Tori, the bluntest person on earth, sympathetically sighed. "Even if you hadn't answered at that moment, reality would still be the same."

Charlie was sure that his knees would give out at any moment, given the way that they were shaking, so he lowered himself onto the couch with a shaky breath.

  They both went silent until Tori spoke again, clearly figuring that she'd take the lead of the conversation considering Charlie's state. "You're going to hate having to face Nick when he wakes up knowing that he won't find any of this out from you. And you're going to hate lying to his face, pretending that everything's okay and that you're okay."

"I will, but I gave Henry my word. Besides, at least he'll be protected from all of that for at least a bit longer." That was that, and Tori knew it. Her stubborn brother was receding into a dangerous mindset, and she could do nothing but worry and know what was to come.

"Okay." She said, not a trace of emotion in her monotone voice, "Call you later?"

Charlie paused, missing his sister intensely while also wanting to isolate himself, "maybe. Say hi to Michael for me?"

"Of course...I care about you, Charlie."

A ghost of a smile, "I know you do, Victoria."

____________________

Nick woke up to the feeling of Charlie's body pressed against his, which urged his eyes to once again flutter closed. In his lifetime, Nick Nelson had experienced thousands of mornings just like this one, yet they always left him feeling youthful. As if they had never left Nick's childhood bedroom where they'd fall asleep in each other's arms, wrapped in a warm familiarity.

His body ached, a reminder of all the torture he had put it through by playing three games in a row this past week.

"Nick?" Charlie said in a small voice.

At the sound of his name being spoken by his lover, Nick turned to face him, once again opening his honey-colored eyes.

  He didn't have to reply. The look on his face said enough. Nick had always been quite expressive, even without meaning to be. From the quirk of an eyebrow to a soft smile, he could say a lot without doing much of anything.

Charlie wanted to tell Nick so badly. It felt wrong for him to find out from the team, even if he had grown to love them, and they had grown to love them. It also felt wrong that, for the time being, he had to hide something very big from his fiancé.

Though, it made sense. So he didn't.

Instead, Charlie mustered up what he felt a genuine smile of his looks like and said, "Morning."

  "Good morning." Nick corrected, pointing out that the couple was finally together after another series of lonely nights.

Charlie stopped his lip from quivering at the thought of it very much not being a good morning, and nodded. "Good..yeah."

Lefties, RISE! 🧍‍♀️