A Heartstopper Fanfic

Chapter 45: "Charlie Time"

(Third Person POV)

"Nice tackle, Nelson!" Nick lifts himself off of the body below him, getting onto his feet with a rushed breath. His hair is tousled from all of the action, causing him to constantly push it back, and blow at his fringe like bits. His teammate, Henry, accepts the hand that Nick is extending out towards him with a smile and slowly gets onto his feet.

"Well done, mate." He affirmatively says, beaming. No doubt, that kind look on his face had not faded since Nick joined the team. Generally, Henry seems to be an optimistic person, and Nick feels that it's not just an act since Henry is, after all, the team captain.

"Thanks."

Practice has been dragging on for what feels like an eternity. Everyone is exhausted, including the newbie himself, though he conceals it by running at full force and with brute strength every time that they reset. Even with no energy left to spare, Nick plays on the field as if he's just walked onto the grass. The need to prove that his coach made a good decision in signing him easily overpowers the aching and burning sensation in his muscles.

On that note, despite his legs begging him not to, Nick jogs over to his water after nodding and smiling at his coach, silently accepting and approaching his praise.

Nice tackle, Nelson.

Nick feels proud of himself. Unstoppable, but not in a cocky way. Putting in one hundred percent proves to be rewarding in the world of rugby; or, at least it does for Nicholas Nelson.

For the past few weeks, practice with a professional rugby team has proven to be challenging. Both emotionally and physically. For one, Nick isn't exactly a teenager anymore, is he? Secondly, there's been a nagging feeling of "Do I even deserve such an opportunity?" and "Can I measure up?"

Long story short, going professional has been a lot of things, and it's certainly been nothing short of being a whirlwind.

From the center of the field, the captain's voice booms all the way to where Nick is on a bench, chugging water.

"Alright boys, one more time and then we can call it a day!"

Suddenly Nick feels a surge of energy flood his body. Motivation to keep going.

_________________________________

"Nicholas Luke Nelson, the newest addition to The Ragers was described to be quote, "hardworking" by his teammates, as well as his captain, Henry Hughes. Now with such a description as that one, it can only be concluded that he's a promising player. What do you think-"

Charlie, having heard intense bubbling coming from the kitchen, gets up from his cozy spot on the sofa and makes his way to the stove, phone in hand.

"I don't understand how any of that was bad PR." Charlie keeps his phone up to his ear using the pressure of his shoulder, meanwhile, he stirs his soup with his other hand. "Christ, why is this so difficult?"

From the other side of the phone, Nicholas Nelson himself adjusts how his phone is propped up, the static of fabric very slightly agitating Charlie's ears. Charlie reckons that Nick is in bed, warming up after an ice bath thanks to today's strenuous practice.

A game is coming up, the first of the season.

Nick, obviously not feeling like the bubbly humanized golden retriever that he is, sighs. "It was, but that was until the other journalist started talking about how I better be good since I joined the team so late. He also said that I'm likely rusty from having not done rugby for a few years now. They laughed."

"Hm." Not at all used to Nick particularly caring for what others think of him, especially David (besides obvious people like Tori and Tao), Charlie is honestly at a loss for words. Though, eventually, he comes up with a response.

"Have you talked to the team's therapist? Or maybe even your own?" Since joining a competitive team, Nick's life has been in utter chaos. Especially his schedule. He rarely has downtime, and when he does, Nick uses it on quality "Charlie time". Such a time happens after Nick has eaten dinner and before he tucks into bed. It's what he argues to be wise decision-making.

His fiancé disagrees, especially right now.

"Honey." Voice edging on less softly than before, Charlie says what he knows Nick won't want to hear, but needs to be heard, "instead of calling me tomorrow, you should visit your team's on-site therapist."

Immediately, his words are met by a groan of disapproval. "But Char!" Charlie, knowing his longtime partner, resists looking at Nick's face, which is in the frame. Instead, he pours himself some soup and grabs a spoon.

With every scoop and mouthful, Charlie stays fixated on eating his dinner, not his fiancé's facial protest, and continues. "It's not like you wouldn't interact with me at all. There's still iMessages..and voice memos. It would be just like back when you started uni."

Thanks to that whole long-distance situation years ago, Charlie has been super prepared for Nick's newfound career, as well as Nick..despite his current protests saying otherwise.

"Yeah, I guess." Silence. Nick watches as Charlie eats his dinner with Lily dancing around him, hoping to get lucky. "I need Lily updates as well..more than usual. You know what? Throw some photos in there."

"I won't be home much tomorrow."

The boys meet eyes, both of them sensing that something was missed. "Oh, right, remember the band that Sahar is in? Well, they invited me to do a gig with them."

Comically dramatic, Nick whines that he won't get to see "Drummer Charlie," eyeliner and all, in the flesh.

"Don't be greedy Nicholas, you have a few times before." Charlie, no longer pledging to not look at Nick, cracks a cheeky smile. "Anyways, you'll have more opportunities in the future."

"Took them long enough!" Nick throws his hands in the air in support of his lover's official part-time job as a drummer for the group, rather than a substitute. "God. If I kiss my phone because it's technically you, is that weird?"

"Yes, extremely. But I'll accept that kiss, and more when I see you next weekend."

Not against traveling to see Nick's games live, as well as reuniting with him when possible, Charlie is going to be at Nick's first-ever game as a professional rugby player.

Nick, who has been counting the days since Charlie notified him of this trip, grins from ear to ear. "Ever the motivator, Charles."

"I hate that Victoria has roped you into calling me Charles."

"Tori." Nick corrects, "is an evil genius. Just like Ollie. You're just bitter that you missed out on that trait, Charles. Plus it is your legal name, love."

"Ugh, don't remind me. It sounds so," Charlie searches for the words while putting his empty bowl in the sink, "disgustingly posh."

"Sorry, Char, you're out of luck. I can only change your legal last name."

Now Charlie is the one who has the strange urge to kiss his phone as if Nick's digital face could ever satisfy that really real wish of his to just say "I love you," to his future husband using his lips in person.

Author's note: RAHHH, hi!! Idk wtf happened but my Google Docs decided to be homophobic and kept on crashing whenever I'd access the document that I write this book on. However, I fixed that by just updating my phone??? I don't know how those two things correlate, but whatever LOL 🤨😂 Anyways, angst is loading and YAYYY S3 is underway guys! Hopefully just knowing that it's in production will get rid of my raging senioritis 😁🥲

Side note: I'm reading Loveless for an extra credit grade in English rn! 🙌