Falling (a Heartstopper fanfiction)

Woods

Charlie walked with Nick into the Paris trip meeting. "How was your exam?"

"It was good."

"Good? An exam?"

Nick grinned at him. "Because you helped."

Charlie started to reach for his hand before he remembered where they were and pulled his hand back. "I'm glad I could."

Their group took over a round table. Darcy introduced them to a girl named Sahar, who seemed nice, if a bit quiet. The only one missing was Tao.

Isaac's friend James invited him to the end-of-year party being held tonight by some of the rugby lads. Charlie wondered what was going on there. Maybe James and Isaac would be a thing? James's coming out had been fairly quiet, maybe because everyone had gotten their vitriol out on Charlie.

Nick looked at him. "I could come out at the party to some of the rugby guys, so if it goes badly, we could just leave."

Charlie smiled. Together again, going to a party with each other, Nick coming out ... It was perfect.

He could just barely hear Mr. Ajayi over the din of everyone talking—but no one could miss Mr. Farouk. When he called for quiet, he got it immediately.

Mr. Ajayi called for them to get into groups of four, and Mr. Farouk added that boys and girls couldn't share rooms. Charlie turned to Nick and they shared a secret smile. One benefit of dating a boy.

"Oh, dear. Oh, no!" Darcy said, and Tara giggled at her.

Their groups were obvious—Nick and Charlie and Isaac and Tao, and then Darcy and Tara and Elle and Sahar.

Except that Tao still wasn't there. And by the time they had finished signing up in their room groups and getting their packets of information, Tao hadn't shown.

When they left the meeting, all in a group together, he was there, outside. Nearly unrecognizable, with short cut hair, dark glasses, and a giant bouquet of roses.

Elle started toward him. "What ... the ... hell?"

"Hi." Tao took off the glasses. "Um ... These are for you." He handed Elle the flowers. "For finishing your GCSEs."

"What's happening right now?" she asked him.

Charlie and Isaac exchanged glances. This was it. Finally. No more dancing around it.

And Tao just ... went for it. Right in front of all of them. "Elle ... I like you. Romantically. And I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date. Tonight."

"You ... like me?" Elle repeated.

"Um ... yeah. I guess I was sort of hoping ... I've been sort of wondering ... if you liked me back."

"Uh, duh!" Darcy called out, and was immediately shushed by Tara and Sahar and Nick.

Elle was still hesitating. "Well ... Yeah."

Tao's whole face lit up. "So ... tonight? I thought maybe we could go to the cinema."

The rest of them couldn't wait any longer. With squeals and shouts of "oh, my God!" they rushed the two of them and hugged them.

Nick and Charlie went back to Nick's so he could change, then to Charlie's so he could. With lots of kissing in both their rooms. It had been such a long time since they'd had time alone together, Charlie wished they didn't have to go to the party, and they could just stay home, just the two of them.

To his surprise, Tori was going to the party as well. The three of them went with Isaac and Tara, walking into the woods where a huge bonfire had been set up.

"This definitely isn't legal, is it?" Isaac asked.

"Nope."

Tara took off to go find Darcy; Isaac was collared by James and they went off together, leaving the three of them.

Tori looked up at Nick. "Look after him, or you die."

"Tori!" Charlie protested. He was perfectly capable of looking after himself.

Nick looked a bit flummoxed. "Okay."

Tori left them. Charlie was still laughing a little bit—he loved his sister, but she could be so overprotective—until he realised Nick wasn't laughing at all. "What's up?"

"I'm fine. Just ... um ... Headache."

"We can leave if you want." Charlie would have been totally okay with it if they did.

"I'm fine," Nick repeated. "I promise."

Charlie looked around at all the people, already screaming and shouting, and tried to work up the enthusiasm needed to enjoy the event. These were Nick's people, after all, his friends, many of them, and so they should be Charlie's as well.

Nick reached for his hand. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

They ended up in a quiet clearing, lying down on the ground together, just looking up at the trees. "So peaceful," Charlie said.

"Yeah."

Near them, Tara and Sahar were on a blanket while Tara called Darcy.

"How do you think the date's going?"

"Well, I hope," Nick said. "They'd make a good couple."

"Yeah, they would. Tao's just afraid to ruin the friendship."

"I know how he feels." Nick reached for Charlie's hand again. "After I ran away at Harry's party, I was afraid you'd never want to speak to me again."

"Me, too."

"I'm glad that didn't ruin our friendship."

Charlie turned to look at him, feeling so lucky that Nick was his friend as well as his boyfriend.

Nick had his phone out and was taking a selfie before Charlie realised what he was doing.

"Will you stop that?"

"No. This is my duty as boyfriend."

"Stop it!"

"I'm taking adorable pictures."

Charlie pulled the phone out of his hand. "Well, no."

"Okay, I will tickle you." And Nick proceeded to do so, while Charlie giggled and protested and finally gave up the phone. They lay there smiling at each other.

It was such a nice moment, and they were so happy, Charlie didn't want to see Nick stressed out again, not after all the long weeks of exams. He sat up. "Are you sure you want to come out to the rugby boys tonight? If you're not feeling well—"

"I'm fine," Nick insisted. "I can do this."

Charlie leaned toward him. "Just think about us being out as a couple in Paris. Holding hands in the Louvre, kissing in front of the Mona Lisa."

Nick smiled at him. "Yeah."

Well, if he was going to do this, no time like the present. Charlie wanted to be out, he had to admit it, and more than that, he wanted Nick to stop having to worry about coming out, and the quickest way to do that was for Nick to get it over with. He got to his feet and held out his hand. "Come on. Let's go find them."