Charlie and Nick: A Heartstopper FanFic

I Live by the River

Nick was dumbfounded as Charlie let go of his hand and disappeared into the crowd. Darcy helped him up on stage and gave him a hug. Already standing by was Tara and her bassist, Jeff. Tara jumped into Charlie's arms to greet him. They had a quick chat to decide on a song then Charlie turned back to the crowd, locking his gaze with Nick's. With a shy grin, Charlie offered an adorable wave.

Nick felt himself smile as he waved back. What on Earth is he doing?

Charlie sat at the drum kit towards the back of the stage and waited for Tara and Jeff.

Beside Nick, Tao and Elle clapped and shouted with support for their musically inclined friends.

"Thank you," Tara said to the crowd after she dawned her powder-blue guitar, its strap slung over her shoulder. "We used to play this song when we were younger. It was an oldie then, but it's definitely still a goodie." She glanced back to let Charlie know she was ready.

Charlie looked as though he was in his element as he bashed his drumsticks together for the count. On four, the pub filled with Jeff's bass, Tara's guitar riffs, and Charlie's beats in a cover of The Clash's London Calling. Each riff and beat rang out in unison.

The crowd went wild and pushed closer to the stage as the song's intro intensified and Charlie suddenly quickened his pace. At the peak of the opening riffs, Tara stepped up to the microphone and sang the iconic first line, "London calling to the faraway towns..."

Darcy screamed with joy as she bounced along to the beat.

Tara's voice was beautiful, yet it packed a rebellious punch that lent itself well to the old punk song and its darker themes.

Nick's father liked the song and played it often enough when he was little. Nick knew all of the lyrics. The song was, under the catchy beat, quite grim. The term "London calling" came from the British news reports during World War II. The song addressed nuclear fear in the '80s and the flooding of the River Thames in 1928. The river had flooded since then and many of the themes still held weight, though some perhaps in a different way than The Clash had originally meant.

Gloominess aside, it was still a rather catchy song. Besides, the lyrics were irrelevant tonight. What was relevant was the crowd of proud Brits singing along to a piece of British music history. What was relevant to Nick was Charlie flourishing on stage.

With his eyes glued on his boyfriend, Nick gravitated through the crowd until he stood in the front row next to Darcy. She playfully bumped shoulders with him as her thumb raced over the keyboard on her phone.

Nick's phone vibrated in his pocket with a message notification. She was right beside him, but it was too loud to talk.

Darcy: 🎸 gotta admire my lady's fingering 🎸

Nick chuckled and shook his head at his silly friend and her dirty mind.

"London is drownin' and I..." Tara sang before Jeff, Charlie, and the entirety of the pub joined in, "I live by the river!"

Charlie looked so...happy. He was glowing. The way he played with Tara and Jeff was harmonized so well that one would think the trio had been playing together for years.

He was unsure he had ever been so attracted to anyone in his life. Charlie, his little rock'n'roller now exuded a confidence Nick rarely saw in him. He could imagine hanging a poster of Charlie on his bedroom wall so that it was always awaiting Nick's heavy male gaze. Charlie was his new celebrity crush.

The song ended in cheers and applause, but it ended too soon. Nick noticed the disappointment on Charlie's face as he set down the drumsticks and shuffled off of the stage.

Proud of himself yet still anxious, Charlie cautiously approached Nick in the crowd.

Without hesitation, Nick pulled him into his arms. "You're so awesome."

Charlie nuzzled his face into Nick's shoulder as he began to blush.

That morning and any troubles Nick had had on his mind now seemed like a distant nightmare. Seeing Charlie perform, seeing him thrive in one of the many activities he was good at was almost a euphoric experience. It was like seeing a dead flower come back into bloom. Nothing pleased Nick more than seeing Charlie happy. It didnt hurt that it was also an enormous turn on.

Without another word, Nick took Charlie's hand into his and guided him out of the crowd in search of somewhere, anywhere they could be alone.