heartstopper ausᥫ᭡

୨୧ hold me close ୨୧

prompt: nick is sick and charlie spends the day taking care of him.

[comfort, romance]

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"Is Nick home?"

Charlie had asked it as soon as Nick's mother answered the door wearing a simple comfy dress what fell past her knees and wrapped up in a even comfier robe. It made him feel like he was interrupting the peace showing up in his school uniform, he came over instantly after he got off the bus and, although he won't admit it, he had sped walked in his uncomfortable school shoes just to see if Nick was alright when the boy stopped answering is messages.

He gripped some books he happened to be carrying in his hands tighter and made a bodily movement to refer to them as he spoke, "His classmate Sai has an assignment Nick needs to do for school, he didn't want him to have the entire weekend not being able to do it."

Nick's mum smiled, "Well, he's right upstairs - he isn't doing to well but I'm sure you knew that already." She quipped, moving out the way for the taller boy to make his way inside. Charlie had started towards the stairs after skillfully removing his shoes with his feet when she called out to him once again,

"Call me if you need anything but I'm sure you won't need too, "

Charlie gave her a soft smile looking into he sunken and tired eyes before pulling her into a small hug. He heard her exhale shakily and he dared to believe that she knew that her understood she was tired.

He pulled back and gave her an even softer smile, patter her arms gently and saying simply that he would take care of her son.

There were so many unspoken messages in his words but they both understood, and they both knew it was all alright.

Without another second of hesitation Charlie went up the stairs, two at a time may he add, and made his way through the familiar corridor towards Nick's bedroom door. He knocked softly five times in a rhythmic pattern that his boyfriend had probably memorised before pushing the door open gently with his arm.

Charlies eyes immediately landed on a lump, quite obviously in a human shape, in the bedsheets and straightened up. The figure had stilled upon his entry, he smiled as he timidly made his way over to the bedside table and placed the books down gently.

Letting himself shift slowly to his knees beside the huddled figure he placed his arm onto the bed and used his fingers to pull up the covers, hoping to see a glimpse at his boyfriend and make sure all his hair hadn't fallen out.

A groan and "hmph" emitted from the bed as the covers were quickly snatched back down, effectively dismissing Charlies hand and making the boy pull away.

He chuckled, "Aww, my poor sweetheart.."

"Chaaar," the figure cried.

Charlie laughed softly, looking at his hands as Nick finally pulled himself up. He shifted his gaze towards his boyfriend and froze.

Nick looked a mess, his hood pulled over his head of hair which was stuck to his forehead with sweat and his skin pale and flushed. His lips were jutted out unconsciously into a pout and his eyes were soft as he gazed back at Charlie, his freckles seemily so much more noticeable. Despite his face being pale like that his freckles were still beautifully brown and soft. Charlie, however, didn't miss the dried tears left down the sides of Nick's face and down the others neck.

He was a right mess but Charlie thought he was beautiful.

"I know I look bad," Nick grunted as he held himself up on shaky arms and looked at Charlie with his eyes casted by brown lashes. "Maybe it's because I've been away from you for so long,"

Charlie shifted slightly to gaze up at the boy beneath his own raven lashes, chuckling slightly at their gazes met for sometime before they looked away.

"It's been a day Nicholas, I wouldn't diagnose yourself with the Spring fever just yet" Charlie joked.

Nick laughed hard at the pun, way harder than he should've because he reeled and started coughing harshly soon afterwards causing Charlie to quickly pat his back, leaning over towards the other to comfort him.

Once the coughing fit has subsided Nick fell limply onto the bed with Charlie being left to shift more comfortably onto the floor.

He stared into Nicks hair for a good two minutes before reaching out gently towards it, lifting one strand gently and inspecting how it was light brown one minute, blonde another, and orange or ginger the next. He dropped the strand just as softly as he picked it up, moving his hand downwards and slipping his slim fingers to the others roots to message the others scalp that was so soft and clean.

Cerulean irises followed the shift in light when his fingers lifted the others hair and shook at noise the other boy emitted at his hands movement.

"Char," the other moaned sweetly, rasing a hand to encircle the others wrist which continued to move in its soothing rhythm, "Char please,"

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

"Not tease me for starters,"

"Tease?" Charlie scowled playfully pulling the strands light as Nick lifted his head to look at him. Nick looked so weak and vaunrable to Charlie, he moved the hand out of his hair and wrapped his arms around the other.

"Nick," he called gently, staring at the other as the atmosphere became playful and soft.

It was silent for a while before Charlie stood and proded at the covers, reminding Nick of a cat, wanting to be let in to lay beside him.

"Char, you'll get sick" he whined when Charlie pulled the covers up, exposing him to the cold bedroom air but it was soon replaced by the warmth of a human body.

"I don't care love," He then pushed the bedsheets off their upper bodies and curled in comfortably into Nicks open arms.

After a while they lay there still and silent with work forgotten, chatting and whispering and giggling to each other sweetly. With ones hands in the others hair and the others arms around their waist, Nick and Charlie slept off - tomorrow wasn't important.

And as Nicks mother popped her head in and saw the two boys cuddled up together, she just smiled and switched off the light.

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