Charlie and Nick: A Heartstopper FanFic

Cthulhu and Colossal Squids

The reef that bordered the coast was in recovery. Several years earlier, it was all but dead. Thanks to a local initiative, it was coming back to life, drawing back in the sea life that had once thrived here.

That was what initially drew Nick's attention to the resort. The reef initiative offered a morsel of hope, something that was growing more and more difficult to find.

Schools of fish of bright, beautiful colours hurried past the glass bottomed foyer as Nick and Charlie silently observed, lying on the floor on their stomachs to get a better view.

Nick chuckled at the sight of one fish that was a brilliant blue. “There! That’s literally the same blue as your eyes.”

“No, mine are duller.”

Nick smiled at him, gazing into his beautiful eyes. “I respectfully disagree.”

Charlie pulled his phone out and checked the time for the fourth time in 30 minutes.

“20 hours left,” Charlie sighed with disappointment. 

“I know,” Nick pouted. Their honeymoon was only just getting relaxing and they had to leave in the morning.

“We should just live here,” Charlie suggested.

“Agreed. Should we send David the bill?”

Charlie laughed and got to his feet. Leisurely, he sauntered to the back porch and took his sweater off. Beneath, he wore a white t-shirt and a pair of swim trunks.

“Fancy a swim?” Nick wondered, joining his husband outside in the sunshine.

“I am going to dip my feet,” Charlie informed him. “I don’t wanna risk touching a fish. They feel all slimy and weird.”

“Hm,” Nick nodded, contemplating if Charlie would be angry or not if he dunked him in the water. With a grin, he decided to chance it. He swooped Charlie up in his arms.

“Nick, no!” Charlie giggled as they approached the edge of the porch/dock. He cuddled close, nuzzling Nick’s neck for safety.

Nick turned his head to the side and kissed Charlie’s cheek. “Real ‘no,’ or play ‘no?’”

Another giggle. “I’m not sure. I’m scared.”

“I’ll protect you from the fishies,” Nick promised.

“What about rays and sharks?” Charlie wondered. “Sea snakes? Colossal squids? Lovecraft’s Cthulhu?”

Nick pretended to think on it. “I think I could take on a colossal squid if I’ve had a good night’s rest. The others, you’re on your own.”

As Charlie chuckled, Nick held him close and leapt into clear ocean water.

When they both surfaced, Nick gave Charlie a playful splash.

“I can’t believe you wouldn’t protect me from a literary monster,” Charlie jested. “All you needed to do was rip up the pages.”

“Oh, well. In that case,” Nick said before he swept a wave of water at his husband with this arm. In response, Charlie, tried to splash back with just as much force.

Together in the tropical sun, they played, splashing and dunking one another under the water. Nick couldn’t remember the last time he laughed quite so much.

Nick had been told this feeling would one day begin to fade. The love may remain, but those butterflies in his stomach, those romantic moments, even the pure affection they had for one another would dissipate so slowly, neither of them would realize it until it was too late.

Charlie splashed him and giggled.

Perhaps those things would fade, but maybe they wouldn’t. Sure, a few people had given Nick this bit of wisdom, but none if them had ever had a relationship like Nick had with Charlie. They'd been in love since their mid-teens and they loved one another the same way now. Maybe Nick and Charlie really were that lucky, they found their perfect person, the one.

Charlie beamed at Nick and began to swim over for a kiss. Out of nowhere, he jolted in the water then swam as fast as he could back to the porch/dock.

Struck by the fear that accompanied concern, Nick asked, “what happened? Are you hurt?”

Charlie jumped around squeamishly. “I touched a fish with my foot.”