It was around 9 PM when they got back from the restaurant. It was a bit chilly outside, so they rushed back to Charlie's dorm room. They ran through the streets of Charlie's uni town with their hands intertwined, just like they were the protagonists of a teenage coming-of-age movie. It was cute. And it kept them warm since neither of them had thought of bringing a coat.
They sat on Charlie's bed having a cup of tea before packing their belongings and walking towards the train station. It was dark outside. There were only a few lampposts in this town, so both of them could barely see anything. "I still can't believe you've voluntarily chosen to study here. These streets feel like they're a part of a ghost town in a creepy movie. And we could be attacked by some scary people at any given moment." Nick said. Charlie took his hand and teasingly said: "That's why I'm glad you're here. So I don't have to walk through these streets alone and suffer all by myself."
They walked past a lamppost and Nick noticed how Charlie's face got lit up. He looked happy. Nick couldn't help but smile. It genuinely made him feel a lot better knowing Charlie was feeling good.
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The train ride back home was long and tiring. Both of them fell asleep not long after the train had departed. Their heads resting on one another. Nick was usually the one who'd stay up to make sure everything was going well and they were safe. But he was way too tired for that now.
A little while later Nick was woken up by Charlie. He was gently tapping Nick's shoulder to try and wake him up. "Your mum called." "Hm?" Nick said with a sleepy voice. "Your mum called. She said she's at the train station, ready to pick us up." Charlie said while brushing some of Nick's hair out of Nick's face. "Your hair is getting really long," he said. "Oh, uh. Yeah, I suppose."
Charlie didn't know Nick had been having difficulty taking care of himself at uni. And that this was the reason he hadn't cut his hair yet. Actually, it wasn't just the hair. Nick had been having a hard time trying to brush his teeth and taking showers as well. For some reason, it was all just really overwhelming for him.
"I like it when your hair is long," Charlie said while picking up 3 strands of hair. He started braiding it. "What are you doing?" Nick asked. "I'm taking this opportunity to finally fulfil my dream of being a hairstylist," Charlie said teasingly. "Well, you can be my hair stylist anytime you want," Nick said. He secretly really enjoyed it when Charlie touched his hair. It felt nice. It made him feel safe.
By the time they got home Charlie managed to give Nick 4 braids. "So, how does it look," Nick asked before they got of the train. "You look fantastic," Charlie said, before giving Nick a kiss on his forehead.
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When I Look Into Your Eyes (An AU Heartstopper Story)
RomanceNick and Charlie are both in university. Nick is in his last year and is about to graduate, while Charlie still has 1,5 years of uni left. Even though they're attending different schools in different cities, their relationship is still as strong as...
