I Can Hear Your Heart (A Heartstopper FanFic -- BOOK 1)

18. Breathe

The darkness was so complete that when Nick opened his eyes it took him a moment to realise where the hell he was.

He was lying on his side, bundled up uncomfortably. His hands were tied with something rough behind his back. There was a strip of material across his mouth, gagging him.

He took a breath. The air was hot and muggy.

Nick tried to straighten his legs but found there wasn't enough space to lie completely flat. There was some kind of scratchy carpet beneath his cheek.

Something warm was pressed up against his back.

The whole tiny space he was in jerked violently -- Nick was unable to stop himself being thrown about painfully for a few horrible moments -- and then the movement evened out again and Nick knew where he must be.

The warmth at his back shifted then, and Nick heard a faint mumble, felt an intake of breath against the back of his neck.

"Charlie..." Nick tried to gasp through his gag, but it came out very muffled.

Charlie made another unintelligible sound through his own gag. Their legs were tangled together in the small space of the car boot.

Charlie clung the best he could to Nick even with his arms tied behind his back. He kept his eyes clamped shut tight. He could feel Nick trembling despite the bumpy movement of the car. Charlie knew that to freak out or panic too much in such a confined space could be very dangerous. He couldn't let either of them get to that point.

So, Charlie rested his head against the warmth of Nick's back and breathed and thought hard...

He wiggled his hands as much as he could -- a rough length of rope was binding his wrists. As he wiggled, he realised Kane had, for some reason, removed Nick's hoodie from him.

Of course he had, Charlie thought. Their one method of communication had been inside the pocket.

Another sudden lurch.

The car turned a sharp corner and the boys were thrown first one way, then another. It was a good thing the boot was so small, there wasn't far for them to tumble, but it was still terrifying, still disorienting, still painful.

Especially as Charlie's side bumped hard against the floor. He gasped through his gag, but he had to ignore the increasing pain in his chest for now.

The car continued on straight again, and Charlie moved.

Nick felt it as Charlie began to shift slowly around. And then, cold, clumsy fingers brushed against his hands. Charlie had somehow rolled over so that they were now lying back to back.

Nick frowned, but then Charlie began to tug blindly at the rope around Nick's wrists.

Charlie kept his eyes screwed up tight in concentration. He wanted to continue to hold Nick's trembling hands but he couldn't -- not right now.

It was a slow process but it was welcomed. Charlie did not stop, entirely focused on the task at hand, even as Kane continued to drive over potholes and speed around corners.

Finally, Charlie managed to loosen the ropes enough so that Nick could slip his wrists free.

Nick yanked the fabric out of his mouth, gasping.

"Oh my God," he breathed. "Oh my God..."

With some difficulty, but with great determination, Nick turned around in the cramped space and quickly felt about in the darkness for Charlie's wrists. He would have gotten them undone much quicker if his hands hadn't been shaking so hard, but then Charlie was free and moving around again to face him. Charlie pulled his own gag away and...