A Collection of Heartstopper Oneshots

Never Really Goodbye - shadowquill17

Summary:

Nick and Charlie share their feelings about being in a long-distance relationship.
(And obviously they're sweet and supportive about it.)
Notes:

This was inspired by the latest Heartstopper updates where Nick is visiting unis with Tara and Elle... I had feelings about it so I just blacked out and wrote this.
Enjoy! 😘
(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

"Do you think we made a mistake?"

The question comes in the soft dark of Nick's bedroom, in his mum's house in Kent.

It's winter break, and they've finally reunited after Charlie's first semester in Manchester uni. Nick came home yesterday and had time to unpack and tidy a little before Charlie's train arrived in the evening. They couldn't spend the night together because Charlie's mum insisted he stay at home for his first night, so Nick only saw him for a little while before dinner. But today Charlie showed up right after lunch, with a duffle bag on his shoulder and ready for a long weekend at his boyfriend's.

He was wearing one of Nick's stolen jumpers, and seeing him in the flesh, with the snow melting in his dark curls and his dimples so deep in his cheeks, made Nick's heart tilt in his chest like a capsized boat.

"About what?"

"When we decided to try long distance."

Charlie moves, leaning on his elbow so he can see Nick's face.

"Do you think we're not doing good?"

"No, we're doing great! But... well, having you over this weekend, it's been... I love you so much, Charlie."

"I love you so much too, Nick."

"And I miss you all the time. Like, all the time."

"Yeah," Charlie says, and it sounds a little sad.

"I know Manchester is so much closer than home, and we've already seen each other a lot more this semester, but I just... I can't help but wonder if we should've gone at least to the same uni. We would have had a year apart while you finished at Truham, like we did, but we'd be together now! We wouldn't have to calculate travel time and I wouldn't have to borrow Jem's car all the time, and I could just... show up at the end of your Latin class with coffee, and we could walk back together, and just... be, you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Because, like... I can't help but count the days until the end of winter break, and it hurts, it physically hurts, to know we'll have to say goodbye in a few weeks. That we'll have to do it all over again."

He can see it already, he can feel it, because it's happened so many times: Nick back in his bedroom in Leeds, Charlie on the phone talking to him about his day, and between them, fifty miles and the irrepressible desire to be closer.

He can feel all of the pent-up emotion from this particular issue well up inside him, rushing through the small door he's opened by talking about it. Charlie must see his eyes, because he shuffles closer, settling his hand on Nick's chest.

"Nick... have you been thinking about this?"

"A little. I just... you're telling all about your freshers week, and I just... I wish I could have seen it."

"I told you everything on the phone. And I sent you all the pictures."

It wasn't the same, Nick doesn't reply, but Charlie hears it.

"I know what you mean," Charlie sighs. "I know it's been two years already, so I thought it would be easier to be apart by now... but it's not. I got used to it, but it doesn't hurt any less."