A Collection of Heartstopper Oneshots

My Brother's Heart - The_Same_But_Different

Summary:

Tori Spring loves her brother Charlie very much. But she's beginning to suspect that someone else might as well...

Some thoughts from Tori's POV from the early days of Nick and Charlie's relationship.
Work Text:
I told Charlie a while back that I didn't think Nick was straight.

I'm still not exactly sure what he is. Besides on top of my brother, that is.

I could hear laughing as I came up to the door, but I've gotten used to that. Those two laugh a lot. Sometimes at the most ridiculous things. Some moronic thing one of their friends has posted on Instagram. Or whatever stupid social media platform is in this week. Anyway, I can't exactly complain about them laughing, can I? Well, I could. But I can't be bothered, to be honest.

The point is, they laugh a lot, and so when I came up to the door and heard them at it again, the laughing and the talking, I didn't think anything of it.

Not until I open the door.

They see me standing there just a second too late.

And - Ah. All right then is the first thing that pops into my head. Pops into it faster than the two of them can wrench themselves off each other.

Because, really, they're a bit too tangled up to be able to do that very quickly.

It's no wonder they didn't hear me opening the door.

I'm surprised but not. Surprised in the sense that I hadn't realized things had actually moved forward this much. Not surprised by what I'm actually seeing.

I think we're all a little startled. I realize that I'm just standing there staring at them staring at me. Or is it the other way round?

I'm not sure I like the way Nick curls up off to the side into a ball like he's trying to hide from me. The last thing Charlie needs is someone who's too afraid or embarrassed to admit that...

But.That's probably not what Charlie's thinking.

Charlie, being Charlie, which means he's too good to live on this planet, is probably remembering what fucking hell he went through at school when he got outed before he was ready for it.

And this explains why Charlie's been happier lately. Why he's been laughing a lot more. It explains why Nick is finding excuses to hang out here so much, and why I'm seeing Charlie wearing jumpers that are clearly not his. I'm feeling rather stupid, now, that I didn't figure it out sooner.

But Charlie's always been the sort of person who can keep more secrets than are good for him.

I wonder what else he's got buried in there that I don't even suspect. It's a bit frightening, is what it is.

I can't not be happy for him, though. He just looks...he looks...like there's a light inside of him. Shining out of his eyes. Oh, my God, that's so revolting. Is this the sort of thing I'm going to be thinking and saying whenever I see the two of them together? I'd better stay far away from them or I'll make myself ill.

I like Nick, he's a good lad and he's been a good friend to Charlie. Because of this I must find a friendly way to let him know that I will fucking end him if he breaks my brother's heart.

Nothing personal, mate.

All in all, a good day.