A Collection of Heartstopper Oneshots

Out of my League - goldviolet

Summary:

Nick and Charlie think they're out of each others' leagues. That's fine though.
Notes:

This is definitely cheesier than anything I've ever written before, but after the way season two left off, I need some cheese in my life.

Also, I'm American and it shows.
Work Text:
Nick was out of his league, there was no doubt in Charlie's mind. It was no secret that Nick Nelson was the perfect person: tall, good-looking, smart, kind, athletic. It's like God had poured all of his best contents into the mold that would create Nick, and forgot to spare the rest for everyone else.

Charlie knew that he was smart in his own right, but he didn't seem to be able to connect with people or understand them the way Nick did, and while Charlie was good at running, it wasn't something he found particular joy in doing. Not the way Nick enjoyed rugby, and was clearly so good at it.

Sometimes Charlie wondered if he was dreaming. When Nick wrapped his arm around him, or pressed a kiss to Charlie's mouth, Charlie thought he would wake up, lonely and cold in his own bed, his alarm screaming at him to wake up.

Charlie also wondered what he'd done in his previous life to have someone like Nick. He must've been Mother Teresa, herself. Or, with all of the other stupid shit in Charlie's life, a thief who did one really good thing before he died. Maybe he was Robin Hood.

It was always a little weird, going from dating Ben to dating Nick. Charlie was so used to being set on the back burner, pushed aside once Ben was done experimenting for the day, waiting with baited breath when he could be of use again. With Nick, Charlie had never felt more in the spotlight. Every smile, wave, or endearing look thrown his way felt like an electric shock or slap to the face, something yelling "Hey! He likes you!" in his ear. It always felt too good to be true.

It only became truly real when Nick told Charlie that he wanted to come out.

" Oh my god, I like you so much," he'd said with that easy smile. " And I love liking you ."

Ben had made Charlie feel like every breath Charlie took was one too many. Nick couldn't seem to get enough of him. There was one time where Charlie saw Nick in the corridor before Nick saw him, and he just watched for a moment as Nick looked over the other students' heads, scanning until he caught sight of Charlie and his face split into a wide smile. The idea that someone had been looking for him, and being so happy when they saw him, made Charlie realize that he had found his person.

Nick was his person. The person who looked for him in a crowded room, the person Charlie could never miss (It didn't matter that Nick practically towered over everyone else). Nick always made Charlie wonder how he ever could have tolerated the way Ben treated him.

I love liking you .

How could Charlie ever choose somebody else?

Nick always knew that Charlie was out of his league. Kind, sweet, cute Charlie who was so smart and knew how to play the drums and always destroyed him at Mario Kart like he was getting paid to do it.

Nick had never much cared about hair before he met Charlie. Hair was nice, but Charlie's curls were on a whole other level. The first time Charlie went to his house with a new haircut, just begging for Nick to run his fingers through it, he couldn't stop staring. Now, he was pretty sure Charlie's show of pulling his cap off when Nick opened the door was purely strategic, though he didn't mind.

Sometimes he wondered if he should've realized that he liked Charlie sooner, seeing as every one of Charlie's beautifully earnest smiles sent his heart into overdrive. At the same time, he also didn't really care since now he got to kiss Charlie whenever he wanted, which was up there in the top five list of Nick's favorite things to do with Charlie. The other four being talking, cuddling, playing video games, and taking Nellie for walks, though not particularly in that order.

Nick had to have been a pretty great person in his past life to be dating Charlie Spring. Probably Gandhi, or Buddha himself. He'd known since the first time he kissed Charlie that he was lucky, even if he'd never get the chance again. When Charlie wasn't angry at him for being a coward and running off, when he was understanding of Nick's desire to figure himself out before coming out, then when he didn't pressure Nick about coming out even after he realized that he was bi, Nick knew there was no better person for him.

Charlie was his person. The person whom Nick could fall into after a stressful day. The person Nick could rely on just as much as he relied on Nick.

Charlie was most definitely Nick's favorite person. When Nick splayed himself across Charlie's chest, despite Charlie's half-hearted complaints that he was heavy, Nick only ever focused on each breath Charlie's chest rose with and the strong heartbeat that echoed under Nick's ear. It was all so grounding, like a security blanket. That, paired with Charlie's fingers, calloused from drumming, carding through his hair was nothing short of heaven.

It didn't hurt that Nellie also adored Charlie. Dogs were a good judge of character, not that Nick would have needed Nellie's opinion on Charlie, but it was nice to have.

There was one time when Nick had done horribly on a test. It wasn't a very important test and wouldn't do a whole lot to his overall grade, but Nick had studied so much for that test, and failing felt like a personal attack to himself. Charlie hadn't asked any questions about it, hadn't even really said anything, just let Nick's head rest on his lap while Charlie played with his hair and drew random designs on the skin on his neck with a long finger. Then, Charlie had pressed a chaste kiss to Nick's temple and Nick knew there was no one else he ever wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

How could Nick ever choose somebody else?