Heart Attack (a HeartStopper story)

Charlie. Running.

Song recomendation for the chapter: Bad idea right? - Guts - Olivia Rodrigo.
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"¿Can i call you?"

Charlie sent that message in the middle of the night, unable to sleep. Tossing and turning in bed. He didn't even know if Nick would be awake, but he needed some kind of anchor to reality. After Matias had left he had spent the day trying to work, trying to sleep, trying not to cry, and failing terribly at all three.

Luckily Nick answered that message just by calling him back.

"Hi."

"Hi... Everything okay Char?"

"I didn't wake you up did I?"

"No, I'm already in bed but I wasn't sleeping yet. I'm all yours. Tell me."

"... I had a horrible afternoon. I..." Charlie couldn't hold back the tears again.

"Do you need me to come over? I can be there in a few minutes."

"No no. Not at all. I'm fine. It's just..." His voice broke again.

"I won't be long. I'm on my way."

Embarrassed for feeling like a burden as usual Charlie gave himself over to crying for a few seconds, and luckily it didn't take to long for his cell phone to vibrate again.

"Should I climb the tree or your parents don't mind if I come trough the door? I'm already here."

Charlie couldn't help but smile as he hurry down. Nick was on the other side of the front door, wearing his striped pajama pants and a gray sweatshirt. He was panting a little from the rush he'd left his house in, it had only been 20 minutes, and he was still stashing his car keys in his school bag.

"Was it too bold of me to assume I'd sleep here?"

Charlie just threw himself into his arms. He had no shoes on and was wearing only his boxers and a light t-shirt, surrounded by a blanket as usual. Nick shivered as he felt Charlie's full weight on him, and lightly carried him so he didn't touch the icy street floor and could stand on his shoes.

Charlie just kept crying, thanking life that Nick was there.

"Let's go inside, you're freezing."

Nick carried him to the bed without letting go for a second. He sat him down and he sat on the floor in front of him, legs crossed and their hands intertwined.

"Nick I... he came to see me and... I didn't know what to do..."

"He didn't lay a finger on you did he?" Nick suddenly tensed suddenly, and his tone became as sharp as metal as he held his hands tightly protectively.

"No no... it's just, I broke his heart... and he broke mine."

Nick just looked at him sweetly. He could tell Charlie had been like that all afternoon, and Nick regretted not being able to be there, but he had to make things right with Imogen, and though he was still kicking that around in his head, at least it wasn't weighing on him anymore. He would tell him later. Seeing Charlie so broken was horrible, but nothing in this world thrilled him more than being there for him, for better or worse.

"its okay... its okay... just let it out. I think you should go back to bed Char." He nodded as his beautiful eyes glistened with fresh tears. As he tucked him in Nick hesitated whether to get in bed with him or just sit next to him...he didn't want to keep disturbing his personal space.

"Char can i..."

Charlie just pulled him to his side, smiling through his tears, and tucked him into bed with him, as Nick turned out the light and snuggled in next to him. There they stayed for quite a while, as Charlie used Nick's chest as a pillow while he let it all out. Nick just stroked his hair gently and, when he was ready and the tears stopped flowing, planted a kiss on his forehead.