A Collection of Heartstopper Oneshots

You are my Home - csheartstopper

Summary:

Charlie has a favourite time of the day: when he gets to hug his husband.
Today, he's particularly craving it.
Notes:

For NightSkiesDark (nightskiesdark).
This is my gift for Nightskiesdark for the HSAO3 Commune Anniversary Exchange. You asked for displays of physical affections, I hope I honoured your wishes with this fluffy evening.

The discord server is my oasis right now, so happy anniversary for all the lovely people that are part of it.
Work Text:
The sun is setting, that only means one thing – Nick is running late. Charlie is anxious. Not worried that something happened, sometimes Nick gets caught up at work, but Charlie can't wait to get to his favourite time of the day when he gets to snuggle his favourite person in the world. Those hugs give him the energy to carry on for the last few hours of the day, and today he is particularly craving it. That's why he's currently sitting at the lowest step of the stairs.

The door looks odd from this angle. He tries to remember the last time he sat here. It must have been when he was teaching his little girl to tie her shoes. Just thinking of her makes his eyes start welling up. He needs a distraction. If Nick finds him sitting here crying his eyes out he's going to worry, and Charlie is just being silly, he doesn't want him to worry. God, that hug would do him good right now.

Charlie is about to go into the kitchen to put the kettle on when he hears Nick's car approaching. As soon as the door starts to open, Charlie scrambles up and crushes into Nick's chest, taking him by surprise and almost knocking him to the floor.

He's finally where he needed to be, in his husband's arms, but something feels wrong, Nick is not hugging him back.

"Sweetheart", Nick whispers into Charlie's ear. "Let me put the bags down".

Charlie just hums as a response, keeping his grasp around Nick's waist and his face buried in his loves chest. Nick hunches down a bit to let the bags he's holding fall to the floor, and puts his arms around Charlie's shoulders to hug him back. Nick rests his head in the crook of Charlie's neck and, for a moment, in that embrace, everything feels right in the world.

An involuntary sigh leaves Charlie's mouth and breaks the spell.

"What's wrong, honey?" Nick asks, evidently worried. "You almost tackled me there", he adds with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood.

"I miss her so much, Nick. I didn't think I would feel like this", Charlie whines, and then he feels his husband's chest vibrating. "Don't laugh at me!" He complains, swatting Nick's chest.

"Sorry, love. It's only been two days. If I had to bet, I would've thought I would be the clingy one, not you".

"It's just... working from home is easier with her around. We have our afternoon routine. And today was so lonely".

Charlie hugs Nick again, looking for more comfort. It doesn't last long, in an instant, Nick releases him, picks up the bags from the floor and starts walking to the kitchen. Charlie just gapes at him, feeling abandoned in his misery. Maybe he's being a bit dramatic.

"If you are like this after two days, I can't imagine how you would survive until the weekend. What will you do when she goes to uni?" Nick's voice resonates from the kitchen and Charlie follows it to help put away the groceries.

"Now you're just trying to torture me" Charlie retorts gaping at his husband, even though Nick can't see the nasty look with his face buried in the fridge.

"I actually hurt myself with that, too. Have you heard from her?"

"Nothing since last night. I was hoping for a picture at least".

"How many times did you text your mum when we went on our Paris trip?" Nick asks as he approaches his husband to hug him from behind.

"Are you comparing me to Jane? How dare you?"

Affronted, Charlie wiggles in Nick's arms but he just grasps him harder, making them both giggle.

"At least compare me with Sarah, we sent her pictures from the Eiffel Tower", Charlie adds, looking at the wall in front of them, where one of the selfies they sent to Sarah is surrounded by the many photographic memories they have gained through all their years together.

Nick releases one arm from Charlie to pull out his phone. "We can text her, you know?"

"I don't want to be overbearing", Charlie sighs. Since his little girl became a teen, it's been harder to know what the boundaries are.

"You are not", Nick says matter-of-factly kissing both of Charlie's dimples.

While Nick goes to change into more comfortable clothes, Charlie starts making dinner. He loves their routine, it makes him feel safe. They catch up on their day as they eat, occasionally holding hands across the table.

Just as they are finishing dinner, Charlie's phone starts ringing. He goes into the living room but doesn't get there in time to answer his daughter FaceTime. Seconds later, Nick's phone is ringing. They spend a good fifteen minutes seated on the couch, catching up with their daughter, who is having the best time on her first trip without her parents.

After the call, Charlie feels calmer. He snuggles closer to Nick; they've been doing this for years and it never gets old, this cocoon is their home. They start reminiscing about their first Paris trip, those days when they got so much closer and their relationship blossomed.

Whenever they go on a trip down memory road, Charlie is amazed by how far they've come and all the things they overcame and accomplished together. He remembers how meaningful those first moments were, and thinks about their daughter – she must be making similar memories right now. It's overwhelming.

"Do you remember the first time we hugged?" Charlie asks after a moment of silence.

"Of course I remember. It was the first time I went to your house".

"I wanted that hug to last forever, but in the instant I hugged you back, you left". Charlie shifts from his sitting position to straddle Nick's legs and be able to hug him fully, because he can.

"I can't believe we haven't talked about that day in all these years", Nick says, caressing Charlie's back. "I was so overwhelmed by my feelings for you, Char. When you tried to teach me how to play the drums, you grabbed my hands like it was nothing and I felt tingly all over my body. Then, when you fell asleep on the couch while we were watching a movie and your hand was next to mine, I wanted to hold it again so badly".

"I love holding your hand, hun. I love that we still do that after all these years, it makes me feel so cared for. And when we do it walking along the street, or doing the shopping, I remember that time in Paris when we saw two guys holding hands and you dared to hold mine in public for the first time. We are that couple for someone else, now. And that makes me so proud".

Nick reaches for one of Charlie's hands to hold it in his and takes it close to his mouth to leave the most tender kiss. Then, he rests their hands together between their chests.

"We are so lucky to have each other", Nick whispers.

Feeling their hearts beating through their joined hands, they fall asleep. Their limbs might hurt the next morning, but that doesn't tarnish the feeling of waking up in each other's arms.