I Can Hear Your Strength (A Heartstopper FanFic -- BOOK 3)

6. Strength

The alarm was not set as early as it had been two weeks ago, but dragging themselves out of bed was still an effort. In Nick and Charlie's slightly hungover states, time morphed from excruciatingly slow while they waited for the taxi to pick them up, to entirely too fast as they were driven back across the island to the airport.

Before they knew it, the nine of them were sitting in the departure lounge, surrounded by a gaggle of reddened British tourists, feeling considerably sorry for themselves. Especially when Diane reminded Leo and Tillie that they were to be starting school in just a couple of days.

Nick and Charlie exchanged ashen looks as they remembered they themselves had to get up and go to school tomorrow morning.

Each time the end of the holiday had been brought up, Charlie was treated to a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew it wasn't just nerves about starting Year 11. Not just because the last time either of them had been to school felt like a lifetime ago.

But more than anything, Charlie was worried about Nick. Once they left form in approximately twenty-four hours, they would no longer be able to stay by each other's side every second of the day. Menorca had been an incredible break away from everything but... breaks had to end. The real world awaited. Charlie knew they needed time apart — at least some, anyway — but that didn't make the idea any easier. Just the thought made Charlie's breath catch. And not in a good way.

As they made their way down the tunnel onto the plane, Charlie focused on taking deep breaths and the solidity of Nick's hand in his own. The whole airport experience had gone a lot smoother this time around. This airport was a lot smaller than Heathrow, not as loud or overwhelming. And Charlie supposed they were both too tired to get too stressed out.

Nick and Charlie both fell asleep within seconds of take-off and did not wake again until the seatbelt signs came back on.

London glittered through the clouds below.

Maybe it was nice to be home.

Nick had been secretly glad when security had taken forever. Goodbyes were said huddled by the luggage carousels. Nick hugged his aunt and uncle goodbye, then gave one last cuddle to the twins. Tillie clung to Charlie extra tightly when he hugged her, so tightly in fact that her mother had to pry her away. A definite tear appeared in Charlie's eye as Tillie herself burst into tears. A valid reaction to being pulled away from Charlie Spring. Nick could definitely relate.

As Nick and Charlie followed Sarah, David and Portia outside and headed toward the car, Charlie felt the clouds gathering around his brain. And as they set off back toward Kent, he buried his face in Nick's shoulder and breathed him in as much as he could. In his head he was screaming and crying but on the outside... numb. Cold.

They stopped momentarily at the train station to let David and Portia out. The pair were headed back to Glasgow. Nick watched his mum hug his brother goodbye, then Portia too. Nick waved absently from the backseat of the car. David merely nodded in his general direction.

When it was only the three of them, Nick felt a tiny bit lighter about being home. The closer they got to Rochester, however, the firmer Charlie's grip around his side seemed to become. Nick could feel his hand shaking where it was fisted around his hoodie. He gently placed his own hand over it and removed it carefully, smoothing the tension from Charlie's fingers. Their eyes met and they clearly saw their own fear reflected back at them. Nick's eyes were shining.

"We'll be okay," Charlie whispered. "It'll be okay."

The amount of 'not okay' Nick was currently feeling right now was entirely too worrying. He should not be this scared of being parted from Charlie. Not when he knew he'd see him tomorrow. But he was. He was fucking terrified.