Heartstopper Oneshots

Meal times.

TW: Eating disorders, cussing, and S/H.

This is my first heartstopper oneshot, be nice ☺️
Words: 1523
Nick's POV:

I wasn't sure how I could be so stupid, how utterly and ridiculously oblivious I was. Especially because I'm supposed to look out for Charlie, and I'm really supposed to look out for him when it's so painfully obvious it's one of his 'bad days' as we've dubbed them in the past.

It all happened when I went round his, everyone was out for the night. Some family outting Charlie had gotten out off. I made him a safe food, just butter noodles with cheese. I should have known better, should— should have noticed.

From the moment I said hi to him in form and walked him home after rugby practice, something was up. He wasn't holding eye contact and when I did look in those beautiful blue eyes they looked glassy with unshed tears. But I hoped that once I'd go over to his house later, it'd get better.

It didn't. Only worse.

He picked at his food, pushing it around to make the portion seem smaller. I knew the hack all too well, having seen it countless times. "Char," I murmur, "Can you.. uh, try to eat just a bit more?"

I tried to not push, especially when he just hums in response and pokes at a noodle. "Charlie. I'm serious, you didn't eat lunch and I'm not sure. if you ate breakfast." I explain, keeping my eyes fixed on him.

".. 'M not hungry, Nick." He mutters back to me. If I only had noticed the tremor in his hands or the way he picked at the skin around his nails. "Charlie! God you're so difficult!" I snap.

He blinks up at me, his eyebrows raised in fear before they furrow. Angry. He hadn't ever been angry with me before. "You need to try harder! You need to push yourself, especially when you're having an 'off day'." I put air quotes on the last two words with my fingers.

Charlie sits there a moment, gobsmacked. Absolutely shocked. "I— Do you think I'm not trying hard enough, Nick?" I knew it meant to come out with a malice tone, but his voice shook while he tried to not cry.

"I am trying, Nick! I'm trying so goddamn hard!" He says, pushing the plate away. "If you think I'm not trying then you can just leave, okay?!" He cries, trying to blink back tears.

I blinked before I got angry back, "No! You're— you're not fucking trying, Charlie. Take a bite and I'll believe you're trying." I knew it stung hard because instead of crying, his face hardened in anger.

"Get the fuck out of my house, Nick." He spits, "You don't think I'm trying then you can leave." Charlie then rubs his face, turning his back to me as he shakily breaths in. I can't even form a response as I put my shoes on, an angry and upset pep in my step.

I'm out the door, heading home. I walked home, hands stuffed in my pockets. I was so pissed, I didn't think about the one rule Tori, their parents and I came up with. Don't leave Charlie alone during a mealtime, especially on bad days. Never on bad days.

When I'm sitting on my bed, I don't bother texting him. So angry at the whole situation, the way we dealt with it— so infuriating! I kicked my shoes off and I'm out like a light the moment my head hits the pillow.

I wake up what feels like hours later, although it's only been an hour and a half. It's all due to my ringtone basically screaming at me. I recognize the contact as Tori and fear seeps into me. Fuck. Tori never calls, she avoids it as much as possible.

"Tori?" Before I can ask anything, "You vain rugby idiot! Do you have any idea what you've done?! You left Charlie during a mealtime. You can't do that! You can't."