A Collection of Heartstopper Oneshots

Tied (to the Shifting Ground) - Thunder_McBlunder

Summary:

"Charlie was cool. Like, seriously cool. Despite all the gross rumors and muttering behind his back, Charlie still walked into class with a smile most days. Not a lot of people can do that.

Not to mention his personality in general. Then Charlie would surpass just cool. It was the way that he treated everyone kindly. Just something about it...

...it made Nick feel just a bit lightheaded."

S1 Ep 3 party as a cute lil one-shot sprouted from my brainrot. Feat. Nick accepting his crush on Charlie a bit sooner, and not wanting to be quite so secret.
Notes:

WOOOOO I COMPLETED A STORY FOR ONCE

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRPNnrpN/

this is the tiktok that inspired me to write this :D
(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

The party had gotten off to a relatively good start. Nick wore what he hoped was a nice-looking outfit, and tried to get himself in a somewhat-partying mood.

A DJ had been hired to play deafening songs for those who just wanted to lose themselves in dancing, and that was actually what a majority of the attendees did. Others scattered, alone or in small couples and groups, getting food and mild drinks that had been provided.

Once Nick had arrived, one of his rugby buddies immediately spotted him and practically dragged him over to the dance floor. There, he met his buddy's girlfriend, who frankly was a bit too... high. To talk to.

Nick was generally uncomfortable, which had started to become a trend around his mates. They just... made him feel like a hermit. Like he had to hide almost every aspect of himself apart from rugby.

He attempted to look like he belonged there, nodding and half-smiling as his friend told some story about being a football player back in sixth year. He made it sound like it was so long ago, and it was amusing.

It was hard to concentrate on anyone with the music pounding into his eardrums. Sure, the songs were good, but could it kill the DJ to turn it down a little?

His friend turned to talk to his girlfriend, and Nick focused on the song instead.

Harry would never play songs like these, and it was surprising that the boy in question didn't throw a fit about it. If it were up to Harry, there would probably be a lot more dodgy rap. Which... honestly gave Nick a headache whenever he heard it.

Nick vaguely recognized the song, the voice and short guitar strums just short of screeching in his ears.

He stood there, feeling a bit awkward as his friend turned back to him. The smell of weed hit him strongly, and he struggled to not scrunch up his nose so as to not look rude. He was vaguely aware of curls of smoke rising up from the dance floor.

"So, you get yourself a date yet?"

Nick shrugged. It probably wasn't the best idea to go on and say he invited a boy that made him question certain things about himself. "I mean, yeah, if... if she shows up."

It felt so wrong to say "she." So, so wrong. He just wished he could say it was Charlie, without fearing the nasty looks people would send. But he and Charlie apparently weren't supposed to mix, opposite sides of the social spectrum, and that separated them like a concrete wall.

Yet oh, how he had managed to bust a Nick-shaped hole through that concrete.

His may-or-may-not-be stoned friend continued dancing, satisfied with the 'she' that Nick had supposedly invited. The atmosphere momentarily felt warm and groggy, the body heat of the large crowd surrounding Nick and making the back of his neck sweat.