Heartstopper one shots

Nellie to the Rescue

A/N: okay, this will start sad, but I promise it'll have a hopeful ending

Nick lay in bed, feeling lonely. He had just ended a FaceTime call with Charlie and couldn't stop thinking about him. He knew it was for the best, as the long distance was taking a toll on their relationship, but he still missed him deeply. He didn't know what he'd do without him.

Meanwhile, Charlie was staring at his phone with teary eyes, trying to comprehend what had just happened and that Nick had just ended their relationship because of the long distance. He felt like his heart shattered into a million pieces, and his mind was racing a million miles per hour. He knew that long distance wasn't working out, but he still had hope for their relationship.

After that FaceTime call, he guessed that Nick didn't, which hurt him the most. Nick felt a pang in his heart as he recalled the expression on Charlie's face during the call. He knew Charlie was crying but couldn't bear to see it. He wanted nothing more than to hug and tell him everything would be alright. But he also knew that what he did was for the best. They needed some space to sort things out.

Charlie threw his phone to the ground, changing into gym shorts and a shirt. He grabbed his headphones and began to make his way downstairs. He didn't care that it was 9 p.m.; he needed to run to clear his mind. The young teenager was about to walk out the door to start his run but sighed in frustration as his mom stopped him since it was late at night.

Jane stopped Charlie at the door, looking at him with concern. She had noticed that Charlie had been upset and distant lately and wondered if it had something to do with Nick.

Charlie frowned as his mom prevented him from going on a run. He knew she was looking out for him, but he couldn't stand being cooped up in the house. He needed to get some fresh air. He tried to convince his mom, but she remained firm. Jane could see the frustration on Charlie's face, but she was worried about him going out so late at night. She didn't want anything wrong to happen, especially since he was so upset. She knew he liked to run when feeling down but also that running in the dark wasn't safe.

"Mom, running is the only thing that'll help me clear my head right now," Charlie said desperately.

After a moment of hesitation, she replied with a sigh. "Just..."

"Promise me you'll be careful and won't stay up too late, okay?"

Charlie sighed in relief, "Thanks...I'm only going to go for 30 minutes."

Jane nodded, still looking a bit worried. "Alright, just take your phone with you if you need anything, okay?"

Charlie just nodded and walked outside, starting slowly and then beginning to jog. A few moments in, he yelped as he suddenly got tangled with a dog lease and stumbled to the ground. He let out an 'oof' sound and looked up as Nellie began to tackle him with hugs and kisses, causing him to chuckle weakly even at his emotional state.

Nellie's tail was wagging uncontrollably as she bombarded Charlie with love. She had recognized him from a mile away and was excited to see him after so long. She licked his face as if trying to comfort him.

"Oh, Nell's where you came from!?" Charlie cooed and bent down to pet Nellie properly.

Nellie barked happily and nuzzled her head against Charlie's chest. Clearly, she had missed Charlie just as much as he missed her.

Charlie hugged Nellie close and hid in her fur. Nellie let out a soft whine as if she could sense that he was upset. She licked his face and cuddled closer to him, her fluffy fur providing a warm, comforting presence.