A Collection of Heartstopper Oneshots

The Universe Gave Me You - 7ate9

Summary:

In a world where, in the time leading up to when you meet your Soulmate, you get their first words to you inked on your skin.

Charlie Spring just received his, and he is not happy about it.
Notes:

Wrote this fic forever ago but I didn't have a middle so I've finally given it a middle yay enjoy
Work Text:
The one thing that got Charlie through all the bullying was his Soulmate.

He'd never met him, didn't know the first thing about him, but he spent hours daydreaming about him. He didn't know who he was, or when he'd find him, but his Soulmate was out there. The universe ensured it. Sure, there were some cases of people who went without Soulmates, never finding their other half. There were some people whose Soulmates were disconnected, who had another Soulmate. But Charlie remained hopeful, because that was so rare that it was nearly impossible.

No, Charlie maintained his optimism about this. Even during the darkest moments, when he held a blade to his skin, when he considered all the ways he could end this, end the bullying, end his life, he always went back to the blank skin on his left wrist. The one that would someday be filled with the first words his Soulmate would ever say to him.

This is not all that life is, he'd repeat to himself. He'd stroke the pale skin of his wrist, imagining shadowed words in his future partner's handwriting. Sometimes, he'd give the slight blobs more clarity, imagining they'd say something. Maybe they'd say, Can I borrow an eraser, or Is there anything I can do for you, or I've been waiting for you.

Still, his wrist remained blank, but he didn't let it deter him. Most people didn't get their Soulmarks until their twenties. It appeared when the universe was certain you'd be meeting your Soulmate soon. Some it takes days, some weeks, on occasion, months.

Elle and Tao met and instantly fell in love, giggling as they showed each other their Marks that had recently appeared. Tao's had shown up nearly three months before, where Elle's had appeared just a few weeks they met. Isaac loved Soulmates, but absolutely detested the idea of having one himself. Charlie let his friends be happy, and fantasised about the boy he was destined to love, and who was destined to love him.

Ben was not his Soulmate. Charlie didn't really mind. Ben wanted him, regardless of destiny. And, well, Charlie really wanted that.

It was over winter break. Charlie'd been extra fatigued lately, sleeping more, but feeling generally fine otherwise. And when he opened his eyes on the last Tuesday of break, he was feeling as well-rested as he'd been for weeks. God, he didn't want break to ever end.

He stretched his arms above him, trying to get the knot in his neck. When that didn't work, he stretched in front of himself, extending his arms as far as he could go.

Something dark on his forearm caught his eye. He gasped, bringing his arm in front of his face. His Soulmark. It appeared during the night.

Charlie felt a bit like crying. He'd always imagined he would, when he finally got it. He'd imagined he'd be so overcome with excitement that he'd weep, because it meant his Soulmate was soon entering his life.

Charlie was not crying tears of joy, or relief, or excitement. No, he instead felt a deep-seated dread opening inside his stomach, sucking every bit of sunshine and happiness from around him.

Hi. I'm Nick Nelson.

Charlie thought he might be sick. He threw on his nearest jumper, anxious to get the words out of his eyesight. Right after, he picked up his phone—it was 7:18 AM, his friends were going to murder him—and immediately, he began calling the groupchat.