Teach my Heart to Stop Again: part 2 of a Heartstopper AU fan fiction

Mr. Spring

Charlie couldn't stop smiling. A weight had been lifted off his shoulders after telling his parents about Nick and his engagement. He didn't really know what he had expected. He was a grown man, well and truly, of course they would be happy for him.

When they arrived back at their apartment in the afternoon, Charlie went straight to his laptop to check his emails, again. 

"Still nothing," he called to Nick, who shrugged and gave him the same oh well, kind of face he did every time. It had been almost a week since they got back from France and they had still not heard anything official from the school board. Charlie was beginning to think (well not beginning because the thought had occurred to him since receiving Harry's email) that Harry had just been messing with him.

Charlie closed the laptop, leaned back on the couch and sighed. He was slightly annoyed at himself for checking as it had brought his good mood down a bit. Nick joined him on the couch and patted Charlie's lap affectionately.

"I could message James? See if he has any ideas?" Nick suggested.

"No," Charlie sighed, "not yet, give it another week. We still have a bit of time before term starts."

Charlie didn't want to ask James for help. He didn't trust him since finding out he was good mates with Harry but he knew Nick really liked James and didn't want to get between any of Nick's friendships. Especially after what had gone down with his rugby team a few weeks ago.

Charlie tried to put the email from Harry and the board's decision out of his mind. They had already waited so long so far, he could wait a little longer. Besides they still had a lot to discuss regarding their wedding plans. Charlie looked down at the ring on his left hand and smiled to himself. Everything else aside, he felt like he was living a dream, being with someone like Nick, that someone like Nick actually loved him, that he was actually going to get to marry someone like Nick! But there was no one like Nick, only Nick and he was all Charlie's.

The next morning Charlie woke and rolled over to see Nick sitting up in the bed scrolling on his phone, "Morning," he mumbled contently and leaned down to kiss Charlie on the head.

"What do you want to do today?" Charlie asked casually, still half asleep.

"What day is it again?" Nick laughed.

"Um, does it matter? haha."

"I guess not, it's summer!" Nick grinned back at Charlie.

They decided to go out for brunch. Nick suggested they go to the café they used to go to when they first started seeing each other, the one close to Charlie's old flat. It made Charlie feel so happy, that Nick was the one suggesting it. They hadn't been there since Charlie had moved in with Nick but it had fond memories for Charlie and he wondered if Nick had picked up that it was somewhere Charlie had always felt more comfortable eating.

Over fruit toast and coffee Charlie and Nick chatted casually about their plans for the last few weeks before school went back. Nick suggested they go to the beach that he took Charlie to last school break and Charlie thought that was a great idea. They would also try and get together with friends again, spend some more time with Nick's mum and go to London to do some shopping.

Elle and Tao would be returning with Nick's car in a couple of weeks. Charlie could tell Nick was anxious to get his car back in one piece. Charlie's car was older and a little less reliable which seemed to make Nick anxious about making any longer drives until they had his back, so they decided to wait until then before they did their day trip to the beach and make the shopping trip to London. That was fine, they had plenty to plan for the next couple of weeks.

All the talk of plans made Charlie think about what Elle had said to him before they left for the airport in Nice, about an engagement party. He knew they still had a lot to talk about regarding their wedding plans, it was as if they were both putting it off to a certain extent. They had been content just basking in their happiness and love and joy from being newly engaged, taking their time to tell the people that mattered. But Charlie thought discussing an engagement party might be a good first step towards getting them ready to make some bigger decisions regarding wedding planning.

"What are your thoughts on an engagement party?" He asked.

"Well, I think it's a great idea!" Nick replied enthusiastically.

"Yeah but like when? And where? And how big? And what kind of,"

"Charlie!" Nick interrupted, "that's a lot of questions!"

"Sorry,"

"Don't use the S word, I'm overwhelmed by the whole engagement and wedding conversation too."

Charlie smiled. Nick knew him so well, but Charlie knew sometimes he didn't read straight away that Nick was masking his own anxiety. Charlie laughed, "Why are we like this?"

Nick laughed as well and took hold of his hand, "Because it's a big deal, we only get to do this once and we want to make each other happy."

Charlie couldn't believe how Nick still could make his heart stop like that after all the months he had known him.