When I Look Into Your Eyes (An AU Heartstopper Story)

15 - I thought you'd be here

"So there's this route we usually take when we're taking Henry and Nellie for a long walk. I don't know if he's taken the same route, but we could check some of the places we usually walk past on our walk. He might be there," Charlie said while tying his shoe. "That sounds like a plan."

Sarah took two umbrellas out of the basket in the hallway. It was still raining very hard, so they'd definitely need them. She handed a blue and yellow coloured one to Charlie. It was a present he got Nick for their 5th anniversary. That may seem like a horrible present, but for the two of them, it was a very special and sentimental gift.

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Sarah lowered her pace until she eventually stood still. "Maybe we should head back home, honey." Charlie stopped walking and looked down at the cobblestones in front of him. "He might be back there already." She added. Charlie looked up at her. "Yeah, I guess so..." He heaved a large sigh. Sarah stepped towards him and gave him a hug. "C'mon love, let's go before we get even more soaked."

"Actually, wait, there's one more place we need to check," Charlie said as he abruptly ended the hug. Sarah was a bit taken aback by this sudden news. "You go. I'll make my way back home in case he comes back." Sarah said. "You sure? Will you get home safe?" "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You go find Nicholas." She said with a soft smile.

With the chances of him bumping into Nick getting smaller with each step he set, Charlie suddenly realised how much he'd fucked up. He didn't do enough to ensure Nick was feeling safe, he didn't see the signs that probably were there all along and on top of that he was just being a really shitty boyfriend. No wonder Nick was gone.

"What's the point" he whispered to himself while approaching the place he and Nick had been to so many times. If Nick was gonna be anywhere, it would've been here. It was about a 15-minute walk from his and Sarah's latest location. And after walking for so long, Charlie had almost given up and walked back home, but there was this little bit of hope that kept him going.

It was almost as if that sparkle of hope was secretly an invisible piece of string pulling him closer to Nick. Cause when Charlie walked into the park, he could see someone sitting on the floor of the bandstand. That couldn't be Nick, right? He asked himself. Was he here all along? Charlie fastened his pace. The closer he got the more confident he was: it was Nick.

"NICK WHAT THE FUCK! WE WERE WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU." Charlie screamed. Nick was startled and turned towards Charlie, who was now walking up the stairs of the bandstand. "Why are you here? What are you doing outside? You're going to catch a cold." He said, whilst kneeling in front of Nick. Nick looked him in the eyes. "You've been crying," Charlie said. "Yeah," Nick replied. "I'm so sorry. I'm just so incredibly sorry," Nick muttered, tears forming in his eyes. "Hey, no 'sorry', remember?" Charlie said, trying to calm Nick down. He sat down next to Nick.

"I thought you'd be here!" Charlie said after a moment of silence. "Yeah?" "Yeah. Your mum and I have spent this whole morning looking for you. We thought we lost you forever." Charlie said. Nick turned his face towards Charlie. He looked at him for a brief moment, before pulling him into a hug. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what's happening to me."