Kaleidoscope (a Heartstopper fanfiction)

Romantic

Charlie came over the next day to watch a movie. "What are we watching?" he asked as they came into the room and closed the door behind them.

"Pirates of the Caribbean. It's a classic." Nick cleared his throat awkwardly. "Also, the movie that made me realise I'm probably bisexual."

Lifting an eyebrow, Charlie thought that over. "I can see that."

"Charlie."

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind? I mean, that I'm not ... gay."

Charlie caught his hand, standing up on his toes to kiss him. When they broke apart, he smiled. "Not as long as you still like kissing me." More seriously, he added, "I just want you to be comfortable with who you are."

Nick reached for him again, hugging him this time, closing his eyes and holding on tight. "You're amazing, you know that?"

He let go and they settled on his bed, watching the movie. Charlie had seen it before, but not for a long time, so Nick held back from reciting the dialogue along with the characters.

Part of the way through, he had a thought, and he looked at Charlie, tugging lightly on their joined hands.

"What?"

"What are you doing next weekend?"

Charlie thought that over. "Nothing, why?"

"Well, some of the rugby lads and I are going to the cinema, and I thought ... I mean, I thought it would be nice if you came, too."

There was alarm in Charlie's face as he considered it, so Nick hurried to explain.

"I checked with the others—Ben's not going, and neither is Harry. And I thought ... well, it was so nice being together with your friends—"

"Our friends," Charlie corrected him. "Elle likes you, especially now, and Tao will come round."

"Our friends, then," Nick acknowledged. He frowned. "Is there some reason you don't want to tell Tao?"

"Oh. Um ..."

"Is it because he hates me?"

"No! Tao doesn't hate you. He just thinks you're stringing me along. If he knew ..." Charlie squeezed Nick's hand. "If he knew about us, he wouldn't hate you. But—sometimes Tao gets carried away, and he either talks too much in the wrong places or he thinks he needs to ... fix things." There was something in his face that bothered Nick, and he wondered if Charlie was thinking of what had happened to him last year. He scooted closer, to offer extra comfort. "I'll tell Tao, I will. Just ... maybe not yet," Charlie finished.

"So what about the movie, then? I was thinking ... maybe if we spent more time with my friends, they would get used to seeing us together, and maybe, maybe it would be easier for me to come out to them."

"That makes sense." Charlie still didn't sound enthusiastic about the idea.

"You don't have to," Nick said hastily. "If you're not comfortable ..."

"No, I think it's fine. Some of them seem nice, or would be if they weren't around Harry so much. I'll go."

"You will?"

"Yeah."

Happily, Nick rested his head against Charlie's shoulder.

When they reached the scene he had watched with his mum the other night, Nick pointed it out to Charlie.

Watching the two faces, Charlie nodded. "I can see certainly see why you think Orlando Bloom is cute."

"Don't you?"

"No. He's not really my type."

"What is your type?"

He had meant it a bit flirtatiously, but Charlie took him seriously. "I don't have one, really. I just ... like guys who are interesting. And nice. And funny." He nudged Nick, smiling impishly. "And tall."

"How tall?"

"Just tall enough so I have to stand on my toes to kiss them."

"Hm." Nick smiled. "I think I have a type."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley kind of look alike ... and Orlando Bloom definitely looks like you."

Charlie laughed outright at that. "I do not look like Orlando Bloom."

"You do, too."

"You big dork." Charlie shook their joined hands affectionately. "Do you know what this is called?"

Nick looked at their hands, frowning. "Is that a trick question?"

"It's called interdigitation."

"Wow. Sometimes I forget what a nerd you are."

"It's from Latin. 'Inter' for intertwined, 'digit' for the fingers, and 'ation' for ... holding." Charlie laughed.

"Thank you, professor. Only, it's not a very romantic word, is it?"

Charlie gave him a sidelong glance, his eyes dancing with humour, and Nick took it all back. Orlando Bloom had nothing on Charlie, especially when he was in this mood. "Oh, is that what you were going for? Romantic?"

"Well," he said, pretending disinterest, "if you don't like it ..." He let go of Charlie's hand and started to pull his away, but Charlie held on.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"No, clearly I'm utterly failing to impress. I'll just have to think of something else."

"Such as?"

Neither of them were even thinking about the movie at this point. Nick turned to Charlie, gently cupping his face in one hand, his thumb lightly stroking Charlie's cheek. "Charlie," he whispered, and closed the distance between them, very slowly, keeping the kiss light, and soft, and sweet, and slow. He felt Charlie's hands closing on the front of his shirt, holding him there, and let the kiss deepen just a bit, still keeping it slow. That fizzy feeling was back. Nick felt light-headed and breathless.

Eventually he pulled back. "Was that romantic enough for you?"

For answer, Charlie tugged on the front of his shirt until they were kissing again.