Charlie awoke and meandered from the bed towards the window, whereupon he parted the curtains, looking down at the beautiful water view from the villa in Copenhagen that he and Nick had shared after their graduation from the University of Leeds. Charlie, with help from Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk, had gotten the necessary funding to bypass his GCSEs, and take his A-Levels, as neither one of his parents were willing to fund it a year early. Charlie, in a way, had defied them, but he was very proud, gaining four—History, Maths, English Language & Literature, and French, the latter of which he used to communicate with Nick, becoming fluent rather quickly, much to his boyfriends' enthusiasm.

At Leeds, both Charlie and Nick heard about how LGBT rights in Denmark were taking off, and, since they didn't offer Danish, they opted to take German courses, so that they could find their footing, as they planned to move there post-graduation. Nick initially was going for a degree in Sports Science, but changed to Primary Education once he realized the impact he could have on such young lives. Charlie, meanwhile, went for an English Language and Literature BA, with the hopes of working for a publishing company.

Every Christmas and summer, Nick and Charlie would return to Truham, but would stay with Sarah at the Nelson house. Nellie was always happy to see them, along with Henry, a pug puppy that Nick had been surprised with after graduation. Charlie and Nick would always meet Tori and her partner, Michael, for a meal, or they would come over to Sarah's place. Sarah adored Tori, who even admitted that she cared for Sarah just as much. Michael, meanwhile, charmed everyone he met; he and Tori were currently living together, while Michael studied journalism and Tori psychology. The pair of them attended the University of Strathclyde, located in Glasgow, and were very happy.

David, meanwhile, had graduated on time with his own history degree, but had relocated to France to live near the various building sites of his and Nick's father. He seldom came to England and, when he did, he only came to see Sarah. Charlie knew that it hurt Nick that David wouldn't see him, so he did his best to be there whenever David visited, for, inevitably, Nick would be plagued with dark thoughts.

Imogen and Sahar were very happy, living together in Cardiff, a notoriously gay-friendly area, and owned a small law firm there, working on cases of race, discrimination, and sexual orientation. They were very proud of all the work they'd done, with Queer Intentions getting together for at least one concert every year, in London, which Nick and Charlie always flew back to England for. It was always a delight to see everyone.

Tao and Elle had done the long distance relationship thing, after Elle went to art school in the Netherlands, and Tao studied filmmaking in the U.K., each taking turns flying back and forth for holidays, birthdays, and other special events. The pair had gotten married soon after Elle had graduated and moved back to Truham, with Tao working for the BBC, and Elle teaching art classes at an independent art school. They pair were very happy, and now the proud parents to four adopted children—Helena, Gregory, Jackson, and Fiona.

Tara and Darcy were still going as strong as ever, with Tara teaching ballet after graduation from university, and Darcy opening a non-profit for teenagers in the LGBT community. They were still barred from adoption, so they filled their house with various rescue animals—dogs and cats—and hoped that, one day, they would be able to legally expand their family. In the meantime, their work, and their fur babies, kept them very busy.

Isaac had embarked on a backpacking journey throughout Europe after his own university graduation, where he had gotten a dual degree in Business and English. After traveling for over a year, he now lived in Sunderland, known to be one of the safest places for LGBT individuals, due to their low crime rate. Isaac now owned and operated a bookshop with a small café in it, as well as published successful novels on the side. His bookshop and café were pet friendly, with dogs and cats, as well as their owners, frequent guests within its walls. He also owned a beautiful period property not too far away, with his tabby cat, Simpkin, for company.

As for Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Farouk, they still had Angus, the little black kitten Charlie had found that day in detention. They had left Truham behind, however, with Mr. Ajayi the other head teacher at Elle's art school, and Mr. Farouk was Darcy's official partner at her non-profit. The art school was, in actuality, very lucrative, so they were very comfortable with their new way of life, especially with Angus, and their new orange marmalade kitten, Contessa.

Midway through their third year at the University of Leeds, Nick and Charlie began scouring employment articles from Denmark, hoping to find both primary school and publishing house positions that they could procure. All in all, it was exhausting, as they'd also opted to take Danish classes at night independently, but they also knew, in the long run, it would be better if they spoke the language. By the time they graduated, they had gotten jobs in their chosen fields, and Sarah had surprised them with enough money to get a down payment on a lovely little villa not too far away from either of their jobs.

Before applying for Danish citizenship, Nick and Charlie had to work there for a period of four years, qualify for a permanent residence permit, be able to speak the language, not have criminal records, be financially stable, and integrate appropriately into society. Once that period had gone by, in 1994, Nick and Charlie formally applied for citizenship. They were relieved when they passed everything, and celebrated by registering as same-sex partners. It was a beautiful day, with Sarah, Tori, Michael, Isaac, Tao, Elle, Imogen, Sahar, Tara, and Darcy there to celebrate with them. Charlie didn't feel badly about his own parents not being there, as he knew that he would select his chosen family over them any day.

Charlie turned and looked over his shoulder, seeing that Nick was awake, and staring at him with the same hungry gaze he'd given him back in their Truham days, so long ago now. "And what is that expression for?" he asked.

Nick shrugged. "No reason. Just that Mum will be back with Daisy and the kids soon, so we'd better have some quality time together beforehand," he said, rubbing the empty side of the bed with a longing expression. "I mean, after all, how often do we get to have lazy Sunday love making sessions nowadays?"

Charlie smirked; a decade after the same-sex partnership allowances had taken place in Denmark, the courts legally recognized the legal status of two parents of the same-sex. It had been a joyful occasion, with Tori donating her eggs, Nick his sperm, and them finding a surrogate willing to give birth for them. Their twins, now six-years-old, Kayley Seraphina and Kieran Sebastian, were the apple of Sarah Nelson's eye, as well as very close to their Aunt Tori and Uncle Michael. Kayley had Charlie's blue eyes and Nick's auburn hair, while Kieran had brown eyes and Charlie's dark curls, and neither Charlie or Nick could ever dream of asking for anything more.

Charlie slowly shuffled over to the bed; Daisy, their golden retriever, was also with the kids and Sarah for an overnight, so she wouldn't be disturbing them either. As he climbed towards the edge, Nick suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Charlie by the waist and pushing him down onto the mattress, leading Charlie to squeal, "Let me go, you big Rugby idiot!"

Nick chuckled, hovering over the man he loved. "Got you now," he joked, leaning down and pressing a kiss to his lips. "Hi," he said softly.

Charlie beamed up at him. "Hi," he whispered back.

Nick shook his head. "I'll never get over how beautiful you are," he said softly. "Even though life gave us hell, I'd do it all again if it led me to you. My life is so much better since I met you, and you're my favorite person."

Charlie reached upwards and caressed Nick's face. "My life is better, too," he said softly. "And I think you know that you're my favorite person... Now, as you were..."

Nick smirked, leaning down and nibbling at Charlie's neck, just the way he liked it. "I could never tire of this," he whispered.

Charlie shut his eyes, the hot breath of his partner directly causing goosebumps to erupt on every surface of his skin. "Don't stop," he breathed, feeling himself growing harder by the minute in his sleep pants. "Oh, god, Nick..."

Nick reached downwards and yanked off Charlie's sleep pants, while Charlie's eyes snapped open and did the same to Nick. Nick pressed kiss after kiss to Charlie's neck, shoulders, collar bone, chest, his lean torso, stomach, and upper legs, before he arrived at his prize. "Fuck," he breathed, gazing down at Charlie's hardness. He swirled his tongue around the engorged head, while all the while Charlie fisted the sheets above them, mewling prettily as Nick took more and more of him into his mouth. Once Nick began to deep-throat Charlie, however, did Charlie gently take ahold of his hair.

"S-stop," he whispered, his legs trembling, and Nick pulled off immediately. "Sorry. I don't want to come yet. I want to come with you in my arse."

Nick smirked up at Charlie again, but nevertheless pushed himself upwards and fumbled in his nightstand drawer; they kept lube on both sides, naturally, as well as a few places around the house, mostly in places the twins would never bother to look in, or were too high to reach. Nick got out the lube and tossed it down onto the bed, his eyebrows raising as Charlie moved onto his front, but nevertheless wanted his partner to be comfortable. He kneaded his arse, appreciating the hmm-s of delight emitting from Charlie, before he slowly parted the smooth, beautiful globes, thanking the deities that they'd showered together the night before, before promptly tasting the unblemished, furled bud.

"Oh, Nick," Charlie groaned, his eyes rolling upwards and into his head.

Nick continued rimming Charlie for several moments, until his hole loosened enough for him to get his tongue inside. He then made a grab for the lube, which he delicately placed on his index finger, before swirling it around Charlie's rim, before slipping it slowly into his arse. Nick let out a sigh of relief as Charlie seemed to relax beneath him, letting out a sound of satisfaction as he drew his finger in and out, in and out, in and out. "Think you can take another one, baby?" he asked softly, a few moments later, his voice husky with desire.

"Hmmm... Yeah," Charlie whispered.

Nick leaned down, pressing a kiss to one of the fantastic globes of his arse, before he withdrew his first finger, added some more lube, and added a second finger into the mix. He chuckled in an indulgent manner as Charlie mewled becomingly, arching his back to get Nick's fingers more deeply inside him. Nick gently took ahold of Charlie's hips with his free hand, bringing Charlie up to his knees, drawing the two fingers out of his arse, and gently lubing up a third, before he entered those in as well.

Charlie's head lowered down onto one of their obscenely soft and plentiful pillows. "Fuck me, Nick Nelson, you Rugby king..."

Nick chuckled at that. "You know very well I only play with the small league formed with the staff and parents from Bjørns," he responded, naming the school he'd been employed at, Bjørns International School, for some time, which featured an English school for ex-pats, Cambridge International, where Kayley and Kieran thrived.

Charlie looked over his shoulder at Nick and grinned. "Yes, and I very much fancy those arms of yours..."

Nick smirked. "Oh, do you?" he asked, pulling his fingers out of Charlie's arse and flipping him over effortlessly, before putting a generous amount of lube on his cock.

"Yes, yes, yes," Charlie chanted, making a grab for a pillow and positioning it underneath his hips, ready and waiting for Nick.

Nick grinned at Charlie's eagerness, before taking ahold of his hips again and plunging deep inside his partner's arse, preening inwardly as Charlie moaned with gratitude. "Now that is a beautiful site," he whispered reverently, waiting for Charlie to adjust before he proceeded to piston his hips, over and over again. "I wish I could frame it, but I think it would be controversial whenever it's our turn to host staff Christmas parties..."

Charlie huffed ever so slightly. "It's not like I'm... Oh, right there, Nick... That fourteen-year-old you met in form..."

Nick shook his head. "I may have seen you for the first time in form... Fuck, Charlie, so tight for me!... But I count our first proper meeting when you were sixteen and I was seventeen."

Charlie's eyes popped open, and he gazed at Nick with such a fire that Nick very nearly expired right there and then. "I just wanted you to notice me so badly..."

"And I did, from the beginning," Nick assured him, bending so that he was as close to Charlie as humanely possible. "I'll always notice you, Charlie Spring."

Charlie let out an appreciative moan before he let go of the sheets, and wrapped his arms bodily around Nick, yanking him forward and pressing his lips to his in a commanding, possessive snog, which sent Nick reeling. "Faster," he breathed, before pulling Nick in for another kiss, his toes curling.

Nick doubled his effort, going as fast as he could, and reached in between them to grab ahold of Charlie's cock as he felt himself getting close. Nick worked Charlie in his hand, smiling with approval as his partner came undone beneath him, and he spent himself inside Charlie's arse just a few moments later. Nick gently eased himself out of Charlie, whereupon he collapsed beside him, breathing heavily.

Charlie inched closer, snuggling into Nick's side. "Fuck, I can't imagine it ever getting better than that," he breathed.

Nick chuckled. "If we were still in uni, I probably could take you up on that..."

Charlie turned and looked at the clock. "But we have to get a shower and change the sheets," he said softly. "Your mum, the twins, and Daisy will be back soon, and we still have to get the roast done up accordingly."

Nick huffed, but nevertheless got to his feet, helping Charlie strip the bed and tossing the sheets towards the door; he would grab them before heading downstairs. He then raced Charlie into the en suite, where a playful water fight ensued before they realized they really had to get a move on before Sarah, Daisy, and the twins returned. After their shower, they dressed in comfortable, smart-casual clothes, before Nick grabbed the sheets, Charlie re-made the bed with fresh ones, and they headed downstairs together.

Nick chucked the sheets into the washing machine off the kitchen, watching as Charlie prepared the roast beef, potatoes, and vegetables. "Glad I started the cake batter last night," he observed; he was typically in charge of pudding in their household.

Charlie grinned over his shoulder at him. "Good thing we didn't use it this morning," he joked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Nick laughed aloud. "I had no idea you were open to food play, Charlie."

Charlie considered it for a moment. "I think we'd have to put down a tarpaulin," he said. "Eh, too much work."

Nick joined Charlie in the kitchen shortly thereafter, relieved, once again, for the double cooker they'd invested in, when they'd saved enough money for a kitchen remodel. They had definitely spruced up the villa, with a master bedroom remodel (including the en suite), the loo remodel on the main floor (as well as upstairs), the library, and the kids' rooms, because they wanted Kayley and Kieran to have their own bedrooms once they left the nursery. Nick expertly transferred the cake batter from the bowl and into its pan, before setting the cooker to the proper temperature, put on the timer, and put it in.

"Good thing you made the frosting last night, too," Charlie said, beaming up at his partner for his innovation.

Nick, again, preened at the praise. "I do make a good cake," he said, pleased.

"I'm just glad that our children like the basics—white cake, white frosting..."

Nick grabbed ahold of his heart. "Charlie—you wound me! It's Confetti cake!"

Charlie grinned. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, leaving off the seasoning of the roast for a moment before he wrapped his arms around Nick. "Did I wound your precious ego?"

Nick huffed mockingly. "Perhaps just a little..."

Charlie stood on his toes and kissed him lingeringly. "Well, it's just as well. I'm just glad that you don't mind store-bought sprinkles."

"For the top," Nick clarified. "I always make my own for the batter."

Nick pressed a quick kiss to Charlie's forehead once the doorbell rang, and quickly left the kitchen to answer it. He beamed at the sight of his mother, his kids, and Daisy, who immediately let themselves in. "I got her, Mum," Nick said, taking Daisy off her lead as Sarah considerately shut the door behind them.

"Is Papá in the kitchen, Daddy?" Kayley asked, taking off her coat.

"He sure is," Nick replied, taking her coat, plus Kieran's, and hanging them up.

"I think I smell one of your daddy's famous cakes," Sarah said, hanging up her own coat.

"Cake?!" Kieran shouted, hurrying off after Kayley and into the kitchen, shouting with happiness as he and Kayley were greeted by Charlie.

"How were they last night, and Daisy?" Nick asked, turning to see that Daisy had gone into the parlor, and fallen asleep on one of her many beds throughout the house.

"They were wonderful, as always, Nicky," Sarah told him; she had taken to flying over to Denmark twice a year—once in the spring and again in the autumn—to round out the other times (Christmas and the summer holidays) that Nick and Charlie returned to Britain. "That little bed and breakfast I stay at is absolutely wonderful, of course, and they love having the kids, plus Daisy, around for one night."

"Just one?" Nick said, grinning.

Sarah laughed. "I don't know, I never asked," she said, going into her handbag and drawing out a parcel, as well as a stack of letters. "Seems as if you forgot your post yesterday."

Nick rolled his eyes, taking the parcel and letters, but leaned down and kissed his mother's cheek with a smile. "Thanks, Mum. Come on through."

Sarah came into the kitchen after Nick, beaming once she set eyes on Charlie. "Good afternoon, darling," she said, embracing her son-in-law with a kiss to his cheek. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks, Mum," Charlie responded; given that he had no contact with his parents, he'd taken to calling Sarah 'Mum' since their days in university. "Just put the roast and everything else into the cooker."

"How lovely," Sarah said.

"How are you? Did you enjoy your time at the Museum of Copenhagen yesterday?" Charlie asked; he and Nick were always pleased with the activities Sarah planned with Kayley and Kieran, even the educational ones, as she made them fun.

"It seems our Kayley is a monarchist," Sarah said softly, "while Kieran especially liked the history of weaponry."

Nick laughed. "Of course they did," he said, looking over his shoulder, where the twins were putting together a puzzle they'd started the day before. "Oh," he said, finally flipping through the mail until he'd reached the parcel, "Charlie, it came."

Charlie immediately stepped forward, seeing that the return address was Isaac's house in Sunderland, and he gasped aloud. "Open it, open it!" he cried.

Nick smirked, pleased at Charlie's excitement, as he opened the package. The cover art were photographs of him, Charlie, Elle, Tao, Sahar, Imogen, and Isaac, from their days at Truham and Higgs, in artistic poses. He remembered Tao taking the photograph, on the day that Charlie finally played with Queer Intentions for the first time. The title, The Heartstopper Club: An Autobiography, was written by Henderson Isaac, as Isaac believed it sounded much more sophisticated than his typical name. Opening up the book, Nick smiled. "Looks like he's dedicated it to all of us," he said softly, running his hands over the page.

Charlie wiped his eyes. "That's beautiful. What does it say?"

"It says: To my good friends – Charlie, Nick, Imogen, and Sahar, with whom I spent an unforgettable Saturday detention with. We came in as strangers, but we left as friends. In so doing, we discovered even more about ourselves in nine hours than we'd initially done in our entire lives. We are all still friends today, something I wouldn't change for the world. And even though we're scattered around Europe now, I look forward to the few times a year that we can meet up, and reminisce, about the old times. Also, to Nathan Ajayi and Youssef Farouk, the best teachers, and detention supervisors, anyone could ask for."

Sarah dabbed at her eyes. "That's beautiful, Nicky."

Charlie nodded. "It really is."

Nick reached outward, wrapping an arm around Charlie's shoulder, hardly believing that, after one detention, his life had truly changed for the better. He never would change it for a thing, he mused, as he read the final bit of the dedication. "Sincerely yours, The Heartstopper Club."