Sixth form hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park for Nick, and while he’s put on a brave face all year to support Charlie, it’s all catching up with him a bit, especially as the two boys contemplate having sex for the first time.
Meanwhile, Elle is struggling after what happened during her radio interview. Let’s recap this new episode of Heartstopper season 3.
NOTE: This post contains spoilers for Heartstopper season 3 episode 7, “Together”.
Being there for each other
The friendship between Tara and Nick is perhaps one of the most precious things on Heartstopper. It doesn’t get a lot of screen time, but each scene between those two is an opportunity to learn more about what is really going with them. As they catch up after a dog walk, Tara explains to Nick that sixth form has been a very stressful year for her and while she enjoys going to ballet classes, the commute there is adding to the stress load. He offers to drive her there from now on, and while she appreciates the offers, she reminds Nick that he needs to look after himself more and not always care for others.
Meanwhile at Lambert’s, Elle is having a hard time with her art ever since the radio interview that was too focused on transgender issues. Tao can tell she is feeling down but he doesn’t quite know how to help, and Elle isn’t even sure she wants to talk to him about it. During a conversation with her friends Felix and Naomi, she reveals she thinks Tao cannot properly understand how she feels.
Later on, we find Tao reviewing footage he filmed of Elle and that gives him an idea. When she comes over afterwards, he explains he loves making videos for his loved ones to help cheer them up, so he made one for her and they watch it together. Elle is very touched and finally tells him she had been feeling like the whole world is against her, and that she wasn’t sure she could talk to him about it because he might not understand. He acknowledges that but promises that he will always try.
Together also shines a light on another couple: Darcy and Tara. The former comes to watch Tara during one of her ballet classes and then uses this chance to tell her that they are grateful for the support she gave them throughout the year, especially as they explored being nonbinary.
Teenage hormones
One thing is obvious, Nick and Charlie want to have sex and their teenage hormones are raging. It feels electric when Nick touches Charlie, he can’t stop looking at him longingly and thinking about it. But there are also other things on Nick’s mind, things much less fun than sex, like figuring out which university to apply to and what to do with the rest of his life.
So, of course, Nick would much rather focus on sex first, but he and Charlie have a hard time finding the right moment. During a sex education class, Charlie explains to Isaac and Tao that he is nervous about it and doesn’t know how to bring the topic up again with Nick. The whole notion of “doing it for the first time” is just as nerve-wracking for him as it is for Nick though, who hears a classmate boast about it like it’s no big deal.
Thankfully, as much as he has tried to make it sound like he was an instant expert on the subject, Tao admits to Charlie that his first time with Elle wasn’t exactly perfect or effortless, and he goes on to pretty much say that it takes two to figure it out because no one knows what they are doing when they lose their virginity. On his end, Nick talks about it with Tara, but she cannot really tell him much about sex between boys, can she? What she can do, however, is remind Nick that he has been through a lot this year, because Charlie being ill was also tough on him, and she encourages him to acknowledge that.
Tired of trying to find a moment alone, Nick suggests to Charlie that they should have a sleepover at his house, just the two of them with no one around. Charlie says he will ask his parents, but as Tori later tells him, “good luck with that.” And indeed, when Charlie catches his mother in a good mood and asks, she isn’t very keen on allowing it. She asks him to wait until his exams are over, but Charlie gets aggravated.
He thinks that because he is mentally ill, she doesn’t think he is ready. If Mr. Ajayi nominated him to be head boy next year, why can’t his mother trust that he is strong enough for this? They have an argument and fed up with everyone walking on eggshells around him, Charlie leaves and goes to Nick’s.
There he explains what happened and expresses his frustration with others perceiving him as fragile. But to Nick, Charlie is everything but. Nick tells him he feels more fragile than his boyfriend, who knows who he is and what he wants while Nick is just freaking out about uni and his future, and being lost without Charlie. Then, as Charlie reminds him he is allowed to be a mess sometimes, the two boys start making out.
And guess what? Now they are alone! Now is the time to stop talking! So they get busy with it, and consent is at the cornerstone of what happens next. It’s all very loving, and it’s all about making sure the other is comfortable. Just like anyone’s first time should be.
Now there is only one episode left on this third season of Heartstopper! What else does the show have in store for Nick, Charlie and their friends? Watch more on Netflix now to find out.
All episode of Heartstopper season 3 are available on Netflix now.
