My Darling Feline (Bill X Fem! Reader)

Chapter Six: Our Old Friend Death

Louis's performance was nothing short of enchanting, captivating the audience from the moment he stepped onto the stage. With each graceful movement and compelling line delivery, he held the spotlight firmly in his grasp, commanding the attention of all who watched with effortless charm and magnetism. Louis breathed life into his character, embodying the Grim Reaper Adler. 

"Ellen... You have bid adieu to this world."

The final lines echoed, and the room exploded in applause. Everyone was on their feet, cheering for Louis and Ellen like they were rock stars. The curtains slid closed and Legoshi and I exchanged grins; proud, relieved, and maybe a little exhausted. We flicked off the lights and made our way down the stairs, still riding the high of a job well done.

But then we stopped dead.

Louis was crumpled on the floor, surrounded by a crowd of worried faces. 

I'd known he'd been pushing himself too hard. That ankle was a ticking time bomb, and every step had been making it worse. Bill and Riz, the tall bear with the calm eyes, hoisted him gently and started toward the infirmary, the rest of us trailing behind like a flock of anxious sheep.

At the hospital bed, Louis was hooked up to an IV drip. The room fell silent, thick with worry.

Then came the grunt.

Louis stirred, slowly pushing himself upright. His eyes locked on all of us. Big, brown, wide, and suddenly panicked.

"The audience... did anyone notice?" His voice cracked like a whip.

I stepped forward. "No. You passed out after the curtains closed. Nobody saw a thing."

Louis furrowed his brows, eyes dropping to the blanket for a second before lifting them back to mine. Something in his expression shifted, like the storm had passed and left behind a little humility in its wake.

"I suppose I should've taken your advice," he said, voice low. "I apologize for my behavior, Y/N."

I knew exactly what he meant. The office and the way he lost his temper like it was a sport. Around us, a few confused glances darted between faces, trying to piece together the subtext they weren't invited to read.

"You're an idiot," I said flatly. "You should've dealt with it way sooner."

Louis gave me the tiniest smile, one that looked more like surrender than anything else. "I know. Now tell me what I missed."

"It's eight," Bill cut in, arms crossed. "Nurses checked you out already. You broke your left leg. There's no way you're performing tomorrow."

A feathered smack landed squarely on Bill's stomach. The drama teacher glared up at him. "Bill, please."

"What?" he said, unfazed. "What good is it to hide the truth? Especially from Louis."

"The director's right! Don't be so insensitive!" Ellen snapped, glaring daggers at him.

Bill just shrugged. "Okay, okay. Sorry for being the only one with working vocal cords."

I couldn't ignore the irritation crawling under my skin as I watched the scene play out. Everyone suddenly had a problem with Bill, even though hello he wasn't wrong.

"Bill's not lying," I chimed in. "Louis is in no shape to perform. Whether you think it's 'insensitive' or not, it's the truth. You shouldn't feel too bad for him either. He knew he was in excruciating pain and still went ahead and did everything he wasn't supposed to do on a broken leg."

The room got quiet, like I'd just confessed to being the one who snapped Louis's bones personally.

But to my surprise, Louis chuckled. Not a bitter laugh either, like an actual, amused laugh. The guy wasn't even mad. Of course, he wasn't. Louis probably hated pity more than he hated weakness, and this was his perfect out.