Blood Red Lipstick [L.S.] ✓

Ch. 27; Lou.

Because Louis told him he'd be 'only like twenty minutes', he's not worried that it's been 22 and Louis isn't yet back.

He isn't, really.

That is, until he gets the phone call. 

He answers it, seeing the contact as 'Lou', not expecting anything odd. "Hey." Boring answer, sure, but he's slightly pissed at Louis for taking so long to get milk.

"Do you know Louis Tomlinson?" A man, who certainly isn't Louis, asks. He's Scottish, an older man, his voice reminds Harry of David Tennant. Harry springs to his feet.

"Uh... Yeah. He's my boyfriend." Harry says, confused. "Why?"

The man on the other end of the line sighs. "He's been in an accident."

"What?" Harry says. It takes him a minute to get it, to understand what the man means. 

The man sighs again, sounding pained. "There was a drunk driver..." That's when all of the air leaves Harry's body, and he finds himself collapsing onto the sofa. Gemma looks up, confused. "He- uh. My family, we were going to be hit... Louis- he- moved in front of our car."

"Harry? Are you alright?" Gemma asks, but he can barely hear her over the ringing in his ears.

"Is he alive?" Harry asks, frantically. "Is Lou alive?"

"I'm not too sure..." The man murmurs. "Uh, give me a second."

That 'second' stretches on for what seems like years, the horrible wait to see if Louis' alive.

"Um. He is... J-just about." The man says. "They're taking him to hospital..."

"Fuck, uh." Harry mumbles, swallowing the bile that rises up his throat. Lou. His Louis is hurt. "I- thanks for telling me." 

The man mutters something Harry doesn't hear, the line going dead.

He stands up abruptly, grabbing his bag and marching towards the door.

"Harry! What's wrong?" Gemma asks, scaring the shit out of him.

"It's- it's Louis. He's been in a car accident." Harry says. Tears threaten to spill, his throat feeling tight. "I have to go."

He runs out the door, sighing when he realises the only car that he has is Louis' (not that he'd be able to drive anyway) and takes off running down the street.

He accidentally almost bangs into an older man, who immediately starts yelling at him. "Fuck off!" He growls, not even bothering to stop.

He's only focused on one thing, and that's getting to Lou. He doesn't care how he does it, he just needs to reach Louis.

Finally he bursts into the hospital, frantically asking the people at the desk where Louis is. He's told where, but also asked not to run.

Motherfuckers.

He walks to the ward, looking around. A traumatised looking man is pacing around, jumping when Harry walks in.

"You the boyfriend?" He asks, and Harry nods, suddenly unable to catch his breath. "He's in there... They're- preparing him for surgery. I went with him... I couldn't bear if he were to... For my family." He says, looking awkward, pointing at the room farthest from them.

"No harm, man, but if he dies-" Harry begins, cutting himself off so the guy doesn't think he's a psychopath.

"No, I get it." The guy says. "Uh, I'm Andrew. I tried to tell him not to, but he was adamant..."

Harry sighs, sitting down. He finds himself wishing he weren't wearing this, but his usual clothes. And then really guilty for caring about his fucking clothes when Louis could die.

"Harry." He mutters. Andrew sits beside him, looking intimidated. 

There's noise, so many people wandering around with a purpose.

"Do you know about his injuries?" Harry asks, his hands are shaking. He can't seem to stop it. Andrew looks sympathetic.

"Uh, they said that two or three of his ribs are broken. Internal bleeding, somewhere. Not sure, I think his foot was pretty badly sliced, there was a lot of blood... There was a huge gash across his cheek from the windshield, he probably hit his head... The car didn't hit his side directly, otherwise he'd definitely be-" Andrew's cut off by a heart monitor flat lining.

They both whip round, the sound is coming from Louis' room. He stands up, and Andrew holds him back. "The best thing you can do is stay back while they try to resuscitate him."

Harry feels like he's underwater, sounds don't make sense, his vision fuzzy. 

Finally, the monitor starts again, a faint beeping. A welcome beeping. A nurse walks out.

"Mr. Tomlinson is alive. His heart had stopped for a total of six minutes, but there seems to be no permanent damage." She informs them, and Harry's legs give out. "We'll be taking him to surgery shortly, and he should make a full recovery. As far as we're aware, there's no lasting damage from any aspect of the accident. This may change, but just be aware of that currently."

Andrew thanks her, Harry not able to form words. He almost lost Louis... He did lose Louis. For a full six minutes, Louis wasn't alive.

Ten minutes later, Louis' wheeled out of the room. He looks a mess, and Harry's heart shatters just looking at him. 

A police officer walks in the minute the doors shut behind Louis, walking over to Andrew.

"I was told you were present at the scene of the accident." He says, smoothing down his moustache. It's hideous. "I'll need you to give a statement."

Andrew nods, standing up. Harry stops the officer. "Uh, the driver. The drunk driver. Are they alive?"

The officer shakes he's head. "No, he died on impact."

"Oh. Shame." Harry deadpans, and the officer chuckles.

"You're one of the first people I've met like this who haven't even bothered to sound remorseful." He informs Harry. Harry pulls a pained smile. Nothing can be funny, currently. Not with how Louis is.

The thing is, if the driver hadn't of died, Harry would of killed him anyway. At least this way he didn't have to suffer, unfortunately. Even though Louis is alive, the driver temporarily killed Louis, and he's in pain. That's unacceptable.

Absolutely fucking unacceptable. Harry would destroy the entire planet if Louis wanted him to, if Louis needed him to.

He almost lost Louis without being able to say I love you. He's lost his opportunity too many times already.

And now for the wait...