delicate ~ L.W

Chapter 16: Home

Leah and I sit side by side in the taxi, hand in hand. I keep my gaze focused on her, concerned as she appears to be stuck deep in thought. The radio hums silently in the background, the busy London roads unusually quiet. I gently squeeze Leah's hand three times in the back of the taxi, snapping her out of her thoughts as we arrive outside her home.

I gaze over at her, "we're outside yours, blue eyes." I say softly, silently cursing when I use that nickname again.

She looks deeply into my eyes and speaks softly, "can you stay? You don't have to, I just... I don't... I don't wanna be..." she trails off.

"Alone?" I murmur softly.

She simply nods and looks away.

"Of course I'll stay, Le." I speak softly.

"Thank you" she mumbles, her voice thick with emotion.

I quickly pay the taxi driver and get out of the taxi, walking over to the other side and opening the door for Leah, holding my hand out to help her get out, having drunk less in the night. She takes my hand and I help her out of the taxi, supporting some of her weight. I shut the door of the taxi behind her and help her out of the taxi and gently guide her to her front door, a comfortable silence settling over us. She unlocks her front door and steps inside. I follow after her, turning the lights on in her house.

"Go sit down, blue eyes. I'll grab you a drink. The water's in the fridge, right?" I inquire quietly, gazing down at her.

She nods, "yeah, there's a few bottles of water in there."

I nod and guide her into her living room, helping her sit down in the sofa.

"Do you have any ice packs?" I ask softly, feeling a twinge of pain in my knuckles from punching that man at the bar.

She nods and speaks softly, looking up at me, confused, "yeah, there's one in the top shelf of the freezer, why?" She looks down at my hand, seeing my knuckles red and swollen, starting to bruise, "oh." She whispers softly.

I gulp softly before whispering, gazing down at her, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have punched him. I just..." I trail off with a sigh.

She clears her throat and shakes her head "you don't need to apologise. Thank you for... y'know."

I nod "I'll be back, okay? Let me grab you a drink and an ice pack."

She nods, staring at the opposite wall, absentmindedly.

I walk out of her living room and into her kitchen. Once I step into her kitchen, I sigh softly, taking a moment to reflect on the night before opening her fridge, grabbing a bottle of water, placing it down on her kitchen counter. I close her fridge gently and open her freezer, pulling out the first drawer and grabbing the ice pack. I close the drawer and the freezer, wrapping a tea towel around it.

I grab the bottle of water and the ice pack, walking back into her living room and taking a seat on the sofa next to her.

I pass her the bottle of water, which she gently takes off me, opening it and taking a sip. I place the ice pack over my knuckles, applying slight pressure but quickly removing it with a pain filled wince.

Leah sighs softly and turns to face me, gently taking the ice pack from me "let me do it" she whispers softly.

I nod and she gently takes her hand in mine and places it down on her knee as she holds pressure down on my knuckles with the ice pack. I wince slightly as I gaze down at her. She lifts her gaze from my hand up to my eyes. We gaze into eachothers eyes, an unresolved tension thick in the air.