We Made It |L.T|

Chapter Twenty-four

September 22nd

My heart began to beat a little quicker than usual when I felt an intense rush of chilly air strike my knee, causing my eyes to fluster open. My hand felt around the bed during those few moments in order to find the man with bright blue eyes. My hand couldn't find the man; only the cold, wrinkled sheets. I was alone, so I started to panic. "Louis." My voice was so hoarse from having just woken up that it came out in a whisper. I moved around in the now-cold bed when I got no reaction. My gaze finally settled on the momentarily closed bathroom door, with light filtering through the gaps. Since he was just in the bathroom, I let out a small sigh of relief. But the moment passed as I became aware of a sound I was too familiar with: gagging.

During my brief glance at Louis's nightstand, I noticed that the time was 3:45 in bright, red letters. I had to crawl from the blankets to the edge of the bed. I had just woken up and was leaning on my unsteady legs as I stood from the bed. Groaning from lack of sleep, I reached for my nightstand and used it to steady myself. I moved to knock on the door softly, but the man did not answer. Consequently, I decided to look in by slightly opening the door. "Lou?" With my eyes squinting from the intense brightness, I whispered.

"Are you alright?" My hands balled into fists and began to rub at my eyes as I whispered again, still not adjusting to the light.

"Go on back to bed, Baby." Louis croaked, shrugging off my worry and questions. "I'll join you than." 

He tried to downplay his illness, but I was persistent and didn't like the pain in his voice. So I didn't pay attention when I entered the bathroom and saw him reclining his head against the black modern sink cabinets. His face was very pale, and he was still dripping perspiration from his forehead. His lips were quivering from dizziness, and he briefly closed his eyes to quiet the pounding in his head. "Baby, I don't want to get you sick." His hazy gaze opened to glare at me as he eventually admitted.

"No." My bare feet touching the chilly floors sent shivers up my spine as I shuffled towards him and argued. "Athens, please go back to bed." I could see he was trying not to lose his temper, not wanting to snap, as he mumbled and closed his eyes once more. "Lou, it's alright." I crouched down next to him, my voice quieting. With my thumb stroking it back and forth, my hand moved across his warm cheek. "Athens, please." He begged as he swallowed his Adams apple, bobbing up and down.

"You always look after me, even after my surgery, and you're there for me whenever I wake up in a panic after a nightmare. You're there for me no matter what, and you constantly ask to know what's on my mind and what bothers me." With his bed head spread out in all directions, I began, running my hand through it.

"Why won't you allow me to help you? You handle your issues on your own." He was being so difficult that I choked on my tears. "You hide in your study or tell me to go, you won't talk to me about your problems. Your there for me, allow me to be there for you." I begged, his eyes not to leaving mine; his hazy blue eyes hurt, and remorse had poured into them, turning them grey.

My lip wobbled in frustration for just wanting to be there for him, like he is too me.

"Fucking hell." He cursed as he rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm sorry." He apologized as his blue eyes met mine. "I simply don't want to watch you get sick because I'd feel horrible about it and I hate seeing you suffer. Baby, I apologize for making you feel that way. It wasn't my intention; I admit that I may be hardheaded and difficult. But I know I hate seeing you in agony because it hurts me. I suppose I haven't done a very good job of explaining my issues. I simply don't want to add to your already heavy burden by burdening you with mine." He explained a tear slipping down in the process, as I never see the man cry before. But it warmed my heart that we felt the same way about each other.