Comfort --RWRB College AU

14. Lovesick

It's cold. Henry stirs up from his restless sleep, holding tighter onto himself hoping for some warmth. He opens his eyes, memories come flashing back after a few seconds. The feast, fights, tears, exhaustion. He feels the duvet beside him and curls into it. His heart is filled with raging emotions, sorrow, fury, fear, relief all mix together, fighting with each other, leaving Henry with a numb heart.

What's the time? He reaches out for his phone. The light of the screen makes him squint his eyes. The first thing Henry notices is not the time, but the notification. When he sees the "A", his heartbeat raises in reflex. Unlocking the phone as fast as he can, he reads the whole message. "A: Merry Christmas. I love you❤️"

I love you I love you I love you. Henry can hear Alex's voice swirling in his head. Replaying the short three-word phrase in his mind, he feels tears forming. The thought of Alex always melts all the masculine facade he puts on, exposing his sensitive heart. All the sadness, loneliness, and disappointment pour out his heart, making a hole there.

He types out "You too" with a pair of shaky hands, heart drumming against his chest. He almost feels sick, due to the overwhelming lovesick in his heart. God, Alex is going to be the death of him.

The buzz against his palm brings him out of his thoughts, Alex's messages pop up one after one.

A: babe ur still up?

A: isn't it 3am or so over there?

A: cant sleep?

A: anythin happened?

A: wanna call?

The continuous buzz makes his hands go numb, sending shivers all over his body. He can feel the tears dripping down his chin but he knows that the hole in his heart is somewhat filled. It is not him curling up in the dark alone, there is him, no matter how far away from him, always holding up a light, being there for him.

He presses the call button and Alex picks up almost at the same time. Doesn't even get the chance to speak up, the voice he's been desperately craving comes out of his phone. "Are you ok, baby?" It is the husky American accent that gets him drunk, with a lace of worry that Henry picks up on.

It is quite noisy at Alex's side, the buzzing sound of a crowd mixes with the blast of music, indicating that Alex is at some party. Henry takes a deep breath to calm himself. "Don't wanna keep you from the party for too long. J-just wanna ask, will you be home these days?"

Alex is utterly confused but he notices the nasal and shaky sound of his voice. He walks to the front door where there are few people, trying his best not to show his worry. "Baby I'm not going back to the party when you're calling, the party is not entertaining when you're absent after all. I am home, yes, for all of the holiday. Are you hurt, babe? What happened? You're scaring me."

Henry has no idea how to express the whole lot of ideas fighting in his head. All he can manage is the primary need in him right now. "Ca-can you pick me up at the airport tomorrow? 9 PM, the earliest flight."

"Sure, sure, I'll go pick you up. So what happened? If you wanna talk." Alex asks anxiously. The late December wind is sending shivers all over his body as he sits down on the stairs in front of the door.

Broken sobs come from the other side of the phone, Alex already pictures Henry curling up on his bed, wanting to cry so bad but is afraid to get caught by others, biting his lips hard while tears stream down his face. So this is how heartbreak feels. Alex feels the pain in his heart like he's stabbed in the chest.