Hey, Blue

9 - Care

He wasn't in the bathroom anymore, he couldn't be. The softness of the comforter on his skin a stark contrast to the cold tiled floor.

When had he moved?

He floated somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, the edges of his mind soft and blurred. The pain had dulled to a distant hum, no longer sharp and all-consuming, but still present enough to not fade along with the rest of his awareness. He shifted slightly, his body feeling heavy and sluggish, but there was a warmth beside him, something steady anchoring him.

A hand—familiar and gentle—threaded through his hair, the touch soft and rhythmic, lulling him back into the haze. He could feel it in the way the fingers moved, so careful and deliberate, like whoever was afraid of hurting him, even now.

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Marley stirred, the faint ache in his head pulling him from the depths of sleep. His body felt heavy, limbs sore and stiff, but the sharpness of the pain had dulled. The worst of it was over. He blinked his eyes open slowly, the room coming into focus through the early morning light streaming in through the curtains.

Everything felt a little disjointed, like the pieces of the night were scattered in his mind. He didn't remember much after the bathroom, just fragments of Emrys's voice and his hand in Marley's hair. Now, as his senses came back to him, he could feel the dull, lingering soreness across his body, but it wasn't unbearable. The storm had passed.

Marley shifted slightly, feeling the weight of his body protest as he turned onto his side. His eyes fell on his phone, now resting on the bedside table where it hadn't been before. He stared at it for a moment, confusion clouding his thoughts. He didn't remember putting it back.

Then, as his gaze travelled a little further, he saw Emrys. He was sitting on a small stool right next to the bed, his upper half slumped forward, resting on the blankets. Emrys's arms were folded beneath him, his head nestled into the crook of his elbow. Completely out like a light, his chest rose and fell softly with each breath, completely oblivious to Marley's wakefulness.

The sight made Marley's heart clench. He didn't remember Emrys being there when he drifted off, and he certainly didn't remember him dragging a stool over to sit by his side all night. Marley's eyes softened as he took in the peaceful expression on Emrys's sleeping face, the concern that had clearly weighed on him now gone in the tranquillity of sleep.

Marley swallowed thickly

Without thinking, he reached out, his hand shaky as he gently trailed his fingers down the side of Emrys's face. His skin was warm with sleep beneath Marley's touch, the soft rise and fall of his breathing steady and calm.

He stayed. All night.

The thought settled in, slow but certain, wrapping around him like a blanket. Emrys had stayed. Even after everything, he hadn't left Marley's side, hadn't gone back to his own bed. He was still here.

Marley's thumb brushed lightly over Emrys's cheekbone, and he felt his throat tighten. He didn't deserve this—this kind of care, this kind of loyalty—but here Emrys was

With a quiet sigh, Marley turned his attention to his brick, resting beside Emrys. He picked it up and winced as the screen lit up, showing a long list of missed messages. Khairi had sent him multiple texts throughout the night, the last one reading :

– you alive???

Scrolling down, he noticed several from Emma as well, leave it to Khairi to overthink everything :

Hey, Khairi's worried. You good? Seriously, just let us know you're okay. Marley, please.

His chest tightened, guilt settling in. He hadn't meant to worry them, but between the pain and exhaustion, responding had been the last thing on his mind.