Echoes of Love ( one direction)

Ready to Run

Louis' POV

The morning started with a low, insistent buzz that vibrated softly through my hearing aids—Harry's alarm. I groaned, burying my face into the pillow. My whole body ached, a dull, relentless throb that made every movement feel like too much effort.

I heard Harry shuffle next to me, his arm brushing against mine as he leaned over to turn off the alarm. The buzzing stopped, but I felt him linger, his hand resting gently on my arm.

When I opened my eyes, his were already on me, soft and full of concern.

"Morning, sunshine," he said softly, his voice filtering perfectly through my hearing aids. His curls were messy, and the way he looked at me made my chest ache in a way that had nothing to do with the fever.

I tried to sit up, but Harry's hand pressed gently against my chest, stopping me. "Uh-uh," he said firmly, shaking his head. "Where do you think you're going?"

"School," I mumbled, my voice hoarse.

Harry raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a half-smile that didn't quite mask the worry in his eyes. "Yeah, that's not happening, babe. No way you're going to school after last night."

"I'm fine," I lied, even though I could feel the heat radiating from my skin.

Harry snorted, clearly unimpressed. "You've got a fever, Lou. You're not going anywhere except back under those blankets."

I sighed, flopping back onto the pillow. "But school's important to you," I said quietly, my words barely above a whisper.

Harry blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Lou..." he started, then shook his head, leaning closer. "Hey, listen to me. Nothing is more important to me than you, okay? School will still be there tomorrow. Right now, I'm staying here to take care of my favorite person."

I felt my cheeks warm, though it might have just been the fever. "You're being dramatic," I muttered, but there was no bite to the words.

"Maybe," Harry said, grinning. "But I'm still right. Now, be good and rest."

But of course, I couldn't leave it there. After a few minutes, I pushed the blankets off and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

"Lou," Harry said, his voice sharp with warning.

"I'm just going to take a shower," I mumbled, trying to stand.

Harry groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Baby, you don't need to—"

"I'll be fine," I insisted, cutting him off.

But the second I got to my feet, the world tilted violently. My stomach churned, and my vision blurred until all I could see were hazy, distorted shapes. I took one unsteady step, then another, before the dizziness swallowed me whole.

"Harry," I managed to whisper, my voice faint and panicked.

The next thing I knew, I was in a tub full of cold water. My body shivered violently, and it took me a moment to realize my hearing aids were gone, leaving the world unnervingly silent.

I blinked slowly, my head heavy and sluggish as I tried to take in my surroundings. Harry was sitting on the edge of the tub, sleeves rolled up, his hands carefully working shampoo through my hair. His lips were moving, but without my hearing aids, I couldn't understand him.

I stirred slightly, and his head snapped toward me, his eyes widening with relief when they met mine.

"Louis," he mouthed, his expression softening as he set the washcloth aside.

He immediately started signing, his movements quick but clear. "You fainted," he explained, his hands trembling slightly. "You scared me, babe. You were burning up, and I couldn't wake you, so I had to cool you down."

I blinked at him, piecing his words together slowly. My chest tightened at the raw worry etched into his face.

"I'm sorry," I mouthed, my voice caught somewhere in my throat.

Harry shook his head, his hands moving again. "No, baby. Don't apologize. You don't have to be sorry for being sick. I've got you, okay? Always."

After washing my hair and rinsing me off, Harry drained the tub and wrapped me in a fluffy towel. He carried me back to the bedroom like I weighed nothing, his arms strong and steady.

"Our freshly cleaned prince," he teased softly, his voice low and affectionate as he nudged the door open with his foot. "You're not allowed to scare me like that again, okay? I'm way too young to have a heart attack."

I huffed a weak laugh, my head resting against his chest. "You're ridiculous."

"Ridiculously in love with you," he shot back, his grin widening when I rolled my eyes.

He set me down carefully on the bed, his hands gentle as he helped me into clean clothes. "There we go," he murmured, brushing a damp strand of hair from my forehead. "All cozy."

Once I was tucked under the blankets, Harry grabbed my hearing aids from the bedside table and slipped them back in, his fingers deft and careful. He secured the interpreter device behind his ear, giving me a quick thumbs-up when it connected.

"How's that, baby?" he asked, his voice filtering perfectly through the device.

"Better," I whispered, my throat tight.

"Good," he said, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead. "Now, stay put. I'm gonna grab you some water."

Before he could leave, I caught his hand, squeezing it lightly. "Thank you," I said, my voice barely audible.

Harry's expression softened, and he crouched beside the bed, his free hand brushing against my cheek. "Always, Lou," he said softly. "You're my favorite person, remember? Taking care of you is the best thing I'll do all day."

I felt my chest tighten, a lump forming in my throat as I nodded.

"Now rest," Harry said, pulling the blankets snug around my shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere."

As he climbed into bed beside me, pulling me close so my head rested on his chest, I let myself relax, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lulling me back to sleep.