LOUIS' POV
He was floating somewhere dark, all he could see was black, he could hear something pounding far away. It was like a thumpthump, maybe someone was playing the drums? Maybe they could tell him where he was. He wasn't sure if he was moving, the bleak nothing lent no sign of if he was floating closer to the sound. He didn't know how much time had passed before he realised that the noise he was hearing was made by his own heartbeat. Ugh just let me sleep then. I feel so tired.
Louis began to see little pinpricks of colour in the the blackness, like you do when you close your eyes. They began to brighten more and more until it was too much to bear and he had to squint. When he opened them again he was looking at a hospital room and there he was; lying prone on a bed with all different types of hospital paraphernalia bleeping and blinking around him. I look like shit. He was about to move closer to the bed when the door opened. Louis turned around and almost cried when he saw Niall standing there unharmed.
His face broke out into a smile just as his best friend's crumbled and the blonde boy started crying. I'm fine! Louis desperately wanted to say but the words wouldn't come out. NIALL! he screamed but his friend showed no sign of hearing him as he slowly walked towards the bed as if each step caused him pain. He watched as Niall sat beside him sobbing and holding his hand.
Lou? Louis? I- uhh, it's me, Niall. Can you hear me? Can you try and come back to me, love? the words echoed back to Louis as if through some thick membrane that made the words seem as if they were as thick as molasses.
Ni. I'm trying, but I don't know how. I need you, I can't do it on my own. I'm scared.
Niall continued crying and Louis' heart broke as he watched his friend brush his fingers over Lou's hand. Louis almost screamed when he realised he could feel it, not Niall's fingers exactly but where Ni traced over Louis could feel warmth. The warmth intensified when he saw Niall kiss his palm. Oh god, oh god, please just let me wake up. Let me wake up and I promise I'll try to love him back. I will.
Suddenly the room began to fade and Louis cried out but it was too late he was already in a garden. Niall's garden he realised when he saw the familiar blue tree house. Ni! Look at me! Look! I'm almost flying! Can you see? Can you see?
There Louis was, standing on a moving tyre swing; his feet in the the hole of the tyre and his hands gripping the rope. His nine-year-old face was stretched by his massive grin, at that time, his favourite thing to do was impress his best friend Niall. Louis looked around and spotted Niall in the sandpit grinning at Louis, his castle forgotten as he admired his friend. That's so cool Lou!
Louis watched and knew what would happen next. Little Lou lifted one leg to try and stand on top of the tyre but as his other foot left the tyre the whole thing became unbalanced and Louis fell into the dirt. Louis began to raise his head, tears already falling when Niall shouted Duck down!
Just as Louis lowered his head the tyre came swinging over him narrowly missing him. Niall ran over and stopped the tyre then crouched down next to Louis. Oh Lou come here Niall crooned as he pulled Louis closer, mindful of his scraped knee. Come on, I'll take care of you. I'm going to help you Lou.
Louis watched with a smile as little Niall pulled his nine-year-old self up off the ground and let him lean on his skinny form as they slowly walked to the house. Inside their nanny was napping on the couch but Niall ignored her and led Louis into the kitchen grabbing a chair for him to sit on. Niall jumped up onto the kitchen counter and opened up the cabinet with the First Aid kit. Louis was still whimpering when Niall cleaned his knee and applied a red plaster over it. I'm going to kiss it better Lou, would you like that? Louis nodded and watched with shining eyes as his best friend pressed kiss after gentle kiss to his knee until Louis stopped sniffling. I love you Lou. I'll look after you always.
I love you too Ni, both little Louis and big Louis replied.
Louis remembered that for the rest of the day Niall treated Louis like a prince, fetching him juice boxes and insisting on Louis playing with his favourite toys when usually they fought over them. When the lights had been switched off by their nanny Niall crawled onto the mattress on the floor where Louis was and cuddled him. They both lay on their backs with Niall's arm around Louis' shoulder and looked at the stars on the ceiling. Louis saw that little Lou fell asleep quickly his face pressed into Niall's chest. His heart swelled when Ni stroked his hair back and kissed his forehead. Love you Lou, you're my best friend in the world and I'll always protect you from the baddies.
The room with the green walls faded out until Louis was floating in the hospital room again. Niall was looking at him the same way as he did when little Ni had cleaned Lou's knee; with love, concern and warmth.
I love you Louis. I really fucking love you and I need you to come back to me. I've got no one else. If you go then I'll go too. So you need to wake up. I know you're hurting and I know you want to stay asleep but you need to be here with me. I don't care if you can't love me back, I don't. I just need you to know that I love you. I can't believe you never knew how much you meant to me. Hell, I didn't even realise until now. I just need you. I need my best friend. I need a reason to keep going. I need Louis. I need-
Niall's words were gradually becoming clearer and Louis realised that he was floating down towards the bed, closer and closer to his unconscious body. He was absorbed into himself and everything was black again, but he felt the warmth of Niall's hands cupping his right one. The warmth spread throughout his body slowly and soon he could hear beeping. He strained to opened his eyes, to wiggle his toes, to squeeze Niall's hand; anything to quicken his awakening. Finally the darkness began to recede and it began to redden; the light shining through his eyelids and the blood inside them. He moved his tongue and licked the dry roof of his mouth. Oh my god, this is it! His fingers strained and finally they ever so slightly tightened around Niall's hand.
He heard an intake of breath and Niall's hands opened as if he was trying to get a better look at Louis' hand. "Louis? Baby? Are you waking up?" Niall whispered.
You damn skippy I'm waking up. Louis twitched his fingers again and then focused all his concentration on getting his eyelids to open. It was honestly the hardest thing Louis had ever done but the bright light started appearing through his eyelids and he kept going. He blinked a couple of times but refused to close his eyes because of the light, afraid that if he did he'd never open them again.
"Oh my god, oh my god. Louis! Lou! You're awake!" Niall squealed, squeezing his fingers.
Louis shifted his head, disorientated, until his eyes fell upon the blonde boy sitting next to him. He blinked a couple of times, not sure if this was the same person. The same person who cleaned his knee, who held him at night, who had saved him countless times. This Niall had shining blue eyes, as pure as the blue of icebergs, his blonde hair glowed even under the harsh fluorescence of the lights that seemed to drain the colour of everything but the figure in front of him with skin so clear and looking so soft. This Niall was an angel. Never had Louis ever looked at Niall and realised just how beautiful his best friend was.
"Ni," Louis croaked, his throat parched.
Niall collapsed into his side, still holding his hand, and all Louis could see were his shoulders shaking as he sobbed.
