You make me ache

C32: Guard dog and Dark places.

Tyler's POV.

"Hi guys!" Zoe shrills, and I watch startled as she rushes over to us with her arms spread wide whilst Alfie battles with the luggage at the door.

"Don't touch Troye!" I quickly shriek, desperate for her to not embrace him and unknowingly hurt him.  Zoe freezes looking puzzled at my sudden outburst and I get up to hug her, ignoring how Troye rolls his eyes at my protectiveness.

"Hey, I apologise for my guard dog here, he's a little over cautious" Troye says and this time it is my turn to roll my eyes .

"What are we missing?" asks Alfie, after overhearing my loud protest and now joining us in the living area. I begin to explain Troye's injuries, reinforcing the need for them to be cautious with him, whilst Troye tries to convince them that it is not as bad as I am making it out to be. I hush him telling him there is never any harm in being cautious, especially when it comes to his safety.

"Troye, you poor thing" exclaims Zoe as she rushes to his side. I smile as she cradles his head in an awkward side embrace, clearly wanting to show him affection without running the risk of causing him any pain.

"When did this happen? And where?" questions Alfie, looking both concerned and confused as the two of us sit down on the soft sofas. Zoe releases Troye from her arms and joins Alfie on the sofa opposite us. Troye begins to explain the story that he had shared with me during our taxi home from the hospital last night and the returned couple listen intently with sympathetic and shocked expressions fixed onto their faces. Shifting his position so that his body finds mine, Troye involuntarily pauses his story as he emits groans at his movement. I slowly help bring him into my arms, wishing away his pain as I kiss the top of his fluffy, un-styled hair.

"Why didn't you text us? You must have been so worried Ty" Alfie probes after Troye resumes retelling the accident.

"We haven't really had a chance to tell anyone if I'm honest" I say, before directing my speech at my nestling boyfriend, "You should probably call your mum though babe". However as I rub my thumb along his shoulder in encouragement, he lets out a whimper showing his displeasure at the idea.

"Can you call her for me? I really don't want all the worried questions".

"I can if you really want, but you know she's just going to demand to speak to you afterwards anyway right?" I remind him, causing him to whimper again. I trace his pouted lips with my finger, telling him that the conversation will be fine.

"Maybe I can just not tell her?" he suggests quietly, dragging the question out as if he is afraid to finish it, knowing that it is cowardly.

"Absolutely not Troye! She needs to know" I scold, shaking my head.

"He's right Troye" Zoe agrees, now standing up and checking on her adored guinea pigs. Troye turns his face, sinking it into my chest in reluctance whilst I place a kiss on his temple, continuing to keep him close to me.

"She's going to worry so much. Ty, you alone are bad enough. I don't need her concern too" he says and I try to ignore his complaint at my own worry, knowing that truthfully he is grateful for my help.

"She needs to know Babe. Yes she'll worry but I can promise her that I'll look after you" I whisper, brushing my lips against his skin as I talk. "Where's your phone?"

He replies by cursing and dragging his hands over his face, pressing the base of his palms into his eyes. I look at him puzzled before he informs me that his phone is still at the shop where he had his accident.

"What do you mean? Why is it there?" I ask and he explains that it was in his coat pocket that had been abandoned during the chaos of exposing his skin so that the paramedics could work on his wound. Understanding the situation, I try to reassure him that I can go and collect his phone for him but his eyes widen, clearly still panicked.