to build a home; cth + afi

III

chapter III; calum

he's currently laying on the couch trying to match his heartbeat to the beat of the music when a pair of arms lifts him off the couch to stand up. he reads the clock above the TV and sees that it's 4:27 but he he looks outside it's still dark out. this thought really confuses his brain and he tries to make sense of it but the only thing he can now think of is the muffled voice trying to explain things to him.

"okay cal, can you please keep walking for me. now just try and lean a little more on me so i can help you. okay come on, easy does it."

he can hear all the words but they don't make sense. they are so mumbled and mixed around. he can't quite figure out what they want from me. he never seems the figure it out.

after what feels like simultaneously forever and a few seconds, he feels the necklace he wears around his neck that's tucked deep inside his shirt be pulled up and over his head. he tried to reach for it as he doesn't want anyone sneaking into his room, but he can't seem to get his arms to do what he wants them too. he is stuck being limp and lethargic against the body that's making his feverish one even hotter.

out of the corner of his eye his see the key that hangs on the chain being used to unlock his bedroom which is the only room he keeps locked during these kinds of nights. as the weighted door is swung open, he is so gracefully carried to his bed where he lands half face down, half on his side in a crumpled ball of himself. he takes a few seconds to slowly roll around and relax onto his back. but then his jacket is then taken off and so were almost the rest of his clothes besides his t-shirt and boxers. he is feeling so cold and he digs himself into the covers but his body is layered in a thin sheet of sweat. he wonders when the chills that rattle his bones are going to set in.

calum is now stuck under the duvet listening to the rustle of someone else in his room. putting things away in his drawers, moving things around, hearing the soft think of clothes being thrown into the right corner of his room.

he keeps wanting to talk and ask questions but his brain and mouth don't feel connected right now so his inquiries just swirl around in his head in a constant whirlwind. who is taking care of him? who is talking to him? who just locked to door again? who is tucking him into bed? who is arranging his pillows in his secret way that he sleeps with them? who is shutting the curtains so he doesn't wake to the sunlight shining through the blinds in the morning? these and so many more race through his head. he starts to figure out how to connect his thoughts tonight again when he mumbles and whines, but before he can say a coherent sentence he feels the other side of the bed dip down and they reach over him and finally turn off the lamp, before whispering in his ear

"it's okay cal, you can go to sleep now, i'm here and i'll be here if you wake up"

and that's all his brain needs to hear before he turns to the side and goes to sleep.

oof sorry this was so short, i didn't want to drag it out unnecessarily longer than it needed to be

but like i know some things were awkward in this, please bear with me, i'll hopefully get better at this and maybe edit it in the future idk tho

but any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

i promise more will be happening soon both in the book and with updates, life is just a big fucking mess right now but ya know what's new

anyways thanks for reading, love you all da most x