The Healing Process (L.T)

14

Ivy didn't keep track of how long they were singing but it was almost two in the morning now. They stopped a while ago, but they still played a few songs to keep as background noise while they settled down. Larry was sitting at the foot of his bed while Ivy stayed at the head of it and she watched the music video play on the TV, mindlessly wiggling her toes to the beat of the song.

"You feel better?" Larry asked, looking over at her with a soft gaze.

Ivy shrugged a little bit. "I guess...I'm better than I was before, but I can't stop thinking about Laurent. I'm sorry."

Larry waved her off. "Do not apologize for that. I know how it feel because he been drinking for so long and I try to break him out of it, but he don't listen. He is too into it and I hate to see him like that. Like I say, I don't like to fight with him, and even if I throw his stuff out, he buy more. It is so hard."

Larry sucked in a sharp breath as he tried to keep his emotions intact. He's gotten better at it because he hated crying around Laurent, or anyone he wasn't really close with. The longer things went on, the harder it was. He was carrying a lot of stuff on his back, and he knew he could handle it but he needed a break sometimes.

"I want to help," Ivy whispered. "But I'm too fucked up to do anything useful."

Larry chuckled a little and he leaned his head against the wall, staring up at the ceiling for a moment. "You a nice girl, Ivy. I like how you and my brother be with each other. Even though it is only two times I see you together, I know that he care for you a lot."

"I care about him too," Ivy whispered. "I like him a lot."

Larry smiled and he sighed, shutting his eyes a little as the room fell into a comfortable silence. Ivy shut her eyes as well and she curled into his blankets, wincing when her body ached again. It was starting to lessen now and a hot bath would definitely suffice for her, but she didn't feel like getting up. Just then, she heard the sound of someone dragging their feet across the floor and she knew it could only be one person. She sat up slowly and she looked over at Larry, who was already falling asleep in the spot he was in. She stood from his bed and she took her time to leave his room, knowing that rushing herself would result in more pain. When she got to his room door, she opened it up, peeking her head out. She saw Laurent's room door open and she stepped out of Larry's, going across the hall to his room. He was removing his sweatpants by the bed and she looked away, thinking that he was going to undress completely, but he didn't. He climbed into the bed in his boxers, lifting the covers over his body. He reached over to wrap his arm around Ivy, but when he realized she wasn't there, he frowned deeply.

"Ivy?" He called, sitting up as he looked around the room. "Ivyyy?"

"I-I'm here," Ivy said from the doorway. Laurent was still drunk, and she's had a lot of bad experiences with a drunken Bryce, but Laurent was kind of cute. Laurent reached his arms out and he wiggled his fingers, humming as he waited for her to come. Ivy smiled a little before she reached over and shut the light, making her way over to his bed afterwards. Thankfully, it was just enough light coming through the window for her to see where she was going. When she reached the bed, she climbed onto it, settling herself next to him once she got comfortable. Laurent grinned happily and he wrapped an around her waist, pulling her into him a little too roughly. She whimpered when he hurt her side and he stopped immediately, looking down at her through the darkness.

"Oh shit I am so sorry," he murmured. "I don't mean to hurt you, baby. I didn't mean to do that. You okay? You want anything? I have some medicine if you want it."

Although he hurt her, unintentionally of course, she couldn't help but smile at his rambling. "I'm okay, Laurent. Let's go to sleep, okay?"

Laurent hummed a little and he wrapped his arm around her waist, but he was much gentler this time. "Mmm, give me a kiss. Oh, wait no, can I...can I have a kiss?"