Help Me (sequel to Save Me)

Chapter 55

User 1: STOP HATING ON REMINGTON FOR DELETING HIS SOCIAL MEDIAS!!!! HE'S A HUMAN WITH EMOTIONS AND HOW DO YOU THINK HE'LL FEEL WHEN HE OPENS THEM AGAIN TO SEE ALL THESE FUCKING HATE COMMENTS??? MAKING UP RUMORS IS TOXIC. SO MANY NEWER FANS DON'T KNOW WHAT REALLY WENT ON AND FEEDING THEM LIES IS AWFUL!! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. NO ONE KNOWS, AND WE DON'T HAVE A FUCKING RIGHT TO KNOW. HE'S ALLOWED TO KEEP THINGS TO HIMSELF! SPREADING STRAIGHT UP LIES AROUND THE COUNCIL IS GOING TO DESTROY HIM IF HE SEES. I AM LITERALLY BEGGING YOU TO DELETE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HIM DELETING SOCIALS, BEING ABUSED, COLLAPSING, CANCELLING SHOWS! EVERYTHING! TAKE IT ALL DOWN!!!

It's the last day in Greece and the two are sitting on the beach sharing a bottle of lemonade as they chat and watch the people around them. Andy has seen so many horrible things commented under Palaye Royale's posts, and in the hashtags, and has decided that the best thing to do is just not mention it. Remington hasn't been on social media for a while and it's obvious it's doing him some good. He hasn't had a breakdown since he deleted them, minus the incident before their wedding. Andy just hopes that, when Remington opens social media again, he isn't bombarded with hateful comments and messages.

Remington takes the bottle of lemonade from his lover and sips it, squinting in the bright sunlight and shielding his eyes with his free hand. "I don't think I've ever been this happy in my life," he says out of the blue, bringing the bottle up to his mouth again.

Smiling and looking at Remington, Andy hums. "I told you a holiday was what you needed." He leans back and sighs, peaceful.

The younger nods, hands the lemonade to Andy, and lies back with his eyes closed. He's too hot but daren't take his shirt off. "I feel so safe with you," he tells Andy, "it's crazy." His hand covers his eyes and he breathes in the fresh air. Andy is smiling. He looks at his husband and he knows they're soulmates. "I never thought I'd be able to love again," Remington says, opening his eyes when Andy lies next to him. He turns his head to the side and gives the man an adoring look.

Andy has his hand on Remington's chest. "I'm a lucky man." The words are gentle, calm, sincere. He really is a lucky man. "I like it when you don't wear makeup. You're gorgeous without it."

Remington whines. "Not gorgeous," he protests, blushing a light shade of pink.

"Yes, gorgeous. You need to stop bringing yourself down. It's no good." He knows he says this a lot, but it's important for Remington to hear it, to know that he is beautiful.

The boy never knows how to respond to things like this. He finds it so difficult to look at himself and not focus on the things he doesn't like rather than the things he does like. "Why can't you just agree with me?" He asks, pouting and playing with Andy's fingers.

Andy shakes his head. "Because it's not true, sweetheart, and because that wouldn't be very supportive of me. I'm going to keep showering you with compliments." He strokes the younger's hair from his face. "You're cute without spikes. You look all soft and cuddly." For a moment, he goes quiet, just taking in the beauty of his husband, and then adds on, "you are all soft and cuddly." He brings the boy's hand up to his lips and kisses his knuckles, and Remington just smiles, letting his eyes close. "Good. You didn't argue with me that time."

Later on, back at the Villa, Remington is most disturbed when the need to hurt himself returns. He knew it wouldn't be gone forever, he just hoped it would leave off until they got home. It's gone past eight pm, and the sun is starting to set over the sea, and the boy goes to find Andy. He isn't going to have a repeat of the other day.

It isn't exactly a good idea to look down at the most recent cuts on his hip, but he does anyway, and frowns, running his fingers over the damaged skin and gasping when he walks into something. Someone. "You alright?" Andy asks, sensing the uneasiness, and Remington shakes his head. "Urges?" He gets a nod in response, and gently puts his fingers under the younger's chin, lifting his head up. "It's okay, petal, I'll keep you safe."

Remington wraps his arms around Andy. "I don't know why it keeps coming back," he mumbles, "I'm happy." His voice doesn't sound very happy.

"There doesn't need to be a reason, princess, and there's no shame in feeling like this. Do you know what I've noticed about you that makes me very proud?" He runs his hands over the younger's back and Remington shakes his head. "You've stopped scratching your wrists. They're all healed up." This makes Remington smile. He hadn't realised. "Why don't we sit in the hot tub for a bit? No dying, though."

Remington nods and giggles at the reference to his song, pulling back from the hug and kissing Andy. "You're the best," he announces, and pulls his lover outside.

"You gonna keep your shorts on, pretty?"

The boy shrugs, just grateful that Andy is asking and being cautious about not making him feel uncomfortable. "No," he replies, and steps out of his clothes, Andy doing the same.

They step into the hot tub and sit with their bodies pressed against each other, Remington's head on Andy's shoulder. "You're awfully precious," the man says fondly, hand on his husband's leg. "How are you feeling now, sweetheart, how're your urges?" He has to ask. It's important to him that he is sure Remington is able to tell him if something is wrong.

"Bit better," Remington mumbles, "you make me feel better." His voice is soft, quiet. "The urges are still there, but it's okay. I'm safe with you." He swings his legs over Andy's lap and leans against the man, head in the crook of his neck, and exhales. "I could go to sleep like this."

A comfortable, peaceful silence falls over them for a while, and Remington finds himself free from the upsetting thoughts. He lifts his head up and gives Andy a sleepy smile, and the man kisses his hand. "Feeling better?"

Remington nods and sits so he's straddling Andy, leaning in and kissing him, and humming at the contact his lover's hands make on his body. "Yep," he says, popping the p, and kisses Andy again, and decides he's going to open social media when they get home.

He feels ready for it now. But the question is; ready for what?