Help Me (sequel to Save Me)

Chapter 109

Trigger warning.

The first thing Remington says to Abigail when she opens the door is, "me and Emerson had another fight."

She steps aside and lets him in, following him into the room. "What was this fight about?" Abigail asks, sitting down and waiting calmly for Remington to explain.

"He was being fucking rude as fuck to me!"

"Okay, Remington, take a moment to breathe, and tell me what he said to you."

The boy inhales and exhales slowly, and looks down as he tells her. "He said he's surprised that Andy hasn't abandoned me yet." He looks up. "I think he's right. I think-I think Andy should leave me, before I-before I fuck everything up and ruin his life even more than I already have. And-and then I can just-I'll jump off the fucking cliff or-or overdose and everyone-everyone will be happy without me, because no one even thinks about me ever and I'm such a fucking fuck up!" He breathes in sharply.

Abigail shakes her head. "You're not a fuck up," she assures, "and Andy isn't going to leave you, Remington, he loves you and he cares about you. Has he done anything that makes it seem like he doesn't care about you?"

"I don't-I don't know." His voice reduces to a whisper. "No."

The therapist hums. "How have you been sleeping?"

"Not great."

"Okay. Are you having nightmares?"

Remington nods but doesn't say anything.

"And you're eating, yes?"

Again, he nods. "Yes, mostly."

"You look tired, Remington, and stressed. I think you need to take a few days to switch off. Let Andy take care of you, and get some proper sleep."

Remington looks down again. "I just-I don't want to burden him like that. I'll be fine." He knows he won't be fine if he keeps going on like this, but he hates making others look after him, even though being looked after makes him feel so much better.

Shaking her head again, Abigail crosses her legs. "It's not a burden to need taking care of, and it's much better to tell Andy that you need him to look after you than to say you're fine and then end up having another breakdown."

"But what if he's-what if he's tired of me? I'm tired of me." The boy yawns and rubs his eyes. "I'm just tired."

"He's not tired of you. I promise. You need taking care of, Remington. Tell him, okay? He'll understand."

Remington yawns again. "I-I don't think I can tell him."

"Why not? Is there something going on that you haven't mentioned?"

"No, nothing. I just don't-I feel all weird. I want him to take care of me, but I-oh God, I can't even form proper fucking sentences."

Abigail frowns. "It's okay. I don't want you to be under any pressure to tell him. Do you need me to tell him when he picks you up?"

The boy nods, grateful for her being so gentle all the time. "Yes, please."

When Andy arrives, Abigail approaches his car window, and he winds it down. "Hi, Andy. Remington's feeling a bit run down and could really do with some taking care of for a few days, if you would be able to do that."

"Of course, I'll do anything for him."

Remington settles in the passenger seat and sends his therapist a thankful smile before she turns and walks back inside, and Andy rubs his knee. "I'm so tired," the boy mumbles, "did you buy cat food? We ran out this morning."

"I did. And I got some more popcorn, too."

With a soft smile, Remington leans his head on his hand, and looks out the window. "I love you," he says.

Andy pulls out onto the main road. "I love you, too, sweetheart. Do you know what we should do later?"

Remington yawns. "What's that?"

"Build a blanket fort and put on a movie."

"You really are my soulmate."

At home, Remington reads for a while why Andy makes dinner, and the two eat together in the kitchen, sitting across from each other and talking. After dinner, they gather blankets and pillows, piling them on the floor by the bed.

They eventually make the fort, after having a pillow fight and a fifteen minute cuddle on the floor against the bed, which nearly sends Remington to sleep. Andy makes a bowl of popcorn and returns to the bedroom, where Remington is scrolling through Netflix on his laptop, face down on the bed underneath the blankets. Andy crawls in beside the younger.

Remington finds a movie, and takes a piece of popcorn from the bowl. "This is the best idea you've ever had," he jokes.

"We've already seen this film."

The boy hums. "I know. I like it. And I already know what happens, so when I fall asleep half way through, it won't matter."

Andy smiles. "Good point."

"I'm full of good points."

"I'm sure you are."

Remington ends up lying half on top of Andy, with his legs curld up against the man's side. "Your heartbeat is my favourite sound," he whispers, "makes me feel safe."

Playing with his husband's hair, Andy turns the volume of the movie down. "You are my favourite everything," he says softly, "if you try to argue about it I'll lie on my front so you can't hear my heart beat."

"That's not fair," Remington whines, and yawns. "Don't wake me up. I'll cry."

"I won't. Sweet dreams." He shuts the laptop once Remington has drifted off, and grabs the blankets above them, pulling so they fall down.

With the blankets over them both, Andy scrolls through social media for a while, until he's falling asleep, and wraps Remington in his arms without waking the precious boy up.

He couldn't be more in love if he tried.