You saved me from myself

Chapter Nine

"I don't know, Lou."

Louis sat on top of his bed with Niall in the chair next to it, feet across the bottom part of the bed.

"But why not, Ni?" Louis sighed. "You've met him, right? He's tall, toned, and actually the sweetest ever."

"It's not that, dummy." Niall said. "I'm not blind, I can see why you like Harry, I'm just not too sure it's a good idea."

"Yeah, I know." Louis sighed. "And speaking of..." He turned and took his journal from the nightstand, placing it between them. "It's not only Harry."

Niall looked quizzically at him for a moment before he understood, mouth forming an 'o' shape. "Don't tell me... You're crushing on all of three of them?" He shrieked.

Louis smacked his leg with the journal. "Shh, not so loud!" He whisper-yelled, Niall placed his hand over his mouth but stared inquiringly at his best friend.

"I might like all three of them, yes." A smile found its way to Louis' lips. "But I know that's even worse, because say that I start dating Harry once I'm out of here, how could I stand going to dinner at his place and sitting across from the other two too?"

"Wait—They all live together?"

Louis nodded.

"Well yeah that makes things a tad bit weird, don't it?" Niall said. "Well— Try to not get ahead of yourself, one day at a time, yeah?"

"I guess."

"For now, just focus on getting healthier." Niall smiled, then added. "And I will personally come here and smack you around the head if I find out you've done another thing like the one that landed you in the hospital, okay?"

"Yes mum," Louis gave him a small smile.

"Lou."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Niall." Louis took the blonde's hand in his. "I promise I'll try to get better, and to not do something like that again. I don't know what I was thinking, honestly."

Niall surveyed him for a moment, before nodding.

"Well, I'll need to get going if I want to avoid the afternoon rush hour." He stood up and walked towards the door, turning around. "And by the way, is there a possibility that..."

"That what?" Louis asked. "Niall, you're blushing!"

"I'm not," Niall put a hand to his face. "Shut up. I was just wondering if you knew whether or not the guy at the reception, you know—swings the same way as we do? And... If he's single by any chance?"

"Liam?" Louis scrunched his brows in thought. "I don't know actually, but I can look into it. Someone's got a crush?" He teased.

"Fuck off," Niall laughed. "But yes, please. He's always so nice to me when I come here, always asking how my day's going and if I'm alright. It's just... Something about him." And then he opened the door to leave.

"You filthy little hypocrite!" Louis shouted after him, getting an 'I love you too, Lou' back.

...

The following days rolled on smoothly without any major hiccups. Louis had not needed to have the gloves on for a few weeks now, his strongest motivation being to imagine Marcel's disappointment when he found out. He could not do that to the doctor who was working so hard on helping him.

His sessions with Edward, on the other hand, were like the world's most turbulent roller coaster. As soon as they touched a new troublesome part of Louis' past, he sort of clammed up. He tried not to, he really did, but it was as if his body went on autopilot when trying, and failing, to talk about it.