How I Met Your Father {Remington Leith}

Eighteen

Remington slept most of that off day. Occasionally his face would scrunch up in some sort of discomfort, panic inevitably taking over his mind when he should have been sleeping peacefully. I knew he wasn't getting much rest, despite how much he slept, it wasn't much of a rest from his own mind. 

The next day was somehow even worse. When he woke up in my arms, he simply stared into my eyes, saying nothing. His eyes looked so dull, so lifeless. It wasn't the Remington I had grown to know. But I wasn't about to abandon him. I was committed to being his; even during the bad times. 

He didn't say much as he got ready for the day. We were in Atlanta that day, starting our transition out west. As Remington got ready in the bathroom, Harrison grabbed my wrist and pulled me aside. I wildly glanced around, noticing Emerson, Blaze, and Kia not even looking in our direction. 

"Listen," Harrison sighed, letting go of my wrist. "I...I don't want you to worry about working right now, okay? I want you to take care of him, and I want you to watch him. When he's feeling better, then and only then will I let you start working again. Okay? Right now I only want you to worry about him."

The words, of course, raised alarm. Everyone seemed to be so concerned about Remington. I didn't know much about his past, all I knew is that this version of Remington looked like a broken, soulless individual right in front of my eyes. 

When Remington exited the bathroom, he immediately opened his arms and walked into mine. He sighed, pulling me close to him as he nuzzled his head into my shoulder. "Hey, love." I whispered, rubbing in between his shoulder blades. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't want to do this today."

His voice cracked as he spoke, as if he was on the verge of tears. It seemed that if the wind blew against him, he would crumble into pieces. He was such a broken, fragile being. And I couldn't believe what I was hearing him say, either. There was nothing Remington loved more than performing. He adored meeting fans, hearing their stories. You could see the way his entire face lit up each time he opened his arms up for a new fan. The way a smile seemed to never leaved his face when he was on stage. I knew it was the one thing he loved most in the world; he would never love anything or anyone else quite the way he loved performing. 

For him to say he did not want to do any of these things...it shook me to my core. 

"Bubs, why do you say that?" I hummed, continuing to rub his back. 

"I just...I just can't." He sniffled, and I knew he was, at this point, crying. I instinctively pulled him closer. "I want to, I want to so bad. But God, that takes so much energy. I just...I just wanna stay in bed."

"I know you do, love, I'm sorry." I sighed as he soaked my neck with tears, tiny sobs escaping his lips each time his chest heaved. "Do you think it might make you feel better?"

"Maybe," He sighed. "I'm sorry for being all sad on you."

"No, no. Don't be sorry. I love you even when you may not be at your best."

I felt Remington tense against my body as my heart began to race. It was the first time I had said that word: the L word. It had obviously been felt between both of us for some time now. It seemed to envelop everything around us. The air smelled of the intoxicating elixir that was love. It was incorporated into everything we did, laced into every kiss, felt in each and every hug. We obviously did love each other, it was evident in each of our actions, felt every time we were around each other. 

He looked up at me with those big, adorable puppy dog eyes. With a slight smile curling up at the corners of his lips, he let out a quiet "I love you, too."

I smiled, leaning up to kiss him and anchoring myself with his shoulders. He hummed against my lips, pulling me closer to him. "We're gonna be okay," I whispered as we broke apart, my head coming to rest against his chest.

"I know," He hummed. "I know we'll be okay."

I smiled. Things were bound to get better. They had to. Remington would always have his own internal struggles as I would always have mine. But it would never change how I cared about him. It could never take away these moments; the moments where the world seemed to stall just for us. Everything stood still. These early memories with Remington, the moments where we simply reveled in each other's company each and every chance we got; it was something I never wanted to forget. Something I never wanted to be taken away from me. I would never, for the rest of my days, wish to forget these days. 

I loved Remington Leith. I would never cease to love him for the rest of my days. I was grateful, I was so grateful to have known him, to have the opportunity to be loved by him and be lucky enough to return the love to him.