No One's Here to Sleep

ONE MONTH LATER

Louis hobbled into the living room, trying not to make too much noise with his large, black boot that entombed his leg from the shin down. After finally going to the doctor for his aching foot, he was informed he needed to have surgery to fix the fractured bone in the middle of his foot. To say that Louis was surprised was an understatement. Who else can fracture their own foot, just by ramming it into a cabinet? Louis actually laughed when the doctor had told him what had happened. He laughed. Mostly because, well, he's Louis, and he's that kind of person. So yes, he had his reasons to laugh at himself. And besides, laughing at yourself is healthy.

The surgery took place a week later when the swelling had gone down so the doctors could actually operate. Louis clutched Harry's hand as they waiting for the nurses to take him away to the room. The entire time, Louis kept telling Harry how much better he was feeling, and he was fine if they just went home, because, "I could die on that damned table!"
Harry kindly patted the side of the boy's face and told him to shut up.

Since then, Harry had been staying with Louis, waiting on him hand and foot, no matter what he needed. (Although, Harry could tell anyone that Louis asked for the most ridiculous things). But still, Harry did what Louis asked, and didn't complain. In this list of doing things for the boy, Harry found that giving another man a shower while wearing a cast that could not get wet was very difficult-for the both of them. Baths, Harry could do; showers, not so much.

The first time Louis had announced his need of a shower, Harry helped him undress, quite awkwardly of course because it's Louis and Harry, and helped him climb into the shower. However, the shower soon ended when Louis slipped, causing Harry to slip, causing the two boys to fall into the shower in a wet heap. Not to mention, Louis was naked.

Completely naked.

Harry tried to climb off of the boy as quickly as he could, but he ended up falling once again, on top of the injured one. The entire escapade ended with loving pecks and giggles from both boys.

Louis walked through the living room, cursing his dreaded boot, and carried on into the kitchen where he began making breakfast for the two. He pulled four eggs out of the fridge along with bacon, sausage, fruit, and orange juice and placed then on the counter. He then took a large skillet out of the cabinet and put it on the stove top, turning the heat on to a seven out of ten. Louis put a dollop of butter in the middle of the skillet and began cooking. Harry awoke a few minutes later, the smell of bacon drifting through the apartment. He stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen before wrapping his arms around Louis from behind and kissing his bare shoulder.

"Morning," Harry whispered. Louis sighed contently and leaned into Harry's touch.

"How'd you sleep?" Louis asked. Harry murmured and placed his lips on the back of the other's neck. And Louis giggled.

He giggled.

Harry felt short of breath. The small action of a simple laugh, and it made Harry weak at the knees."What are your plans for today?" Harry asked. Louis hummed and plated the eggs that were finished.

"I need to go into town to pick up some things for a little project I'm working on," Louis replied. Harry nodded and let go of Louis before taking a bite of a piece of egg. "Not until I'm finished!" Louis swatted away the boy's hand. Harry laughed and leaned forward to place a kiss on Louis' cheek.

"My mum wants me to come see her and have lunch so I'll be in town for most of my day. I guess I'll see you later this afternoon?" Harry asked and leaned against the counter. Louis nodded and handed Harry a plate.

"Sounds like a plan," he said and followed Harry into the living room where the two enjoyed their breakfast.


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Harry skipped through the halls of the hospital, out of breath and tears staining his cheeks. He ran down the hall, trying to reach the room the nurse had told him. After waiting two hours in the waiting room, the nurse finally came and retrieved him. He soon left the older woman and ran for the respected room. His curly hair bounced with every lunge he took, covering his eyes and some sticking to the dried tears. Finally he reached his room and stopped. Harry didn't know how to prepare himself. He didn't know what he was about to see. He didn't know what was going to be before him once he opened the hospital door. He was afraid. He was afraid of what kind of boy would be lying in the bed. He was told what happened, but still, it didn't help prepare him for what he was about to see.

So with courage, Harry opened the door.

And Harry almost fell to the floor with what he found.

Louis. Asleep in a hospital bed, clothed in white gowns, tubes running in and out of his nose, mouth, and body. His skin was ghostly. He looked so frail. He looked so small compared to the Louis he woke up to that morning. Harry walked forward and tried to breath deeply so he wouldn't have an asthma attack. He tried to stay calm. He tried not to cry anymore. He tried. But he just couldn't anymore. So Harry dropped to his knees beside Louis' bed and grasped his hand in his own, letting the tears flow freely down his face and neck. He placed a kiss on the top of Louis' hand, above the IV that had been inserted.

"Please, Louis," Harry whispered. "Please, don't you dare do this," he cried. "Don't you dare let go, Louis Tomlinson," Harry sobbed. And a large part of the young, curly headed boy died. Along with the hope he once had when he arrived at the hospital.

Notes