If you need anything, Tell me
Harry was sprawled out on the sofa in the back of the bookstore at three AM. He couldn’t quite remember how he got there but if his headache was anything to go by he must have arrived drunk and blacked out. However, if the feeling in the pit of his stomach was anything to go by, being drunk was currently the least of his problems. Either way the nauseating dizziness he was experiencing was enough to make him quickly black out again.
“Harry... Harry dear…” Louis gently called, kneeling down next to the sofa where Harry was currently unconscious.
The older boy was deeply concerned when he entered the tour bus that morning to find the younger pale and unconscious on the leather sofa at the back. He suspected that he’d simply gotten drunk and fallen asleep, however, as he approached the sleeping male he quickly realised that there was no smell of booze anywhere near him. Which could only mean one thing, there was something wrong.
“Harry,” he called again, gently shaking the younger's shoulder.
“Hmm..” Muttered the boy in response,
“Harry, dear… I need you to open your eyes for me…” Louis asked softly.
Harry slowly opened his eyes before crying out and quickly shutting them, placing the heel of his hands over them.
“What’s wrong, dear?” the elder asked, concernedly.
“Hmm… headache…” He muttered, “Must be the hangover…”
Now Louis was really concerned as he knew from how pale the younger was, and the lack of the smell of alcohol and he couldn’t have been drunk last night.
“Dear, are you sure you were drunk last night?” Questioned Louis,
“I… um… I’m not sure…” Muttered Harry before asking, “Could you pass me my sunglasses?”
“I… Yes, of course,” Louis replied, looking around the room for the shades.
He spotted them on Harry’s shelf on the bus and so quickly went to retrieve them. He then handed them to the younger, still sprawled on the sofa. Harry took them and carefully placed them back on his face.
“Better?” the elder asked a small smile on his face as Harry pulled himself into a sitting position.
“Yeah,” he responded quietly.
Louis walked out of the room and returned a few minutes later with two mugs of hot tea. He carefully passed one to Harry before settling next to him on the sofa. Harry gingerly sipped on his tea before pulling a face and putting the tea down.
“What is it dear?” the elder asked. Concern once again etched into his features, “Harry?”
“Harry love?” He asked again when he received no answer.
“I think… I think I’m…” Suddenly Harry shot up from his spot on the sofa and made a run for the bathroom, his shades falling to the floor in the process.
“Harry!” Louis cried, quickly running after him only to have the bathroom door slammed in his face.
He gently knocked, “Harry… H, love?”
He was about to knock again when he heard the sound of retching through the door. the elder decided to wait a minute before entering the room. Once the retching had died down a bit he knocked again.
“Harry sweetie, I’m coming in okay?” When he heard no protest he gently pushed open the door to reveal an exhausted looking Harry slumped over the toilet.
“Oh my,” Muttered Louis, quickly moving to kneel behind the younger.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Harry went rigid and once started retching.
“It’s okay…” Comforted Louis, rubbing soothing circles on the others back.
“G… go… away…” Muttered the younger in between heaves.
“I’m not leaving you like this Harry,” Louis responded resiliently,
“I said leave!” Cried Harry.
Still Louis refused to leave as there was no way he was going to leave the younger to suffer alone. Once the younger had stopped dry heaving he collapsed backwards into Louis, breathing heavily. Although the position was less than comfortable there was no way the elder was going to try and move him. Instead he carefully reached to the side and gathered some tissue.
“Here,” He gently handed it to Harry, who gingerly wiped his mouth with it before placing it in the toilet.
After another few minutes Harry had caught his breath again. Louis gently placed a hand on Harry’s arm.
“Are you ready to try and move?” the elder asked.
Harry nodded gently and so Louis slowly moved out from under the younger and placed a hand on his arm helping him stand. Once up Harry realised how dizzy he was and it seems as if Louis realised too, as he began to grip the younger even tighter to stop him from falling. Slowly, he helped Harry stumble out of the bathroom and towards the doorway to the bus.
“Where are we going?” He mumbled sleepily,
“My flat. You can’t stay on the bus in this condition.” Responded Louis and when he received no response he took that as a signal to continue.
It took a good five minutes to get a very dizzy, exhausted Harry into his car, eventually he was strapped in and Louis was in the driver's seat next to him. Upon touching the chair Harry passed out almost instantly, clearly so exhausted from throwing up.
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Harry woke with a start. His eyes darted around the room, the darkness stopping him from identifying where he was. He shot up into a sitting position and waved his arms around in an attempt to feel something to identify his location.
He was waving them around when he hit something warm that made a sound as he hit it. Suddenly the room came alive with light.
“Harry, woah… calm down!” Called Louis, moving to sit on the bed next to him, “Are you alright?”
Harry’s heavy breathing calmed significantly.
“Ye… yeah sorry… I, I just didn’t know where I was,” Harry laughed breathily.
“Oh, okay.” Louis smiled back, “How are you feeling?”
“I… Fine? Why?” Harry asked nonchalantly,
“Do you not remember yesterday?” Asked Louis,
“No, wait, what happened?” Harry asked concerned,
“You had a twenty-four hour bug. You had an extremely high fever and you threw up before passing out.” Explained Louis,
“Oh…” Was all Harry said, before adding quietly, “Sorry you had to deal with me like that.”
Louis shook his head quickly.
“No… No! It’s okay,” explained Louis, “I don’t mind really.”
“I hadn’t been feeling right for a while. I’m so sorry you were there when it took full effect.” Said Harry closing his eyes, “I usually just sleep off illness.”
Louis took one of Harry’s hands in his.
“I was really worried about you Harry. If you’d been feeling that way for a few days you should have told someone.” Louis explained, “You need to tell me next time. I don’t mind looking after you. You shouldn’t have to suffer alone.”
Harry opened his tired eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Muttered Harry.
“It’s fine. Now tell me again, how are you feeling?” Asked Louis seriously,
Harry lightly shook his head.
“Like shit.” He replied bluntly,
“Okay well, I’m going to get a bowl in case you feel sick. I’m also going to get you a glass of water and paracetamol. Then we’re going to put on some crap on Netflix and I am going to lie here with you and keep you company while you get the rest you need.” Louis instructed.
Louis smiled lightly before following through with exactly what he said he would do.
Louis was about to get into bed when he turned to Harry.
“If you need anything, anything at all. Tell me straight away.” Instructed Louis.
“Of course,” Said Harry smiling tiredly as Louis sat on the bed next to him,
They decided on some rubbish programme and settled down to watch it when Harry spoke up again.
“Louis, you know you said if I need anything, to tell you?” Harry asked,
Louis hummed in response, looking at the younger boy.
“Hold me?” He asked.
Louis laughed lightly.
“Of course.”
He then wrapped his arm around Harry, pulling him close so the younger boy's head rested on his chest. He then began to play with the boy's long hair soothingly as he drifted into a calming sleep.