Chapter 10
Theo and Mattheo go to grab some fresh clothes for Tom and Meeri so she won't see the blood when she wakes. They get Tom's clothes then head to her room. They are shocked she's still alive by how much blood is on the floor, they grab some clothes but Mattheo stays behind to clean up the mess so she won't have to see it, while Theo goes and delivers the clothes.
Tom-” Where's Mattheo “
Theo-” Cleaning up her room”
Tom-” Oh right good”
Theo leaves to go help Mattheo.
Tom quickly changes into the clean clothes and waits by her bedside, he doesn't read a book or anything, just eyes locked on her, he's afraid if he looks away she'll disappear.
She wakes up slowly, her head feels so fuzzy, her body so weak and cold. She knows this feeling means she failed.
Meeri- (whisper) “ no, no, no”
Tom-” Meeri, oh Meeri “
She sits up, which makes her head spin but she doesn't care.
Tom moves from the chair and is now sitting on the edge of bed near her.
Meeri- “Tom”
Tom- “ Yes Meeri”
She gives him a small sad smile, she reaches out and cups his cheek.
Meeri- “ You were my one regret, I'm sorry Tom”
Tom- “There's nothing to regret now, Don't apologize It's alright now”
She shakes her head no and crosses her arms over her body giving herself a hug.
Meeri- “ It's not alright Tom, death is the only way I can be free. I can't go back”
Tom-” I think it's time you told me those secrets, the ones your father wants hidden, it's time”
Meeri- “ Yeah, yeah it is”
She yawns, she's so tired and weak.
Tom- “ It can wait till tomorrow though you need rest”
She nods, she sees the clothes at the end of the bed.
Meeri- “ Are those for me?”
Tom- “ Yes do you want to change”
Meeri- “ Yes I'm cold”
Tom grabs the sweater and goes to her
Tom-” Arms up”
She does as he says and puts her arms up and he puts the sweater on being very careful of her bandages, and to not brush against her chest, she's only wearing a flimsy hospital gown.
Meeri-” The pants to”
Tom-” Of course”
Meeri-” Can you, moving makes me dizzy”
Tom nods, accepting the job. He pulls back the blanket, bunches up the sweatpants and pulls them up under the gown. She's too weak to lift her butt, so he lifts her himself. Once clothed she lays down, Tom sits back down in the chair.
Meeri- “ Are you staying”
Tom- “ I'm not leaving yours side”
She scooches over to the edge of the small bed and pulls back the blanket and pats the empty spot she made.
Meeri- “ Tom will you lay with me”
Tom- “ Yes“
He takes off his shoes and gets in bed with her. The bed is small and they are messed tightly but they make it work. He puts an arm around her and she cuddles against him, laying her head on his chest. He feels that she's cold and hopes he'll help warm her up.
Tom- “ Meeri there's something I need to tell you, it's what I was coming to tell you before, I've already waiting to long to say it and I won't waste another minute”
She tilts her head up and nods to him.
He takes a deep breath, readying himself. He's read over his speech so many times he's memorized it.
Tom- “ Expressing my feelings isn't easy for me, and these are new unfamiliar feelings making this even more complicated. You've wormed your way into my life Meeri, it started as a curiosity, and I've always enjoyed your company. Then a fascination with you, wanting to know everything, wanting to always have you at my side so I know you're okay. I've done research reading some rather trashy romance books, it taught me that my feelings aren't ones had in a friendship but they are romantic. I have had these romantic feelings for you for a while but my lack of knowledge made me hesitant. I let my worries of having one sided feelings stop me. But today the thought of losing you scared me. You're too ingrained In my mind to lose. I wish for you to always be by my side as my girlfriend. I can't offer you the typical romance, all I can offer is my obsessive, possessive, slightly clueless version of love, but I hope you'll accept.”
She laughs, she can't help it, they both had feelings for each other and both thought it was one sided. So so clueless. She sees Tom looks horrified and gets herself together.
Meeri- “ I'm sorry it's Just I have feelings for you to and thought it was one sided, it's a little funny not really I'm just twisted sorry”
Tom-” You have the feelings as well”
Meeri-” Tom I'd like nothing more than to be your girl, I can deal with the chains, being locked up again, having my sanity stripped away but I can't deal with losing you. The thought of never seeing you again that's a pain that I won't recover from that's why I need to die Tom, there's no other way out for me, I wish I could stay by your side forever but I'm destined for a short life”
Tom- “ Be mine and I will find another way out, haven't I handled everything else before, losing you that pain will change me forever”
Meeri- “ Tom this isn't finding some loophole, or outsmarting or out magicing someone, I'm sorry”
Tom- “ You've changed me Meeri , softened me. Before you I was known for being cold, manipulative, and dangerous, not afraid to kill someone who makes a slight at me, I can and will find any way no matter what it takes, please”
Meeri- “ Okay… but I need you to promise me if there is no other way let me die, or come kill me okay, promise”
Tom- “ I promise”
She wipes away her tears and nods and resumes her position cuddling with him. He holds her tighter and kisses the top of her head.
Tom- “ Sleep the rest can be for tomorrow”
She nuzzles against him and falls asleep
He just holds her, taking in everything that has happened. His heart rate finally calms knowing he's expressed his feelings and she felt them too and she's now his, he will find a way tomorrow he'll get the facts and find a way.
Tom knew if this incident gets reported she'll be sent away and her family will be called so he made sure no staff remembered what happened and no reports were made.
In the morning he carried her to his room before anyone was up, she fussed a little when he picked her up but quickly fell back asleep.
she wakes up about 2 hours later the time she usually would her internal clock working. She looks around confused, not recognizing her surroundings. She sits up and tries to remember anything about how she got here and where this is. Then the door opens and Tom walks in carrying a bag wearing only shorts with a towel on his head. Okay so this must be a fever dream right? and when does this man workout the only thing I've seen him lift is books but clearly he must cause why is he so toned.
Tom- “ Good morning”
Meeri- “ uhh …yes good morning… Tom”
Tom- “ Are you okay? How do you feel”
Her brain Is still processing and Tom oh oblivious Tom comes over to her and presses the back of his hand to her forehead thinking she has a fever or something. The proximity only makes this worse, as she now has a close up view and she's using all her self control to not reach out and run her hand down his bare chest.
Tom-” You don't have a fever, your pupils are fine, are you alright”
Meeri- “ Tom.. put a shirt on”
This confuses him so he recalls his romance books research and it finally clicks, she is having a reaction to his physical form. He obeys her request and puts a shirt on and dries his hair. He figured giving her a little time and space to calm down is best. Once done he approaches again and is glad she's making eye contact again.
Tom- “ Better now?”
Meeri-” Yeah sorry”
Tom- “ So how are you feeling, still cold, anything hurt”
Meeri -” Still kinda weak but no longer cold, head hurts and bit and my arm too”
Tom- “ Do you feel up to going to breakfast”
Meeri-” Yeah food will help with the weak feeling”
Tom- “ Okay then, I brought some of your clothes and stuff over”
Meeri- “ I can be on my own Tom I won't try again”
Tom- “ Its not that, I just, just let me take care of you okay”
Meeri- “ Okay”
She gets up and takes a few tentative steps to make sure she won't get all dizzy.
Meeri- “ Umm I need to go to the bathroom”
Tom- “Okay”
Meeri- “ Tom this is the boys dorm I can't go there”
Tom- “ I'll take you, no one will dare cause a problem”
She grabs a change of clothes and they walk to the bathroom, they get a few odd looks and double takes but Tom gives them death glares that sends them on their way fast. He was right, no problems, she does her business then changes in the stall. Her long sleeve button down is a bit tight over all the bandages but she makes it work. She comes out and they head back to his room.
She looks in the mirror and sees her hair all tangled and she still has makeup smudges. She sighs and sits down in the desk chair. She's too tired and drained to deal with these things, everything is taking so much effort.
Tom hears her sigh and sees she looks tired and defeated.
Tom- “ Whats wrong”
Meeri- “ My Hairs a mess and I still have makeup on it's all smudged”
Tom goes to the bag of things he brought from her room and gets the hairbrush, hair clip, and makeup wipes. He starts with the makeup gently wiping it off, he goes through a few wipes but gets her all cleaned up. He sections her hair in half and starts at the bottom brushing the tangles out. Even though he's never done this before he's quite good at it, he has the patience to do anything for her.
He had seen her use a hair clip before the way she twists it, so he replicates that and puts her hair up.
Tom- “ There we go all done”
Meeri-” Thank you, I just I I cant”
He hears the crack in her voice and knows she's close to tears so he leans in and hugs her.
Tom- “ Its alright like I said I'll handle everything, you just need to rest right now so tell me what you can't do and I'll do it”
She nods. Once she calms down they head out to breakfast, Tom slows they're usually walking pace since everything is taking more effort for her to do today. They get to the great hall and sit, he grabs her plate and fills it with her favorites.
She just focuses on eating even though it feels like a laborious chore right now. She needs the sustenance to help with the weak feeling.
She doesn't even notice when Theo and Mattheo sit down until they say hi.
Mattheo-” Morning Meeri”
Theo-” Hey”
She looks up from her food and by their expressions she knows they know. She looks at Tom and grabs the bottom of his sweater.
Meeri-” Who else knows?”
Tom places a hand on her back to try and comfort Her, he knows she won't like the truth.
Tom-” I had to carry you threw the party so people saw but I did cover you with my jacket so they didn't see anything, only Theo and Mattheo know what happened”
She tilts her head up and sighs in defeat. The last thing she wants is the truth of last night getting out cause then they will be looking harder and then how safe will her darker secrets be.
Tom-” It will be alright”
Theo- “ Its true people will just think he was taking you back to his room”
Mattheo- “ That's not the worst rumor right? Uhh did you tell her”
Meeri-” Tell me what”
Tom- (leans over whispers) “ That your mine now”
Meeri- “ Oh yeah that”
She can't help but smile and looks down trying to hide it.
Theo- “ Fucking adorable “
Mattheo- “ Well congrats you guys make a weird cute couple”
Tom stays silent and she just nods, both not sure how to respond to this situation.
She finishes her breakfast.
Tom-” Do You want seconds”
Meeri-” No I'm full”
Theo- “ How umm how are you feeling Meeri”
Meeri- “ Tired, and uh well Tom's assured me that there's another umm option”
Mattheo- “ I know Tom's your person but you can open up to us too”
Meeri- “ I umm”
Tom- “ In due time, right now things are still unsettled”
They head Back To his room.
Meeri-” Can we stop and moment “
Tom-” Of course, are you alright “
Meeri- “ Just need a minute “
Why is this castle so big so much walking and stairs? She's never had to get up and walk so much after an OD or blood loss, it always made her weak and fuzzy in the head but now all the walking is pushing a limit. She puts a hand against the wall to steady herself and distribute her weight. She wants to just lay down, or maybe throw up the dizzy plus full stomach is making a bad combo.
Hes quickly by her side, acting as a wall blocking any passerbys view of her. He shouldn't have let her leave his room, he should have brought her food. She's pushed herself too far too fast.
Tom- “ Shall I carry you back “
Meeri- “ No, I can do it”
She takes a few deep breaths and gathers all her strength and pulls it together. She just needs to make it back then she can collapse. She's pushed through far worse.
She pushes off the wall and starts heading towards the slytherin dorms. She's walking fast, the longer this takes the harder it will get.
Tom wants to tell her to slow down but sees the determination in her gaze and just follows her ready to catch her if she falls. He's surprised and glad they get back to his room with no problems, then it happens, he sees her sway and then her knees buckle.
I made it okay that's enough, oh shit, definitely pushed too hard, oh the dark spots fun.
He catches her and puts her in bed. He grabs a washcloth, wets it and puts it on her forehead, not sure what else to do. He has some research to do.
Tom-” Meeri”
Meeri- “ castles fucking huge, to much to fast”
Tom- “ Today you'll stay in bed then”
Meeri-” Yeah”