Blue ▹ The Originals [2]

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
DATE NIGHT

"It's a privilege to be loved by you."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     Henrik woke up to a splitting headache so severe it made him not want to even open his eyes, much less sit up and see for himself if he was alright. The last thing he remembered was succumbing under the Hollow removal spell, sinking beneath the surface of the pool. Now, as his senses came back to him as his headache eased, he realized he was lying on soft cotton sheets, freshly washed, and the only sounds in the room was the ticking of an antique clock, himself and another person breathing, and the sound of music muffled by headphones. Swallowing and wincing at the dryness in his mouth, he slowly opened his eyes. He was relieved to see that the black-out curtains were pulled across the window, and the lights themselves were off. The only thing lighting the room was the sun peeking past the curtains at the edges and a lamp in the far corner, by a reading chair. Beside him on the bed—the source of the breathing and the muffled music—was Francis. He was sitting up against the headboard, phone in his right hand and music blaring. His left hand was nowhere to be seen, and it took Henrik a moment to notice it was against his head, Francis's fingers running through his hair gently. The snow globe was on the bedside table.

"Did I die?" Henrik croaked, shifting a little closer and wincing when he realized his entire body ached. Francis turned his head, then immediately took his headphones out of his ears, leaving them abandoned on the bedside table. His phone went with it. His fingers slid deeper into Henrik's hair, almost like he was massaging his scalp, and Henrik sighed in mild relief. The pressure felt nice; his headache was easing away as he relaxed, so Henrik could only assume it was caused by tension. It must've been a very restless sleep. "I feel like I just died." Francis huffed out a small laugh, and that was enough to assure Henrik he was alright, if exhausted. Francis wouldn't have laughed if he was truly hurt.

"No, my darling, you didn't die," Francis said gently, his right hand coming up to cup Henrik's cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against his cheekbone. Henrik shifted even closer and pressed his face against the crook where Francis's thigh met his hip. He would've liked Francis's chest to cuddle against, but he was still sitting up, and his lap was just as good. He didn't have quite enough strength to pull himself up into Francis's lap yet, so he settled for what he could get, closing his eyes. There was a beat of silence, and then Francis moved in a way that made Henrik tremble. He squinted his eyes open, then watched as Francis shook the snow globe again, having taken it from the bedside table. He didn't look pleased, and Henrik felt a flash of anxiety and dread.

"Please tell me it worked," he whispered, watching as Francis tilted the snow globe this way and that, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched. "Please tell me I didn't just almost drown for no reason." Francis laughed again, his displeased expression evaporating as he pulled his gaze away from the snow globe. Henrik sighed in relief.

"No worries, darling, it worked," Francis reassured, rubbing Henrik's back once before his focus went back to the snow globe. Henrik tilted his head enough to watch him properly, wondering what he was doing, glaring at a snow globe in the dark. He got his answer when Francis explained. "I'm just enjoying seeing the Hollow like this. It looks like a little will-o'-the-wisp in there. I almost think it's pretty." Francis stared at it for another moment, then shook the snow globe so hard he ended up shaking the entire bed as well. Henrik laughed even as he shook along with it, gripping Francis's knee when the laughter jerked his body uncomfortably. He was still very sore. Groaning softly, Henrik managed enough strength to roll once more, and then he was between Francis's legs, his head resting on one of his thighs. Francis immediately stopped playing cruelly with the Hollow, setting it on the bedside table in favor of reaching down for Henrik.