Maybe we can (L.S.)

44

Seconds passed in complete silence. Or were they minutes? Hours? Maybe... Louis didn't really know. What he did know was that their faces were getting nearer and nearer.

Close.

Closer.

Even closer.

Aand...

Fuck!

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Too close.

"I read about ways to reduce phantom limb pain" Louis blurted out, jumping away from Harry and settling at the end of the couch, leaving a good foot between their knees.

His eyes were wide in panic at what was about to happen. Their lips had been just a couple inches away and, if he wasn't deeply mistaken, they were just about to kiss. He and Harry. The person he had been thinking about nonstop since that plane ride. And here he was. Fucking everything up before it even started. The one time someone who's not creepy or completely wasted aproaches him. And what does he do? He panics and blurts the first thing that passes his head. Great.

"Umm... Oh... Yeah, yeah... Sure. Umm... Did you find something?" Harry replied awkwardly after jumping slightly at Louis' loud voice and repositioning himself. "Louis?" He added waving a hand in front of the blue eyed man that seemed to be lost somewhere in his mind.

"What? Oh, yeah... Sorry. Um... well. I'm not an expert and I don't really know much about it but I read som scientific research papers and I found out that the pain can appear for different reasons" Louis speaks, trying and failing to hide his blush. "It can be because your brain doesn't recieve information from the lost limb so it reacts as if it was in danger, saying that something is wrong so it reacts sending, with pain. Or it can also be because of an irritation on the nerve endings that have been cut in your stump so they send signals of pain from the part they initially inerved. It is not really clear why but it is likely that both your brain and peripheral nerves are involved. In any case, the conclusion is that the pain you feel is deinitely real but it doesn't have a precise origin. So... There really isn't good evidence on phantom leg pain treatment but mirror therapy can help. And well... I don't know about it and if it is your case but I think that maybe touching your residual limb and concentrating on the tactile sensations from different preasures, temperatures and textures could help your body and brain understand that your body is now different but there is nothing wrong with it, that everithing is okay now" He cotinued explaining, feeling calmer after recieving an interested nod from Harry.

"Oh... Um... Thanks for looking into it. Really... When I told my doctor that the comon painkillers werent helping he just wrote me a handfull of prescriptions for opioids, antidepressants and God knows what else... I- I ttook them sometimes when I just couldn't handle the pain anymore but I have never wanted to take them daily because... well you know... those are strong drugs. Besides, when I did they left me so drowsy I culdn't do anything but sleep, so..." Harry shrugged. "When did you have time to, though? You were at work all day" He added, quickly changing the subject, his lips curling in a small smirk.

"Uh... I- I accidentally skipped lunch. Time just flies by sometimes when I'm reading" Louis chuckled, helpig himself to a piece of bread and some cheese from the table to hide his blush. Again. "I really hope this can help you but as I said there isn't much evidence and if you dont want to-" He spoke sincerely.

"No. No, I'll try. But I think I prefer this mirror thing. I- I don't really like touching it. It- It's weird" Harry grimaced.

"It's not weird, Harry. It's just another part of you. I can explain you how mirror therapy works and help you with it if you want to. It's quite simple. But I really think you should give tactile stimulation a try too... especially if you don't feel completely comfortable with your stump. Yet..." Louis smiled, scooting closer to Harry and gently grabbing his left hand. He used his other hand to carefully extend Harry's fingers and placed it on his left knee. "Can I?" He aked quietly, lifting his gaze to watch Harrys who gave a tiny nod with his eyes. He slowly but surely guided Harry's big hand down, still covering it with his own smaller one, until they reached the soft end of his left leg.

" 'kay... I'll try" Harry wishpered after supressing a shiver. He wasn't sure if he liked the feeling. He had always felt weird and uncomfortable when touching his stump and tried to avoid it but, having Louis hand guiding his felt... Different. Better. The unpleasant feeling of his flabby atrophyed muscle and tender skin on his cold hand was overpowered by the warmth that radiated from Louis small but strong one. "But I- I think I'll need your help" He added in an even quieter wishper.