Larry Sickfics :)

Aftermath

(part 2 for "babysitting is hard...")
school is weird. im at college now. that's like really weird. idk. im not gonna edit this so.. good luck with whatever it turns out to be. love ya! -m

Louis and Harry drove home after their long day of helping take care of Louis' sisters. The couple was absolutely exhausted. If you didn't know, running after a bunch of puking kids is kind of tiring. So anyway, they got home and went right to bed, excited for their Sunday off after some rest.

And rest, they did. The two slept about fourteen hours; Harry woke up first at noon. Louis followed shortly thereafter at 12:30. They laid in bed until two in the afternoon, drawn to their feet in need of food and just a bit of a stretch.

Around mid-afternoon, Louis received a call from his mum to update the couple on how the girls were. Fortunately, whatever they'd come down with was just a twenty-four-hour sort of bug, and everyone was doing better. Louis asked Jo if she was feeling alright as well, but she assured him that she was feeling well. She did her very best to avoid getting sick, going as far as bleaching down the whole house and wearing a mask while taking care of her kids. She knew she would have lots of help if she were to get it, but no one really fancies getting a horrible stomach bug.

Happy to hear the news, the couple went about their business as usual, enjoying the last few hours of the weekend before they would have to get back to work the next morning.

***

Early on dreaded Monday morning, Harry woke up rather abruptly. Eyes heavy, limbs heavier, the young man gazed around the room. The clock glowing on his bedside table read 5:18am; way too early for Harry to be getting up. His work days always start at 7:30, so he makes it to the office by 9. So waking up at 5-something, to him, was bullshit. He groaned and rolled to the side to face Louis and cuddle into his chest. Maybe, he'd be able to fall back asleep.

Upon moving the slightest bit, he felt how fast his heart was beating. Then, the ache set into his body, pounding softly in his head. Involuntary tears disrupted his vision as he turned the rest of the way over. He couldn't help the whimper that escaped his mouth when his stomach stirred.

Harry curled into the fetal position, his head pressing into Louis' chest below the pillows where the sleeping one laid his head. He felt sorry for himself, the illness overwhelming him all of a sudden. His stomach started flipping and stirring more persistently, prompting the tears to fall. Harry wasn't sure if wanted to wake Louis or not. He really needed comfort, but he was a grown man and Louis was tired, and they both had work, and it was only a stomach ache. No, he'd be fine. There was no reason besides foolishness for him to wake his lover.

In all of his thinking, Harry didn't realize he was sobbing quietly against Louis chest. Further, he didn't notice that the shaking and tears woke Louis. "Love? Wha's goin' on?" the blue-eyed one sleepily slurred.

"M'sorry," Harry choked out, "didn't mean to wake you." It was a pitiful sight.

"Oh, darling don't worry about that, there's clearly something wrong. You can tell me, come on." Louis caressed Harry's back lovingly, rubbing slow circles. He waited patiently, knowing he couldn't force an answer out of Harry.

Unfortunately for both of them, Harry did not need to tell Louis what was wrong. He gagged unexpectedly and sat straight up. Louis assumed it was from crying so hard. "Deep breath babe, it's okay. You've gotta calm down a little, yeah?"

But Harry knew better. Sure, maybe crying made all of this happen faster, but he was definitely going to be sick in a matter of seconds. He leapt out of bed, carrying himself to the en suite bathroom clumsily, but as fast as he could manage. He tripped slightly on the bathmat, falling to his knees about a foot away from the toilet. He scrambled over it before heaving hard. Vomit splashed thickly into the water.