Halfway to Love

Chapter 9

When we arrive, Daniel is out of the car so fast that the sound of the driver's door isn't over before the front door slam reaches us. I sigh and follow Lewis out the car and into the house. I walk straight past Slater and River who are stood in the living room arch, and head up to my room. I start stripping as soon as I get to my room, but I leave my boxers on. If Lewis was going to help me shower, he didn't need to see me naked.

As I turn the shower on for the water to warm, Lewis walks in wearing a pair of swimming shorts.

"You needed stitches so you can't get your incision wet. I'll let you wash everything you can and help with whatever is left."

I nod and head into the shower. I hear his intake of breath when he sees my back and thighs. The back of my body is far more scarred than the front. I lather up my washcloth and manage my arms and chest. I also wash my front under my boxers which felt really frickin weird. I then rinsed the washcloth and added more body wash before turning to Lewis.

"Can you do my legs and back please? And get as much blood out of my hair as you can?"

He nods and steps into the shower. It's a little bit of a squeeze but it's not so bad. I try to focus on anything but Lewis' hands on me and end up counting the tiles on the floor. When I got to 143 Lewis steps away.

"All done. I'm going to go back to my room to change. I'll give you 20 minutes to get sorted before I come back".

I nod and he leaves. I turn the shower off before stripping off my boxers. Leaving them in the bottom of the shower. I dry off as best I can, bending over makes my head feel like someone's pumping it up with a bike pump, before getting into a long-sleeved t-shirt and shorts. Climbing into the bed and laying close to the wall I just follow my pencil lines with my eyes until Lewis opens the door and climbs into bed before turning off the light.

"I'm here if you need me Elliot."

I roll over but close my eyes and gently slide my hand over the mattress till I feel the skin of his arms under my fingers. I don't grip his arm. Just let my fingertips touch his skin before taking a deep breath and letting sleep take me.

When I wake up Lewis has his head in the crook of my neck and his hand up my shirt. I could feel him tracing on of the belt scars that wraps around the front of my ribs.

"How long have you been awake Lewis?"

He shuffles slightly, laying more on me and bringing his hand up to my neck while still under my shirt.

"Bout an hour but you are too comfy, so I don't want to move. Plus, I think this is the longest I've been able to be close to you."

"You can thank River for that. They seem to touch me any time they can, and I've started to either deal with the anxiety or I'm just numb."

"Sounds like River. And I'm gonna hope it's the first one because the second option seems kind of not so good."

I laugh at his words before a knock sounds at the door. Slater calls a quiet 'breakfast' through the door. I sigh and push Lewis off me. He very dramatically falls to the floor and smirks at me.

"If you wanted me on the floor, you could have just asked me to kneel."

I flick his forehead,

"Still got a week and a half before you can say those words to me Lew."

He huffs and gets off the floor before leaving the room so we can both get ready. I change into black sweatpants and a purple hoody before walking downstairs. Lewis is just sitting down before I get there. Daniel walks in with a plate of food. He pauses when he sees me before putting the plate on the table and walking towards the archway.

"Daniel. P... please don't leave. Shout at me, throw shit at me, hit me. I don't care. But please don't keep being silent. P... please don't keep leaving."

He looks over his shoulder,

"I'll be in my office. Make sure you eat at least half of what's put on your plate."

He then walks away. Again. I feel myself shut down. Like a robot just going through the motions. I kept eating till my plate was empty. I got up and put my plate in the dishwasher and then walked to the office door. I raise my first and knock three times.