Faster than anyone liked to admit, Harry's condition deteriorated in the next few days.
It seemed that every day they visited, he seemed to be asleep with dark yellow bags under his eyes. In the few times he was awake, he was weak and unsteady.
Sara had begun volunteering in a pediatric ward near the ICU and surreptitiously dropped in on Harry whenever Lynette couldn't make it. Neither of them really liked to discuss Harry's state other than her brief updates on him, but both Lynette and Sara knew that, medically, it had gone beyond serious.
That day, Harry was awake. Lynette paused at the door for a moment before stepping inside. He glanced up and he smiled, a dimple appearing at the corner of his mouth. He was half sitting up and attempted to get up further, and then visibly winced in pain and shakily laid back down.
Lynette pulled a chair up and leaned her elbows on the bed. "You alright? Did you eat today?"
Harry shrugged and swallowed thickly. "Not hungry."
"You should--umm--you should at least drink something." Harry's lips were cracked.
He relented. "Maybe a little water."
There was silence as she got up and poured him some. He reached for it hesitantly, his tattoos standing out starkly against his skin.
His hand shook suddenly and half of the water spilled onto the bedsheets. Harry stared at the stain and blinked slowly. "I'm sorry."
Lynette gently grabbed hold of his hand, steadied it, and helped him drink. "I'll get someone to change those for you."
Harry interjected. "It's fine. I can live with it."
Lynette sighed. "I just want to help, Haz. Why won't you let us?"
"You aren't sacrificing anything more for me," Harry stated adamantly.
And they weren't talking about the water anymore.
He coughed and Lynette sighed, deciding this wasn't the time to try to convince him again. Instead, she stroked his hair until his coughing subsided and passed him a tissue. Harry took it, wiped his mouth quickly, and crumbled it in his hand. He glanced up at her and took a shuddering breath and Lynette saw his eyes flicker to her lips.
And that was all the invitation she needed to lean in.
His lips were a little salty and there was a slightly metallic taste and then Harry's hands were running through her hair. He smiled against her lips and nudged her nose with his.
"I love you," he said softly, and pulled back.
Lynette could feel the tears welling up as she took him in. "I love you," she whispered back, before she ran to the toilets. Harry couldn't see her cry now.
In front of the mirror, she began to wash her face. And then she stopped and looked closely at her lips. It looked like she had been bleeding heavily, but as hard as she looked, there wasn't a cut in sight. When it hit her, she was sprinting back to Harry's room in a panic.
She found him leaned over on his sterile bedsheets gasping and choking on the blood pouring out of his mouth. And in the next split second, she was screaming for help and just as quickly a doctor was running in and Harry had fallen backwards limp.
YOU ARE READING
Unfinished Perfection
Fanfiction" I just--I want more time, Harry. Don't you?" Lynette fought to keep her voice steady. "This--this isn't enough." Harry shifted and his eyes met hers. She could see that his too, shone with unshed tears. His fingers toyed aimlessly with his IVs an...
