Larry Dr. Fics

Tumble Down the Stairs-Louis

Words: 950

"Stupid Harry," Louis mumbled to himself about his husband. Their fight last night still resonated with him, his angry thoughts still fueling the fire that should've died once his head hit the pillow, but Louis was stubborn.

He put on a shirt and grabbed a pair of skinny jeans. He began his descent down the stairs so he could make himself some breakfast, and at the same time, hopped his legs into the jeans. Instead of sliding right through the pant leg, his foot caught on the fabric and he stumbled forward, gasping as his hand blindly searched for the banister to keep himself upright. His hand didn't grab it in time, so he tumbled down the stairs. His body landed midway, a sickening crack filling the silence.

Following the crack was a shooting pain in his leg, just below the knee. Louis bellowed in pain. He felt the ache all the way down to his toes. After catching his breath, he looked himself over. He lightly felt his leg with his fingertips and winced. It was already turning blue and puffy. Sitting in his boxers, he didn't know what to do.

Harry was a doctor, yes, but he didn't want to deal with him right now, and Harry probably didn't care about him either at this point. Harry would probably be glad he was hurt. Louis shifted his body to get to the bottom of the stairs but the pain in his leg wasn't forgiving. A shooting pain tore at his leg with any small movement. No, he would have to keep it still.

He cradled his tender leg with his hands, trying to ease the pain if only a little. It was throbbing and turning even bluer. He thought about Harry again and how there was no way to reach him at work anyway because his phone was on the nightstand. Louis tried again to move from his seated position on the stairs but the pain was unbearable. He was just going to have to wait this out until Harry returned from work that evening.

He didn't have to wait that long. Hours passed and Louis heard the front door opening. He panicked for a moment until he heard his husband from the laundry room. "Everything's a mess," Louis heard Harry say. "Can't even do that right."

There he goes again. Complaining about everything, Louis thought. But what was Harry doing home so early?

"I'm home. Forgot my lunch!" Harry shouted. "Where are you?"

"I'm up here!" Louis yelled.

Harry sensed something was off with the way Louis's voice wavered. Maybe Louis was ready to apologize. "Why is the house still a mess?" Harry said angrily as me made his way towards Louis. More words were mumbled which Louis wasn't sure what was being said, but at this point, his mind was focused on only one thing: pain.

It had only gotten worse to the point that he was shaking. Once Harry was at the foot of the stairs, he quit complaining and just stared for a few seconds at Louis, dumbfounded. "Lou, what--what happened?"

"I fell," Louis said heatedly.

Harry ran up the staircase and saw how Louis was hunched over, his hands protecting his leg like something had happened. His skinny jeans were at the top of the stairs, and he was only half dressed and sweaty, looking as pale as ever. Seeing his husband in this kind of shape seemed to turn a switch inside him. Suddenly, all bad feelings and anger melted away in one little instance.

As Harry went to touch him, Louis shrugged him off. "Hey, I'm sorry, Louis. Just let me help."

Louis looked up at him, the anger still apparently there.

"I know I said some things that I didn't mean and I'm sorry. Can we just forget about last night?" Harry pleaded.

Louis bit his lip. It was no use arguing now. Harry was right. Louis nodded.

Harry smiled, which was turned into a frown when he saw Louis wince. "Can you tell me where it hurts, honey?"

Louis removed his hand to reveal a badly bruised area that was blue and purple and largely swollen. Louis gasped when Harry touched it.

"This is bad," Harry said softly. "No doubt about it, it's broken."

Louis frowned at the news but it was no surprise to him. Harry helped him into a pair of shorts so he wouldn't have to go to the hospital in his underwear. Then he lifted him in his arms, causing Louis to whimper as he jarred his injured leg.

Once at the hospital, Harry helped him onto the exam table. "You don't look so well, baby." He ran his fingers through Louis's damp hair and Louis reached out for him, planting his face into Harry's chest. He had hated being so angry with him before. It was nice to be rid of it and to feel some comfort again, especially at a moment like this.

"You're okay, Lou," Harry cooed.

"It hurts, Harry," Louis mumbled in his shirt.

"I know. Just breathe." Harry stroked his back and played with Louis's hair for another minute until Louis pulled away first. Harry took x-rays of his leg and carefully put his cast on for him. Harry took the rest of the day off to take care of Louis at home.

When they got back home, Harry set aside Louis's crutches and immediately pulled the smaller boy into his arms and cuddled him closely as Louis lay in his arms, careful of his freshly-fractured leg. After a heartfelt apology between the both of them, they were completely at peace with each other.