Closed Too Much

[Lou Prindeou]

~continued from here~

Lou hadn't been truly overwhelmed in a long while. But today- this- everything- it was so much, all at once, and he couldn't breath, he couldn't think. He was suffocating, drowning in his own skin. He walked briskly out of the kitchen, and as soon as he was far enough out of the way he bolted up the stairs. He made it into his room before he got light-headed. Lou dropped down at the foot of the bed, burying his head in his hands. His body shook like a leaf in a hurricane. He was gasping in breaths, but he didn't know where the air was going- his lungs felt empty. He whimpered, tangling unsteady hands in his hair and rocking gently.

 

[Erik Drage]

It wasn’t hard to figure out where Lou had gone, with his heavy footsteps striking the stairs. Holding his tea aloft, Erik climbed to the main hallway that led to all the bedrooms. He stepped into the room quietly. His brow furrowed with concern when he saw the state Lou was in. Closing the door with a soft click, he approached the bed, sitting down next to Lou and rubbing circles in his back. Erik knew from a lifetime of blunders that silence and just being there was worth its weight in galleons.

 

[Lou Prindeou]

Lou almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Erik's hand on his back. He didn't move for several moments, trying to remember how to breathe. After what felt like forever, he finally managed to see straight. The first thing he did was grab that hand and pull Erik into his lap. Lou wrapped around the other man, burying his face in the mans neck. He whined softly, one hand tangled in Eriks hair while his arm wrapped tightly around his love.

 

[Erik Drage]

Erik waited there for what felt like minutes, content to be a reassuring presence. He nearly spilled his tea when Lou pulled him into his lap. Pulling out his wand, he levitated the mug to a safer spot on the nightstand. He wrapped his arms around Lou. “Want to go for a walk?” he asked softly. Erik had the feeling Mary Lou and Hans would be all right on their own.

 

[Lou Prindeou]

Lou grumbled something unintelligible as he held onto Erik, his shaking slowly subsiding as he hid himself in his partner. Slowly, his shaking subsided. After what felt like a very long time, Lou let out a sigh. "Well..." he whispered. "I think we're even now," he tried to joke, but his voice cracked. He cleared his throat, shaking his head and nuzzling in deeper against Erik. "I'm sorry I never told you Bettie left," he apologized gently.