The Boxer

Chapter 24

A/N: Sorry this chapter took longer to get up then planned! Hope you guys enjoy xx

 
It was quite possible I was going to end up coughing up a lung a few hours after Liam left. I'd finally decided to move into the safety of my house and the cold hit me like a brick wall. Looking in the mirror it reflected my deathly appearance. Pale skin, white lips and dark circles under my eyes. How pathetic.I thought You only did this too yourself. I'm hopeless.

"If it's up and after you
What do you suppose that you would do?
You're all whacked out from lack of sleep
You blame it on the friends you keep
You want to do things differently
And do them independently
We all got old at breakneck speed
Slow it down, go easy on me
Go easy on me "

Wetsuit by The Vaccines rang through the house for awhile, while I stared blankly at the Tv. My hand clutching my cell like a lifeline in hopes I'd get a call but it never came. I called Niall and asked if he'd seen Liam go home but he said Liam was no where in sight. I was stuck in limbo, an ever flowing circle of worry hoping Liam would calm himself to leave Harry alone or Harry wasn't home so Liam couldn't try to hurt him  or get hurt by him. I was worrying myself sick.

Have you ever been that worried? So worried your terrified the person you care about is going to get hurt but it's even worse when the people you care about are going against each other. I've felt it  every time Harry's fought or Liam's been tackled in a game. I just want them safe and to think they'd be hurting each other tears me apart. 

Finally I got up the courage to take a cab to Harry's place, I needed to know what was happening. So I called a cab and paid the driver when I made it. Only Harry's car sat in the driveway and the weight on my chest seemed to collapse. Tugging my jacket tighter around me I walked up to check if he was alright and home. Just because his car was here dosen't mean Liam didn't come by and try to fight Harry. And if I knew him at all he'd definitely fight back. But considering Liam just went AWOL I'm not sure of anything anymore. 

It seemed like an eternity passed before Harry finally answered. Harry's hair was a curly mess, his shirt scrunched up and wrinkled, sweats slung low on his hip and barefoot when he opened the door. He must have been asleep. 

"Cryssy?"

"Hey, Sorry to bother you did Liam come by?" I asked nervously and Harry yawned lazily, rubbing his right eye with the back of his hand as he held the door open with the other. 

"No, why?"

"Shit" I mumbled "where did he go?" I began to question myself blankly. 

"What are you talking about Cryssy?" I waved him off, coughing into my elbow and turning too pace. I needed to know where Liam went, I didn't want him to hurt himself or go drinking. "Cryssy?! Answer me damnit!" I knew he was getting upset with me but I couldn't bring myself to pay attention. I had too many questions. It was wet and rainy when he left, Liam could have crashed. Or maybe he was drunk in a bar picking a fight with some stranger but no that wasn't Liam. Hell none of this was Liam.  "CRYSSY!" Harry spun me around and gripped my arms tightly and shook me. "What's going on?!"

"Liams gone!" I cried "He said he wanted to fight you and left, he's not answering his phone and Niall went by his house so he's not home either!" I was a blubbering mess of worry and fright. I didn't know what to do or how to fix it. Harry pulled me in but I couldn't hug I'm back, I pushed his chest as hard as I could and shook my head no. 

"Cryssy I'm sorry. It's my fault and I'll try to fix it just please don't push me away" I shook my head again unable to speak properly because of my constant coughing. "Are you okay? Have you been out in the rain?"

"I'm fine! I just need to find Liam"

"You look deathly ill Cryssy you need to be resting" 

"Shut up Harry! Just- just  shut up! I need to fix this stupid mess" I shouted furiously, storming off the porch steps but of course Harry followed, hauling me back and ignoring my flailing limbs attempting to fight him off. Throwing me over his shoulder he walked me inside. 

"Let me down styles!"I screamed, pounding his back with my small fists but he didn't flinch once. Harry tossed me onto the bed and layed me down. 

"Stay"

"Are you fuc-"

"Shut up"

"I-"

"CRYSSY" he growled "Just shut up and let me handle this alright?! I'm trying to help okay! I fucked  up your relationship and I'm sorry but you need to stay here and rest before you get even more sick than you already are okay?" he demanded. I let my head bow in submission. 

"Fine" it was quiet but heard  by Harry who sat next to me, pulling my hand into his. 

"I promise Cryssy, I'll fix it" he soothed, rubbing the back of my hand slowly. With my free hand I wiped away the straying tears that began to appear before Harry pulled my hand down and did it himself. "I promise" he whispered once more. I nodded and layed back on the pillow while Harry disappeared into the bathroom, returning a moment later with a full bottle of medicine. "I don't use this much" he confessed as he squinted to try and read it. I snatched it, grabbing the cup like top and filling it before taking it like a shot. 

"There" Harry blushed and placed it on the nightstand. I watched as he pulled the covers down for me and I slipped into the spot between sheet and comforter. Harry smiled slightly as he sat back on the edge next to me. 

"I promise I'll fix it" he repeated. 

"Just don't get hurt. I can't handle either of you getting hurt I just can't" I pleaded and Harry nodded, cupping my cheek. I took it gently and pulled it down hoping to not hurt his feelings. I brushed his hand softly before telling him to go and he did, grabbing some proper clothes on his way out. 

My eyes began to droop shortly after and I wondered how I'd gotten so tired so fast. I looked over to the bedside table and grabbed the meds Harry had given me, turned out one of the side affects were drowsiness. How lovely. 


I felt groggy and gross when I finally woke up, my eyes felt gooey and my mouth tasted awful. Harry's alarm said it was about 9pm so I must have been asleep for a good three and a half hours.. Usually meds like that make me sleep like the dead all night but the voices that must have woken me caught my attention. 


~

"I don't care what you have to say Styles! I'm taking her home and your not seeing her anymore as long as I'm around!" 

"So your going to make her choose between us? That's not fair Liam and you know it! Especially when I care about her and you KNOW she'll choose you!"

"That's exactly why I'm doing it!" Liam hissed. 

"You can't do that Liam!"

"And why not? She's my fucking girlfriend!"

"BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT HER TOO! You can't just cut me out of her life like this!"

"Well your a little too close for comfort alright Styles. I think it's in both your best interests to stay away from each other" Cryssy inched closer to the door, appalled by what she heard. 

"Since when am I an object huh?" Cryssy interjected. Both the boys gaped at the girl in the doorway. Her skin was pale white and her hair fell in messy waves down her back. Her normally bright blue eyes were dark along with the bags beneath her eyes and the scowl on her lips. "You sound just like my parents" she spat.  A heap of guilt hit them both like a brick wall. "They used to do this all the time, fight over me like rabid dogs because neither of them could stand having me around the other. It's pathetic and all night I've been worried about the likes of you two and this is what happens?" Cryssy shook her head, pulling her arms over her chest and bowing her head.  "I can't believe you guys. I know what happened was wrong and Liam I know your hurt but treating me like a child in unnecessary and ridiculous."

She walked passed the boys, knowing she'd gotten her point across enough. When she got to the door she could still hear the rain pouring down outside and as much as she didn't want to walk home in it, being in a room with these two didn't seem much better. 

The boys exchanged a worried look as she walked by, Harry was the first to run after her, following her out into the rain. "I'm sorry!" he apologized. "I know you hate that shit and it's the reason we aren't together anymore but both Liam and I care about you-"

"Save it" Cryssy answered bitterly over the sound of rain hitting the concrete. "I've heard this speech before. 'Cryssy your father and I love you very much and we both want to be with you but we aren't happy- blah blah blah. It happens too all kids at some point I just never thought it'd happen with a boyfriend" she laughed humorlessly. 

"Cryssy-"

"let's just stay friends alright. Obviously we aren't meant to be and it fucks everything else up" it came out harsh and mean and Cryssy wanted to take it back but she knew it wasn't and option anymore. What's done is done and with the look Harry gave her she knew it was final. His light green eyes grew dark and his normally perky curls drooped from the rain, over his eyes a little. It was a dark look, like what he had been before they met.

"fine. Goodbye Cryssy" 

She watched him walk away, the rain soaking his shirt and showing every crease in his back as he walked. A honk startled her, looking to her left she saw Liam running over with an umbrella in hand. The caring boy immediately pulling off his jacket and draping it over he shaking shoulders. Despite being furious with Liam she knew he had every right to be just as pissed so she followed suite back to the car with the weight of damage done heavy on her shoulders. The ride home was quite, but Liam held her hand which was nice. Liam had the amazing ability of knowing every remedy in the book on how to make someone feel better and if that meant putting any anger he felt to the side he'd do it and that's just what he did as he walked a shivering Cryssy into her house. 

"You really need to stay out of the rain" Liam murmured as he walked her to her bedroom. "I'll run you a bath, you need to warm up" he said and cryssy nodded slowly, her sickness kicking i now more than ever and she was so thankful for Liam. 

He ran her a bath and waited outside the door as Cryssy undressed. When she called he slowly peaked in, the bubbles covered her almost completely which made Cryssy feel a bit less vulnerable in her weak state. Liam smiled sweetly at her, never taking his eyes from hers as he poured warm water down her back and shoulders to stop the shivering. "Better?" he asked after a while and Cryssy nodded so Liam grabbed a towel and opened it for her, making sure to look away until he felt her body lean into his and he wrapped the towel around her. When they entered the bedroom Liam had already set out a pain of pajamas for her and Cryssy thank him. When everything was settled and Cryssy was dressed, in bed and finished with the soup Liam had forced her to eat they finally talked. 


~


"Look Cryssy I'm sorry I threatened to fight Harry, I'm sorry I tried to take custody of you I guess you could say and-" 

"Li I get it, you were angry and so was I. You had a right to want me to stay away from Harry. Your argument just reminded me a lot of my parents is all"

"I know babe, but I'm still sorry and if I didn't leave you here and go AWOL you wouldn't be sick as a dog" he sighed rubbing me cheek with his finger. I sunk into the feeling, not sure how long this kind of thing would last. "I know you really care about him"

"I care about you too" I interjected quickly. Liam laughed lightly. 

"Not as much as you do that boy Cryssy. I can see it.. and it's alright. I could see it every time we were all together. You really like him an obviously you weren't ready to let go when you did" Liam spoke softly. It was the old Liam talking again, the never angry Liam. The calm and collected, big hearted Liam. 

"I'm sorry" was all I could muster. Liam smiled. 

"It's alright. I guess I just didn't want to believe what I already knew" he sighed. 

"Your not too angry about this all are you?"

"of course not love. Maybe a little hurt but I'll be okay" I frowned. 

"I'm sorry"

"Don't worry about it, as long as you promise to keep coming to games?"
 
"I'll be at every single one" I promised. 



A/N: So no big fight scene?? Raise your hand if your disappointed? haha Please comment and lemme know what you think! I can't be the only one happy about puppy Liam not getting hurt riiight? <3