the eclipse [sequel] ☾ l.s.

twenty three - the return

"Ready to get up? I want to get some real food in you before we do anything else. Niall's going to try dragging you straight to the infirmary as soon as he sees you, but I'll fight him off."

Harry shifted, sitting up for the first time and rubbing his eyes. "When do you want to leave?"

"As soon as possible," Louis replied. "Ideally, this afternoon, but I want to hear what the healers have to say about you."

"I'm fine," Harry brushed him off. He started to roll out of bed, and the moment his feet hit the floor, he wobbled. He would have collapsed if Louis hadn't grasped his elbow, nearly toppling off of the mattress himself in his attempt to catch Harry from falling.

"Whoa, whoa. Easy there, Bambi." He kept a firm hold on Harry's arm as he slid out of bed too, maneuvering Harry's arm around his neck to keep the omega upright. "You were out for a whole day, so that's twenty-four hours that you haven't used those clumsy legs of yours. Give them a second to remember how to do their job."

Harry pouted, but he leaned into Louis, letting his mate guide him through the motions of getting dressed and heading out the door. It still made Harry feel a bit helpless when Louis took care of him like this, but he refused to believe what the witch had told him. His omega didn't make him weak; his omega made him him. His wolf was just as much a part of him as his magic was, and Louis loved him because of those things, not in spite of them.

He could feel the weight of Louis's worried gaze on him as they walked. He knew he looked bad. Every step reminded him how weak he was, his physical and emotional energy drained.

"You alright?" the alpha checked right then. "Look a bit spacey."

"Feel spacey," Harry agreed, pushing a fist into his bleary eyes. "Feel like I'm outside of myself looking in."

"Alright, sweetheart. We'll get you checked out, and then we'll go home. Sound good?"

"Good."

The main street seemed quieter than usual, but it was probably for the best. Even with Louis by his side to glare at anyone who tried to say anything, Harry wasn't in the mood to socialize with judgemental pack members who probably wished that he hadn't come back at all.

The only pack members (well, ex pack members) that he wanted to see appeared in front of them as if on cue. As he and Louis passed the infirmary, Niall and Liam came out the main doors. Liam smiled, greeting Harry and Louis with a squeeze on each of their shoulders. Niall was a bit more excited.

"Harry! Oh my god, mate, I can't believe --" Niall's face dropped when he really saw his friend -- the sharp edges of Harry's cheekbones, the slight hunch of his back, and the jutting corners of his hips. "Oh my god."

Harry cracked a weak smile. "Is it that bad?"

Niall rushed to shake his head. "No, no, it's not . . ." he sighed, pursing his lips. "Yeah. You look like shit."

"Oi," Louis quipped. "He's lovely, as always. Just looks a bit . . ." He thumbed tenderly over the dark circles under his omega's eyes. "Tired."

Harry snorted. "Yeah, don't worry. I'm just tired. They didn't give me much time to sleep while they were trying to make me destroy the world."

Niall rolled his eyes, ignoring Harry's pitiful attempt at a joke. "I want the healers to take a look at you while you're awake. They already checked you over once, but fuck, they haven't seen you walk. You look like a newborn baby."

Liam frowned. "Newborn babies can't walk."

"Exactly." Niall ducked under Harry's free arm, helping Louis support his weight. "Come on, we can head in now."