"Petal!" Niall called. I hid myself further into my sheets, drowning the light sobs that escaped my mouth. His footsteps grew louder with every call.
The door creaked open and a sigh left his lips. "Thank goodness you're here." He slid under the covers, draping me with a new heat. His head dug into my neck, pecking lazy kiss after kiss.
"Had a horrible day." He grumbled. "We had to redo the same song over and over, was horrible because the lyrics weren't sounding right with the instruments. Everything was just going-" he blew a raspberry in my neck.
"I'm just glad you're home, you're always a good listener." My quiet facade didn't keep up for long. The air became difficult to breathe and my chest began to close in. I cleared my airways by inhaling, but a loud sniff carried through the room.
His head lifted from my neck.
"Petal?" The cries captured in my throat grew harder to contain, something about the concern in his voice drove me to break. I turned to him to hide away in his chest. His arms circled around my shaking shoulders while my tears soaked his shirt. He kissed me, cooing sweet names to comfort me.
The tears seemed impossible to stop. Every time I tried to hold my breath just to control them, Niall would squeeze me tighter and plead me to breathe.
Weeps after muffled sobs after weeps, I lost track of the time. My eyes burned and my face became dry from all the tears that turned stale.
Only hiccups were left to leave my lips, shoulders still trembling uncontrollably. Niall's hands continued combing through my hair, dancing his lips on my forehead as I let out the last bits of my cries.
"Can we talk about it?" Hesitancy coated his soft voice.
I inhaled a deep breathe, pulling back to wipe the edge of my eyes. His fingers drew over the curves of cheeks, tilting my head back just a little so I met his eyes.
It was hard, though. My eyes burned shut from all the tears I shed and weighed like bricks on a blanket.
"Miranda.." His silence made my voice seem louder. "It was her last operation and..."
His finger pulled a strand of hair behind my ear to carry on, but I couldn't keep his eyes as I told him. I couldn't. Not only because it ached my heart to say it out loud but because the tears resurfacing my eyes were agonizing.
"It went bad, Niall." My voice wavered, "I had to tell her kids she didn't make it through."
He pulled me back into his chest, peppering rough, wet kisses on my head. "Oh, petal."
The pain was inevitable. No matter how much I cried, the heaviness on my chest stayed just as heavy. No matter how much I sobbed, the tightness in my throat continued to linger. No matter what I did, I couldn't feel any better.
"Please let me run you a warm bath?" Niall offered, I nodded. "I'll be back, promise." He kissed my head once more before leaving me with the sheets. His warmth remained, but it didn't feel the same. I already missed him.
"Come on," he kissed my head, helping me off the bed discreetly. I walked partially blinded from the lack of light and weight on my eyes, relying mostly on Niall to lead us into the bathroom.
"Left." He whispered in my ear, tugging me delicately to our left where the edge of the wall grazed my shoulder the slightest.
In the bathroom, the faucet ran and the lights were dimmed to an extent; candles circled the bathtub and sink, perfect for my weak eyes.
"Didn't want to add oils, was too scared it'd cause a headache." It was too late for that, but I was too reluctant to tell him.
His fingers danced on my skin, assisting me with peeling every bit of my clothing. He placed a kiss on my shoulder before helping me slowly slide into the warm water. My eyes fell shut to my surroundings: Niall's hand in mine, the warmth against my skin.
I found the throbbing in my head easing with every second of silence I didn't spend crying.
"You're strong, I want you to know that, petal," Niall's voice summoned. "I believe you tried your best. Mistakes and inconveniences happen, and I will love you no matter what."
I didn't have the strength to cry anymore, I didn't want to. Guilt still weighed down on me, but it was Niall's words that calmed all my regrets; all the blame I put on myself.
Mistakes and inconveniences happen.
Carefully, I opened my eyes, attracting his fingers. The pad of his thumb ran over my lower eye lid delicately, massaging the inflation away. I took his hand in mine and kissed his knuckles.
"I love you." I said.
He smiled. "I love you more."
His response sprung a laugh out of me, causing his smile to grow wider.
"Why's that funny?"
"Because it's impossible."
"Hmm, that so?"
I nodded. He took my face into his hand and peppered sloppy kisses from his continuous smile.
"Ok," I giggled. After a kiss to my lips, I pushed him away lightly- enough to see his face. "Get in please."
"I don't think I fit, love."
"You said you had a bad day too. Please get in." His eyes draped over the tub, hesitantly, but he nodded.
"Ok." He inhaled, quick to strip. I bunch my legs to the end, scooting forward so he'd have enough space. His outstretched legs lifted mine before his hands found my waist and brought me against him.
"See, we fit." I said, completely avoiding the way his feet hovered next to the faucet.
"Mhm," he hummed before leaking out a laugh.
We sat, talking about anything but our day; stealing kisses, touches.
I could spend the rest of the night here, even if the water got cold, even if my skin got wrinkly.
