Limerence • Auli'i Cravalho (gxg)

she don't like the lights

"Babe, come on. You need to get up- we have to get going soon." Auli'i rubs your back while you were still snuggled under the covers.

You whine, unwilling to get up as you hid your face in the pillow. Auli'i sighs, "Baby, if you don't get up we're gonna be late for the procedure."

"I don't wanna go."

"You need to go." She pats your back then slowly pulled the blanket down. You rolled over onto your back, eyes peeling open to look at her. "Rise and shine, baby." She leaned forward to give you a kiss, "Come on." Auli'i held out her hand for you to grab, which you accepted and helped yourself out of bed. You washed your face and got dressed— a soft baggy t-shirt and a pair of joggers. You were getting admitted to hospital this morning for another biopsy which you for sure knew the results of, but your doctor 'wanted to be sure'. The past two times had identical results, attempt number three came back inconclusive because your doctors entered the probe in just the wrong area and collected samples that didn't actually have the disease. And thus, today was going to be attempt four.

You stared into space throughout the entire drive, wondering how messy it would be when you two arrived. In the last year, Auli'i's popularity skyrocketed and she has been followed by paparazzi everywhere. You've been living with Auli'i for the past five years, and up until recently, she's always had a level of anonymity. You just knew that people would be there— just like how they have been every time you've been to the hospital. Bombarded, uncomfortable, angry...

You sighed seeing the swarm of people with cameras at the drop of point while Auli'i parked her car. "I got you, okay? Put the shades on, look down and I'll lead you inside."

You had exactly fifteen minutes till your appointment time and you didn't want to be late. You just wanted to get this over with. Auli'i got out first and opened the door for you. Locking the doors, she then had a protective arm around you as you two started walking towards the entrance.

Them seeing Auli'i near them had them acting like pigeons seeing someone eating food, waiting to attack, ask questions...highly personal questions. You tried to tune them out and ignore them, but were still highly aware of their nuisance of a presence. She shielded you from them. Not wanting them to get a single shot at you. Finally setting foot indoors, you let go of a breath you weren't even aware that you held. She signs you in you two got directions to go to a specific ward upstairs— a nurse followed along. Seemingly aware of the ordeal it was to get inside the compounds.

"We tried to get them to go away. Some did, but some of them refused to go."

You shrug, giving her a grateful smile while Auli'i said, "We appreciate it, but they're truly so hard to reason with. We leave through the back sometimes, but they still figure it out. It's crazy."

The nurse, Daisy, pushed open a door to a private hospital room, "Here's your room. I will be back in a minute with a change of clothes and set an IV plug for you, okay?"

"Right, thanks." You stepped inside, Auli'i's hand on your shoulder. She sets your overnight bag down on the chair and told you to sit down on the bed. You did, looking around the admittedly cosy-ish room. Auli'i stood before you, tilting your chin up with a finger before holding your face with both hands. She looks at you, gaze soft and loving as her eyes formed into little crescents for a moment. "Breathe. You're okay." Auli'i says quietly, "I've made sure that they won't get anywhere near you."

"I know, I just— on days like these ones, I want us to be able to not worry about our safety. I don't want to have to worry about how I look, having to cover up my face while I'm already vulnerable and worried to death about what's to come in the hospital."