Trophy (L.S)

Thirteen

The man peeked his head into the room to look around, and he instantly smiled towards the poor beta that was still sitting on the wood flooring of the guest bedroom.

Stepping inside and up to the shorter boy, Harry knelt down in front of him, that smile still present. "C'mon, love, the bath's ready for you."

Louis blinked up, rather slowly, as he took a deep breath. The alpha in front of him becoming a blurry image as he tried to will the tiredness away.

Yet, the younger man didn't seem to mind, and instead chuckled fondly. "Aw, is someone sleepy?" He cooed as he slowly reached a hand out, waiting to see if the beta would lash out this time.

And Louis just stared at the man's arm, his tired mind finding the pulsing veins and bulging muscles hot. He watched as the alpha placed his hand on his knee, yet the warmth that radiated off of it felt soothing to the older man; so much so that he lazily smiled and preened in contentment, nearly purring.

Harry, upon realizing that the beta wasn't going to move, reached out with his other arm now until he hoisted Louis up from underneath the beta's armpits. Once they were both standing, the alpha continued to lift his beta up so that he could carry the smaller man in his arms.

If the beta wasn't purring before, he definitely was now, and Harry had to hide his beaming smile as he crossed the hallway and entered into the bathroom.

"Okay Louis, I'm going to lower you in the water now," the alpha whispered into the older's ear, and he waited until the beta nodded slightly before he did.

The beta tensed up for a second as his body submerged into the water, but he immediately relaxed at the warmth and comforting scent of his alpha nearby.

Harry kneeled down next to the tub, sighing dreamily as he stared at the side of his beta's face.

Louis seemed to feel the gaze and turned to look at him, eyebrow raised, as he blinked once.

"You see that red-looking bottle there?" The alpha questioned as he pointed to a little shelf within the tub, now noticing that his staring probably freaked the beta out a little bit. Harry then resorted to watch as Louis turned to look for it before grabbing the said bottle. "That's the body wash, and the yellow one here is the shampoo."

The beta popped open the cap of the body wash, and was now sniffing curiously, immediately loving the sweet scent that came up into his nostrils. Louis had hummed then, turning to glance at the alpha. "Smells good."

Harry chuckled softly. "Yeah, it's supposed to smell good, babe."

Louis poured a bit into his palm, seeming to have figured it out himself as he lathered the liquid over his tan skin until suds were left in his wake.

"This yellow one, the shampoo, goes into your hair then, but your hair has to be wet; otherwise it won't work very well," the alpha mumbled as he held up the second bottle, locking eyes with the beta that sat in front of him.

Louis nodded slightly before quickly scrubbing himself off from the body wash. He then hesitantly reached his hand out to grab the bottle of shampoo from the alpha's hands.

Harry slowly stood up from his crouched position next to the tub, and Louis had to crane his neck up to look at the man. "It's okay, I think you've got this handled; just don't get any of the suds into your eyes, it'll burn. I'm just going to fetch you some pajamas and some medicine, I think," the alpha finished as he smiled down at his beta reassuringly.

Louis nervously smiled back before he mumbled under his breath. "Thanks."

"No need to thank me, love, it's my job to take care of you," Harry replied as he opened up the medicine cabinet, searching through the different bottles and boxes there.

The beta blushed, definitely not used to the pet names and the way that he felt helpless- since he was the one that provided and protected back at the field, this was totally new, and overwhelming.

Louis had made quick work in getting his hair wet and figuring out how to use the shampoo, and just as he was rinsing it all back out, the alpha had come back into the bathroom with some boxers and sweatpants. Finding the man reentering the room almost startled the poor beta, not having seen the man leave in the first place.

Harry seemed to notice that his beta was done and easily picked him back up from the tub, not at all caring that his clothes were now getting wet in the process.

The alpha had set Louis down on the cool tile, making sure that he was alright to stand on his own before handing him the towel that was hanging on the rack nearby.

Louis had dried himself quickly, absolutely hating the feeling of water trickling down his skin; and as soon as he set the towel aside, the alpha had offered him the dark, grey boxers in which he put on immediately.

"Here," Harry held out the black sweatpants next, letting the smaller man grab it without hesitation before he focused his attention on the small cup that had the medicine he'd pulled out earlier. He grabbed that next, waiting patiently as Louis got dressed.

The beta lifted his hand, offering his palm out to the young alpha until he got the hint and placed the cup into it. Louis brought the item closer to his face and examined it, his eyes scanning the red liquid inside. He sniffed it next, and it didn't smell bad, per say, it just didn't smell like anything he's ever caught whiff of before.

Harry chuckled softly. "You don't smell it, babe, that'll just make the taste of it worse."

Louis looked up, appalled. "You mean I have to drink this?"

"Well, yeah, if you want to feel and get better. That's what medicine is."