fierce ↠ sweet pea [1] [✔]

|| NINETEEN ||

"Are you awake?" Sweet Pea whispered, his index finger stroking Lauryn's cheek lightly as she laid on them, the two of them sharing their usual safe place on the couch.

"Mhm," she hummed, her eyes closed as she could barely stay awake, her arm draped over him comfortably.

He kissed her forehead softly. "Are you okay with all this?"

"With with what?"

"All the Ghoulie drama, and shit with the Northside," he answered with a long sigh. "I'm worried it's gettin' to your head. You've seemed a little out of it these past few days."

Opening her eyes, she glanced up at him. "I'll be okay, babe."

Unconvinced, Sweet Pea turned onto his side, brushing her sprawled hair out of her face. "You gotta let me in, though. I know there's shit you're not tellin' me."

Lauryn opened her mouth to give him a response, but was overwhelmed by a wave of nausea which caused her to bolt from the couch to the bathroom. This time, she wasn't able to excuse herself discreetly. 

Sweet Pea followed after her quickly, taking a handful of her hair into his hand as he flinched at the sound of her retching. She let out a breath when she was done, sitting back against the shower cubicle.

He handed her a towel to wipe the puke from around her mouth, kneeling down. "What happened?"

She wouldn't look at him until she'd flattened the suspicion on the front of her mind, shaking her head as a sigh left her lips. "I don't know, Sweet Pea."

As Sweet Pea remembered their conversation from earlier which he'd shunned, a shock hit him, but he refused to believe it. "This was... the first time, right?"

Looking him in the eyes, she couldn't bring herself to lie to him. "It's happened a couple times before."

He hung his head, running out of reasons to believe it wasn't what he thought it was. "Why didn't you tell me?"

His girlfriend shrugged, realising the seriousness of the potential situation. She decided not to believe it. "It's probably just stress or something. Don't worry."

Sweet Pea got up, standing her up with him. He kissed her forehead, leading her out of the bathroom back to the living room. He bit his tongue as she sat down, staring at him in self-pity. He huffed lowly. "Get some sleep. I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?" Lauryn asked as he laid a blanket over her, switching on the TV. 

"Don't worry," he reassured bluntly. "I won't be long."

She watched as he retrieved his keys and tugged on his jacket, shooting her a half-smile before hurrying out the door. Lauryn laid there silently, drowning in confusion and despair. She turned onto her side, trying to distract herself by watching the first thing that came on.

Her eyes fluttered open and closed as she drifted into a troubled sleep, wondering if she'd even slept when she woke up to Sweet Pea unlocking the front door after what felt like only seconds. Squinting as her eyes adjusted to the light, she took note of the plastic bag in his hand.

"Hey," she said, stretching. "How long were you gone?"

"Half an hour? I don't know," Sweet Pea replied, making his way over to her with the bag as she sat up curiously. He sat next to her, kissing her. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she said. "But I'd feel a lot better if I knew what's in the bag."

He took a deep breath, knowing he might've seemed a little too paranoid. Reaching into the bag, he pulled out a little box, placing it on her lap as she processed what he was insinuating. "It's just to be sure, Angel Face."