Help Me (sequel to Save Me)

Chapter 32

Trigger warning

It's cold outside and Remington is shivering, but he doesn't care. He just needed to get off the bus. His phone is buzzing in his pocket and he pulls it out, answering straight away when he sees who it is. "Hi, Andy," he says, glancing at his brothers who are standing in the doorway of the bus. They know better than to surround him.

"Hey sweetheart, are you alright?" Andy is in a taxi on his way to see the boys, specifically Remington, after flying over night.

Remington sighs. He makes himself sit on his free hand to stop himself scratching. "No," he answers bluntly, "not alright, Andy, really not alright."

The older man can hear so clearly the sadness in his voice and he wants to shout at the driver to speed the fuck up. "What's wrong? Do you want to talk?"

The boy nods even though Andy can't see. "In person. I want to talk to you in person." God, he sounds so sad.

"Tell me what's wrong, princess. It's got to be better to tell me over than phone than not at all." Andy looks out the window. They must be nearly there by now.

Remington is quiet for a few seconds, and then talks. "I want to die," is what he says, dull and hopeless, like he might really jump in front of a car right now. "I want to die and Emerson is mad at me because I didn't tell him and he shouted at me." He's tearful and  feels stupid for crying about this. He shouldn't be fucking crying about this. "Andy, I need you. Like-I-I really really need you. Now."

The despearation in his voice makes Andy tear up, too. He is so glad that he made the decision to abandon recording to come out and see his boy. "Oh baby boy, it's okay. Emerson won't be mad at you. He's just worried." His phone buzzes with a text from Sebatsian.
Where are you?

Andy looks out the window. He honestly has no idea.
I don't know. Where are you? I can tell the taxi driver.

We've stopped in a lay-by bcos Rem needed to get out the bus. On the A106 (just made that up idk where that is)

"Andy? Are you still there?" Remington asks, scared the man has left him.

"Yeah, sweetheart, I'm here." He takes the phone away from his ear and holds a hand over the microphone of the phone to talk to the driver. "Can you take me to the A106?" The driver nods, and Andy brings the phone up to his ear again.

Remington is trying not to break down crying. He doesn't want his brothers to see him crying again. He feels like such a let down. "I-I told Abi I'd call her if I felt worse but-but I don't want to-I don't want to burden her."

They pull out onto a main road which Andy presumes is the A106. "You're never a burden," he says, "never." Andy is watching out the window, looking out for the parked bus and for Remington. "Drop me off right there," he says, forgetting that Remington can hear him.

The car pulls up in the same lay-by as Remington questions him. "What?"

Andy swipes his credit card on the machine to pay the driver, thanks him, and gets out the car. He sees the boy sat there on a small section of grass and heads straight over to him, hanging up the ohone at the same time. "Remington," he says, and the boy whips his head around, gasps, and staggers to his feet.

He basically throws himself at Andy, digging his head into the man's shoulder and clutching the fabric of his shirt in his hands tightly. "This isn't real," he keeps whispering, "you're not here."

Andy is holding him so protectively, like he's shielding him from eveything that's making him sad. "I'm right here, baby, I've got you."

Remington is sobbing now. He has never felt such relief in his life. Suddenly everything seems easier, better. His lover is rubbing his back and stroking his hair and he feels so much better. "I love you," he sobs, "oh my God, I love you so much."

The boy is shivering in Andy's arms, clearly cold, and the man kisses his head. "I love you infinetly. Let's get you into the bus, princess, you're cold." He waits for a nod before pulling away from the hug and taking Remington's hand, noticing how irritated his wrists look but decidng to mention it later, when it's just the two of them and Remington has calmed down. Emerson and Sebastian are still standing in the doorway, but step away to let the two men in, exchanging glances. "Where's your bunk, sweetheart?" Andy asks, and Remington shows him. "Alright. I'm going to cuddle you and you're going to tell me everything that's making you sad, okay?" He pulls the curtain back and gets in the small bunk, offering his hands for Remington.

Taking his lover's hands, Remington climbs into the bunk too, settling in Andy's lap and not releasing his hands, knowing that he'll scratch if his hands aren't occupied. "Mostly I missed you, and I can't sleep well without you so I'm really fucking tired. I guess-I guess it just got too much." His voice is small. "And people keep asking about being abused even though I asked them not to and it makes me really anxious and Holly is in my head so much it hurts." He looks up at Andy with his big beautiful eyes.

"Maybe if you tell them what the questions are doing to you they will stop asking them," he suggests, looking at Remington with such adoration that it makes Remington feel special.

The boy shakes his head. "I have done that. I've said it at every show." His hand is kissed and he smiles. "I could put something about it online."

Andy hums. "That's a good idea. Everyone will see that."

Remington Leith: I've said this at every show so far but it seems some of you aren't getting the message. Please please do not ask me anything about being abused! I won't answer your questions and they make me so anxious. I understand that you are all confused and that you want to know more, but please look at this from my perspective. It was incredibly hard for me to do that interview and I am not at all comfortable with saying anything else about it. I can't keep being asked these questions about something that nearly killed me. Stop!

"What if it doesn't work?" He asks Andy, handing the man his phone to read the tweet.

Andy reads it and hands the phone back. "If you're still being asked about it after posting this then there's something wrong with the people who are asking you." He watches Remington post it and switch his phone off. "How are you feeling now? Better?"

The singer hums and shuffles about until his face is just a few inches from Andy's, and he can see into his beautiful blue eyes. "Better now you're here," he whispers, "I'm going to kiss you." It's not like they haven't kissed before, because they have, but not since the hotel incident, and it feels like a milestone for Remington to be able to kiss Andy after what Holly did. He leans in and kisses Andy slowly, still scared he's going to have a flashback, but he doesn't. Andy is cautious. The last thing he wants to do is scare him. Remington pulls back and just looks at Andy , smiling, and kisses him again. This time with confidence. "I can't believe you want to marry me," he whispers, breaking the kiss and settling for straddling Andy.

The man smiles, brushes and eyelash from Remington's face. "I couldn't want to marry you more, so you better start believing it." He rubs takes Reminton's hand and kisses it. "Now, I believe you've got a show to get ready for."

Remington whines.