Chapter Text
Chris’s POV
My hands had just been cleaned and now I’m making them messy again, my fingers are forcing my gag reflex. Vomit came up when I shoved my fingers far enough back and in just the right place, my lunch that I hadn’t wanted to eat came up. I knew I had to keep going though, sometimes I have to try harder to get it all up.
“Chris? Oh shit, Chris,” Nevin came running up to me, just as I vomited again and my hands were a mess of saliva and vomit.
“N-Nevin, I’m fine,” I was crying and didn’t have any confidence for convincing anyone of this being fine.
“You are not fine, you were just forcing yourself to vomit up your food,” Nevin looked more worried than mad at that moment.
“Please don’t tell anyone,” I started sobbing as Nevin pulled me in for a hug.
“I won’t if you promise me that you’ll come over to eat and eat without me having to bug you about it. You also have to keep it down,” he looked so desperate and I gave in to his offer.
“Okay, just don’t make me eat too much. I would just feel even more sick if I eat a big meal,” Nevin seemed to consider it before agreeing.
“Come over after school, I’ll be waiting for you,” it was a silent promise that he is planning on taking care of me.
The rest of the school day felt like an eternity of waiting, I almost forgot about visiting Nevin during it. However I ran into him on my way out of the school and I couldn’t escape the care I was bound to have forced upon me. I walked a little faster when I saw the Jovel twins coming my way, but a voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
“Hey, Nevin, look it’s Chris,” I could hear the happy voice of Drew as he pointed out my presence.
“Chris, let’s walk home together,” Nevin was smiling at me, but he clearly was keeping me from running away from his help.
“Sure, that sounds nice,” I had a tight lipped smile as we walked and listened to Drew happily tell us about his cheerful day, with Nevin saying small things every now and then.
It didn’t take too long to get to their house, but my body felt extremely weak as I entered the cozy house. Nevin was quick to notice as I started to collapse and Drew saw me on the verge of fainting, however he ran off. I knew I was picked up and placed on the sofa, my mind didn’t really pick up on much around me which made everything more stressful. My head hurt like a migrain and I felt the urge to vomit, even though I know my stomach is empty. I began dry heaving and blood came up, something that would petrify most people, I just stared at the blood that was now on my hands.
“Chris we’re ba- What happened?! I’m gonna help you,” Nevin was freaking out and I felt bad for making him worry, even if it was my bodys fault.
“I feel like I’m gonna throw up and dizzy,” both twins were in my view and they passed me some water that was forced down my sore throat, it was strangely soothing.
The two of them made sure I had enough water before Drew got up to go get something again, Nevin sat beside me while lightly rubbing my back in slow circles. He made me feel relaxed and I dozed off against him, exhaustion being too strong for me to resist.
Nevin’s POV
“How is he doing Nev? He didn’t look too good earlier,” I looked to where Chris was resting on my shoulder and smiled lightly.
“He’s doing a little better, when he wakes up we’ll give him the soup we made. I think he just needs to stay with us until he’s feeling better,” Drew didn’t complain at the thought of having Chris around more.
“As long as his dad doesn’t mind, we don’t want to add more stress to Chris,” that thought hadn’t even been in my mind until Drew brought it up and I got worried again.
“His dad doesn’t care enough about him, Chris could die if he goes back there. I don’t want him to kill himself,” tears had started to run down my face before I even noticed them and I was quietly sobbing soon after.
“We’ll take good care of him Nevin, Chris won’t leave,” I knew Drew was just saying it to calm me down, but I believed his words and felt determined to keep Chris safe.
Drew got up after a while to do his homework and I remained where I was, watching over Chris. Near nine at night a knock came from the front door and I had to lay Chris down on the sofa carefully so he wouldn’t wake up. When I pulled the door open Chris’s dad was standing there, likely looking for his son and I just left Chris out in the open.
“I’m here for Chris,” his voice made me shiver, but I needed to protect Chris.
“He’s sleeping right now, it would be best to just let him sleep. Earlier he wasn’t feeling too good so he’s been resting,” Xavier was getting frustrated that I was keeping his son from him even just a little longer than he wanted.
“As his father it’s my job to take care of him, so let me take Chris home,” I felt myself snap at those words.
“If you really want to take care of him then you should know that Chris has been suffering with an eating disorder recently and you haven’t done anything about it! He needs help and that’s just what I’m going to give him, so either change your ways or leave,” he looked shaked by my words, but he still walked away and I wished Chris could have had more caring parents.
Drew came back down from the commotion that Chris’s dad caused and I saw Chris stir from his sleep for a moment before drifting off again. My hands were shaking and I wanted to either punch something or scream, neither of those things would help Chris though. I shook from the force of calming myself down and Drew waited for me to completely calm down.
“What happened? I heard yelling,” Drew kept glancing at Chris’s sleeping form with worry and then back at me.
“Chris’s dad was at the door, he’s gonna let us take care of Chris though. I just hope we can help him,” I felt exhausted from all the worrying and keeping Xavier away from Chris.
“We will help him, it’s just gonna take some time,” I saw Drew ball his hands into fists and I was confused, but brushed it off.
“Yeah, you’re right,” without waking Chris I sat beside him again, the rise and fall of his chest was mesmerizing to me.
“You better go to bed soon, we have school in the morning. Sleep well Nev,” Drew disappeared upstairs again and I felt the worry sinking into my body again.
“I swear to help you Chris, you’ll always be safe as long as I live,” brushed his hair out of his face and kissed his forehead before going to brush my teeth.