Steam still drifted lightly from Louis's hair as he stepped out of the shower, towel draped around his shoulders. He rubbed his hair dry absentmindedly while walking toward the bedroom. When he entered, his eyes immediately fell on Alex sitting quietly on the bed.
Alex was wearing Louis's clothes—though Louis had thought they might be a little loose, he hadn't expected that loose. The shirt hung loosely off Alex's slim frame, the wide collar slipping slightly and revealing the faint outline of his collarbones and part of his shoulder. The trousers were rolled at the ends, far too big around the waist.
Louis blinked once, pushing the thought away. Without a word, he went straight to the cabinet, pulled out a small medicine box, and returned to the bedside table. The silence hung between them, warm and uneasy, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock and the sound of wind brushing softly against the window.
Alex still hadn't completely recovered from the embarrassment of the bathroom accident earlier—his cheeks glowed faint pink, and he avoided Louis's gaze. But when Louis knelt beside him and said quietly, "Show me where you were hurt," Alex hesitated only a moment before nodding.
He lifted his hands, showing the faint scratches and deeper cuts that trailed across his palms and wrists. The skin around them was raw but clean from the bath. Louis inspected each carefully, his expression composed but his eyes shadowed by concern.
When Alex hesitantly rolled up the leg of his trousers, Louis's breath caught for a moment. There were dark bruises wrapping around his pale ankle, running upward toward his knee—circular marks, faded but unmistakable. They looked almost like rope burns.
A flicker of confusion crossed Louis's face, but he said nothing. His touch remained careful, steady, as he cleaned each cut and applied antiseptic. Alex winced slightly when the sting hit, and Louis paused, murmuring softly, "Sorry. It'll be over soon."
Then, wordlessly, he wrapped a clean bandage around Alex's ankle, his hands gentle, the movement precise. The warmth of his palms contrasted the cold bite of the medicine, and for a brief moment, the air between them felt quieter, softer—something unspoken resting there.
When he finished, Louis packed away the supplies and stood slowly, his tone low but firm. "You should rest," he said, glancing toward the bruises one last time. "And don't move around much. Those need time to heal."
Alex nodded, eyes uncertain but grateful, pulling the blanket slightly higher over his lap.
Neither mentioned the marks again, but Louis couldn't ignore the thought lingering in his mind—that those bruises had not come from any fall. Something else had grabbed him down in that darkness. Something that left its trace.
An hour later, Louis entered the room quietly, carrying a tray with a steaming bowl of ramen and a glass of water balanced on one side. The scent of warm broth filled the small space immediately. He set the tray on the bedside table and said gently, "Thought you might be hungry."
Alex blinked awake from half‑rest, his body still weak but the comfort of warmth returning slowly to his limbs. Without hesitation, he nodded and began eating, the simple hot meal settling like fire in his stomach.
Louis watched him for a moment before asking softly, "How's the food?"
"Good," Alex said, his voice small but sincere. At that, Louis smiled faintly—just a flicker, but it lit up the tired lines on his face.
For a few quiet minutes, the only sounds were the clinking of chopsticks and the faint hum of the evening wind outside. Then Alex looked up, his expression turning cautious. "Louis…" he began slowly. "How did you find me?"
Louis paused, exchanging a glance with Lily, who had just wandered into the room, her tail wagging as if she knew they were talking about her. He reached down to pat her head before saying, "You should thank Lily."
Alex blinked in confusion, looking at the dog now sitting proudly by Louis's feet.
Louis continued, his tone thoughtful. "We were walking along the road near the forest when she suddenly bolted ahead. I thought she was chasing something, but then I heard it—the sound of water splashing. And then… a faint voice. Someone calling for help." He looked toward Alex, his voice softening. "Next thing I knew, I was in the water."
Alex's eyes widened slightly as the pieces came together. The pounding water, the numbing cold, and then—hands pulling him upward. It had been Louis.
Relief washed over him, quiet and deep. "Thank you," he murmured, setting the bowl aside.
Louis only nodded, but his gaze lingered on Alex a moment longer than usual.
What he didn't say—the part he kept to himself—was what had happened when he'd pulled Alex out. How cold and lifeless Alex's body had been. How his lips had started to turn blue. How, even after doing CPR with trembling hands and whispering desperate pleas, Alex hadn't responded at first.
For one terrible minute, Louis had thought he was too late.
That was the part Alex didn't need to know—the panic, the fear that had stayed with him even now.
He brushed the thought aside, gently taking the empty bowl from Alex's hands. "You should rest," he said quietly. "You've been through enough today."
As the soft light from the lamp touched their faces, Alex leaned back against the pillows, Lily curling up beside him. Louis turned the light down low and stood in silence for a moment longer before finally leaving, the echo of rushing water still faint in his memory.
After the phone call from the police station, Louis's expression shifted immediately into panic. He hurried to get ready, packing essentials while Alex watched with growing concern. Seeing Louis's urgency, Alex insisted on going home alone, but Louis refused firmly. "No, I'll drive you home," he said, beginning to prepare for the trip to the police station.
Alex objected, reminding Louis that he needed to get to the police station quickly. Louis then suggested, "Call your guardian to come pick you up." Alex nodded but realized his phone was switched off from the water. Using Louis's phone, Alex called Grey. The phone rang but there was no answer, so Alex left a message explaining where he was and asking Grey to come pick him up. He showed the message to Louis.
Curious, Louis asked where Grey worked. Alex replied, "At NH Factory, as an assistant manager." Louis briefly concealed his shock but advised Alex before going to stay there, "Don't go back home alone. Stay here until either I come back or your uncle arrives." He motioned for Alex to wait with Lily, ensuring his safety.
The call that came on Louis's phone from the police station brought grave news—a serious accident had occurred at NH Factory, with multiple injuries and one fatality. So when he learns that Louis's heart sank as he realized Alex's uncle, who also worked there, might be involved, Louis's heart sank as he realized . The weight of the situation pressed heavily on him.
At the police station, Louis learned more details and then rushed to the hospital where the injured workers were taken. There, he found out that Grey was among the injured, admitted to the ICU with a head injury and minor fractures. Relief flooded Louis's face knowing Grey was alive, but a new worry gnawed at him—how to break the news to Alex that his uncle was also seriously injured and in the ICU.
Louis knew he had to prepare Alex carefully, understanding the fragile state Alex was already in after the fall and rescue. The unfolding situation called for strength and support as uncertainty loomed over the family.