Neighbors Extra VI
Read Neighbors here | ~2.2 k words
From me: based on this ask. Not sure when it takes place exactly--but I'm thinking early on once they are officially a couple. But I don't think it's necessarily relevant to their timeline
Warnings: talking about periods and blood (a little), mostly fluffy
Summary: Rory has never had someone to ask why Mumma gets a little grumpy every month. Or why she needs to carry sticks in her purse. Harry had never thought about how his mum would have to continue life while grumpy, tired, and uncomfortable when he was young until he watched her do it.
Harry was working at the desk set up in the living room that she had kindly insisted he use for his work. When Harry was at work, they were allowed to watch TV quietly, unless Harry had a client in which case she and Rory would either go run errands or play in his room quietly or Harry would go into the spare room and set up a more private session for his client. But the times in which they were all home while Harry was working were far and few between.
But today was designated to mainly paperwork and going over his schedule for the coming week. She was lying on the couch watching something for the last hour. Rory was off in his room playing with his toys. The weather was crummy so there wasn’t much to do to be entertained other than what they were currently doing. “Mumma?” Rory called.
Harry happened to glance up in the mirror above him. It was shaped like a windowpane and caught the reflection of most of the room—including her lounging on the couch. Harry liked the spot because he got to admire how pretty she looked lazed along the sofa. He wanted to snuggle up to her immediately and gave him motivation to get through his work faster with the thought of doing so.
She loved being a mum. It was evident on her face. Harry thought that there weren’t many people who would be more fit to be a mum than her. But right then she looked utterly exhausted. In fact, Harry realized at that moment she was a bit flushed, her cheeks pink for seemingly no reason. “Yeah, love bug?” She called back quietly.
“Can you come here?!” He called back. Harry watched her in the mirror as she closed her eyes, sighed, and pushed herself off the comfy couch.
“Y’alright, kitten?” He asked. She nodded, barely acknowledging that he had spoken, and headed for Rory’s room. Frowning, Harry turned in the chair and watched her leave. She could hear her and Rory chatting a bit. Her voice was warm as always but missing the enthusiasm she usually had when playing with her son. Harry wondered if she was getting sick.
“...in a few minutes, baby. I’m sorry.”
Harry’s frown deepened and he waited for her to return. Instead, the bathroom door down the hall closed with a thud. Since Harry was waiting for the sounds of her being sick, he was attuned to the sound of her second massive sigh and the sound of the cabinet below the sink slamming. It was surreal that Harry knew all the sounds in the house after only being there a short time. The way he knew whose footfalls were on the stairs (admittedly it was easy to tell between her and Rory given he was still little). “Rory, we gotta run to the store!” She said coming out to the main room grabbing her keys off the side table next to the stairs.
“But Mumma, I’m in the middle of—”
“Rory, I’m not in the mood. We are going now. It’ll be ten minutes.”
“But—”
“Kitten,” Harry murmured standing from the desk and putting a hand on her arm. “Are y’sure y’alright?”
She nodded and looked away from his face, embarrassed it seemed. For what he didn’t know. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “Rory!” She called again.
“Mumma I’m—”
“Rory,” Harry called quietly as she inhaled to call for him again. Frustration coated her face. Her cheeks seemed to be getting pinker by the second and Harry could practically see the pain in her eyes, her head...
And her stomach.
“Listen t’Mummy and come here for a minute, please.”
Rory left his room immediately; his steps audible on the carpet upstairs. She rolled her eyes. “Course he listens to you,” a bitter tone in her voice. Harry frowned and turned to Rory as he entered the main room.
“I was in the middle of—”
“I know, but we have a mission,” Harry said and took the purse off her shoulder and guided her to the couch. “Mumma needs us t’get a few things for her,” he told him. He put a blanket around her and put the remote in her hand. Her lips parted slightly as she watched him and didn’t even allow her a moment to speak. “We can finish your stuff when we get back.”
“But—”
“No buts,” he shook his head firmly.
Pouting, Rory sighed and went to the door to put on his shoes.
“Harry,” she was looking at Harry like she had seen a ghost. “You’re working,” she reminded him.
“Working from home, kitten. It has some perks. S’fine. Think y’need a minute or two t’yourself, yeah?” He asked. “Will y’send me a picture of the kind of products y’like?” He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Y’can take a bath if y’want,” he suggested and headed toward the door and helped Rory to his feet and ushered him into his raincoat.
“But—” She started to stand again.
“Kitten, no buts,” he said and closed the door behind him.
*
As the tub filled and water heated up, she tried to figure out if there was gift that was significant enough to award him as the best boyfriend ever in existence. Amazon was useless and she was completely at a loss since Harry was annoying and bought anything he wanted or needed for himself. She gave up after a bit of browsing and the tub was filled to an appropriate level.
She took Harry’s suggestion as soon as they left. She headed to the master bathroom and made herself a bubble bath. She desperately wished she had one of those fancy tubs that was basically an indoor jacuzzi. Because she would have killed for a jet on her sore back. But it was okay because the water was hotter than she could almost feasibly stand. Harry would say it was liquid lava. For her birthday, Harry got her a speaker to play her music while she was showering. So she played music quietly and grabbed the book she had started earlier and put it on the ledge of the tub. Sinking into the water felt like heaven on her body and skin. She sighed, content with relief. The book could wait, she would consider sleeping in the tub.
*
“Mumma was mean,” Harry could see Rory in the rearview mirror. He was pouting and looked out the window. His jacket was littered with raindrops, and he looked annoyed. “I was playing my game.”
“I know y’were,” Harry nodded. “S’jus’...Mummy wasn’t really feeling well. So, she wasn’t mean on purpose.” He sighed dramatically. In the way a child with no bills, no car troubles, and no job could sigh as if the world was on his shoulders. “I’ve seen y’give Mummy some attitude, lad,” he reminded him pointedly glancing at him in the mirror once more. Rory pursed his lips. Harry was good at calling Rory out for being a bit of a diva. It kept him from being spoiled when he was certain that she was definitely going to continue spoiling her son. He couldn’t blame her. His own mum was guilty of treating Harry as the baby (and Gemma loved to remind them both of such).
He couldn’t wait to tell Gemma about the predicament he was now in.
“Is Mumma sick?” Rory pulled him from his thoughts.
Harry shook his head. He wondered if she had ever mentioned it to Rory before. Probably not. What did a six-year-old boy need to know about a period? “No, she’s jus’ a little...grumpy because she’s in pain,” he explained.
“Why’s she in pain?”
Harry took a deep breath. “Her tummy hurts.”
“We didn’t get any ginger ale or popsicles! Mumma always gets ginger ale and popsicles when my tummy hurts. We have to go back, Harry!”
He smiled. “It’s not her tummy. It just looks like her tummy. Do you remember how Mummy had you in her belly?”
He nodded. “Does Mumma have another baby in there?”
Harry coughed. His cheeks reddened even though Rory hadn’t a clue what he insinuated. “No,” he shook his head. “No, but s’an organ that women have holds the baby,” he explained. “When it doesn’t have a baby in it though, it makes Mummy bleed so that next month if she wanted t’try t’have a baby she—”
“Is Mumma gonna die!?” He asked his voice breaking hysterically.
“No, no,” he chuckled. “No,” he pulled off to the side of the road. “No, she’s fine.”
“But you said she’s bleeding! We have to get bandaids!”
“S’not that kind of cut, Rory,” he smirked and turned in his seat. He grabbed Rory’s leg and gave it a squeeze. “Mummy is fine. Do y’think I’d be this calm if Mummy was hurt?”
The little one released a breath once more like he just got news that he wasn’t laid off this quarter. Or that his test results came back negative. “How can Mumma bleed and be okay without a bandaid?”
“S’hard t’explain. Has t’do with getting older and—”
“Am I going to bleed?!”
Harry snorted. “No, lad. S’something only women have t’deal with.”
“Oh,” he thought for a second. “That’s not really fair to Mumma.”
Harry chuckled. “Make sure y’tell her that. She’ll appreciate your thought.”
“How come Mumma isn’t getting blood everywhere?” He asked.
Harry felt a little out of his depth now. It wasn’t like telling Rory he would teach him how to pee standing up if he needed the help. Or that if he had questions about penises, he would do his best to answer. Harry wasn’t an expert on periods, nor did he feel qualified to answer lots of questions about them. Especially to her girlfriend’s son. “Mummy has products that we bought that help her manage the bleeding,” he answered truthfully.
He glanced at the bag on the seat beside him and his little forehead wrinkled in concentration. It was an expression he most definitely inherited from his mum. It was adorable. “Oh...Mumma carries those sticks in her purse!”
Harry smiled. “Exactly.”
“Does ginger ale make it better?”
“Not exactly. There’s medicine,” he told him. “Mumma just needs t’rest and watch movies. She’ll feel better tomorrow...ice cream might help too.”
He nodded. “Can we make her a snuggle spot on the couch?”
“I think that would be perfect, Rory.”
*
She was already in the TV-watching, resting position on the couch when they returned. Her hair was still damp, and she felt marginally better. “Hey boys,” she smiled sweetly.
Rory was kicking his shoes off and across the room before Harry had shut the door. “Mumma, Harry said that you’re bleeding so we have to give you ice cream and snuggle.”
She smirked at Harry who was full-on blushing as he shrugged out of his wet jacket. “That would help.”
Rory hopped onto the couch and cozied up in front of her. Harry dropped the stuff beside the coffee table and sat next to her legs. He pulled them into her lap and leaned over to gently massage her lower back. “Mumma?” Rory asked.
“Yes, love bug?”
“I don’t think it’s fair you have to bleed, and Harry doesn’t.”
She giggled. “Me either,” she winked at Harry.
*
Harry took care of bedtime and snuggled into bed behind her. His hand may as well have found a direct path to her uterus as he massaged the cramps. “Was I really mean?” She asked.
“No, love. Course not,” he assured her and kissed the back of her head. “S’not your fault y’don’t feel well.”
“Did you teach Rory about periods, Dr. Styles?” She giggled.
He smirked. “Yeah, but I think y’need t’double check m’work,” he admitted. “Nearly convinced him y’were dying.”
She laughed again. “That was...really sweet,” she whispered. “Never...never had someone know what I needed and just go get it,” he pulled her closer. His face tucked into her neck, and he pressed a line of kisses along the curve down to her shoulder.
“Anytime, kitten. Y’jus’ have t’ask,” he reminded her. “Want t’do everything for you,” he squeezed her gently. She rotated in his arms, and she couldn’t see him in the dark, but it didn’t matter. With both hands, she held his face and the back of his head and brought her face closer to his so she could kiss him.
He chuckled against her mouth and returned the kiss. It felt so nice to kiss her every single time. It was warm, gentle, and so filled with love it made him woozy. She sighed softly against his mouth and Harry wanted to be closer, kiss her harder somehow. But settled for the lazy make-out session instead. “I love you so much, kitten,” he rested his forehead against hers.
“I love you so much.”
“Do y’want me t’rub your back again?” He asked quietly.
“I love you more than anything in this world.”
--
general taglist: @justlemmeadoreyou @daydreamingofmatilda @sunshinemoonsposts @loving-hazz @likeapplejuicenpeach
@straightontilmornin @freedomfireflies @littlenatilda @kathb59 @babegoals
@angel-upon @lilfreakjez @mleestiles @ameliaalvarez06 @canyonmoondreams
@summertime-pills @daphnesutton @l4rrysh0use @perfectywrong @foreverxholland
@lovrave @st-ev-ie @pandeebearstyles @toosarcastic03 @luvonstyles
@tenaciousperfectionunknown @classychalamet @love-letters-to-uranus @emmaawbr @crossyourpeter
@kissinthekitchen @kittenhere @stylesfever @indierockgirrl @michellekstyles
@just-another-reader1098 @hermionelove @tiredinwinter @whimsy-willows @hannah9921
@fangirl7060 @triski73
neighbors taglist: @claimingharrystigertattoo @mopeymousey @vmpellie
I'm sorry if I missed anyone in the taglist. Please let me know if you'd like to join, if it didn't work, if you no longer want to be included, etc. :)
If you like this, check out my masterlist here
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she was a skater girl! | buddy & monkey: double the trouble
another part of the chaos continuing in america but heads up, this is a long one to read!
pairings: leah williamson x reader!monkey x reader!buddy
summary: monkey's menace behaviour ends with drastic consequences in the form of an injury
double the trouble masterlist
thank you to @alotofpockets for the help along the way and also my self doubt when writing.
“I’m bored,” You complain, huffing as you flop back on your best friend's bed once you have entered her room, “I’m so bored. Aren’t you bored?”
You guys have the lucky opportunity to have some free time away from the preseason training for the next game against Chelsea, but you didn’t realise how bored you are now you’ve run out of things to do and technically, you aren’t meant to leave your hotel room but there’s only so many videos on TikTok that you will watch before you go stir crazy.
Kyra looks at you curiously, “What’re you doing here?” She pauses as she shuts her hotel door behind her and looks at you, “I thought you couldn’t leave your hotel room other than training, games and anything else that’s not related to having fun, direct orders from Lord Farquaad herself?”
Technically, Kyra is right.
You’re not meant too, but you’re bored and going crazy alone in the hotel room.
You’re grounded and it sucks, although it’s your own fault for getting so hyper on energy drinks and thinking it was a good idea to play football in the living room.
It was definitely not a good idea at all when the TV ended up getting smashed.
“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” You bite your bottom lip and shrug your shoulders, “Alright so I snuck out, but I’m going to go insane being stuck in that hotel room!”
“You’re bound to get into more trouble for that,” Kyra snickers knowing full well you will no doubt end up in more hot water.
You huff and groan dramatically, “But aren’t you bored?” You sidestep her question and repeat your own.
“I’m bored,” The older girl chuckles in agreement.
“See?” You wave your hand around in gesture, “I’m bored of being stuck in this dumb hotel room. Let’s do something fun!”
“And how do you plan to do that when you can’t leave the hotel?” Kyra questions, making a valid point about things.
You can’t help but grin mischievously at the older girl, “That’s why we’d sneak out of the hotel, duh!”
“I’m not sneaking out of a window.” Kyra remarks, “And what’re we gonna do when we’re out of the hotel?” She wonders, curiously.
You sit up from the bed and shrug your shoulders, “I don’t know, I’m just bored. Buddy’s off with Rory, having some sort of playdate that Le and Beth set up and I can’t be bothered to sit in this hotel, so let’s go out and do something fun!” You insist.
“Okay, sure, you don’t have to convince me twice!” Kyra grins in agreement, taking hold of your hand to pull you up off the bed, “Let’s go– Wait, do we need disguises? Y’know like hats and all that.”
“That’s where I’m already prepared,” You smirk, gesturing to the baseball cap on top of your head and sunglasses in your hand, “Let’s go, let’s go!” You exclaim, throwing your hood up over your hat before all but dragging Kyra out of her hotel room.
“So, where are we going first?” Kyra wonders, her tone curious as the two of you wander around the different shops.
Sneaking out of the hotel with Kyra proves to be easier than you anticipate, there were no girls around in the hotel lobby so it was simple enough to just walk out the door without anybody seeing you.
The crisp air of the city outside feels exhilarating and you can’t help but bounce around in excitement.
“Dunno, let’s just walk around and see what there is,” You respond, sticking your hands in the pocket of your shorts, trying your best to not get recognised because the last thing you want is to be spotted by fans right now.
“Sounds like a plan,” Kyra nods in agreement.
As you stroll around, your gaze falls on a shop window that has vibrant skateboards displayed and your eyes lit up in excitement, “Ky, whoa, looky!” You practically tug the older girl into the store, “Check it out, see how cool it looks? I need it!”
“Wow, that looks cool!” Kyra glances at the skateboard and reluctantly allows you to drag her inside, “You should definitely get one!” She encourages, being the bad influence that she is.
“Right? I have to get it!” You declare, practically vibrating with excitement, “Think of all the different cool tricks that I’m gonna be able to do on it, Ky!” You add, making your way over to the man at the counter to discuss purchasing a skateboard of your own.
“Yer’ it’s totally sick!” Kyra exclaims, “Do you actually have your own bank card right now?” She wonders, amusedly.
“No, of course I don’t,” You huff and slide your wallet out of your pocket, “Lucky enough this is my allowance money that I’ve so kindly been given,” You murmur, sarcastically as you hand the money over the man to pay for your new skateboard.
Kyra snickers in amusement, “I still can’t believe that you don’t have control over your own money.”
“Tell me about it, apparently I’m irresponsible,” You mutter in disagreement, accepting the bag with the board in, “This is totally worth the money spent on it though!”
“Oh yeah, and I’m sure Malfoy’s gonna see it that way,” The older girl smirks knowingly, “She’s totally going to have a heart attack over this.” She adds.
Smirking back at the older girl, you thank the man and walk out the shop, “Yeah, she’s totally gonna freak out about this,” You pause, “I mean I’m already grounded, so what’s the worst that can happen now?”
It turns out a lot worse can happen as you're about to find out.
One minute you’re mucking around on your new skateboard and the next minute, you're on the ground in floods of tears and crying out in pain.
The two of you were successful to make your way back to the hotel without any speculation of your whereabouts and as far as Leah was concerned, you were in your hotel room the whole time staying out of trouble.
Oh boy how wrong she was there, though.
Currently you are with Kyra and goofing off in a quiet corner out the front of the hotel, acting without a care in the world. The evening is cooling down and the city lights cast a soft glow on the pavement.
“Show me what yer’ got skater girl!” Kyra encourages, a smirk plastered on her face in amusement as she watches you on your board.
“She was a skater girl, she said see yer’ later girl!” You goof off and sing aloud playfully while messing about on your new skateboard.
With not much experience on one before, you have been happy enough to pick it up quite quickly without much difficulty.
“Whoa, look at me go,” You exclaim, grinning from ear to ear and having such a blast on it, “This is so cool!”
It was going fine, until it wasn’t.
Until one step and you misjudge the angle so your foot slips awkwardly off the edge of the board.
“Agh, shit!” Feeling your ankle buckle, you collapse to the ground with a jarring thud. There’s a sharp, searing pain radiating through your leg, causing you to cry out in distress, “Shit, ow, my ankle!” You sob, the pain intensifying as you clutch a hold of your ankle, “My ankle!”
“Oh shit— Monkey!” Panic takes over Kyra’s usual playful facial expression as she rushes to your side, “What’d you do?” She questions.
Trying to stand up, it doesn’t end well when you crumple back on the floor while the tears stream down your face, “Ow, it hurts! I… I want my mum. I want my mum!”
Kyra’s eyes widen in panic as she looks around, “Alright, alright. I’ll go get her– Wait here, okay? I won’t be long!” With that, she rushes back into the hotel where she crashes into Steph and Kim in the lobby, “Where’s Leah?”
“Whoa, slow down,” Steph chuckles, slightly taken aback by Kyra’s frantic behavior, “What’s the rush?”
Kyra’s eyes are wide with desperation, “Where’s Leah?” She repeats, her tone sharp and urgent.
Kim furrows her eyebrows in confusion, “Over there,” She gestures to where the blonde is sitting with Lia and Beth while Buddy and Rory play together, “What’s going on?”
“Leah! Leah!” Kyra yells, ignoring Kim and Steph’s questions as she rushes towards Leah, “Leah!”
Leah looks up, a bemused expression on her face when she sees Kyra, “Alright, pest?” she jokes, “What’s goin’ on?”
“You have to come quickly, it’s Monkey!” Kyra exclaims, her voice sounding frantic compared to usual.
“Oh god, what’d she do this time?” Beth jokes, glancing in the direction of the Australian girl.
“It was only a matter of time,” Lia chimes in, amusedly.
“It’s serious, she’s hurt!” Kyra tells them, her voice continuing to sound urgent, “She’s out the front of the hotel, Leah! She needs you!”
Leah’s eyes widen in panic as she darts up from her seat at the mention of Monkey being hurt, “Wha… Beth, Wally, will you… do you girls mind keeping an eye on Buddy for me?” She motions to where her little girl is sat playing contently with Rory, Beth’s little one.
“Of course,” Beth replies to the blonde.
“We got it, go find out what’s wrong with her,” Lia nods in agreement, gesturing for Leah to run off.
“Thanks,” Leah murmurs before she rushes off in the direction to the front of the hotel, “How much trouble can she get in when she’s supposed to be in her hotel room?” She thinks aloud.
Walking outside to find you crumpled up on the ground, Leah gasps in shock, “Oh my God, Monkey!” She crouches down to your level on the ground, too worried now to care that you’re not even in the hotel room like you are supposed to be, “Are you okay?”
“No, it’s… it’s my ankle,” You sob as you clutch a hold of your ankle, the pain feels excruciating, “It… It hurts so much!” You add.
“Wha… What the hell happened?” Leah’s frantic with worry as she tries to see how severe the injury is, “Kyra, quick, go and find someone from the medics team!”
“Uh, s… sure I’m on it,” Kyra mutters, running off to go and find a staff member that is better to help with the situation.
“What’s going on?” Kim wonders, walking out the front of the hotel and furrowing her eyebrows as she sees you on the floor, “What on earth happened? I thought you were supposed to be in your hotel room,” She adds, confused.
“Yeah and that’s what I thought so as well,” Leah murmurs, looking at you with an unamused expression on her face while you wait for Kyra to come back with the medical staff member, “What the hell are you doing outside messing around on a skateboard, eh?” She questions.
“Kyra and I were bored and needed something to do,” You admit through your sobs, the pain only becoming more agonising as time went on, “We snuck out and I brought the skateboard.”
The blonde’s eyes bulge in disbelief, “Are you kidding me, Monkey? You’re supposed to be grounded, in case you have forgotten, and you’re sneaking out to go to god-knows-where!” She pauses her rant, “Yet again you’re wasting your money on things that you don’t need, seriously, Menace?”
“Leah,” Kim interjects, shaking her head, “Now isn’t the time for that. You can come back and discuss this later on but right now, we need to get Monkey to the hospital!”
“No hospital, I’m not… I’m not going there, nuh uh!” Your fear of hospitals is evident and despite the intense pain, your hell bent on going there, “I’m not goin’ there!”
“It might be needed, my girl,” Leah states, sympathising with how you feel.
“Nuh uh, I’m not going there!” You grit your teeth and shake your head in protest, “You can’t make me either!” You add, trying to stand your own ground.
“Alright, alright. Calm down,” Leah states, wrapping her free around you, “How about we just see what the medic staff say and we can figure it out from there?” She suggests, already knowing the possibility of going to the hospital is more likely but she doesn’t want you to get upset about it.
“Okay,” You murmur, nodding your head in agreement as you feel some relief there’s no pressure to go to the hospital.
Little do you know that’s not completely true.
“I heard there’s been an incident,” One of the staff members from the medical team walks over to them with Kyra following behind, “What’s happened here then?”
“Skateboarding mishap,” Kim briefly explains to the member of the medics team who begin to assess the extent of the injury.
“How bad is it?” Leah questions in concern for you as she watches the medic check for signs of a fracture and apply gentle pressure to see how much pain you’re in, “Are we going to need to go to the hospital?”
The medic exhales a sigh and nods slightly, “It looks like it could be a fracture, so I think a trip to the hospital for a full assessment would be beneficial just to be sure,” They pause, “We can look to set up a car to take you there, kid.” She says, speaking directly to you.
You're still sitting crying on the floor and clutching your ankle, “I don’t… I don’t want to go to the hospital!” You wail aloud not caring about making a scene when you’re dead set against the idea of going to the hospital, “I’m not… I’m not going!”
“Hey, hey, it’s okay, I know you’re not a fan of hospital’s Monkey, but we’ve gotta go,” Leah steps in and comforts you to try and ease your upset, “It’s going to be fine, I’ll be there with you as well.”
“No hospital, please,” You whimper in disagreement.
“Monkey, you need to go there,” Kim chimes in as she places her hand gently on your shoulder, “I know you don’t like it, but you have too, alright? You might have really hurt your ankle.”
“I really don’t want too,” You sob tearfully, continuing to shake your head.
“Monkey, we have to go there and see what the severity of the damage is,” Leah exhales a sigh, all too familiar with your dislike for hospitals, “You’re going there whether you like it or not, alright?” She states, putting her foot down on this.
“Are you sure that we have to be here?” You ask, your voice tinged with a mix of frustration and anxiety.
Kim exhales a sigh and nods, “We do, Monkey.” This isn’t the first time you’ve asked the question in the past hour that you’ve been sitting here with Leah and Kim.
You feel bad that Buddy’s back at the hotel being taken care of by Lia, but you guess hospitals aren’t such a fantastic place for little kids.
You’ve always hated hospitals, the whole sterile smell of them and the beeping of the machines does nothing to calm your nerves. Shifting uncomfortably in the plastic chair, you avoid eye contact with the nurses bustling around.
“I don’t like hospitals,” You’re making it evidently clear how much you detest being here and if you had your way then you’d already be up and running out of the hospital, but the only problem being that you couldn’t even put pressure on your damn ankle at the minute.
You really messed up with this one.
“I know that you do,” Leah sighs, her expression a mix of concern, “I’m sorry, my girl, but we have to be here to get your ankle seen too.” She explains, her tone firm but gentle.
“Why?” You huff in disappointment, slumping further into the chair, “Like seriously, it’s not… It doesn’t even hurt that much now,” You insist as you grit your teeth and try to mask the sharp pain still radiating from your ankle, “It’s totally fine. I can walk on it!”
With that, you try to stand up, determined to prove your point that you’re fine, that you don’t need to be here in this horrible hospital
“Don’t you dare,” Leah is quick to tell you before you can fully rise, taking a gentle grip of your wrist, “Sit back down.” She says, her voice leaving no room for further argument.
“Fine,” You murmur in response, knowing that she is serious but the familiar tone of voice that you’ve heard before, “I still don’t think this is necessary though.” You add, reluctantly sinking back down into the chair while the pain in your ankle flares up again as you do.
Leah’s own expression softens as wraps her free arm around your shoulder, “Look, I know you hate the idea of being here and I get it, but you need to let the doctor take a look, okay? We’re staying put until they do,” She pauses, “You could be doing some serious damage to it without you knowing otherwise.”
“So mean,” You grumble under your breath, trying to mask your own anxiety and irritation.
Leah snorts softly, amused despite the situation, “Oh, I’m mean for caring about your welfare, huh?”
“Yes, especially when I’m being forced to sit in this place!” You retort, crossing your arms in a huff.
“This is the best thing for you, Monkey,” Kim chimes in, her voice calm and reassuring as the responsible Captain that she is, “There’s no point trying to argue about it.”
“Don’t like it,” You continue to grumble in protest as you sit there stewing in your discomfort, the minutes feel like hours. You fidget, trying to find a comfortable position, but the pain in your ankle makes it impossible.
Finally, a nurse steps into the hospital waiting room and calls out your name, which makes you cringe when you hear it.
“I hate that name,” You murmur in response, glancing at Leah and Kim with a mixture of resignation and dread, “Please don’t make me go in there,” You add, reluctantly getting up with Leah’s help.
“It’s going to be okay, my girl,” Leah reassures you, keeping a steady hand on your back as you make your way down the hallway to the examination room as Kim follows closely behind.
Most likely in case you try and bolt, but there’s no chance of that happening when you can barely walk without aid.
Inside the room, the doctor greets you with a warm smile, “Hi there! I’m Dr. Patel. So, what seems to be the problem?” She questions, her tone gentle as she gestures for you to sit on the examination table.
“Uh, I was using a skateboard and hurt myself on it,” You mutter, wincing as you carefully lower yourself onto the bed.
Dr. Patel takes a few minutes to examine your ankle with practiced hands, gently probing the area to gauge the extent of your injury while you try and do your best to hide your discomfort, but every touch sends a sharp jolt of pain through your leg.
“Okay, I think we’ll need to get an X-ray to see what’s going on in there,” Dr. Patel decides, standing up straight, “It looks like there might be a fracture, but I’ll know for sure once I’ve had a better look.”
You nod, trying to swallow the lump in your throat. The whole idea of a fracture makes your anxiety spike and your grateful Leah’s there to squeeze your shoulder reassuringly.
“It’s okay, my girl,” Leah says softly, giving you a small, encouraging smile.
Kim nods in agreement, “This is just going to make sure we know exactly what’s going on. You’ll be fine, Monkey.”
The nurse leads you to the X-ray room, where you’re instructed to sit on a padded table and position your ankle under the machine. The cold metal of the machine against your skin sends a shiver down your spine, but you try and stay still as you can.
You’re just grateful that the X-ray technician is quick and efficient, and soon enough, your back in the examination room with Dr. Patel and the images are up on the screen, she takes a few minutes to study them carefully before turning back to you with a calm, reassuring expression.
“So, what’s the damage?” You joke, trying to make light of the situation.
“Well, it looks like you have fractured your ankle,” The doctor confirms, pointing to a thin, clear line running across one of the bones in the image, “It’s a clean break, but it’s definitely going to need proper care to heal.”
You bite your bottom lip and stare at the screen as the reality of the situation sinks in, “So, uh, what happens now then?” You ask, your voice small.
“We’ll need to immobilise the ankle to help it heal properly,” Dr. Patel explains, “That means a cast, crutches and some time off your feet as well. You will also need to see a specialist to make sure everything is healing as it should.”
“We’re only in America for another week or two, we’re in the middle of a preseason tour,” Leah chimes in to tell the doctor on your behalf as she takes your welfare seriously, “Is it possible for her to see a specialist when we’re back in London?” She asks.
Dr. Patel nods in agreement with the blonde, “That should be fine, we can provide you with a detailed report and follow up instructions for your specialist back in London,” She pauses, “It’s crucial to have it monitored regularly, but we can set you up with everything you need to manage it in the meantime.”
Leah lets out a sigh of relief but her concern is still evident, “Okay, so what happens tonight then?” She asks, glancing back at the doctor.
Dr. Patel turns to the nurse standing nearby, “We’ll get the cast put on and then we’ll provide you with a pair of crutches to help you get around,” She explains, “We’ll also make sure you’re comfortable and that you have the proper pain relief.
“Cool,” You murmur, not really sure of what else to say about the situation.
As the nurse prepares the materials for the cast, Leah gently takes a hold of your hand, “I know you’re scared, but we’re here– I’m here, okay? It’s going to be okay.”
“Thanks, Mum,” You say quietly, it’s not often you call Leah by that name but you’re feeling somewhat vulnerable right now as the reality of the situation settles in.
The nurse and Dr. Patel both work efficiently together and soon enough, your ankle is encased in a firm plaster cast and they give you an explanation of how to use your crutches along with how to keep the cast dry and safe, something that Leah and Kim both listen to intently.
“How long do I have to keep this on for?” You grumble, staring down at the newfound cast you now have, “This is totally gonna be a buzzkill,” You add.
The doctor gives you a friendly smile, “You’ll need to keep the cast on for six to eight weeks, which should be enough time for the fracture to heal properly.” She explains.
You let out a small groan, clearly not thrilled by the news, “Six to eight weeks? Ugh, are you serious?” You can’t help but react in the way that you do, this all really sucks, “Can I at least train?”
“No, it’s not a good idea to train or do any physical activity that can put stress on the injury which could lead to complications or a prolonged recovery,” Dr. Patel explains with a sympathetic expression, “I recommend avoiding any strenuous activity or exercise until your ankle is healed and you’ve been cleared by a specialist.”
“I know it’s not ideal or what you wanted to hear but it’s going to be fine,” Leah wraps her free arm around your shoulder, “You don’t want to cause more damage by hurting yourself, do you?”
“It might be a bit of a hassle now but the time will pass before you know it,” Kim says in a supportive tone, “It’s going to be okay, Monkey. You’re strong enough to deal with this.”
“And perhaps next time you’ll think twice about mucking about on a skateboard,” Leah says with a teasing smile on her face, “Which we still need to talk about at some point,” She reminds you.
With everything in place, Leah helps you to carefully maneuver on the crutches although you feel like Bambi on ice currently with the way you’re hobbling on them.
It’s only when you leave the hospital with the two of them that the true reality of your injury begins to sink in. You’re going to be sitting on the sidelines for at least the next few months and that is a harsh pill to swallow.
“You’re back!” Kyra spots you hobbling through the hotel lobby with Leah and Kim from where she’s sat with Alessia, “Yikes, a cast and crutches? You must’ve properly messed it up then.”
“Yeah, I’m stuck in this thing for at least six weeks,” You huff dramatically, not exactly thrilled about the idea.
“I’ll go and update Jonas and the rest of the staff on the situation,” Kim tells Leah before she heads off in that direction to find your coach, “I’ll come find you both in a bit to check in on the menace.”
Alessia smiles sympathetically at you, “I guess you won’t be using your skateboard anytime soon then, huh?” She jokes.
“No, she definitely won’t be,” Leah interjects, her tone firm as she gives you a pointed look, “Come on, let’s get you up to my hotel room. You need to keep off that ankle and rest, you heard what the doctor said.”
“Why can’t I just go to my own room?” You ask confused, a touch of frustration creeping into your voice.
“Monkey, you’re on crutches and in a cast,” Leah says gently, but firmly, “It’s not exactly a good idea for you to be on your own right now, and this way I can help you.”
“So I’m being babysat, that’s just fantastic,” You mutter, trying to hide your annoyance.
“Call it what you want, but I’m just looking out for you,” Leah replies, her expression softening, “Come on, let’s get you settled in. You can catch up with your partner in crime later.”
“What about Buddy?” You wonder about the whereabouts of your favourite little buddy.
“I already texted Wally on the way back and she’s going to bring her back once we’re settled,” Leah tells you, waving off the girls as the two of you head in the direction of the lift while Kim goes to update Jonas and the rest of the staff on the situation, “I have no doubt she’ll want to draw on your cast as well.”
“Probably,” You agree, shrugging your shoulders.
“And in the meantime, we’re going to talk about this whole mishap,” Leah gestures towards your cast, reminding you of how it happened in the first place.
The prospect of this conversation makes your stomach churn, but you couldn’t really escape it.
Once in Leah’s hotel room, she helps you get comfortable on the bed and arranges some pillows to prop up your leg before she makes everything that you need– pain medication, snacks and plenty of entertainment.
“I know this sucks, but it won’t be forever,” Leah says, settling on the bed beside you, “Now, on a serious note, we need to have that conversation, don’t we?”
The words make your stomach flip in anxiousness, “I… I know it was dumb,” You begin to say.
“It wasn’t just dumb, it was incredibly stupid– What’re you thinking of sneaking out of the hotel, eh? What if something serious happened, or you got hurt? I wouldn’t know where you are!” Leah’s on a full blown rant, making you see the seriousness of things despite you thinking it was a bit of fun, “Regardless of that, you’re meant to be grounded as well. Did you think I was joking about that or something?”
You feel a pang of guilt inside you and nod slowly, “I’m sorry, I… I didn’t think about it properly,” You admit to her, your voice barely above a whisper.
Leah’s gaze softens as she gently brushes a strand of hair from your face, “I love you so much, my girl and it would break my heart if something happened to you in a place you’re not familiar with,” She says with a mix of tenderness and firmness, “And just so we’re clear, you’re most definitely still grounded. Ankle fracture or not.”
“Guess I saw that one coming,” You murmur in response, feeling the sudden exhaustion of the pain meds taking their toll, “I know you’re wanting to have this conversation now and all, but I’m super wiped. So… to be continued?”
“Fine,” Leah reluctantly agrees, seeing the way that your eyes are starting to droop and she takes pity on you, “We’ll talk about this later on.”
The conversation is put on halt and you're grateful as you feel the full effect of the pain meds, and before you know it you’re drifting off to sleep.
It’s only a soft knock on the door that rouses Leah, who opens it to find Buddy standing there with Kim, though the blonde is slightly confused as she thought it was Lia who was bringing Buddy back.
“Mummy!” Buddy’s little arms reach up eagerly to be picked up, “I missed ‘ou so much!” She says, affectionately.
“Oh my little bubba,” Leah bends down to scoop Buddy into a gentle hug, keeping her voice quiet to avoid waking you up, “I missed you too. Did you have fun hanging out with Auntie Wally?”
“Uh huh!” Buddy nods enthusiastically, “Where’s Monkey?”
“She’s right over there, but we need to be very quiet because Monkey’s sleeping,” Leah points gently to your sleeping form on the bed, her voice soft and soothing, “She’s got an ouchie now so we need to be extra careful around her.”
Buddy’s little face scrunches up in concern as her brows knit together, “She’s got an ouchie?”
“Yeah she has, so we’ve got to use our gentle hands,” Leah nods in response, “Can you do that for me, bubba?”
“You got it dude,” Buddy replies, sticking her thumb up as she begins to carefully make her way over to the bed, clambering up onto it beside you as she eyes you with worry, “Love ‘ou, Monkey.” She whispers softly, snuggling close and resting her head gently on your chest while you remain peacefully asleep.
Leah’s heart melts as she watches the two of you as she steps aside to let Kim into the hotel, “I thought Wally was supposed to bring Buddy back?” She asks, confused.
“I stopped by her room and offered instead, I thought it would give me the chance to check in and see how things are as well,” Kim explains, “I’ve updated Jonas about the situation and they’re going to release a statement for the upcoming game against Chelsea.”
“Thanks, Kim,” Leah thanks the Scots woman.
“How’s she doing?” Kim asks softly, looking over at you with concern.
Leah walks over to the bed and carefully adjusts the pillows to make sure you’re comfortable while keeping a watchful eye on Buddy, “Well the pain meds made her tired so we put the conversation about the skateboard on hold,” She pauses, “The main thing now is to make sure she gets better and doesn’t do anything to jeopardise hurting herself in the meantime.”
“You’re doing an amazing job, Le, so just keep doing what you’re doing,” Kim nods sympathetically, “Co-captains, more like co-parenting instead, huh?” She jokes with the blonde.
“Well Jordan can’t be here so I guess you’ve got to step up and take on the responsibility as well,” Leah jokes with the captain.
Kim snorts and shakes her head, “No chance, you’re here this time unlike in Melbourne, she's completely your problem this round,” She declares to the blonde, “I’ll let you to take care of both the girls, but if you need me then don’t be afraid to text and ask for help.”
“Thanks, Kim,” Leah says grateful for the woman as she guides her back out of the hotel room, “Auntie Kimmy’s going now Buddy. You want to come say bye?”
Buddy scrambles off the bed and rushes towards the older woman flinging her arms around her legs, “Bye, Auntie Kimmy!”
“Bye, Buddy. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Kim crouches down to the toddler's level and embraces her in a warm hug, “Be good for your Mummy and help her to look after Monkey as well.”
“I’ll be the best helper!” Buddy insists with a somewhat firm look to show how serious she was before she turns to Leah, “Mummy, can I drop on her cast?” She asks.
Leah can’t help but laugh knowingly, “How about we get you in the bath first and then afterwards you can, huh?”
“Yeah!” Buddy replies in agreement, eager to have a bath so you can come back and draw pretty pictures on her cast.
“Sounds like fun,” Kim jokes, giving Leah a final encouraging nod before she slips out of the room.
Leah watches the door close behind Kim before she turns her attention back to Buddy, who’s practically vibrating with excitement, “Alright, my little bubba. It’s bath time!” She announces cheerfully, gesturing towards the bathroom.
Buddy doesn’t need to be twice before she scampers ahead of Leah as she chatters animatedly about what she’s going to draw on Monkey’s cast. The blonde smiles as she listens to her while she runs the bath, the warmth of Buddy’s enthusiasm filling her heart and providing a much-needed sense of normalcy amid the chaos of the day.
“I’m sure that Monkey will absolutely love whatever you draw on her cast,” Leah tells Buddy, watching her daughter’s eyes light up even more at the thought, “Right, in you go then, bubba,” Helping her into the bath, the little girl immediately starts splashing around with her bath toys that she insisted on bringing from home.
Leah’s pretty sure if Buddy could have brought every single one then she would have done, but she had to draw the line somewhere, besides there was definitely not enough room in the suitcase for them.
“Mummy?” Buddy asks, her voice full of curiosity as she plays with a floating duck, “When is Monkey gonna wake up?”
Leah glances back towards the bed where you’re still fast asleep, “Soon, bubba. Monkey just needs to rest a bit longer because of her ouchie. She’s been through a lot today.” She explains gently.
As Leah’s in the middle of giving Buddy a bath, she doesn’t notice you slowly waking up on the bed. You crack one eye open, just enough to see what’s going on and spot Leah and Buddy busy in the bathroom. That's when a mischievous idea pops into your head and you quickly shut your eyes again, deciding to play along and pretend to be asleep.
Buddy nods, seemingly satisfied with the answer as Leah quickly finishes bathing Buddy before she lifts her out and wraps her in a fluffy towel.
“There we go, all squeaky clean!” Leah says, playfully ruffling Buddy’s damp hair as she dries her off.
Buddy giggles, snuggling into the warmth of the towel, “Now can I draw on Monkey’s cast?” She asks, her eyes wide with anticipation.
“How about first we get you into your jammies,” Leah suggests, leading her back to the room, “Then you can doodle on Monkey’s cast.”
“Yeah!” Buddy squeals excitedly, allowing Leah to help her into her pyjamas before she races over to your side, ready to start drawing on your cast, “Can I wake her up?”
Leah glances over at you, still completely unaware that you’re awake, “Sure, but be gentle, okay?” She says softly, returning to the bathroom to tidy up.
“I can do that, Mummy!” Buddy nods seriously before she climbs up onto the bed beside you, trying to be as gentle as possible. Just as she’s about to nudge you awake, you suddenly let out a playful growl and open your eyes, making Buddy screech and jump back in surprise.
“Roar!” You shout, reaching out to tickle her sides the best you can with the cast on your foot.
“Ah, Monkey!” Buddy squeals with laughter, throwing her little arms around you in a tight hug. “Mummy said you got an ouchie!”
“I do have an ouchie,” You murmur, reminded of the whole incident earlier today which now left you in the situation that you’re in, “So now I’m stuck in this cast, but you know what might help me feel better?”
“What?” Buddy questions, her eyes wide with curiosity.
“If you draw some of your pretty pictures on it,” You suggest with a grin.
Leah steps out of the bathroom, drying her hands on a towel as she notices you're now awake with Buddy nestled against you, “Hey sleepy head. Have a nice nap?” She teases as she walks over to the bed, “I didn’t think those pain meds would knock you out so quickly.”
You laugh faintly, “Yeah they knocked me right out, they’re fantastic to help with my sleep issues. Where were those when I couldn’t sleep the other month?” You joke with the blonde as you see the unimpressed expression on her face, “What? Dark humour makes everything better.”
Leah clicks her tongue in disapproval, “Now is not the time for them kind of jokes, Monkey.”
“When is it then? Cos’ I’m fed up with this cast already,” You grumble in annoyance, poking at the bulky thing on your foot, “Seriously, six weeks? I’m gonna die! Literally, there’s nothing for me to do now!”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” Leah rolls her eyes at your dramatics as she sits on the edge of the bed, “You’re lucky that you’ve got this little artist to keep you entertained at least.”
“I’m gonna make the cast pretty,” Buddy announces with determination, holding out her hand for more colours, “Mummy, I need all the colours!
“Here you go, bubba,” Leah hands over a handful of markers to the 3 year old, starting to doodle on your cast to make it that bit brighter and colourful, “Wow, that looks great already. You know, I think this might be the most colourful cast I’ve seen.” She comments, reaching out to gently brush a strand of Buddy’s hair behind her ear.
“Colourful, Mummy!” Buddy beams a wide smile, glancing at Leah with wide eyes.
“It’s certainly something,” You remark, peering at the masterpiece that your favourite little buddy is creating, “Best leave some room for other people to sign it, Buddy.” You joke, playfully.
“Okay!” Buddy giggles in agreement, continuing with her colourful masterpiece as you watch her with a fond smile, “Make you happy, Monkey!”
“It does make me happy, Buddy,” You nod in agreement and smile softly at the little girl sitting beside you, sticking her little tongue out as she puts her whole focus on the artwork.
Maybe this several weeks wouldn’t be so bad if you have your favourite little buddy to cheer you up after all?
© scribblesofagoonerr
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