Jock Next Bed (BL)
Chapter 72: Caring for a... friend.

Chapter 72: Caring for a... friend.

"Thank goodness you’re still here," Chris said, his voice filled with both concern and relief.

Chris looked at him closely. Not only did he reek of alcohol, but his face was flushed red. His hair was not tied, so it was messy and all over his face. He was still wearing his jacket from before. Everything was still intact. But there was a bulge in the front of his pants. A very obvious one.

"You... came," Sky said, his eyes glazed and unsteady.

"I said I would. How do you feel?" Sky asked as he pushed some of his hair away from his face.

"I... don’t know what happened. Everything felt hazy, and I... can’t think... straight." Sky managed to answer.

"We’ll figure this out. Let’s get you to the hospital—"

Sky shook his head. "No... hospitals."

"But you need it. You’re not only drunk, but you’ve likely been drugged too, and I don’t know how I should help you—"

"No hospitals... please." Sky pleaded, his faint eyes looking up at Chris. "P-People... will talk."

Chris was skeptical. He felt he would need proper medical care, but since he didn’t want to, he then asked as he picked up Sky’s phone, "The dorm then?"

However, Sky shook his head again. "No. People... will see."

"Seriously?!" Chris said in irritation before he reminded himself that this was the kind of person Sky was and that he would rather remain in danger than have his reputation ruined.

It looked like Sky was going to pass out, so Chris held onto him and then unzipped his sweater, then draped it over Sky’s head. The cool air of the night hit his shirtless body, but he didn’t mind it and hugged Sky closely.

With Chris’s help, Sky managed to stand, but he was very wobbly and continued to moan and groan at intervals, making Chris really mad at whoever had done this.

He would fix that later.

Chris held on to him, making sure no one would recognize him as he quickly led him outside and helped him to the back of the taxi before he got in and kept his eyes on him.

"Where are we going?" Sky asked groggily with his eyes closed.

"To the hotel room Wilson booked. You will be fine there." Chris answered. That was the last option he had, and he hoped he wouldn’t reject it either. At least he believed they wouldn’t bump into familiar faces there.

Chris thought he’d be against it, but Sky just fell on him, and Chris was quick to hold him as Sky slept off with his head on Chris’s chest.

Chris looked down at him with a soft gaze and hugged him gently. He was not going to let the person who had done this get away with it.

Chris could feel his heart racing as he helped Sky out of the taxi and into the hotel lobby. Sky was in a sorry state, and Chris knew this was going to be difficult for only him. Sky wasn’t light like Rachel; however, he didn’t ask for assistance and still left his sweater draped over Sky’s head, shielding him from the prying eyes of strangers. Then, with all his strength, he helped Sky onto his back for a piggyback ride. The boy weighed a whole lot! Even more than he looked.

Chris received odd glances, especially from staff members who had seen him come in for the first time. He had first come with two almost naked people since Rachel was also wearing her swimming suit, and now he was the one without a shirt. They just hoped the police wouldn’t come here soon to wonder why so many naked people were coming here.

Ignoring the odd glances he received, Chris focused on getting Sky safely to his room, wondering how he had turned into the responsible one in their friendship, where he had to care for everybody. Though he couldn’t help but notice how his shirtlessness added fuel to the speculative imaginations of others. He liked it when people ogled at his body. However, tonight wasn’t the right time to enjoy that attention. Also, a part of his brain told him that those stares were probably from judgy eyes since he was carrying someone drunk. And a guy.

Different reasons exist to judge him.

Sky woke up at some point, just before they got to the elevator. He moaned in discomfort and hugged Chris tightly, burying his face in his neck.

On a normal day, this was enough to send Chris’s hormones spiralling, but right now he was very worried about Sky and just carefully carried him to the room, sighing heavily in relief when they got in and he placed Sky on the bed, who fell flat on it with his legs hanging off the bed.

Chris sat down beside him and used his hand to brush the hair away from his face before he tapped him lightly, saying, "Come on, Sky, let me help you get out of those clothes and take a warm bath." Chris urged, his concern evident in his voice.

Sky slowly opened his eyes in a squint to look at him, then let out a low groan and rubbed his hands over his body.

He seemed very uncomfortable.

Chris hurried to get him a bottle of water and then helped him sit up to drink it.

Sky drank half of the bottle, spilling some on him before. He was about to fall back on the bed when Chris held him up and shook him gently.

"I will draw you a warm bath. You need to get rid of these clothes."

Sky looked at him through hooded eyes, and then he embraced him from the side and did it again. He buried his nose in the crook of Chris’s neck as he slurred his words with his hot breath fanning his neck: "I want to soak in like this."

"But—"

"Please..." Sky said quietly.

Chris hesitated but eventually agreed, not wanting to push Sky when he was in such a fragile state. He nodded and told him to wait while he go and draw him a bath. And as he did that, he could not stop thinking about Sky’s issue. It hadn’t just been overthinking when he felt Sky was always covering up his body. He also remembered what Sky had said that other night when he was drunk and Chris had helped him to the dorm.

There was nothing there. And even though he was curious. He didn’t want to pry.

He returned to the room to help Sky to the bathroom, and just like Sky wanted, he let him soak inside the tub like that. Thankfully, there was a spare bathrobe and towel in the room, which he left with Sky in the bathroom, but he was worried about leaving him alone in there.

The minutes ticked by, and Chris’s anxiety grew when he could not tell what was happening in there. He even imagined Sky sliding down the tub and drowning inside. So when he heard retching sounds from the bathroom, he couldn’t stay away any longer and hurried there.

He paused just as he opened the door and apologized for intruding before he turned off the lights and felt his way to Sky in the darkened room.

Sky, at least, wasn’t vomiting inside the tub but on the floor, and Chris could swear he stepped on some with his in-house slippers.

He patted Sky’s back gently and brushed the hair from his face, trying to provide some comfort.

"I... feel horrible." Sky managed to say it in a tight voice. "I’m... sorry."

"Do not apologize to me. That’s not important right now." Chris said sincerely as he helped him wash his hair.

He had never been so worried about anyone before. It was driving him crazy. He felt so emotional. He couldn’t even explain it as he sat by the edge of the tub and brushed his hair with his fingers.

"I’m going to help you change out of these wet clothes into the bathrobe, okay? I assure you that I can’t see a thing."

Sky hesitated before Chris heard him say a quiet okay, and then he moved into action. He was careful not to even let his finger brush against Sky’s skin. He helped him wear the robe first before he asked Sky to take off his pants underneath by himself.

When he was done, he held Sky by the hand and carefully guided him back to the bedroom. Chris turned up the heater to keep him warm and ensure he was as comfortable as possible, then handed him another bottle of water and included a painkiller from the first aid box since Sky was complaining about pain.

Groggy and still feeling unwell, Sky allowed Chris to blow dry his hair and tie it up.

"You... don’t have to do all this for me, Chris," Sky mumbled, his voice laced with guilt.

Chris couldn’t even imagine not doing this for Sky.

If there was one thing he was grateful for about today, it was the fact that he chose to call Sky back earlier.

Chris didn’t answer. He had so many other thoughts in his head. He just helped Sky as much as he could, and when he felt Sky was good enough to stand without falling, he asked him to go change into a sleeping robe before he settled into bed.

It wasn’t until Chris saw him peacefully sleeping that he felt better. He returned to the bathroom to clean it up and also showered and changed into a sleeping robe before he settled in beside Sky, staring long at his face.