"Help!"
I groan. What time is it?
"Help!"
I crack open an eye. The bathroom light is on and I can hear the shower running. "Nick?"
"He-e-elp!"
I sit upright. "Nick!" I've lived with Nick for four years and never once has he asked for help. It scares me, so I hurry into the bathroom and throw the door open wide.
"Help me if you can, I'm feelin' doooowwn..."
"Ugh," I sigh. Help. The Beatles. I shake my head. "Nick..."
"Oh helloooo..." He half-sings at me. He's drunk.
"Nick do you know what time it is?" I ask, sitting sleepily on the toilet seat.
"Uhhuh." He shuts off the water and grins at me. "Late." His smile is huge, his eyes are bright, he's wet and naked and although I considered being angry that he woke me up, I just can't be when he looks at me that way.
"Actually, it's early... after four." I wonder why he came home? Usually, if we don't leave the club together he crashes somewhere and I don't see him until after dawn. I help him out of the tub, handing him a towel.
"When I was younger so much younger than todaaaaay... I never needed anybody's help in any way..." Nick slurs while I towel him off. He thinks he's helping but really he's just holding onto a corner of the towel and using it like a microphone. "But now those days are gone I'm not so self assuuurreed..."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah... thank you... don't call us, we'll call you," I say shuffling him out the door and into the bedroom.
"Aren't you going to comb my hair?" Nick asks me, and I wonder what's gotten into him. Singing in the shower, the hair thing... it's just... weird.
"Uh... yeah... I can do that," I say, going to get his comb, but he grabs my arm and turns abruptly to look at me.
"Sean, Sean, Sean, I have to tell you something."
Shit. "Let me guess, you have to throw up," I snort, rolling my eyes. "Let me get the trash can." I've been here before.
"No! Nonononowait. Sean. I love you."
Drunk. Dammit. "Yeah, I love you too Nick. Lie down now." I try to sit him on the bed.
"No! Baby... I know I'm a jerk. But I love you."
I look at him. I want to believe him. God, I want to believe it so badly.
"Nick..."
"I'll prove it. I will. I won't party anymore... I'll go home with you. I will. I love you. I'm not with someone else tonight, see? I'm drunk, I know, but I want you to believe me."
I give Nick a smile. Hopefully he's drunk enough not to notice the little bit of disbelief in my eyes. "I love you too, Nick," I say softly. "Now go to sleep."
"I couldn't sleep without telling you... now that I know..."
I watch Nick lay his wet head on the pillow. 'Now that I know...' Fuck. Maybe he does mean it...