warnings: mentions of death
Louis couldn't bring himself to go back to their house for three weeks after Harry's funeral - too many memories. So instead he had stayed in a hotel room, buying himself new clothes and Victoria a new bed for her to sleep on. But she didn't. Every night for those three weeks, she curled up right against Louis' chest to keep him company and make him feel just a little bit better now that he was alone again, and she did. He talked to her most nights, but there were a few he just cried and she would lick away his teas and lick his face until he would smile at her. She became his best friend over those three weeks.
His precious cat was what gave Louis the strength to go back into the house he'd shared with Harry after three weeks to start sorting through everything. Gemma had volunteered her help, which he gladly accepted. It made him feel a bit better to know that the person helping was someone who was mourning him as well. Victoria seemed to like her too.
The clothes Harry had been found in were about halfway through their wash cycle when Gemma found Louis sitting next to the washing machine sobbing into his arms, Tori sitting at his feet. "..Lou?"
"Gem, I miss him," he sobbed.
"I know, Louis, I miss him too," she said, sitting next to him on the floor and resting her am on his shoulders. "You did all you could.."
"But I didn't! Not at the end, not when- not when he needed me most. He needed me more than ever and I didn't do enough And now he's gone, Gem, and I can't say sorry.."
"Lou.." She pulled him close and let him cry into her shoulder. Victoria climbed into her lap to nuzzle Louis' chest and be closer to her dad while he cried. When the sobs finally died down, Lou smiled at her a little and scratched behind her ears. She nuzzled into his hand, snuggling into him when Gemma passed her over to Louis before getting up to move the clothes into the dryer. "Hi, my baby.. Daddy's okay.. Daddy's gonna be okay."
Gemma smiled a little, putting a dryer sheet in the load before starting the cycle. "Do you want me to stay over tonight so you'll have someone here?"
Louis shook his head, still rubbing Victoria's fur. "No, I'll be fine. I have Victoria. But I can call you if I change my mind, yeah?"
"Of course. I'm just down the road. Now how about we go make some dinner, hmm?"