Surreptitious [H.S.][N.H.]

8- L2 A7

5,600 words

Louis Tomlinson (third person point of view)
(I just read duplicity and I apologize for this update after that 💀)

Jade Allen, determined, stubborn, acts like a princess, is a princess. (Not literally of course)

Landon Allen, determined, stubborn, acts like a dumbass, is a genius.

Peter Allen, determined, stubborn, acts like an asshole, is a sweetheart.

Lukus Allen, (formerly known as Luk), determined, stubborn, acts like an dickhead, is a dickhead.

And that's that he thinks.

But.... Ali Verns, persistent, and way too understanding, she acts of a saint, and well Louis doesn't know how she really is or if that's an act but she radiates the energy of none other than one.

So he wonders to himself, rage building in his chest, what kind of sadist would upset the saint?

Louis looks to his right, capturing the imagine of Ali cocooned in a tight ball on the small leather seat she occupies. What kind of sadist?

He doesn't like the idea of it, not one bit. It's basically torture; what Lukus had done to her. And trust him, Louis' seen things, seen what's done to people as punishment and god it irks him to think about what went down in that pool room.

Lukus should know, he should know the difference between play and torment. He should know and he shouldn't have done it but he has and now he has to suffer the consequences. Because one thing is for sure, Ali didn't deserve it.

Louis drives home with an itch to teach him a lesson, to make him realize his wrongs, who he's become. As he drives back to the safe house, the reds and greens of translucent traffic lights blur together, creating a state of hazed inattentiveness.

Louis ponders as he drives, why is he so upset over this? He's only met the girl a couple days ago.

Maybe he isn't upset over it being her, he thinks. Maybe it could have been anyone and he's just upset over the fact that Lukus had done it. He realizes he's probably so hung up on this because Lukus did it, not because it was Ali it was being done to.

And in a way it still was about Ali, for Louis wouldn't mind at all if Lukus were to torture anyone who deserved it, he's seen it before. But he knows Ali has been nothing but good to them so it bothers him to think he would have done anything like that to her still, what does this mean for him? What kind of person has he become?

Louis worries, he doesn't want Lukus to bring anyone else down with him. He's come to terms with who he's become in some way or another but the thought of it effecting someone else's life shouldn't just be hitting him now. He's seen Lukus interact with others like this before but he'd always thought it was part of the job so it was ok.

Ali shifts beside him, extending her legs out from under the hoodie she wears. She groans quietly and hastily tosses her head back against the headrest, taking a moment to check out what roads they're on.

Louis finds amusement in seeing this, she wouldn't recognize the streets even if she had looked.

"Where are we?" She ponders, eyes flitting down to her half empty soda that rests in the sturdy cup holder. Condensation saunters down the perimeter of the said cup, pooling at the bottom of the pocket. She reaches for it, bringing it to her lips and sipping from it avidly.

Droplets drip onto the hoodie creating dark patches but there's no worrisome for its only water. "Almost back." Louis answers curtly, paying his attention back to the lazy road in his front view.