Louis sat alone in the kitchen, it was early morning, the sun hadn't even risen. He'd been sitting there almost all night, giving up on any attempt to sleep. Draped across his shoulders was a blue and green checkered blanket that Harry had knitted him, each stitch woven by hand, Harry had gifted it to him one day on tour many years ago. Louis didn't go anywhere without it, it was, as he liked to call it, a little piece of Harry that he could carry around forever.
Louis held his phone against the bench, his eyes were focused on the screen, as he scoured deeper into the internet, trying to find any trace as to what happened to Zayn. It wasn't like he cared, Zayn had gone as far as to ruin their friendship, but Louis was curious as to where he'd gone. Had someone taken him? Had he run from management while he'd had the chance? Was he even alive? Louis scrolled from article to article, but he found no results.
Feeling peckish Louis made his way to the cupboard and teared down some snacks. He scurried over to the couch, sliding into the seat silently as to not wake Eleanor in the other room. The house was huge, with high ceilings and brassy grey walls, almost like a prison. There were many rooms, big, with bolted widows and filled with useless furniture. Louis usually just slept on the couch, the size of the house daunting without any company. The backyard was fairly sized, it situated a pool and small garden. But Louis wasn't allowed out, the risk of him leaving the yard and encountering paparazzi was too much in the managements eye, Louis could end up saying anything and they couldn't let that happen.
Opening some popcorn, Louis noticed something odd. A small slip of paper was wedged into the side of one of the sofa pillows. He stared at it for a few seconds, before dropping the popcorn and scooping up the note. It was folded in half, the words written in a barely visible ink. Squinting his eyes, Louis tried to make out the small font.
"I was shouting 'Zayn! Zayn!' But he didn't come."
"I'd always save you Louis."
The note was written in a neat, cursive handwriting, nothing that Louis recognised. He peered at the note for a for a bit longer, his eyes reaching in and out of focus. He had no idea who the note could be from. It definitely wasn't Eleanor's handwriting, and why would she write something like that anyway? No one else had been in the house, apart from Harry a few weeks ago, and security visiting for a check-in. Louis turned the note in his hand, checking for any other possible information. Scratched feebly into the back of the paper, were two singular initials. "G.H." G and H? Louis couldn't think of anyone with those initials. A quick google search showed him nothing, just a bunch of celebrities, Gigi Hadid, George Harrison, half of the celebrities listed had already been dead for years so it was no use.
Suddenly feeling sick, and not in the mood to eat, Louis started walking around the house to pass the time. "I'd always save you Louis." Yeah right. He went back to the photo wall, peering at the photo of him and Harry from years ago. Their smiles so wide, no need to hide the love they had for each other, happy, held in one another's embrace. What a time. To the left was a photo of his mother. A soft kindness in her eyes, and her cheeks rosy as her face radiated happiness. Silent tears ran down Louis' cheeks, a smile creasing his face, as he remembered the beautiful woman he'd grown up with as his mother. He slowly wiped his nose on his sleeve, and noticing the time on his watch, went to wake Eleanor.
-
"He's actually so kind! His name's Graham Hardy, bit of an old school name, but he's honestly the sweetest person I've met," said Eleanor, rambling on about the man she'd met. "He gave me his number, we were texting for hours last night, what a funny person." She was at the kitchen, as usual seeing as Louis couldn't cook to save a life, whipping up some pancakes for breakfast while Louis was sitting at the table preparing some gifts for his sisters, whom he was seeing later that day.
"Blue or purple wrapping for Lottie?" Louis asked Eleanor.
"There's gold wrapping behind the door in the fourth bedroom, use that." His small feet wiggling gently over the tiles, Louis plonked himself off the seat and went to find the gold paper. He roamed around the long passageway, looking from door to door. Each door had labelling on it. Bedroom 1, bathroom 3, and so on. But deep down near the end of the passage, laid bedroom four, and 3 other rooms with odd labels. One of the rooms was marked, 'E.F' another labelled with a G, the second letter having been drawn over. The room with the G was locked and had multiple warning signs hanging from the handle, Louis had never bothered going into any of these rooms, as he rarely strayed this far in the house.
Locating the wrapping paper, Louis snatched it up and ran silently back towards Eleanor, being oddly terrified of the strange rooms.
Louis slid open the door to the main room and slipped into the kitchen. Seating himself back in his usual spot he began to wrap Lottie's gift. He peeled off some of the golden paper before he noticed something flutter down, detaching itself from the paper. Bending down from his chair, he went to investigate. Slightly singed and yellowing, was another note.
-
"Louis!" Screamed an excited Daisy from the front door.
"Hey dais!" Louis replied, bolting towards her.
"Lou Lou Lou!" Daisy collapsed in his arms, bringing them both to the floor. The two laughed for a moment, until Louis looked down into her little blue eyes. There was a mutual understanding before Daisy suddenly started crying. Louis held her tight in his arms until she calmed down, whispering to her softly and brushing his hands through her soft locks. The front door swung open and two girls, carrying a baby each, trotted through the door.
"Girls!" Louis looked up gently, gesturing towards his siblings. Lottie and Phoebe walked towards Louis, carefully supporting Ernest and Doris in their arms. "Eleanor?!" Louis shouted, Eleanor appeared at the end of the hallway. "Can you take Ernest and Doris into the nursery? Thanks love." Eleanor nodded silently and addressed each of the girls before scooping up the babies and going off to look after them.
"Oh Lou, I swear we've all missed you so much, we have so much to tell you," Lottie spurted out. Daisy was still in Louis' arms, currently wiping her nose on the edge of his shirt.
"Louis? What the fuck is that on your waist?" Daisy asked suddenly, peering under his shirt.
"That's called muscle Dais," said Phoebe.
"No, the bruising," she said, brows furrowed towards Louis.
"Oh that's nothing, just tripped," Louis replied steadily.
"Louis, what the fuck happened to you."
"Don't swear Daisy. And nothing, just got a bit out of hand when security took Harry and they had to control me that's all. It'll go away soon it's just a bump." Louis said, slowly and patiently.
"I don't care whether it'll go away or not, they hurt my brother!" Daisy screeched.
"Is Harry ok?" Phoebe asked.
"They shouldn't be allowed near you! There has to be some...some law around this!" Daisy continued.
"Love calm down, it's ok we have more important things to worry about at the moment." Louis shushed the girls several protests, and Lottie's attempt to pull up his shirt, and ushered them all into the kitchen to open their gifts.
-
A/N
I feel like this chapter moved to fast? Idk I'm pretty new to this, but I hope you enjoyed! Sorry I took so long life's been pretty hectic atm
Kat<3
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All's Fair In Love & War
FanfictionLouis is struck with grief as his mum sadly passes away. The boys are all trying their best to support him, all but one. Zayn had been distant since he'd left the band, drawing a rift in his and Louis's friendship. Little did Louis know, Zayn was hi...
