Kind Forest Eyes

Chapter seven

The next day, Louis wakes up to chatter coming from downstairs. He slowly blinks open his eyelids and lets out a yawn. He's not ready to wake up yet, but he can't contain his curiosity about what is happening downstairs, so he slowly slides out of the bed, leaving the warm mattress behind.

His sockless feet hit the ground with small taps and he practically runs down the stairs to see what all the fuss is about.

His ears try to catch the tittle-tattle to see where he needs to go and when they hear noise coming from the kitchen, Louis knows his destination.

As his feet draw him closer to the room he catches actual sentences from the conversation for once and he recognizes the other voice that isn't Kat's. He knows that voice all too well and a bright smile breaks on his lips.

"Haz?" He asks questionably, a smile radiating from his face.

Harry's face also lights up once he perceives Louis and he immediately runs to hug his friend. Tears are slowly running down his face and Louis softly tries to calm him down with reassuring mumbles.

Somehow, this moment seems like the time when Harry had to leave when they were kids. Louis also comforted Harry as tears were streaming down the younger boy's face and Louis also felt just as worried as he does now.

He understands partly what is bothering Harry though, when he whispers into Louis' ear, "I'm so sorry I didn't hug you goodbye yesterday..."

Louis frowns, his hand temporarily stopping with the movement it is making along Harry's back. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I couldn't hug you back then. My parents..." He trails off and Louis can feel new wet tears hit his soaked pajama shirt.

"I get that, Haz, I really do. Your parents won't like it when you hug me, but why exactly, Harry?"

The pair of green eyes don't look at Louis for a moment, looking away from him. "T-they're strictly catholic, Lou," Harry says this mere sentence, hoping that his friend will understand this way.

Kat then steps in, also having caught parts of the conversation. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but what are you both talking about? Why are you crying, Harry? Can I help?" Her voice cracks slightly, catching the bad aura in the room.

Louis gives Kat a confused gaze, expressing how he feels at the moment. "Can't catholic boys hug each other then? Can't they be friends?"

Harry nods, tucking loose hair behind his ear, his hands shaking. "Well, yeah, but it's different for me because you know..."

"They know?"

"No, no." Harry quickly reassures. "They don't know yet, but I'm guessing that they have caught some signs? They have warned me quite a lot of times to not be sinful and to not be with a boy. At those times, they just told me that in general, but each time they say it, it feels more personal..."

Louis moves his gaze to his adoptive mother, who is smiling sadly at them both. "Just checking, Kat... Are you okay with me being gay? I think that might clear something up..."

The older woman immediately nods, pulling Louis from Harry and embracing him tightly. "Of course, I'm okay with it! I'm sure Pat is too." She then looks at Harry, her kind eyes boring into his terrified forest green ones. "And I'm okay with whatever sexuality you have too, Harry. If things get hard back home, you are always welcome to come here."

This makes Harry let out a sob and Kat doesn't hesitate as she hugs Harry closely. Her eyes close, letting a tear fall down on top of Harry, but the boy doesn't seem to notice. He simply takes in the warmth and enjoys the motherly affection he always lacks desperately.