Visionary [Louis Tomlinson AU]

[16] "Trust Me On This."

“To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.”
~ George MacDonald

June 11, 2043
12:35 P.M

            Saving people was beginning to feel like the impossible task.

            Louis was finding it hard to wrap his head around, how difficult it was keeping all his loved ones in the dark and out of harm’s way. His parents had known about Visionary from the very beginning, but they were the only ones. Zayn had been told before the “accident”, but it was completely unknown whether he still remembered or not, though the latter seemed to be more likely at this point. Now Niall was a bloody test subject, and the worst part was that he didn’t even realize how bad it was.

            After the incident at the experimental facility, trying to warn Niall and failing, Louis knew he couldn’t just give up. He still had to at least try, fight for him and not let him be just another victim.

            So the instant he got back home, Louis ran up to his room, pretending not to hear his mother’s broken sign from behind him. He knew he’d hurt her, avoiding her even more since discovering the truth, but he couldn’t help it.

            Maybe in time he’d be able to forgive her, to at least pretend like everything was all right again. For now though, he couldn’t. For now, he had a mission that was far more important.

            “C’mon Niall,” Louis tapped his fingers impatiently on his leg once he’d gotten in his room, sitting down and pulling out his mobile. He honestly wasn’t sure if Niall was going to answer after his outburst before, but he at least had to try. “For God’s sake, pick up!”

            “Hello?”

            Almost as if on cue, Niall’s voice spoke through the phone and Louis let loose a large breath he’d been holding. “Niall,” he breathed in relief, trying to figure out how to place his words. “What I was trying to say before… You shouldn’t be a part of Visionary anymore, it’s not safe.”

            The frown could be heard through Niall’s voice, slightly confused. “I- Louis, it’s just a test. Nothing’s gone wrong so far – quite the opposite actually – and even with my job the money doesn’t hurt…”

            Louis ran a hand down over his face, trying to not make some sort of embarrassing noise of frustration. “I’m serious, that drug is dangerous!” He protested, raising his voice a bit too loudly to be normal.

            “You tested it and you’re fine,” Niall remained calm, which was probably all the more infuriating. “Really Louis, I’m a big boy, I can take care of myself.”

            Louis rolled his eyes a bit. Of course Niall of all people would take this as a joke; in his head that was supposed to be his own job.

           It was soon becoming clear though that Niall wasn’t going to be swayed with warnings like this. The only thing that seemed like it would even remotely work would be if Louis told him his real experience with the drug.

            Could he do it though? Would it be safe enough? Louis mind flickered over events in the past, mainly Zayn’s “accident” after he was told the truth. And there he still was, weeks later… still in the hospital.

           No, Louis finally decided. That ended badly enough. He was not going to risk Niall’s neck too, not risk losing him or something even worse.