Clean Criminal // l.s.

x.

"Love," Harry spoke gently to Louis who's feet were against Harry's thigh and his head was on the arm of the couch, "Louis, dear, it's late. Are you...are you okay if I stay over? I just don't--"

Louis laughed, playfully kicking Harry's thigh, "it's fine, Harry. But since it's nearly nine thirty, I'll be going to bed soon. And, well, I don't really like sleeping in the same bed with another person. So if you don't mind, could you sleep on the couch?" Louis asked, not wanting to seem rude. That was the last thing he wanted to be. He, of course, didn't want to give Harry the wrong message either. He liked Harry which should be considered an accomplishment on Harry's part.

"Oh, yeah, that's fine. I mean, I end up sleeping on my couch most nights, nothing new. Plus, your couch is pretty damn comfy. I feel like I'm laying on a cloud," Harry commented, falling back onto the couch, laughing like a small child.

And, God, was Harry cute. He was absolutely adorable, gorgeous even and Louis didn't mind his facial flaws. Not even the few pimples near Harry's hairline, or the fact that there was an eyelash on his cheek, or his dry, chapped lips that were in desperate need of chaptick. To Louis, Harry was simply perfect. It's like nothing could make him think anything else.

"And I'll even fold my blankets the way you taught me a while ago," Harry said with small smile.

Louis giggled, "you're the best." Louis honestly believed this about Harry. He was the best. He was caring, gentle, kind-hearted, lovable. He was truly amazing. He made Louis feel like he had never felt before, which was truly strange. But a good strange--a really good strange that Harry could definitely get used to.

"You're even better," Harry commented with a small chuckle, "you're better than the best."

The butterflies in Louis' stomach seemed to like Harry's words and they started to fluttered inside.He laughed like a small child yet again and then stood before he could fall into Harry's words, touch, smell--God, his smell. Harry smelled to clean. He reminded Louis of freshly cleaned laundry, soft and warm, sometimes fuzzy. Harry was something Louis could wrap himself into like a cozy blanket.

"I think, I better get ready for bed. Can't get off schedule, I'll...I'll, yeah, it's whatever," Louis could feel his cheeks reddening, "I just better go to sleep, uhm, I'll go get you some blankies."

Harry smiled at Louis' childishness and watched as Louis left the room to return with blankets for the night. He gladly took them from Louis and set up his bed while Louis got ready for bed, going through his normal everyday process. Harry made the couch into a nest of blankets that would most definitely keep him warm throughout the night, before Louis walked out of the bathroom, padding across the floors.

Louis stopped walking when he saw Harry taking off his shirt, his back towards the feather haired boy. He gaped, absolutely surprised that the lanky and awkward detective had such a nice body. He quickly looked away, rearranging the folded clothes that he was carrying in his arms, and traveled the few steps it took to get to his room. He shut the door, not particularly liking the way seeing Harry had made him feel.

Louis tried to fall asleep, but he found it to be difficult so he woke up to get a glass of water, thinking that it would definitely help him fall asleep. So he tiptoed out of his room and towards the kitchen. He was startled when Harry turned on the light, "what are you doing, Lou?"

Harry rubbed his eyes, feeling tired and worn out, as Louis replied, "just getting water."

"Oh, well I hope that you sleep well," Harry replied with a yawn. 

Louis smiled softly, carrying his glass to his bedroom. He stopped at the door, "good night, Harry. I hope you sleep well." Then Louis quickly shut the door, smiling to himself as he leaned up against the door.

He had never felt more alive.

.

Harry had gone to work after he had breakfast with Louis and read a few of the comics from Sunday morning (he needed a few ha-ha's to get him through the day). He shrugged off his heavy coat and sat it on the back of his chair just as Cris was approaching him.

"Ah, nice of you to join us, Styles. Enjoyed your evening, did you?" Cris asked with a smirk.

Harry rolled his eyes, "it was fine, thank you very much. I'm just glad to be back at work where I can see your charming face," Harry said with a wink.

Cris playfully hit Harry's arm and changed the topic, "Walker was able to get fingerprints off of the stuff we collected from the hotel room. Here's the results from that," he handed Harry the results that were in a file, "I think you'll have to stop hanging out with that fellow of yours."

Harry thought over Cris' words as the younger lad had walked off. He sat down and looked over the files. He was shocked to see what the lab had processed. And Harry couldn't believe that he had to make this call, that the one guy he had feelings for was...was what? What was he? A murderer? A criminal?

None of this seemed right.

"Hey, Doc, have you finished the autopsy for Zayn Malik?" Harry asked as he wrote a few notes down, "I think I'll pay you both a visit in say fifteen?"

"Sounds good, Styles, he's just finished up. But a second pair of eyes would be nice though," Doc said. The conversation was short and Harry quickly made his way downstairs to take a look at the autopsy, hoping that Doc would have ideas for possible murder weapons.

"What are we looking at here?" Harry questioned, throwing on a lab coat over his button up shirt.

"Well," Doc started to say, pulling back the thin cover to reveal Zayn's face, "it's obvious he was in a fight, bruises are scattered, a fractured rib. We're looking for someone who feels as though the victim has done wrong to him. Malik was stabbed three times in the back, showing that the killer wanted revenge. I'd start off with trying to find someone who he's angered, someone so furious with him that they would go to the extremes."

Harry nodded his head, looking at the pictures Doc had handed him, "do you know what kind of murder weapon we should be looking for?"

"Definitely some sort of blade, slightly blunt. Scissors, maybe," Doc replied, "most likely a weapon of opportunity. I think you may have to look into someone who is inexperienced. The handiwork is sloppy, definitely not something you'd see from someone who has many years of practice."

"So he's young then?"

"Most certainly. I'd say that this is the first time he's committed a crime, based on all of the information given by autopsy and the behavior of the crime," Doc said. 

Harry nodded along, thinking about who they have questioned, "do you think this murder was done in a clean way? Does the suspect seem like they'd be orderly?" 

Doc contemplated the possibilities, "he could have been. From the pictures of the crime scene," Doc commented, grabbing a few pictures to hand to Harry, "they could be very organized. The victim's clothes were rearranged, straightened out so there weren't any wrinkles. You may want to look into possible murder weapons, see if they've been cleaned."

"Sounds good," Harry said, gathering up all of the pictures Doc had shown him, "thanks, Doc. I'll see you later if needed. And, the Malik family was wondering if they'd be able to plan for a funeral soon."

"By the end of tomorrow everything should be taken care of and they can contact me to make arrangements," Doc said, cleaning up a few of his tools.

"Great, thank you. I'll see you later, Doc," Harry said, leaving the room on a mission to connect the dots.