Let Them In

8- Safe.

If he was being honest, he couldn't focus on the words on the paper but he needed an excuse to stay quiet for a while. His eyes weren't focused on anything in particular as loads of thoughts ran through his brain, again that he couldn't even repeat to anyone, no one would understand.

The boy's hand reaching up to his face was an instant reaction as Louis felt a singular tear overflow from his iris, then blinking back the remaining tears that were backing up in his eyes. He sniffled quickly, letting Liam wrap an arm around his waist as he laid his head back against the alpha's shoulder, "I'm fine." He whispered, closing his eyes and letting out a large breath.

"Go to the toilet, I'll be in in a minute." Liam whispered back, releasing the boy from his grasp and turning to Niall, still whispering and presumably filling him in.

Louis ran his hands under the water coming from the sink and threw the water gently over his face, reaching for a paper towel afterwards to dry his skin off. His eyes were already stating to feel irritated and the tops of his cheeks were puffy, the tip of his nose a shiny pink.

The door smashed open then, a worried Liam entering the bathroom with fast footsteps and making his way over to Louis instantly. The alpha's hands held Louis' face, his thumbs swiping under his eyes before he pulled the small boy into his chest, cradling his head and holding Louis close to his body. In that moment Louis felt safe, safer than he had in a while.

He was at school.

His 'step-dad' wasn't anywhere near him.

He was being held by his best friend.

So even though his brain was absolutely fucked, he willed himself to relax, mulling over the fact that he didnt need to worry about anything that he was usually so, so stressed over and let himself be. He let Liam hold him, he let Liam make him feel secure. The alpha's hand ran up and down his back, warming him up and causing Louis to shiver. Liam let out a breathy laugh and pulled the boy even closer.

Then, like always, the calm was interrupted. It wasn't necessarily a bad interruption, though. It was Niall. And the blond omega only held love in his eyes as he approached the pair that were standing in the middle of the bathroom, moving one of Liam's arms off of Louis and sliding under it himself before he wrapped his own arms around Louis' waist and joined in on their cuddle.

"Tough day?" The blond questioned the smaller omega, feeling his mate peck his forehead.

"Just can't concentrate, Fiz opened up this morning and now my mind can't comprehend anything." He answered honestly, sighing again and resting his forehead against Liam's chest, his eyes shutting.

"Nothing you wanna talk to us about? I'm guessing." Liam asked from above them, his hand still running up and down Louis' back.

"There's nothing that I can get out of my mouth, I don't think." Liam and Niall both nodded, letting the silence overcome the trio as they waited for the bell to ring. Once it had, they exited the bathroom and seen Zayn waiting for them just outside the door, all three of their bags in his arms.

"The triplets went to class, they wanted to wait, 'see if you were okay, Lou. But I told them it's just best if they headed off." The raven haired boy explained, handing over each rucksack and dismissing the three's thanks as they started their walk to class.

The two alphas walked their mate and best friend to biology and continued on their way to music as the omegas went into class.

Louis was in the same state during his next few lessons, mostly quiet and very much in his own mind. His teachers noticed too and allowed the boy to have his day, leaving him alone during lessons and asking if he was alright on his way out.