Numbness - Larry Stylinson AU

Chapter 4

"Hey," Fizzy came back a bit out of breath and handed her laptop to Harry. Harry was a bit overwhelmed by everything but scrolled through all her work, and after about ten minutes of skimming through everything, he looked back up.

"I will pay you by the hour, sixty pounds per hour if you accept," Jay said, and Harry's jaw dropped. Louis beamed, seeing another expression that Harry's face makes and feels confident that Harry may be letting his guard down or just getting to know him better.

"That is too much, Mrs. Tomlinson," Harry said quickly.

"You will be tutoring her for basically all her classes. It is too little," Jay said with a soft smile, and Harry turned to Fizzy, who was looking desperate.

"Okay," he said, and she cheered and once again went to hug him, and Harry froze once again.

"You really hate hugs, don't you," Louis commented quiet enough for only Harry to hear as he unwrapped his sister's arms from Harry. Fizzy unlatched herself from Harry, and he handed her laptop back to her, who took it and ran back to put it away.

"Eat," Jay said, and Louis moved Harry into a chair.

The family talked and tried to speak to Harry, but he was spaced out the entire time and didn't even hear what they were saying. He hated the warm family atmosphere that this meal was causing him and wanted nothing more than to run back to the abusive, cold, tense house. The environment he is used to. This environment is foreign and weird to him.

He didn't mean to space out, but he felt so out of place in the conversation that he just slipped and was staring at a random spot on the wall.

Harry and Louis continued on their project when lunch was over, mostly silent. Harry would ask a question about how they wanted to do it, and he would guide Louis through his equations to solve all the problems and Louis appreciated the fact that Harry didn't get frustrated with him or make him feel dumb.

After about six hours of working, they finished their project, and Harry was about to leave Louis's room when Fizzy came bursting in.

"Can you come tomorrow? Same time? Or after lunch, if you want," Fizzy asked, and Harry nodded.

"sure," he said with a shrug, and Fizzy pulled out her phone and handed it to Harry.

"You don't mind if I sometimes ask you questions during the week, right?" She asked, and Harry shook his head as he put in his number. "Thanks," she said before walking out and shutting the door. Harry saw the time, and he was going to be late for dinner, and he knows that that means no food and he hasn't eaten all day.

"I need to go. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess," Harry said and scanned the room to make sure he didn't forget anything and walked out with Louis following.

"Want me to drive you?" Louis asked, but Harry shook his head. "Too bad, I wasn't asking," he said and walked by Harry, who rolled his eyes. He doesn't understand why Louis is acting this way.

"He's stubborn. He will literally drag you into that car if you protest," Lottie says from beside Harry, who sighs and nods and follows Louis. Lottie laughs lightly, seeing how eager Louis is and Harry's sluggish.

Harry puts in the address into Louis's car, and the first half of the ride is silent.

"Hey, thanks for helping Fizzy; it means a lot to us," Louis said, and Harry nodded. "I know we just met, but I want to get to know you. I hope you will let me in just a little bit, and if not me, then Niall at least. He really misses you, and from the stories he's told us, you're a really cool lad." Harry didn't comment. He just looked out the passenger window.