When Harry came home to his and Louis's flat he paused in his tracks when he heard a muffled sob.
He almost thought he was hearing things until he heard it again.
Harry went outside and quickly closed the trunk and decided to get the groceries later.
When he returned inside, he ran towards the sobbing.
He walked into his and Louis's room to find Louis with his phone clutched in his hand and his knees pulled up to his chest. He had his arm wrapped around himself, trying to give himself comfort.
Harry slowly walked up to Louis.
"Louis, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Harry worried, getting onto his knees beside him.
Louis jumped in surprise, not realizing Harry was home.
"I'm fine," Louis tried not to let his voice shake but failed miserably.
"No, love, you're not," Harry wrapped his arm around Louis's shoulder and Louis immediately leaned into Harry and wrapped his arms around Harry instead of himself, still sobbing.
Harry held Louis and rubbed his side softly, waiting patiently for Louis to calm down.
Finally, Louis had stopped sobbing and was now just crying softly.
"Lou, darling, talk to me. What's going on?" Harry brushed Louis's hair from his eyes.
"She's- she's d-dead!" Louis started sobbing again.
Harry now wrapped both arms around Louis instead of just one.
He squeezed him tightly and asked, "Who's dead Lou?"
"M-m-uuum," Louis wailed.
Harry felt tears in his own eyes, "Oh love. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Louis gripped onto the front of Harry's shirt and sniffled.
"Sh-she wasn't sup-pose to go this soon Harry. Why did she go?"
"I don't know baby. I don't know," Harry now moved Louis so he was fully in Harry's lap and Harry rocked them back and forth soothingly.
"It's alright. It's gonna be okay. It's ok love, it's alright," Harry whispered into Louis's ear.
"Haz," Louis tugged on Harry's shirt.
"Yes?"
"I don't want to sit here and cry all day."
"Ok, how about we take a bath? How does that sound?" Harry offered.
Louis nodded and whispered out an "okay".
The two stood up and walked to the bathroom.
Louis still had tears running down his face so Harry wiped them away with his thumb softly and kissed his forehead.
Harry ran bath water and stripped down his clothes and when he turned, he saw Louis on the floor crying again.
Harry kneeled down and brought Louis into his arms once again.
"Come on boo, let's take a bath," Harry said after a minute.
He helped Louis stand up and helped him take off his clothes so they could get in the warm water.
Harry sat down first and held Louis's waist to help lower him in.
Louis settled himself so his back was resting on Harry's chest. Harry wrapped his arms around Louis's torso and Louis grabbed his hands.
Louis leaned his head back so it rested on Harry's collarbone.
The two sat there like that with their eyes closed for at least 30 minutes until the water got too cold.
Harry got himself dried off and dressed and helped Louis since he was feeling very protective over him.
After they got dressed, they went back to the bedroom and laid down and started a movie.
Harry knew Louis loved the avengers so he put on Avengers Endgame.
'It's about superheroes. It's unrealistic, no way this can set him off' Harry thought to himself.
Harry held Louis close to him, afraid that if he let go, Louis would crumble.
Louis seemed to be doing better until the movie was halfway through.
Louis had started crying again against Harry's chest.
Harry had been playing with Louis's hair and checking social media on his phone, so he wasn't paying attention to the movie.
He looked down at Louis, feeling him shake from crying. He then zoned back in and heard crying on the tv and saw Thor crying over his mother who had just died.
Harry frantically searched for the remote and turned off the tv quickly.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry baby. I didn't know that was going to happen. I'm sorry," Harry apologized, feeling guilty for putting on this movie.
"It's ok," Louis mumbled.
Harry grabbed onto Louis tightly and rubbed his back, allowing him to dig his face into his shirt, dampening it with tears.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Harry whispered again.
Louis just cried and cried, until he fell asleep.
Harry gently brought the covers over them and tucked them in so Louis was surrounded by warmth.
All Harry could do was promise himself that he would never let anyone hurt this boy if he can control it and that he'd do the very best he can to protect him at all costs.
