Clean Criminal // l.s.

xxxiv.

[The video attached made my life. You have to watch it if you haven't seen it yet. I can assure you it will make your day 1000 times better! As for the chapter, enjoy. :) -M]

Louis had never held a gun before. He always felt like they would be heavier. After all, how could a weapon so deadly be so easy to hold and fire? But he held it anyways, not really knowing how to fire it or whether or not it had an "On" switch.

For some odd reason, he felt safer holding it in his hands. He felt like he could actually take a stand for himself if danger ever threatened him again. He had felt so weak and helpless for so long and with just one item, he felt so secure.

Without taking another second to think, he slid the gun into his bag and then left the apartment after turning everything off and making sure the door was locked three times.

As Louis stood at the bus stop, his phone began to ring. He noted that it was an obnoxious tune that needed to be changed as soon as possible. "Hello, this is Louis."

"Hi, Lou," a raspy voice spoke.

Louis' face went pale, "what do you want from me?"

"Why do you always assume I want something whenever I call?"

"Why do you always ask for something when you call?" Louis asked in response.

Liam sighed, "I just wanted to see how you were doing. It's been a while since we've talked."

"We seriously talked like three days ago. Don't you remember kidnapping me?"

"It wasn't kidnapping if I saved you," Liam pointed out, "besides, three days without you is like three eternities."

Louis rolled his eyes, silently mocking Liam and how well he exaggerates everything. "Look, buddy, I don't feel like talking to you anymore. I don't want to. Can you just leave me alone? It's best for me and weren't you the one to say you wanted the best for me? Weren't you the one who wanted me to live happily? I'm happy without you breathing down my neck, Liam. I'm happy with Harry because he gets me. He gets the things I do and he doesn't question them like you always did. He allows me to be me instead of making sure I don't rearrange the silverware on a table at a restaurant or I don't embarrass him. He doesn't see me as an embarrassment or as a baby that needed sitting. I'm just Louis and he's just Harry, the only person I have ever truly loved."

Even though Louis' words were a kick in the stomach and a shot in the heart to Liam, he could understand it. Harry wasn't him. He was kind, caring, genuine. Liam was a fake—a phony who was just trying to impress the higher up. He would never be comparable to Harry, at least not to Louis.

I guess you could say Harry was wrapped right around Louis' small finger. He'd do anything for that boy, even put his life on the line. He would protect him no matter what, that was his job and he made that commitment the first time Louis ever opened up to him.

"You're so strong, baby," Harry had said gently, carefully kissing Louis' forehead after Louis told him what happened with Zayn. Louis had been sobbing earlier, hiccups escaping his lips every so often. He never told anyone, hell, he never even thought about it. It was all a blur for the longest time because he chose not to think about it.

"You could have told me he hurt you," Liam finally spoke after an awkward pause, "I would have taken care of things."

"Taken care of like beat him to death? Yeah, that would solve everything," Louis replied sarcastically, "I didn't need you to take care of it. He was my friend, no matter what he did, he was my friend. And even though I would have gone back in time to change what happened, I wouldn't. He made me feel so helpless and stupid, but he also lead me to Harry and Harry's a good guy."

"He is," Liam agreed, "he seems to like you a lot, Lou."

"He does, which is why I can't let you ruin this for me. And I'm going to feel so bad for telling you this, but you have to hear the truth: I think he's the love of my life. He's there whenever I'm down. He's there whenever I need guidance. He's been here through every piece of shit that's happened and I can't help but not fall in love with him more and more every time he touches my skin."

Louis got chills just thinking about Harry's touch, about the way it lingered on his skin, touching the deepest wounds and healing them. Louis always loved the way Harry's lips felt against his neck, the way Harry would always wait just a few more seconds before pulling away. And he absolutely loved the way Harry made his heart flutter just by his name, how one name made him smile and so giddy people asked him what had happened.

It was something magical, Louis always thought, something unexplainable to someone who hasn't been in love.

"He makes you happy?" Liam asked, "happier than I ever made you?"

Louis frowned, feeling so sorry for Liam. Sorry he couldn't love Liam again. Sorry he couldn't face Liam another time. And mostly sorry for the fact that he could just imagine the way he was taking Liam's heart and slowly tearing it to shreds.

"Yeah," Louis answered honestly, "he does."

Liam smiled weakly to himself, a single tear running down his cheek that he quickly wiped away. He regained his composure, "that's good. That's really good. I hope it stays that way. I hope you're always happy, Lou. You deserve it." He paused for a second, finding the next few words a bit too hard to say, but he said them anyway, "I won't call or text. I'll let you be. Make sure you take good care of him, he's going to need you there sometime."

"Okay," Louis replied, trying not to cry in public.

"And Lou," Liam added on quickly, "I'm always here, even if you don't want to talk to me. I'll always be here for you. 'Til the end, right?"

Louis smiled, "'til the end."

Then Liam hung up, not giving Louis the chance to say an actual good-bye but he guessed it was close enough. The bus pulled up and Louis got on, smiling at the bus driver he wasn't used to and then sat down in the very front, ready for the day ahead of him.

.

Harry was going to kill someone. He swore he would take someone, strangle them to the point they were almost unable to breath and then suffocate them with a pillow. He was out of control, getting close to going insane. Yet the only thing he could think about was if he got there sooner.

If he got there sooner, Cris would be okay. If he got there sooner, no one would be hurt. If he got there sooner, he'd be the one on the ground, blood pouring out from his wound. But he would take it. He was a fighter. No way in hell was anyone going to kill him from some lousy gun shot. No, there were going to have to fight, and so will this guy.

"Styles, haul your ass down to the hospital and make sure they have Cris going into surgery. He seems to be the only one getting out of this mess, this morning," Harry's boss spoke.

Harry nodded, walking away from the scene. He got into his car and slammed his hand against the steering wheel.

If only...

"Fuck!" he screamed, almost making himself jump, "shit," he then mumbled as he watched the paramedics roll another body toward the ambulance. He then turned on the car, put it in drive and got away as fast as could, on his way to the hospital to find his friend.

He wasn't going down without a fight.