"Hold the fuck up", Louis said, walking around the room. "How do we know you're really dying and not just trying to get one of us stay?"
Harry nodded in agreement, raising an eyebrow to Troy, who pointed himself. "Look at me. Really look at me."
They did and then they noticed it for the first time. Black circles around his eyes, pale skin, how much he had lost weight.
"What's wrong with you?" Harry asked, frowning.
"Cancer. I should be in a hospital but here I am." Troy sighed again and only now Louis and Harry realised how tired he looked, how much it seemed like everything hurt him. "I don't have much time, I can feel it."
No matter how hard Louis tried, he couldn't feel bad for the man. Maybe it was cruel from him but Troy had done nothing good to him. However, when Louis looked at Harry he could see that Harry didn't feel the same.
"Harry..." Louis started but didn't continue. He didn't know what to say.
"What if I say yes? What happens then?" Harry asked, his eyes never leaving Troy.
"You take my place. You know enough, you're ready. I go to hospital", Troy said. "Louis and Gemma are free to go. Everyone can continue their lives as they want to."
"I'm not buying this", Louis snapped. "Sorry, but after everything I just can't. Why the sudden change of heart? It doesn't make sense."
Troy smiled. "Trust you to be always there to suspect everything. I'll die, Louis. I need someone to take my place and I want it to be Harry."
"You can't just let it be someone who actually wants to?" Louis asked, his words sharp. "Or better yet, can't you let this whole shit die with you?"
"It can't die, you know it", Troy said matter-of-factly. "This is my last wish."
"You can shove it—", Louis started but Harry interrupted him.
"Louis, a word with you?" Harry looked at Troy. "You don't mind?"
Troy shook his head and Louis was angry, why did Harry even ask whether Troy cared or not? What did it matter? Harry pulled Louis further away from Troy and then said quietly, "You need to calm down and think rationally."
"I am thinking rationally", Louis hissed. "You said it yourself, you don't want to be back here!"
"I know", Harry sighed, "but things were a bit different back then."
"So you want to stay here now?"
"No!" Harry said. "Maybe. Not necessarily want but... He's my father. Our father. We can't—", louis gave Harry a face, "— well, I can't just walk away anymore."
Louis furrowed his eyebrows. "How come he's upcoming death affects you more than your mother's actual death?"
"You if someone should understand why", Harry shot back, getting angry.
Louis shook his head. "I understand but I'm not having it. Think about everything and think about Gemma... Niall and Liam. Think about... me." Maybe he was being a bit selfish but he couldn't let Harry there again. "You're not staying, okay?"
"Okay", Harry said after a long hesitation.
"No deal, Troy", Louis said out loud, turning to look at Troy. "So what's going to happen?"
Troy was silent for a long time, his face unreadable and then asked from Harry, "Are you certain about this?"
"He is", Louis said on behalf of Harry. "So now what?"
"Now", Troy said slowly, "you go. Take the young lady with you and go."
Of all the things Louis had expected Troy to say, that hadn't crossed Louis' mind even once. He turned to look at Harry, the lad looking just as confused and then turned back to look at Troy. "What?"
"Just go." Troy waved his hand dismissively. "Go. Live in peace knowing you're free." Troy looked at Louis and then stared into Harry's eyes intensively as he said, "Goodbye, boys."
Something wasn't right, Louis could feel it. Troy wouldn't just give up that easily and let them go — Louis could smell a rat but didn't necessarily want to press it. Whatever that it was, Louis wanted to let it go. Now he just need to get out and far away. Fast.
He started to back away, pulling Harry with him. When they opened the door and Malik and Mihail stepped back, giving them space, Louis truly realised that they were free to just simply walk out.
Mihail was holding Gemma but when she saw Harry she pulled away and wrapped her arms around Harry. "What happened?" she whispered.
"We're leaving", Harry said, looking confused as fuck.
"Really?" Gemma asked, pulling away, eyes wide open.
Harry nodded. "Really."
They walked out and when Louis turned to glance at Mihail for the last time and saw the expression on Mihail's face, he got a really bad feeling. Something was going to happen, it wasn't this easy to end it all.
It isn't over yet. It was written all over Mihail's face. A clear warning.
But Louis didn't care. He just wanted to believe that Troy decided to do his first and last right thing. So he ignored Mihail and stepped outside with Gemma and Harry.
YOU ARE READING
Stockholm Syndrome ✔
Fanfiction"What I did a year ago I didn't do because of love. I didn't love you, Louis, I still don't love you. I just sympathized you, felt sorry for you- There's a difference and you if someone should have known that difference." After Harry Styles is kidna...
