Blood Stream

Chapter 8: The Serpent Sheds Its Skin

A/N: An update that isn't a month or more late? That's strange.

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"Let's go to Nando's." Harry hears as soon as he walks into Ed's flat.

"Niall, I doubt Harry is going to want to go out to eat as soon as he gets here—"

"Actually, I'm quite hungry, I could go for some Nando's." Ed and Niall look over towards the door and grin when they see Harry. Niall runs over and tackles Harry in a hug and Ed gives him a hug once he pried Niall off of him.

"See! This is why I like him more than you!" Niall teases while Ed just rolls his eyes.

"Fine, let's go to Nando's then." Niall cheers and presses a kiss to Harry's cheek as he skips happily to the car without waiting for either lad.

"God, why does he love Nando's so much?" Ed asks out loud, grabbing his keys and jacket while Harry puts his bag down on the couch for him to put away later.

"I don't know, maybe there's a hot waitress he's obsessed with and he hasn't opened his big mouth up about it yet," Harry teases, walking out the door with Ed by his side.

"Not possible, you know he can't keep his mouth shut about anything, especially not a girl," Harry nods in agreement, opening the passenger's seat while Ed takes the driver's.

"So Harry, made any new friends? Wait, maybe I should ask if Tomlinson has let you make any new friends." Niall snickers earning a glare from Harry as Ed starts up the car.

"Well, I did meet this one guy—"

"Are you guys dating?" Niall cuts in, leaning up to rest his chin on Harry's seat

"No, Louis doesn't want me around him—"

"Surprise, surprise," Ed mumbles.

"But he said that he'd let me be friends with whoever I wanted as long as I stayed away from him." Niall and Ed's face twist up in confusion.

"Really? He'd let you?" Ed scoffs, he's always hated how Harry thinks it's normal for a friend to control who he hangs out with. Harry nods, twiddling his thumbs.

"He hates him, he even—" Harry trails off, wondering if he should tell the two. "Promise this stays between us?" The boys both nod. "He's scared of him." Ed nearly slams on the breaks while Niall chokes.

"But he's literally the most fearless guy in the fucking world," Niall yells.

"He is not. At least not anymore," Harry mutters, looking out the window. The rest of the car ride is silent, Ed pulling into the parking lot a few minutes later.

Harry spots a car that looks oddly familiar. He looks around for someone familiar, but he only sees strange faces.