nothing // larry stylinson au

Chapter Sixteen

Waking up, it almost felt like any other average day. The room was cold just the way Louis likes it, mostly so he can tightly pull the soft blanket around him. The atmosphere is strangely calm after the events that took place the night before. At the thought, the heavy weight on his chest and the straining feeling in his throat returned, heart pounding. Never in his life could he have predicted he would be afraid of someone who he is supposed to love. It is not meant to be that way. He may act like his knowledge of true love is little, but he knows enough; enough to know that this is not how you should feel about your lover.

You should feel like everything.

"Harry," he whispered to himself, a small smile on his face. The name rolls off of his tongue smoothly. It's not the most beautiful name ever heard, but still a beautiful name matched to one of the sweetest boys he has ever met. Correction- the sweetest boy he has ever met. All he has known for so long is evil, yet Harry is still able to see the bright side to nearly everything.

"They're taking me away."

The small voice causes Louis to turn his head instantly. There in the doorway with a backpack on his shoulders is the sweet sixteen year old boy with the beautiful name. Tears streamed down his face.

"Excuse me?" Louis gasped, immediately standing from the bed and approaching him. "Who's taking you away? What are you talking about?" He took Harry by the sides of his shoulders and pulled him closer into himself. Their noses touched, rubbing against each other.

"The men outside... They tell me I'm going somewhere nice to live with other kids until they find me a home," cried Harry. His hands shook as they grasped onto Louis' shirt desperately. He has never looked so helpless, not since that day Louis found him in the shed. "Do we trust them? Will I still get to see you? They told me to say my goodbyes, but-"

"Breathe, H." Louis stroked his cheek gently and whispered softly, but his breathing was choppy and his heart sped up rapidly. He thought he understood what was going on. It was all too familiar like a clouded dream, a nightmare. "I'll try to talk to Eleanor. Don't let go of my hand."

"I can't lose you, Lou," Harry sobbed out. He squeezed one of the man's hands with both of his, clutching it against his chest. Threading his fingers through his was comforting. "That's why you can't let go of my hand, love."

"I won't."

Walking down the hall with sunlight peaking through the windows of the rooms that have their doors open and beaming onto their paling skin, the nerves only bubbled up more. 'I can't lose Harry' repeated in Louis' mind over and over until it was a booming, screaming thought that could no longer be ignored.

"El?" Louis yelled as they entered the living room her and two men sat. They both had fancy suits on. A chill went down his spine for whatever reason. "What is going on?"

Her eyes met his, cold and harsh like the winter weather. "These nice men are going to take Harry to live in the orphanage around four hours from here." Both men and her stand to their feet. One even offered a hand to be shaken. Louis stubbornly declined, only tugging Harry closer to him.

"He doesn't need to go to an orphanage," insisted Louis, staring his wife down. The boy at his side shuddered and tightened the grip on his hand and soon his entire arm. Louis rubbed on of his hands as a way to comfort him. He needed a bit of comfort himself. "He's fine here with us. We can adopt him."

Eleanor attempted to walk closer to her husband, but both him and Harry backed away from her in sync. "It's what's best for us, Lou-"

"That's where you're wrong, Eleanor!" Louis interrupted. "I love this boy to death. We took him in when he needed us the most. We've been there for him since the beginning. Or should I say I was there? You never gave him a chance."