Magic || larry

22

The match is going strong and Harry squeals in excitement when he passes Niall. He's not even embarrassed about it with them. They all make him feel okay and welcome. Niall doesn't take long to pass him again and the two boys are neck and neck when they hear a shout.

"Get him for me or I'll get him myself!"

Harry's blood runs cold and he turns to see Louis' seat empty. Sophia and Liam are both looking down the hall in distress and even Niall stops playing and let's all the computers pass him in the game. He clearly hadn't heard the door either while they were playing.

"You need to leave. I'll call the cops," Louis' voice is calm and soothing, which Harry knows will irritate Ricky even more.

"If you call the cops it'll be the last thing you do," he threatens and Harry is up within seconds, his heart hammering in his ears. All he can think about is Louis and how nothing bad can happen to him. He arrives behind him and Ricky smirks at him, drunk and angry.

"Still comes when I call. That's when you know he's yours," Ricky talks about him like he's a dog and Harry can feel fresh shame and embarrassment flood through him. They're all listening to this and they're all going to think he's pathetic.

"Get the fuck off my property and don't speak about him like that," Louis' voice rises and Ricky's smirk grows.

"Have a little crush on my boyfriend? That's touching," Ricky sneers and then his slate grey eyes turn to Harry. "You've had your fun now come home," he orders and Harry clings to the back of Louis' shirt. Hoping it'll give him strength.

"I'm not your boyfriend and I'm not leaving," Harry tells him, his voice shaking as bad as his hands.

"Fuck off, Harry. You think he wants you? You're a quick fuck and nothing else. That's all you are. Now get your ass home or-"

"He is home," Louis' voice scares Harry and he notices how his knuckles are white from gripping the door. Harry gently moves his index finger along his back and he watches as Louis gets slightly less tense.

"I'm his home! He needs me! I'm the one he loves! I'm the only one he loves!" Ricky's voice is so loud Harry jumps back and he instinctively pulls Louis with him. The words rip at the wall that was starting to form around his heart and he can feel tears starting to build in his eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Liam's voice is deep and menacing behind him. Ricky's eyes turn to him and then back to Harry. He always seems to look back to Harry.

"Come home," he orders again and Harry almost moves forward, almost steps back into his clutches and then Louis pulls him back as Liam moves up. Louis' arms are around him as he shakes and watches.

"Get off my property or you'll wish he called the police. Harry is here and he'll stay here and you will not make him cry. There are three men in this house and we all would love to take a turn with you. You're warned," Liam snaps and then he slams the door in Ricky's face.

"You fucking slut! You good for nothing piece of shit!" Harry buries into Louis' shirt when he hears something smash outside and Liam looks ready to kill someone but he keeps the door closed.

"Nice guy," Niall says behind them and Harry knows they're all in the front hall, watching him snot all over Louis' shirt and he's so ashamed.

"Let's go to my room," Louis whispers to him, his voice sounding too calm for the emotions raging inside Harry. He nods and scampers up the stairs, knowing the other three are going to talk about him once he's gone.

Louis shuts the door behind him and Harry sits on the bed and his eyes are out the window. He can see Ricky smashing something in their house but that's it. Just a silhouette of an angry man in his lonely house.

"How was Mario Kart? Did you win?" Louis' voice sounds sickeningly sweet and wrong. The force in trying to be nonchalant and changing the subject blows through Harry and he keeps looking out the window.

"He came for me," Harry whispers, his tears gone and his body feeling more alive. He dies when Ricky walks in a room.

"Yeah. He did. You don't want to go back do you?" The whole thing is said with a hardness that doesn't sound good on Louis and the last part held a smidgen of panic. Harry moves his eyes from the window and to Louis. He's standing by the door still, looking awkward.

"No. I want to be here with you. I just-he came back," Harry repeats it and Louis just watches him, waiting to see how Harry will play this. Harry looks back out the window but there's no more silhouette. Just empty space.

"He still didn't say sorry... Or that he loved me," Harry frowns at his bed but still his eyes don't water. His heart beats steadily and he realizes he didn't expect him to. It doesn't hurt because he knows that would happen.

"He's an asshole and a psychopath," Louis spits and Harry looks at him in shock. Not because Louis thinks like that but because he usually keeps his composure.

"Please don't get upset," Harry pleads, wishing that they could go back and all sit back on the couch and pretend that never happened.

"I can't help it. I hate the way he speaks to you. I hate the way he speaks about you. I hate him," Louis rants, now pacing the floor and Harry watches him.

"I do too," Harry admits to him, his voice sinking low. Louis stops and looks at him and Harry looks down at his fingers.

"I hate him too. Can you even love and hate someone at the same time?" Harry wonders, thinking he might be going crazy.

"Of course you can. There's a thin line between love and hate," Louis says the classic line and Harry chuckles darkly.

"And I'm straddling the line," he concludes. The silence falls again and Harry just lies down on the bed. He feels drained of energy and he just wants to sleep. He closes his eyes and the image of Ricky at the door comes back to his mind and he imagines him dragging him away, back to that house. He opens his eyes quickly and sees Louis watching him.

"Can you sleep with me tonight? Just... Be here," Harry doesn't want to make it awkward but Louis doesn't seem to find it that way. He nods and turns off his light. The moons glow hangs in the room and Harry closes his eyes again as Louis gets into his own bed and pulls Harry to his chest.

"You know I won't let him hurt you ever, right?" Louis asks and his voice is back to normal. It's full of worry and compassion and Harry relaxes and grabs Louis' hand.

"I know," Harry promises, his whispers lingering in the air and a peaceful silence falling over them. Harry keeps thinking he hears things smashing and insults being thrown but the night is still and quiet. He can feel himself starting to panic at the idea of Ricky trying to break in but Louis holds him tighter and he presses his face into the back of his neck.

"I'm here. You can sleep. No one will touch you," Louis promises over and over and Harry nods, Louis' arms feeling like a shield around him. He's had fitful sleeps since moving in. Tonight he sleeps the whole night through.