Impulse

Chapter 24

*NARRATOR'S POV*

"Petal!" Harry roared, unintentionally sounding very lethal.

It's been two weeks. Two weeks since Louis' stumble into a forbidden part of their house and since then, that entire adjoined hallway has been closed off with two huge doors. Only Edward had the key.

But that's not why he's angry. He doesn't mind at all that he had to stay up with Edward for over twenty-hours and put in those doors, working through manual labour until his body was sore and done for. He adores their petal and would never be angry because he had to do something to protect him. What made it all better was Louis sitting on the floor watching them for hours at a time installing the double doors.

Louis always had that damn mouse with him nowadays and even when he didn't, it followed him. Today he sat on the course carpet in one of Harry's T-shirts, drinking from the bottle that Edward brought up. He was discreet about it but the man saw anyway when he wasn't looking, however didn't take the bottle away.

"Hello there, darlin'." Edward came to crouch near him minutes later. "Did you eat?"

Louis nodded and smiled. Everything about him was the same except those eyes, which told anyone of the prison the whole personality of the missing boy was locked within.

"Did you like it?" Edward coaxes, rubbing Louis' hand between his palms.

Another nod and a bigger smile. Edward chuckled and leaned forward, planting a firm kiss on Louis' forehead. "Good boy, petal. I miss you, baby."

It was as if he spoke not to the Louis anyone else can see, but whatever their Louis was blocked into. He let the boy know everyday that he wanted him back and that it was vital to keep trying. Usually right after these moments, he'd get a small indication that the Louis he lost was still there.

This time it was Louis' signature smile. Not a shy, kitten-like one that he recently got in abundance. The smile he saw now was beauty and a little high on raw confidence. It creased the corners of Louis' mouth and was gone in a heartbeat. That was always the toughest time.

Edward leaned forward again and with burning eyes, laid a firm kiss on Louis' forehead. The kind that paid no mind to gentility because he wanted to convey his devotion more than not leave a bruise.

"You're breaking me, petal. I don't I'll survive it."

He forced himself to depart from Louis and return to working, nailing and drilling to hoist two heavy duty doors into place. Harry fixed the door handles with the lock, making only one key on purpose. With the silver object in his hand, he made his way over to Louis and sat with him on the floor.

"Hey, petal." He circled Louis' shoulders and kissed his cheek. "You look beautiful."

He got a blush but it wasn't the blush he was looking for, with wrinkled eyes and a shy smile. Louis now only tilted his head his cheeks got a little rosier.

"You're going to be safe now." He said, motioning towards the doors. "Nothin' will harm you anymore. You know that, yes?"

Louis looked at him and inside he was pulling his hair out, because this is not it. Despite all these years of psychological conditioning and tutoring, here he was stuck in his own head. He needed a nudge, something to convince him that it's worthwhile coming back because his subconscious was stronger than his ability to withstand its brutality.

With every push from him gave a shove back and it ended in a punishing recollection of that room where he was made to feel helpless, cornered, preyed on. He looks at Harry but the same light he knew Edward had and gave him hope with, did not reside in this man's heart. It was still too early for a man one level away from sane to cherish truly.