Playthings [h.s.]

23

I throw my keys down in the small bowl on the table by the door, rubbing my hand over my face. Tobi lay on the couch sleeping peacefully and I smile and walk into the kitchen to wash my hands.

"Harry? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Louis what's up?" I ask making Louis peek his head out of his room.

"Umm, while you guys were at work this letter came in the mail." He say walking out of his room holding out an envelope staring at me sadly.

"Oh it must be my new card."

"We'll when the mail man dropped it off I read the address to see if it was my instructions for my new job, so I can get out of you guys' hair." Louis runs his hand through his hair and sighs loudly. "It's the Walters' address."

"What?" I take the letter from his hands and look at the big purple stamp in the corner. "Fuck."

"Open it."

I tear it open and pull the letter out giving it Louis so he can read it to me.He looks at it first reading over everything, his jaw drops and he suddenly engulfs me into hug.

"What?"

He wipes his eyes and step away from me, holding the letter out so he can read it. 

"Dear Harry Pultzer, I would like to inform you that you must return to the Walters' residence by eight P.M Thursday. Failure to follow orders will cause immediate arrest and you will be taken by force back to the Walters' residence."

"Shit." I run my fingers through my hair, as I pace through the small kitchen glancing over at sleeping Tobi who has no idea.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to go back I have no choice. I just don't want to tell Tobi."

"What if you don't go?"

"Louis I don't have a choice."

"I know it's just that, well you just left there you shouldn't have to go back."

"I know but sometimes things happen." I sigh gripping the edge of the counter. "I have to get all my stuff and be out of here in two days."

Tobi stirs on the couch and I walk over to her sitting down by her feet.

"Hey babe."

"Oh hey, when did you get home from work."

"Uhm maybe like five minutes ago."

"Oh, well there is some pasta on the stove for you." She says softly, clearly still tired but she manages to give me a weak smile anyway.

I sigh taking a long look at her beautiful face. I reach out and brush a curl out of her eyes, making her smile and close her eyes in contempt.

"Tobi."

"Oh no."

"What?"

"You only say my name like that when something is wrong." She sits up and looks at me with worried eyes.

"Well, I got a letter from the Walters. I have to go back to the house by Thursday."

"Harry, no. You're joking right?" She stares me and her eyes widen when I don't respond. "Right?"

I shake my head and stare at her hands that have intertwined themselves with mine. She lets out a quiet sniffle and I look up to see the tears running down her face.

"Please don't cry." I pull her closer and she buries her face into my chest gripping my short on her small hands. I rub her back and rest my chin on the top of her head.

"Harry please don't go." She looks up at me with glossy eyes and I feel myself tearing up at the sight.

"I don't have a choice." I say wiping a tear off her cheek.

Louis sits down on the couch opposite from us and looks over at me with tears running down his face.

I hold out my other arm for him and he runs over sitting next to crying softly as well.

"Guys I'm going to be okay."

"Harry how do you know that, they treated you horribly." Tobi's says softly in between choked sobs.

"I just know everything will be ok."  I hug them both tighter as they cry.

I feel the tears roll down my cheeks and I wipe my face on my shoulder while they're not looking.

"Harry please don't leave."

"Louis there I nothing I can do, even if I don't go they'll come for me."

"Then we could leave again."

I chuckle softly looking at Louis who still has dried tears streaking his cheeks. "Then they'd arrest us all, and send us to live with the zeros."

"But we'd still have you with us." Toby speaks up pulling away to look at me.

"And we'd be broke and homeless living among criminals."

"So what? It's better than what you'll have to go through." Louis stands up and paces in front of me. "We have to figure out something."

"Look guys as much as I don't want to go, I just want you guys to be safe. And I know for sure that if I don't go Petunia will come for you guys next."

"B-but."

"I'm sorry Tobi I have to go."

"B-but I love you."

My jaw drops and I turn to face her, she looks down at her hands letting her curls fall over her face. I push them away so I can see her.

"You do?"

"Yes and I don't want you to leave."

"But I can't do anything about it."

"Please Harry."

"Look babe, I'll be back soon and everything will be ok. Ok? And I love you too." I rub my thumb across her cheek making her grab my hand and hold it there letting her eyes drift closed.

"Just don't go." She kisses me softly on the cheek, my nose, my forehead, and then my lips before whispering again. "Just don't go."

I don't say anything, I just continue to hold her close to me feeling the warm tears roll down my cheeks but make no effort to wipe them away. I just let them fall as I hold her because right now that's all I want to do.

I am a horrible person.

Happy reading

-Kai