golden crown// l.s |mild bdsm/ddlb|

chapter three

"Hello?"

"Harry, Louis needs you here. Now."

Liam sounded tired and quiet. Harry knew what that meant, being that he'd been in this position time and time again. Saving Louis.

Harry sighed but grabbed his keys regardless of the raging clouds in the sky. He hated driving in the rain.

Today, he wanted to talk to Stan. He didn't want to go to Liam's. He didn't want to watch Louis' heartbroken eyes stare into his own, hoping that Harry would fix every thing Stan had broken inside of him.

When Harry got to Liam and Louis' house, Louis was laid on the couch, his eyes closed and Liam quietly cleaning the carpet with a wet rag.

"He started scratching again, his thighs this time."

Louis had an instinctive habit to start scratching himself harshly when he was stressed, sad, angry, or any emotion that made him uncomfortable.

Liam looked up towards his friend sadly, his eyes droopy and full of worry. "He hasn't scratched since last year, Haz, I don't know what to do, his thighs, they were s-so b-bloody, I-I-"

Harry pulled him into a hug, knowing that's what his best friend needed, despite that being against "manhood standards." Liam sobbed into his shoulder, eventually starting to hiccup because of how hard he had been crying. Louis stirred from the couch, making Liam and Harry quickly pull away from each other, trying to restore at least a little dignity.

"Daddy?" Louis blinked quickly, trying to remove the sleep from his eyes. He could finally see his Harry, staring down at him with a smile, showing off his perfectly white teeth. "Daddy!" Louis popped up from the couch, jumping into Harry's waiting arms, koala-ing himself around Harry's torso.

"Hey, little love. How are you feeling?"

"Better now that I had a nap, and you!" Louis stuffed his head into Harry's neck, his breath fanning causing goosebumps to arise on the back of Harry's neck.

"Hmm, I heard you were hurting yourself, sunshine. Daddy doesn't like when you hurt yourself, you know that." Harry's voice slipped deeper, showing Louis the seriousness of his words.

"I-I couldn't stop, I-I'm sorry," Louis stuttered.

"I know you are but when you scratch, love, you leave nasty red marks on your beautiful thighs. You don't want red marks do you?"

Louis looked down the best he could and nodded his head in shame. "I understand, but-"

"Nuh uh, no. You know better, Lou. You were so good for so long. Liam was so worried about you, Louis. You have to be careful. We love you so much and we hate seeing you hurt. Daddy is going to put on a movie and I want you to sit and watch and don't scratch the whole time, okay?"

Louis nodded, laying down on the couch in his previous position while Harry put a movie into the DVD player.

As Harry bent to grab his keys from the coffee table, Louis whimpered, catching his attention. "I don't want you gone. Don't leave, please." His eyes were pleading.

"Liam!" Harry called for the older twin and Liam quickly made his way downstairs. "Watch this with Louis, I have to head back home. Looks, like a storm is coming in."  The angry clouds grumbled from outside, confirming Harry's statement.

Louis' eyes got wide at Harry's words. He hated thunderstorms, had a fear of them even, which Harry knew.

He was being abandoned again. Just like Stan had done, and his parents, and now Harry. Liam probably wanted to leave too but Louis wasn't ever far enough to give him the chance to be alone.

Louis snapped out of it, then. His little space immediately dissipates at the realization that no one actually has ever wanted him. Louis was a constant burden. To everyone. All the time.

His face falls and he holds the urge to immediately cry, knowing he'll just cause havoc. He stands slowly, his face emotionless. Softly, he says, "Goodnight. I'm sorry for being me."

Harry and Liam are too caught at his words and face to say anything.