Impulse

Chapter Fifteen

"Hey, petal." Harry takes a seat on Louis' bed, his hand landing gingerly on Louis' knee.Louis looks at him with indignation. 

"Hi."The slightly noticeable bob of Harry's head as he nods could be likened to the rhythm of a Jamaicansong. 

"Edward's not doing this on purpose." 

"Oh?" Louis doesn't really care. He's getting out of this town as soon as his father says the word. 

"Yes. He's very fond of you." 

"I'm sure he is."

 "Louis." Harry's disapproval of Louis' tone is a new shade in the collection of his easy-to-flipmoods.

 "I want to be alone, Harry." Louis turns away from him with heavy eyelids and an absentknowledge of why he's suddenly so tired. "Please." 

Harry's hand removes itself and Louis feels the bed being enlightened from his weight. That is, untilhe hears the click of boots not getting any softer and he curls in on himself to hide, to protect hischest cavity where his heart struggled to deliver a pulse. 

"Are you going to sleep?" Harry's voice is uncomfortably close to his ear once again, and Louis isburdened by the man sharing a bed with him when he wants anything else. 

"Yes." Louis croaks, throat dry and head throbbing. 

 "Okay." Harry kisses his shoulder. The touch is so sweet that Louis can almost hate it, but hemotivates himself to let happen what may. "I'll be here, petal."

 Louis convinces himself that Harry being here is better than his marvellously unsupportive andcritical friend. He knew Niall was right but dammit it wasn't fair. Louis didn't have a choice!He felt Harry shuffle behind him, against his back. He doesn't feel any pain from his ankle becauseHarry positioned it such that it wasn't in harm's way. 

"Harry?"The man makes a pleased little sound and kisses Louis' neck. His lips don't burn on the boy's skinfor the first time.

 "Yes, darlin'?"Louis is about to confess it all, but something stops him at the very last second. He has to keep hismouth from formulating the words that are biting at the edge of his tongue, daring to cause a riot byspilling out. He sucks in a cold and deep breath, letting the inhaled feeling of ice settle in his gut. 

"Petal?" Harry notices the break in his conversation, and shifts slightly to get closer.Louis pretended to be asleep, shutting his heavy eyelids and breathing through his nose. Forcinghimself to take in only so much air in this act got to be painful at a point, and he had to open hismouth just a bit to help out. He probably owes another day of his living history to that smart move.

* * * * *

"Malik." Zayn answers his cellphone the way he always does when he's preoccupied. It's work,always is work keeping his attention away from relationships and social potential.

 "Hey, sweetheart." Liam has to turn away from the two officers who resemble helpless, guidelesspuppies more than officials who guard a town."

Fuck right off, Payne." Zayn drops the witness report in his left hand, biting on the cap of hisPentel pen.Their relationship was as casual now as it has always been. Liam and Zayn never sought solace andcomfort in each other's arms the way couples do, but more often than not they found the necessaryrelaxation their naked bodies provided. 

"I need you, Zee." Liam pinches his nose over to tough cartilage and sighs at the ground."Um....-" Zayn glances at his watch. "I have to work until-"

 "No, not sex." Liam combs his hair back and tries to blink away the burn of his tired eyelids. "Howfar are you from Middleston?"

 Zayn had been sorting through case files and affidavits. He stops for a moment. "Middle-what?"