A/N:
I just read "Pretty Boy" by @oliverkirby and I literally cried for six hours that book messed me up. Ya'll should read it. Anyways, that book made me sad and now I am sad so here's a sad chapter for you all. You're welcome.
Also, 300 reads in a week!! Thank you!
❌ TRIGGER WARNING ❌
•••
"Haaazzzzaaaaa," Louis called out, sitting on the couch with Beanie. It had only been two days since they got him, and they are both absolutely in love.
"Whaaaat?" Harry responed, walking into the lounge room.
"Will you get me some crisps? Beanie is laying on me, and I don't want to get up."
Harry chuckled. "Of course, your Majesty. Anything else I could retrieve for thee?" Harry said, sarcastically.
"No, now shoo," Louis responded, smirking.
Harry walked into the kitchen and grabbed a random bag of crisps. He walked back into the lounge room and gently tossed the bag at Louis' head. He plopped down next to Louis and started petting Bean.
"Thanks, Haz," Louis said.
Harry hummed in response, his voice blending in with Beanie's purrs. Together, with the sound of Louis' loud crunching and Bean's hums of approval, Harry was in absolute bliss. He loved every second of this.
•••
"I think I'm going to go out to a club tonight," Louis stated an hour later, while they were both laying on the couch, Louis on top of Harry.
"Really? I don't think you should, you remember what happened last time..." Harry trailed off, not wanting to lead back into the night where Louis almost got raped.
"That was one year ago, Haz. I'm older now, more responsible. You can come, if you'd like," Louis said.
"No, I'm not a club person and you know that. Lou, I really don't think you should go out. I'm worried for you," Harry said, suddenly getting serious.
"Why, Harry? Do you think I'm not smart enough? Am I too stupid to go to a club? Huh?" Louis snapped.
"No! Louis, no. I just don't trust..." Harry trailed off.
"Me? You don't trust me? Are you mad? I thought, of all people, my best friend would at least trust me enough to go out and have a few drinks," Louis said, getting off of Harry and standing in front of him, Harry sitting up.
"Of course I trust you, Louis. It's the other people I don't trust," Harry said, getting snappy himself.
"Oh, so I can't defend myself? Jesus, Harry. You're not my mother, or my boyfriend for christ's sake, you can't just tell me what to do! So let me alone, will you?" Louis all but screamed.
"God Louis, I am so sorry for trying to protect you!" Harry spat. "My apologizes that I don't want my best friend to almost get raped again!" He screamed the last bit.
Louis was taken aback. He stiffened.
"I know how to take care of myself without you helping me. I'm a big boy, Harry. I know what I can and cannot handle," Louis said.
"I JUST DON'T WANT YOU GETTING HURT!" Harry suddenly screamed.
"I won't! I can take care of my god damn self! Stop worrying about me! Jesus christ!" Louis said, yelling back.
"You know what? Fine. Go out. Get piss drunk. I don't fucking care anymore. Just don't call me and expect you to pick you up when you're sitting on the curb outside the club, choking on your own tears because some sugar daddy wouldn't have you. Don't expect me to ever be there. Because you're a big boy, right? You can take care of yourself," Harry spat, standing up and storming into his room, taking Bean with him.
Louis was full of anger. In a rush of white, hot fury, he yelled, "Fuck you, Harry!" and stormed out of the house.
•••
Harry heard what Louis said. It was the primary reason that his pillow was now covered in tear stains and his eyes were bloodshot. Never, not once, had either of them told each other "fuck you", and it hurt Harry more than he'd care to admit.
Harry didn't understand. He was just trying to help Louis, to make sure he didn't get hurt. Why did he get so mad?
•••
It had only been ten minutes since Louis started walking, but the sun was already setting. Louis knew where the club was, it would only take him about twenty more minutes to get there.
Louis was absolutely furious, to say the least. Why does Harry not think he can take care of himself? Is it his height? Because Louis Tomlinson can be very feisty. Why does Harry think that Louis is so immature and stupid? Louis kicked rocks along the pathway.
"That stupid, idiotic, clumsy, annoying, protective..." Louis trailed off, surprised at his words.
"He's just a bloody idiot. I don't need him. There are so many guys who can be my best friend. I don't need him," Louis mumbled to himself.
Louis walked into the now in-sight club. He automatically got used to the immediate heat that overwhelmed him as he entered. Sweaty, hot bodies coincided with one another as the people lazily danced to the upbeat music. Louis tried to make his way through the large crowd to the bar. He wiggled through sweaty, half-naked bodies and felt one-too-many innapropriate touches that could only be classified as 'minor sexual harassment'.
Louis finally got to the bar and ordered a round of shots, plus a beer. He knew he was going to be here a while, so he may as well make the most of it.
•••
Forty minutes, three rounds of shots, two beers, and a "sex on the beach", Louis Tomlinson was rightfully pissed. And no, not angry. This man was drunk off of his mind. He was actually the opposite of angry, his smiley drunkeness overwhelmed his past fury. He found his way into the crowd of people, grinding and touching every body he could.
Louis was temporarily happy. If he were to have a fix, this was his. His temporary fix.
•••
Harry was a downright mess. He had been crying for the past hour-and-a-half since Louis left. His pillow had tear stains on it, his shirt had dry snot on it, and his Beanie had ruffled finger-marks on him. Harry hadn't called Louis just yet, he knew he needed space. He didn't want to make anything worse.
But, if Harry was being completely honest, he didn't trust Louis. Not with this. After what happened just a year ago... Harry has never wanted Louis to leave his sight again, let alone be at a club. Harry drifted off into the memory of the horrid night...
flashback
"I'll be right back, Boobear! 'M just going to use the toilet," Harry called out in the noise of the crowd.
"Mkay," Louis slurred.
Harry walked to the bathroom, not an ounce of alcohol in his system. He knew that Louis intended on getting drunk, and Harry was the designated driver and protector. Besides, Harry wasn't much of a drinker anyways. He didn't see the point.
Harry walked into the stall and sat down. He unlocked his phone and scrolled through Twitter and Instagram until he was finished, then got up and washed his hands. He walked out into the club, checking his phone once more. It had only been two minutes.
He looked for Louis, expecting him to be at least relatively near the spot he'd left him. Alas, no sign of Louis could be traced. Harry ran through the crowd, pushing through every single person he needed to, shouting out "Louis!" every second. He ran back to the bar and asked the bartender where the boy he was with went. The bartender just shrugged and went back to cleaning his glass.
Harry ran outside to call Louis. No answer. He called again and again and again, but to no avail. He left tons of messages, and texted him a million times. Suddenly, Harry heard fast footsteps coming towards him. He whipped around, in hopes of seeing his Louis coming towards him, but it was just the bartender, holding a buzzing phone in his hand.
"This," he panted, "Is the phone of your friend, right? I saw him using it earlier."
Harry looked at the phone, then took it from the man's hand. "Yes, this is it! Thank you, so so so much!" Harry almost squealed.
Harry turned towards the parking lot and just prayed that Louis was okay. Or at least, that he would be. Harry ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.
•••
"GET YOUR BLOODY HANDS OFF OF ME!" Louis screamed.
The man who had pulled him from the club and drove him to the alley a few streets down smiled sickeningly. He picked Louis up by the thighs and threw him over his shoulder with ease. Louis screamed and kjcked his legs around, throwing his arms around, trying to break free.
The man threw Louis to the ground, his bum hitting the cement before his head. Louis let out a loud cry. He unwillingly let tears fall down his face, and quickly wiped them away.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" He screamed, trying to attract attention. He knew that no one would be walking near an alley, for god's sake, but that didn't stop him from trying.
"The more you fight, the more it will hurt, babe," The man said.
"DO NOT CALL ME BABE. I AM NOT YOUR BABE. YOU NEED TO GET AWAY FROM ME BEFORE I DO SOMETHING I'M GOING TO REGRET," Louis yelled, straining his voice.
The man held Louis' arms down above his head, and he was leaning on Louis' knees with his own, and Louis cried out in pain. The man pushed down harder on his knees, and Louis heard a crack. Louis screamed louder than he had ever before, a searing pain shooting throughout his whole right leg. He let the hot tears roll down his face as he accepted the fact that he was going to get raped and probably going to die. He let his eyes close.
The man removed his leg and instead straddled Louis. He began to rise Louis' shirt from the waist when a loud, deep-voiced shout was heart.
"YOU. BETTER. GET. YOUR. GOD. DAMNED. BLOODY. HANDS. OFF. OF. HIM." Yelled the voice from the entrance of the alley.
•••
Harry didn't want to give up. He wouldn't. It had been twenty minutes without a sign of Louis. Harry had begun to walk away from the club, away from the town. He needed to think.
He didn't want to call the police, not yet. Louis was probably fine, he probably just walked home or to some restaurant or something. That's what Harry wanted to think. So he just decided to walk around and look for Louis while he thought about what he was going to do.
He had been walking for about ten minutes when he heard someone scream. He knew that scream. He knew that squeaky voice. He whipped around and ran towards the sound, towards an alleyway. He ran closer and closer to it when he heard a snap and another girlish scream. Yeah, that was definetely his Louis. But who the hell was touching him?
Harry ran inside the alley and yelled,
"YOU. BETTER. GET. YOUR. GOD. DAMNED. BLOODY. HANDS. OFF. OF. HIM."
Louis and the man looked up. In the one flickering light in the alley, Harry could see Louis' tear stains on his cheeks. Harry ran over to him, only to be greeted by the man, standing up.
"I wouldn't go any farther if I were you, buddy," The man sneered.
"I wouldn't talk to me like that if I were you," Harry replied back.
"Oh yeah? What are you going to do? Hit me with your hair?" The man laughed.
Harry shrugged. "You wish that's the only thing I'm going to do to you. I guess this'll work, also," Harry kneed the man in the balls, causing him to fall to the ground. He kicked him, sending him a few feet away. "Don't you dare touch my Louis ever again, you hear me? Get the fuck away from him, now," Harry spat.
Louis watched in absolute awe at how Harry was handling this. He had never seen this side of Harry- protective, furious, and harmful. He outright loved it, to say the least.
The man coughed up blood. "No. His ass is just too good, oh, the things I would do to him-" He got cut off from his demeaning words as Harry kicked him in the throat, then the head, causing him to black out.
Harry picked Louis up ever-so-gently, carrying him bridal style out of the alley. He speed-walked, asking Louis if he was okay and giving him kisses on his hair and forehead.
"Are you okay? Louis, what happened? Oh, my baby," Harry said.
Louis choked on his tears. "M-my k-knee, Haz."
Harry stopped in his tracks, only a few minutes from the car. "Lou, what did he do?" Harry asked, voice shaking.
"He... he lean-leaned on my knee... I th-think it's b-broken," He sobbed.
Harry wiped the tears from Louis' face, then said, "It's okay, my Boobear. We'll go to the hospital. You're going to be okay. Hey, it's okay. I'm here. You're safe now, everything is okay," Harry said, noticing the worried look in Louis' eyes.
"Okay. Thank you Hazza. I love you s-so much," Louis slurred, still slightly drunk.
"I love you too, my Lou. Always," Harry said, letting his own tears fall.
They approached the car, and Harry opened up the passenger side to place Louis very gently into the seat. They drove to the hospital, got Louis' broken knee wrapped in a cast, and cried, hugged, and cuddled later that night in their dorm.
end of flashback
Harry snapped out of the moment, his eyes filling with tears for what had to be the hundredth time tonight.
He didn't want that to happen to Louis. Not again. He couldn't let his baby get hurt, no. Never. He could have stopped it once, and he's going to try to stop it again. As he began to put on a jacket and head over to the club, the door
opened.
•••
Louis found himself grinding particularly hard on one certain man who seems to take the name 'Nick'. Nick responded by turning Louis around and dancing very close to him, their groins touching as they moved. Nick pulled Louis into a very drunken, sloppy kiss. Louis tasted the alcohol on his breath, and he wasn't sure if he liked it or not.
After a few minutes of sloppily making out, Nick whispered, "Let's go somewhere, babe."
And Louis, being drunk off his ass and somewhat needy, agreed. "M' place is only twenty minutes away if we walk. About ten if we run," Louis winked, slurring his words.
And so, the two left, hands all over each other, as they ran to Louis and Harry's
house.
•••
After making out for a few minutes on the door, Louis finally fiddled with the key and opened it, eyes widening as he saw what, or who, stood in front of him. Harry stood, breathless, at the sight he saw in front of him.
"Harry... what are you doing?" Louis slurred.
"I was going to look for you. I didn't want you getting hurt," Harry said, stiff.
And then, as if his brain shifted and clicked into place, he remembered the whole reason he went to the club in the first place.
"I'm fine, as you can see. Now get the hell out of my way and leave me- us- alone," Louis said, pushing past Harry and dragging Nick behind him.
Harry stood there, frozen. As much as he wanted Louis to wake up in the morning, regretting every single thing, he knew he couldn't do that to his best friend. What if that man did something that Louis didn't want to? Harry couldn't have that. Not again. He could have saved Louis once and he is not going to let that chance slip out of his fingers again.
"No," Harry turned around, shutting the door and walking to the pair.
"Excuse me?" Louis said, sarcasticaly.
"No. You are not going to have sex with that man. Not when I can stop it," Harry said.
"And who are you exactly to tell me who I can and cannot have sex with?" Louis said, words slurring only a bit now.
"Your best friend. Now you, whatever your name is, get out of my flat," he said, pointing to Nick.
"Um, no. This guy's a good bone. 'M not passing up this opportunity," Nick dared to say.
That set Harry off. He remembered the night in the alley, how disrespectful that man was to Louis. Harry lunged foward and grabbed Nick by the arm, tugging him away from Louis and towards the door, ignoring Louis' shouts of complaint.
"I swear to god, if you so much as look at that boy over there, I will have your arms where your legs should be in one second," Harry spat, his hand gripping Nicks' arm painfully tight.
"Jesus christ man, I just wanted to get a good bone. God damn, Louis, next time, make sure your boyfriend isn't home when you bring someone back," Nick pulled away, walking towards the door.
"But he's not my-!" Louis shouted before the door slammed shut, and the two were left alone.
"Louis, do you want some water? Let's get you to bed," Harry said, walking towards him.
"Get. the. fuck. away. from. me,"Louis spat.
"Lou..." Harry started.
"I SAID GET AWAY!" he screamed.
Harry automatically backed away. He didn't want to make Louis any angrier.
"Okay Louis, I'm backing away. Just please, try to relax," Harry said.
"RELAX? HOW THE HELL CAN I RELAX WHEN EVERY SINGLE TIME I FIND SOMEONE WHO FINALLY LIKES ME, YOU HAVE TO RUIN IT FOR ME! NEWSFLASH, HARRY, YOU AREN'T MY PROTECTOR. I CAN HANDLE MYSELF. WE AREN'T DATING, SO STOP ACTING LIKE YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH ME OR SOMETHING!" Louis screamed, gasping for air afterwards.
In a sudden rush of anger, Louis pushed Harry. Harry didn't move far, because Louis is very small and Harry is very, well, not.
Harry was shocked. He expected some sort of reaction, but not one that hurt so, so much. Harry raised his hands in defeat. As Louis began to storm off to his room, he suddenly slowed in his tracks, before stumbling and falling down, passing out from exhaustion.
Harry ran over to Louis in a worry, but soon calmed down as he realized that it was just the alcohol. Harry scooped Louis up in his arms, suprised that there was no protest, and carried him to bed.
Harry stripped Louis of his tight clothes, leaving him in just his boxers. It was no big deal, they've seen each other in just their boxers before. Harry set a large glass of water on the table next to Louis, and leaned down to kiss Louis' hair.
As he did, he felt Louis stir underneath him, and took that as a cue to leave before the yelling starts. As he starts for the door, he hears a small "Haz," before walking out. He turns around to find Louis half-sitting up, half-laying down.
"Haz," He says, brokenly.
"Yes, love?" Harry responds, softly.
"Will-will you stay with me?" Louis asks, shy and insecure.
Harry chuckles. "Of course, darling."
He takes off his clothes, leaving just his boxers and a shirt he picked up off of Louis' floor on. He climbs in the queen-sized bed, next to Louis, his chest touching Louis' back. Louis scoots back to close the space between them. Harry pets Louis' hair, and he swears he can hear Louis purr.
"H-hey Haz. I don't know why I was mad at you, but I think it was pretty stupid. 'M not mad anymore," Louis whispered, slurring his words with drunkeness and exhaustion.
"Good. I don't like it when my kitten is mad at me," Harry smiled into Louis' neck.
"Neither do-do...do..." Louis said, before drifting off into a deep sleep.
Harry just smiled sadly.
•••
When Louis woke up, the bed was empty. Little bits and pieces of last night came fluttering to his head, but it was enough for him to remember the grand scheme of things. He remembered the first fight. He remembered the second fight. He remembered Nick.
Ignoring the pounding ache in his head and the urge to throw up, he walked into the kitchen to find Harry making breakfast.
"Har..." Louis started.
"Good morning, Louis," Harry said, flatly.
"I... I... did you make me breakfast?" Louis asked, noticing the food and not knowing what to say or where to start.
"I did. I may be absolutely furious with you, but I'm not going to let you starve," Harry said, putting an omelet on a plate and sticking it out to Louis without making eye contact. Louis gladly accepted it.
They both sat down at the table, Harry on his phone and Louis looking down at his food. Louis didn't know what to say. When Harry laughed at something on his Twitter page, it cracked Louis. He stood up from the table.
"I'm sorry," He started.
"Yeah. Figured you would be," Harry said, not looking away from his phone.
"I know... I just... I don't know what to say," He said, honestly.
Harry stood up, carrying his plate to the sink and walking back, standing in front of Louis. "Of course you don't. I try to keep you safe and all I get is a 'fuck you' and a push when I try to protect you," Louis tried to interject, but Harry raised his hand to stop him. "No. I need to speak. I try to keep you safe, try to protect you because after what happened last year, I just can't have you getting hurt again. Not when I can stop it. And honestly, I don't fucking care if you think I'm being too protective. You'll be grateful one day. I just hope it's soon... for our relationships' sake... if you want to steal the spotlight, go-a-fucking-head. I've said my part," Harry sighed.
"I... Harry... I don't know how to start," Harry rolled his eyes and snorted. "I just, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said to you yesterday. You were just trying to keep me safe because you don't want to lose me like you almost did. And I don't know what got into me, or why I exploded like that. I just don't know. You were just trying to protect me, and I guess I just thought that you thought I was too weak or something. And I am sorry, god I am sorry, for saying 'fuck you' to you. I was angry and upset and I don't even know why I said that but-but, I'm just so sorry," Louis was now crying, and he wiped some tears from his eyes. "And last night, when I pushed you, I didn't mean to. I was trying to show you... I don't even remember. I shouldn't have done that. I was drunk and tired and needy... I'm sorry. And I think I said something about you being in love with me... It's all really fuzzy. I don't know. I'm just really sorry, Harry. Can you forgive me?" Louis said, now full-on sobbing and hiccuping with every breath.
Harry's face had not changed from its stiffened look. He spoke again. "Louis, I am sorry for what I said yesterday. Whether I want to or not, I'm always going to be there for you. It's inevitable. I'm always going to pick you up when you get too drunk. I'm going to be here when you need someone to keep the hair out of your face when you're throwing up the night before into the toilet. But I can't accept your apology, not yet. I just need to be alone for a while," Harry said, wiping one tear off of his own cheek before picking up his keys and walking out the door.
Louis was awed. He barely had time to think before he was rushing to the bathroom to throw up his sadness, alcohol, and anger. And Harry was right. He really did need someone to
hold his hair back.
•••
Louis finished writing the words on the little piece of paper, and placed it into the box. A minute later, the door opened. In walked Harry, with two bags of clothes on his arms.
"Two hours of shopping is alone time to you?" Louis questioned.
"We all have our ways. You drink yourself mad, I spend all the money on my credit card," Harry spat.
Ouch. That stung. Louis got up and walked into his bedroom without another word. The door slammed shut.
Harry sighed, cringing at not only the sound, but his choice of words. He set down his bags on the table and noticed the pen and the way the lid of the box was crooked. Harry took off the lid of the box and peered inside. He picked up a small piece of paper and read the words to himself.
"Louis bets Harry that Harry won't forgive him"
Harry half-smiled. He pondered over whether or not he was going to let Louis win the bet.
•••
A/N:
Ending on a bit of a cliffhanger! Sorry not sorry. Wow this chapter is, by far, the longest one I have ever written. So, you're welcome, I think. Maybe. Anyways, I just finished reading this fic that made me cry for six hours. It messed me up. So I put all my pain into this chapter.
I feel like Larry is going to come out soon. I feel it in my chicken stuffed with mozzerella wrapped in parma han with a side of homeade mash veins.
Okay, well, bye!
Zoe xx
INSTAGRAM: larrys.hugs