Harry
I calmly enter my base as the soldiers in front open the gates for me, dozens of other soldiers hurrying past me inside, running in various directions with guns in their hands. I slowly walk in the area between the high walls that seem to stretch endlessly around the buildings they're protecting from intruders, my boots creating a soft patter on the patio, my hands clasped behind my back. I'm perfectly calm as a few repetitive gunshots fill the air, a bunch of cursing and yelling thrown into the mix. I stop walking and simply wait at the centre, knowing exactly what am I going to do.
Niall is standing beside me like a loyal friend that he is, an amused expression on his face as he awaits for everything to settle as well. "Let the fun begin," he murmurs, pale blue eyes inspecting the scene in front of us.
In the next couple of minutes, all the rebels are either standing in front of me with heads bowed and shoulders slumped or kneeling because they can no longer stand after getting beaten and dragged here. A grand circle of soldiers who had no part in their charade and the ones who have returned from the mission with me has formed around us, stoic faces staring at us, waiting for my next move.
My face is the picture of perfect serenity and authority as I stare at the pathetic lot in front of me. It's time to show everyone currently present here you don't question the leader's choices and turn against them without any consequences. The last time I felt like this was when Elena and Alex were in a very similar situation after they had managed to infiltrate Hazard. Ah, good old times.
"Now, did any of you think about your ridiculous accusation before doing any of this?" I say calmly, watching as Tyler and his group of rebels look at me in fear, some of them even opening their mouths to reply as I slowly begin walking back and forth. "That was a rhetorical question, you morons!" I finally snap, all of them leaning backwards slightly. "The answer is no, none of you did." I point at them. "You would know there were multiple opportunities for them to actually betray us since they have arrived and none was taken. Your poor judgment is not what pissed me off, it's the fact you would doubt my father, the man who's been leading this army for over twenty fucking years and think he'd just let two traitors stay in the base."
"Mhmm, that's right!" Niall says, mimicking all of my movements as I speak and glaring at the rebels.
"Niall?" I whisper and he leans toward me. "Shut up, will you?"
"Right. Yes, sir." He nods and takes a step back, but not before pointing two fingers toward his eyes then pointing them at the rebels as if saying he's watching them.
"As I was saying, you would doubt the man who is missing now and you're here creating some childish rebellions not only against the people you stupidly think are the traitors but against your own team members," I say firmly, glaring at each of them. "Because that's what we are here: a team, even a family. And my friends locked down there are the living proof, they didn't want to turn against their team members and support your objective. I'll deal with your punishments later, and we all know how creative I can be."
"Boom!" Niall comments, spreading his arms and taking a few steps back.
"Once you see your mistake, it will be too late," Tyler spits. "You'll ruin us all because of what? Because of some pussy? Have you even fucked her yet?"
Before I process it, my fist collides with his cheek, his head turning to the side sharply from the impact. "Show some respect!"
Niall growls lowly then punches him on the other cheek angrily. "Say that again, I dare you."
I glare at everyone else. "Anyone else wants to make a comment?" They all look away, avoiding my harsh glare. "Thought so."
The soldiers standing circled around us silently move aside and create a pathway for me, my whole demeanour showing them I'm definitely not to be messed with right now. "Niall!" I shout as I walk and he quickly appears by my side.
"Yes, H? Shit nice talk, you were scary as hell, I'd even add a growl at the end for the effect-" I glare at him "-damn I'm quiet, I'm quiet."
"I want you to gather the soldiers who were with us at the mission and the ones who weren't a part of this thing, I want to have a talk with them now that David is missing. The ones who are guilty of this will be locked once I let Elena and the rest out, is that clear?" He nods briskly.
"Can I just ask one more thing? Can I be the one to punish Tyler? I have a few things in mind." A sly smile spreads over his lips.
"We'll see, I'm sure Elena will want to have a go at it. Now go and take care of what I told you." I wave my hand dismissively, walking toward the main building where the cellars are, looking at Ethan who's standing at the entrance where I let him know to wait for me.
"Here, boss," he says jokingly, handing me the keys. "I know you don't want to hear this at the moment, but I think you'll make a great leader one day. Of course, once David steps away properly, because he will be back and he'll watch you take his place proudly." He smiles kindly, placing his hand on my shoulder in a supportive manner. "Now go and deal with this, and know I have your back. If you need any help, just ask me, I've been by David's side for as long as he's the leader so I know a few things."
I can't help but smile at his words, surprising him as I step toward him and hug him. "Thank you, Ethan, your words and faith in me mean a lot right now." I pat his back a few times and pull away, looking at his kind brown eyes.
I enter the building quickly, descending a few lines of stairs to reach the cellars, my boots stomping against the stone pavement. The air is chilly down here, the lighting dim and eerie. Once I reach their cells, I stand still for a few moments, observing my friends locked behind the bars, my anger only growing at the sight. No one does this to my friends, no one.
Since Ethan told me he's unlocked everyone's cells but Elena's, I quietly make my way toward it, unlocking the door and stepping inside. I need to make sure she is alright. She's sitting on the ground with her knees pressed against her chest, looking vulnerable, something I'm not used to seeing when it comes to her. She masks her emotional side so well, I sometimes forget she's fragile as much as the rest of us are, she too has weaknesses. The sight of her like this saddens me, my heart plummeting. I lock the cell and keep the keys so no one tries to unlock it, knowing it won't be easy to fix this.
Since they locked in everyone who showed them support then it's only fair I get locked in as well. Besides, we need to talk in private and this seems like a good place for it, I need her to talk to me, to verbalise what she's feeling. It seems as if she hasn't even noticed I'm here, being somewhere in her own private world.
I approach her quietly, looking down at her. "I know your cells are unlocked, you can leave now," I say to the rest of them. "Ethan and Niall are upstairs along with the soldiers who still have some common sense. I'm sure they need some help in handling the ones who have. . . strayed from their path." My gaze swipes over each of them. "Go."
I shift my attention back at Elena, crouching down, carefully placing my palm on top of her knee for some comfort. "Hey mouse, time to get out of this hole," I say jokingly, wanting to lighten the mood.
Her hazel eyes finally look into mine. "I'm sorry, Harry."
A chorus of loud gasps suddenly echoes from the hallway, my friends all having their mouths opened and eyes widened as if the world is ending. I only roll my eyes. They're all so dramatic.
"Did she just..?" Louis mumbles.
"Yes, yes she did." Tori places her hand over her chest as if someone has just died in front of her. "She said it. She actually said it."
"Maybe she said harmony?" Liam tries but everyone gives him a look. "Okay I get it, she said the forbidden word. A moment of silence to think about this, please." He looks down, clasping his hands one over another in front of him.
Another gasp is heard and I realise it came from Alex. "Wait, I got it! My sister just-" he points at her "-and you all-" he points at the group standing in the hallway "-and he is-" he points at me "-and. . . whoa." His eyes widen as he walks toward the bars.
"Wait up, wait up, what did I miss!" A voice suddenly yells and Jess runs into the hallway, chest heaving. We all look at her silently and she groans, throwing her arms up in frustration. "Man I always miss everything, I give up. I'm hungry."
"Can you all leave us alone?" I sigh heavily.
"Yeah, but we are so having a discussion about this later!" Liam says, wagging a finger at me.
They all then begin murmuring as they turn around to leave, but a shout stops them. "Oi, what about me! Sure, let's leave Alex, who gives a flying fuck, right? It doesn't matter his bladder is about to burst like damn fireworks, nope let's just leave him here in the cold cell all alone in the dark-"
"Bloody fuck, someone unlock his cell!" I interrupt, throwing the keys on the ground, watching as they slip through the bars.
Louis quickly runs toward his cell, picking up the keys and unlocking the door, watching as Alex stands straight and walks outside with his head held high as if he's a royalty. He casts a sad glance at Elena, but she doesn't notice it.
Louis throws the keys toward us before pacing after Alex. "Mate, I totally didn't forget about you-"
"Save it, I see how it is, you don't care about me." Alex crosses his arms as they begin walking away.
"I swear it wasn't like that, I just got caught in the moment!" Louis defends. "Come on we can work this out, I'll do anything!"
"You could make another cake," Tori suggests, their voices fading.
"Another cake?!" Liam and Jess chorus.
When they finally leave, I look at Elena, her eyes already focused on me. My eyebrows draw in a deep frown when I notice a faint bruise on her jaw, result of someone's punch. My knuckles gently brush along her cheek, my palm pressing against it as my eyes search her features worriedly. "Are you okay?"
She gives a small nod and leans into my touch, making me relieved she's not denying it. "This is all my fault. I should have never. . ." she trails off, her palm covering the top of my hand. "It's my fault."
I shake my head in disagreement. "It's their fault. I don't care what they think of you and Alex because I know the truth, because I know you." My face inches closer to hers. "I trust you."
A small smile twists her lips, the sadness in her expression fading a bit. Her palms cup my jaw and she leans in, her lips connecting with mine. Our kiss is slow and tender, but with enough emotion to be able to match a passionate, hungry kiss. Now I realise how relieved I am to see she's okay, the anxiety and fear were ripping me from the inside when I heard what they did to my friends and I was far away, unable to help.
She presses her forehead against mine, still holding my face between her palms. "Please keep in mind how important you are to me and how much your trust means to me. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. To be honest, I was worried you'd doubt me, I don't see why not. I keep so many things away from you."
"And you'll tell me when you're ready," I tell her. "Just like I did."
"You're right." Her eyes stare into mine for a few moments, determination visible on her expression. "Alright, time for my background story. Spoiler alert: it's kind of depressing." She manages a smile. "I hate this." She motions to the room. "I hate being locked. I absolutely hate it. If it weren't for Louis and the rest of the team, I'd lose it. There's nothing worse than being locked like this and left alone."
I frown in worry as I sit beside her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her to me, loving the feeling her closeness gives me. "As you've probably concluded, I used to spend a lot of time behind bars for various reasons, mostly disobedience," she continues, resting her head on my shoulder.
"I'm honestly shocked," I say dramatically and we laugh.
"Since the supervisors realised I don't care about being locked as long as I have company, they began putting me in solitary cells, without windows or anything, leaving me alone for hours." She pauses, a distant look in her eyes as she reminisces that part of her life. "It was unbearable and it soon became one of my weakest points. It was the same thing every time, sitting in the dark and silence, and it actually became a routine for me. Ugh, the only thing left is some sob music in the background to make this more depressing." She tries to lighten the mood and I give her a small smile in return.
"Anyway, one day it all changed. Someone- one amazing person would come every time I'd been locked away and he would keep me company. We used to talk for hours and he had been my one true friend beside Alex before I came here." She smiles. "I never found out his name nor how does he look like and that's the only thing I regret leaving behind when I left Vortex. I never even got to thank him." She glances up at me. "I never told this to anyone, not even Alex."
I grin as I listen to her intently, feeling a rush of happiness she has decided to share that part of her life with me, and only me, which makes it that more special. "Well, you won't have to feel that way ever again. I won't let this happen again, each and every one of them will pay for making all of you go through this."
"Can I help with the punishment?" She asks with a wide smile.
"Aaand she's back." I smile.
I notice her knuckles are slightly red and swollen, meaning she'd put up a fight before they managed to lock her in here. I wouldn't expect anything less from Elena. My hands take both of hers and I bring her knuckles to my mouth, my lips leaving featherlike kisses over the damaged skin as if it might soothe the pain she's probably feeling.
"I want you to have this," I suddenly say, pulling one of the rings off my finger. It's the one with the red gemstone, one of my favourites. "I want you to have it since I have yours. I want you to be reminded that I trust you."
Elena tentatively takes it in her hand, glancing at me with widened eyes filled with emotion. "Wow I- uh, I need a moment." She stands up.
I do the same and laugh quietly as she inspects the ring in awe then looks at me with adoration. "I don't know how to do this- this relationship thing, but I think you're a natural at it. This is so beautiful and I'm gushing over it and I'm never gushing over anything, and-"
"Take deep breaths, Tiger." I grin in amusement.
"Oh right, you have dimples too, can you get any more adorable?"
"You know, you're kind of cute when you channel your inner Alex and start rambling."
"Ha, apparently you can, wow." There's a slight blush on her cheeks, a rare occurrence when it comes to her. She starts pacing and talking quickly. "No one has ever given me a gift before- well, Alex has, if we count drawings he used to give me on our Birthday. But this is my first real gift from someone who's not my brother, I'm. . . it's so sweet. You're so sweet. I'm talking triple chocolate cake with chocolate frosting sweet."
My grin widens at her reaction. I didn't know she would react this way, I wasn't even planning to give her the ring, it was completely spontaneous, but now that I see happiness and excitement on her face, I'm so glad I did that.
"You know, this is my new favourite thing besides Tinkerblade." She smiles, her eyes fixed on the ring.
"Tinkerblade?" I repeat in confusion.
"Yeah, my pocket knife, Tinkerblade." She shrugs, making me laugh again.
"So, do you want to help me come up with the punishments for Tyler and his gang?" I offer, a smirk replacing my dimpled smile. "We'll eat some cake while writing down some ideas since I know how much you love it."
"Aww, so romantic, you know me so well." She takes out her knife, a smirk curving her lips as she looks down at it. "Did you hear that, Tinkerblade? We're about to have some fun."
. . . .
I'm sitting in the conference room where I've gathered my closest friends to a meeting, all pairs of eyes now locked on me. But it seems they're not that interested in what I have to say about official business, but about my relationship with Elena which they clearly knew about, but was confirmed when she said my name none of them has heard in years.
Alex is being awfully quiet, which means he's either ill or pissed at me. I'd say it's the latter considering his crossed arms and a glare he's directed at me. I'm familiar with his views on my relation with his sister, but honestly, I don't care.
"Okay, I'm just gonna say it," Liam is the first one to speak. "You had sex. I sense those things, I see the change in your aura." He smirks and gives Elena and me the thumbs up, making us roll our eyes.
"I don't know why everyone keeps forgetting this is my sister we're talking about, hearing shit like that is disturbing as hell and my innocent ears don't need to hear it," Alex complains.
"Trust me, hearing Liam say he senses when someone. . . parked the car in the garage is disturbing for all of us," Louis says, wrinkling his nose.
"We have nothing against it, you know," Niall says. "I can't say the fact you felt the need to hide this relationship from us isn't ridiculous and it honestly hurts a little. Not because El and I have an undeniable connection between us-" everyone rolls their eyes and sighs deeply "-but because despite you being so distant from us, we're still friends."
"I actually called you here to discuss war strategy, not my personal life. This isn't some drama show, what the hell." I cross my arms.
"Sounds more like a book to me, honestly," Tori says.
"We've all been suspecting it for a while and when Tori and I caught you exchanging saliva in your training room, we-" Louis begins.
"Hold the fuck up." Liam lifts his hand. "So you knew about them this whole time and you never bothered to tell us? To tell me?"
All eyes are now on Louis. Tori whistles and looks up at the ceiling, Alex frowns, Jess sips her giant cup of coffee with a small smirk on her face, Liam looks like someone has offended him and his ancestors, and Elena is banging her head against the table while mumbling something about sleeping.
"Let's just focus on the meeting," I say firmly, catching everyone's attention. "David is. . . David is gone at the moment. That means I have to take his place now." I take a deep breath, not allowing myself to feel any sadness or worry. "You have to contact me directly for anything that has something to do with the army, whether it be some kind of problem or a simple question about using the bathroom while you're on duty. I hope I've made myself clear. We're all friends here, but there has to be a certain line when it comes to business. Which means, no exceptions for anyone."
"Yes, sir," everyone says at the same time.
Throughout the meeting, Elena doesn't make much effort to participate, only talking when someone asks her a question. She looks completely tense and now that I think about it, she's been like this since the incident earlier today. I don't fail to notice a few not so friendly glances she exchanges with Alex, as if they have some kind of private disagreement.
With my new position, handling the pending war has become my number one problem and priority, only adding to my already present anxiety. But now that I look at the people sitting with me at the table, I realise I won't have to face it alone. I've been distancing myself from them and anything related to teamwork for years, but now that's the smartest option. We'll all work together to defeat the enemy and bring at least a little bit of peace in our lives.