♡ chapter 18 - Harry ♡
Something flickered behind Louis' eyes, giving me the impression he wasn't being truthful. But there was more to it than that, the harder I looked at his nervous complexion. Not only was he avoiding eye contact, but he was gradually scooting away from me. The Louis I know would bite my head off in a heartbeat, not flinch away with the slightest movement I made. Not only was it strange, but it was alarming.
Before I could question his eerie behavior, Liam called from the kitchen that dinner was ready. I tried to mask the hurt on my face from his rejection, but it pained me a lot more than it should have. Not only did he flat out deny any feelings he might've had towards me, but he won't even touch me. Not even without his bracelet. He hasn't hugged me to show he missed me, or even a sign that he was scared and now I was here to comfort him. He's kept his distance, and that hurt like a bitch.
This was precisely the reason I tried so desperately to push Louis away by being a jerk to him. It might've seemed idiotic, but it kept me from thinking about my inevitable feelings for him. Feelings makes you weak, and when you're weak, you're vulnerable. Living in my shoes you have to stay alert, and I clearly couldn't do that when Louis was kissing me. I lost him because of that. Because I got so caught in loving him that I completely dismissed the fact that I had to protect him. But it was difficult to hold him for the first time, to contain each emotion when his lips locked with mine. I wasn't thinking about the dangers that clearly follow my every move; I only thought of us.
God, when did I get so damn cliché?
It's a load of shit.
Using my power to put a little fire in my hand, I slapped the opposite wrist with it. The scorching fire pierced my skin, but it also drug me from my irritable haze Louis had captured me in. Hurting myself probably sounds stupid and maybe I did just leave a mark, but it'll fade whereas my love for Louis will not. I need a way to block it out until I configure everything occurring at the moment. Marcus could be listening in, watching, or even stalking in the backyard and waiting for the precise moment to ambush us. I need to stay cautious instead of engrossing myself in thoughts of Louis.
Still, I studied his movements. Maybe it sounded creepy, but he usually walks with his hands in front of him, not behind. My eyebrows pinched together, watching the way he pushed his hair to the side , when usually he used his fingers to brush and push it upwards. God, it sounds so stalker-ish of me, but even these small gestures are giving me doubts that he came back as my Louis. If Marcus fried his brain, I swear to all that is holy I'll—
"Hungry?" Zayn asked as we entered the kitchen as he helped Liam carve what seemed to be a turkey.
"Hmm... Looks like a few boys were out playing with their knives again, eh?" Max joked as he walked into the room.
Liam rolled his eyes with a smile on his face. "Damn straight. Zayn, Ryan, and I thought it was getting too ordinary having the same menu every day. So, we found this little baby out near the river."
Again, I watched Louis' expression but it didn't budge. Considering my Louis is an animal lover, I assumed he might've at least scolded them for killing an animal before he ate it, but he said nothing as he was one of the first to reach for a plate. Licking my lips before pressing them together, I gradually followed suit and tried to depict a logical explanation for his off behavior.
Each of us sat at the table, but I made sure to sit by Louis this time so Jessie's ass wouldn't get too touchy-feely. I was really on the verge of beating him to a pulp last time, but of course we got interrupted by Marcus' stupid war chants, and then we found out Louis is a damn White Witch, of all things, and then I admitted to loving him, he kissed me, then he got taken from me. Fuck, a lot happens in one day, huh?
"So Louis," Nick started as he leaned forward, his eyebrows pushed together curiously. "Did Marcus say anything to you we should be cautious about or on the lookout for?"
Louis shoved a piece of turkey in his mouth, shaking his head.
Nick rose an eyebrow. "And you're sure? He just let you go?"
He nodded.
I swiped my tongue across the inside of my bottom lip, leaning forward as well and turning my head to look at him. "Louis, what's your favorite color?"
This caught his attention as he turned to me, eyebrows pinched together but lips parted. He was taken off guard by such a question of normalcy, and also a question I already knew the answer to. However, it was very hard to believe that someone as cruel as Marcus would let him go without even the slightest warning to tell us. Not even a threat, apparently.
"E-excuse me?" Louis asked, now looking around him warily.
I licked my lips, nodding. "Yeah. I forgot, but the question is eating me alive. Could you please tell me your favorite color, Louis?"
His name fled my lips accusingly, probably giving off the impression I didn't believe who he was. The boys seemed just as intrigued as me now as they too leaned forward to hear what he had to say. The answer was simple; it was just a color. But the matter of it all was if he could get his supposed "favourite" color right, which if he were Louis, it would be a quite simple task to do. And by the sweat beading his forehead, it was quite obvious he hadn't a clue what the answer was.
"Well, it... uh..." Louis dropped his fork, fumbling with his hands as he stood from his chair. "It's yellow, of course. Now if you excuse me I need to go to the bathroom and—"
I stood from my chair, the legs scraping the tile. His gulp was audible as he looked up at my frame towering over him. "It's green," I told him with somewhat of a smirk on my lips. "Louis hates the color yellow."
Simple as that, he spun on his heel and began running like a bat out of hell. However, I caught him by the waist, spinning him around and pinning him against the wall. I tried to remind myself it was just Louis' body, not the actual Louis as I pressed my forearm into his throat, my face dangerously close to his . I would never handle the real Louis in such a harsh way, but he's missing and I need to know why and where the fuck he is before I go fucking insane.
"Harry, what the hell are you doing?" Niall asked in a worried tone as he walked over, but I shook my head.
"This isn't Louis, dammit." I pushed my arm further into his throat, watching as his hands flew up to grasp my forearm. He was struggling for breath as I glared at him, my tone dropping many levels as I hissed out, "Who the fuck are you?"
The imposter Louis pressed his lips together, obviously trying to keep himself from answering the question. Niall was standing near still, his eyes wide along with everyone else's. It must've looked like I was a monster holding this person so harshly, but I would never in my life touch Louis in such a violent way.
"Not talking? I see..."
With my free arm, I lifted my hand to show the fire swirling around above my palm. The imposter's eyes widened as they continued to struggle more feverishly under my strength, but I pressed my hand to their arm to halt them, sending the fire with it. Whoever was in Louis' body let out an ear-piercing screech as I pressed my hand into his flesh, hearing the singe of the fire bleeding into him. After a few moments, I retaliated my hand but kept a fire grip on his throat as I kept my eyes hooded, continuing to glare him down.
"Who. Are. You." I broke the words up slowly, trying to sound as dangerous as possible and by the fear and sweating covering the person's face, it was obvious that it was working to my advantage.
But they remained silent.
"All right." I moistened my lips before pressing them together, letting him go as he dropped to his knees , his hand clasping his throat as he tried to regain his breath into his lungs. I nodded, looking down at him. "I guess I'll have to be a bit crueler to get an answer, yeah?"
The supposed Louis was hunched over and I narrowed my eyes. Instantly he began choking, both hands to his throat as he dropped back against the wall. I could tell the boys had no idea what to think of this, but they also didn't stop me, knowing I'd sure as hell give them a piece of my mind. I knew what I was doing; I've been manipulated before. And the least this person could've done was make it believable.
"Okay," the person croaked out in a whisper so soft it was nearly inaudible, their hands still latched around their throat as I choked them with my mind advantage. Assuming they may finally spill what the hell is going on, I rose my eyebrows expectantly and stopped the mental suffering.
But my eyebrows soon pulled together as Louis' body morphed into a different one . His feathery brown hair had grown out twice as long until it reached right above his shoulders. His bright blue eyes and cute little face and sharp cheekbones had been replaced with dull brown eyes and a sharper jawline . Muscles filled his noodle-ish arms, and his curves disappeared as they straightened out. His hips shrank in, his shoulders broadening, clothes exchanging from a large white shirt ( mines may I add ) and sweatpants , to a tank top and jeans.
Lady's and gentlemen, I give you a shape shifter at its finest.
Although it lacks poorly in acting skills.
While they were continuing to try and capture air into their lungs again, humiliation engulfed me entirely. Not only had I just been completely pathetic in front of this kid when asking if Louis loved me, but I was actually teary-eyed when I said it. No, Harry Styles did not fucking cry, but he sure as hell came close to it when he got rejected. And this dipshit got to see me at my worse, and that pisses me off.
Before I could stop myself, I had my hands around his throat and his back against the wall. He seemed frustrated that we were doing this little ordeal over again, but he just embarrassed the shit out of me, not to mention used me like fucking toilet paper all over his ass. And now he's making me conjure disgusting comparisons.
"Where the fuck is Louis?" I snapped loudly, the vein in my neck surely bulging as I tried to contain myself from breaking his neck right then and there.
No one ever humiliates nor uses Harry Styles.
It's bound to lead to a gruesome death.
And the love of my life is on the line.
Someone get me a fucking axe, gasoline, a bus, some other painful shit, and I'll be ready to go.
The boy managed to hold his hands up in defense, although his face was angling towards the ceiling. He managed to look down at me as he sputtered out frantically, "I-I don't know. H-he didn't tell me just please, please don't kill me!"
"Who's he?" I already knew the answer, but I needed assurance.
The boy swallowed beneath my hands. "M-Marcus."
Dropping my head, I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, loosening my grip a bit but still keeping him pinned. My eyes darted back up to meet his, my eyebrows pulling together. "Who are you?"
"D-Daniel."
"And why the fuck did you think it was okay to mess with me?" I growled under my breath, leaning closer to him.
Daniel shook his head frantically under my now slightly loosened grasp. "H-he paid me, I swear. He threatened to kill me if I didn't, man. I'm sorry. God, I'm so fucking sorry. Please don't—"
"Shut the fuck up, God." I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut. "You're giving me a damn headache."
Daniel silenced, his lips still parted as ragged breaths fled them from his fear. He hesitated before meeting my gaze, his voice somewhat worried as he asked, "W-what are you going to do with me?"
I rubbed my face with one hand, rolling my neck side to side to pop it. "You're staying here so he doesn't suspect anything. But if you so much as try to walk out of that door, I'll kill you before the thought even crossed your mind. Understood?"
Daniel nodded frantically.
"Good. Obeying makes shit a lot easier to handle," I muttered under my breath as I let him go. The boys were still watching in shock, and Daniel still stayed against the wall as if I'd bite his face off. But I still had more questions. I turned to look at him, pinching my bottom lip between my forefinger and thumb. "How come he didn't just send Louis to act? Why a shape shifter?"
Daniel pushed a hand through his hair, puffing breath from his lips. "He was kind of sassing him off. I mean, he put a tracking device in his neck and everything, but he kept being sarcastic and Marcus just got irritated, I suppose, because he wouldn't listen to a damn thing he said."
Although the whole tracking device bit pissed me off, I couldn't help but to get a little smile on my lips.
"Hmm." I nodded in approval, my smug look remaining. "That's my boy."