Harry settled in pretty well. The Payne’s house wasn’t that bad to him. Harry grew to like Liam a lot, and although he really missed Zayn and still cried over him, things got a bit easier. Everything was going absolutely perfect until Mr. Payne got home from his business trip. That’s when things got complicated.
“Hello, Harry” Mr. Payne said, approaching the small curly boy, “I’m Mr. Payne,”
Harry cowered away, hiding behind Liam.
“Harry,” Liam said, “It’s okay. He’s nice,”
“No,” Harry said, his body beginning to tremble, “No. Please, no,”
“Harry, baby, it’s okay. He’s nice. See?” Liam said, walking forward and giving his father a hug. Harry still wasn’t convinced, and ran to his room, tears streaming down his face, not looking behind him. He was too afraid that he would see the man coming after him, about to do the same thing his ‘dad’ did to him.
Once he was in his room he hopped into the bed, sobbing into the pillows.
“Zaynie,” Harry cried, “Zayn, I miss you,”
His whimpers and pleas went unnoticed, by Liam, by Mrs. Payne, and by Zayn, who was miles and miles away, talking with Jay and having no idea how much Harry truly missed him.
~
“Harry, you have to come out,” Liam said, knocking on Harry’s door.
“No,” Harry said stubbornly. He didn’t want to go out and face that evil man. He was afraid.
“He’s not going to hurt you,” Liam said, knocking again, “At least let me in,”
Harry huffed and then walked towards the door, opening it to face Liam.
“No!” He yelled in Liam’s face. He was angry. So angry that Liam would want to make him face that evil man. Didn’t Liam understand what would happen? Harry shook at the thought and clenched his small hands. “You want him to hurt me?”
“No,” Liam said, “No, baby, not at all. He’s not going to hurt you,”
“Yes he is!” Harry cried jumping back onto his bed and pulled his blanket up and over his face.
“No, he won’t” Liam tried to calm the boy, but he seemed to be past a point where Liam could help. “Why don’t you go into his room and just talk with him?”
Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Liam actually wanted Harry to go in there. Harry bounded off the bed and ran out of his room, heading down to the living room and searching for Mrs. Payne, hoping that she wouldn’t send Harry into that dark room.
“Harry, what’s wrong?” Mrs. Payne asked, dropping down to her knees so that Harry didn’t feel intimidated.
“Liam…Liam try to send me to that room,” Harry cried.
“What room?” She asked.
“The room where my dad used to take me,” Harry sobbed, “I don’t want to. Zaynie said never again. Zaynie promised. Please, please, no,”
And then Harry ran again, this time, out the front door of the house. Panic rushed through Mrs. Payne’s body and she screamed Liam’s name, hoping that her son would help her. The two of them ran after Harry, outside, and down the sidewalk. Harry had never been outside on his own before, and didn’t know where to run. Somehow, he ended up right in the middle of the street.
“Fuck!” Liam yelled, sprinting ahead of his mum and running towards the street.
Harry didn’t understand that he should move.
He didn’t understand why there was a car coming towards him with bright lights and a loud honking noise. He didn’t understand why Liam jumped at him, pulling him out of the way just in time, as the car honked and the driver yelled angry words out of the window.
Liam’s breathing was heavy, his arms wrapped around Harry tightly, just having saved him from certain death. Harry was still crying, his body heaving.
“Shh,” Liam cooed, “It’s okay, let’s just…go back inside.”
“I want Zayn,” Harry cried.
“Soon,” Liam lied again.
“Soon,” Harry repeated.
And little did Zayn know, miles and miles away, that he owed Liam everything. Because Liam had just saved Harry’s life, and in turn, he had saved Zayn’s life as well.
~
“You can’t go outside anymore without asking,” Liam said, setting Harry on his bed gently.
“S-Sorry,” Harry whimpered.
“It’s okay, Haz,” Liam said, ruffling his brown hair and then sitting beside him.
“I just don’t want to go to…that room,” Harry said.
“You don’t have to,” Liam cooed.
Although Liam didn’t completely understand what had happened to this poor autistic boy, he knew that it had been something absolutely terrible, even more so that rape. This poor child must have been defiled and destroyed, until he had nothing left to hold onto other than his step-brother, or as Liam was told, his boyfriend. Zayn.
“Paint with me,” Harry said, grabbing his supplies and setting up a small painting station on the bed, “Like Zaynie,”
“Oh,” Liam said, titling his head and looking at the supplies, “You and your boyfriend?”
“Yup,” Harry giggled, grabbing a paintbrush, “Brother and me paint,”
“Wait,” Liam said, now confused, “Is Zayn your boyfriend, or your brother?”
“Both!” Harry giggled.
Liam know realized that he had probably confused this poor boy, but he found it too damn adorable to change.
“What do you paint?”
“Aladdin, and Lady and the Tramp, and Cinderella,” Harry listed, staring at all the colors and decided what he wanted to create. “Help me? Like Zaynie does?”
Harry then took his free hand, grabbing Zayn’s and putting it over his other hand.
“No, Harry,” Liam said, standing up, “I’m no good at painting. Besides, that something special you do with Zayn. Keep it special,”
Harry’s eyes widened, and he nodded. Then Liam smiled, ruffled his hair again, and left Harry to his art.
~
Liam needed to find a way to get Harry into the shower. Surely, he had taken showers before. So why wouldn’t the scared little boy wash himself?
“Harry, please?” Liam begged, once again.
“No,” Harry shook his head, his eyes trained on a small toy that Liam had given him earlier, “I don’t take showers,”
And then it made sense. How could Liam have been so stupid.
“Oh,” Liam smiled, pulling Harry down the hall and into another bathroom, walking to the tub and turning on the water.
“Bath!” Harry cheered, giggling and hopping up and down. He had missed he routine baths with Zayn.
Liam smiled, happy that he finally figure this bit out. Slowly but surely, he was learning more and more about this cute little boy.
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