Louis was the one to wake up first, and it wasn't because of nausea or Niall bustling about in the kitchen for breakfast. He shot up in bed with a loud gasp, a hand on the side of his baby bump when he felt the sudden fluttering.
"Harry!" He wasn't harsh usually but he shoved the dozing man by his side with all his might now.
There was a groan and murmur of something Louis couldn't decipher. He grabbed Harry's left wrist since it was closest and put it on the spot where he felt the tiny kick. It happened once more, fainter but still there.
Harry froze for two seconds before sitting up urgently and placing both hands on Louis' bump. "He kicked?"
"He kicked." Louis affirmed, kissing Harry's stubbly jaw.
Taking it as a cue to begin a morning conversation so he can get more kicks, Harry presses the tip of his nose to the left of Louis' belly button. "Good morning, little one. Such a strong baby you are, Bean. We can't wait to meet you."
Two more kicks ring out under Harry's palm and he smiles proudly, kissing where he felt it. Louis watches him in this over-excited habitat with heart eyes, running through Harry's Tarzan hair with his fingers.
"Has he kicked before?" Harry leans into Louis' touch and smiles with bright green eyes.
Louis trusts that he is going to die from fondness. "Never. He was a very quiet baby."
"Did you wait for me before kicking, little Bean?" Harry turns back to Louis' bump.
He gets one kick against his nose and Louis laughs behind his hand. Harry's nose twitches to rid himself of the sharp sensation before kissing the bump once more.
"Good morning to you." Harry comes up to press his lips to Louis', a small smirk playing there.
"Likewise." Louis wraps his arms around Harry's neck and holds his close. "What time did you get in?"
"Just after one, I think." Harry draws Louis out from under the covers and onto his lap where it's safer and familiar.
"Did you get enough sleep?" Louis cups Harry's highly defined jaw and searches his eyes. "I'm sorry for waking you up."
"Six hours is the most I can handle." He replies truthfully. "I'm very grateful that you woke me up, love."
Louis hums and rests his cheek under Harry's clavicle on his chest, his fingers laced with the man's. "I love you."
They've been saying it a lot more than usual in these past three days, Harry's stirring inner monster is not grateful. Each time it's said, Harry finds a bit more resolve hardening.
"I love you, baby." Harry kisses Louis' forehead.
They're forced to leave their sweet haven of a circular bed when Niall knocks on the unlocked door. Louis giggles when Harry's chest vibrates with a distasteful growl.
"I don't want to leave you." Harry explains, staring down into two pits of stunning blue. "I never want to leave you."
"You're not leaving us." Louis surges forward and connects their lips. "You're going to come back to us in a few hours."
"Certainly, darling. I love you."
Louis smiles softly and he taps Harry's Adam's Apple with his index finger. "I love you, loads and loads."
* * * * *
Harry stays for breakfast after Louis begs that of him, and detaching from his little Bean and princess brings too much grief to his chest. Zayn is the last to join them at the breakfast counter and gives everyone a small greeting.
Niall gets an attempted kiss which ends with a swat to Zayn's neck because he's frying bacon right now. Louis gets a half-hug and Harry gets that strange shoulder bump.
"Did Niall tell you he wants to sell the apartment?" Zayn sits on Louis' other side with a plate of toast and scrambled eggs.
Niall makes a silly face in response and Louis giggles into Harry's neck. "Why, Niall?"
"Because this apartment reminds him too much of my single days."
Louis is highly amused and so is Harry, as he is sat with a steady smirk while he chewed his food.
"We also thought about selling up." Louis supplies to the conversation.
"Really?" Niall leans against the counter across from him with a fork and his own plate.
Harry nods but he is deeply grateful that nobody points out, even in light of recent events, that Louis should be reminded of much more than just Harry's single days.
"We should buy a house by the lake and live together." Niall says in passing, sipping his orange juice.
"How long do you think we'll last?" Louis asks with his water glass at his lips.
"I doubt very long." Zayn jokes.
Harry's chuckle is almost as it was before he was taken from Louis and their home. "That, I doubt."
"Thanks, Psycho." Niall winks at Harry and it's as innocent as all their interactions but Zayn still glares at his food after noticing.
"What's the plan for today?" Harry gives Niall his plate and stands behind Louis' chair as he checks that he has everything.
"We have classes-" Louis tells him, turning around to drag Harry between his legs. "-so Zayn will take us."
"I'll take Louis to get his stuff from your place before we go to campus." Zayn adds from the kitchen sink.
Harry nods and thanks him before turning back to Louis with a smile he's reserved only for him. He grabs Louis' face carefully and kisses him languidly for a long moment.
"Be safe." He pecks Louis' nose. "I will miss you but I'm not spending another night at the Bureau so I will pick you up later, okay?"
"Okay." Louis doesn't want to get his hopes up too soon but he nods and smiles back genuinely. "I love you. Have fun."
"I love you too. I'll text you."
"Looking forward to it."
* * * * *
The first thing Harry sees when he walks into the Bureau's office causes him to stop in his tracks. Agents walk around him for two whole minutes while he stares back at Josh through the conference room glass wall. With a sharp breath through his teeth, Harry goes into the coffee room.
There's a small coffee machine with large light brown paper cups beside him, a box of doughnuts and a basket of chips. He gets black coffee and caps the paper cup before walking back out. Josh is still there, with Freddy and Abrams.
It makes him smirk around the rim of his cup as he walks to his desk, laughing softly at how funny all this is. He got a month in prison, a month away from his love, but now he's out here and they're in there. Maybe this life isn't so bad, and he needs to show gratitude before it's taken away.
He shoots off a text to Louis about this delightful news.
'Josh, Freddy and Abrams are here in cuffs.'
Louis sees the text after he's showered and gathering his textbooks in a small bag. He worries at first but figures that justice will prevail.
'You sound very pleased.'
Harry answers after Greene calls him to the conference room as well.
'I believe that is my right.'
After telling Zayn and Niall about this latest news, Louis tells Harry via text that he should not be getting distracted and locks his phone. Zayn laughs and Niall looks victorious like this accomplishment is his alone.
They get to uni on time for Niall and Louis' first lecture, before parting ways.
Harry was not paid to be at the Bureau and he's made a total of three acquaintances, since they're part of Greene's team and now he's a criminal informant. Nobody is in his face but he gets stares from at least every person in the office like he's a ticking time-bomb about to erupt.
The highlight of Harry's day is when three familiar faces take turns to grind their teeth and curse at him while they walk past in handcuffs. Prison broke him, and it will destroy men like them.
He also takes part satisfaction in knowing that every move he made, someone would twitch and glare. When he sighed or got up for coffee, all eyes followed him out the door.
At four in the evening Greene tells him there's no immediate case that needs attention so everyone can go home on time today. However, a meeting is called in the conference room and not a soul is excluded this time. Harry silently slips into the room and takes a seat closest to the door, leaning forward as he listens.
"We are the homicide department and therefore this announcement got to us first." Greene says standing in front of the flat screen with his tie undone and hair messed up.
"The crime rates were going up so drastically that the president and all who advises him, have come to a decision." Granger is leaning against a wooden cabinet. "It's an um....unorthodox decision and it affects the whole continent."
Everyone's attention falls from their phones and pages to Granger, intrigued by why he sounds so defeated. Harry observes how agents are already frowning and most are confused, even looking at him for answers.
"Listen to this." Greene presses a button on the iPad in his hand and steps away from the screen.
Harry's eyes dart to the fading blue screen. A chubby man with sausage fingers laced together on an oak desk is looking back at them through the LED pixels. He also looks quite defeated, and Harry scans the room to find everyone's expression unchanged.
"This message is to the FBI, all departments included. In this last month of May, we have had an average crime rate in all fifty states of seventy-eight percent. Not only is that outrageous, but never before recorded. Due to this statistic, we will be announcing the annual Purge.
"It may take people a while to prepare and that is why an official broadcast will be made exactly twelve minutes after you, the homicide department, has gotten this. Your part in this is none, you will be suspended for thirteen hours on July first from eighteen hundred hours until seven hundred hours on July second."
"The Purge will allow everyone to release what they've got pent up inside them. All crime will be legal, including theft, murder, arson, torture, kidnapping and assault. You will be regular citizens on that day and if any law enforcement officer prevents a citizen from participating in the Purge, he or she will be persecuted."
Once the tape is off, everyone has either fallen into a stunned silence or is staring at Harry. Of course this should be great news to him, but all crime being legal puts his family in danger. He will not be participating in this Purge, and he needs to find a way to keep Louis and Bean safe on July first and second.
"When was this received?" Harry is the first to speak, and his voice is hoarse from being quiet for so long.
"Eleven minutes ago." Granger answers him stoically.
Approximately two minutes later the phones erupt and every device is ringing as people try to get through to their loved ones. Harry rushes out of the conference room when his iPhone starts to vibrate and he puts it against his ear while he gathers his keys.
"Lou?" He sounds breathless and worried.
"H-Harry, did you see the broadcast?" Louis' end rustles slightly but Harry hears him loud and clear.
"I did. I did, love. I'm coming home right now, okay? Where are you?"
"Zayn brought me home. He and Niall are still here."
"I'm coming. I love you."
"I love you." Louis hangs up and pulls his blanket around his shoulders tighter.
What does the Purge mean? They have less than a month to prepare for a night that is going to include just one thing: bloodshed.
Harry drives like a lunatic and parks in a hurry before rushing up with the elevator. He unlocks the door and slams it closed by accident. He shouldn't be so worked up already, they have time to prepare but maybe it's not nearly as enough.
Louis is on the couch in front of the TV with his bag by the floor beside him. Niall is in their kitchen and Harry can't see Zayn but doesn't care about him when he's rushing to Louis' side.
"Hey, love." He tugs on the blanket a little and Louis wraps himself around Harry as fiercely as he can.
"I-I'm scared, 'arry." Louis is gripping Harry's shirt so tightly and his thighs are squeezing Harry's hips.
"No need, sweetheart. I'm going to keep you and Bean safe, I promise." He kisses Louis' neck and and breathes in that wonderful vanilla scent. "No one's ever going to lay a hand on you."
He sits on the couch with a fine suit on and Louis bundled up on his lap creasing the fabric carelessly. It's honestly just materialistic and Harry will personally tear up all his suits if it made Louis feel safe.
"What do you want to do?" Zayn asks from wherever he appeared. "The government's stabbing us in the back."
Harry rubs Louis' bump and massages his lower back while placing affectionate kisses on whatever skin is exposed. "We find a security company with a proper lockdown package."
"I agree." Niall says with a bottle of water in his hand. "Have it installed here and we just wait the thirteen hours out here. Would you mind, Harry?"
"No. Of course not."
Louis is breathing lightly into Harry's neck and one would think that he'd fallen asleep, had they not noticed how Louis was palming Harry through his suit pants. Harry sucked in cold air when he first felt Louis' small hand fidgeting with his button, but got a sad whine when he tried to move it. He simply covered them with Louis' blanket and tried to hide his moans.
"Baby?" Harry pressed his nose into Louis' feathery hair.
His answer was a little extra pressure on his bulging manhood and he moved to suck on Louis' neck and swallow his noses. He was not having sex in front of their friends so he pecked Louis' newest love bite and moved his hand.
"I love you, Lou." Harry comforted him by lacing their fingers together and continuing to massage Louis' lower back where it hurts.
"Love you too." Louis was not subtle about kissing Harry's chest where it was undone.
Niall knew what they were up to and therefore took longer to get out the door. Of course they had a new serious problem to discuss, and Louis will gladly invite them for dinner - as he did - for tomorrow but right now he'd like to get on his knees for Harry.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Ni." Louis squeezes Niall's arm.
"Aha."
He hugs both their friends - he makes a vague note about how they don't have any other friends - and watches Harry walk them out. When Harry's locked the front door, Louis makes grabby hands at him with a bitten lip and Harry swears there's nothing more seductive than a desperate Louis.
"Oh what are you up to, dear Lou?" Harry leans over the armrest of the couch and kisses Louis deeply.
He wasn't going to point out how antsy Louis was just a minute ago, because mood swings were common during pregnancies already. No need for sparking arguments.
"You're mean." Louis tells him bluntly, sitting Harry down and shedding his blanket.
"Am I?" Harry holds Louis' hips when he clambers onto his lap.
Humming with a rather talented roll of his hips, Louis secures Harry's neck with both hands before connecting their lips. Harry groans and guides Louis' body into rutting against his more, always more. Louis' eager little fingers undo Harry's fly and yanks the tight suit material aside to free Harry's semi hard erection.
He pumps it smoothly with a small fist while getting his bottom lip nibbled on. Sometimes he speeds up and sometimes he goes extra slow to trace the prominent vein on the underside with his thumb. Louis uses the dribbling precome as lube and applies some pressure to a little flap of loose foreskin where he knows Harry is bound to give him a good response.
"Fuck, darling." Harry groans into Louis' open mouth and fights a winning battle for dominance in the kiss.
Louis pulls back looking like a fucking god-like creature with ruffled feathery hair and swollen lips that Harry caused. He bites his bottom lip and climbs off Harry's lap, and the man's gaze follows him to between his legs.
"Baby, don't get excited and hurt yourself." Harry warns caringly. Even if pleasure - great pleasure - is on the table, he will not allow Louis' harm to be rendered.
His boy looks up at him and Harry falls short of breath at how insanely beautiful he is. "I promise, Daddy."
Their TV goes off instantly and Harry gives his full attention to the wet heat that engulfs the head of his throbbing erection. The last time they did this it was discovered that Louis possessed no gag reflex and drove Harry absolutely insane with just his tongue. The favour was then returned but Louis isn't that far ahead now, he just wants the warm arousing weight on his tongue and to taste Harry's seed.
He leaves teasingly slow kitten licks all down one side of the length, and just the same back the other side. He suckles on the bulbous head and laps up the precome that is leaking faster now, desperate to greet Louis' taste buds. His right hand fondles Harry's sack with his thumb, the left hand gripping Harry's bare thigh.
He can hear several praises and hums happily around Harry when he's deepthroating him, causing vibrations to darken Harry's lustful gaze and turn it to predatorial. Louis hollows his cheeks and withdraws, only to swallow as he takes him in his mouth again until it hits the back of his throat.
Harry's hand tightens in his hair but it's nowhere near painful, and he holds him still as he fucks Louis' mouth eagerly. Louis takes it like a champ and peers up at the man through delicate lashes.
"Fucking Hell, baby." Harry pulls Louis up onto his lap again with skin sliding and gliding against sweaty surfaces as he captures his mouth with his.
"I wasn't finished, Daddy." Louis is pouting and Harry growls as he raises his hips slightly.
"Shh, princess." He feels between Louis' legs after stripping him of his pants, and finds a small plug inserted snuggle between his cheeks. "What's this, love?"
"Wanted to be ready, H."
Harry really likes his new nickname. He extracts the plug and tosses it somewhere. "Good boy, Lou. I love you so much."
"L-Love you too, Daddy."
Without much reluctance, Louis pulls away from Harry's chest and grabs a hold of the man's stiff length to position it at his clenching hole. Harry brings him down for a sloppy kiss while Louis sinks down fully on the erection. His sharper than most teeth leaves angry red marks all over Louis' neck and chest.
"C'mon, baby." Harry starts to bounce Louis in his lap. "I won't last."
Louis nods and starts to lift and lower himself bravely. Small noises fall from his lips and his nails dig into Harry's nape vengefully, while he rode him with earnest. Harry connected their lips and could still taste himself on Louis' tongue as he sucks it into his mouth as claim.
The boy in his lap starts to pant brokenly and whimper as his own weeping length left droplets on Harry's expensive shirt. He clenched and twisted in Harry's lap to find that perfect angle, seeming over-energetic when he rides Harry. His thighs start to burn but he feels his climax and he wants it, so he whines and Harry gets the hint.
"Alright, darling. You did so well." He shifts Louis' angle by the crook of his knees and starts to thrust upward.
It punches the air out of Louis' lungs because no matter how many times he and Harry were intimate, it always made him feel so full and unbelievably high on emotions of love. He meets Harry halfway in their thrusts and eventually comes hard onto Harry's abdomen. The man follows by shooting into Louis' tight body.
Harry let's their breathing return to normal and checks on Bean's condition by rubbing Louis' bump lovingly.
He speaks next into Louis' neck. "Where did that come from, angel?"
"Wanted to feel safe."
It broke Harry's heart and made it swell at the same time. He leans forward and kisses his boy with all the love in his black heart, circling his waist with a protective arm.
"You're always safe with me, Lou. You know that?"
"I do." Louis runs his thumb along the coarse hair growing on Harry's jaw and chin. "I like how this feels."
"Do you?" Harry raises an eyebrow at him, laying Louis down on the L-shaped couch with a pillow by his bump and head. "Where would you like to feel it?"
Louis knots his fingers through Harry's soft curls and tugs his lips up to his neck. He moans when Harry separates his jaws and bites possessively at his throat. He feels the graze of prickly hair on his sensitive skin and he whines from the amazing sensation.
Harry was extra careful with Louis' bump - their amazing little baby Bean - and is gentle about planting open-mouthed, wet kisses down across it. He pinches Louis' thigh and rubs the soft inner flesh, squeezing and affectionately worshipping.
His lips keep attached to every part of Louis' skin. He locks his lips around Louis' left nipple first, sucking with free enthusiasm. The milk being produced is in a greater quantity and Louis had extremely sensitive nipples from the constant lactating.
It didn't take much to extract all the sweet milk from Louis' body, and leave him writhing with stimulating sensitivity. He moaned and twitched, feeling like someone lit him on a perfect flame.
Continuing his ministrations, Harry kissed and licked his way to the space between Louis' thighs. He swallowed the blurbs of come that landed on Louis' body as he went. It was ticklish at first for the prickly hair to be grazing so unabashedly against Harry's own engraved name, or the warm sensitive skin. Once his tongue started to jab at Louis' pink and leaking whole, the pleasure crashed over them both simultaneously and with fierce intentions.
* * * * *
"I really like this one, H." Louis, in the glory of his twenty-fifth week of pregnancy, was nestled between Harry's legs on their bed as they browsed through the profile on the home they chose to buy.
They'd just come back from the doctor's appointment and since it was a Saturday, neither of them had anywhere to go. Today held one other significance but everyone was trying to keep quiet about it until the time for lockdown came around.
It was Saturday, July first.
"It does looks perfect, love." Harry kisses Louis' neck and gets a giggle as a reaction to his teeth snagging a small spot of skin.
Two weeks ago Louis confirmed that he would love to buy a new house with Harry and it would be an excellent way to start over. Harry had somewhat moved up the rank of social respect at the Bureau after a month of working at it, and he accompanied Greene to many crime scenes now as an informant.
The house was in a friendly gated suburb that meant a ten minute drive to Louis' classes or Harry's work. Niall and Zayn had sat down with them to discuss partnering residence, but those plans were tossed aside when the house next to Louis and Harry's chosen one went up for sale.
News of the Purge caused many Americans to flee the continent permanently.
Harry and Zayn hired the best security company to protect their homes and Harry's apartment with their latest Purge Protection Package. It was pricey and costed them both close to six digits in the end to have solid steel doors and shutters, bullet proof glass and a hefty alarm system installed. The houses were protected and Harry's apartment was as well, ready for the long night ahead.
"Darling?" Harry tugged on the rope of Louis' sweat pants until the bow came apart, and he got the chance to re-tie it.
"Hmm?" Louis leaned back against him, as he would with a sigh when he wanted a massage.
Without hesitation Harry started massaging his back that is tight with knots and he slowly works the kinks out now to lessen discomfort. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Haz."
"I meant....with tonight."
"I know you'll keep us safe." Louis smiles up at him. "Having Niall and Zayn here will also make me feel safer."
"Nothing's ever going to come near you, I swear it."
They have four hours left when Niall and Zayn arrive. Harry checks on the security system while Louis helps set the table for dinner. Most restaurants were closing up very early, but they managed to get a variety of food delivered before the lockdown started.
"Does the world know what's happening tonight?" Niall is swirling the wine in his glass, staring out the tinted windows at the heavy rain while he can.
"The world knows." Harry answers. "The world can do fuck all about it though."
Zayn looks down at his plate as he laughs, but Louis gasps and frames his baby bump. "H, we have baby ears here."
"Sorry, love." He apologetically kisses Louis' cheek and rests his larger hand on Louis' where they felt Bean's first kick.
"Anyone know how to nap for thirteen hours?" Niall sits back in his seat with defeat sprawled across all his features.
"Consecutively? No." Louis chews his bottom lip, tasting the sweetness from the sauce he'd had with his meal.
If he's grateful for anything during this pregnancy, it's that Bean has opened his eyes to wonderful tasting food that he'd never ordinarily combine. Right then his tummy grumbles for ice cream, but not just plain vanilla ice cream. He excuses himself from the table with a murmur and light squeeze of Harry's fingers, even though the man's studious gaze follows his back to the kitchen.
"How much time left?" Zayn sets his sparkling fork down.
"Forty minutes, give or take." Harry answers. "Think it's too late to go on vacation?"
"You know you can't leave the country, Harry. Besides, being caught up in the air with Purgers is not what anyone needs."
"I heard the flights were grounded, actually." Niall interrupts.
"Well at least they did something right."
Louis has returned to the table with a ceramic bowl of slightly green pistachio ice cream and cubes of kiwi decorating the top scoop. His odd appetite doesn't even surprise anyone, as they all continue as they were.
"Dessert time, then." Niall gathers his plates and takes it to the kitchen, Zayn following suit.
Harry turns to Louis and the boy fidgets with the bowl in his lap, feeling the burn of Harry's stare on him. "Yeah, H?"
"You're very.....indifferent." Harry says right off the block.
"It wouldn't do much good to stay worked up, would it?" Louis admits.
"No it wouldn't." Harry nods solemnly, pushing his chair back to take his things to the kitchen.
"Haz?"
"Yeah, love?"
"I'm proud of you, I hope you know that. And I love you very much."
Louis' sparkling blue eyes glance up at him with a little smile. He cranes his neck slightly so Harry gets the message and bends over to kiss him.
I love you, princess. You're such a sweet boy and I could never want anything else in this life or the next."
Harry feels Louis' soft smile against his lips and pulls away after he's satisfied with the pistachio and kiwi taste now roaming his mouth.
He puts his dishes in the dishwasher and goes to his studio where the alarm system is set up to monitor the hallway outside and every room in the apartment. First, he checks that Bolg and Bundy are both in their cages safely.
He watches himself insert a code on the bold touch screen and arm the place, listening to the smooth slide of steel over the door and windows.
"It's really dark in here now." Niall states the obvious when Harry walks out of the studio.
"Put the lights on then." Louis answers him from the couch in front of the television.
All the lights stay off however, except for the lounge and kitchen. Everything was open plan and thus led to a soft glow travelling throughout the house. Boxes lay everywhere in piles and bubble wrap on occasion, since Louis and Harry were in the middle of their move to the new house.
"You're spending the next thirteen hours right here." Harry says with firm but gentle undertones in Louis' ear, after hauling him onto his lap.
Louis giggles into his neck and shares half his white quilt with the man, folding himself up as best as he could and leaning into his chest. "I'll get comfy then."
Harry kisses his forehead and rubs his pregnant tummy under the quilt. Although he had a very sick feeling about tonight, he was not about to raise alarms and cause a panic. He had to remain calm and strategic if they were going to make it through unharmed.
"How-"
A siren that sounds around the city interrupts Niall's question. It rings for six rounds while a female voice speaks into the night.
"This is your warning, citizens of Chicago. For the next thirteen hours, all emergency services will be suspended. The first annual Purge is about to commence."
Harry felt his vision flicker for just a moment. It wasn't all black what he saw, and that was the most frightening thing. The flash is too quick for him to comprehend more than something cold and damp.
"Harry?" Louis' sweet voice beckons him, his small hands prying Harry's tightening fingers off his thigh. "H, lighten up please."
"Sorry, princess." He swallows his disintegrating psyche and let's Louis rest against him. "I love you."
"I love you too, H."
* * * * *
Two hours in and their undisturbed movie marathon is going strong. They were on Prometheus now, after entertaining Niall's request of Step Up.
No screams from outside could be heard through the metal shutters and nobody listened closely enough anyway. There wasn't so much as a shuffle in their hallway outside because the complex tenants were wealthy enough to have security systems installed.
"Hungry?" Harry asks Louis, when Naomi Rapace starts talking of engineers.
"No thank you." Louis is curled up to his ears in his quilt and Harry hasn't stopped rubbing his baby bump for two hours now.
Louis falls asleep an hour later and Harry doesn't move an inch, not willing to part with his baby. Niall gets up however to refresh his glass of water and happens by the door when he is on the way to the kitchen.
He shrieks and the glass falls to a loud shattering on the hardwood floor. Everyone is on high alert when he doesn't move, and Zayn gets up to see to him. Louis is awake and worried about why Niall looks petrified.
"Harry. Harry, fuck! Come here." Zayn takes Niall away while Harry leaves Louis on the couch.
"Harry?" He holds the man's wrist in fear.
"Shh. We're alright, Lou. I promise." He knows he's lying. This is that sick feeling he had acting up. "Wait here, baby."
He goes to the door, stepping over broken glass. His eyes settle on the small rectangular glass pane that let's him look into the passage. In loopy scrawl, it's written:
'come out come out styles'
That's the second time Harry's vision flickers and he curses softly at how in that moment, his body feels extremely heavy. It's gone quickly with no new sights.
The page isn't moving and Harry doesn't react beyond inhaling deeply and turning away.
"Well?" Zayn questions, disgruntled by this.
"We're not doing anything." Harry replies sharply, walking across the living room to his studio. "They can't get in here so whoever they are, can only cause damage if we go out."
He pulls up the surveillance screens in his studio and everyone is there too, biting their lip or tugging on their clothing. The cameras show everything from an hour ago, when the note came up. Their faces are covered in white masks and hair in black sacks.
"Are they still out there?" Louis asks timidly.
Harry skips to the current tapes and present recordings. "Yes, they are."
Zayn hisses and Harry pushes his hair back. Louis smiles weakly at him when their eyes meet, and Harry can't bring himself to do the same. He pulls Louis back onto his lap after Zayn's gone with Niall.
"You're safe, darling. You know that?" Harry kisses Louis' knuckles and his bent knee.
"I do." Louis nods and settles down in this position.
The loiterers outside their apartment stay seated on the marble floor until one of them is brave enough to knock on the door. Harry tenses up as he just got Louis to sleep again, and he doesn't have a single clue who these people are.
"Zayn." He gestures to the door when he walks out after putting Louis in the bedroom to sleep.
The other man nods and gets up to peep through the glass pane. He freezes momentarily like someone fills him with the metal lead.
"Fuck." He presses his head against the door and whispers something like a prayer under his breath.
"What?" Niall has been scared once, and he's not going to sleep anytime soon.
"Niall stay there!" Zayn says urgently.
Harry tries to get the blond to sit down but he wasn't going to physically hurt Niall either, so he fails in that attempt.
"Oh God no." Niall starts crying when Harry approaches the door and gets a slap. "Do something!"
Not feeling the sting of the slap but still pissed that Niall slapped him at all, Harry looks through the glass and holds himself back from punching it.
There's a little boy with Spiderman pyjamas on sitting on the ground. He's crying hysterically and it's got to be because of the small cuts all over him. His chubby cheek has a red line that he keeps rubbing.
"You have to do something, Harry. That's a little kid." Zayn has consoled Niall and sent him to the couch.
"What do I do?!" Harry bangs the structure with his fist. "If I open up then I put my own baby at fucking risk."
"Call someone then, find weapons or something!" Zayn points to the door. "We don't know who they are but they know you and if they're willing to kidnap a baby, they're willing to kill it."
"There's no one to call, Zayn. I don't keep guns and that boy's parents are probably dead."
"I can't believe you." Niall says in a low voice. "He's innocent, Harry."
"And what the fuck does that stand for tonight, Niall?!" Harry pulls away from the door. "Children are being killed and abused all night tonight and we can't save 'em. This is not our fault, and it isn't our problem."
"So you're just going to leave him out there with those monsters?"
"Yes."
It lasts about twenty minutes before they hear an animalistic growl erupt in the hallway and Niall darts to the door before Zayn can catch him.
"Harry!" He sounds more like he's screeching than shouting.
Harry chooses to ignore him from behind the kitchen counter where he's pouring himself a glass of Scotch with ice.
"Harry, they have dogs." Niall is pleading and if he has enough sense to comprehend his sympathy, he ought to have enough sense to comprehend the danger.
"No, Niall." He curts. "At one minute past seven tomorrow you can burst outside and do what you feel is your patriarchal duty, but tonight you will stay in this apartment."
"He's right, Ni." Zayn tries to justify this act. "It's not safe out there and there aren't enough of us to go against them. Understand, love. Harry has to protect Louis and I have to protect you."
Niall may not really be Irish, but he's just as impulsive and twice as observant. He nods along now and prays that the boy in the hallways survives while he handles these idiots.
Harry eventually goes to check on Louis and Zayn falls asleep on the couch. Niall waits for movement and gets none, so he tiptoes to the door and peeks out into the passage where he sees nothing. No lingering people and no terrifying masks. The baby boy is lying flat on the ground but still breathing and little splashes of tears and blood are flowing on the ground.
He waits another two minutes with sweat on his brow, before slowly opening the white wooden door and being faced with the solid steel barrier. Nobody still shows up from the passage and he quickly types in the password he noticed Harry typing in weeks ago when first trying the system out.
The steel door hisses and starts to retract. He takes everything back regarding what he said about not being truly Irish, because he's just as impulsive and screams just as loudly when someone grabs his ankle.