TW: mentions suicide
~Harry~
Suspense shot through Harry's body as he carefully walked down the stairs with Gemma following close behind him. He could hear her breathing slowly start to calm down as he turned to look at her one more time before entering the kitchen. He doesn't speak as the two look at one another, Gemma giving him a small smile and nod allowing him to know that it was okay for them to continue. Even though he would never admit it, knowing that Gemma was going to be there with him through it all made it a lot easier.
He couldn't help but wonder if his mother had any idea just how terrified the two truly were to meet the guest for the evening. Wondering if she has any clue just how fucked up they both were as their shaky hands and cautious footsteps lead them into the kitchen.
The door swung open and there in front of them stood the man of the hour. He was shorter than he expected, his glasses accentuating the roundness in his as he watched their mother adoringly before turning to the pair of siblings in the doorway. When he fully turned around Harry chuckled at what the man had been wearing.
How fucking rich.
His mother forgot to mention one slight detail to him when hounding him about this meeting. The fact that her prince charming... was a fucking cop.
The familiarity of the man catches Harry off guard as they take a closer look at one another, neither of them speaking as their mother finished cooking over the stove. Gemma is still hidden behind Harry - the taller stature of her younger brother acting as a shield to her much smaller frame - as Harry stands tall, protecting her from the visitor neither of them wanted.
"It's great to meet you," the man says as he takes a step closer to the two, sticking his hand out for Harry to shake, "I'm Robin." He remains silent as he looked the man up and down before scoffing as he knocked his shoulder into the older man's much shorter one. Harry was a good five inches taller, but the width of the man in front of him could definitely be seen as a disadvantage.
"Hello," the voice of his sister called out, causing Harry to turn around and watch as the fear in his sister's eyes slowly start to fade, "I'm Gemma."
Harry didn't miss the way she froze for a moment when Robin took his hand in her own about to step in until he saw her relax and shake his hand with a hesitant smile on her face, "It's a pleasure to meet you." His voice was so familiar it almost hurt Harry to hear, it was as if he had been mocking him, like Robin had known something that Harry didn't.
As he stared at the man in the middle of the room, he didn't hear his mother walk over to him, placing a hand on his arm to grab his attention. He turned around to see that she has a smile on her face, one almost as big as the one she had this morning as she said through her tenth, "Play nice Harry."
He chuckled at her attempt before turning to his mother, placing a hand on her shoulder as he pats it mockingly, "Wouldn't dream of anything else."
~
The dinner had been quite uneventful up until that moment. The chicken their mother had made Harry found a bit dry and the damp noodles he had shoved down his throat made up for it, but time seemed to be standing still and when he was finished with his meal, only about twenty minutes had passed and everyone else was still eating. The four sat around the table in silence as Anne and Robin proceeded with small talk, along with Gemma throwing in a few comments every now and again.
"So you're a police officer," Gemma said quietly to fill the silence as she placed a fork full of food in her mouth, looking at Robin with wide eyes as she waited for him to answer.
Gemma was always the kinder out of the two Styles siblings. She genuinely cared for people and wanted everyone to feel as though they were heard and that they mattered. She had been that way ever since they were kids, something that Harry never really seemed to care for. The two were complete opposites; what he lacked in good manners and ill behaviors, she made up with in kindness and respect. She was a kindred spirit in that since, never seeming to have a bad bone in her body, even with all she has been through.
"Yeah," he responds as he covers his mouth before swallowing the remainder of his food, causing Harry to scoff to himself as the man pretends to be enjoying the meal on the plate in front of him. "Only been in Holmes Chapel for about five years but before I was relocated I worked in a small town like this just on the other side of Manchester."
She hummed with a slight nod as she said, "If you don't mind me asking, what is the hardest thing you've seen."
"Gem," their mother hissed warningly.
"It's okay love," he says with a soft smile as he turned back to look at the siblings who were sitting next to one another, Harry finally showing interest in the conversation.
Harry knew why she was asking him that question because quite honestly he had been wondering it too. He wanted to know if what Robin had seen was anywhere close to the horrific events that the officer who came the day Des was taken had. He wanted to know if he had a memory more haunting than the one he and his sister were forced to face almost everyday.
"You know you actually aren't the first person to ask me this," he joked as he grabbed a napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth off. He placed it back down onto his lap before looking back up at Gemma, looking as though he had been waiting for her to ask him. "I have had a lot of tough cases thrown my way over the years, but the one that still keeps me up at night happened one of my first weeks here."
He stayed silent for a moment as he turned his body Anne, discreetly grabbing her hand under the table for comfort.
"My day had really just started when the sheriff called me and my partner into his office to answer a call that had come in about a suicide. I had seen a lot of them in my day so at that point it was kind of a routine thing. We would go, investigate the scene, and then talk to the friend or family member who found them. Most of the time it was their spouse or an hysteric parent trying to make sense of it all. But this time it was different, his thirteen year old daughter and two year old son had been the one to find him."
The room fell into another silence, but not the uncomfortable one that had been lingering in the air since the moment the man had gotten there. It was one filled with anticipation... on all ends.
"It was my first time going to that side of town so I was caught off guard with the amount of people waiting there when my partner and I arrived. The neighbors were all out sitting with the girl and honestly, it was quite amazing to see how supportive they all were for one another."
"That's so sad," Gemma said in a small voice, "What did you do when you got there?"
"The protocol we follow is a pretty basic one: get there, clear the area, secure the scene, handle the body-"
"Handle the body?" Gemma asks, her full attention had completely been to the man across from her. Her fork that she hadn't set down since they sat at the table, now resting on the edge of the plate as she stared with wide eyes.
"His daughter had come home to him hanging in the basement."
A gasp leaves both Gemma and their mother lips as they cover their mouths with their hands, while Harry sipped on the beer in front of him, listening intently to the memory being told. Something had seemed off about the man, the sound of his voice making the hair on the back of Harry's neck stand with each word he spoke.
"It was definitely a sight for her to come home to because it was something I will never forget until the day I die."
"That's horrible," Gemma whispered as he looked down at her lap, fiddling with her fingers the way Harry would do when he was upset or anxious.
"But honestly the thing that haunts me the most was the girl," Robin explained as he looked at the two, "The way she was holding onto her little brother, telling him that everything was going to be okay. I could tell that she was trying so hard to be strong, but when the coroner finally took the body out of the house, she completely broke down. Begging for it to be a dream that she would wake up from. Her cries were so loud, it was heartbreaking to watch her go through all that."
"Do you still talk with her," Anne asked, speaking for the first time since he started the story.
"Every now and then yes."
Harry could tell he was lying. Up until that point, he had been looking around the room, making eye contact with every person. His voice had held so much emotion and he was sure of himself. Now he looked down at his lap, coughing lightly as if he was uncomfortable.
"Wow," Harry said as he looked at the man emotionless, deciding not to call him out and to just let it be. Of course he had felt sorry for the girl and her brother, but personally he couldn't care less about how much it had affected Robin. He was the one who wanted to be fucking cop.
"Wow is right son."
Son
His breath hitched in the back of his throat at the name. His left hand wrapped around his right one as he fiddled with the rings that were woven around his fingers, pitching himself slightly as the memories lapsed his mind.
It was late at night when he was awoken by the sound of yelling coming from the floorboards below him. His small, pudgy hands rubbed his tired eyes as he sat up in his bed. His body jumping slightly at the loud boom that echoed through the house along with heavy footsteps stomping up the stairs.
"Harry!" his father screamed, slamming the door open as he stood in the doorway. The glow of the hallway creating a silhouette of his father's body, the smell of alcohol swarming the room.
"Des please," he heard his mother call out, eyes flooded with tears as she followed from behind, "He's just a boy, he didn't mean it."
At that moment Harry froze, eyes widening in absolute fear as his father made his way over to the bed, standing over him with fury in his eyes. Harry didn't mean to break the coffee table earlier that day, he and Gemma had been running around when he slipped, busting his lip open and hurting his leg from the fall.
He was wearing his red fireman pajama set that his mother had let him pick out before he went to bed to calm him down, he had been terrified of what his father would say when he got home. He sobbed and sobbed all night not due to the pain, but because of the fear of what would happen to him as Anne rocked him to sleep.
He held onto the sheets tightly, silently praying he had a good enough grip so his father couldn't pull him out of the bed. But the six year old boy was no match for the man as he grabbed Harry by his new formed curly hair and pulled him out of bed.
"I'm sorry," he cried, holding onto his father's arm as he tried his hardest to get out of his grip.
His father said nothing as he led him down the stairs and into the kitchen. He pushed Harry roughly onto the ground as their mother followed behind, sobbing loudly as she rushed to Harry's side. She held him close as she whispered softly into his ear that everything was going to be okay, but he knew it wasn't, quickly grabbing his arm to give three light squeezes to calm him down.
"Get up," Des said to Anne, looking at her in disgust as he grabbed her arm and stood her up on her two feet before turning back to Harry, "You."
Harry quickly picked his head up at the command, he wiped the tears from his eyes as he stared up at his father, his eyes lingering down to the object in his hand... rice.
In a matter of seconds his father ripped the cardboard open, stumbling around for a moment as he regained his footing. He burped loudly before taking the box and flipping it over, the dried rice spilling onto a pile on the floor in front of Harry's shaking body.
No one moved for a moment, a silent wave overcoming the room as Harry gulped, hanging his head down to look at the rice.
"What are you waiting for son," the words hit Harry's ear like venom as his father grabbed his arms roughly to stand him up like he had done with his mother.
Harry looked at his father once more before looking back at the rice, sighing as he took a deep breath, relieved that this was his punishment. He held his head tall as he looked at his father in the eyes, kneeling down onto the rice as he wiped the final tears leaving his eyes. Making a silent promise to himself that he was going to be brave for both himself and his mother who was a sobbing wreck next to him.
"You better be here when I get back," Des spat before grabbing his mother's hand and leading the pair into the bedroom.
He didn't move from the spot for hours, his knees begging for a break as they bleed all over the floor, every once and a while hearing his mother whimper from the bedroom. He kept his eyes closed, trying his hardest to remain strong as he waited for his father to return and let the sleepy boy back to bed.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by his sister grabbing his arm from under the table to stop his hands. He hadn't even realized that he was rubbing them up and down his leg until her hand had forced his to remain still. He looked over at the girl as her eyes caught his, silently asking if he had been okay. He gave a curt nod before looking back over at Robin and his mother.
He stood up from the table loudly, forcing his chair to scrap across the floor as they all turned to look at him, "Never call me that again."
The words were like knives as he spat them out a Robin, his hand balled tightly in a fist as he clenched his jaw. He didn't give anyone a time to respond as he walked up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door shut, seeming as though he had caused the house to shake from the force. He paced and forth in his room as he inhaled deeply, running his fingers through his hair as he tried to calm himself down. This would happen anytime he thought of his father, the haunting memories always became too much for him to handle.
The lack of control would have him going to down a deep spiral that seemed to be never ending. One memory leading to another and then another, before he finds himself standing in the shower wondering what he had done so wrong in the past for this to be his life.
Only tonight he figured he would handle things a different way.
~
For the first time in months Harry found himself zooming down the dark roads freely, a helmet over his head as the harsh flow of the wind forced his eyes to water at the speed he was going. He craved the rush, the adrenaline that ran through his body as he maxed out the speed the bike could go.
The high he had felt as he rode as fast as he could down the curving streets of Holmes Chapel was one that always left him surprised. The way his body was almost falling off the bike with each turn he took made him feel as though he was testing life, loving how much control he had over the same object that could very well end his life.
It was as if he was untouchable. Flying down the winding roads without a care in the world as his mind cleared from all the stress and worries that his shitty, good for nothing life that had nothing to offer.
He made his way to the familiar alley as he quickly snatched the key out of the bike and kicked the stand down. He threw his helmet off his head as he turned his body down the long, dimly lit alley, a smirk on his face as the smell of booze hit his nose.
He could hear the yells of the drunken men that cheered as the echoes of punches and kicks took over the noise of any possible traffic coming from either end of the alley. He cracked his knuckles with anticipation as he approached the crowd, his heart beating faster due to the thrill he was about to encounter.
"Styles!" Charlie yelled as Harry made it to the rest of the group, "I was wondering when you would finally get your ass back here."
Harry chuckled at the words as he threw his helmet at the man who greeted him, "Get me next bid, yeah?"
He didn't say anything else as he walked over to Troy, tossing the cash beside him as he rolled up a dollar bill, not even taking a second thought as he snorted the line cocaine that Troy had been about to take, "What the hell man."
"Fuck off," Harry said as he went for more, "I've had a rough fucking night."
Just as the man went to open his mouth, he was cut off by a chilling voice walking behind them along with a hand gripping Harry's shoulder, "Lay off Troy, poor kid just got out of Woodgate."
He hasn't changed much as he turned to look at him, the black hair slightly turning grey as he also noticed his stomach looking rounder. His voice still stern and full of pride as he spoke the words deeply, always causing those around him to stop what they were doing to listen.
"Got a lot of fucking nerve for a man who just got out of prison," he fired back as he stood up, shaking the hand off his shoulder in the process.
"Still better than Woodgate," the man replied as he shrugged, "What brings you here anyway, thought that school would have changed a lot of things for you."
"Fuck that," Harry said through his teeth, hating the way his palms began to sweat at the name leaving the bastard's lips, "I need the money."
The man said nothing as he lightly snorted at Harry's remark, clapping his back with his large hand as he nodded his head in amusement, "Alright then, get ready Styles. You're next kid."
A loud yell from behind caught the pair by surprise as they both turned around, seeing the fight that had been going on before was now over, the man finally letting go of his hold on the younger boy.
"Good luck Harry, but by the look in your eye I have a feeling I should be saying that to Richy and betting on you tonight," he said as he laughed dryly, looking at Harry with a look in his eye he couldn't quite read.
He laughed loudly, raising his eyebrow in a cocky manner as he took a cigarette out of the package, lighting it quickly as the infamous smirk grew on his face, "You should know by now to always bet on me, Dean."
He took a deep drag before blowing it into his face, chuckling dryly before turning around and walking to the makeshift ring. He took his metal rings off, handing them to Charlie who had been following after him the entire time. This hoodie followed after along with his black shirt, leaving him exposed from the waist up.
"Are you sure you're ready for this," he asked, clearly worried for the boy who hadn't fought like this in months.
"I'll be fine Charlie," he said dismissively as he placed his hands on his head to crack his neck, the bones snapping as he rolled his shoulders back to release the tension he had consumed throughout the night, "Place your bet yet?"
Charlie laughed loudly as he stepped out of the 'ring', holding out the three fifties, "If you lose I'll kill you myself."
"Don't worry," he said calmly as he spat on the ground, throwing the now finished cigarette on the floor with it. He stomped on it quickly, turning back to the man holding his things as he smiled vindictively, "Never do."
~
He had no idea what time it was as he pulled up to the house. His head was pounding from the left hook the man had thrown him and his lip was now slightly busted as he dug his bloody knuckles in the pockets of his hoodie.
He took the cash he had made from his winning out to see it had all still been there, making sure none of it flew out from his ride home. The temperature dropped in the air as he counted, a chill running down his spine. He wanted nothing more than to quickly make his way into the house so he could shower and clean the dried blood of his body and then head to bed.
But unfortunately just as he made his way onto the front porch, a familiar squeaky car pulled onto the street behind him, causing him to roll his eyes as a groan escaped his plumped - now cut - heart shaped lips. He exhaled deeply as he turned around, seeing the girl with her hair down and a pair of baggy jeans on making her way over to him.
He sighed dramatically as he went to meet her halfway, laughing to himself thinking she had come for another round of fun. She doesn't say anything as she finally stood in front of him, allowing him to see her fully under the glow of the porch light that barely reached them. He stared at her for a moment before asking, "Couldn't get enough of me could ya hot lips?"
He took out another cigarette as he cups his hand around the end of the bud, blocking the now cool breeze from blowing out the fuel as he inhaled deeply. He shoved the lighter back into his pockets of his jeans, waiting for her to respond with a smirk on his lips.
She rolled her blue eyes as she scoffed in disgust, looking him up and down as she responded, "I bet your ass is jealous of the shit that comes out of your mouth."
He narrowed his eyebrows at her, his entire demeanor changing at her remark, "Then why the fuck are you here?"
"I want you to teach me how to fight."
He laughed loudly in her face as she looked taken aback. He wiped away fake tears in his eyes to piss her off even more, knowing that she hated being laughed at more than anything. Her jaw clenched tightly as she watched him, seeing her hands bunch into a fist through his squinted eyes.
"Okay I'll play along," he said sarcastically after pretending to calm himself down, "Why do you want me to teach you how to fight, Marley Jeen?"
She looks at him for a moment, almost as if she had been mentally calming herself as she ran her fingers through her hair. It had been obvious that she was exhausted, her usually annoying bright blue eyes now dull as they were paired with dark bags under them. Her hair was messy as her small, shaky hands run through them. "Some things have changed and I need to know how to defend myself," she explained, looking up at him so their eyes meet.
He didn't say anything as he looked at her with a scowl on his face, causing her to exhale deeply as she tiredly begged, "Please."
~
SO SORRY I POSTED THE UNEDITED CHAPTER YET AGAIN!!
Wow, 7,000 read. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. The story line is just about to pick up and I hope you all are enjoying it just as much as I am.
Thoughts on the story so far?