Love is a tragedy but it's each person's choice to make the sadness worth it.

*LOUIS' POV*

Fuck, please not again. Though the seriousness of the situation should filter through in my mind and have me in frenzied fear, this very minimal but present habitual annoyance is also in the back of my mind. However, it isn't enough to keep me standing. When a solid smack of hard, cold air has me flying backwards against the counter interior I refrain from standing. There was no point to trying and protecting myself.

You're a weak one.

The ghastly creature with something familiar about it, speaks. Her lips move but they're too fast to be saying what I hear. My heart is in my palm, bared and oh so vulnerable to be destroyed. I hiss from a strong throbbing from the back of my head, and I draw my knees to my chest for protection. I feel no better.

The shadow is what this woman is. That's what was familiar about her, I've seen her - it? - in my nightmares. She killed Harry's family, and let me watch while I slept. She appeared to be on the brink of rusting rather than decaying, with brown clothing and tanned skin that could not be the fault of the sun. Her words to me are drowned out by a blood-thickening pulse in my ears and a few escaping droplets dropping from my nostrils.

But I see why my son chose you. No one likes a fighter.

I cringe at the sound of her voice. It was akin to the sound of scraping one's steel nails on a blackboard and I resist the urge to protect my hearing with my hands. She bends in a horrific way, folding back on herself but finding no difficulty in moving towards me. If I pressed my back any further into the counter I'd be a permanent component. Fear coarsed through my veins and pure horror bled into my eyes as I watch her get nearer.

Her face was long, angular and black sores were scattered all over her skin. Her nails were
more like claws, when she reaches out her finger bends where it shouldn't trying to touch me. Oh God please no.

You don't want me to touch you?

I stay silent, head turned to my left.

You have to answer me or I won't know.

I hone my courage that keeps escaping me. "Please- Please don't touch me."

Surely I don't scare you as much as Harry. I'm harmless compared to him.

Nothing. I give her nothing. A snarl leaves her throat and I flinch.

The door swings open, too powerful of a jolt to be the wind. I look up, relief flooding my raw nerve endings when my terrifying restriction is gone with the wave of wind.

"Harry." I say like his name alone is my protective talisman.

I scramble to my feet hurriedly, wiping the blood from my nose with my sleeve as I go. I carelessly throw myself at him and he catches me effortlessly with grace. My arms squeeze his neck and my legs wrap around his waist, making me a fair comparison to a scared toddler.
A petrified toddler, correction.

"Hey. It's alright." He run his fingers through my hair, gripping my thighs tightly so I won't fall. My face is hidden in the crook of his neck, knowing that's probably the safest place for me. "What happened?"

"She-She came here. She tried to touch me an-and I recognised her from my nightmare." My voice is a low wobbly attempt.

"Okay, okay. It's alright I've got you." He tightens his hold on my leg for emphasis. "You're safe."
"I was so scared." I let the blood from my nose stain his shirt, my tears creating darker pools in
his clothing.

"No reason to be anymore. I'm here. Let's go home, yeah? Get some food in you then we can sleep."

I nod, glad that he read my mind and kisses my earlobe because that's all he can reach. "I love you, okay?"

"I know. I love you."

"Okay, we get it, Lou! The lovebirds want to go home." Seth has found it appropriate it now pop into our bubble. He isn't welcome.

I feel smug at Harry's stiff stature now, his arm around my waist instead as he carries my weight without leaning against anything.

"The store is closed for the week, yeah Lou? Got a few deliveries to make but Roger and I can take care of those. Paul's got some business and is giving his slaves off until Monday."

I nod and mumble my acknowledgement, feeling happy knowing I'm free for the next few days.

"Can you hear me in there, Lou?" Seth is a persistent bastard and by Harry's protective hug I
can tell he tried stepping closer.

I just wanted to stay here where nobody would disturb me, my throat felt dry and I didn't want to talk anymore. I didn't realise my trembling hasn't stopped until I try curling my fingers and they won't. I must sound the same.

"I heard." I say sounding like a gruff horse. "Thanks."

"See you on Monday then."

I only hear the last word because Harry is patient enough to slam the store's entry door after Seth's completed the sentence.

"Lou, I need to drive." Harry doesn't rush to shove me off him and into the front passenger seat. He goes for humour but I don't feel like laughing, all I want to do is not move.

I shake my head stubbornly and Harry doesn't chuckle to make me feel worse about this dependant state of mine. I'm afraid to let him go, as obviously pathetic as you may see it, I felt unreasonably safe here and just want to stay as I am.

"C'mon, Lou." He tries to get my hands to release him. "I'll hold you all you want when we get back."

I let out an embarassing sniffle before detaching myself from Harry and climbing - literally - past the door into my seat. My door is closed and my knees and hugged against my chest. I felt so tired and to the brim with irritation, I want a normal life with no super-fucking-natural beings floating above my head. That was more literal than I wanted it to be.

But those things - scary as they may be - comes with Harry and I want Harry. Needing him around meant my life would be an uncomfortable and far from painless one. I didn't care if it meant getting to fall asleep at night with him and knowing that I'd always have him to be my safety anchor.

Fucked up is what this was. The circumstance under which I meant Harry would never have predicted this coming from it.

Harry is holding the steering wheel with one hand and wraps one large palm around my free clenched fist. I watch him from the corner of my eyes - discreetly and under his radar - slowly making mental descriptions of how that vein made an imprint in his neck, it only showed when he was angry; I watch his skin stretch over his knuckles making them white from the pressure.

"Come on then." Harry releases my hand to force the dividing armrest between us up.
At first I don't know what he means, before I take the opportunity of us being halted at a red light to drag myself onto his lap. My legs are resting on my own seat but I'm sat with my back against the driver's side door. I bury my face in his neck, hibernating and camouflaging myself from everyone else. While we're idle he gently plays with my smaller hand, kissing my wrist and holding on tightly.

I inhale his scent along with the stench of my own dried blood. He smells of vanilla and berries with leaves or wood. I nose at his neck and he hums in approval.

"I hate to see you so afraid, Lou." He locks our hands together, creating a hollow space between them before bringing it up to his mouth. He blows out loudly, warming up my hands and forcing me to giggle.

"That's better." He kisses my forehead. "I love you, okay? Nothing's ever going to happen to you."

I smile and rest my head against his shoulder as the light turns green. Harry is skilled at driving with a person in his lap and he never complains about having to reach the gear shift, which is when I have to part my knees a little.

"How about we stop for some of the greasy and disgusting takeout food you love so much for dinner?" Harry says after a while.

"Really?" I sound hopeful and he does chuckle.

"Really. McDonalds?"

I nod and he takes a wide turn, jostling me a little but I just reposition myself more comfortably.
When we're just outside the drive-thru Harry asks what I want and I have to stop my entertaining fidgeting with his buttons to look at the menu. I bet I look like an injured baby and I don't give a fuck. Babies can't say fuck anyway.

He places our order of two Big Macs, one large Coke - because Harry absolutely despises fizzy drinks. We pay at the second window where the lady stares at me but I give her a smile and she offers a small one too. At the last window we get our food and the lady couldn't care less about our traffic-violating position.

"Why don't you like it?" I ask Harry while sipping on my soda.

"It's gross, Lou. You can clean toilets with that." He informs me.

"Then it's some good tasting Ammonia. Try it."

"No."

"Come on. You can't say you hate it if you've never tried it."

"I disagree with that. Of course I can."

"Please?"

I hold the straw against his lips and he sighs loudly before cutting the engine in the underground parking. "I'd do it for a kiss."

I blush and decide that it won't be ideal to do that in a parking garage. I stretch forward and try to get back to my seat but Harry grabs my sides and holds me back.

"Oh no." He grins, dimples on full power before pressing our lips together. Every bone in me
turns mellow and become limp.

"Now drink some." I hold up the cup and he rolls his eyes before taking the straw to slip into a slight cave in his lips. His eyebrows scrunch together before relaxing.

"And?" I ask when I take the holder back.

"I was right. It's disgusting."

I pout in childish disappointment and Harry cackles before helping me hop down through his door. I hold the food and Harry holds my hand, well in a manner he only knows how with his hand wrapped around my balled fist. I frowned to myself at how tiny my hand was in his.

"Do you want to take a shower first?" Harry asks, dropping his keys on the counter and taking the food from me with a kiss.

"Okay." I really didn't want to be in such a slippery and risky environment alone so I am careful to leave the door open while I shower.

My nose has stopped bleeding and I plug it with some fluffy cotton wool while I brush my teeth.
My shower is a complete scrub down and I dry my short hair quickly with a towel before stepping into my clothing. It's a soft pair of my most embarrassing pyjama bottoms - they have Squidward thumbnails all over it - and my own black T-shirt. We have to go shopping for new
clothes for Harry and soon.

He is quick in the shower but I don't eat anything until he comes back. I munch of french fry after french fry while I wait. I flip through the boring channels and stop at an episode of Fawlty Towers. I could swear that show is all this channel ever shows. When Harry returns, he slips in behind me so that I'm sitting in the V of his legs with his arms wound around my middle.

"What's this?" He puts his head on my shoulder.

"An old comedy show I used to watch."

He nods, reaching for his container of food. His face is hilarious when his nimble fingers pry the lid off. "People pay for this?"

"It's a millionaire fast food chain." I shrug.

"Next time I'm choosing a place."

"You chose this time."

"Well I was under the influence of you so I had no choice."

I smile. "Don't you like it though?"

"Nah uh." He shakes his head with ketchup on his lips and an amused expression. "It's cold even."

I peck his lips and get tomato sauce on my lips too. "We can just eat cereal."

"Cereal it is!" He licks his lips and tries to get up.

"No." I whine and wriggle my way onto his lap so he can't get away. "Let's just eat the cold food."

"You finished the Coke so at least let me get some water."

"Fine."

When he does get back with two packets of Twizzlers, a bottle of water, the abandoned fries from the counter - suspiciously warm - and popcorn I ask no questions. After eating my packet of sweet and sour candy, about half the bucket of popcorn and all the fries, I'm straddling Harry and fumbling with the knot of his sweat pants. The sugar indosed adrenaline has my actions coming out hasty and untidy.

"What are you doing, Lou?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

"I want to thank you." I say, out of breath when I finally release the catch.

"You can just say it."

"No." I whine. "I want to suck you off."

Harry bites his lip and releases my wrists when I realise that I didn't know he was holding them. I drag his pants down below his knees and shift in his lap until I can comfortably bend down. His skin is hard and warm in my palm while I work him into stiffness. He tastes even better. The pleasured sounds that leave Harry's mouth, moans and grunts of encouragement are nothing short of fucking perfect.

He doesn't try to physically push me but while Mr. Fawlty yells at a waitor, I guide his hand to my hair in a silent request for him to tell me what to do. With wary eyes and a wink from me, he presses me low enough so my red nose nuzzles the hair of his lower abdomen. I moan and relax my throat to take him in because I didn't want to get hurt. With enough momentum Harry starts raising and dropping his hips off the mattress, with only the ocassional gagging from me.
When that happens, he stops and pulls me off him to kiss me. At his end, he releases in my mouth and I try hard to swallow before choking.

I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, Harry secures the side of face with his hand to kiss me urgently. I didn't get hard except for sporting a soft semi and it troubles me.

"Lou? What's wrong?" Harry's thumb catches behind my ear.

"I-I'm not.....um...." I don't get to finish because by pointing to my crotch Harry follows my finger and sees himself.

"Lou, it's okay." He hugs me to his firm chest when tears start flowing uncontrollably. "I'm sorry.
You didn't have to do that, you know."

"I-I wanted to." I hug him back and hide from the world.

I bawl like a fucking child while he holds me, rocking my quaking form gently while whispering
sweet things to me.

"I-I think I was just scared." I whisper shakily. "That-That's why."

"I know, my love. I know." He kisses all over my face until I'm forced to smile a little through the crocodile tears. "There you are."

I inhale through my mouth and reach for a tissue from the brown bag for my leaking nose. Harry takes it from me right when my sneeze is on the rise.

"Harry." I protest weakly.

"I'll do it."

"I'm not a baby, Harry. I can blow my own nose."

"I know but shoosh and let me take care of you."

I'm about to argue but my sneeze is far too unavoidable and I have no choice but to let Harry be the creepy boyfriend he is.

"There. Better." He says proudly with a smile.

"Shut up. That was horrible." I moan and hide in his shoulder, my arms around his neck.

"Uh....Lou?"

"Haz?"

"Can I put my pants back on please?"
[A/N: Woah o.O fluff overload for me right there. Um....I'm trying not to be too descriptive with the smut because I don't want you guys to get annoyed (it's going to be frequent). Terrible ending, I know. Feel free to send me your hate mail. Unless you are comfortable with it....? Let me know. And no more fluff for me for the rest of my life, definitely my favourite chapter to write. I love you more and more everyday, every single one of you. My little buttons. Comments are love! :)]

Notes

[A/N: Woah o.O fluff overload for me right there. Um....I'm trying not to be too descriptive with the smut because I don't want you guys to get annoyed (it's going to be frequent). Terrible ending, I know. Feel free to send me your hate mail. Unless you are comfortable with it....? Let me know. And no more fluff for me for the rest of my life, definitely my favourite chapter to write. I love you more and more everyday, every single one of you. My little buttons. Comments are love! :)]