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Hide & Seek (Larry Stylinson AU)

Chapter 32

[A/N: I had a toothache and a bucket load of assessments to complete. So I'm sorry for the lack of spunk........Anyone willing to take care of my pet mouse? His name's Rözil. This chapter may be a little bit confusing but basically I'm trying to tell you in different POV's what is happening while something else is happening. Make sense?]

Fear is dark and dingy with cobwebs of horror and intricate ideals to terrify. It is the only thing capable of beating hope and love.


*HARRY'S POV*


Martha was more than hospitable, saying that she needed an errand boy and it wouldn't be that difficult. I could use her car if I needed to and would be paid weekly while on probation.
I started today, manning the silver-top counter while she ran out for a bit. I'd be done in a few minutes since Louis and I have to visit the mall upon his insistence.

"Hi." A girl greets me while I try to open the cash tray behind the counter.

"Hello." I return bleakly. I remember already taking her order so now what did she want?

"What's your name?"

I stop doing what I was supposed to and stare up at her in mock amusement. She has blonde hair, lips practically burning red from the lipstick she'd hurried into the bathroom to apply not twenty seconds prior. She's petite and appears very submissive just from her tone of voice. I pinch my bandana.

"Does it matter?" I ask.

"It could."

I chuckle. "I highly doubt that. Can I help you with anything restaurant-related?"

She rests her elbows on the counter. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"

Shit. "No. Can I get you anything? I'm really busy."

Having rudely put her off her game she stomps back to her table, her kind friends teasingly accept her failure. I cough into my closed fist and throw the ugly as fuck apron down onto the kitchen floor that was distanced from me with a dividing wall.

I could never swear at the house. My old home. Mother would make me feel physically awful about it afterwards.

I was paid with a paper bag of food by Martha, and all the tips I'd gotten during my 'shift'. I leave her to clean up and close the gate behind me as I got to our flat door. I realised that I didn't have a key, I'd have to ask Louis for it. I knock on the door but it creaks open on its own.

"Louis?" I call, stepping inside and placing all that I'd been awarded on the counter.

I hear a muffled sound, far off but within the confines of this apartment. The television is on and I switch it off with the remote before going in search of Louis. I give the attic door a brief look before stepping into the bedroom.

***

*NARRATOR POV*


Louis busied himself in any way he could, any chance to occupy his threatening idle mind even it meant playing Suduko on his phone with Judging Amy rolling on. He makes an omelette for himself, and mentally sketches a route to the only mall in Dynasville. It's a ten minute drive without traffic.

He decides to call his dad to check on Phoebe, it's been much too long since he last heard his baby sister's high-pitched voice.

"Hello?" Phoebe - to his luck - answers his father's cellphone.

"Hi, angel. Remember me?" He smiles into the end of the phone.

"Louis! Daddy and I miss you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. He takes me for ice cream by the park sometimes without Aunty because she won't let me get chocolate. It's no fun without you."

He grins like a goofy idiot. "I miss you too, love. Take care of Daddy for me, yeah?"

"I promise." She squeals. "When will you visit?"

"Soon, my love, soon. How's Hanayen?"

"He's okay. Aunty won't let him come inside so I let him in my room softly." She whispers the last part like Aunty might overhear her.

He mimicks her tone. "Well done, baby sister. Do you listen to Aunty?"

"Sometimes but other times she's mean. I miss Harry and I miss you too."

Louis' heart seizes up. "Is anyone in the room with you, Phoebe?"

"Nah-uh."

"Okay good. He isn't here now but maybe you'll talk to him soon?"

"Promise?"

"Promise." She suddenly breaks down into unrestricted sobs.

Louis panics. "What's wrong, Phoebe? Baby, don't cry. Why are you sad?"

"Because whenever we made a promise before-" She takes a moment to hiccup. "-you would always hold my pinky."

"Aw, angel. We still can. Just hold your pinky up to the phone, okay?"

"Okay. I am."

"Can you feel my finger?"

"Where?"

"Wait a while, the service isn't all that good here."

"Okay." She mumbles. "I think I can feel it now. I can, Lou! I can."

"I'm glad, bub. Now-"

"Daddy wants to talk to you!" She doesn't wait for Louis to comprehend her sudden outburst of joyful energy before the connection turns static.

His father makes him wait no more than a minute before speaking up. The line was so silent that he wasn't sure whether his dad was on and just not speaking.

"Hey, son." Ed Tomlinson answers gruffly. The man was not far over forty and already bald with a pot-belly and dark freckles all over his hands. It wasn't looking good for Louis, but the young man has always loved his father. Detached emotion and affection, he defined it as.

"Hi, dad." Louis doesn't have to feign his relief.

"How are things in Dynasville for you?"

"Good, actually." Louis sits back against the couch's plush cushions, fingering the frayed hem of his washed-out T-shirt. "Got a job at the hardware store. Big one, too."

"That's nice. When do you work?"

"Well, we're off until Monday but usually it's any six days of the week from eight to five."

His dad actually laughs. "I'm glad to see you're taking on some responsibility."

"So am I. What about you?"

"It's honestly really boring. Can't work because of your aunt, so I just take care of Phoebe who takes care of Hanayen."

Louis felt a bubble of a sad emotion pop. He missed his pup. "That can't take up your entire day."

"It doesn't. Phoebe's enrolled in a primary school now, and Hanayen takes her every morning like he used to with you."

Another painful bubble. "That's great, Dad."

"She asks when you're coming to see her, you know. You're her brother."

"And you have no idea how bad I feel about not being there to walk her to school every morning." Louis takes a deep breath. "But I'll try to visit as soon as I can."

"She says you promised her that."

"I did and I will. Maybe near Halloween?"

Halloween is approximately three weeks away so if he worked enough hours for that time, he'd be able to get off. Considering where Harry would be for that time was a knot in his plate.

"Whenever's good with you. Say, have you given any thought to your studies?"

"Not yet. Been really busy."

"I think you should apply, Louis. There's no way they won't accept you."

"I know, dad. I just haven't browsed any college brochures yet or searched for any online."

"Do you need me to send you some? I'm not doing anything else around here."

"It's fine, dad. I can handle it."

"You sure? I mean-"

"I'm sure. Thanks for offering."

"You know I want the best for you."

Louis sighs and his shoulders curve in on his body. "I know but I'm not ready yet."

"You've been out of high school for almost two years. At least take a gap year."

"I'll think about it."

"What course?"

"I don't know that yet, dad."

"You were always good at Math and Chem."

Louis knew his dad was only trying to help, in ways that his boredom will allow. He sighs and tries not to smile wryly. "I'll let you know, yeah?"

"Oh yeah. Right. Well, bye."

"Bye, dad." He tosses the device between his hands while he stares at the wall.

School? Going back would be so exciting, and he could still work part-time at the store. He didn't have to go to campus if he chose to do a correspondence course. It would just take longer.

On Round Twenty-Seven of beginner Suduko, Louis' phone rings and interrupts his game. Such a disruption has obliverated every chance he had of beating the clock. He doesn't recognise the number but has always felt guilty when he didn't answer a person's call. "Hello?"

"Louis!" The voice belongs to his good friend, Marie. He last spoke to her at Middleston PD.

"Marie." He breathes out in relief. "How are you? Where's everybody?"

"We're nowhere. The coppers told us to find somewhere out of town to stay for a few days until they're back on track."

"Bastards." He laughs.

"Got that right. Oh, hold on. Here's Zayn." The phone rustles and the connection goes blank before someone picks up. Louis has never been a little happy to hear Zayn talk, today is the day
of exceptions. "Hey, Louis."

"Zayn." Louis smiles a little.

"How's things?"

"Fine. Working now at a hardware store. How's everything over there?"

"We're homeless so it can't be that good." Zayn jokes. "Say, could we crash with you? Just until we can come back."

Louis' world stops rotating until it kicks back on at a slower pace. They couldn't come here, Harry is here and nobody from town could see him. Ever.

"Uh....I have a flat-mate." Louis lies immediately. "I'll have to check with him."

"Oh. Sure, that's cool. You can call back on this number when you get an answer. Thanks, Lou."

"Don't mention it. I can't promise anything." He bites his lip, feeling sheepish and full of betrayal.

"We'll take whatever we can get." Zayn does smile and Louis knows it. He wonders when was the last time he did that, after the massive terror that swept over Middleston.

"I gotta run but I'll call you in a few hours, yeah?"

"Deal. Later."

"Later." Louis may have hit the End Call button hard enough to create a crunching sound. He sighs and slumps in his new couch, half the affordable comfort is ineffective because of this new dilemma that's presented itself. He just feels tired, and it can't be the physical kind because he's slept more in the past twenty-four hours than he would have in a week of schooling.

He misses school. High school. Middle school and sometimes maybe primary school. It gave him something to do, thoughts to think of and homework to do. Study lessons the day before so he'd be able to answer questions the next day. He was a straight A-plus student who worked more efficiently than he should have, it's what made him a teacher's pet. Now he wants that again, but in a college set up.

He sighs and slouches, his shoulders hunched and his lips pouty red.

And that's when the attic door opens, creaky and revealing the sight hidden behind the barrier.

Notes

Comments

@Suman98
Can you please MAKE another one I LOVE THIS STORY

Amazing. ...

That_Moment That_Moment
9/18/14

Amazing. ...

That_Moment That_Moment
9/18/14

Only on the prologue, but I love it so far.

@Suman98

Awe :) your welcome!
and...... oh my gosh yay!