I'm fine, We're fine [boyxboy]

Twenty-Two p.2

Harry's POV

I didn't think it was possible for me to feel nervous after having my ass handed to me by Louis' father, but my still knotted-up stomach told me something much worse lay in store for me.

My head was aching. I angled the rearview mirror so I could see myself rather than the road behind me and grimaced as soon as I saw my reflection. The right side of my face was swollen and red. Where my cheek bone should have been visible was a large knot that was darkening. Clotted blood was lodged under both nostrils, my lip was busted. All I could taste was blood in my mouth. Scarlet dotted my black shirt and there were spots on my joggers. I looked like I'd been hit by a bus.

"This is gonna be fun to explain to Louis," I sighed, swiping my tongue across my lip.

The road to Zayn and Liam's felt shorter than usual and I was upon them before I was ready. The streetlamp across the street, the one with a yellow fire hydrant under it, came into view and all I had to do was like right and lo and behold, both of their vehicles were in the driveway. A light was on in the living room, I could just see a glow behind the curtains in the window. I really hoped I wasn't interrupting them the same way Louis had. Heat crawled up my neck just thinking about it.

But like I'd done at the Tomlinson's, I pulled off to the side of the road and parked. There was no sidewalk, so when I came around the front of my car, I stepped right into the thin grass. It crunched under my shoes. I was uneasy as I walked. Part of me hoped someone, a pal or even Niall would show up so I would have an excuse to run back and leave before Zayn or Liam would know I was here. But none came and I was on their doorstep before two minutes had passed. Knocking on the door made my head throb and I didn't bother taking a few steps back like before; if Zayn was going to get me, then so be it. I'd take another ass whopping if it put things back on the right track.

There was the sound of the deadbolt turning on the other side and the door was pulled open. It squeaked a bit and it sounded ten thousand times louder than it actually was. I was relieved when the first person I was greeted with was Liam. His clothes were on, his hair was neat. I hadn't interrupted anything after all.

"Harry?" Liam looked right over his shoulder and quickly stepped through the doorway and pulled it behind him. "You really don't need to be here." His voice lowered to a whisper.

The reaction was better than what I thought I'd get and I did my best to smile. When his eyes adjusted, I could see them widen with alarm at the sight of my face. "If Zayn sees you, Harry..." Liam's gaze darted over his shoulder.

"That's why I'm here, Liam." I don't know why, but I chuckled quietly. "I'm here to talk to him. Both of you, really."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Harry. He hasn't seen you since, well... you kno- I'm sorry, but what the hell happened to you?"

Before I could reply, the door was yanked open and Zayn was there, towel drying his hair. "Liam, who- What the hell are you doing here?" Liam immediately stood between the two of us.

"I came to talk to both of you."

"You son of a-" Zayn broke off in something I could have only compared to a snarl. He lunged, shoving Liam out of his way before grabbing me by that throat. I gasped as the air was squeezed from my lungs and I was held against the banister. "You got a lot of fucking nerve showing up here," he hissed, pressing down on my windpipe with his thumbs.

I choked out a response and clawed feebly at his hands, just as Louis had clawed at mine. The grip was too hard for me to say anything and I struggled under him, trying my best to writhe away. Through my fluttering lids, I could see Liam tugging at his arms and desperately saying something that couldn't get past the ringing in my ears. Zayn's eyes darted between the two of us before he let me go and stepped away with a calmness that rattled what nerves I had left. I sucked in a deep breath and held my throat, gasping as water filled threatened to spill from the corners of my eyes.