I Do?

Scorched Tongue

Harry lays on the floor of his apartment with a blanket wrapped tightly around his body. His mind is an empty landmine, left with craters that need to be filled but won't. Worries and anxiety and insecurities that Harry needs to address but won't. Instead, he lays on his apartment floor. 

"You have hot chocolate. Hot chocolate always makes me feel better. Do you want some, H," Taylor questions from the kitchen. Harry continues to stare at the ceiling and doesn't answer Taylor's question. Opening his mouth to speak would take too much energy, he decides. 

"Well, I'm making some anyway. I'll pour some Titos in it, how about that," She adds. 

Harry can hear her rustling around in the kitchen, but he doesn't care enough to get up to make sure she's not messing anything up in there. The last thing he needs is for her to move something and mess up Harry's routine. 

Just as Harry gathers the energy to sit up, Taylor appears by his side with two steaming mugs. "I usually like peppermint vodka, but you didn't have any," Taylor explains as she passes a green mug to Harry. He takes it, enjoying the warmth on his hands. It's almost too hot for Harry to hold too long, but he does it anyway. The burning of his hands is pleasing somehow, he decides. 

Taylor takes a seat on the floor in front of him as Harry props himself up against the couch. The blanket slowly starts to slip off of his shoulders when he does. He brings the hot chocolate to his nose and smells it, enjoying the scent of warm, rich cocoa. It's been a while since he's had it. 

"I'm sorry about kissing you earlier, I really am. It was really fucked up and I promise I won't do it again. I guess I just wanted to see if maybe you were different," Harry sighs. He watches as Taylor's blue eyes fall to look at the cup in her hands. The corners of her lips droop on her face and her eyebrows furrow for only a moment before she looks back up at him. 

"Thank you for apologizing," She murmurs. A small smile tugs at the ends of Taylor's lips as she takes a sip of her drink. 

Taylor opens her mouth to say something but is interrupted by the doorbell. She gives Harry a puzzled look. "Can you get it," Harry asks. She nods as she stands and makes her way towards the door. 

The door of the apartment blocks the person who stands in its path and Taylor has positioned herself in a way that makes the guest nearly impossible to see. A couple of words pass between the two of them, but Harry doesn't hear a thing that's said. 

"Uh, I think it's for you," Taylor calls. Harry stands, bringing his blanket with him as he does. As he gets closer towards the entrance, the door begins to open more until Harry is able to make out the person standing there. 

"Well... you're not Louis," The man at the door says. The first thing Harry notices about the man is his accent, obviously English. Harry moves in between the man and Taylor, not recognizing the stranger at his apartment. 

"Can I help you," Harry asks. He raises his voice and stands a little taller in an attempt to appear more in charge. The man standing in front of Harry seems unfazed by Harry's demeanor. 

"Is Louis here? This is the last place his phone pinged," The man explains. Harry's eyes narrow at the man standing in front of him. He's tall but nearly as tall as Harry is. A thick, black coat makes the man seem bigger than he really is and the Tom Ford's shoes he wears gives the man an extra inch of height. Harry's attention shifts to the navy blue watch attached to the man's wrist. He recognizes the Panerai design as easily as his own name. 

"No, he's not here. Can I help you," Harry repeats. The man holds up a manila folder for Harry to see. 

"These are for him. I'm not going to keep hunting him down to give them to him, so just give it to him when you see him next," The man explains. 

Harry takes the folder from the man as he moves his hands towards the door, ready to shut it. "What is it," Harry questions. 

"Just some stuff about his mum. Names and locations and whatnot. It's really not my business to say, so you can ask him about it," The man explains. "Well, I have more important business to attend to than standing around this... place all day. Oh, and if he asks... tell him Liam dropped them off." 

The man walks away without another word. Puzzled, Harry closes the door and locks it. Harry knew that Louis had probably been around money before, but the man that stopped by was obviously loaded. He wasn't loaded in the way that Harry and his family were either, he was subtly wealthy. Harry could bet that he wouldn't be riding around in a McClaren like his father does or wreak of over-priced cologne. The secrecy in the information about his mom and the files were confusing too. 

"Who was that," Taylor asks as she glances at the manila folder on the island. Harry shakes his head as he pulls his phone out. 

"I have no clue," Harry replies. 

10:29 AM

HarrySTheBest

"Liam" just stopped by with a file about ur mom. 

Louis_T

Dont open it

I'll be round to pick it up tomorrow 

HarrySTheBest

Who even is Liam and why does he have files about your mom? Also, why is your phone pinging at my house? 

Louis_T

Liams an old friend from home 

HarrySTheBest

??

Louis_T

Its a lot of personal shit 

I dont wanna talk about it

I'll come round tomorrow and pick it up 

We can chill some too 

If u want

No biggie

HarrySTheBest

Sure. See you tomorrow then.

~_~_~

What do you think of Taylor? A lot of yall didn't seem to like her last chapter lol. Also, what do you think is in the file and how does Liam play a part?? Very interested to hear ur theories.