Rupture // h.s au

13. "I haven't killed you."

Autumn

I woke up the next morning, to frantic knocking on the door. It took me a moment or two to realize where I had been, who I had been with. A low groan went past his lips, as he departed the uncomfortable chair, stealing a glance towards me, before directing his attention to whomever disturbed his sleep. As soon as the door opened, in came Raine, but she was crying, aggressively. And I didn't know why, but I felt something within me stirring, a bad feeling settling at the pit of my stomach.

" Styles, dad didn't come home last night. He had been on that mission for days, and- many people came back, but not him. I know what that means, but this can't be it. It can't be over. He can't be dead, Styles. I- I have no one else." His features were pained, his eyes drowning in emotion, as he slowly fell to his knees, his arms holding the little girl at a fair distance, as if to keep her grounded. He remained silent, unable to console her sudden grief. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, watching as her own pain, projected on him, who was much, much, stronger, but not when it came to this. He was as broken as she had been, and I found myself bewildered by the realization. So, he lost a soldier, it shouldn't have mattered. He shouldn't have cared. It shouldn't have fazed him, the way it had. And that was exactly why I was no longer able to feel; it weakened you, allowed an entrance for all those who aimed for your destruction, making their job easier. Right then, he could have easily been diminished. I could have easily taken him out now, only, I didn't want to.

Why did I not want to destroy him?

Why had the line between the enemy and myself dissolved into what could only be named as unjustified, irrational, hopeless, emotions?

Emotions that I wasn't allowed nor capable of handling.

I slowly sat up in bed, watching the little girl's figure trembling with the continuous cries filling the air, while his eyes remained on the ground, hiding whatever weakness taking over him, attempting to hold onto the front of indifference he had to maintain.

" He might not be dead yet." I weakly spoke.

" Don't do that. Don't get her hopes up. This is too cruel, even for you." His voice was laced with bitterness, hatefulness, and rage, his eyes had darkened with the overwhelming, contrasting, emotions he allowed himself to feel, as he rose from his sitting position, hiding the girl behind him, as if that would ease her pain somehow, protect her from the unknown, or perhaps, from me.

" You can at least go on a search. Ask those who were with him on the mission, I'm certain he wasn't left behind all by himself. If you care for the girl the way you pretend to, then you can at least put a little effort into this." He stared at me, his head tilting to the side slightly, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as he attempted to resolve the mystery I resembled to him.

" Why do you care?"

" I don't."

" Right. Yeah." He rolled his eyes, before turning around, crouching down in front of Raine, who sniffled, wiping at her eyes, in a desperate attempt to seem composed. I couldn't help but smile weakly at her bravery, in awe of her strength, innocence even.

" I'll tell Louis and Zayn, and we'll go on a search ourselves. But I don't want you wondering around, it isn't safe, kiddo."

" But, it's my dad, Styles."

" You can call me, Harry, you know."

" And you can stop calling me kiddo, you know." He chuckled at that, shaking his head at her stubbornness, and my smile widened, for whatever reason.

" Okay, Raine, I'll call you by your name, and you call me by mine."

" I can do that." Her face lit up slightly, almost no signs of her previous breakdown, except for the dried tears on her cheeks.

" Do you have anyone you can stay with?" She shook her head, confirming that her father was literally all she had.

" What will I do with you, Raine?" Harry rubbed his forehead, releasing an exhausted sigh.

" She can stay here, you know, with me."

" Yeah, nice try, Autumn." He scoffed, shaking his head in immediate rejection.

" I won't pull one on the kid," I pointed towards her, seeing her frown deepening slightly at my reference, " no offense, kid." I offered, she nodded, but her eyes remained sealed with Harry's.

" I'm not about to leave her with a prisoner, who's known for mercilessly killing anyone who came anywhere near her."

" I haven't killed you." I crossed my arms against my chest, as if that was enough reason for him to trust me.

" Oh, darling, you couldn't have even if you had tried." He rose a single eyebrow challengingly, his lips curving into a confident smirk, as he underestimated all I stood for. And I found myself slightly turned on by finding someone who was a bit of a challenge.

I lifted my body off his bed, making every movement, slow, intimidating, and slightly unpredictable. My feet silently moved over his wooden floor, as I approached him, a knowing smile on my lips, his features blanking of all expressions. I could almost see the blood flow increasing pace, his heart pounding, sudden heat taking over his body, as I laid both hands onto his chest, bringing my mouth to his ears.

" Don't underestimate your enemies, Styles, that will surely get you killed someday." I whispered, hearing him gulp under my heated touch.

" I won't, if you don't, Griffin." His voice was so low, so secretive and hoarse with emotion. He then pulled away, his smirk widening, and I looked down, to see handcuffs around my wrist, before I was quickly pinned to the bed, my hand held to the metal pole making out his bed. I was too shocked to react, as he walked towards the door.

" You son of a bitch!" I yelled at an utterly amused Harry, which strengthened my fury.

" Hey, hey, now, language, we have a kid around." He put a finger to his mouth, biting his bottom lip as if offended by my language, before chuckling to himself.

" I'll tell Tomlinson to stay with you here, while Malik and I go on the search. Look out for her, Raine," He faced the door as he spoke, his words directed to no one in particular, " and don't think too much of yourself." With that, he brought his fierce, mysterious eyes into my own, his smirk never once faltering, " got it, Raine?", yet his eyes never shied away from mine, as Raine whispered an enthusiastic " got it!". As soon as he left, Raine sat herself down on his chair, her arms crossed against her chest, a pout taking over her lips. I could tell she meant to look intimidating, firm, but I couldn't help but laugh at her over-dramatic posture.

" Don't laugh at me, I can be quite dangerous, if I want to." She threatened, intensifying my laughter, as she huffed in annoyance, rolling her eyes.

" Women these days."

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A/N: 1k reads woohoo!

thank you guys, it's not much, but it's a good enough start for me :)

hope you enjoy this, ily x