Burden // LS STORY

Part 29

We laid in bed following our first full day in Doncaster. I had shown Harry around some of the cooler sights in Donnie, although it really didn't have too much to offer. It was a small town and I really liked it that way, but it meant that you could get through the guided tour in one day. But it was nice showing Harry where I grew up and especially because he had met Zayn now, it was nice filling him in and showing him, the places Zayn and I use to hang out and where we caused the most trouble. It was crazy, the person I was describing to Harry seems like a whole lifetime ago. I don't even know him anymore and it's only been a few months.

We showered separately tonight, against my will, but I supposed that we should leave something to the imagination of my younger sisters, they don't need to see Harry and I going at it in the family bathroom, especially when I know they shower in there too.

I lay on my stomach, placing my chin on his stomach as he lays on his back. I'm face to face with a giant moth tattoo and it reminds me that I wanted to look at all of them and ask him about a few.

My eyes flicker to the two swallows that are aligned just below his collarbone.

"Harry?" I whisper against his stomach.

"mmm" he replies.

"Why did you get the swallows?" I ask, keeping my eyes on them. He pushes his neck down to get a view of them.

"Oh, I dunno really. I've always kind of liked that sort of design, like the old sailor kind of thing, it represents travel and I guess that's how I see myself. A traveller, free." He explains.

I nodded and trailed my eyes to the next one, running my finger along it. "And the mermaid?" I chuckle slowly.

He brings his left arm up to view, gazing at the mermaid laid across his forearm. "Oh" he chuckles. "Don't you think I'm a mermaid?" he answers sarcastically.

I chuckle through my nose.

"And the A & the G" they are for your mum and sister, right?" I ask, pointing to the single letters on either of his shoulder.

"Mhmm" he nods.

"And what about this one?" I slide my hand down to his right arm, to the inner side, where I noticed a specific tattoo not too long ago.

Inscribed in his arm is another small initial 'K' which is in amongst theatre masks that represent a happy face and a sad one.

From laying on Harry stomach, I could feel how much his tummy flinched when I asked.

"Oh that." He attempts to play off in a cool tone. "That was just some stupid prank years ago"

I wasn't buying into it fully, but Harry had a whole bunch of random tattoos so it wasn't completely out of the question that he would have a few 'prank' tattoos. Whatever the reason, he was brushing it off, and I really didn't feel comfortable about pushing him. Not when we had been so good. I'm sure he would open up fully to me as time goes on.

"Fair enough." I lie, laying completely down on his stomach now, tracing lines across his belly as he did through my hair. We had been lying here doing absolutely nothing for what felt like hours, but it was so relaxing.

We did the usual small talk and what not, and some of it was just complete silence, but I really just enjoyed being in his presence.

"Did you want to watch a movie?" I suggest, it's not quite late enough to need to go to sleep, and we had fooled around a little earlier on, so I could keep my sexual desires for him under wraps for at least the next 2 hours to get through a movie.

"Yeah, I'll pick one if you want to go get us some snacks?" he suggested as I rolled off his stomach to stand up.

"Okay, do you want some tea?" I ask.

His face lights up. "Love some!"

I head down to the kitchen to make us some tea and snacks for the movie.

"Lou?" Mum calls out from the living room. I head over to join her on the couch.

"How are things?" she asks as I sit down.

"They are great mum, thank you." I acknowledge.

"Still happy?" she teases.

I lean in and push a slight peck to the side of her temple. "The happiest I've ever been"

"I'm glad!" she adds before I stand back to go return to the kitchen. "Make me one too would ya?" she shouts out as I return.

I roll my eyes and chuckle at her.

I finish prepping everything. Handing mum her cup of tea shaking my head at her in amusement.

I grab the other items and head back up the stairs.

I can here mumbling coming from my end of the hallway and as I get closer, I can hear Harry talking to someone, but the conversation sounds serious. So, he must be on the phone because he wouldn't talk to my sisters like that.

"I know, I meant to come visit you after, but I didn't know what to say"

I hear Harry respond. I place my back up against the wall and listen for a moment. I know it was wrong to pry, but I couldn't help it.

"I miss him too; I can't believe he's gone."

Who was he talking to?

"I'm coming up home next week, I can come and see you then?"

"I know it's been months, but I still love you."

"Katie, I loved him too, I know he was your brother, but I've been around now long enough too."

Katie? Who was Katie?

"Okay, bye baby. I'll see you soon."

I hear him now flicking through the DVDs, meaning he hadn't even looked at one yet. He'd been on the phone that entire time. To Katie? Who was Katie?

I wait a few more minutes before I enter in, I had to leave enough time so that he doesn't suspect I heard the end of the call.

I take a deep breath and rotate around so I push the door open with my back.

"Sorry, mum wanted to chat." I casually play off that I hadn't just been standing at the door these past few minutes.

"Oh, that's okay. You have so many DVDs, it's hard to pick one." He lies, I know you just started.

"Whatever you chose, I don't mind." I set one tea down on my bedside table and crawl across the bed carefully to sit the other one on the windowsill.

He pulls one out of the collection and slips it into the player as I sat with my back up against the wall. It was so hard to contain my emotions and not let on that anything was wrong.

He's chosen Brokeback Mountain; I give him a playful smirk as I see the title flash across the screen.

"Needing to take notes?" I tease as he crawls up between my legs and swings himself around, so he lays against my chest.

I wrap my arms around his shoulder as he pulls open one of the bag of chips I had brought up.

"I don't need notes!" he mocks back, gloating knowing how good he makes me feel every time.

I rest my head against the top of his, fishing my hand around and grabbing out a small handful that I shovel straight into my mouth, quickly dusting off the crumbs that I've spilt all into his curls.

"Hey!" he plays off.

I just chuckle at him, letting my arms fall heavy over his shoulders. My eyeline is brought down to his arms that he is tangling in amongst mine.

My eyes freeze upon one tattoo in particular.

The 'K'

Didn't he just call whoever was on the other end of that phone call Katie and by the nature of the conversation, she knew Nick or Kyle and he apparently loved her.

What was going on?