The Sculpture and The Sculptured (l.s)

twenty-four

Tigger warning:
—> Discussion of sexual assault in detail

Louis stands in front of the door as visitors enter, and leave the home. Some of the women are in tears, men are shaking his hand and telling him that they look forward to doing business together, and servants are silent as they most likely spend their time wondering about their future. It's clear that Louis plans to sell the land, and move somewhere far. Whether he takes them with him or not is unknown. Zayn is by his side after Louis paid the servants and doctor extra to not only remain quiet, but to also fake documentation of his father's death.

Mr. Rodgerick is also deceased, buried next to his wife on the land with a tombstone. Louis held a private service for him yesterday.

"Mr. Tomlinson," Louis looks to see one of Mrs. Walker's maids approaching him with a solemn expression, "I'm sorry for your losses. I've come to deliver some news—"

"Please." Louis whispers as his head starts to ache. "Not today. Don't tell me today."

Zayn motions for a maid to come, and whispers for her to take Louis to the kitchen for a cup of tea. With his finger grazing Louis' hand comfortingly, Louis follows the maid away. The pianist bows as a greeting to Mrs. Walker's maid, and clasps his hands behind his back.

"I apologize." He mumbles. "He sustained an injury to his head recently, and the added stress has made him... different."

"He has a lot on his mind. It's understandable." The maid sighs. "Please inform him of Mrs. Walker's passing. She died just last night after hearing the news about Mr. Tomlinson's father. Let him know that she not only died while praying for him, but also kept a smile on her face. He did well by her, and I came to personally tell him rather than him hearing it from another source."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it." She bows once more, and excuses herself to pay her own superficial respect to the deceased man. Zayn motions for a butler to take his place at the door, telling him to inform visitors that Louis and the girls aren't fairing well, and takes this free time to make his way to the attic.

He sits at the piano, and opens the lid to see the dusty keys staring at him. The space is so quiet, eery, and haunting. He spans his fingers across the piano, and takes a deep breath before playing freely. It's a sad tune, a mournful song, and it's quiet. As his breathing turns heavy and his eyes close, tears flow down his cheeks and the song turns into a hopeful vision of happiness and content— something Zayn craves after so many years of torment.

He feels a presence behind him, and beautifully ends his playing. The person lets the last note resonate in the room before speaking.

"Talk to me. Please." Louis whispers, and Zayn opens his eyes to look in front of him.

The piano is perked by the window where the sun shines, across from the narrow bed against the far corner, and Zayn sits with his back to Louis. Sheets of music scatter the floor, some balled up in a pile and others torn in half, and bottles of Mr. Tomlinson's most expensive alcohol sits at the bench. Louis guesses Zayn emptied them over the night.

"That bed is the spot he frequented the most with me." The pianist mumbles to his friend. "At first, I would wake up to him just watching me from the stairs. The moonlight would shine just right on the spot he stood, and I would have fear coursing through my veins at the look in his eyes. The first night was after he beat me for Lottie's mistake in manners at dinner.  She spoke when she wasn't spoken to, and I stepped in before he could hit her. He came up here like usual, but he didn't watch that night."

He sets a finger on a key, and presses it. Louis doesn't move. "It started with touching androgynous zones, like my legs and arms. Maybe my back if I tried to act like I was sleeping. I tried to fake sleeping, but he would breathe in my ear. I could hear what he was doing, but I wouldn't open my eyes. The night Mrs. Tomlinson informed him of her pregnancy with the twins, he escalated to touching my privates."