𝕋𝕦𝕣𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕚𝕕𝕖||𝕃.𝕊

FOUR

Using his thumb, Harry wipes away Louis's tears and holds the Prince close to his person. Now when he looks at the Prince's eyes they are not unreadable or emotionless. They are filled with immense amounts of pain.

Pain and sadness. Suffering held away from the world's eye. It's like a curtain lifted and his facade crumbled to the ground.

"It's alright Príncipe. You're okay. I'm here." He soothes the crying man in his arms.

Louis's sobs reduce to sniffles after a good while and he slowly pulls back from the merciless captain's embrace. "I can't go back." Louis says after a while as he looks down at his now calloused hands. "I can't." He whispers.

Harry tilts his head as he looks at the Prince. "Go back where?"

"T-to the castle. I can't take it anymore." Louis sighs.

"Then you will not go back." Harry says after a moment.

"But I have nowhere else to go. I have no one else and I am supposed to be dead according to the news father released." Louis slumps. All forms of perfect posture left behind.

"Then you shall be dead on land but not on my seas. These oceans are mine and here what I say goes. Here you will be respected and you will be feared. You have me. You can stay on my ship." Harry says as he removes his waistcoat and other garments until he is only in his puff sleeved white shirt and pants once more.

Louis smiles. For the first time since his mother passed, he smiled.  Harry wanted to paint the way his eyes crinkled at the sides and his thin lips curled upwards and his eyes scrunched. Only if he was an artist.

"No one has ever said that before. No one has cared before except for mother." Louis says as genuine happiness spreads through his being.

"Well now you have me Príncipe and I'm a hard one to get rid of." Harry smirks as he approaches the Prince seated on his bed.

Louis blushes and looks down. He can feel Harry looking him up and down. He curls in on himself trying to hide his marred body away. The insecurity he feels when the god like pirate looks at him is unfathomable.

Harry frowns. "Don't do that." Harry says as he crouches in front of Louis and pulls his hands away. "Don't hide yourself. You're beautiful." Harry says. Louis hides his reddened cheeks as he ducks his head down causing his chin to touch his chest.

Harry lifts Louis's chin up with his thumb and index finger until they were looking into each other's eyes. Louis's glassy eyes made Harry's cold heart crack. He immediately sat on the bed and pulled Louis close to his person and carded his fingers through the Prince's hair.

"Thank you." Louis whispers. "For showing me kindness. I had forgotten what it felt like. I had heard the tales of the most feared man alive. The pirate who sailed the seven seas but who's face no one knew. The stories always said you were cold, heartless and cruel." Louis says. Harry pulls away and looks at the Prince. "But you're not. You're not cruel or heartless and you're not cold." He whispers.

Harry lies down and Louis follows. "Cuddle me?" Louis asks shyly as he scoots back against the pirate captain.

"As you wish Príncipe." Harry hums as he pulls the man against his solid chest and wraps a protective arm around his waist. His palm rests on the Prince's chest and Louis tentatively brings his own hand up and places it on top of the captain's and laces their fingers. Harry hums in approval.

"But those stories are true. I am cold. I am heartless and I am cruel. I am also merciless. I have no remorse when I kill. You can ask my crew Príncipe. They'll tell you that it is the truth. People are scared of me. Everyone knows of me and they are all scared. That is how it is and I will not lie. I am all what the stories say but I am different with you Louis. I did not have the heart to kill you that day we found you in the brig." Harry says.