The Encounter |H.S|

72

I smile weakly as Harry helps me get out of the car once it stops in front of my house, stepping out slowly while holding onto Harry's hand.

The ride here was quiet, Harry seemed to be thinking a lot and I didn't want to interrupt as well, it's not like I wanted to talk, either way, I too had too much on my mind.

As we make our way towards the front door of my house, Harry drapes his arm over my shoulders to bring me closer to him as the wind makes me shiver.

I open the door quietly so I don't alarm anyone, closing the door behind us once we're inside and hearing footsteps coming in our direction immediately.

Louis stands in front of us with furrowed eyebrows and hands on his hips, looking at us with a confused glance before gasping as he takes a look at my wrist.

It's reddish looking and I have a feeling it is going to look ugly by tomorrow, the pain isn't a lot, I only feel it when I move my wrist too much but apart from that, it's not a big deal.

"Evelyn, what happened?!" Louis whispers shouts, widening his eyes while taking a step closer to me and attempting to study the look of my wrist.

"Carter sort of did this," I mutter and Louis gasps loudly, slapping a hand over his mouth as Harry sets a hand on my lower back. 

"Let's do this, you're going to make yourself comfortable and I'll bring you an ice pack," Louis instructs me with raised eyebrows and crossing his arms over his chest while I tilt my head lightly.

I open my mouth to speak but he walks away before I could do so, causing me to sigh. I look over my shoulder to glimpse at Harry, who is looking down at his hands with furrowed eyebrows and pressed lips.

Instead of saying anything, I decide to take on Louis' advice and walk towards my room with steady steps. Everything that has happened in the last hour has seemed to be tormenting both my and Harry's mind and it's completely evident.

Once I'm dressed in my sleepwear I take a look at Hazel, who is sleeping peacefully in her crib, her hands holding tightly onto a stuffed animal, a little fox to be more specific.

I jump in the slightest when the door opens, smiling faintly as Harry walks inside with a pack of ice wrapped in a white kitchen cloth before he closes the door once he's inside.

I sit down on my bed and extend my hand to grab what he's holding, but he stops me, sitting down next to me and taking my hand in his carefully.

He sets the ice on the bruised skin, avoiding any sort of interaction with me and suddenly I feel like crying. Maybe he didn't want to be involved in any of this.

The silence becomes too overwhelming and I look away from him with a frown, wondering if it's truly worth it to attempt to speak to him when he seems to be so distracted. "Are you mad?"

He looks up instantly, his eyes widening as I gaze at him with a worried look before he shakes his head violently, taking the ice away from my skin only to bring his lips to my wrists so faintly that for some moments I thought I had imagined it.

"I'm… upset," He mutters, noticing the sad look I send his way and immediately correcting himself, "I can't help but think that this was all my fault."

I shuffle closer to him, cupping his cheek in my hand and internally screaming when he leans into my touch. "That's a stupid thought."

"It isn't, I could've fired him sooner, or I could have gotten food for us with you, or–"

"Why are you thinking like that? Look, I am so glad you were by my side at the right time," I pause to draw in a shaky breath before continuing, "I have no idea what he wanted to do, but if you weren't there I believe it would have been much worse."

He stares at me as I turn to look away from him in hopes to hide the evident sadness on my face, feeling him set the ice once again on my skin.

He doesn't say anything for a while, concentrating on the ice before taking it away to give it a rest, getting up and searching for the clothes he wears to sleep here. 

I turn my head to stare at Hazel, her position still the same as before and a quiet sigh coming past her lips as she sleeps. Harry soon sits next to me, ready to go to bed as well.

"I honestly can't wait for tomorrow," He smiles widely, causing me to smile faintly at his sudden joy, "I want to make sure she has an incredible day."

I lay down and he raises an eyebrow at me as I yawn, closing my eyes briefly before opening them as I feel a movement from next to me only to catch Harry laid down next to me.

His eyes shine in the darkness of the room, the only light coming from outside and the house completely darkened by the late hour, making me realise that Louis had gone to bed already.

I feel a movement of his, a touch on my hand causes me to look down at it only to see Harry's hand holding onto mine securely before he moves closer to me, pressing his lips against my cheek lightly.

He lets go of my hand to wrap his arm around me with a content hum as I lean closer to him. "Shouldn't you sleep?"

"I'm protecting you from the monsters of this house." He muses, running a hand through my hair before caressing my cheek with his thumb while I look at him with confusion all over my features.

Instead of replying to his weird sentence, I kiss his lips softly with my eyes closed. It's short, but it leaves my heart hammering against my chest, all the same, opening my eyes when he pulls me closer gently.

He sends me a lazy grin, his actions are slow and make me smile just as lazily as him, setting my hand on his chest and surprising myself at the sudden fast heartbeat of his.

"You alright, mon chéri?" I question in a whisper, watching as he brings his hand to cup my cheek before shaking his head.

"Maybe I'll tell you some other day, ma chérie."

Sort of a filler chapter? Not sure but I hope you're enjoying!♡