Devil in Your Smile

Chapter 44, Let Me Burn

Wednesday update! forgive the errors :)

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3RD PERSON POV

Louis blanks out as he drives, somehow managing to remember the way back to the city as if it's muscle memory. He doesn't look behind him, he doesn't watch for other cars, and it should be considered a miracle when he pulls into the driveway in front of the house he's missed so much. He jumps out, not even closing the cars door as he walks up to the entrance of the house he once lived in, typing in the password to the door, and in no time at all he's inside and bolting into his room, not even taking note of how clean the place is or the fact that his bedroom door has been replaced. He heads for the closet, skin itching for the comforting place he knows is still there, a place only two people know about. He slides open the false wall, crawling into the hiding spot before maneuvering himself around and closing it off, making sure it's stable. It's safe. You know that it's safe. Safe from him. Safe. his mind keeps repeating this on a loop, like it's a prayer or a mantra. He closes his eyes and practices his breathing exercises, almost calling for his furry companion until he realizes that he isn't there to be beckoned. He stays like that, wrapped around himself and trying to gain control of his emotions, sitting in the dark and letting his mind comb through the last hour, just to make sure that it was real. At the same time that Louis is decompressing, Harry is searching the house, getting more frantic as he finds each room as empty as the last.

He knows that Louis can't be too far, but he doesn't think before dialing the others, not knowing if he can handle this on his own. Did he go out the back? Did someone take him somehow? Did Damien know? The thought of Damiens men having Louis somewhere has Harry not filtering his thoughts when Zayn picks up his phone, "Hey man did you find-" He cuts his Capo off, words rushed and harsh. "I can't find Louis. His car is here but he's nowhere in the house." Zayn immediately goes into questioning mode, asking where Harry is and how many people he needs. He's in the middle of ordering everyone around him to get into the cars as someone takes his phone and Harry hears an Irish accent come through the speaker of his phone. "He's there, you just can't see him. I need you to calm down and catch a breath before I tell you where he is, because if he's in there it's because he's overwhelmed or something, and you acting like a fucking maniac isn't going to get him to come out." Harry puts him on speaker, setting the phone on the bed in one of the four guest bedrooms before he takes a breath and catches up with himself, breathing in and out slowly a few times before he picks up the phone and demands, "Where is he?" it takes a second for Niall to respond, and Harry almost explodes, but the blond answers his question. "Go into his bedroom and into the closet. Say who you are. There's a hidden compartment of sorts along the back wall, you have to push on it and slide at the same time. Knocking doesn't do anything because the door is thick. Remember, announce yourself, Harry." He follows the instructions, sliding his phone into his pocket without hanging up as he goes into the empty bedroom.

Sure enough, the clothes in the back of the closet have been pushed to the side, indicating that he might be in there. He gets onto his knees, remembering what Niall says. "Louis? It's Harry. Are you in there?" He hears a choked sob, so he repeats himself. "Baby. It's Harry, I need your permission to come get you, I need to make sure you're okay." He hears a pattern of knocks against the wall, though he can barely hear them he strains his ears and holds his breath. He takes this as a yes, and does what Niall told him, pushing and sliding, opening the wall. The sight in front of him is a sad one, something that makes his stomach knot up. Louis is laid on his side with his knees tucked under his chin, his arms around them to keep himself balled up as much as possible. He looks at Harry with a measured look, like he's trying to figure out if he's really there or not, so Harry tries to help by repeating himself. "It's Harry, Dove. can I help you out of there?" He gets a head shake in response, so he tries harder. "You don't want to come out? I can take you home and you can get in bed and cuddle Cliff? I bet he's missing you, I bet he's worried. Can we go check on Clifford?" Louis' eyes meet Harry's then, and the accepting look makes him feel a little less guilty for using that tactic on him and talking to him in such a childish manner. He's gonna give me such a hard time about this later. Finally, the small man unfolds and starts to crawl out of the space, letting Harry hold him when he's out. Harry can feel how bad the boy in front of him is shaking, so he doesn't think twice before picking him up, letting the boy's legs wrap around him as he carries him out. As they step outside, he remembers the phone in his pocket, waiting until Louis is safely in the car before switching the child lock on for safety and closing the door. He grabs his phone from his pocket, seeing that Niall or Zayn are still on the other end even though it's been about thirty minutes.