Bonded

Chapter Sixteen

Louis leaned back into James as he relaxed on his partner's lap. He was smiling as he stared off at nothing, too busy thinking about the next day to do anything else. James liked his idea for his and Harry's activity tomorrow and promised to try and make it happen for them.

The large office chair the two were sitting on swayed side to side, as James rhythmically moved it with his feet. He absentmindedly played with Louis's hair, twirling little strands around in his fingers as he concentrated on what he was doing on his phone. There was a knock on the office door startling Louis out of his thoughts.

"Come in," James's deep voice reverberated around the room.

Noah walked inside, silently shutting the door behind him. "Isaac took him home, they just left the building now," he reported, as he stood in the center of the room.

James took a second to finish what he was doing, then he shut the phone's screen off. He seemed to sink into the chair as he leaned back a little bit further. A thought filled sigh left him as he decompressed himself. He stopped moving the chair only to start playing with his phone, tapping it off the arm of the chair while rotating it around in his hand.

"So, what do you guys think?" James asked, as he leaned his head back to stare up at the ceiling.

Noah and Louis looked at eachother, and Louis gave a little shrug. Noah cleared his throat and took a step forward. "It was just as you said," he told James. "When he first came up here, he didn't talk to anyone, not even to ask for them to point him in the right direction. He went to his partner for help but .... was not received well by Issac."

"Angry?" James asked, tilting his head just enough to peek at Noah with one eye. Noah nodded his response. "I could feel it this morning," James said, turning back to look up at the ceiling again. "His anger blew away what everyone else was feeling. How did Harry react? Did he cry?"

"No," Noah told him. "I did eventually, feel the need to intervene since it didn't seem like Isaac was going to calm down enough to help him. Harry seemed really shaken, but at the same time he didn't seem incredibly bothered." Noah's brows creased as he frowned and added, "It was almost like he was used to it."

"Hmm," James hummed as he contemplated. "If I recall correctly," he added, "meeting me was way more intense for him then dealing with Isaac."

Noah nodded again, though James didn't see it. "I physically escorted him like you suggested. At first I didn't think he needed it but in the end he really did."

"His behaviour changed?" James asked.

"Yes," Noah clarified, "it wasn't until we were about five feet from your door that something in him just snapped. He completely freaked out, dropped his weight and was trying to pry my fingers off. If I hadn't been prepared I'm positive he would have run off. His begging and pleading almost got me but we were so close I figured it would be best to just toss him in to get it over with."

"He begged? To not meet me?" James asked, sitting up properly to look at Noah.

Noah nodded as he frowned again.

Louis sat up after listening. "You escorted him? As in held his arm?" He asked Noah. "Like they do at the academy for your first few meet and greets?"

Noah only nodded the affirmative. Louis turned to James, not satisfied with the lack of verbal response.

James nodded slowly as he looked at Louis. "It was better to be cautious, just in case, but it turns out my hunch was correct." James seemed to think for a moment before turning his attention back to Louis. "How about you now? What was he like during the day?"