The Graffiti Bridge

In the Air Tonight

Authors notes:
*I feel like authors now a days don't name their chapters, but writing is really making me realize why. ITS SO HARD. Hopefully as I figure this chapter out something will come to me. *

"Im starting to sense a running theme every time I run into you here." Harry laughs as he for the fifth time this week catches a glimpse of Louis at his usual spot atop the bridge. But as he makes his way closer Harry can see Louis' disheveled appearance, his normally tamed fringe fringe is sticking up in random places and his shirt is stretched and slightly askew giving the appearance that it had been roughly tugged on or yanked from the collar. With out much thought Harry walks over to the boy slightly worried. Looking over his shoulder Louis merely chuckles and calls out "Oh yeah pray tell, what may that be?".

Harry walks all the way up to where Louis is sitting and instead of taking a seat next to him decides to rest his arms on the ledge and stares up at Louis from his leaning position. Louis is no longer looking at Harry, but rather off into the distance avoiding eye contact. "Hey Lou" Harry whispers out in what he feels is a delicate atmosphere. "Yeah" Louis lets out even quieter, still obviously not trying to meet Harrys attempts to gain his attention.

Harry stands straighter next to him trying to meet his eyes rather than his profile, but Louis turns his face the opposite direction as he catches Harry trying to meet his eye. Not wanting to push any boundaries but still worried for the boy Harry reaches out to turn Louis face. His fingers graze Louis skin, the touch so delicate as if here were touching a fine piece of china. As he catches Louis jaw he gently guides his face to face his. Slowly taking in the details of his face Harry cant help but feel sadness and anger sink in to his bones as he sees the marks that litter his face and the eye that is nearly swollen shut. He lets out a gasp as it all comes into view.
"What happened Louis?"  Harry lets outs. He sees Louis eyes, or well eye, shine which Louis would attribute to the moonlight but Harry knows is unshed tears.

Louis tries jerks his head away from Harrys hold but the task proves futile as Harrys grip only tightens and reaches out with his other hand to hold his neck in place. "Im fine Harry, let me go" Louis says dejectedly making Harry loosen his grip but not yet wanting to let go. "Louis, baby, you can talk to me what's going on, what happened?" Harry questions not giving up on his quest to find answer as to who hurt the young boy.

    Louis takes an unsteady breath in, losing the fight with his emotions to keep the tears in. Using his thumbs Harry gently caresses his face wiping the streaks that wont stop falling from Louis eyes. Its the first time Harry has really gotten a chance to look at him and take in his features, the long eyelashes fanning over lovely blue irises, his pronounced cheekbones, dainty little nose, faint freckles on his cheek, and the soft pink lips that are being chewed raw as Louis attempts to hold in his sobs. The second they make eye contact Louis loses all sense of control and sags into Harry's chest letting out small whimpers as he cries. Harry is shocked back into reality when he feels Louis arms wrap around his back as Louis squeezes his face close into Harrys stomach. Not knowing what else to do, Harry brings a hand to Louis head and pets the child as one would a dog as the other rubs up and down his spine. This action only spurs Louis on to let out a more gut wrenching sob against Harrys stomach, his breathing now more erratic.

    "Louis, lets calm down you're breathing love, you're scaring me." He gets a hiccuped breath in response but to no avail is the boy calming down. "Fuck" Harry whispers while looking around in search for help, seeing the stupidity in his action, as it is the middle of the night in the abandoned side of town, he tries to bring Louis face up to meet his again. Gently Harry tries coxing Louis up with soothing words that seem to do nothing as the latters tears soak through Harrys jacket. "Lou breath with me, everything's going to be okay, just follow my breathing."