Nothing without you [L.S] AU

Chapter 14: Broken-part 2

Louis stood in the doorway, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The boys—Liam, Zayn, and Niall—looked at him with concern etched on their faces, but he couldn't take it. He couldn't stand their pity.

"I'm going home," Louis mumbled, his voice thick with emotion. "I just... I need to be alone right now."

Niall took a step forward, worry evident. "Mate, we're here for you—"

"I said I'm fine!" Louis snapped, though the shake in his voice betrayed him. He quickly softened, sighing deeply. "I just need to be with my family."

The truth was, Louis' family wasn't home. The house would be empty, like he felt inside. But the chaos in his head was too much. He needed to escape, even if it meant sitting alone in the quiet darkness of his empty house. Before anyone could say another word, Louis slipped out the door, leaving his friends standing in stunned silence.

Liam looked over at Zayn, who gave a subtle nod. "We should go check on him," Zayn said quietly.

"Yeah," Liam agreed. Without hesitation, the two of them followed Louis, hoping to catch up to him.

Louis's Confession

Louis made it back to his house before Liam and Zayn caught up with him. He slumped onto the steps of his front porch, head in his hands. The weight of everything felt unbearable—his heart was pounding, guilt swirling inside him like a storm. He had pushed Harry away. Again.

Liam and Zayn approached quietly, taking a seat on either side of him. For a few moments, no one said anything. The silence between them was thick with unspoken tension.

"Louis," Liam said softly, breaking the silence, "you don't have to be alone in this, mate. We're here for you."

Louis let out a bitter laugh, his voice cracking. "You don't get it, Liam. I mess everything up. It's better if I'm on my own."

"That's not true," Zayn chimed in. "You're just going through it right now. We've all had bad days."

Louis shook his head, his fingers digging into his scalp. His voice was barely a whisper as he spoke. "It's more than that. You don't know what I'm capable of... I don't want to hurt him. That's why I keep pushing him away."

Liam and Zayn exchanged a glance, confusion on their faces.

"What are you talking about?" Zayn asked carefully. "Who are you afraid of hurting?"

Louis closed his eyes, his mind replaying scenes he had tried to bury for years. His father's face, the things that were said, and worse—the things that were done. Memories of the abuse that had shaped him into someone who didn't believe he deserved love. His throat tightened as he spoke.

"My dad," Louis began, voice shaky. "He hated who I was. Hated that I was gay. He couldn't even stand to look at me after a while. And when he did, it wasn't just yelling... It was worse than that."

Zayn and Liam sat frozen, not daring to interrupt as Louis continued. His words came out in bursts, like he was pulling apart old wounds he had kept hidden for too long.

"He used to hit me. Sometimes worse. He did things... things I've never told anyone." Louis took a deep breath, his eyes filling with unshed tears. "It messed me up, alright? I spent years believing I was nothing but a mistake, someone no one could ever care about. And when I started caring for people... I ruined it every time. I push them away, just like I pushed Harry away, because deep down I think—no, I know—that I'm the problem."

Liam reached out, placing a firm hand on Louis's shoulder. "Louis, none of this is your fault. What your dad did to you... it's horrible. No one deserves that."