Alleyway || h.s.

Chapter 06

A/N:

Hi lovelies! This is a shorter chap because it needs to be so this will be a back to back update with chapter 07.

All love
-a
_____

06

The entire way to who the fuck knows where was absolutely quiet to say the least, both of us dripping with exhaustion. Only the sounds of our footsteps, the soft gusts of wind, and the rhythmic clatter of train tracks filled the silence. I was so drained that my mind refused to think; one stray thought and I felt like I'd just collapse. Oddly enough, despite everything, that silence in my head was the most at peace I'd been in a long time.

Though he sat beside me in the subway, I trailed a few steps behind him when we left the platform. I just followed him around like a lost puppy completely clueless to where he was even going. I even considered just turning around and sprinting but much to my history of stupid choices, I pushed them away. Too tired to figure out my next move if he was to catch up to me. He'd probably just fling me over his shoulder again.

When we reach a quiet street littered with houses we stop a few steps in front of one in particular that stood out differently from any other.

The house loomed like a modern fortress against the dark sky, with charcoal siding clashing against warm red brick. Tall, black-framed windows lined the facade, giving it a stern, unwelcoming presence. A gravel path wound up to the front steps, flanked by neatly trimmed shrubs and evergreens standing like silent sentinels. The brick red pickup truck he owned was parked in the drive way on the side of the house.

Whose house is this?

Harry had continued his walk towards the front doors, rocks crunching beneath his steps. I stood there frozen watching him bring out the set of keys he had picked up in his basement. Oh, it's his house. Before pulling the glass doors open, he spun around to look at me before speaking, "Do I have to repeat last night?"

Okay, no. My body has had enough of being hauled around.

I will my feet to follow suit, my brain scrambling for any sense of what might happen next. As soon as I stepped through the doorway, I heard him double lock the door behind me.

My eyes were met with.... warmth— the least I'd expect his house to look like.

The living room blended rustic charm with modern sleekness, centered with a dark wooden coffee table that was wrapped around by a large charcoal sectional adorned with plush pillows.

The walls were a mix of bricks in different shades of red with accents of dark grey in between. Carefully framed arbitrary art that resembled those in Alice's tattoo shop hung out and about against the plaster. Dark pillars stood grand and tall, dividing it from the kitchen, that similarly had the same touch of sophistication the rest of the house had.

It wasn't until I saw the scattered pieces of papers that held similar hand writing to one I had seen in his basement, did I finally let sink in that this was in fact his house.

"The guest room is through the door on the right." He speaks, I turn to look at him and see that despite his tired demeanor there was an anxious glint in his eyes— seeming unusually nervous.

I just nod too exhausted to dissect this new side of him, literally zero energy left to even start an argument tonight.

He disappeared into another room moments later, leaving me glued to the floor. There was a deafening silence that loomed around me before I finally force myself to move, hesitantly walking into the guest room.