Chattel *Larry/Zialliam* BoyxBoy

The Childhood Part 2

THREE MONTHS LATER
"Lou?"

"Lou, where are you?" Harry asked to no one in particular.

The house was a maze. Harry wasn't able to fully navigate through the house on his own yet.

Harry lost track of time. He searched high and low for the blue-eyed boy but he couldn't find him anywhere!

They played hide and seek before but it never took him this long before and that scared him.

"Louis" He whimpered. Where was he?

Strange scenarios kept popping up in his head. What if someone had taken him away? What if he'd never see Louis again?

Harry's head clouded in fear at the thought of his dear Louis put away in the evil dark room.

He walked into the kitchen to find Christina busily chopping vegetables while whistling a tune happily.

Harry liked Christina. She reminded him of dough. All round, soft and nice. He walked and tugged on her apron.

"Christina, d-do you know where Louis is?" He asked.

"Oh sweetie! What's wrong?" She asked, throwing the knife away and crouched down to meet the five year old.

Harry wiped his teary eye with the back of his hand. "I can't find Louis anywhere"

"Oh dear" She replied, although she now tried containing her smile.

"Where could that old rascal be?" She wondered out aloud.

"Could he be in there?" She pondered, acting like she was deep in thought. She pointed to the cupboard underneath the sink.

Harry bent down and pulled open the cupboard, and to his grief Louis wasn't in there. Harry looked like he was about to cry again. "He's not there"

"Harry, sweetie, Louis is here somewhere. Now, dry those eyes Mister"

Harry sniffled cutely.

"Here I'll give you a clue!" She pointed to the laundry room. She patted his curls and ushered him over there.

He hadn't been to the Laundry room before. It was usually out of boundaries.

Harry slowly opened the door, turning on the knob while he stood on his tippy-toes.

The washing machines buzzed to their usual hum-drum and the dryers whizzed bored. In the corner was a huge pile of washed linen and clothes that had yet to be folded.

Harry walked slowly, cautiously to the huge mound. Before he could investigate further, his heart had stopped briefly.

"BOO!"

Louis popped from the white linen, hands up in the air. Louis laughed to his content unaware that Harry was having his own melt down.

"Harry?" Louis called, as he watched Harry wiping his eyes furiously trying to hide his tears.

"R' you okay Hazza?" Louis mumbled as he almost tumbled down from the basket and fell flat on his face.

"Hazza" Louis called and gathered Harry in his arms.

Harry slowly wound his arms around the blue-eyed lad and tightened his hold. He wanted to tell Louis how scared he had been, how he had imagined that he had been taken away from him.

Harry burrowed his head in Louis' chest, his shirt soaking up the salty tears.

"Hazza, it's just a game" He chastised lightly, unsure on how to soothe the ball of curls in his chest.