Tell Me When it Hurts

18

E i g h t e e n : Tell Me When it Hurts

Stepping from the hospital shower, Harry grabs a towel with his free hand wiping his face before staring in the mirror.

He grimaces at the reflection, lips snarled as he lingers watching his eyes darken in thirst to be let out. The information from his debrief this morning stands at the forefront, he can't shake the anchoring guilt he has for keeping everyone closest to him on the outside of the new information, yet he feels relieved to be the only one that knows of this as well.

Three knocks on the door startle him, Harry sighs as he steps back tucking a towel around his waist, "What is it?" He asks, "Mr.Payne sir, he's here to take you home,"

His emerald eyes flicker once more to the mirror, he glances down seeing his arm in the sling,

"She had bad aim, but he doesn't. Do you think this could've been an inside job?"

Emerging from the bathroom dressed in a charcoal turtle neck, left arm in a sling, black skinny jeans on with his brown boots, "I've got everything packed for you," The nurse assures, she offers him a cheerful parting smile gesturing to the door.

Trailing her into the hallway he feels himself stand out amongst the rest, the nurses that paused their stroll to watch him, the doctors that cast him a glance, and Dr.Peterson waving towards him one last time.

He strolls down the endless hallway until finally, the pair reaches a doorway that opens outside where a black SUV sits waiting, Liam gets out of the driver's side opening Harry's door for him. The man furrows his eyebrows, "This isn't your car-"

"I was in an accident," Liam mutters in reply shutting the door behind Harry placing his bag in the trunk.

Staring ahead out of the windshield, Harry adjusts in the seat catching a glimpse of his reflection in the rearview mirror, he didn't know the eyes staring back at him.

Liam shifts to park after a silent ride to Harry's mansion, the man frowns seeing a car he didn't know parked next to his, "That's Zayn's," Liam announces seeing his friend's face, "Louis is here, remember?"

"I'm not an idiot, Liam,"

"Never said you were, Harold," Liam mutters bitterly, he keeps his voice low smiling at the workers that are opening Harry's door for him, "Nice to see you again Mr.Styles,"

The man rolls his eyes fumbling in his jacket pocket for his cigarettes, "I didn't want a fucking welcome home party," he growls seeing another car entering the driveway, "That's just Kerri," Liam returns grabbing Harry's bag from the trunk offering Kerri a warning wave.

He trails the man into the house, once the grand front doors are pushed open they reveal an empty entryway aside from the two servants dusting.

Stepping by them, Harry continues on into the dining room where Luke and Zayn set, Louis coloring next to them with a pack of fruit snacks on the table, "I don't let him eat those before dinner," Harry retorts grimacing at the sugary snack knowing how energized they made his already beaming submissive.

Luke jumps not expecting anyone to be in the room, he turns his face paling seeing the stature of Harry in his darkened state, "H-hey, hey," he greets hurriedly, Louis gasping as he shoots from his chair towards his master with a grin, "Daddy!"

The cigarette between Harry's fingers falls to the floor as his good hand is needed to catch the boy throwing himself trustingly into the arms of the man he loved. The anger that had been stirring in the pit of Harry's stomach buries itself, for the time being, he feels himself visibly regain his color as he inhales the iridescent sweet smell of Louis.