devotion ➶ larry

four

Louis ate the pastries quickly, smiling when his stomach felt full. Harry was staring at him with curious eyes.

"So you're a...hybrid?" Harry questions, glancing at the boys cat ears. Louis' eyes widened and he looked down.

"Hey, it's fine. Don't uh worry. Now um, we should probably clean you up and then take you to the doctors--" Louis shakes his head at the mention of doctors. Harry sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

"Okay um, let's give you a bath, yeah?" Harry offers and Louis' ears flicker at the comment. Harry smiles and points to the direction of his bathroom.

"Come on, love." The boy looked hesitant but then he followed, looking at décor in the flat in awe.

The interior was mostly black and white with small sparks of color. Harry led the two to the bathroom and Louis' eyes widened at the entirety of it. A huge tub was in the corner, looking more like a giant bowl than a bathtub.

Louis couldn't care; the place was pretty and he hasn't had much interaction with pretty things. Harry started the water, checking the temperature and adding some bubbles with a hint of vanilla smell.

"Okay, let me check your wound." Harry mutters and Louis lifts up his shirt to reveal the bloodied gauze. Harry makes a move to take off the bandage, muttering apologies when Louis winces.

He furrows his eyebrows when the wound is fairly healed.

"How long has it been like this?" Harry asks and Louis shrugs. Harry shakes his head before making his way towards the door.

"Okay, go ahead and get in the tub and I'll find you something to wear. And then we'll...figure everything else out." Harry says and exits the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Louis looks back at the bubbly water and a smile etches itself onto his face.

He can't remember the last time he's showered properly. He strips his clothes, tossing them onto the floor and stepping into the tub. He sighs happily at the warm water and giggles.

He looks around and finds some soap and shampoo. He hopes Harry won't mind. He washes his body quickly, getting all the dirt and blood off his body, turning the water a murky brown under the bubbles.

Harry comes back inside with perfect folded clothes and a light blue towel.

"So um, here you go." Harry says and leaves again without another word. Louis smiles and steps out of tub, shivering as his feet are met with the cold floor. He dries himself quickly, and slipping into the clothes Harry left for him. It consisted of a pair of briefs, some sweats and big t shirt.

He made his way out of the bathroom and peered around. The hallway was empty but he could hear Harry talking in the other room.

"No I just found him. He was all dirty and he barely talks. I just know his name." The room is silent and Louis wonders if he's talking to himself. He makes his way towards Harry's voice and finds him talking into a little rectangular thing.

Harry sees him and smiles. He quickly says bye to whatever he was holding and puts in his his back pocket.

"You feeling better, babe?" Harry asks and Louis nods.

"W-What was...that. The thingy you were t-talking to, sir?" Louis asks and Harry furrows his eyebrows. He pulls out his phone and shows it to Louis.

"This?" Louis nods, "It's a phone. You haven't seen one before?" He hands his phone to Louis and the boy looks at it in awe. He presses the button on the front and jumps when it turns on, bright light blinding him for a second.

"This is...amazing, sir." Louis whispers and Harry chuckles.

"And it...talks back to you?" Louis asks.

"No, well. It like connects you to someone who isn't with you that has a phone and you can talk to people with it." Harry tries to explain. Louis hums and giggles as he locks and unlocks his phone.

"How did you...end up in the streets? And how did you get hurt?" Harry questions and Louis frowns. He doesn't want to remember anything from the past sixteen years. He just wants to start a new life.

"I was...trapped and I escaped and t-they shot me, sir." Louis whispers.

"Who's they?" Harry asks but the small boy shakes his head, tears pooling in his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry for crying, sir. I promise--I won't do it again, I'm sorry." Harry's heart breaks at his words. In what conditions was this poor boy in to be afraid to cry?

"Don't worry, lovely. It's alright to cry. You're safe with me." Harry says and Louis' eyes widened. He instantly jumped onto Harry, hugging him tightly. Harry let out a small huff of surprise but instantly wrapped his arms around the small boy's waist.

"Will you please let me stay here, sir? Please?" Louis asks and Harry thinks for a moment. He doesn't want to tell him that he just got off the phone with his friend Liam who just so happens to work with hybrids and asked what he should do with him. Liam had told him to take him to the police but people weren't so...kind to people like Louis.

"Um...I don't know, love." Harry says because his life is just so busy and having him in here might cause trouble. He doesn't know him and letting him stay might be a bad idea.

"Please, sir. I p-promise I'll be good. I-I won't do anything bad." Louis begs and Harry lets out a long sigh. He ponders before thinking fuck it.

"Okay, I guess you can stay. Just for a few days though, until...we figure everything out." Harry says and Louis' face breaks out into a smile. He hugs Harry tighter than before, thanking him over and over again.

"Okay come on. You must be tired. Let's get you to bed." Harry carries him to his bedroom and sets him on the bed. Louis looks in awe at the duvet and covers, amazed at how soft they were. He's never had a bed before. He cocoon's himself in the blankets and giggles. He's never been this happy before.

"Um, well. Goodnight, Louis. If you need me, I'll be in the living room." Harry says and Louis thanks him again.

"Thank you, sir."

"One more thing."

"Yes, sir?"

"Call me Harry."

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