Hostage

19. "Happy Birthday"

1 week later

"Happy fucking birthday to me" I muttered sarcastically. I was sat in the corner of my 'room', using another screw I twisted out from the toilet to carve into the wall 'Happy Birthday'. It was paired with a sad face.

I hadn't seen Harry, Louis, or Zayn for quite some time. I wasn't exactly sure since I have no fucking sense of time. I sat with my head against the wall, staring straight up at the ceiling as I dug he screw harder into the wall to my left.

I'd given up on trying to escape. I always ended up getting hurt in the process. I had originally began shaping this screw as a knife just like last time so that when Zayn came down I'd stab him right in the throat, but Zayn hadn't come down and I don't have the heart to do this to anyone else. Not even Harry.

People would think I'm crazy if they knew what went on in my mind. How could you not want to kill someone who's been torturing you for the last month or so?

Well, I don't fucking know.

Because if they really truly hated me they wouldn't have saved me from that stranger that had tried to kidnap me that one night. That first night I'd slept with Harry.

Harry saved me. Harry comforted me. Harry cared about me.

He had to. Right?

"Wake up birthday girl!" Sounded an Irish voice. I quickly stuffed the screw in my bra, turning away from my corner to meet Niall as he trotted down the steps with a grin on his face.

"How do you know it's my birthday?" I muttered in disbelief as he approached me with a cupcake in his hand. A single candle had been placed in the middle. I watched as Niall sparked the lighter and set the wad on fire.

"I do me research, love" He winked as he sat criss-crossed in front of me. "Go on" He nudged the cupcake towards me. "Blow it out"

I looked at him tentatively before leaning forwards, holding my hair back, and blowing the fire out. Niall whistled and clapped on his own, laughing his ass off when I took a bite and ended up smearing it all over my nose.

"Don't worry Rae" He giggled. "I'll lick it off for ya" He leaned forwards with his stuck wide out and I screamed and dodged him, running across the room. This ultimately caused Niall to face plant and lick the wall, and what caused me to double over in laughter.

"Fuck shit. Motherfucker. Fucking hell man You think this is funny, Rae?" He tried to keep a straight face but I could see his facade cracking.

"Fucking hilarious" I bit back, watching as his eyes lit up in mischief. I didn't even have time to react before Niall was on top of me, cradling my head to make sure I didn't get whiplash from hitting the ground before his hands grabbed at my sides to tickle me.

"Sta-stop" I choked out. I could fee my face burning as I struggled to inhale, but Niall was relentless with the tickling.

"Yeah it's not so funny anymore is it?" He grinned. I tried to bring my hands up to push them away but he held them together with both hands above my head. He continued torturing me with his other.

"Niall-" I erupted into giggles again.

It was only when we heard someone clearing their throat did we realize we weren't alone. Niall's face turned crimson at the sight of Harry standing at the bottom of the stairs, watching us with narrowed eyes.

"Mate" He seethed to Niall, who gulped and pushed himself off of me, standing to his full height. "Why don't you go feed the dogs, yeah?" He plucked the cigarette from his mouth and threw it on the ground just in front of Niall's feet. He stepped closer to Niall and I watched as Niall visibly shrunk, obviously frightened of Harry, but he had no need. Harry stepped chest-to-chest with Niall before twisting his foot to stomp the cigarette out.

"Go" He said authoritatively. I don't think I've ever seen Niall move up the stairs so fast.

When his green eyes returned to me they were brighter, livelier. He offered his hand out to help me up.

"C'mon birthday girl, I've got a surprise"

I took his hand.

~*~

"Look I've been very cooperative all day haven't I? I didn't slit that guy's throat when he accidentally bumped into me did I? And I didn't take that one girl and shag her brains out while you were ordering your food did I?" Harry rambled off in a whine.

I did my best to ignore him, and instead grabbed his hand to pull him into Victoria Secret. "Harry I really need more bras. It's not sanitary to wear the same one everyday"

He huffed but didn't argue, instead grabbing my hand and letting me guide him towards the back.

That was the rule for today: Harry would take me shopping for my birthday, but my hand had to remain in his the entire time.

Even if I didn't have to hold his hand I wouldn't have bothered running. Harry was so much faster than me. I didn't stand a chance.

"Fuck" He mumbled, dropping my hand to run his across the silk fabric of a baby blue bra hanging on a rack. His fingers soothed over the fabric carefully, eyes soaking in the delicacy before they met mine. "Try this one on"

I hardly caught it before he was throwing another one at me. "You're gonna look fit as fuck in white lace, Raleigh"

I watched his lips part and eyes close as he fisted a pair of lace panties in his hands. "Fuck" He breathed out again as he placed it in my hands.

"Alright I think that's enough" I mumbled in embarrassment. A group of older women walked past, eyeing the pile stacked in my hands before their eyes landed on Harry.

I tried not to glare as they ogled him. I tried not to get jealous as one of them bit their lip and then began walking over to him, even though he was clearly here with me.

But it was jealousy that had me grabbing his hand and pulling him into me, wrapping his hand around my face as I led us away from the girls and towards the dressing rooms.

Harry was oblivious to my intentions, but he went along with it nonetheless. "Bit eager are we" He chuckled, wrapping both of his hands around my waist to pull me firmly against him.

His eyes dipped down to the low-cut neckline on my shirt and he smirked before turning my body around and sending me into the dressing rooms. "Hurry up" He said huskily.

I sighed and closed the curtain behind me before turning to my stack of clothes. This was going to be very expensive.

"I can't really try on the underwear and bras Harry" I spoke through the curtain.

"Who the fuck cares? Just put them on"

"Harry that's so unsanitary. Who knows where they've been before me? A hooker could have tried these exact same pair on"

"Fuck! Okay then. Just slip the bra on over the one your wearing and you'll just have to try on the others at home"

I grinned happily. Finally, Harry Styles was being a human being and not some brutal asshole.

"Today is the only day that I'm going to be nice to you because it's your birthday. I'll let you do what you want, buy what you want and eat what you want, but after today, things go back to my way."

~*~

"Let's take all this shit to the basement" Harry muttered. I heard a waver in his voice as he said this, and it made me look at his back in confusion.

His back muscles shifted like gears in his back as he lifted the many bags in both of his hands and took off towards the basement, occasionally looking over his shoulder to ensure I was still here.

"I heard a few voices coming from the basement and just as I reached out to grab Harry's arm in fear, he turned around and smiled at me. "close your eyes" He whispered happily.

"I don't really want to" I mumbled weakly, eyes darting around Harry's body in an attempt o discover whoever was lurking down there.

Instead of getting angry with me Harry only chuckled out a "just trust me, Rae. Close your eyes" It was the first time he'd called me that. My heart warmed. I closed my eyes and Harry handed me half of the bags so we both had one free hand. His fingers slotted through mine and I leaned closer to him for comfort.

We slowly descended the steps, me trying to stay as close to possibly as Harry. Even though there was no restriction around my eyes, I didn't want to go against his orders and upset him.

"Alright" His husky voiced whispered, I felt his hands grab the bags from mine and soon, I no longer felt his warmth. I opened my eyes when I heard his order, and they widened in shock as I took in the basement. My room.

My eyes trailed over the mirrors that looked to be built into the wall where I had carved my name. The mirror took up almost the entire expanse of the wall but they stopped about a foot from the end, where what looked to be speakers had been built in as well.

"Holy shit" I said in shock as my eyes stared at the reflection staring back at me. "Harry" I spoke in disbelief when his frame appeared beside mine in the mirror.

"Had it done when we left this morning. Had to pay them extra to ensure it would be done by the time we got back" He smiled softly, before jumping in shock and spinning around real quick.

He disappeared around the bathroom corner for a few moments, and I listened to him curse before he rounded the corner again. This time he held a black laptop in his hand. His dimply smile was back and my heart melted at the sight.

My hands immediately grabbed at it when I realized it was for me, but Harry held it behind his back just before I could reach it. "Hold on one minute, grabby" He chuckled.

I brought my arms back down and held them at my sides as I listened to him. "This is strictly for music only. I connected it to mine so that I know exactly what you're doing. Got it?"

"Got it" I stated happily as I reached out and took it from his hands. I instantly went over to hook it up to the speakers in the wall, but I turned around and watched as Harry brought my new clothes into the center of the room before giving me one last smile and turning towards the staircase.

Before he could reach the first step I'd flung myself into his side, wrapping my arms around his frame tightly and squeezing. "Thank you for today, Harry" I spoke honestly.

"Uh yeah" His voice cracked and he cleared his throat as a cover up. His tentative arms wrapped around my frame. "Yeah" He repeated. "No problem, Rae" His arms tightened in the slightest before he pulled away.

"Happy birthday"