Stockholm Syndrome | Larry Stylinson AU

Chapter 16

When he got downstairs his dad and brother were already eating. "Hope you like this one," his father said with a smile. Harry smiled back and sat down.

"You know," Jake said, his mouth still full of food and making disgusting chewing noises. "I could teach you a thing or two about self-defence." Harry looked up, surprised.

"Why?"

"You know, so you don't get kidnapped again. That way next time you'll at least be able to fight them off before they put you in a hole somewhere."

Harry flinched. "Jason!" his dad said, exasperated. "How could you say something like that?"

"It's fine, dad," Harry said in a small voice.

"No, it is not!" Samuel replied. "It is not fine. He is not fine. This is not fine!" He smacked his flat hand on the table. Jake just laughed.

"Chill out dad, I didn't mean it. Not completely." He turned to Harry. "Fact is you're still a wuss. Maybe you should-"

Samuel stopped him. "Jake. Fuck off."

A deafening silence followed. Never had Harry heard his dad use foul language like this. Not even when his mum had died. Bas, who had been standing in the doorway, straightened his back and one of the two housekeepers shuffled away nervously. Jake broke the silence by laughing again, though this time more nervously. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead took a huge bite of a pizza slice as his dad gave him a warning stare.

Harry studied Jake. What kind of person had his brother become? How could this boy, who used to be such a sweet and caring older brother, turn into... This?

How could his brother have turned into this... thug, with worn out shoes, grey washed ripped jeans, a white tee and a leather, short sleeved jacket accompanied by chains around his neck and silver earrings in both ears. His tattoos in his neck, on his arms and on his legs were clearly visible. Harry squinted his eyes. Wait, he didn't know that one... That green.. Wait. What? Was that a dragon?

The gears in Harry's head were chinking and turning. Why did he feel like he should know something about this? What was feeling familiar about this picture? As if someone had mentioned something about it before.. He could still hear his voice...

Harry froze as he was midway in taking a bite of his pizza.

"Dedraak," he whispered softly. Jake froze as well.

"What did you say?"

"Dedraak. It's not a name. It's 'De Draak'. Means 'The Dragon' in Dutch. It's you. It was you."

Jake looked at him as if he was seeing a ghost.

"What are you talking about, Harry?" his dad asked, confused. Harry ignored him.

"It was you who Louis saw kissing with Curt. You. You were the one who Curt cheated with. You're gay."

Samuel blinked his eyes. "What? What are you talking about Harry? Who are Louis and Curt? Jake?"

Jake looked at his father and back at Harry, back at his father and back at Harry again. "How did you..."

"I bet," Harry licked his lips. "I bet you are also the one Curt owed his money to, aren't you?"

Jake sat up straight. "Wait. You aren't telling me you know Curt because..."

Harry smiled, the irony dawning upon him. "Yes, big brother, it was you. It's your fault. Because of your actions, your reputation... You scared Curt into doing what he did. You made him do this. You made Louis do this." At the last sentence Harry's voice cracked. "You made Louis get dragged into all of this...." Tears welled up in his eyes. "It's all your fault!" he then yelled. "All your fault. All your fault. All your fucking god damn shit arse fault!"