The Pirate Prince *Larry Stylinson*

If I Stay?

Chapter 29

"Who names a Cat Dusty?"
"You can not compare the name Dusty for a cat to the name Kevin for a bird. That's just a terrible comparison all together." Harry countered with a shake to his head, his eyes gazing down at the yellow tinged water below. Mocking Louis's favorite pigeon name.
The Sun wasn't set up as high as it had been earlier and was slowly falling in favor of the horizon.
Louis and Harry came over their misunderstanding earlier and Harry had been completely compliant in favor of Louis's kitten gift. How touching it was, would probably remain a mystery because just as quickly as Harry's emotionless shield had been fitted down, it shot back up right façade Harry's true emotions as Zayn joined the two.
Harry took him to his meeting place with some man. Louis hadn't been allowed in the meeting room and he promised Harry he wouldn't leave after the captain appeared distressed when he learned that Louis couldn't follow him in.
He kept his promise and occupied himself with playing with the nameless kitty until Harry came out and to his surprise; Harry had greeted him out with a quick hug that Louis had been returned entirely out of instinct.
The two spent time shopping for clothes but Louis realized that Harry's sense in clothing wasn't as pathetic as he'd thought he would be. They weren't as fancy but some decent size shirts and pants for his liking...
They made it back on the ship and after Louis took a bath and changed his clothes into the cleaner more suiting wardrobe, he and Harry were just by the ship's wheel as they had been the night previous, talking.
It was relaxing in a way.
Harry snorted, "I didn't even think people named their pigeons!"
"I named my pigeon and his name was Kevin and don't you forget it." Louis snapped out earning a brief chuckle from Harry, "Okay, okay. What should I name him then?"
Louis blinked his eyes, his thoughts remembering the pigeon that no doubt was sleeping on Louis's bed back at the palace, "Why are you asking me? It's your kitty."
"Because I care about what you have to say." Harry honestly replied causing Louis to halt his movements.
It was as though he could feel Harry's eyes on him, analyzing every bit of his actions and it unsettled her a bit whenever Harry did this.
Say something that meant he cared and then stared at him with that intense gaze.
"Yeah, that's nice and all, but I got it for you. So you should name it." Louis ran a hand through his brown hair while turning to the brunet confidently.
Harry nodded his head, "But when I suggest a name, you criticize me."
"Because the names you pick are ridiculous."
"So why don't you pick a name then?"
"Because it's your Kitty."
"You're very difficult."
Louis smiled sweetly, "Glad you know how being around you normally is."
"Touché." Harry shrugged off, "But in all honestly can I just give the thing a name without you complaining about it?"
His tone sounded tired and Louis had to chuckle at the fact he'd managed to basically exhaust him out with his constant nitpicks at the attempts to name the cat, even though his own style of naming his pets back home had been ridiculed.
"Haha, yeah, name it whatever you want." Louis commanded with a wave of his hand that made Harry roll his eyes, "Thank you, Your Highness. What would I ever have done without your royal blessings?" He sarcastically stated before Louis narrowed his eyes at him.
"Okay, so I think I'll name the cat... Dusty. It looks like a Dusty." Harry settled on with a firm nod.
Louis snorted but a warning finger was raised in his direction as Harry glared at him threateningly, "You gave me permission to name it without your complaining."
With a hand to his mouth, Louis raised his hands up, "Oops. Just ignore me."
"I can never do that." Harry truthfully responded, his eyes watching at Louis plainly.
Louis felt his face warm up while he glanced away.
He hated that effect that Harry had.
To say something so simple and to get him feeling flustered and embarrassed with himself when he shouldn't...

There was a come and go of a lump in his throat but he attempted to think of a way to turn the conversation around so he turned to face Harry with narrowed eyes, "Alright, if you can't ignore me then explain why you lied to me earlier about where you slept."
Harry's eyebrows shot up in a way that showed he hadn't been prepared for the question, but just as quickly as his surprise shined, it disappeared into calmness while he watched Louis continue,
"What the hell was the point in lying? I really don't understand you. If you slept in your chair, you slept in your chair. Don't go making up pointless lies."
"I lied for my own reasons. Don't worry about it."
"'Your own reasons'? What a load of bullshit." Louis groaned, "You know what, I pretty much made up my mind. Tonight, I'm sleeping in Zayn's room. You can have your bed back. I don't care." Louis managed to grumble out as he brushed past Harry and began walking down the steps to go in the direction of the entrance to the lower deck.
Just as he did so, he nearly found himself toppling over as the bridge was pulled in with a sudden Bam to the floorboards as the crew members worked to putting the large plank of wood away.
He paused to overlook the dock with a thoughtful expression on his face... He was right when he told himself earlier in the morning that he needed to reevaluate his relationship with Harry.
The barrier for the two of them to be called friends had to have been crossed already. The two of them were talking more openly with one another and it seemed as though there was no animosity between them...
Not to mention, Harry's face when he thought Louis was leaving him was oddly depressing to think about.
Maybe because he felt guilty about hurting someone emotionally when he had no control over it?
Maybe...
He'd have to talk to Ellie about this, because keeping it to himself make him want to go crazy. Hearing another person's take on this would be beneficial because he didn't know where he was going at all with it in his mind.
It felt like he was constantly moving in a circle.
He missed his family a lot but he knew Harry had no family left and the closest thing he had to the remains of his family was literally Louis himself.
If Louis were placed in Harry's shoes, he knew that as selfish as it was, he wouldn't want himself go away either.
"Prince Louis?!"
The unfamiliar and strangely deep voice calling of his name instantly made the brunet perk up, his eyebrows instantly knitted in confusion after he turned over his shoulder to see if it had been any of the crew members calling him.
He turned his attention back to the dock, and the moment he did, he found his eyes widening in surprise at the sudden appearance of several sailors that stood towards the bottom of the ship on the pier,
"It's His Highness!"
"Alert the town now that the Prince has been found!"
"The news needs to reach London!"
Louis blanched, the color practically leaving his face as he watched down at the men who frantically waved for him to come down.
He'd been recognized somehow.
It now came to his attention that he had changed out of his pirate clothes and the bandana was gone.
He actually looked like royalty again.
The ship then suddenly gave a violent jerk and Louis held onto the ledge to keep himself from tipping over to the floor.
Even if he wanted to get down, the bridge was pulled up so he couldn't... Unless he jumped and even then that'd mean suicide.
Anxiously he bit his bottom lip and contemplating going to the other side of the ship jumping into the water. He'd be able to swim to the dock and from there he'd be home free but he'd have to do it now before they got too far away and into open water.
He glanced over his shoulder and came to realize he was the only one on deck.
If he jumped... No one would notice.
Louis turned his attention back down at the dark and slowly churning water below anxiously.
This was a decision she had to think about before he just dived in.
His hands clenched themselves into fists at his sides.