Blood Stream

Chapter 12: Buried Memories are Released

A/N: I swore that this was updated but I looked back and saw it wasn't. My lord.

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Harry pushes Louis' fringe away with a small sigh, wanting to remember every one of his features before he's gone.

"I can't leave him, he'll go insane. And I don't want him going after you—"

"I don't care! We can keep him away from you—"

"Don't you understand that I'm trying to save you from him? That it's why I left with him in the first place? I can't let you go through that pain again," Harry says softly.

"Even if it means you get hurt in the process?" Louis spits out with hatred in his voice. Hatred for this situation, hatred for Aaron, hatred for himself, hatred for Harry's kind heart. He sees bruises all over Harry's arms and neck, and fuck—that monster has hurt Harry more in this short amount of time than he ever did to Louis.

He never had this many bruises.

"Yes, Louis, I'll always hurt so you don't have too. That's what I've always tried to do," Harry whispers out, allowing Louis to place his head on the latter's neck.

"Boys, go stand watch please." Both are hesitant but nod, walking out the doors and shutting them both inside.

"Where else did he hit you?" Harry pulls up his shirt slowly. Black, blue, purple, green, yellow, red. Bumps and scratches cover his chest with bruises everywhere. He looks like he was hit by a truck. But Louis isn't going to press this right now, he needs to stay focused.

"What do you mean that's what you've always tried to do?" Louis interrogates, moving Harry away from his neck and forces Harry to look at him when he looks away.

"That's why I didn't tell you what my father did to me because I didn't want you to have to deal with it, I didn't want to spoil your happiness. I wish I did though because maybe this wouldn't have happened." Harry lets out a sigh, it's clear to see he's blaming himself.

But it's not his fault, and sadly, Harry doesn't know that.

"That's why I didn't tell you about Justin or Sean or anyone who ever hurt me because I didn't want you to lose your happiness. That why I let those guys at school—" Harry shuts his eyes, he never told Louis that.

Crap.

"Let those guys at school what? What guys?" Harry looks away, removing Louis' hands from his face. He lets out a shaky sigh, his eyes closed and he begins.

"A few guys on the football team, they-they wanted to hurt you." Louis didn't know that. "They cornered me one day and told me. I begged for them not to, told them I'd do anything, I just didn't want them to hurt you." Harry sighs, playing with his fingers. And then he stops and Louis loses his cool after a few seconds.

"What did they do?" Harry doesn't answer, his eyes castes towards the floor. Louis lifts his head, his jaw clenched tight. "Harry, what did they do? What did they do to you?" Louis repeats and Harry refuses to meet his eyes.

"At first it was little things, like doing their homework and getting them lunch and stupid things like that. Then they made me go over to each of their houses and clean and do their chores. Then they—" Harry takes a deep breath. "They started to get more..." Harry hesitates but eventually finds the correct word. "Aggressive with what they wanted." Louis' eyes furrow together.