Waifs and Strays II - M.A.D. [Larry Stylinson]

Chapter Three

We'd given ourselves the day off, after the funeral. We couldn't have faced our duties or discussed those new developments from before. So, instead we put a hault on everything and most of our group spend the day together, talking, comforting each other, remembering Linda. I still didn't want to see anyone. I retreated into my room and tried to will any passing person to just keep walking, so I could stay on my own.

Only Harry dared to come in. Twice. And him, I didn't mind. He just stayed long enough to bring me food and tea, and made sure that I really did want to stay in my room, all by myself. He smiled at me, each time he left, and told me to come get him as soon as I needed someone to talk to. But I didn't want to talk to anyone until late at night when he came back to go to bed. He pushed his mattress next to mine, as always, and lay down beside me, gently pulling my head onto his chest. We lay there, just listening to each other's breathing, until finally I felt like talking again. I told him a bit about Linda because he had only known her for such a short time, and I answered whatever questions he had about her. We talked for what felt like over an hour and only stopped when, eventually, our lips found other ways to pass the time.

But today is a new day. Meaning, responsibilities call for us, again. We started out pretty much exactly where we left off when we had heard Perrie's horrible scream through the tunnels, a few days ago.

"Okay, so what did you want to show us?" Liam asks when all of the captains and Harry meet outside our cave.

"Well, first of all, there's this," I say sternly and pull down the blanket that was covering the motorbike. "It belonged to the guy who almost killed Harry," I continue, watching the half surprised, half puzzled faces of the other captains.

"Wait?" Niall doubles back and turns around to Harry who is standing behind him. "I thought that was a joke, the other day," he says, looking at me again, and searching my face.

"No, it definitely was not," I sigh and my eyes flicker over to Harry's as pictures of that horrible night crowd into my consciousness. The night I thought he wasn't going to make it. He looks back at me almost apologetically.

"What happened?" Liam asks before motioning for Zayn to help him hoist the bike down from the truck bed.

"It was the first night," I say grimly, "I didn't fully understand what happened, until Harry was already lying on the ground with a poisoned arrow in his neck, unconcious. I ran straight after the bastard that blew the arrow. I caught him, interrogated him. But he didn't give us much information. All he did was laugh. I asked him how he had found us and whether he was alone. I asked him all kinds of questions. How to save Harry. He didn't give a flying shit. He had the ugliest grin I've ever seen. I won't forget that smile," I huff and feel my hands turn into tight fists. "Fucking laughed at my face, all the time. While Harry was there on the ground, moaning in pain. He just thought it was funny, the motherfucker. Even when I twisted the arrow in his shoulder and beat the shit out of him. He only thought it was dead funny, that son of a-"

"So... you killed him," Niall interrupts him. It's not a question. He looks at me in disbelieve. Fear even.

"What makes you say that?" Zayn frowns, asking the question in my stead.

Niall shrugs, eyes wide. "He thought Harry was going to die. He was angry and desperate. That Grey Skin was obviously a shithead. Louis knew he wouldn't be any use in saving Harry," Niall sums up. Niall looks at me again, "You wouldn't have let him live if you believed he murdered Harry, would you, Tommo?"

I feel a frown forming between my eyebrows, as well. "Cheers Nialler," I grunt, "Good to know how you feel about me."

"What?" he says defensively, but flushing slightly.