Animal

17

Don't worry about the darkness in my soul. It ignites me like an embered coal.

"That's an embryo. You've been pregnant for two weeks, Louis."

*NARRATOR'S POV*

Everything moves too fast for Louis' blurry senses to comprehend. It's too loud for his ears to process, and he's caught staring at the ultrasound as if crippled mentally.

"Hold him, will you?!" Someone - the doctor who attended to Louis' pregnancy - is shouting.

It's Harry they're talking about. The man is stark raving mad and revealing every trace of insanity he's ever kept bottled up.

Harry's screaming at first and it is most certainly not because of joy. The large, expensive monitor with the photo of their baby on it crashes loudly when Harry shoves it powerfully. The sound rings in Louis' eyes when he looks up, now that his distraction has been removed.

There's no stopping the tantrum Harry's succumbed to, and since Louis is the cause this time he isn't of any assistance either. The green Louis has grown so familiar with, became to dependant on, has melted so that the black shadow always threatening to spill over takes him.
He resembles a restrained predator rather than a human being with higher intelligence. His eyes are set on Louis, but there's no love or recognition in them.

Louis flinches and looks away, ashamed. He has nothing to say so he stares at the individual hairs on his arm as two - maybe four - fully able-bodied men drag Harry, kicking and shouting profanities, from the room.

"Get your fucking hands off me!"

Harry is stronger than most people, sometimes even whole groups of people. The hope that's ignited in Louis comes alive when he thinks that Harry can - with some effort - break free of his captors but he's letting himself be held back.

When the room's empty of Harry's madness, Louis releases the breath he didn't know he was holding. It's too soon to say anything, the shock is too sudden, and Louis needs that nap he's been wanting all day before he can think up a solution.

"Are you okay, Louis?" The African-American nurse who Harry continually insulted, rubs his back and Louis wishes it was Harry doing that.

Louis nods, inhaling deeply with closed eyes. "He didn't hurt me."

"They'll sedate him. I've never seen anyone act out like that."

He laughs humourlessly. "He's a different kind of special."

As nice as the staff are, this is a hospital that needs beds for actual patients. Louis thanks the nurse and walks out with twenty dollars from Harry's wallet; the bastard owes him that.

"Louis!" He's just about to watch the electronic doors slide open when a roar of his name makes him pause. "Fucking let me go, you cunts!"

Louis realises that Harry's not looking to comfort him, call him cute endearments and cuddle him. Harry was angry and violently disappointed. He'd hurt their baby, Louis' little angel that looks like a bean. Abomination or not, the baby is Louis' with or without the unstable father.

He keeps walking despite the profanities being shouted in his name. He almost wants to cover his tummy and hide the baby, protect it from hearing such vile things.

Standing on the sidewalk in the cold air, Louis realises he still has no shoes on and should be feeling cold. Bean will be feeling cold too.

"We'll be inside soon, angel." Louis whispers with a hand on his stomach, protective and caring.

Louis remembers Harry's face when the revelation was made minutes ago. It was so void of familiarity, bloodthirsty and merciless. Louis felt like one of his victims except someone was there to save him, those others didn't. It was scary to face that Harry when Louis was his target.