Prisoner

Six

You can't get emotionally attached to clients, it's something Louis' been having to remind himself over and over. It's okay to feel bad, and to empathize or sympathize with them, but you cannot, absolutely cannot, become personally involved in their lives and situations.

Louis feels like Harry is just so...unique. He's got a real personality and Louis didn't really expect that. He doesn't know much about him, but Louis does know that there's a lot more to him than what's on the surface.

"Lou, you good?"

"Yeah, turn on the street up there," Louis says, pointing to his left to direct Niall, who's driving him to the prison since his dad is home sick and his own car is being fixed.

"Is that it?" Niall asks.

"No, that giant cement building with barbed wire fences, tons of security cameras, and men in jump suits on the yard, is a children's preschool, the prison is down just a little further," Louis says, sarcasm just oozing out of him.

"Fuck you."

"Just drop me off here," Louis says, Niall stopping and letting him get out.

"Thanks for the ride." Louis closes the door and watches as Niall drives away before heading to the entrance of the prison.

Once he's past security, he signs in. The lady at the desks tells him to go to the room and that Harry will be in shortly.

"Thank you," Louis says, giving a short wave as he scans his card and opens the door leading to the hallway full of cells. He walks down the hall, passing each room, if you could even call it that, observing the people in them.

This time when he walks past Harry's cell, he's actually inside of it unlike last time when he was on work duty. Louis pauses and walks a little slower, watching Harry who's laying on his bed flat on his back with his eyes closed. Louis notices that he really is very attractive and he thinks about how he would probably be able to use his looks to persuade a lot of people if he weren't in his current situation.

Louis decides not to disturb him, walking past the cell and making his way to the very end of the hallway where the counseling room is at. He goes in and sits down, waiting for Harry to arrive.

As per usual, the door is slowly opened and Harry's led in.

"Hi Harry," Louis says once the guard has left.

"Hi."

"How has your day been?"

"Shit," Harry responds and Louis didn't really expect anything different.

"Yeah? Why?" 

Harry shrugs. "It always is."

"What's the worst part about today?" Louis asks.

"Aren't you supposed to be positive?" Harry says.

"Ranting can help sometimes. Tell me what you hate the most about being here."

Harry sighs. "I mean it's prison, that's the worst part. Being locked up all day, for years. The food is terrible, the people are mean and bitter, the beds are uncomfortable, and there's no privacy. Man, I can hear guys jacking off when I'm trying to sleep. Do you know what's that's like? It's terrible," Harry finishes.

Louis can't help but smile at the last part. His heart hurts for Harry it really does, he truly couldn't imagine how bad it must feel.

"No I don't know what that's like and I really hope I never do," Louis says. "These are all very valid reasons to be upset."