His chin is grabbed harshly, facing the two deep green eyes that have been getting on his nerves for the past ten minutes. The smirk on the man's face does not vanish. The grip of his hand on Louis' chin does not soften, his thumb at the side of his...
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He stays like that for a while. On his knees in the middle of his deck and his pants nearly falling off his body. His hair is askew, the hair of his body rising from the stench of the blood and cold breeze that surrounds him. It is early in the morning but it looks like the world is darkening right in front of the Captain's eyes. The sun is out and it looks like the weather would have been kind to them today, but reality is so different.
It's like he's in a sleep paralysis, where every event unfolded in front of him and Harry wasn't able to move, helpless and defenceless. He's lost his family, he's lost the biggest part of his crew and... he's lost Louis. Louis had disappeared right in front of his eyes, and he's had enough time from that moment to process it, but it appears Harry's brain is stuck in gear, just recalling the incident, and he is just realising that Louis, is in fact, not with him anymore.
Louis, the softest gift Harry had gotten from life in a very long time, has just been dragged out of his life. The blue eyed man hadn't even fought Pravus. Had just accepted his fate after Harry had decided it for him and went willingly on the path of his death. Louis had not even called Harry out for his betrayal, had not begged Harry to spare his life in exchange of something the Captain had been searching since his father had closed his eyes for good. For a magical piece of paper.
Louis hadn't even cried, just glanced at his Captain and had nodded in understanding. Harry crumbles on the floor recalling the look on his face, and even though Liam is still standing beside him he can barely even register his second in command speaking. Liam has managed to gather whatever man has been lucky enough to remain alive, and they are waiting in silence for Harry to start speaking and guide them.
But, what can Harry even say anymore. All of his life, even when he was just barely in his teenage years, when he was burdened with the role of the Captain of a ship filled with men twice his age, he had known what to say and how to continue his father's legacy. Harry had promised he would kill Pravus, if that was the last thing he would ever get to do, and now Pravus, once more, took the small hope that had started forming in his heart to create a family in the future, from scratch.
''Harry?'' Liam approaches him slowly, placing a careful hand on his left shoulder, and Harry feels his own eyes burning, not remembering if he's even blinked since Louis went.
Liam shakes him slightly, as if waking him up, ''Harry. Come on, man. Get up.''
Harry doesn't react again, just stays there, and for a moment he wants to lash out at Liam to let him be and mourn in peace, but he doesn't have the energy to even do that.
He feels his body being held in an up position, Liam's hands and somebody else's at the sides of his arms. Feet numb and body aching, he swallows the lump in his throat, eyes burning and heart shattered in a million pieces. He never thought he could feel like that; never thought he could hurt like that for another being that wasn't of his blood.
