You saved me from myself

Chapter Sixteen

Sorry it's been a while, my new course is doing this 'one exam a week' thing and it's driving me completely insane, but here I am. Enjoy x

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The sun had set several hours ago, a light dust of snow lay on the asphalted pavement and more was slowly falling, almost unnoticeable in the darkness. Streetlights were illuminating the parking lot in patches, void of anyone besides one silver coloured Volvo parked at the far right. It was quiet.

And then another car entered the parking lot, skidding to as top two spaces away from the Volvo, a blond boy stepped out. The doors to the Volvo swung open too, and from the backseat emerged a petite boy with sandy brown hair and bundled up in a winter coat around four sizes too large for his frame. The blond boy stepped over quickly, engulfing the smaller of the two in a tight hug.

"Hey Lou," Niall said quietly, rubbing his back as he leaned away to get a look at the other. "You holding up?"

Louis shrugged. "I mean I guess so, haven't been here for ages though."

Niall continued to rub his back soothingly, Louis did not need to elaborate more. "I know you're scared, but I will be here with you every step of the way, okay?"

Louis hesitated, then nodded.

Out from the driver's side stepped Harry, hair damp from melted snow and a somewhat nervous look upon his face. He was only clad in jeans and a hoodie in the below zero-degree weather and looking like he tried very hard not to shiver.

Niall quirked a brow at the man. "Harry where's your-" He stopped when Harry glared at him, nodding towards Louis who now too faced the taller green eyed man.

"Hazza you can take your coat I promise I'm not co—"

"Louis you are keeping that coat on." Harry said sternly. "Just knowing you're warm and cozy is keeping me from freezing."

Louis sent him a 'Yeah sure, stop bullshitting' kind of look, but sighed and said nothing.

At that moment the opposite car doors opened and both Marcel and Edward got out, Marcel in a puffy black jacket and Edward in a knee long black coat.

"Should we... Go, then?" Niall suggested carefully, watching Louis for a change in expression.

He just nodded. "I think we should." And then he started to slowly walk towards the arch reading Black Hill Cemetery, Harry's coat slightly creating a trail in the snow behind him, Niall closely behind followed by the triplets who kept their distance.

Louis had not visited the cemetery for well over a year, but e could still find their spot, it was as if he was walking on auto pilot. When he was barely two meters away, his step faltered. Niall came up next to him, hand gripping his.

"It's okay," he said. "I am right here with you."

Louis swallowed hard, but nodded. Words seemed to fail him. Thoughts racing a million miles a minute.

"Lets take a step, on three?" Niall suggested.

"Will you—"

"I will take a step with you, of course babe."

Louis nodded again, taking a deep breath, watching the cloud of mist that exited his mouth, following it upwards until it disappeared.

"Okay," he said after a moment. "Ready."

"Okay," Niall said quietly. "On three, one, two, three."

They both took a step forward, Louis' hand gripping Niall's tightly.