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His blood pumped through his veins and the breath caught in his throat, only coming out in short pants. He thought he was going to faint and he caught himself on the shelf hanging next to his arm. Shock, pure shock, and rage coursed through his body and he needed to leave before he said something he regretted. He could barely feel his legs pushing his body out the door and he didn’t realize he was outside until he felt the raindrops splash against his cheeks and the dim light from the moon shine down on his feet. His thoughts raced faster than the rain was dropping and by the time he walked the short distance home there were tear streaks all down his pretty face and his clothes and hair were soaked through. That night was one of the longest of his life, filled with angered sobs and the most somber songs he had on his playlist blasting through his headphones though he could barely hear them over the voices and images playing and replaying in his head. He eventually fell asleep a little past four with nothing but the image of Liam’s startled face and Zayn’s malignant smirk burning through his eyelids.
-o- 6 Months Later –o-
He shoved the calculus book into the locker with exasperation which only resulted in half of his pens falling out of his other hand, scattering across the floor. He bent down to pick them up and he threw them even harder in the locker than he did the book. Strong, toned arms wrapped around his tiny waist and soft lips lightly pressed against his neck. His strong scent floated through his nose and the gravely little noises he let out made their way to his ears.
“Not now Harry,” he said, pushing his arms away from his body and grabbing his mint green backpack to walk to his next class.
“What’s wrong?”
“The usual,” he sighed, staring ahead at the group of girls at the end of the hallway, laughing at all of the less popular kids who walked by and even tripping a few.
“Who this time?” Harry clenched his fists and his nostrils opened and closed with rage.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“If it was a guy Louis I swear to-“
“Of course it wasn’t,” he interrupted. “Let it go.”
“You know I hate when you have to walk around here being harassed the entire time babe,” Harry sighed grabbing Louis’s hands in his own and kissing his wrists.
“I have to go to class. I’ll see you after school.” He leaned up on his tippy toes and kissed Harry straight on the lips before pulling his hands away from him and walking into his class. Harry stared after him admiring his tiny features and pretty skin and maybe even sneaking a little glance at his full bum though he would never admit that to Louis in fear of getting slapped across the face. He was a man in love and it literally put a pain in his chest to see Louis getting picked on so much at school, a supposed bully-free zone. After Louis was out of sight, Harry turned around going to his own class across the hallway looking forward to the last hour and a half of joyous learning. He groaned walking in but changed his tune when he saw ‘lab’ written on the board in big letters and one of his friends, Cody, wave and gesture to the chair next to him. Maybe chemistry won’t be so bad today.
-o-
“That was fucking awful mate. What even was that?”
Cody let out a small laugh and patted Harry on the shoulder.
“It wasn’t that bad Harry. If you would pay attention instead of staring at your phone background the entire class you might know what’s going on.”
That made Harry think about the picture on his phone, the one he took of Louis three weeks prior when they had been in his room and Harry had first been introduced to his pet rabbit.
“That picture is damn adorable. Even you can’t deny it,” Harry said, shoving the phone in Cody’s face.
“I didn’t say it wasn’t. And speaking of,” Cody trailed off, diverting his attention behind Harry’s head making him turn around. Louis was coming out of his classroom holding his books in one hand and a pencil in the other. He walked passed Harry to put his things in his locker before grabbing Harry’s hand and walking out of the back doors to the student parking lot.
“Bye mate! See you at practice tomorrow,” Harry called to Cody before making his way out the doors. “In a rush Lou?”
“I just want to get out of there,” he said looking down at his toes and pulling Harry along with even more strength. For such a small thing he really is strong!
“Did something happen?” Harry questioned while opening his car door for Louis and racing to the driver’s side to hear his response.
“We just had group work today and no one would work with me, you know what happens every day in last period,” he explained. “You know how much I hate that class.”
“Everyone has a class like that babe. At least you only have it every other day right?”
“Except all the classes I have without you are like that Harry. Am I repulsive or something?
“Of course not love. You know why the girls are the ones who make fun of you and not the boys? Because the girls are jealous of you because all the boys like you,” Harry said, using his left hand to rub Louis’s upper thigh.
“All the boys?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and small smile curving his lips.
“Okay not the prissy gay boys who are also jealous of you. I meant the other 95% of the male population,” Harry explained, laughing and squeezing his thigh harder than before. When they got to
Louis’s house they walked up the stairs to his room, seeing no one else was home and closed the door, turning on the TV and flipping on the lamp.
“I’m going to change in the bathroom. I’ll be out in a second. Can you feed Nibbles while I’m in there?” Louis asked sweetly, fluttering his eyelashes and kicking his little foot up to his butt. Harry rolled his eyes but complied with the request that was actually a demand. He was actually a whipped bitch. Harry went to Louis’s side table and opened the cage, picking Nibbles up and placing him in his lap while feeding him a wilted piece of lettuce, his favorite. Nibbles only liked Harry when he gave him food.
“Hey baby,” Louis cooed when he walked out of the bathroom and saw Harry feeding his rabbit.
“Hey, you’re in a better mood.”
“I wasn’t talking to you Harry,” Louis scoffed while picking up his bunny from Harry’s lap. Nibbles jumped into Louis’s lap licking his fingers and burying himself in Louis’s stomach.
“He loves your belly as much as I do,” Harry said, winking and poking Louis’s stomach with his fingertips.
“Stop Harry,” he pleaded, giggling, god how he loved when Louis laughed like that.
Harry lay back on Louis’s bed and looked around his room. The walls were colored pastel orange and there was expensive technology throughout the room. It was no secret that Louis’s family was extremely wealthy and one look in his room showed just how much. Louis had a beautiful closet of clothes, shirts, jumpers, trousers, shorts and scarves of all varieties as well as at least nine pairs of shoes filled the wardrobe and he wore them with elegance. There wasn’t a day that went by that Louis didn’t look beautiful.
“Nibbles is falling asleep on me,” he said, picking the rabbit up and putting him back in his large cage, one big enough for a medium sized dog at least.
“You’re so beautiful you know?” Harry remarked eyes half lidded and arms held out waiting for Louis to come lay down with him.
“You tell me every day Harry.” He sighed joining Harry in the bed and pulling his arms around his waist.
“That’s because it’s true and I’m going to keep telling you until you believe me.”
“I believe you,” he said all too quickly. It sounded like a lie even through his own ears. “Let’s just sleep okay.”
“Okay.”
Louis turned around so his back was to Harry’s chest and Harry leaned down, pushing a kiss into his bare shoulder where his oversized t-shirt had dropped down over his arm. He closed his eyes and buried his nose in Louis’s hair preparing himself for a relaxing, well-deserved nap.