Smile For Him
Chapter Thirteen
A foot tapped impatiently at the bottom of the stairs. Tobias tried to not make himself appear too worried, but in truth, he was. Harry was late. Later than he had been yesterday and the day before. It was nearing half past eight, and Tobias prayed that Harry would be home in time for dinner.
As much as his family ignored him, Tobias was sure Harry’s lack of presence would be noticed. It was quite lucky Robin was away until much later tonight, as Harry would be in rather big trouble. And Harry was never in trouble. Well, not intentionally. Harry never went out of his way to cause annoyance or hurt. Harry was quite simply the quietest person Tobias had ever met. And Tobias had met a lot of people. It was worrying really. It was not healthy for a good looking seventeen year old boy to be as quiet as him. And it was evident to Tobias that Harry had no friends. Not a single person had been invited to the house by Harry personally. Even at his birthday parties Harry was ignored by his classmates who Anne had invited. He would sit in a corner with a party hat on, nibbling away at a biscuit while his classmates stuffed their faces full of his birthday cake. Tobias was positive Harry had never even had a taste of his own birthday cake before, because the other children would grab greedily at the pieces until there was not a single crumb left for the curly-haired child. Tobias was sure Harry didn’t even have a birthday cake last year. Only a pair of cuff links from his mother and a kick in the shin from his sister.
Harry didn’t have a sweet tooth though, so perhaps that was why he showed such disinterest in cake. But then again, Harry didn’t show interest in food at all. He was skinny...dangerously so. But Tobias knew it was not an intended disorder. Harry wasn’t skinny because he wanted to be. He was skinny because he was never hungry. His mind always too full of anxiety and nerves to even consider eating. He’d known Harry to sneak into the kitchen late at night as a young boy and pull out whichever leftovers he found in the fridge. At night Harry always seemed less anxious. Maybe it was because the entire house was asleep...silent and calm just as Harry liked it. It put him at ease when the house was quiet. Harry always seemed to stand up a little straighter every time Robin was away on a business trip. Or when his sister was at a friend’s house. Harry didn’t like to interact with people...not the ones in the household anyway. So the fewer people in the house, the happier he became. The happiest Tobias had ever seen him was when Harry was fifteen. The family were due to go on a long weekend break to Ireland, but Harry had fallen ill. Any other family would choose to stay home and care for their child, but Anne had simply kissed him on the forehead leaving an expensive lipstick mark while Robin yelled, “Take care of the boy!” Despite the fact Harry spent four days shivering and aching and vomiting into the toilet, he had a smile on his face. It disturbed Tobias...it really did. The idea that Harry was happiest without his family around. The idea that Harry would rather be on his own than ever talk to his family.
Tobias had always wondered whether Harry would break out of this habit of choosing to be alone. Harry could quite easily make friends if he wanted too. He was polite and interesting, and had a sweet laugh, although the boy rarely laughed at anything nowadays. Tobias was beginning to lose hope in the boy if the butler was to be completely honest. Harry was seventeen, and had had not a single friend in that entire time. He spent most of his day locked away in his bedroom, and often Tobias found himself afraid of what the young boy could be doing in there. Although Tobias was relieved to never find a slash across his wrist or pills hidden in his drawers. Harry wasn’t depressed, or rather didn’t show any common sighs of it. He was just simply there. Much like a ghost, just drifting through his life unnoticed by everyone around him. Invisible, pretty much.
Why then was it that Tobias had this strange feeling something had happened to the boy? Harry had always, without fail, arrived home at 3:50.p.m. Tobias was use to standing by the door and opening it for the young gentleman, not seeing him again until he had to call him for dinner. But these last few days, just suddenly, he has changed. He’d come home much later than usual. Far later than usual. And what was even more alarming is that Harry’s eyes were always shining. Almost like they were smiling. A rare occurrence. The boy never smiled. So what had happened...or rather who had happened? There was no denying it...Harry had a friend. Harry had somehow met someone, and was now spending an incredible amount of time with them. Someone who Harry couldn’t bring home. And that made Tobias worried. Because if it were a school friend, Harry would by all means bring them back to their impressive house. But this friend could not be brought back. They had to be older...too old to go to school. And old enough to know that they should not be messing around with school boys. So what did they want with the boy?
Tobias was pleased Harry had a friend. And it was not really in his place to worry about the boy. But sometimes he had a feeling he was the closest thing Harry had to a family member at all. So, of course Tobias was delighted that Harry had finally found someone, whoever they may be, that he could spend time with. The only problem was...who were they? And what were they doing to make Harry so extremely late? Particularly when Harry knew he should not be back this late without telling someone first.
His foot continued tapping, his grey eyes never leaving the wooden front door. Waiting for the handle to turn and for the boy to stumble in.
-
Harry frowned as Louis turned into his street. Louis noticed and smiled, “Don’t look like that. You’ll see me tomorrow.” Harry blushed and quickly removed the frown from his face. “I-I know but...today’s been good. I just...I don’t really want to go back home.” Louis stopped just before Harry’s house and turned to him. “Today has been amazing. But you’ve got to go home at some point. Despite what you say there’s going to be someone wondering where you are. You’re not invisible, despite how much you think you are.”
“I don’t think I’m invisible, I am invisible. You know I am.” Harry muttered. Louis leaned in closer to him. “Harry, you are not invisible. Not to me. Maybe to the other stupid people around you. But never to me. Got that?” Harry nodded wide eyed. Louis’ voice was calm, but seemed to hold this aggression that made Harry’s heart flutter in an odd way. Louis was protective, and would do anything to make Harry see sense. He cared. He really did. And Harry wasn’t use to that.
Harry cleared his throat, “S-so, I’ll see you tomorrow?” he turned his head towards Louis to admire the blues eyes fully. “Yeah,” Louis smiled softly, his aggression now at the back of his mind. “Maybe I can go fast for you again? I know how much you liked it.” For perhaps the twentieth time that evening, Harry blushed a scarlet red. Harry smiled sheepishly but said, “I’d kind of like that.” Louis grinned, “Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And just before Harry slid out of the car, Louis darted his head forward and pecked his lips on Harry’s cheek. Harry’s entire body flushed, and his stomach tightened in a way he’d never felt before. His heart skipped and then processed to beat in double time. But what was the most confusing to Harry, was the wide boyish grin that appeared on his face. Teeth and all. It was uncontrollable. “B-bye, Lou,” he managed to croak. He bit his lip to stop himself from ginning so much, and turned to Louis for the last time.
The older boy was grinning too. But rather in a cocky way, but in by no means a cruel way. “Bye,” he said just as Harry slammed the car door shut. With a smirk still on his face he revved the car before speeding back down the road. He ran his tongue across his teeth, shaking his head lightly. He was in way too deep now. He fancied the fuck out of that skinny, pale, awkward, rich, shy, confused, embarrassed, nervous seventeen year old kid...and he didn’t even know his last name.
“Fuck it,” Louis smirked to himself as he drove back home, turning his radio back on and imagining Harry sitting in his passenger seat, laughing manically while his mad curls danced with the wind.
As much as his family ignored him, Tobias was sure Harry’s lack of presence would be noticed. It was quite lucky Robin was away until much later tonight, as Harry would be in rather big trouble. And Harry was never in trouble. Well, not intentionally. Harry never went out of his way to cause annoyance or hurt. Harry was quite simply the quietest person Tobias had ever met. And Tobias had met a lot of people. It was worrying really. It was not healthy for a good looking seventeen year old boy to be as quiet as him. And it was evident to Tobias that Harry had no friends. Not a single person had been invited to the house by Harry personally. Even at his birthday parties Harry was ignored by his classmates who Anne had invited. He would sit in a corner with a party hat on, nibbling away at a biscuit while his classmates stuffed their faces full of his birthday cake. Tobias was positive Harry had never even had a taste of his own birthday cake before, because the other children would grab greedily at the pieces until there was not a single crumb left for the curly-haired child. Tobias was sure Harry didn’t even have a birthday cake last year. Only a pair of cuff links from his mother and a kick in the shin from his sister.
Harry didn’t have a sweet tooth though, so perhaps that was why he showed such disinterest in cake. But then again, Harry didn’t show interest in food at all. He was skinny...dangerously so. But Tobias knew it was not an intended disorder. Harry wasn’t skinny because he wanted to be. He was skinny because he was never hungry. His mind always too full of anxiety and nerves to even consider eating. He’d known Harry to sneak into the kitchen late at night as a young boy and pull out whichever leftovers he found in the fridge. At night Harry always seemed less anxious. Maybe it was because the entire house was asleep...silent and calm just as Harry liked it. It put him at ease when the house was quiet. Harry always seemed to stand up a little straighter every time Robin was away on a business trip. Or when his sister was at a friend’s house. Harry didn’t like to interact with people...not the ones in the household anyway. So the fewer people in the house, the happier he became. The happiest Tobias had ever seen him was when Harry was fifteen. The family were due to go on a long weekend break to Ireland, but Harry had fallen ill. Any other family would choose to stay home and care for their child, but Anne had simply kissed him on the forehead leaving an expensive lipstick mark while Robin yelled, “Take care of the boy!” Despite the fact Harry spent four days shivering and aching and vomiting into the toilet, he had a smile on his face. It disturbed Tobias...it really did. The idea that Harry was happiest without his family around. The idea that Harry would rather be on his own than ever talk to his family.
Tobias had always wondered whether Harry would break out of this habit of choosing to be alone. Harry could quite easily make friends if he wanted too. He was polite and interesting, and had a sweet laugh, although the boy rarely laughed at anything nowadays. Tobias was beginning to lose hope in the boy if the butler was to be completely honest. Harry was seventeen, and had had not a single friend in that entire time. He spent most of his day locked away in his bedroom, and often Tobias found himself afraid of what the young boy could be doing in there. Although Tobias was relieved to never find a slash across his wrist or pills hidden in his drawers. Harry wasn’t depressed, or rather didn’t show any common sighs of it. He was just simply there. Much like a ghost, just drifting through his life unnoticed by everyone around him. Invisible, pretty much.
Why then was it that Tobias had this strange feeling something had happened to the boy? Harry had always, without fail, arrived home at 3:50.p.m. Tobias was use to standing by the door and opening it for the young gentleman, not seeing him again until he had to call him for dinner. But these last few days, just suddenly, he has changed. He’d come home much later than usual. Far later than usual. And what was even more alarming is that Harry’s eyes were always shining. Almost like they were smiling. A rare occurrence. The boy never smiled. So what had happened...or rather who had happened? There was no denying it...Harry had a friend. Harry had somehow met someone, and was now spending an incredible amount of time with them. Someone who Harry couldn’t bring home. And that made Tobias worried. Because if it were a school friend, Harry would by all means bring them back to their impressive house. But this friend could not be brought back. They had to be older...too old to go to school. And old enough to know that they should not be messing around with school boys. So what did they want with the boy?
Tobias was pleased Harry had a friend. And it was not really in his place to worry about the boy. But sometimes he had a feeling he was the closest thing Harry had to a family member at all. So, of course Tobias was delighted that Harry had finally found someone, whoever they may be, that he could spend time with. The only problem was...who were they? And what were they doing to make Harry so extremely late? Particularly when Harry knew he should not be back this late without telling someone first.
His foot continued tapping, his grey eyes never leaving the wooden front door. Waiting for the handle to turn and for the boy to stumble in.
-
Harry frowned as Louis turned into his street. Louis noticed and smiled, “Don’t look like that. You’ll see me tomorrow.” Harry blushed and quickly removed the frown from his face. “I-I know but...today’s been good. I just...I don’t really want to go back home.” Louis stopped just before Harry’s house and turned to him. “Today has been amazing. But you’ve got to go home at some point. Despite what you say there’s going to be someone wondering where you are. You’re not invisible, despite how much you think you are.”
“I don’t think I’m invisible, I am invisible. You know I am.” Harry muttered. Louis leaned in closer to him. “Harry, you are not invisible. Not to me. Maybe to the other stupid people around you. But never to me. Got that?” Harry nodded wide eyed. Louis’ voice was calm, but seemed to hold this aggression that made Harry’s heart flutter in an odd way. Louis was protective, and would do anything to make Harry see sense. He cared. He really did. And Harry wasn’t use to that.
Harry cleared his throat, “S-so, I’ll see you tomorrow?” he turned his head towards Louis to admire the blues eyes fully. “Yeah,” Louis smiled softly, his aggression now at the back of his mind. “Maybe I can go fast for you again? I know how much you liked it.” For perhaps the twentieth time that evening, Harry blushed a scarlet red. Harry smiled sheepishly but said, “I’d kind of like that.” Louis grinned, “Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And just before Harry slid out of the car, Louis darted his head forward and pecked his lips on Harry’s cheek. Harry’s entire body flushed, and his stomach tightened in a way he’d never felt before. His heart skipped and then processed to beat in double time. But what was the most confusing to Harry, was the wide boyish grin that appeared on his face. Teeth and all. It was uncontrollable. “B-bye, Lou,” he managed to croak. He bit his lip to stop himself from ginning so much, and turned to Louis for the last time.
The older boy was grinning too. But rather in a cocky way, but in by no means a cruel way. “Bye,” he said just as Harry slammed the car door shut. With a smirk still on his face he revved the car before speeding back down the road. He ran his tongue across his teeth, shaking his head lightly. He was in way too deep now. He fancied the fuck out of that skinny, pale, awkward, rich, shy, confused, embarrassed, nervous seventeen year old kid...and he didn’t even know his last name.
“Fuck it,” Louis smirked to himself as he drove back home, turning his radio back on and imagining Harry sitting in his passenger seat, laughing manically while his mad curls danced with the wind.
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