Life Inc.
Chapter 12
Harry had decided that he could quite happily stay exactly where he was, forever. And that was simply because, to him, Louis Tomlinson was utterly perfect. He was more broken than he could have ever possibly imagined, but that didn’t matter as it only helped make him perfect. He didn’t totally understand the feelings that the older boy was stirring within him, but he couldn’t bring himself to care about that yet; he had more important things to worry about.
Harry was sat on a stranger’s sofa, in a stranger’s living room, with Louis curled tight into his side, fast asleep. Harry let his fingers toy gently with Louis’ soft hair, his eyes roaming the peaceful face resting against his chest. Louis’ eyelashes were still matted with drying tears, but there were no longer any other signs of Louis’ previous distress after they had stopped driving.
He was a little in awe of how Louis had managed to perfectly balance speed, safety and preserving resources over the six hours he’d been switched off. It had saved their lives yet again and Harry was starting to fear how much he owed the older boy.
Louis murmured something incomprehensible in his sleep and shifted slightly closer to Harry, the arm that had ended up over his waist tightening, making Harry’s skin burn, even through the material of his shirt.
Louis had been even more of a wreck than last time. Once Harry had made him aware that he was back, it had only taken ten minutes for him to lose their pursuers. Unable to see, the first time that Harry became aware of the state Louis was in was when they stopped and the back door opened. He could hear small, choked sobs escaping from Louis’ lips and could feel his hands shaking violently as he tried to undo the knot around Harry’s wrists. Harry was instantly on edge, desperate for Louis to finish untying his wrists so that he could just hold him and tell him that, somehow, everything was going to be okay.
Louis had finally succeeded in undoing the knot with a small frustrated squeak of indignation and as soon as the rope dropped from Harry’s wrists, the younger boy was tearing the blindfold off with one hand and pulling Louis close with the other. Once Louis’ face was buried in the warm crook of Harry’s neck and one of Harry’s arms was tight around his shoulders, the small sobs turned into full-on crying. Louis had clung onto Harry’s shirt as the younger struggled to undo the knots on his ankles with just one hand, all the burning emotion that tore Louis apart from the inside spilling out.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Harry had soothed as his ankles were freed and he could wrap the other arm around Louis. “Everything will be okay Lou, I swear.” Somehow, this had only made Louis cry more and it was breaking Harry’s heart.
After a little while, Harry had finally managed to manoeuvre Louis inside the empty house he had found. They curled up on the sofa where Harry had continued to murmur small comforts to Louis, rubbing circles into his shoulders until the wracking, gut wrenching sobs had stopped and Louis had fallen asleep on him, tear tracks marring his cheeks. And that was how Harry knew that Louis Tomlinson was perfect.
However, there were things he needed to do. They were going to die soon, the fact was undeniable. He still counted it a little be of a miracle that they had lasted this long. He refused to let Louis die still not knowing where he came from or why he had spent so long on his own. It was the least he could do. So, he gently as he could, and slightly reluctantly, he lifted Louis’ arm from his waist and slipped out from underneath him, laying him down on the sofa and tucking him under a blanket he had found. He carefully smoothed Louis’ fringe away from his eyes and, in a moment of foolish impulse, pressed a small kiss to Louis’ temple.
He watched the older boy sleeping for a minute longer, then hurried outside back to the car. He grabbed the previously forgotten small, blue, battered box, cradling it against him as if it was one of the most precious things in the world, second only to Louis himself.
He ran back through the rain and the fading light, through the house, pausing only briefly to check that Louis was still asleep. Then he carried on through and out of the back door, until he found the door to the work shed. He could only hope that Louis wouldn’t hate him for what he was going to do.
***
When Louis woke he was warm and comfortable, but something was missing. His eyes also felt dry and raw and his head was pounding. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, suddenly realizing what wasn’t there.
“Harry?” He croaked, frowning. He coughed a little, clearing his throat, then tried again. “Harry? Where are you?” The face that haunted his nightmares appeared around the door to the living room, eyes wide.
“Lou, you okay?” Harry asked, coming to sit by Louis’ feet.
“Oh God, I did it again, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. I’m such a mess.” Louis buried his head in his hands, not wanting to see Harry’s pity. He hated his demons more than anything.
“Louis, it’s fine. You have nothing to be ashamed of.” Louis glanced at the younger boy, seeing nothing more than honest concern in his face.
“The running just got to me, I guess,” Louis murmured as their eyes met, the intense green forcing part of the truth out of him. Harry looked away, taking a deep nervous breath.
“Lou, do you trust me?” He asked quietly.
“You know I do,” Louis frowned. In a moment of bravery, he reached out and hooked his fingers under Harry’s. For a second he thought Harry was going to pull away, but instead his fingers tightened around Louis’ and they both smiled slightly.
“I’ve done something and I really hope you’re not mad at me,” Harry confessed, never wanting to let go of Louis’ hand.
“What?” Louis asked cautiously. He didn’t think he could ever be mad at Harry, but he was a little worried about what he was about to be told. But Harry didn’t say anything else. He simply pushed a small blue box into Louis’ lap. It took Louis a minute to realise what was different.
“It’s open?” He breathed, voice cracking slightly.
“The lock’s off, but I haven’t opened it.”
“How -?”
“Power tools in the shed.”
“Why?”
“You need this, and we have nothing left to lose apart from each other. You know we’re running out of time and I’m here for you now. We can do this together.” Louis studied Harry, emotions threatening to spill over again.
“Okay,” he whispered. “Ready?” Harry nodded and squeezed his hand supportively. With his free hand, Louis carefully lifted the lid of the small blue box.
The inside of the box was lined in rich red velvet and in it sat a series of papers. Louis was too afraid of the butterfly’s in his stomach to release from Harry’s comforting touch as he lifted out the top piece and unfolded it.
“It’s my birth certificate,” he murmured after his eyes scanned it. Harry squeezed his hand again.
“Any clues?” Harry asked quietly.
“No, but I was born in Doncaster. And it has my mother’s name.” Louis smiled sadly and set it to one side, going back to the box. “There’s a key, and a code, name and address on this piece. Louis pulled out the key and inspected it before set it on top of the certificate.
“What’s the name?” Harry asked curiously.
“Dr Howard. Amersham Health Clinic.”
“Who do you think it is?”
“I don’t know.”
“We should go and find out,” Harry suggested quietly. Louis glanced up and their eyes met again.
“Yeah,” Louis nodded, surprising Harry, but the younger boy couldn’t help but smile back when a wide grin spread across Louis’ features. Harry let their eyes meet again and he realized that Louis’ eyes were brighter than he’d seen them yet – not as much as they could be, they were still largely dead, but there was definitely a sparkle.
“Come on then, let’s go.”
Harry was sat on a stranger’s sofa, in a stranger’s living room, with Louis curled tight into his side, fast asleep. Harry let his fingers toy gently with Louis’ soft hair, his eyes roaming the peaceful face resting against his chest. Louis’ eyelashes were still matted with drying tears, but there were no longer any other signs of Louis’ previous distress after they had stopped driving.
He was a little in awe of how Louis had managed to perfectly balance speed, safety and preserving resources over the six hours he’d been switched off. It had saved their lives yet again and Harry was starting to fear how much he owed the older boy.
Louis murmured something incomprehensible in his sleep and shifted slightly closer to Harry, the arm that had ended up over his waist tightening, making Harry’s skin burn, even through the material of his shirt.
Louis had been even more of a wreck than last time. Once Harry had made him aware that he was back, it had only taken ten minutes for him to lose their pursuers. Unable to see, the first time that Harry became aware of the state Louis was in was when they stopped and the back door opened. He could hear small, choked sobs escaping from Louis’ lips and could feel his hands shaking violently as he tried to undo the knot around Harry’s wrists. Harry was instantly on edge, desperate for Louis to finish untying his wrists so that he could just hold him and tell him that, somehow, everything was going to be okay.
Louis had finally succeeded in undoing the knot with a small frustrated squeak of indignation and as soon as the rope dropped from Harry’s wrists, the younger boy was tearing the blindfold off with one hand and pulling Louis close with the other. Once Louis’ face was buried in the warm crook of Harry’s neck and one of Harry’s arms was tight around his shoulders, the small sobs turned into full-on crying. Louis had clung onto Harry’s shirt as the younger struggled to undo the knots on his ankles with just one hand, all the burning emotion that tore Louis apart from the inside spilling out.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Harry had soothed as his ankles were freed and he could wrap the other arm around Louis. “Everything will be okay Lou, I swear.” Somehow, this had only made Louis cry more and it was breaking Harry’s heart.
After a little while, Harry had finally managed to manoeuvre Louis inside the empty house he had found. They curled up on the sofa where Harry had continued to murmur small comforts to Louis, rubbing circles into his shoulders until the wracking, gut wrenching sobs had stopped and Louis had fallen asleep on him, tear tracks marring his cheeks. And that was how Harry knew that Louis Tomlinson was perfect.
However, there were things he needed to do. They were going to die soon, the fact was undeniable. He still counted it a little be of a miracle that they had lasted this long. He refused to let Louis die still not knowing where he came from or why he had spent so long on his own. It was the least he could do. So, he gently as he could, and slightly reluctantly, he lifted Louis’ arm from his waist and slipped out from underneath him, laying him down on the sofa and tucking him under a blanket he had found. He carefully smoothed Louis’ fringe away from his eyes and, in a moment of foolish impulse, pressed a small kiss to Louis’ temple.
He watched the older boy sleeping for a minute longer, then hurried outside back to the car. He grabbed the previously forgotten small, blue, battered box, cradling it against him as if it was one of the most precious things in the world, second only to Louis himself.
He ran back through the rain and the fading light, through the house, pausing only briefly to check that Louis was still asleep. Then he carried on through and out of the back door, until he found the door to the work shed. He could only hope that Louis wouldn’t hate him for what he was going to do.
***
When Louis woke he was warm and comfortable, but something was missing. His eyes also felt dry and raw and his head was pounding. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes, suddenly realizing what wasn’t there.
“Harry?” He croaked, frowning. He coughed a little, clearing his throat, then tried again. “Harry? Where are you?” The face that haunted his nightmares appeared around the door to the living room, eyes wide.
“Lou, you okay?” Harry asked, coming to sit by Louis’ feet.
“Oh God, I did it again, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. I’m such a mess.” Louis buried his head in his hands, not wanting to see Harry’s pity. He hated his demons more than anything.
“Louis, it’s fine. You have nothing to be ashamed of.” Louis glanced at the younger boy, seeing nothing more than honest concern in his face.
“The running just got to me, I guess,” Louis murmured as their eyes met, the intense green forcing part of the truth out of him. Harry looked away, taking a deep nervous breath.
“Lou, do you trust me?” He asked quietly.
“You know I do,” Louis frowned. In a moment of bravery, he reached out and hooked his fingers under Harry’s. For a second he thought Harry was going to pull away, but instead his fingers tightened around Louis’ and they both smiled slightly.
“I’ve done something and I really hope you’re not mad at me,” Harry confessed, never wanting to let go of Louis’ hand.
“What?” Louis asked cautiously. He didn’t think he could ever be mad at Harry, but he was a little worried about what he was about to be told. But Harry didn’t say anything else. He simply pushed a small blue box into Louis’ lap. It took Louis a minute to realise what was different.
“It’s open?” He breathed, voice cracking slightly.
“The lock’s off, but I haven’t opened it.”
“How -?”
“Power tools in the shed.”
“Why?”
“You need this, and we have nothing left to lose apart from each other. You know we’re running out of time and I’m here for you now. We can do this together.” Louis studied Harry, emotions threatening to spill over again.
“Okay,” he whispered. “Ready?” Harry nodded and squeezed his hand supportively. With his free hand, Louis carefully lifted the lid of the small blue box.
The inside of the box was lined in rich red velvet and in it sat a series of papers. Louis was too afraid of the butterfly’s in his stomach to release from Harry’s comforting touch as he lifted out the top piece and unfolded it.
“It’s my birth certificate,” he murmured after his eyes scanned it. Harry squeezed his hand again.
“Any clues?” Harry asked quietly.
“No, but I was born in Doncaster. And it has my mother’s name.” Louis smiled sadly and set it to one side, going back to the box. “There’s a key, and a code, name and address on this piece. Louis pulled out the key and inspected it before set it on top of the certificate.
“What’s the name?” Harry asked curiously.
“Dr Howard. Amersham Health Clinic.”
“Who do you think it is?”
“I don’t know.”
“We should go and find out,” Harry suggested quietly. Louis glanced up and their eyes met again.
“Yeah,” Louis nodded, surprising Harry, but the younger boy couldn’t help but smile back when a wide grin spread across Louis’ features. Harry let their eyes meet again and he realized that Louis’ eyes were brighter than he’d seen them yet – not as much as they could be, they were still largely dead, but there was definitely a sparkle.
“Come on then, let’s go.”