little things l.s

I think he knows 🤫

(a/n sorry for the boring previous chapter, I think this chapter is good)

they arrived at louis's apartment, and louis led harry inside, the soft glow of the hallway lights casting a warm, welcoming ambiance. the faint hum of the elevator receded as they stepped into the cozy living space, the familiar scent of home enveloping them.

with a friendly smile, louis gestured toward a doorway down a short hallway. "alright, here's the guest bedroom. you can sleep here tonight," he said, placing harry's bag gently on the neatly made bed. the room was tidy, bathed in soft lamplight, and exuded a sense of comfort.

louis, although he'd be lying if he said he hadn't thought about it, didn't want to make harry feel pressured into anything more than he was comfortable with. they had only been on a handful of dates, and he respected harry's boundaries, especially as he was fairly shy.

harry nodded appreciatively, glancing around the room before turning to louis, his expression slightly shy. "um, thanks, louis. I... I really appreciate this." 

louis's warm demeanor remained unwavering. "of course, It's about time you came over, make yourself at home."

harry hesitated for a moment, not wanting to be a bother, before tentatively asking, "is it alright if I use your shower?"

"of course, it's right down the hall and there are fresh towels in the cupboard by the door."

with a grateful smile, harry made his way to the bathroom, leaving louis in the guest room. as he entered the bathroom, harry's first order of business was to turn on the exhaust fan, its gentle hum masking any sounds from within the room.

he then approached the vanity, his reflection in the misted mirror appearing weak, tired, and pained. he ignored this and urgently opened the cabinets, his fingers fumbled through the bathroom cabinet desperately. as harry's thoughts continued to spirall into a dark abyss, their destructive power grew overwhelmingly intense. in these moments, it felt as if the only way to silence the tempest raging within him was to succumb to their cruel demands.

you're such a disappointment

you're nothing but a burden

nobody will ever love you

you deserve to hurt

harry's trembling fingers finally found what he was searching for—a plain razor blade tucked away in the bathroom cabinet. with a sense of grim determination, he carefully disassembled it, extracting the blade from its plastic casing. without another thought he pulled up the sleeve of louis hoodie and slid the blade along his forearm. once, then again, and the once more.

harry's trembling hand moved with practiced precision, the blade glinting ominously in the dim bathroom light. but just as he was about to make a fourth incision, there came a sudden, unexpected knock on the bathroom door. harry froze, his heart pounding in his chest as he realised he might get discovered.

"harry?" louis's voice came through the door, tinged with concern, cracking the fragile silence that had enveloped the room.

harry swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he responded, "y-yeah?"

without hesitation, louis opened the door, a wave of worry washing over him. he had sensed something was amiss, noticing that harry hadn't been in the shower because the water wasn't running. hearing his voice tremble that way had confirmed that something was going on. as he entered the bathroom, his eyes widened in shock as he took in what harry had been doing, a sinking feeling gripping his heart.

harry's voice caught in his throat as he attempted to explain, stumbling and stuttering awkwardly, "i can explain, I... I didn't know what else to do, and I'm so sorry, louis. i'll clean it up right now I-"