It's Just A Photo

Chapter 17

Harrys footsteps came to a stop as his eyes adjusted to the darkened room. Harry's eyes scanned the room like laserbeams from one side to the other. As Harry's eyes landed on the bundle on the bundle of blankets laying on the bay window he felt a weird mixture of relief and concern. With the plate of cookies still in his hands, Harry took a few tiny steps heading straight for the window that laid across the room.

"Louis? Are you awake."

Suddenly Harry saw a small little hand emerge from the bundle and reach upwards. Louis sat up fast and his head snapped up following the path of Harry's voice. His shoulders fell relaxed again realizing it was indeed just Harry. Seeing that Harry was continuing to walk towards him Louis quickly dropped his head and raised a portion of the blanket wrapped around him to wipe the tear stains away from his cheeks and cleared his throat.

"Yeah, I'm awake."

Harry quicken his pace only having to take four steps to reach the bay window. When Harry sat down Louis was back to facing the scenic view out of his window. Unwrapping the plastic covering on the plate Harry brought the plate forward closer to Louis offering him one, but he didn't take one he didn't even move at the offering.

"Okay then."

Harry's torso twisted tightly as he turned around and placed the plate of cookies on the edge of the small table. Harry sat back against the rough textured wall that framed the seating area adjust observed.

Harry observed every small detail of Louis. The way his hair had become ruffled and the edges curled up slightly at the base of his neck as Louis's hair had grown to the longest length it has ever been, and it looked good. Perhaps a little too good. The corners of Louis's eyes dropped down as his eyelashes fluttered upwards through he moonlight that was glistening outside. Harry noticed that the tip of Louis's rounded nose was slightly swollen and held the shadow of a rosy hue.

Harry's eyes continued to move downward and saw the little hairs that collected above Louis's upper lip when he didn't shave for a couple of days. A shadow was held above his lips allows Harry to see every little crevice. Harry could see that the normally thin straight lips now held a slightly swollen shape and combined with the small little indents and breaks in the skin Harry knew that Louis had been biting them. It was only then that he noticed that his heart began to splinter, Louis's lips held a faint quiver.

He took in every inch of Louis once again, this time with searching for any other details that he had missed when he was entranced by his early presence, and sure enough, he did. Louis's knuckles where white and his cuticles had been picked at, his hands still clenched the blanket around him. Louis's chin had been tilted down making him appear smaller than he already was. A sure-fire sign something was wrong.

One last good look at Louis's eyes solidified Harry's splintering heart. Microscopic lines of bright green stripes appeared in the normally crystal clear ocean that occupied Louis's face, something that only ever happened when he cried. Harry could still see the watery layer that was covering Louis's eyes and his hurt. It hurt so bad.

"Louis?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

A long silence fluttered between the small space between Harry and Louis. Only Louis's eyes moved, they shifted from the bottom of the window up and outward towards the fountain that laid outside. Louis's room overlooked the backyard, meaning that the view truly was something that had to ability to take your breath away, but that wasn't the reason why Louis was still silent.

"Louis."

Harry leaned in slightly and reach out to tap Louis on the shoulder, or what he was pretty sure was his shoulder since he was still wrapped in his comforter which seemed to only be growing in fluffiness.