What Is Love

One

this takes place in New Jersey USA only bc i need to use the US school system since i don't understand the u.k. schooling enough!

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[Tuesday, September 5th 2017]

Louis sighs, running a hand through his hair as he exits the store. The little bell ringing and the door sways open and closes again.

The humid air hits him hard as he walks along the sidewalk, making his hands feel sticky. It wakes him up from the slump he'd been in all morning, not being able to concentrate on anything as his body was overcome with the lack of sleep he had gotten. And he didn't even have classes today.

Besides the hot night there's something else that brings him out of his slump. Voices, and a scared one.

Louis straightens up, getting a bit frightened. He follows the sounds carefully. Which only leads him into the small alleyway next to his townhouse, sitting about a block down from the shop.

He can see three figures, two tall and standing and one small and slouched against the brick of the wall. "Hey!" He calls, stuffing his hands into his pockets. All three heads turn towards him. "What the hell is going on here?" Louis asks, and stops when he's in front of them, noticing that the two boys aren't very tall after all.

The boy pressed against the wall gains his attention, the blood trickling slowly from his bruised nose and the busted lip making Louis angry. "You realize you can get arrested, right?" He snarls, shoving one guy away and grabbing the kid by his armpits, pulling him upright. The boy leans into his touch, flinching away from the other two, who stand there confusedly. "So get lost!" He bellows, making them jump back a bit and run the other way.

Louis turns to the boy. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"N-No." He croaks, choking back a sob.

"C'mon, I'll help you." Louis wraps his arm around his shoulders as he guides him out of the alley.

They reach the steps, and Louis supports the weak boy's weight with one arm as he unlocks the door. "Let me clean you up, alright?" He asks, earning a small nod from him. Louis hoists him up onto the counter, frowning at the drained look on his face.

After getting a cold rag, he holds it against the young boys face, wiping away the dry blood on his nose and lip. There's a small cut on his cheek, though it looks like it might need a stitch or two. However with his lack of doctor skills Louis instead goes into the bathroom, returning to the boy with a butterfly bandaid. (aka bandaids for cuts that could use stitches but don't rlly need it). He's lucky his mum lives twenty minutes away or else she wouldn't have brought over a first aid kit for him when he first moved in.

Louis goes to put the bandage on the boys face when he pulls back. "You can't put a bandage on your face." He cringes away at it.

Louis huffs. "And why not?"

"Cause, then it looks stupid." He mumbles, bringing the ice off of his nose. The older boy rolls my eyes and puts it on anyway.

"That's ridiculous. Would you rather have a bandage on your face or have to get stitches?" Louis asks. "Cause I'm pretty sure stitches on your cheek doesn't look too attractive either." He tells him. "What's your name?" He sits down on a stool.

"Harry." He mutters, looking down at his hands. "Yours?"

"Louis." He bites his lip. "You're English as well?"

Harry nods. "Moved over a year ago. You?"

Louis wipes off the scratch on Harry's forehead. "Bout two years ago with my family. They're moving back in a year or two so I'll probably do the same. Dunno yet." He read somewhere that telling more about yourself makes someone trust you more. Not that he has a reason to, but he just wants Harry to trust him enough to let him get him home safely. "You're still in high school?" Louis asks.

"Yea, I'm only sixteen." He swings his legs back and forth a bit.

"Good, stay in school." Louis laughs. Harry gives a small smile, but then purses his lips. "Has this happened before?" Louis studies the boys features for a moment.

Harry frowns, shaking his head. "No. I don't know who they were, or why they did that. I'm not even bullied in school." He sighs. "Uhm, what time is it?"

Louis checks his phone. "About ten. I'll give you a ride home." He offers, standing up. It doesn't take long, about fifteen minutes, to get to his house, but by the time Louis pulls up Harry's fast asleep. He was obviously tired and too precious to wake up, so Louis makes the decision to walk around to his side and unbuckle his seat belt for him. He carries him to the front door with much struggle. He may be younger but he's not a twig.

Louis waits a minute after knocking until the door opens, and a woman stands in the way. "Harry!" She gasps. "Oh god, come in come in." She rushes. He follows her into the living room, where she tells him to put Harry on the couch.

"How did you find him? Where was he? Who-Who are you?" She bombards Louis with questions.

"Uh, I was working at that music shop right by and heard a couple people talking up against the building on my way home." He glances at Harry. "I took him back to my place to clean up his cuts and such. I hope you don't mind," he says nervously, folding his hands behind his back.

"No, no, thank you. I was worried sick, he hadn't come home after school so I got scared." The woman has her hand on her heart. Finally looking back at Louis, he can tell she's actually taking in his presence. Her face easily reads uneasiness with his tattoos and piercings.

"I uhm, guess I'll go then," Louis speaks, taking a step back. She gives him a nod and a smile, and he takes another look at the curly haired boy before leaving.