the eclipse [sequel] ☾ l.s.

ten - family reunions

"I'm not going."

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. He had dark bags under his eyes, a result of his nightmare the night before. As hard as he tried to act stubborn and angry, Louis could feel his fear through their bond, and he forced himself to take a breath. The morning had come faster than any of them anticipated, and they had already packed up most of their belongings, planning to leave the cave around noon.

"Harry. Baby," he soothed gently. "It's not a big deal. We'll go for a few days, and if anyone does anything to make you feel uncomfortable, we'll come straight back here. I promise."

"I'm not going," the omega repeated. His words held less weight and more waver.

Louis sighed again, and he closed the distance between them, pulling the younger boy into his arms. Harry went willingly, his stiff body instinctively relaxing into the older boy's hold. Louis shushed him when he whimpered, and they clung to each other, like a reminder that nothing in the world could tear them apart.

"I'm so scared. I hate it," he whispered, his voice shaky. "I hate feeling so weak, I hate -- I hate how much power they have over me."

"They only have power over you if you let them," Louis told him, carding his fingers through his mate's tangled curls, gently teasing apart the knots. "I'm not going to leave your side. I just . . . I have to do this, H. I don't know how to explain it."

"You don't have to explain," the omega responded, almost sadly. "I already know."

Louis sighed. Aside from a few sporadic outbursts of emotion, Harry was handling this situation quite impressively -- he was way calmer than Louis would be if the roles were reversed. He just wanted to take all of Harry's pain away; instead, Harry was bearing the heavy ghosts of his past without any real question.

He pressed a firm kiss to Harry's forehead, murmuring, "How did I get so lucky?"

"Don't ask me. I'm just the idiot who got stuck with you," the omega grumbled. Louis kissed his forehead again before he pulled back, framing Harry's face with his hands.

"Think I promised to wash your hair," he said. The smile on his face wove sunshine into his tone.

And Harry pursed his lips to cover his own smile, but he never had been able to resist his alpha.

They left the cave hand in hand, the morning sun slowly creeping up over the tops of the trees. It felt like a desperate grasp at their own precious sense of peace, but Harry basked in it, letting his alpha lead him deeper into the woods.

"Don't we have to leave?" Liam shouted after them, one judgemental eyebrow raised. He threw his hands in the air when the pair ignored him, too lost in their own world to pay him any mind.

"Shut up," Niall hissed, punching Liam's arm lightly. He dragged the alpha back inside, shaking his head disapprovingly. "They need to kiss and make up before we get thrown back in the arena. I hate when they fight."

"You just hate when Harry's upset," Zayn called from the other side of the cave, smirking. Niall was almost as protective of Harry as Louis (probably because he was one of the only guardians of Harry's secret for so long) -- and considering Louis's behavior, that really said something.

"And you don't?" the Irish boy shot back with a grin. "Besides, I prefer when Louis isn't upset either -- I personally like my limbs to stay attached to my body."

Zayn snorted. "You're an idiot."

"Talk to me when he tries to use your body to knock down a tree, mate! Talk to me then!"