Killer Queen ~ {H.E.S}

His persona suits his decor

"Harry?"

The shadow stopped moving behind the corner, obviously aware it had been spotted and debating whether to step into the light illuminating the staircase, or to slither away. Harry stepped forward, his left hand coming up to awkwardly rub his nose as he looked at the two. Elena frowned, whereas Mike gleamed at the sight of him. Harry decided to fix his gaze on the happy child instead of the glowering woman, sending him a wide smile, ruffling Mike's hair as the boy yelped his name and tackled the lanky man for a hug.

All the time, Elena observed them. She was angry at Harry and didn't particularly like children -perhaps because her life had been ruined by the expectancy of one- yet the sight of the two almost made her frown disappear. Almost.

Yet when Harry moved his gaze to her it hardened. She didn't really know why she was being so dramatic, yet she begrudgingly believed it was because Harry was the first to deny her in years, and although she was more seriously involved with the last man to do so, she still feared Harry could hurt her. Like he did.

"Louis wishes to see us, now," he told her, his voice soft, yet authoritive as he spoke from where he was bending down to reach Mike's height. His eyes were soft, and Elena remained hunched over on the stairs, her fingers tightly clutching the dressing gown she wore. She nodded slowly, her eyes remained quite emotionless. She felt drained from lack of sleep, and current events were still taking a toll on her mind.

"Can you go tell your dad we'll be in his office soon, please Mike?" he spoke, looking at the kid, whom looked back, eyes happy and innocent. "I just need to speak to El."

Mike nodded, waving to Elena, who returned the gesture, before leaving. Harry straightened to his full height, his green eyes coming to land on Elena, who was already looking at him. In two large strides he placed himself on the stairs, a couple of steps behind Elena as she watched him from the corner of her eye. To anyone, they'd look like a couple in a quarrel.

"When I asked you to help me find Chloe," Harry started, it sounded as if he was choosing his words carefully, "I did it because I had mostly worked in the company of women, so I preferred it, and because I thought you were somebody nobody would miss- if you had gone missing."

Elena was shocked at his blunt and hurtful confession. Staring ahead of herself, she remained motionless as she heard Harry shuffle about awkwardly on the stairs above, yet her eyes began to fill with silent tears at his horribly honest and unexpected words.

He cleared his throat, "but I realise now that you're much stronger than what I had thought. I'll admit, you actually intimidated me at the beginning-" Elena snorted, "-but I convinced myself you could just be a momentary partner, and that I wouldn't care if you were harmed or killed."

Elena sacrificed a glance at him from over her shoulder, seeing him playing with the rings on his fingers, back hunched, hair wet and frizzing slightly, dangling over his shoulders and across his face. However, she did notice the guilty expression on his face, as he contemplated his next words, and he looked nervous.

"But when you shot that woman," he spoke, his voice was strained, and Elena heard it almost break as her heart sank. "it was dark and I thought it was you that got shot, and fuck, El, I panicked, alright? I fucking thought you were hurt and I realised I was wrong when I tried to tell myself you were just a body shield to be used against the line of fire."

He stopped after this, allowing his honest words to sink in, and Elena felt the tears almost spill. But now they were angry tears.

"But that's just the thing," she said, her voice held so much vulnerability that it made her even angrier. She hated looking weak. "You were right. I don't have anyone and nobody would miss me. Everyone betrays me, as you will." She sniffed, scoffing as her eyes flickered with hurt, "if you haven't already."