Stranger Δ

Day Eight

Zayn and Harry were the only two people in the shop the next day.
Liam was off at the DMV, renewing his license, and Niall had taken a trip back to Ireland, to visit family.

Louis was acting strange.
For one, he came in around dusk, which was much later than normal.
He seemed distracted, and had informed the boys that he couldn't stay long.
So now, he was sitting in Harry's tattoo chair, with his knees pulled up to his chest, and his head resting in the crook of Harry's neck.
Harry was sat in his chair next to Louis, one arm wrapped around the small boy, using his free hand to design a new tattoo that he wanted.

Zayn looked on with a knowing smirk, but abruptly stood, and walked to the front window, with brows furrowed in confusion.
"Hey, Haz, we don't have any other appointments booked for today, right?"

Harry glanced up and quirked a brow.
"No, I don't think so. Why?"

"Because there's a car just parked on the road outside. A red jeep?"

Louis tensed and jumped up, gathering his things.
"I've got to go.." he muttered.

Harry stood and rested hands on the boy's shoulders, causing Louis to snap his head up, their eyes meeting.
"Lou, who is that?" he asked gently.

Louis flinched back from Harry's touch, glancing over his shoulder at the jeep, before meeting Harry's eyes again.
His own bright blue pupils were slightly panicked, and he was tugging on his hoodie sleeves anxiously.
"M-My boyfriend.. N-Nick..." he whispered, spitting the word 'boyfriend' like it was poison.

Harry tensed.
Boyfriend.

Using the distraction, Louis slipped back and fled out the door, hopping into the passenger seat of the jeep.
Nick still hadn't turned, his hands gripping the steering wheel and his eyes focused ahead of him.
When Louis shut the door, Nick said something that the boys in the shop couldn't quite make out.
Louis flinched and dropped his head in shame, while Nick pulled out of the parking lot.

Harry was frozen to the spot, while Zayn watched the car disappear with a worried look.

Boyfriend...