powerless - [Larry Stylinson] ✔️

chapter 12

LOUIS POV

I stared ahead as I collected my thoughts. What he had just told me suddenly made so much sense, even though I wish it didn't. We continued walking towards his house in silence.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement.

I opened my mouth to say something but I had no words. I could almost feel Harry growing nervous next to me.

"Harry you can't stay with him... you need to report him to the police, you need to fight back! I've seen you fighting and I know you could take him on."

Harry shook his head silently and stared at the ground.

"I know I could take him on, but there's a slight problem. I can't fight back... not against him."

I tilted my head to the side and frowned. Harry seemed to read my confusion.

"He's been like this ever since I can remember... his words have some sort of control over me that I can't seem to shake. I've tried to get up after he pushed me down but it's like his words or the fact that he's the only family I have left create an invisible barrier that makes me too weak and pathetic to fight back. I'm powerless against him." He paused before looking over at me. "Sorry if that doesn't make much sense."

I considered this for a moment. I couldn't relate but I could understand. His father had some sort of power over him.

"Okay... so if you can't fight back have you ever gone to the police? Warned them about everything?"

He sighed and nodded sadly.

"I've tried but I didn't have any proof, they didn't believe me."

"Have you ever considered showing yours scars to them?" I asked warily, not wanting to upset him by mentioning those....

"I never show my scars to anyone. Ever." He said firmly, but after he said this his face softened a little. "I'm ashamed of them, they're ugly."

I stopped suddenly and looked over to him, making him stop and look back, raising his eyebrows questionably.

"Your scars are nothing to be ashamed of!" I said firmly. I made my way towards him and stopped in front of him. I hesitantly grabbed his hands in mine and ran my thumbs over his knuckles. My hands were a lot smaller than his but I didn't care.

"Your scars are a part of who you are, and you might not like them but I can assure you if you ever trust me enough to show me them I will never, not once, think they're ugly."

He looked into my eyes and leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine. We stayed there for a while, fingers interlocked and heads supporting each other.

"Thank you..." he said so quietly I almost didn't hear him. I answered him by nuzzling my face into his neck and wrapping my arms around him, pulling him as close as possible, and this time, he hugged me back immediately. After a couple moments I heard a small sob coming from his mouth. It was very muffled so I could tell he was trying hard not to cry.

I pressed myself closer to him and comforted him. It was slightly weird to have Harry who was usually so cold and scary towards me crying in my arms, but it felt right. Him being in my arms that is, not him crying. That was something I wanted to fix and never see again.

"You can cry Hazza... you can let it all out."

A couple more sobs escaped him during the next couple minutes but he soon quieted down.

"I have to get home soon, otherwise my father will be very unhappy." He said quietly. I nodded, I didn't want him going home but there was nothing I could do in that moment.

"Harry, I think I have an idea..." I said as we continued walking down the graveled sidewalk. He looked over at me expectantly. "Film them." I said...

He frowned and looked at me in confusion.

"Film the... beatings." I said the last word with such disgust. "if you film them you'll have proof and he'll definitely go to jail."

I looked over ta him and he seemed hesitant.

"Please... if not for you then for you... do it for me..." I pleaded.

"I'll try..." he said in a small voice that made me want to cuddle him and never let go. We walked in silence for a couple more minutes before I decided to ask another question, he must have been getting annoyed at my questions.

"Why do you go by the name Ashton in the training center?"

He raised his eyebrows and looked over at me in shock.

"How did you know about that?" he asked, clearly surprised.

"... I may or may not have gone inside your training center to ask for your timetable so that I coud catch you outside school. When I found out there was no Harry I pointed to the picture of you on the wall and she said your name was Ashton."

He chuckled quietly and shook his head.

"I can't believe you did that but at the same time I'm not that surprised. Ashton was a kid I met years ago. His father wanted him to learn Kung Fu but he didn't want to... he gave his place to me without anyone knowing. I told my father it was a mandatory school thing I had 3 times a week, at the beginning he beat me anyway when I arrived home later but he eventually grew used to it. I originally agree to take his place so that I could fight my father but now everyone there thinks my name is Ashton and it's quite nice. People don't fear my name or my appearance because in fights I have to take out my piercings. Being Ashton is like having a whole other life with no worries."

"That's really smart..." I said laughing, earning a small grin from him. It made me smile even wider when I saw it.

"You have a beautiful smile." I said out loud, immediately feeling the heat rush up to my cheeks. My eyes widened as I looked down embarrassingly. I didn't mean to say that out loud.

I felt a hand under my chin that made me look up at him. He brought his face close to mine.

"So do you..." he said truthfully.

I stayed quietly looking into his eyes and he looked into mine. After a couple moment he pulled away. He pointed to a house a couple houses down.

"That's where I live... you shouldn't walk with me up in front, my father could see us and then the both of us would be screwed..." he said sadly. I nodded understandingly.

"Okay... bye Harry." I said.

"Bye Lou..." he replied quietly before turning around and walking down the street. I stood there staring at his figure walking along the sidewalk.

"Wait!" I called out, feeling a burst of confidence flow through my veins.

He turned around and I jogged up to him. As soon as I got closer I went up on my tippy toes and planted a soft, careful kiss onto his cheek.

I then immediately turned around and walked away... too scared to see his reaction. I didn't even know if he was straight or not... I just hoped he wasn't mad at me, or disgusted.

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LARRYYYYY, melts me heart, always.

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