A/N:

edited 5/25/2015: I tweeked a bit of the story, but it's still mostly the same!

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Louis groaned loudly as he was woken up by his alarm, he really didn't want to go to school today, anyday for that matter. He stretched his limbs, forgetting about the bruise, making him wince at the sudden contact on the bed. After quite a few minutes of him fighting his mind to get up, he walked over to his wardrobe to change. He was about to forget to put on his beanie when he cursed silently knowing it is the only thing that is keeping everyone from knowing his secret.

Louis was broken out of his thoughts when his mother shouted that Harry was here. Louis sighed, but knew that it was just their morning routine. A routine that he always had done, and it really just made Louis fall harder and harder for the other lad. He was contemplating of covering up the giant bruise on his face, but Harry will murder him if he doesn't see it first.

Louis just stayed put in the center of his room, he was looking down at his hands when Harry walked into the room. He's pretty sure Harry knocked, but he didn't bother to answer, knowing that he would just walk in anyways.

Louis didn't look up and Harry just walked over to him and moved his head up to look at him. Harry frowned when he saw the bruise and the already teary-eyed Louis before him. Harry didn't even need to ask, because he knew who caused it, and it made him angrier.

Harry opened his arms and that's when Louis' cried for the first time since his father beat him the night before. Harry rubbed Louis' bath in soothing circles and just let him cry. Harry let Louis cry until he couldn't.

Louis removed his head from being squashed into Harry's chest and he just stared up at him. Harry smiled slightly as he wiped away the stray tears that were still trickling out of Louis' eyes.

Louis smiled back at Harry, "Thank you."

Harry shook his head, "No need to thank me, you needed a good cry. Feel better?"

Louis chuckled as he nodded, hugging Harry tight.

"Alright Lou, let's get you all fixed up and off to school." Harry kissed the top of Louis' beanie clad head, making the latter blush slightly, but not enough to question anything.

Harry followed Louis into the bathroom and all the thoughts just came to him. He just wants to know why his mother doesn't just leave his father? Harry didn't like that she's basically allowing the monster to beat the living shit out of Louis and he didn't like it one bit.

He understood the idea of not pressing charges because of the people he knows who make their lives a living hell. But, why didn't she just dump his ass along time ago.

Harry shook the thoughts away as he noticed the wince that Louis gave when he tried to get on the counter. Harry sighed and lifted up his shirt and he gasped, the bruise covered at least half of Louis' back. It was a terrible shade of purple, almost black, he'd definitely have to keep an eye on that if it doesn't start to decolor in the next few days. Harry didn't even dare to touch it because it was so swollen, "Later when you get to mine, we're icing your whole back."

Louis nodded and then Harry helped him to get onto the counter to help hide the bruise on his face. Harry had to watch so many tutorials on youtube to make sure that it wouldn't look like there was makeup on Louis' face. Plus, he did have years of practice up until now, so he should know everything by now.

"Any other bruises I should know about?" Louis shook his head, "Any new cuts or anything?" Louis shook his head again. Harry smiled, "Good, I'm proud of you." Louis smiled big, blushing a bit.

Harry just then had the worst flashback, the day that he almost lost his best friend. It was the day that Harry was going over to Louis' to work on their assigned project, he had knocked on their door and when there was no answer he knew there was something wrong.

"Lou?" Harry yelled into the house, but there was no answer. He hesitantly walked in and started for his room when he heard violent sobs.

"Why? Why must everyone be so mean to me?! I may be gay, but I'm still the same Louis." Harry's heart literally broke, why would anyone do anything to Louis, he is the sweetest person you could ever get to know. Harry stood outside the door until he realized that Louis stopped crying.

"Lou?" Harry waits a moment and here's nothing and he panics. He opens the door and sees the one thing that he would never have wanted to. There on the pool of blood almost passed out was, Louis. "Shit, fuck, Louis!" He quickly gets to him and pats his cheek and Louis opens his eyes.

"Haz-help, please." Harry pulls off his shirt, he rips it in half and ties it tight up a bit further on Louis' arm before he puts all his weight on the other part preventing more blood from pooling out of Louis' wrist.

Harry is quick to dig out his phone and call Louis' mum, the only person he was told to call during an emergency, he can't even call the hospital. He doesn't even know the reason, just that he needs to just only call his mum.

Through his broken sobs, Harry managed to get Louis' mum here in under five minutes with a bit of help.

"Why can't we take him to the hospital?"

"Can't..."

"Why?"

"I wish I can tell you, you have to wait to hear it from Louis. It's not my place to tell, okay?" Harry just nods in response, not pushing it further than it already had gone.

Louis was knocked out for a few days, he never left his side only for when he had to use the bathroom or eat.

Harry had finally fallen asleep when he felt movement beside him and he looked to find a very confused Louis looking at him with wide eyes.

"Harry? Wh-what happened?" He managed to get out of his very dry mouth. Harry gave him some water and waited until he was a little calmer before he answered him.

"Umm...well I came over to see if you wanted to start the project, and I found you in a pool of your own blood...Why? Why Louis? Why would you result to such a thing?" Harry said as the tears just started to trickle down his face, but he was quick to wipe them away.

"Everyone doesn't understand me. I know that whenever you are around me no one ever dares to come near me. But, once you're gone it all starts with the taunting and the bullying. Then I get home to more with my father. I just couldn't take it anymore. I just wanted everything to be over. I know I wasn't thinking, but at the time it felt right." Louis was crying as well at this point, but Harry pulled him into his arms letting him cry into his chest, like always.

"Louis, please, promise me you will never do this again. Please I don't think I can make it without you, please." Harry mumbled quietly as Louis was half asleep.

"I promise Harry," he whispered quietly, but loud enough to hear him.

Ever since that fateful day 3 years ago, Harry had to make sure that Louis was loved. He only checked him over for cuts and bruises was to have him know that someone other than his mum cared for him. Harry even got to the point with making sure that all of their classes were the same, he never wanted to leave Louis alone. The only times he is ever left alone is when Harry is sick, but sometimes that doesn't prevent him from leaving Louis' side. Harry knew everything as of right now was fine, well he sure hoped it was.

Harry just wants to know what the whole secret is, he wants to know what Louis has been hiding all this time. Harry had tried to ask him, but he never really came out, as soon as he opened his mouth he changed it to something else. He knows that he needs to let Louis tell him on his own, but at the same time he just wants to know. But, he would wait forever until he tells him, even if it kills him.

"Haz?

"Haz? Hello earth to Harry...Still in there?" Louis says waving his hands in front of my face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Ready to go to school?" Louis sighed quietly before he nodded slowly.

He grabs his things and follows Harry to the car, it's been the same routine for three years now. They aren't changing it anytime soon.

The made it to school and Harry braced for the worst. He put his arm around Louis' shoulders as they started to walk down the hall.

"Hey everyone it's the fag twins!"

"Ohh Fuck off Zayn!"

"Not until you admit that you have feelings for princess over there."

"In your dreams." I feel Louis shutter beside me.

"Now, Louis isn't there something you want to tell Miss Harry?" Louis shakes his head.

"That's it, I've had it, why can't you ever leave us alone? What have we ever done to you?" Zayn just stands there in shock, "That's what I thought, and we have done nothing. Absolutely nothing. What happened? All of us used to be the best of friends, why did it change?"

"Because of gay-boy over there."

"Don't blame it on him Zayn, you my friend, wait ex-friend, are indenial. You choose to pick on Louis, who is out with his sexuality, because you are hiding deep secret. Want me to say it, or shall you do the honors?"

"Don't you even dare Styles."

"You are gay." With that he lunged and punched me right in the face.

"MR. MALIK! MY OFFICE NOW!" Zayn looks up and sees a very furious looking Principal Ford. Zayn mumbles some profanities under his breath and shutters off to the office.

"Harry you ok?" He asks Harry and he nods in response.

"Yes, I will just head to the nurse." He nods and walks off to go deal with Zayn.

"Haz are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes, I am and I'm not leaving you out of my sight. Let's go get me fixed up." Harry and Louis spent a majority of the day in the nurse's office. Harry's nose wasn't broken just a bit bruised and would be sore for the rest of the day.

Everything was going fine until the awkward drive to Harry's house, once they pull up to it, Harry doesn't move. He turns his head and notices that Louis was already staring at him. Harry cocks his head in confusion before Louis smiled, "Thank you Harry, for everything.

"No, it's just what I do. No need to thank me." Louis just nods, but is still looking at Harry. Louis eyes flicker to down to Harry's lips as he started to lean in. It wasn't until long that their lips connected. Harry started to move his lips against Louis in a soft, yet sweet, kiss.

Louis pulls back and smiles, his eyes bright, "Wow."

"That was-" "Amazing," Louis cut off Harry before he was able to continue.

"Louis, would you be my boyfriend? I know it's sudden and all, but I've really liked you for awhile now."

Louis smiled and pecked Harry's lips, "I'd be honored to be your boyfriend." Harry smiled and they finally got out of the car. Harry lead Louis up into his room and instructed him to lay on his stomach as he iced his back, hoping the bruising would start to decolor.

Harry's smile never left his face the rest of the day, Louis was his, and he was more than happy. Maybe, just maybe things were going to look up from now, but like they always say: It's easier said than done.