tw for suicide/death

quite a bit of dialogue, too. don't mind it x

—-

harry picked up the phone in a matter seconds when he saw the hitman's name flashing on the screen.

"styles," he answers. he listened as he was spoken to and ran a hand through his hair with a soft sigh. "okay, alright, thank you...yeah, 's fine. i'll catch you later." and the line went dead.

he stood on the stairs monentarily until his cell slipped out of his hand and flipped down the steps, landing on the floor. it caught louis' attention from his own mobile and the boy looked up to see harry standing in..shock?

"he's dead."

"who's dead?"

harry sat on the staircase. "evan...he killed himself."

louis fishmouthed before padding over toward harry and squeezed inbetween him and the wall. "you gonna be alright?"

harry shrugged his shoulders before staring down at the steps. "don't worry about me. i'll be fine. but zayn, fuck."

"will you?" louis asks quietly. "i know you hate him and so do the rest of us but that's still...quite a bit to take on, love. he helped raise you."

his partner sunk his teeth on his lower lip in a silent trance. he sighs before resting his head on louis' shoulder. louis took his hand in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"what he did was inexcusable," harry muttered. "nothing would've changed if we killed him that night we went over there."

louis nods and kissed harry's head. "you know i'm here if you need anything."

"i appreciate you," was all harry managed to say. he didn't know exactly how to feel in that moment. sad? surprised? happy? he wasn't sure. "i dunno how zayn's gonna feel about this."

louis kept quiet as harry stared across the living room until he got up and went into the kitchen. louis leaned forward to keep an eye on him and watched as the man grabbed a beer and sat back beside him. the phone was still flat on the floor unbothered.

"you wanna smoke?" louis offered. "i can roll you one if you want."

harry shook his head and twisted the cap off the bottle. he flipped the metal around in his fingers before putting it in his pocket. "i just need a moment to gather my thoughts, love."

his love nods and kissed his cheek. "i'll leave you be, then," he murmured and stood. he was pulled back down by a gentle hand and harry kept an arm around him as he pulled louis into his side.

"stay," he pleaded. "didn't mean i wanted you to leave me alone."

louis looked up and brushed harry's hair back. "sure you're gonna be alright?"

with a deep sigh, harry took a drink of his beer and placed it between his feet. "in due time, i will be. hopefully."

"you're strong, hazza," louis reminds him. "i have full faith in you."

harry leaned back and looked down at him. "i love you so much."

louis hummed and kissed his jaw. "i love you."

the phone began to ring again and harry stared at it. he didn't feel like talking to anyone.

louis moved to grab it and answered for him. "hi zee."

harry finished his beer by the time louis ended the phone call. louis held onto harry's phone as he anticipated another possible call and sat behind harry instead of beside him. he pulled harry's back between his knees and felt his stomach start to turn. with evan dead, this meant zayn was now really in charge.

"zee said trish wants you and zayn to go to her house tonight," louis murmured and loosely laid his arm around harry's collarbones. "do you want me to come with you?"

harry was silent for a moment before he nodded. "i don't think i can be by myself for a while." he tilted his head to rest on louis' shoulder and sighed.

"noted," louis kissed his temple. "i'll drive, 'cause you're definitely not going to."

harry chuckled and closed his eyes. a part of him sank inside, like that feeling your whole soul was crushed. louis was right in a way. evan was still his dad, the man that raised him and sculpted him to be who he was to this day, but he made his bed and had to lie in it. this was his own karma. maybe not his cause of death, but the events that lead up to it. it hurt him to think that way but in order for things to stay up and not fall apart harry had to repeat that word to himself. karma. karma. karma.

—-

louis was guided in the house with harry's hand on the small of his back while he carried raven on his side. she was dozing off on his shoulder with her thumb lazily laying between her lips. her dads were careful not to jostle her and once she conked out for sure, trisha laid her in the spare playpen she had for whenever she kept her grandbaby over.

there was an odd silence in the home as if nobody wanted to speak because they were either unsure of what to say or would possibly end up saying the wrong thing. trisha looked like she had been crying, zayn looked guilty, harry was a nervous wreck and louis just wanted to hold them all.

trisha made the boys sit at the dining room table before placing a few papers and a file on top of it. she looked at the three lads before her with sad eyes as she sat down and slid the file to harry and honestly, he didn't want to open it. he had a feeling he already knew what was inside.

"i don't want his money," harry blurts, resting his hands on the manila.

"'s not for you," trisha objects. "it's for the baby."

louis furrowed his eyebrows as he took the folder from harry carefully. rightfully, as raven's father, he deserved to know what was inside whether harry wanted to or not. he flipped it open, eyes grazing over the pages and closed it before sitting it back down. inside was a closed trust account for whenever she turned of age to access it herself to help with her first car, her first flat or uni if she decided she wanted to go. harry tried saying he had the money himself to take care of it but lost the argument.

zayn got the deed to the house but politely declined because trisha needed a home and he was fine at his house with niall. his mother understood completely.

harry did get something from evan. he got his cars and some money for him and lou, plus there were reservations for their honeymoon. it was supposed to be a surprise for their wedding. it made harry start to cry. he didn't want to cry. he didn't want to feel anything. he wanted to put this behind him so he could do his job and live on with his life. he felt awful because evan wasn't even his father, he was zayn's. he wasn't sure how zayn was feeling at that moment but he seemed calm and collected. he tended to be the one who bottled up his feelings and locked them inside.

"we're having a funeral regardless," trisha crossed her arms on the table. "and i want my boys there. no ifs, ands or buts. i'm talking to you, harry," she says. "i know how hard this is on you but you need to be there for zayn. he needs you."

harry frowned and wiped his face. louis rested his hand on the man's knee and gave it a gentle rub with his thumb in comfort.

"i'm meeting with a small planner tomorrow morning," the woman pursed her lips. "i'm thinking of a ceremony with lighter traffic. maybe brotherhood can keep eyes around if we need them."

zayn nodded with a hiccup. "works for me," he mumbled. trisha nods as well before letting out a small sigh and asks to speak to louis privately. the younger lad kissed his partner's temple before walking out of the dining room to evan's old office upstairs. louis took a look at the room and a wave of memories flew by him.

trisha sits on the edge of the desk and looks at her future son in law with pleading eyes. "keep him in check, yeah?" she asks. her voice was gentle, it was weak, really.

"for sure," louis stared at his feet, unsure of what to do. "he told me not to leave him alone for a while."

the woman let out a soft sigh. "you know how he handles his emotions, lou. he's got anger issues for days...just..don't let him do anything dumb."

louis sits in one of the chairs in front of her. "i won't," he promises. "all i really gotta do is put the baby near him and he's sane almost instantly."

a soft chuckle came from trisha as she nods her head. "i wouldn't doubt it. he loves that girl. he came to me with so many questions, lou, it was quite hilarious. always askin' 'mum, is this normal?' or 'hey mum, what can i do to help lou?', it was precious." she smiled to herself and ruffled louis' hair. "he's gonna need you now more than ever, kiddo."

louis teared up a tad and nods with a thick gulp. "of course," he whispers. "trish..'m scared."

"of what, love?"

trisha watches as louis picks at his nails and folds his hands in his lap. he doesn't move his eyes off of his engagement ring. he blinked back tears and looks up at her. "he's taking it out on himself."

harry's mother figure frowned and leaned forward to stroke louis' hair. "he'll be alright, honey. he's harry. he gets through anything," she reminds him. "this is just gonna be one big bump in his road."

she moves her hand to wipe a stray tear from louis' face. she could tell he was concerned for his fiancé's wellbeing. "haz just has the tendency to fall off his rocker when he's overwhelmed. it's normal. he's human. but if you really think he has a problem then you know where to find me."

sniffling, louis leans into her touch. "i love him, trisha...i don't wanna lose him."

there was a moment of silence before trisha shook her head. "you won't," she assured him. "he has you. the boy is so smitten with you. i don't think he would let himself crumble."

louis let out a shaky breath. trisha releases him and goes behind the desk, opening the drawers until she finds another envelope and puts it infront of the lad. louis was hesitant to open it. inside was a letter and a packet of papers.

louis pursed his lips before reading the letter.

louis,

we have butted heads from time to time but i do appreciate you and all you have done for not only us, but my son. harry's had a rough life. i took him in because he needed a father. for a while i was worried he would go downhill and never come up. i was uneasy when he started meeting up with you because he's not the best when it comes to people. the way he spoke of you made me change my mind over time. plus you gave us the gift of raven, my eldest grandbaby. granted the circumstances were a bit off the charts, but she's here for a reason. she was given to you and harry for a reason and we may not know why until years down the line, but i am forever grateful.

enclosed in this envelope is the deed to my club for whenever i end up kicking the bucket. you can do as you please with it. keep it, sell it, remodel it, i don't care. live a little, louis. enjoy life while you're young. you know how to run a business like this so who else could i have asked to take over my joint?

this is my way of saying thank you from the bottom of my heart. not only have you made an impact on trisha and i by becoming another son to us but you saved my boy. i could never be happier with the person he has become. he's a smart man with a good head on his shoulders. help him keep it that way, yeah?

keep yourself in line too, kid. you're in for one hell of a ride.

- evan.

"he wrote that a few months ago," trisha said when louis put the paper down. "it was a mutual agreement."

louis slid his tongue behind his teeth, distracting himself with the clicking of his tongue ring. "harry's not gonna like this."

trisha shrugs. "it's not in his name. ultimately, this is up to you."

louis looks back down at the papers and puts them back in the envelope. a faint shuffle was heard from behind them and louis turned to see harry about to gently knock on the doorframe.

"didn't mean to eavesdrop," the man joked lightly. "was jus' gonna let you know i'm gonna go smoke with zee."

louis nods and clutches the envelope in his hands before giving the man a hug. "all good, babes."

harry asked what he was holding and louis clicked his tongue.

"the deed to deja vu," he said. "evan wants me to have the club."

his fiancé rubbed his back with a soft hum. "not a bad idea, really," he admits. louis was puzzled by his response.

"really?"

harry shrugs his shoulders. "yeah. redwood isn't gonna split a club with us. so here's our plan b."

louis quirked an eyebrow at him. "i like that."

"what?"

louis smirked to himself and shook his head. "nevermind. go smoke, i'm gonna check on the baby." he kissed harry's cheek before dipping out of the room to check on his daughter, who was still sound asleep. he returned to trisha and gave her a tight hug, thanking her. she told him there was nothing to thank her for. things like this happen. she reminded him that harry would be okay, things will be a bit rocky but in due time he will be back to his silly little self.

they both knew and expected this to take a toll on everyone but louis was one hundred percent ready for anything to come his way.

—-

mix of sad & more sad.

so. club? good idea or no? i kinda think so. gives them a bit of opportunity to make side money since louis isn't with bounty anymore (i thought i mentioned that beforehand but i dont think i have - basically louis ended up leaving the club to be a full time parent to raven.)

what's "plan b"?

thoughts on evan? the "will"? why did he write that note for louis?

thank you for 362k you bad biddies ❤️ love you lots