Louis, Zayn, and Harry opened the door to Louis' place, laughing at Zayn's view on the raunchy comedy they'd just seen at the theatre. They were doing their best to enjoyed this calm before the storm. Louis and Zayn have both recieved calls from HQ, and determinately ignored them. Things were tense, but Harry was either oblivious or refused to let it effect him. In the two weeks since they came back Harry has been over at Louis' almost every night. They'd done one or two things from Harry's letters, but they were the most tame of them because Louis was still having trouble inflicting pain on Harry, no matter how much he wanted it.

They crashed to the couch, a tangle of limbs, Harry's head on Louis' shoulder and one leg over Zayn's thigh. After "The Talk", as Louis called it, Zayn had taken to Harry like a moth to the flame. And Harry welcomed the attention. It was like now that there wasn't anything to hide from Harry they could be who they wanted to be in front of each other. And Harry had done his best to explain why he wanted what he wanted to Zayn. Zayn more or less accepted it.

Harry's phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. With in almost imperceptable squeak he declined the call and tossed the phone on the table. "Who was that?" Louis asked.

"No one."

Louis knew better. And so did Harry. "Harry," Louis said expectedly.

Harry sighed and hid his face in Louis' neck, "I did a bad thing."

Louis circled an arm around Harry and rubbed his back, "I'm sure it's not that bad, baby. What happened."

His phone started ringing again. Harry groaned and surged forward to press the red button. Louis reached after him, snuck the phone out from under his hand, and answered it. "Hello?" Harry was shaking his head frantically and grabbing for the phone. Louis put a hand out and an eyebrow up to warn Harry to calm down. He did, slumping back into the couch and putting a knuckle between his teeth. "Harry doesn't really want to talk to you so please stop calling."

"And who the hell is this?"

"This is-" Louis cut off. No one could know. "His friend."

"Well friend," the person put emphasis on the word, "tell Harry that next time he wants a late night hook up I won't be around. He needs to learn some manners. And ps, he left his jacket." With that the person hung up and left Louis with his mouth hanging open.

Harry's gaze was shifting nervously around Louis' face, trying to surmise his level of anger. Louis calmly set the phone down on the coffee table, right next to the unopened Package they'd been avoiding, and stood up from the couch. "Zayn. Harry and I need a moment." Zayn didn't hesitate to skip away to the guest room. "Who was that?" Louis asked once they were alone.

His voice was so calm, so level that if Harry didn't know better he'd swear they were discussing dinner. He stood up from the couch and put a hand out, but Louis gave him another warning look and Harry let it drop. "Please, let me explain."

"I would love that."

"Can we sit back down?"

Louis shook his head shortly, "Speak, Harry."

Harry face scrunched up in distress before he took a deep breath and, on the exhaled, pushed out, "I slept with someone."

Louis knew. Of course he did. The guy said as much on the phone, but hearing Harry say it was much worse. "When?"

"After I found out about your real job, and Leslie." Louis stuttered a breath. Of course. "I was so angry at you. And he was there. He's a really nice guy. He's actually the reason I found out about you, but he doesn't know that. He's a freshman this year and we just sort of hit if off."

"What is the rule?"

"I'm so sor-"

"What. Is the rule?" Louis spat.

"I can sleep with anyone I want when you're away as long as I get your permission first."

"And did you?"

"No, Sir."

"So you cheated on me." Harry didn't answer and kept his head towards the floor. Louis forced his head up by his chin to see Harry's eyes laced with unshed tears. "Answer me."

"I was so angry," he reiterated. "I went to him for comfort when you weren't there."

Louis tried not to get overwhelmed, to let his power over Harry turn ugly, but he felt to jealous and possessive. "You disobeyed me."

Harry flinched at the reprimand. "I know," he admitted.

Louis didn't know what to do with that. They couldn't fight when Harry didn't rise to the challenge. What was he supposed to do? Punish him? Their "punishments" had always been sexual and mostly for pleasure. He'd never had a reason to punish him for real. He confessed as much, "I don't know what to do here, Harry. You broke a rule. A very important rule. You're mine. Mine, Harry. I know that sounds horrible."

"No," Harry disagreed, "I love hearing you say it. I am yours. I'm yours. Don't leave me."

Louis was taken aback by the direction that took, "Leave you? Harry I couldn't-" Louis ran a hand over his face, "That never crossed my mind. I'd never leave you. But I feel like I have to punish you."

Harry stepped closer, "Yes, please. Punish me. I'm sorry. I'll do whatever."

"This isn't for pleasure, Harry," Louis affirmed, "I'm not going to spank you or bind your wrists or anything. This is real."

Harry stepped closer again, so now their chests were pressed together. Louis had to look up to see Harry's eyes, but Harry seemed like the smaller of the two, shrinking from shame. "I know. I'll do whatever."

Louis closed his eyes for a minute, thinking it over. When he opened them he pulled Harry's face down and kissed him. It was short and soft, but Harry sighed into it anyway. Just as Harry opened his mouth to urged Louis for more, he pulled away. "You wanted to be with someone else instead of me. Now you'll have to live with that. That was the last kiss I'll give you for a week. You can't hug me, touch me, and I won't touch you either. One week." Harry leaned in thinking Louis must be joking, but Louis stepped out of his space with a frown. "I want you to know what it would be like without me if you chose someone else. I wouldn't be the one touching you anymore then, Haz."

"But I don't want anyone else to touch me."

"That's not what the guy on the phone said."

Harry opened his mouth to argue, but knew Louis was right. He went to someone else for sex and now Louis had taken all of that away. But more he'd gone to someone else for comfort before Louis, and now Louis took that away too. Harry didn't know it he could make it a whole week without touching Louis, pressing their sides together on the couch, tucking his feet under Louis' thighs when he got cold. "I don't know if-"

"That's your punishment, Harry. You can either take that, or we can't mend this."

Harry shook his head urgently at that, "No, I'll do it!"

Louis' hand balled into fisted to keep from touching Harry as he nodded solemnly. "This is a punishment for me too. For being a terrible Dom to you recently. For giving you a reason to cheat. I'm sorry for that."

"Just, please, just promise that at the end of the week you'll hold me all night. And that you'll forgive me."

"Of course, baby. Once you've had your punishment I'll forgive everything. And I hope you'll forgive me too." Harry nodded. "Good. Until then I think you should sleep back at your place. You can call me, text me, and come over whenever, but you don't get to sleep in my bed."

Harry's tears finally spilled at that, but he made a sound of acknowledgement and turned to grab his stuff from the table by the door. He turned back as he opened the door, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Louis answered immediately. Harry nodded again and ducked out. Louis fell to the couch, exhausted. Neither of them yelled or threw punches, but he felt as if that took all the fight out of him. When Zayn came out of his room and sat next to Louis he wiped a tear that Louis didn't know was falling from his face.

"How are you?"

"We have to get out, Zee. I can't live like this. I left Harry alone. I wasn't there for him when I'd hurt him and he found someone else. I can't let that happen again. I'm done with this."

"I know."

"But?" Louis egged.

"But, what do you want to do? We can't just leave. They'll find us. And Harry."

"I have to do something."