Well, hello beautiful souls!
I'm so proud of this next chapter, so I hope you all like it.

Also, I want your thoughts on the new part of Christmas Lights I published on Lou's birthday.
Did it reach your expectations???

I was so scared to write mpreg for the first time.

Anygays, I also want to share with you that I won a ticket for Louis' show in Argentina and I cried for hours, so in retaliation, I'll probably transmit it live on my Instagram that day.

May 22nd.

I'm so, so happy about it, I'm still in shock I swear.

Also, I have some other surprises for next year.
So, for now I'll wish you all have a great start of 2022, and you'll probably hear from me on January, be ready.

😏😏😏

Love you all!

Mag 🦋

SIX / GLITTER.

[ Louis' POV ]
Doncaster.

I felt stupid.

I felt useless and spoiled and privileged to be waking up in a warm bed, with a phone on my nightstand ringing, the smell of toast coming from the kitchen and the tv sounding in the background.

Why did I have all those things when there are others out there fighting to survive?

Why do I get to have a job and food on my table when there are others who are missing and probably being tortured?

I grabbed my phone, checked the time and noticed it was late.
I had postponed two of my alarms already.

I threw the phone across the room, causing it to hit the wardrobe door.

I was done with all that.

I quickly changed my pajamas, grabbed some ice tea, cookies and a bottle of juice and without even saying goodbye to Emily, I ran out.

The guitar was still safely placed on the backseat of my car and now with the food set in the passenger seat, I was ready to go visit Harry.

So, without hesitation, I drove through the Donny's streets, luckily not facing any manifestations that morning, and easily parked in the side of the park.

As I got out of the front seat, I grabbed the guitar and the breakfast before securing and locking the car.

My feet made their already known way to where Harry usually is and I felt my heart clench as I saw his sleeping body hugging himself tight, clutching some dirty, leaky blanket.

I took a mental note to bring him a new one the following morning and quickly walked towards him.

"Harry…" - I said softly, not wanting to scare him like the day before.

Harry stirred and slowly opened his eyes, a tiny smile forming as he saw it was me.

"Good morning, Louis." - He mumbled, sitting up and waving timidly.

"I brought you the guitar and some breakfast."

"Oh, thank you. You didn't have to."  - He said, folding his blanket and putting it aside.

"You're not going to fight me on this." - I said, moving to sit next to him and handing him the juice and the cookies.

He looked down with a little smile on his lips, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, he was just being polite.

And I wondered how a person that suffered this much would still be able to be as polite and kind as he is.

He was truly something else.

"Were you cold last night?"

"A little." - He mumbled, taking the cookies from me.

"Maybe I can bring you another blanket?"

"No, Louis." - He shook his head timidly. - "I'm fine." - He murmured, parting a cookie in half and giving me one piece.

"It's alright, I already ate." - I lied.

"I can't accept all these things. You have to stop." - He said as he chewed on his half of the cookie.

"You can accept them, I want you to eat and be healthy and safe."

"Why?"

I shrugged, not knowing exactly what to answer him.

"Just accept the food and the guitar, yeah? I'll come over after work to get my second lesson."

He didn't seem very pleased with my answer but nodded nevertheless.

"I'll see you then."

"You're not getting rid of me any soon." - I winked at him and slowly stood up from the grass.

Suddenly I heard a soft chuckle and almost a laugh coming from his lips.
I quickly turned to look at him in awe.

"Laughing sounds good on you."

Harry blushed on the spot and I mentally applauded myself.
This had been a great morning.

I couldn't wait to see him again after work.

"Thank you." - He whispered.

I slowly leaned down to his sitting height and I slowly caressed the back of his hand that was resting on the grass.

"You deserve so much better. And I'll help you, Harry. I promise."

And with that I straightened up again, making sure he was alright to be left alone, and I made my way through the park and to the office.

~

At work, the rest of my day went smoothly, not many problems or annoying people.

So, by the time the clock hit six, I stood up with a smile on my face, gathering my things and the leftovers of my lunch as fast as I could and heading downstairs, avoiding everyone who tried to restrain me.

Just as always, Harry sat there in his spot on the grass, softly playing his usual song, but today the only difference was that no one was listening to him.
The few people that walked by him didn't pay much attention or stopped to listen to him.

But I did.

I stood still in front of him, not wanting to interrupt his melody.

Don't let me…
Don't let me…
Don't let me go.

And he repeated it.
One, two, three times.

Until I finally found the courage to talk to him and stop his beautiful song.

"Why are you always singing the same part?" - I asked as curiosity took over me.

He snapped out of his trance, stopping his fingers and looking up at me with fear showing in his eyes.

"Sorry." - I mumbled, knowing I did the only thing I didn't want to do; scare him.

"Louis…" - He timidly smiled, letting go of his fear.

"Hey. I just finished work and… well, came here."

"I can see that."

"Oh, you're gaining confidence, aren't you? Going all sassy on me." - I said jokingly, making him giggle softly and looking down. - "So, why do you always sing the same chorus?"

His expression changed into a hurt one.

"Because I don't remember the rest."

"And why don't you sing another one?"

"Because I want to remember."

His words shocked me for a second as I tried to digest the sadness hidden behind them.

"Do you…" - I stopped myself before asking something I would regret.

"Do I what?"

I sighed.

"Do you believe that the song means something from where you come from?"

"I believe it has a meaning. Not sure what though."

I nodded slowly and turned to him again.

"How old are you, Harry?"

"I don't know."

"What do you remember?"

He sighed and shook his head, and I knew I shouldn't push it anymore.

So, as I usually do, I changed the subject.

"What am I learning today?" - I asked with a smile and taking the guitar from the grass.

Harry moved closer and positioned my fingers on the strings just like he had done the day before.

"That's chord E. Have you practiced the strumming I told you yesterday?" - He asked, grinning at me.

"No, I haven't." - I shrugged.

Harry frowned and turned serious all of a sudden.

"You won't learn anything without practice."

"Oh, okay, I'm sorry. I'll be a better student from now on."

Harry looked at me and for the first time I noticed how his eyes sparkled, sending shivers down my spine.

They were absolutely stunning.

And this look was different from all the times before, because happiness had reached his eyes too.

It was not only his smile anymore, now his eyes were glistening in amusement.

"You know, your eyes are like glitter." - I said out loud without thinking.

Harry changed his expression to a flustered one.
He wasn't expecting my comment at all.

And to be honest, neither did I.

"Why?" - He asked shyly.

"Because they are tiny, shiny, pretty things." - I shrugged.

"You're just messing with me." - Harry mumbled, looking down at his fidgeting hands.

"No, I'm serious. You have amazing eyes. They are super glittery." - I said. - "At least when you're happy."

"I'm not happy."

"But just right there, when you were smiling at me, that seemed like happiness. Happiness is about little moments, maybe a person, maybe a place, but nobody is happy all the time."

"I guess…"

"I know you can be happy more often." - I stated.

"How?"

"I don't know yet. Let's take it one moment of happiness at a time."

Harry bit his lip and nodded, showing me his smile and the pretty dimples on its sides.

~

Eventually the night fell on us and I had to return to my flat, knowing Emily would be preoccupied.

Before leaving though, I handed Harry the leftovers of my lunch of earlier that day and he accepted them without fighting me, almost looking relieved that he would have something to eat and spend the night with his stomach full.

It broke me to leave him like that, but with the promise of returning the following morning, he waved me goodbye.

As soon as I entered my flat, I found Emily in front of the tv with a bowl of noodles and a fork midway to her mouth.

"Are you watching those manifestations again?" - I whined.

"Yes, my coworker's sister has been taken too."

"What, really?"

"Yes, it's getting worse every day." - She sighed, letting the bowl in the coffee table.

I stared at the tv for a bit, listening to how the families had started some kind of mobilization to go over the police and take the action in their hands.

It seemed as if the police wasn't going to find anything soon.

"Be careful, Em. Every time you go to work or to do the groceries. Please." - I said, sitting next to her in the couch and wrapping my arms around her.

"I should say that to you! You've been coming late from work and you don't tell me!" - She yelled, hitting on my back, without breaking the hug.

"I'm sorry."

"Tell me what you're on about?" - She asked, letting me go.

"It's complicated."

"Then make it easy."

I dropped my head on the backrest and closed my eyes, letting out a sigh.

"His name is Harry."

"Oh… spill, is he hot?"

"No… I mean, it's not like that. I don't see him like that. But I guess yes, he is. Or at least I know he would be if he wasn't so…"

"So?"

"So unhealthy."

"What do you mean?"

"He is homeless, Em. He lives in the park behind my office."

"How did you meet him?"

"I heard him sing." - I smiled at the ceiling, remembering two days ago. - "He sings in the park."

"And you're smitten."

"He just… he needs to be safe, you know? I worry about him. And right now he is out there, probably sleeping in the grass and holding onto a worn out blanket and his dirty clothes, and I just can't think about it without being sad. He doesn't want my help either, he is too kind and polite, but I want to help him.
I want him to eat, and be warm, and I also want him to keep singing and playing the guitar because he is so talented, Em. You wouldn't believe it."

"How did he end up there?"

"I don't know. But I have a weird feeling about it. Every time I try to get some information out of him he says he doesn't remember, and that makes him sad and frightened.
He is so scared of everything, he looks so fragile, I'm afraid someone would see how weak he is and hurt him. I don't know what happened to him to get to this place, but I have this need of just make him smile and it's… I don't know what it is."

"You want me to answer that for you?" - She laughed.

"No. Shut up. I met him two days ago. Not a big deal."

"Though you want to make him smile as if it was your mission in life."

"Maybe."

"Oh, Lou…" - She smiled, hooking an arm around my shoulders. - "You'll help him. Have faith."

I nodded firmly.

"I'll help him."