LOOK CLOSE AT THE PIC PLS

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This idea was entirely my own. The only inspiration was from this amazing fanart so thank you to whoever made it!!!

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Source: my brain hehe
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4624
Summary: louis has antlers, and harry's a normal smart man willing to set the diverse boy free. (harry is older, lowercase intended)

[lowercase intended]

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louis was taken when he was younger. taken from his home and his family and away. far away. across the world far away.

he was only a teenager. a measly young teenager that didn't quite know what to do but cry when being gagged and taken from his bed at thirteen. he cried and cried and kicked and screamed. he was knocked out. no one heard him.

louis was flown or sailed or driven to god knows where. he was passed out the whole time. he still didn't know to that day. he just knew that people there didn't have his same donny accent, and that they were american. he was forced into a dark room, not having a clue that over the years he would be used as a test subject. all because he had the blood type they needed.

years worth of blood tests, shots, tests, mental tests, physical tests, pills and medicines. he was fed, and he wasn't starved to the bone, but it was definitely not enough that a young boy his age should've gotten.

he had been stolen a few times. each time lasting a few months. abused and beaten by his temporary kidnappers, and raped a few times. they thought it was funny, to torture him. it wasn't. it hurt. it bruised. it scarred.

everything over the past five years led up to one week of absolute pain. he was taken to a room he hadn't seen before. it had a large metal table, with only a slight cushioning to it. it had all these arms and poles and wires connected to it, and it made louis scared. he had heard them talking about things like that. how they were almost ready to change him. he didn't want to change. he wanted to change his position in the world, yes, but not his body. so, he fought against the men. he turned harshly, hitting and shoving and yelling. screaming his head off. the eighteen year old was terrified.

but no one listened, they knocked him out for what was probably the third time that month, sticking a needle into his neck to get him to black out. and when he awakened, he was laid on that metal table. with wires suctioned to his forehead, various places of his head, his arms, his chest, and thighs. he had his arms and legs strapped down in such a way that he couldn't break free from. he freaked out.

but it wasn't over, no. because for that whole week he was on that goddamn bed, being tortured. they kept turning things on and doing different things. sending liquids or drugs into his veins, shocking him, electrocuting him in places, some things he couldn't even explain. sometimes he just felt pain. random pains everywhere. like cramps but worse. he would thrash around, arching his back and clawing at the table and screaming out in agonizing pain.

he was out for a whole two weeks after that. two weeks it took for his new additions to grow in. and when he woke up, he didn't have normal features. he didn't have a normal looking body. the only thing that changed was his hair, growing just a bit. but he gained horns. deer horns. big horns coming from right where his hairline started and weaving out the same way it would on the animals head. he would look in the mirror, and point out how his cheekbones seemed more prominent sometimes, or his jawline, but the only thing he'd really be able to stare at where those deer horns.

he cried for days. he would get moments of pain, just from the treatment as it wore off.

the worst thing was when he was taken to some sort of bar a month later. he was dressed in a violet suit, very posh looking, and his hair would be done up. they would throw him against a wall, and tie up his horns with strong wire, a type that just wouldn't ever break when he pulled hard against it. it connected to a heart hanging on the wall. the only thing that would change is that heart. there was one time when he pulled away way too hard in fright, and it split open a bit, revealing red. some oozed down the metal heart, and it had stayed that same vibrate color to that day. louis never pulled that hard again.

the reason for pulling, was the fear of getting hurt by darts and sometimes small knives. men would throw them at him, hoping to hit the wood behind him and not the boy. as if it was a game. though louis had gotten hit plenty of times. he would cry out in pain, and when the man would step forward and pull the dart out of his skin, there would be a cut that would disappear within a minute. it tingled all numb in the duration of that said minute, and louis' still hasn't gotten used to the feeling.

money. louis had figured it out within a year. they did it for money. it was always the same men and plenty more. they always would say how much older he's getting, and still after four years worth of doing it louis' never gotten a true look at himself in a mirror, seeing as he was never allowed off of those wires. he would be allowed a table to be pushed against his wall to sit up and sleep on every night. he'd get his food. but he'd never be allowed off those wires except for the one time in the afternoon that he was taken to a closed off dark bathroom to take a wee. otherwise he had a bucket during the night to go in when no one was there. no one ever was.

❊ ❊ ❊ ❊

louis keeps his eyes closed, breathing hard. he had been tense the whole month. christopher had told him that they'd have so many new people in this month to play. and louis knows all too well that new players means inexperience. which means darts in skin and pain and blood. also rips in the blue suit he'd gotten months earlier. very different from his normal violet, green, or deep red. he likes the blue and green.

"we've got a newcomer!" someone shouts. louis' eyes shoot open. there's a tall man standing there, scruff on his face and his hair pushed back sloppily. he's wearing black skinnies and an ugly dark flannel. louis can tell he doesn't throw knives much.

the man takes the darts, and smiles as he throws the first one. it hits louis straight in the stomach. he sucks in a breath, groaning. the man comes forward and pulls it from him harshly. louis lets out a whine, his jaw going slack and his eyes watering. "sorry kid," he chuckles without a care, going back to his place. louis knows how the game works, and when the guy scores it a bit over a foot away from his knee, he gets two points. he tries not to cry when hearing the swoosh of the dart. it goes right by his ear, and slices through a bit of skin. it bleeds, and Louis pulls his head away from the dart, but winced when pulling a bit hard and having his horns ache.

he's gotten used to them. he doesn't like them. but he's gotten used to the feeling of having them. he wouldn't want them out in public ever. people would know what he is if he did that. they'd know what he does and how horribly and sloppy he lives.

the mans turn is over. fifteen for three. he doesn't know why people pay so much for throwing darts and knives at a young antlered boy.

louis is surprisingly relieved when a man he's come to recognize steps up. "don't hit me, please," he calls out softly to the broad scruffed man.

"don't wanna hit you, boy. thought it'd be nice to win tonight and get those antlers on my wall for a reward," he barks. others laugh along with him, knowing the feeling of wanting deer horns. louis? he doesn't understand. because he's not a deer. he just has something that they have as well.

the man doesn't hit louis at all. he gets one right along his trouser leg, but it doesn't touch thank god.

he lives through three more men before the quick moving session slows down. he opens his eyes, seeing a tall lanky man. he's got long hair, and these tight skinnies with boots that only he's pulling off. louis knows that people from any kind of life come down. it's not just the rednecks who are used to throwing things and doing dirty work. business men have come down as well. but to louis this man entices him. he doesn't understand him at all. he's wearing a soft orange silky looking shirt, with only three of the six buttons done. it has butterflies of different colors on it, and louis can see the same insect printed on his stomach.

it's taking a while for the man to do his thing. he's talking to christopher, and louis is then scared. he doesn't know what they're saying. so for all he knows he could be talking shit about him and be getting him into trouble. but then he looks at the mans soft face again, tilts his head, winces since that hurt his horns, and realizes that the strange man is smiling with him. and he doesn't seem frightening at all anymore.

christopher lets out a loud laugh, nodding to him and shaking his hand. louis heard him barking out "deal" and then there's a knife shooting at his legs. he jumps, and it hits the wood where his foot would've been. he knows it was an accident, and the man has a terrible aim and throw. his head yanked forward hard, and he lets out a cry. then the man is coming towards him, tilting his head and picking up the knife.

"don't cry, please, love. i'm going to let you free and give you comfy pretty clothes and you're going to be all fine again. i promise," he says as he stands back up.

louis wants to cry then, because he thinks the man is joking with him. he wants to scream at him, tell him that he's an arsehole who should die in hell because he can't be free ever. he knows it.

except.

except then. the moment when the man reaches above his head. and he can feel the pulling and tugging of his horns. and he can hear the nasty swipe or swoosh of the knife swinging down against wires, and then louis really does cry. because he's actually telling the truth and that's probably the first time in ages he has been promised something good and have it actually come true.

there's tears staining louis' cheeks. the man smiles at him, sliding his hands gently over his antlers to side of excess wire. he takes a step back, and goes to say something when he's tugged back by christopher.

"what the fuck, man!" he barks, "what do you think this is, a carnival game? you didn't fucking win the prize, or any prize for that matter!" he shouts.

the man turns to gesture to louis. "we were both one hundred percent sure i wouldn't hit him or the wall. i even made a deal that i wouldn't hit the wall. but you said if i hit wood then this boy would be free. that floor is wood. could use a bit of polishing but it's wood," he points out, "also, not to mention that in the law you're only allowed to take children that have been given up by their parents and do the procedure when their young so it doesn't hurt as much somehow. by looking and touching this boys antlers their fairly new. a lot newer than the other boys antlers that i saw in new york," he says, "which means that i can easily have every single person in jail within a day seeing as my friend in my car outside is part of the fbi."

louis is just gawking. he doesn't know what the fbi is, or that there were other people in the world like him. he doesn't know that there is only three, but that isn't important at the moment.

christopher and the man argue for a couple more minutes, while men get riled up. louis is cowered against the wall, scared that someone's going to take him again, for he's not attached to the wall anymore. but then the tall man with the long hair and butterflies is standing in front of him, looking down at him with concern. he holds his shoulder and arm, "you're going to come with me, alright? i'm going to take you to my house and i'll give you a room and nice clothes and a shower. is that alright?"

louis nods. he nods so fast that he gets a little dizzy. but he just wants to get out of the building after four years, and out of the country after eight. he hasn't been outside in forever, and he wants to do so bad. he shouldn't, because he's a stranger, but he trusts this man with his whole entire life at the moment.

the man leads him outside, and to his car. louis keeps stopping, looking around in pure awe. he see's tree's, and since its night he see's stars. he remembers going out on summer nights when he was little. he would play with his neighbors and friends and sisters and catch those bugs that light up, and they'd look for constellations and really bright stars and shooting ones too. and he just gets so so emotional at that very moment.

his eyes water, and he starts crying. he can't help it. he doesn't know what to do at all. he's been isolated half his life, there's no one or nothing telling him what to do and it's frightening because he hasn't been on his own in so so long.

the curly haired man cups his face, tilting it up to face him. "call me harry, okay?" he asks quietly. he has a pout seeing the boy cry, but then louis' hugging him and wrapping himself around the man and he's sobbing and wailing things to him. crying out thank you's and I love you's that he doesn't truly mean but it's just the moment that gets to him.

harry doesn't mind that louis' actually in his arms. since the boy is jut so small. he wants to just cuddle him up. and he doesn't even care that this one part of his one antler is digging into the back of his head. he's so happy that he fixed a life. he doesn't realize that he's just released this trapped boy and that he's truly helped him until he has silent tears on his cheeks as well. and he's mumbling "your welcome" and it's okay's to him. saying that it's okay and he's okay and they're all okay. he even kisses the side of his head.

harry gets him to let go, and he calms him down before getting him into his car. his friend liam, is in the passenger seat. he has to lower louis' seat just a bit, seeing as his antlers uncomfortably hit the roof of the car when sitting.

louis doesn't buckle. harry drives extra carefully because of it. but he can't get himself to tell the boy to buckle up because of the way he is looking out the window. his eyes are looking frantic at everything as if goes by. he's gawking at the tree's and other cars and buildings. and he's seen it all before but not in eight years. so it seems all new and different and so so lovely to him.

it's when liam is dropped off. he lives with a bunch of trees and nature around his house and neighborhood. and their driving through the street slowly when louis see's it. he see's a dead on the side of the road. it's just roaming around, doing nothing special. but it's got antlers. it has antlers and louis has antlers and he reaches up to touch them and lets out a cry, because he's seeing this animal that he's part of, and he feels like an animal. he feels like he's some filthy animal and feels so gross and hated and worthless, because he's not suppose to be an animal. he's suppose to be a human and there's no one just like him which makes him not normal. he feels like shit.

and that's when harry has to pull over and climb into the backseat and calm him down. he has to let him cry but sooth him and let him know how amazing and special and beautiful he is. he has to assure him that he's not hated and that he deserves such an amazing life. and yes, harry knows exactly what he signed up for which is why he's then sitting without a problem with a vulnerable louis in his lap three hours later, rocking him gently and whispering in his ear, telling him how much he adored his antlers.

"why butterflies and flowers?" louis asks softly, tracing his fingers over the tattoo on the mans tummy. they've already gone through the basics of each other. birthdays, full names, interests, family. louis got emotional over that last one.

louis looks up at him. harry has his hair up in a bun, and louis just loves it.

"i like them," harry answers, "their beautiful, and graceful, and they all mean things to me," he says.

louis doesn't want to ask anything more about the topic. he's already got something in mind. they've gone over why harry came and rescued him, and honestly it's one of the nicest things louis' heard. to him harry's a true angel to the world.

louis doesn't know why, and if you ask he won't have a reason. but he suddenly leans up and pecks harry's lips. he doesn't know if he's gay or if harry's gay. he just knows that harry's really pretty.

harry smiles, and ducks his head down and kisses louis again. this time though it's more than just a peck. he's got his hand on louis' hip, and his other cupping his cheek. louis hasn't heard anything about kissing since he was thirteen. he pecked lips with one girl on a dare. he knows how you kiss, he's seen it in movies and embarrassingly looked it up once, but other than that he's really never kissed anyone.

so, he wings it. kinda like the wings on the tummy butterfly, he thinks. which makes him giggle a bit into he kiss when he cups harry's cheeks. he kisses him back as best as he can, only moving his lips the same way harry is.

harry's the one who pulls away, and he's thankful that louis' grinning when he opens his eyes. the boy bounces a little in his spot on his lap. "i kissed you," he giggles, covering his mouth and looking down. he bumps harry's head with his antlers, and looks right back up, gasping. "i'm so sorry!" he exclaims, "oh, my god, are you alright? i'm really sorry, harry really, are you okay? does it hurt?" he shoots out questions. but no, it didn't hurt harry. for a second yeah kind of. but he's more than fine.

"i'm fine, louis," he says, and kisses his cheek.

louis doesn't even react. he's just thinking, harry's okay, i just kissed someone, someone kissed me, and what the fuck.

❊ ❊ ❊ ❊

louis' sitting on harry's counter, a large long sleeved shirt on. it falls down his one shoulder, and the sleeves go a bit far past his hands. but he likes it. it's harry's. he likes harry's clothes.

the man himself walks into the kitchen. louis is aware, but he doesn't move his gaze from the tea in his cup.

harry stands in front of him, bringing his hand up to play with his feathery hair. it makes louis giggle, and he then looks up at the taller man. he sets down his cup, and cups harry's face, bringing him down to kiss him. he just pecks the corner of his lips, curling his fingers around the mans curls. he kisses his lips again, and keeps them there for a second. harry starts moving his lips, and louis kisses back, moving his arms to wrap around his neck to hold him closer.

they're kissing with such a passion. it's slow and graceful, yet filled with this emotion that neither of them know how to explain. louis thinks it's love. he hopes its love. he really wants it to be.

he pulls away, the younger one, and lets out a breath, his forehead pressed against harry's. then he moves his head around so that he can dig his face into the crook of harry's neck without his antlers bumping him. and god, does he hate those things. and sure, harry does have some dislike towards them as well. they make some things hard, but he just loves how unique they make him. and he just likes everything about louis and he might love him but he doesn't want to tell him and have him not feel the same. they're not even dating. they've never explained or talked about it. they've just done what makes them comfortable. kissing and hugging and cuddling and sleeping in the same bed is what's comfortable to them.

louis lets out a sigh, his eyes squeezed tight and his hands gripping harry's shoulders as he hugs him, since the mans not wearing a shirt. and goddamn does it distract louis a bit.

"i love you," louis squeaks, keeping his eyes closed as he pulls away from the hug. he looks down. not enough that his antlers hit harry, but enough to hide himself in nervousness.

harry doesn't like that he's worried though, because he seems to love the boy back. and he makes sure to make it obvious. so, he brings louis' head up and kisses him a bit hard. it makes louis have to lean back a bit, and he's reaching for something but he can't grab harry's nonexistent shirt so he goes for the hair. and he tugs on it hard but harry likes his hair messed with, so he just kisses him deeper.

louis still isn't a major in the art of kissing. or holding his breath. as he's only been doing it for three months now with the taller man. so he pulls away, breathing hard, his hands on the mans cheeks and his eyes wide as he pants.

harry nods to him before hugging him. "i love you too, louis," he sighs, and yelps when he goes to kiss his forehead, because he's somehow gotten his hair caught on louis' antlers once again.

❊ ❊ ❊ ❊

louis is almost crying. he knows his family still lives here. he knows it for a fact. he looked it up, the same grey van is in the driveway, he looks in the window and can see his old bedroom, and the large colorful flag that he made in grade school saying "tomlinson house!" is still hanging outside under the porch.

he's done freaking out. he already flipped on harry, who he's known for three months now. but now he stands behind him, holding his hand tightly but hiding behind his back as he rings the doorbell.

he covers his mouth, hearing someone inside call out "coming!". then he hears the door opening, and a woman's voice asking, "hi, who're you if i may ask?"

"hi, i'm harry styles. your son, louis tomlinson. he was taken away as a child, yes?"

then it's quiet. the woman sighs heavily, stepping outside. "how do you know that?" she asks.

"I do a lot to help people," harry's voice is strained.

the woman nods, "yes. yes, he was taken from us. it happened eight years ago. we all still miss him very dearly and he's always in our hearts, but if you're here for some sort of investigation then i'm not interested. goodbye, sir," she says quite politely, and before louis can come out, she's already back inside.

"no!" he wails.

the doors closed. locked. but louis isn't that smart with the idea of leaving people be. so, he runs around the house, pushing open the old wooden fence door. he runs into the backyard that he remembers only so clearly. there's no one back there, but then the door is opening and the woman, jay, is stepping outside. she leans against the sliding door, taking a calming breath.

"mummy!" louis lets out a choked sob. her head instantly jerks his way, and she jumps. her hand is over her mouth and her eyes are wide. he jogs forward to stand in front of her. "you didn't let me come out. i was with harry," his bottom lip wobbles, tears threatening to spill.

jay takes a step back. "louis," she whispers under her breath, "what the hell..."

"it's me, mummy. it's louis. it really is i swear. they did this to me and i know you may not like it but please don't let it get in the way. i haven't seen you all in so long and i missed you so much. please, i love, you-"

he's cut off by jay tackling him in a hug. she's sobbing uncontrollably, squeezing him so so tight. she doesn't care about the antlers on his head or that he's been gone for so long she's just so so goddamn happy to have her son back. she doesn't know if it's real or not but she wants it to be. so she just cries and sobs things to him and he's then crying right back, hugging her even tighter.

"i love you so much, louis. oh, my baby, we all thought you were dead what happened to you?" she cried.

louis didn't get to answer, because then someone was barging outside, asking what was all the crying for. but then it's lottie. it's his little sister who cried for weeks and months on end because of her brother. who still lets it get to her, and she mentally questions the antlers as well but she doesn't even care because then she's practically jumping onto him. and everyone's crying. the twins come outside. they don't remember louis enough to cry about him since they were only newborns, but they've heard so much about him that the excitement of the moment gets to them as well. louis' dad too.

everyone's out there, and jay notices harry standing by himself, so she lets out a wet laugh, not telling anyone that it's because of that butterfly tattoo as she cries and pulls him into the family group hug. everyone bombardes him on the return of their well missed family member, and once their settled harry kisses louis' hair as he starts telling a long story.

and if jay mentally cheers since she always knew her son was gay when he was with them, then nobody has to know.