Song: Visions Of Gideon by Sufjan Stevens

It didn't hit Louis how much he was enjoying his new life until he was thrown back into his old one. The contrast between his dull home and the lively boarding school had never been more apparent as he walked the silent halls of the manor.

Harry had been hunched over the toilet bowl the morning after the party when Louis was informed that Professor Filch was awaiting his arrival in his office.

"Go Louis. I'll be fine" Harry had managed to croak out before another wave of nausea hit him, causing him to bury his head back into the toilet whilst Louis cringed at the coughs and gags echoing around the bathroom.

He was reluctant to leave the poor boy who had a raging hangover. Louis had promised Gemma the previous night that he would take care of Harry until she returned in the morning, and he was adamant on keeping his promise.

"You're not fine. Filch can wait" He had replied as he held Harry's fringe back from his sweaty forehead, trying his best to ignore the faint smell of sick lingering in the air.

After ten more minutes of back and forth bickering between moments of Harry emptying his stomach, Louis had finally been convinced that the boy would be alright without him and that he shouldn't keep Filch waiting any longer. He brought Harry his bottle of water and the box of paracetamol before leaving the room.

As he made his way to Filches office a sinking feeling had settled in his stomach, and his intuition told him that this punishment wasn't likely to just be a detention. He knew his teachers' patience was wearing thin with the amount of trouble he had caused since his first day at the prestigious school, and he was like a cat with nine lives with the amount of warnings he had been given. He wasn't quite sure himself how he had gotten away with it for so long.

With the amount of times he had been threatened to be sent home he realised the likeliness of it becoming a reality was prominent. And though he had only been in counselling for a couple of weeks now, he could only assume that Filch was losing hope in his own strategy.

He still didn't think it was fair. The teachers failed to see the reasonings behind the trouble he had caused, and each time he fucked up it was for a valid reason that was apparently irrelevant to them. It wasn't like he was trying to cause drama. He didn't act on anything without a reason, and it irritated him that any time he tried to do good it was only ever seen as the opposite.

Perhaps he could talk his way out of being sent home like he had done so many times before, he reasoned. Maybe if he explained the situation and his good intentions then Filch would go easy on him? He had a soft spot for Harry, that was clear, so maybe that could earn him some points in his favour.

He knew not to get his hopes up. The chances of that working was little to none, especially if his fathers eagerness to have him back home had anything to say about it.

"Come in" Filch had called when Louis knocked on his door with a shaky hand. He walked inside to see the headmaster sat behind his desk like he usually did and Louis took a seat in front of him. Filch sighed before speaking again, "Do you want to explain what happened last night then?"

Louis stayed silent for a moment, trying to gather his racing thoughts. He needed to seem as heroic as possible if he wanted to remain in school for the next week, so he deemed exaggeration as his best bet. "Harry was in danger, so I helped him"

It was a reasonable excuse, though the truth was less extreme. Nick had been in the wrong, that he was sure of. Harry had been drunk and the boy shouldn't have been groping him without consent. But he knew Harry wasn't necessarily in danger, he didn't think Nick would've taken it any father than he had.

Filch pursed his lips and his finger tapped at them as if in deep thought. "How was Harry in danger?"

"He was drunk and Nick was practically groping him on the dance floor. I didn't think it was right so I stepped in" Louis replied briefly. He couldn't bring himself to look Filch in the eyes as he explained the situation. "I mean, it's known that Nick has a crush on Harry, so it's not like his intentions were unclear"

Filch furrowed his brows and Louis saw a slight grimace wash over his features. "I'll speak to Nick about that later. But don't you think you could've handled the situation better? Violence isn't always the answer Louis"

Louis scoffed, "It was a last resort. I told Nick multiple times to back off and leave Harry alone. I could tell that Harry wasn't feeling well because of the alcohol but Nick wouldn't let him leave. He said some shitty comments about my family and I guess it just pushed me over the edge"

Filch hummed and nodded his head, "Why didn't you seek the help of a teacher then? If you couldn't handle it yourself you should've left it to us"

"I could handle it myself, I did" Louis shrugged, "And it wouldn't have been wise of me to get a teacher involved when Harry was drunk now would it? I didn't want him getting into trouble when he was already having a shitty night"

"You got the teachers involved by punching that boy in the face" Filch replied with a stern yet disappointed tone. "And that's another thing, why was Harry drunk? Alcohol is forbidden in school and you know it"

"Well it's not like I'm the one who gave him the damn drinks is it" Louis said with a roll of his eyes, "How would I even get alcohol? I'm sixteen"

"I didn't accuse you of giving him the drinks, I'm pretty sure you were drinking too. The question is who gave you them?" Filch leant forward and linked his hands, watching him expectantly.

"And why would I tell you?" Louis let out a bitter chuckle, "I'm not going to drop them in it after we asked for them"

"I already have an idea of who gave you them, and we'll find out eventually. The sooner we confiscate the substances they may still have the sooner we can prevent any other students like Harry from becoming ill. If you wanted the same you would tell me"

Louis sighed and rubbed at his forehead, "Just because Harry drank more than he should've it doesn't mean other students will, he might just have a low tolerance or something" he shrugged, and Filch raised his brows. "I'm not telling so don't bother asking again. That's not what I'm here for anyway"

"Very well" Filch replied with a bored tone as he leant back into his chair. "I'm sure you know we can't let you off this time, not with a simple detention. These punishments clearly aren't working with the amount of times you've been sent to my office, and if I'm honest I think we've been going too easy on you"

"Too easy? I hardly deserved the punishments I got in the first place"

"If you have used violence in school or broken our policies then you deserve some form of punishment Louis. Whatever the reasons may be behind your acts it never validates harm to other students and the reoccurrence of this instance shows there's a problem. If you think you can get away with this behaviour just because of your surname then you're mistaken"

Well shit.

Louis masked his panic with a calm expression, "Right. Well get to it then" he replied, and Filch furrowed his brows. "Tell me my punishment so I can leave. There's no point dragging this out"

He could tell that Filch was confused by his careless attitude, as so many times before by how he would have been having a toddler-like meltdown. Which, on the inside, yes he was. However he knew he wasn't getting out of it, and there was no point in wasting his time arguing when Harry was still hungover back in their dorm room.

"Fine. I didn't want to do this but-"

"Don't lie" Louis cracked a small grin as he interrupted the man. "You've been wanting this for weeks" he added, seeming as he already had an idea of what was coming.

"No teacher wants to send students home Louis, but it's what needs to be done"

Even though he was expecting it, the blow didn't hurt any less.

"I'm going to have to exclude you for a week. Your father has already been informed and he is on his way to pick you up, so I would suggest you go and pack some things before he arrives"

Louis nodded once with tight lips and quickly stood up from his seat. He didn't want to wait around for some bullshit speech about reflection and working to better himself over the next week. Now he had better things to worry about, like breaking the news to Harry.

"Wait" Filch stopped him as he got about halfway across the room, and Louis closed his eyes with a deep breath before opening them to look at him again. "Is that it? You're just accepting it?"

Louis shrugged, "Well what do you expect me to do? Start kicking and screaming?" He scoffed, "You know as well as I do that won't get me anywhere"

He waited for a reply that never came and turned to leave the room. Once outside he finally let his frown show and muttered a quiet 'Fuck sake' under his breath, his heart rate picking up as he walked down the stairs back to the second floor.

He wasn't so bothered about Liam and Zayn finding out that he would be leaving for a week; they had each other and more often than not would hang out without Louis. He knew they would be fine. Harry though- yes he had Niall, but the Irish boy was hardly ever around, what with being in different classes and his room being in a whole other section of the school.

Maybe he was looking too deeply into it, but then again, Harry had said November was the toughest month for him and he was sure the boy would be upset that his plans for bonfire night were ruined.

He was right about his assumption when after telling Harry the news he had to run after him all the way back up to Filches office where Harry demanded that Louis should stay. He had assumed right again when Filch refused to change his mind, and Harry had turned into a rambling mess as he pleaded for the next ten minutes.

Louis had expected some sort of distress, but not nearly on the level that it turned out to be. He had never seen Harry so furious since meeting him, and he was caught off guard by his small meltdown. He didn't quite understand it.

"It's only for a week, I'm sure you'll manage without me" Louis had said as he sat on the edge of his bed back in their dorm room, Harry pacing in front of him.

"That's not the point Louis. You don't deserve to be sent home" Harry had replied through gritted teeth, his jaw clenching and unclenching as he shook his head to himself. He had almost forgotten about the sense of nausea still bubbling in his stomach as his jumbled thoughts took over. "You helped me last night, Nick made me feel uncomfortable and you got me out of that situation. If anyone should go home it's him"

Louis sighed and stood up, stopping Harry from his movements with a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You may as well just accept it. He isn't going to change his mind and I had it coming, I'll be back in no time"

Harry finally looked at him with saddened eyes, his lips pursed as he bit at the flesh behind them. "But you promised" he mumbled, sounding like a small child being told off, his vulnerability apparent with every aspect of his current demeanour.

Louis wished he hadn't. He should've known better than to promise something he had already seen coming, but there was something about Harry that made you want to avoid upsetting him at every cost. "I know, that was my mistake" he adverted his eyes and walked over to his bed, bending down to retrieve the doufle bag he had shoved under there on his first day.

"Then why did you?" Harry asked, watching as Louis made his way over to the wardrobe. "If you knew you had it coming then why would you promise me you'd stay?"

"Because you asked me to" Louis grabbed a few clothes from the draws and tugged some more from their hangers, rushing over to dump the pile onto the bed. "You must have known it was bound to happen if you asked me to stay in the first place"

He began to shove some clothes into his bag when he stopped and pulled them back out again. It was no good packing joggers and hoodies that his father would never let him wear back home anyway. In went the trousers and blazers instead.

"You'll miss bonfire night though. We were going to go together"

"Yes, I know Harry" Being told the things he would miss over the next week wasn't exactly helping him come to terms with it. "You could at least help me pack instead of just standing there"

"I'm not helping you pack when I don't want you to leave" Harry replied as he sat down on his own bed, continuing to watch silently.

"It's not like it was my choice" irritation was clear in his tone, and he didn't want to snap at Harry, but he was making it rather difficult. "I don't get why this bothers you so much. I'm only going for a week, you'll be fine without me"

In some ways he understood Harry's attitude. He realised it was probably mainly due to his sensitivity during November, and like himself emotions were heightened during this time of the year. But it really wasn't as big of a deal as Harry was making it out to be. He was taking it worse than Louis was and he wasn't the one being sent home.

"Because I've grown used to being with you every day and now you're being sent home for helping me" It almost sounded like he was scolding himself. "If I hadn't gotten as drunk as I did then I could've handled Nick myself. You wouldn't be in this mess now"

"Oh don't start with this blaming shit" Louis rolled his eyes as he turned around to look at him. "I didn't have to punch him but I did. It's nobody's fault but my own"

"Yes and you did it to help me. You shouldn't be punished for that"

"Yeah you've already said that"

"Why do you not care?" Harry stood up again, "I don't get it. How are you not throwing a fit right now? You're being sent home for a shitty reason"

"Because what good would it do?" Louis replied, his voice a little louder. "I can scream and shout at him all I want but it won't change his mind. There's no fucking point" he grabbed his laptop, chargers, a few books and other items and put them in his bag. "I'm better off just going without a fuss and getting this week over with. You and whoever else can just call or text me if you need me"

Harry stepped up besides him silently and took out the clothes Louis had shoved in the bag. He began to fold them neatly so that he would have more space in the bag, and put them back inside one by one. "It won't be the same without you here" he muttered, a crease between his brows. He could tell Louis was staring at him but he refused to meet his gaze.

Louis watched him for a moment longer before walking into the bathroom to retrieve his toiletries. "I doubt it'll make a difference" he said as he walked back into the room.

"It'll make a huge difference" Harry disagreed, finishing up with the clothes. He took the various bottles from Louis and stored them carefully in the bag, checking that the caps were on tight. "I won't have you shouting at me in the mornings, or leaving your clothes all over the floor. I won't be able to argue with you over who has the right answer in class, and there will be no one to call me Bambi when I fall over"

"Aren't they all bad things?" Louis replied, the corners of his lips turning up. "In that case I'm sure you'll love to have me gone for a week"

"I guess I've grown used to the bad things" Harry admitted with a small smile, "I'll probably miss it"

Louis placed the last few things in his bag before zipping it up. He faced Harry who was stood pigeon-toed, his hands behind his back as he stared at the floor. "One week, then I'll be back to piss you off again"

Gemma showed up in their room just as Louis' father arrived, and he was thankful that the older girl seemed to cheer Harry up at least a little. He made sure Harry would explain to Liam and Zayn what had happened, and he agreed on the terms that Louis would give him a hug goodbye which he did so briefly.

It was a little awkward on the way out. He felt the stares of other students on him the whole way out the door with his luggage in hand, and he could only imagine what they'd be gossiping about for the next week.

Mark greeted him with a single nod and took his bags, shoving them into the boot of his Bentley. Louis flinched at the loud slam of the car door when his father climbed inside, an indication that the man wasn't happy with yet another one of Louis' mistakes, and the drive home was uncomfortable as he made his son suffer in silence.

Louis often found it more nerve wracking when his father didn't speak than when he did. It was that anticipation of the storm brewing that set his leg trembling and his stomach to twist into knots, just knowing that at some point the verbal torment would commence. He had to endure this for an hour and a half with no music to take his mind off the outcomes he was planning in his head.

He wasn't sure if he had imagined it or not, but he could've sworn the sky grew darker the closer they got to home, and it wasn't because of the hour of the day. The world just seemed to gradually become bleak, as if dimming the brightness on your phone until everything became a blur of dull colours, and it certainly matched his mood.

The manor he once looked at with adoration had never appeared so tedious. It's grand exterior no longer filled him with pride or arrogance, now it was what it was; stacked bricks upon stacked bricks and a few fancy windows in between. The land surrounding it made him feel small, like a tiny cog to a huge machine that gave him irrelevance, and as he stepped out of the car he realised that the silence was deafening, something he hadn't noticed before.

The gravel crunched beneath his feet as he followed his father towards the doors of the manor, his movements slow and sluggish as each step took him closer and closer to his prison for the next week. It felt like his father had just opened the gates to hell.

He cracked his first smile in two hours when his siblings came barrelling towards him with chants of 'Louis!' And 'You're home!', latching onto him with hugs that knocked the air from his lungs. "Missed me?" He said with a teasing lilt to his voice, hugging them tightly in return.

"No, I rather liked not having you boss us around for two months" Lottie replied cheekily, it wasn't hard to guess where she had gotten her sass from.

"Oi don't be cheeky you" Louis scolded light heartedly, his grin giving away his amusement. "I bet you lot were a mess without me"

"Father could barely tell the difference between Dais' and Phoebe without you here to correct him" Fizz said, growing anxious when she turned to see Mark staring back at her with a raised brow.

"I thought he would've learned by now" Louis mumbled. He knew it can be hard to tell the difference some days, the girls were identical, but they were his daughters for Christ's sake. Surely after six years he should've picked it up.

"How are you two doing then anyway?" He crouched down so that he was at eye level with the six year olds. They had some sort of brown substance smeared around their mouthes, "What have you got all in your teeth? Chocolate or something?" He asked as he wiped it away, the girls struggling away from his prying hands.

"I said you girls weren't allowed chocolate until you've done your studies" Mark commented as he leant against the door frame that lead to the dining room, Louis' bag resting at his feet.

"We were only having a break. You made us start at seven this morning" Lottie replied hesitantly, side eyeing her sister. "The girls were getting restless"

"I make you start at seven because it will benefit you when you're older and wanting to go to university. Louis wouldn't be as smart as he is now if he had taken breaks all the time" he scoffed, checking his watch.

"They've been working for six hours Father, I'm sure they deserve a break" Louis commented, standing back up again. "They're already smart anyway"

"Not smart enough" Mark said in a low voice that suggested his children weren't meant to hear, but of course they did, and they masked their frowns with practiced smiles. "Girls, go back to your studies. Louis, come with me"

"But he's only just got ba-"

"I don't care when he got back, I need a word with him now" Mark interrupted Lottie with a scowl, shooing them away with a flick of his hand. "You can catch up with Louis later"

The girls nodded in defeat and gave their brother tight lipped smiles before rushing off back upstairs. Louis watched them go longingly, wishing his father could spare him an hour to get settled in and chat with his siblings some more. Everything was a rush with Mark, it was one thing after another with no desire to relax and a constant need to work on something, anything. It was draining to keep up with.

"Come on, we need a chat" Mark said with a nod in the direction of his office. He walked away with Louis trailing behind him, his eyes fixed on the floor and an itch to run away as fast as he can. He wanted to escape.

They walked inside his office which set off a strange feeling of familiarity in Louis. He realised it was due to the similarities between this room and Filches office back at school. The oak wood furnishing, the large window, the extravagant book case that stretched high up to the ceiling. It was probably the only room in the house that reminded him of the boarding school, and a twine of sadness washed over him as well as a sense of relief.

They took their seats opposite each other in a formal-like stance that Louis didn't like to associate with his father. Talking with your dad shouldn't feel like a damn business meeting, but he wouldn't have been aware of this fact had it not been for his new friends.

The further silence confused Louis. He had expected that brewing storm he had felt earlier to erupt as soon as he had taken his seat, but nothing came. Marks narrowed eyes lay on him with no hint of anger, frustration or disappointment. It was a blank canvas that gave no hints of what was to come.

"Aren't you going to speak?" Louis finally asked, trying his hardest not to fidget with his hands under his fathers watchful gaze. "You said we needed to talk"

Mark hummed and nodded his head. "I'm waiting on an explanation" he replied briefly, confusing Louis further.

"An explanation of what?"

The older man smiled falsely and leaned back on his chair. "Of why you seem so adamant on shaming our family ever since you got to that school" he explained bluntly.

Louis faltered and his words got stuck in his throat. He wasn't shaming the family. He wasn't trying to. The mere thought of it sent panic rushing through his veins and his mind to go blurry. "I'm not" he chocked out with a tremble to his voice. "I swear I'm not"

"Doesn't seem that way" Mark clicked his tongue tauntingly, "I've lost track of how many times I've been called up about your misbehaviour. And each time you've promised me you would do better. Personally, I don't see any change"

"Since the last time you saw me I've only messed up once, last night, and it was to help someone. My intentions were good I promise. Filch just doesn't see it that way, he's only sent me home because he probably feels like he has to, because of the school policies or some shit"

"Watch your language" Mark quipped, and Louis thought it was hypocritical really. His father swore a lot of the time. "Go on then, explain it to me"

"Some guy called Nick has a crush on Harry" Louis began, and he didn't miss the way Mark visibly cringed at the statement. "At the Halloween party he was practically groping Harry, and he was drunk so it's not like he could defend himself. I stepped in when he wouldn't let him go, and I only punched him because he said our family is fucked up" 

Mark let out a bitter chuckle that had Louis frowning in confusion. "Some gay kid wants to call my family fucked up?" He scoffed with a shake of his head, an amused grin tugging at his lips. "Clearly he's the fucked up one if he likes it up the ass"

Saying Louis was shocked would be an understatement. He knew of his fathers disapproval towards same sex relationships, but he had never heard him speak of his hatred so bluntly. It was almost like a slap to the face when he thought of the difference between Harry's attitude towards sexuality and his fathers views on it.

He didn't quite know what to say. In other circumstances he would have disagreed, given his own opinion that had been influenced by Harry and some other students at school. But this was his father, and he knew any differing comments on the matter would only fuel the fire he was currently in. Instead he focused on another surprising subject; his father taking out a box of cigarettes.

"Since when do you smoke?" Louis asked curiously as Mark pulled a cigarette from its box and placed it between his lips. 

"Since I was your age" Mark replied carelessly whilst he lit up the cigarette. He inhaled deeply before pulling it away, a cloud of smoke escaping his lips. "I think you're old enough to know now"

Louis scrunched up his nose at the unpleasant smell and coughed slightly when the smoke reached him. "You've always said you hated smoking"

"That was just a cover up" Mark smirked, taking another drag. "Couldn't be a bad influence now could I? Not when you were younger anyway"

"I'm still only sixteen" Louis mumbled.

His father shrugged, "Old enough" he pointed at him with the cigarette laying between his fingers, "Don't think that's my approval of you doing it though. It's a bad habit, don't pick it up"

"Then why smoke in front of me? Wouldn't that influence me to try it?" His father knew how big of an impact his actions had on him and his siblings, so telling Louis not to do something that he was currently showcasing right in front of him somewhat defeated the purpose.

"I'm stressed and I'm not so bothered about you knowing anymore, you'll be finding out much bigger things than my smoking addiction in the next few years anyway" he leant back and opened the window behind him, and Louis was glad for the fresh air filtering through the room. "How's counselling?"

He had almost forgotten about that what with everything else going on, and he wondered what would happen about this weeks session. Would it be over the phone, or just not at all? "It's good, actually. My counsellor is really nice and she gives the best advice, helps me understand stuff better"

"Well that is what she's supposed to do" Mark let out a breathy laugh. "What kind of stuff do you talk about? It can't be much on anger issues seeming as you're back here"

"Uh, I don't know. It's random to be honest, just usually what comes up on the day" Louis explained vaguely. If his father knew half of the shit he talked to his counsellor about he'd have a fit. "Like, how my weeks been, anything I've struggled with-"

"What do you struggle with?" Mark interrupted.

"Nothing much" Louis shrugged as he picked at his nails, only stopping once he saw his fathers eyes flicked down to his hands. "Usually just things to do with Harry"

"Styles?" Louis nodded, "Still got problems with him then?"

"No, not really. We're starting to get along, I guess" he didn't want to lie but he also knew he couldn't give too much away, his fathers dislike of Harry was clear. "He's not so bad"

His father paused to take a long, slow drag of his cigarette, never taking his eyes from Louis as he blew the smoke out; Louis watched it disappear in a swirl out the window. "And why the change in heart then?"

"I realised we are more similar than I thought"

"How so?"

He didn't understand why his father seemed so curious when he didn't even like Harry, surely this was a waste of his breath. "Just a few things. Similar taste in music, humour, background. It got to a point where we were only arguing for the sake of arguing"

"Background?" Mark furrowed his brows as he tapped off the end of his cigarette into the ash tray, "I highly doubt he has a similar background to you. That kid is nothing like us"

He shook his head, "He's had it rough, some family issues. I didn't mean it in terms of how we live"

"What's he told you?"

"Why do you care?" Louis shot back without thinking, and he almost wished his hadn't when his father gave him a surprised look. He reasoned it was a valid question though.

"He seems to be the hot topic of your life at the moment, it's all I hear about. Isn't that a good enough reason for me to be curious?" Mark replied as he leant forward and stubbed out the end of the cigarette, leaving it in the ash tray.

"But it's obvious you don't like him, so I don't understand why you would be curious"

"Because as your father I want to know who you're spending so much time with, I can't have you mixing with the wrong people"

"And why should you decide who's the wrong kind of people in my life when you're not the one living it?" Louis questioned almost bitterly. He couldn't help himself. He remembered what his counsellor had told him about his father dictating who he should and shouldn't be friends with, and how really it should be his choice. She was right, he knew she was, and it wouldn't stop unless he fought against it.

"Because I know best, Louis" His father replied sternly, his eyes narrowed. "Where has this attitude come from anyway?"

"How would you know best if you're not the one spending time with them?" Louis ignored the second question, "Surely I know best because I actually know the people I'm spending time with. I can judge their character where as you can't, because you don't know them"

"This isn't very convincing when you've said yourself the boy your defending is the reason why you've gotten into so much trouble" Mark quipped back smugly, but Louis could tell he was losing his patience.

"That was before, when we didn't get along. Besides, he wasn't always the reason" It was probably the first time he's admitted to this, but he decided not to dwell on the fact.

Mark sighed deeply, and from his expression Louis could tell he didn't know what to say. "I don't want you involved with him from now on. He's a distraction and a bad influence"

Louis scowled and sat up straighter in his seat, "I don't think that's your decision to make"

"And I think you need to watch your mouth" Mark retorted, "You do as I say and if I tell you not to hang out with him anymore then you won't"

"For what fucking reason though?" Louis spat, his irritation building. He had been back home less than an hour and he already wanted to go back to school.

"Don't use that tone with me son"

"No. Explain it to me. You know nothing about Harry, you've only met him a few times, so what reason do you have to stop me from associating with him? You literally have no reason to dislike him so much"

"If I remember correctly I'm pretty sure you had no valid reason to dislike him either. Don't be such a hypocrite" Mark scoffed, "I don't need to explain myself to you. If I tell you not to do something then you will listen without further discussion"

"This is bullshit" his tone was sharp and venomous, he didn't quite know where his surge of confidence had came from but he was glad for it. Things were becoming more clear than ever. "When are you going to start letting me make my own decisions? I feel like I don't have a fucking life here. You don't allow me to make friends unless you approve of them, I'm not allowed any hobbies, I never get any free time for myself to just relax. All it is here is work, work, work. I'm tired of it"

He wouldn't be surprised if his sisters could hear him with the volume his voice was raised at, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He hadn't planned on this, finally giving his own opinion, but it was as if once he had started he couldn't stop. Now that he had a taste of what life could be like he wanted more of it. He didn't want fancy clothes and a posh accent. Galas were boring in comparison to normal, teenage parties. Cheap food was just as good as the expensive meals made by Michelin star chefs. And friendships weren't burdens anymore, it was the one thing keeping him going.

"Where has this all come from? Your counsellor? The boys back at school?" Mark questioned, his tone taunting, slipping into that manipulative demeanour he often used when Louis fought back. This time he recognised it. "It's pathetic Louis. You are being pathetic. You've been blessed to have the life you've been given and you're acting like an ungrateful brat. What would your mother think?"

"Don't fucking bring her into this. You never gave a shit about her in the first place" Louis snapped, sitting on the edge of his seat as if ready to sprint away. "She was as tired of this life as I am. It's miserable"

"Your mother was lucky to be in this family and she respected me, it's a shame you're turning out to be the opposite"

"I find it funny how only now do you want to speak about her" Louis clenched his fists tight, until his knuckles turned white around the arms of his chair. "You're only bringing her up now because I'm finally standing up for myself. It's fucking sick. Using her to try manipulate me"

"I'm only speaking the truth" Mark disagreed easily with no doubt about it. "You have wealth, a grand home, a recognised title. Your future is secure within this family, that's a lot more than others can say"

"What if I don't want a secure future? What if I want to chose my own path?" His mind drifted back once again to one of the many things Harry had advised him on. "Have you never thought for a second that the family business might not be what I want? I do have other interests outside of this family you know"

"Oh what? Since you got to the boarding school?" Mark chuckled condescendingly. "You were just fine with my plan for you two months ago"

"No, you made me think I was because you gave me no other option. You made me believe the family business was the only thing I am capable of because you've put that idea in my head since I was a kid. But that's not true. The only thing keeping me from doing what I want is you"

Marks real mistake in his grand scheme was granting Louis the possibility to achieve anything he wanted. He was smart enough for pretty much any career path academically, he had the connections to get into any university he dreamed of, and the perks that came with his title set it all in place. Really, the only thing stopping him now was his own mental state.

"Maybe that's true" Mark shrugged, a grin tugging at his lips. "But it doesn't really matter what I've made you think in the past. You know you've got responsibilities when it comes to this family and I highly doubt you'll walk away from them, even with your current attitude towards it"

"Maybe I will" Louis replied, though his voice didn't sound as convincing as he had hoped, and he honestly wasn't sure how much truth there was in his statement.

"Like I said, I highly doubt it" Mark repeated, glancing at his Rolex once again. "Anyway, I have a meeting in ten minutes so we'll have to wrap this up for now. Go join your sisters to study and we will talk again at dinner"

"But I've only just gotten home" Louis frowned, he at least wanted to unpack and get settled first. It seemed even at home he couldn't escape his education.

"I don't care. Take your bags upstairs and join your sisters, I won't tell you again" Mark dismissed, pulling open his laptop as he waved Louis away.

He sat there for a moment later before he nodded with a stiff neck and left the room. He closed the door behind him and the noise echoed through the open halls, breaking the never ending silence that seemed to haunt the manor. It was strange to leave a room and not be greeted with students running the hallways with books clutched to their chests, rushing from class to class.

The sound of his own footsteps patting the ground rang through his ears as he grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, making his way to the stairs. He had almost forgotten the creaky floor board of the fifth step and how the rug sometimes got caught on the tenth. The stairs were made of stone back at school.

As he made his way to his room he could faintly hear the sounds of his sisters chatting away from the opposing wing of the second floor, and their voices grew quieter the closer he got to his first stop.

It was weird seeing his bedroom after so long of being away, and he wasn't sure if he felt relief or disappointment now that he had grown used to his shared dorm room. When he walked inside he had almost expected to see another bed across the room from his own, but of course there was only one.

He dumped his bag onto the floor, deciding he would unpack later, and took a seat on the edge of his bed. The room was dim with the only light source coming from the window, and it somehow didn't feel as cosy as it once did with the openness of everything. His room at school could only be described as normal now that he had been reminded of his hotel-like room in the manor.

It was like everything in there had been placed in a specific way, so that it was pleasing to the eye and organised to perfection; not by his doing of course, the maids could take credit for that. But there was no naturalness to anything. There were no clothes laying about the floor from rushes in the morning or laziness after class, no bin was overflowing with rubbish from late night snacks, no books or assignments were sprawled out across his desk. This wasn't a teenagers bedroom and the lack of personalisation was unsettling.

He sighed and stood up again, stretching with his arms high above his head as he let out a yawn. Just the thought of having to go study now exhausted him, and he yearned to snuggle up under his covers and fall into a deep sleep for the rest of the week. There was no avoiding it though, lest he wanted another argument with his father, so he left his room and made his way down the hallway to find his sisters.

A small smile tugged at his lips when he heard the younger twins complaining about not understanding an equation- they must be doing maths, and he poked his head through the door silently to see the four of them sat around a circular table with various books laid out in front of them.

"Complaining about it won't get you anywhere dais', just listen carefully and I'll talk you through it" Lottie said with a tired voice, her head resting on her hand as she pointed with her other to the book. She had deep circles under her eyes and her skin was paler than usual.

Dad must be working them too hard again.

"Need any help?" Louis said as he knocked on the door, grinning when the girls whipped their heads up to look at him.

"Louis!" The twins called out simultaneously, smiling giddily as he walked over and took a seat besides them. "We don't understand anything. Lottie isn't as good at explaining as you are" Phoebe said with a pout, shoving the book towards him.

"I'm trying my best" Lottie rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair with her arms crossed over her chest. "But fine, if Louis' so good at it then he can happily take over. I've been trying to teach you the same thing for two hours"

"Seems like she's in a bad mood today ey?" Louis whispered to the twins with a smirk, dodging a moment later as Lottie threw a pencil at him. "Chill out, I'm only joking" he added as he took a look at the work they were doing, furrowing his brows the more he read. "Why's dad got you doing this? It's way too advanced for your age"

"Since when do you call him dad?" Fizz asked curiously, they had only ever referred to him as 'father'.

"Must have caught on from the lads at school" he shrugged, turning the page to find more complicated algebra equations. "Seriously though, no wonder you don't understand. I only started learning about this when I was ten and you two are six"

"Father said they should start learning it, he told our tutor to start this topic as well" Lottie replied, "I said the same thing, that's it's too difficult, but he's convinced that they will catch on quickly"

"It took me forever to learn this so I doubt it" Louis shook his head, flipping through the book until he landed on some more simple topics. "How about you learn this instead? You'll find it much easier and I can help"

Daisy and Phoebe nodded with bright smiles and took the book back so they could read over the page that briefly explained basic maths problems. Basic as in counting from ten and upwards and telling the time- things that six year olds should be learning. Louis didn't understand how their father could expect them to learn such things that ten years olds still struggled with.

"So, what happened down there then?" Lottie asked as the younger girls continued to study, "We heard you shouting"

Louis groaned and slumped his chest onto the table, "Just dad being a prick, as usual" he said vaguely.

"What's a prick?" Daisy asked innocently, and Louis mentally scolded himself.

"Never you mind, get on with your work" Louis brushed it off and his sister pouted adorably for a second before burying her head back in the book.

"What's he done now?" Fizz asked, confused by her brothers change in attitude.

"He's just annoyed at me for being sent home, and he's too controlling. He's trying to tell me who I can and can't be friends with at school" There was obviously a lot more too it, but Louis didn't want to burden his sisters with his problems and as much as he disliked his father right now, he didn't want them to have the same view. It would be better for them if they were oblivious to their fathers faults.

"Why should that be his decision? It's not like he's the one spending time with them" Lottie scoffed.

"Exactly. He's always telling us we can't have friends but it's not fair. Especially for you Louis, I can't imagine you'd want to spend all your time with your little sisters" Fizz added. They all knew Louis loved them dearly, but they wouldn't blame him for wanting to hang out with boys his own age for once.

"Don't worry about me, I've got friends now anyway" Louis smiled, heart warmed by his sisters concern. "But yeah, I guess I just wish I had a little more freedom"

"Hm, I don't blame you" Lottie nodded, her eyes flicking over to the twins for a moment to make sure they were doing alright. "Why have you been sent home anyway?"

Louis was about to answer when he stopped himself abruptly. He didn't want to be a bad influence, and he realised telling his sisters he had punched multiple people in the face wouldn't set a good example. "Just had a few disagreements with some other students, I ended up taking the blame"

"And was it your fault?"

He pursed his lips and shrugged, "Sometimes it was, sometimes it wasn't"

"Did you bring us a present back?" Phoebe suddenly asked, biting on the end of her pen as she looked up at him with her big, blue eyes hopefully.

Fuck.

"Uh, sorry. Not this time" He answered hesitantly, and his stomach sank as he saw the sadness wash over her face. "I would have if I had known I was being sent home. I'll get you all something when I come back for Christmas though, I promise" he smiled and ruffled her hair slightly.

She scrunched her nose up and swatted his hand away, "Okay" she replied happily.

"Come on then, show me the work you've done so far" He tapped at her work and began reading over it, correcting the girls on a few mistakes here and there as he explained the right methods for the next hour or so.

Dinner later that evening was awkward, and the promise of another chat with his father never came. The only sounds being heard were the clatter of forks and knives on plates and the occasional scolding from Mark about his siblings' etiquette. For once Louis wished for the overbearing noise of hundreds of students eating and talking, and he missed the banter at the dinner table.

He had never felt so relieved when he was excused from dinner, and he practically sprinted back to his room with the same word running through his head; bed, bed, bed.

He had ignored Marks comment about 'getting him back on track tomorrow' and instead decided to take his mind off everything with his phone as he settled down under the covers. He realised he hadn't checked it all day, and he was somewhat surprised to see many notifications awaiting him; something he still hadn't quite got used to.

Eleanor: I can't believe they sent you home. Heard what happened at the party, you don't deserve this at all. Msg me when you can x

Oh also, Sorry if I came on too strong at the party. I should probably stay away from alcohol.

He grinned at the message, it was sweet, and he could only imagine how embarrassed she must feel with her amusing attempts at flirting.

Louis: Piss take isn't it. And don't worry, I found it quite funny.

He left that conversation there and moved onto the next. It happened to be a group chat between himself, Liam and Zayn that he hadn't even known existed until now.

Liam: You okay mate? Harry told us you got sent home for a week.

Zayn: I can tell why you get so pissed off about the teachers now, it's fucking ridiculous. Harry was quite upset about it.

He furrowed his brows as he re-read over Zayn's message a few times. He knew Harry was upset when he had told him the news, but he had assumed he would have gotten over it by now.

Louis: I'm alright, just shit being home again I guess. How's Harry?

He waited eagerly for a response, hoping that the lads would still be awake. This was another thing he hated about being back home now that he had some sort of separate life. It was harder to stay up to date with what was going on, what drama there might be and how everybody else was. He couldn't stand not being in the loop, and he felt a pang of excitement when his phone alerted him of another message.

Liam: Not sure about now, he spent most the day with Niall and Gemma, but he just seemed a little off when he told us.

Louis: What do you mean by off exactly?

Liam: Just a bit quiet, not as bubbly. He probably misses you or something, fuck knows.

Louis swallowed thickly and his fingers hovered over his phone, thinking over what to reply with.

Louis: Doubt it. Where's Zayn?

Liam: He's asleep.

They don't share a room together.

Louis: And you know this because...?

He almost laughed when it took Liam so long to reply, and the typing bubble popped up and down continuously as if his friend didn't know what to say- or was trying to think of a valid excuse.

Liam: We sometimes just stay in each other's rooms. Like, when it's late and we can't be bothered moving. He just fell asleep.

Louis: Whatever you say Payno ;)

Louis smirked and went back to his other messages. He had one from Niall that was along the lines of the previous messages, just asking if he was okay and a rather cheeky request to bring back some of his fathers most expensive alcohol. He decided to ignore it.

Finally he had one from Harry, and he was hesitant to even open it after what Liam and Zayn had mentioned. Though he felt like he should, seeming as he had told the boy he could message or call him if he needed him.

Harry: I wish you were here. It's weird being alone - H

It was a simple message, short, and strangely he had signed his initial at the end. Louis didn't know whether to be endeared by this or confused, it wasn't like he hadn't already saved the number as Harry's contact, and he was sure that Harry knew of this.

Louis: I know. It's weird being back home too. The lads said you were upset? - L

He wasn't planning on adding his own initial, he found it rather odd, but it was a last minute decision that he couldn't take back after he had sent the message and it strangely felt right.

He was about to turn off his phone and go to sleep when his phone lit up with another message, surprised to find that Harry wasn't already asleep, what with his strict schedule of being in bed by 9 or 10.

Harry: I can imagine. And what have they said? - H

Louis: Just that you seemed quiet, off? Idk. - L
Louis: Also, why are we signing our          messages?

Harry: Guess I'm just not used to you not being around. It was weird getting into bed and not having to argue with you about turning off your lamp. And it's just a habit I have, signing messages. Ik, it's weird. - H

Louis: I need the lamp on to drink my cuppa thank you very much. And it's not weird. Or, well it is. But a lot of the things you do are weird, so that makes it kind of normal. - L

Harry: You should drink your tea earlier then, some of us need to sleep. And I don't know whether I should take that as a compliment or an insult? - H

Louis: No, you just go to bed at the same time my grandad would. You should go with the former. - L

Harry: I do not! You need to go to bed earlier, it has real benefits for the mind you know. Might make you less cranky all the time :) And yes, I will take it as a compliment. - H

Louis: Don't turn into a therapist on me, I've already got one of those. And I am not cranky all the time, you're just very annoying. Thank me for the compliment then.

Harry: Thank you. I guess you'll love not having my annoying ass around then?

Louis: You're welcome. And no, it's actually pretty boring without you here to annoy me. Why are you even awake right now anyway?

Harry: I can't sleep. Everything just feels so weird today, it's thrown me off. Kind of wish I could annoy you right now.

Louis: Don't worry, you are by texting me :) Try go to sleep.

Harry: I have been trying, for the past hour.

Louis: Well try harder. You have classes in the morning.

Harry: You sound like a parent. Don't you still have to be up early? I thought your dad is strict.

Louis: Probably, and he is. Apparently he's going to get me 'back on track' tomorrow. Whatever that means.

Harry: Just try not take anything he says too seriously, okay? If that means you're going to show up to school next week back at square one then I'd rather you stay at home tbh.

One thing he hated about texting was how he couldn't tell if someone was being serious or not. He could usually tell when Harry was being sarcastic through the way he spoke, but right now he had no idea how to feel about the last message.

Louis: Are you being sarcastic or...?

Harry: A little. I just don't want you to go back to hating me again. That's what I meant.

Louis: Why would I do that?

Harry: Why wouldn't you? A week with your father again and I'm sure you'd revert back to your old ways.

Louis: Is this what's got you worried? Why you can't sleep?

Harry: Maybe. I'm not sure myself. It's part of it though.

He wanted to reassure Harry that it wouldn't happen, but he also didn't want to lie. He never knew what tricks his father would pull, what form of manipulation he would use. It was unpredictable. And Louis himself was unpredictable. Even if he didn't want to 'revert back to his old ways', as Harry had put it, sometimes he didn't even realise when that was happening and he often couldn't stop it.

Louis: Stop worrying. Goodnight Harry. - L

Harry: Goodnight Louis. - H

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Author notes:

I don't know how many times I'll say this, but again, I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter. By now you probably know the reason why lmao.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! I understand a lot of you won't be pleased that Louis was sent home for a week, but it was bound to happen at some point. In real life he probably would have been sent home much sooner tbh.

What do you guys think will happen as a result of Louis being back home?

Leave your opinions and don't forget to vote!

Love you all xxx