Gunrunners // A Harry Styles AU

7. Don't Look So Surprised

Wednesday 13th February

Staring at the shirt in my hands is not helping anything and I know that. But I can't help it. It's like a magnet; it draws me in. I have an inkling as to what's inside, but I could be wrong. I should be helping Liam with his foot, but my brain is incapable of doing anything other than studying the bloody piece of clothing in my hand to the point I could probably draw it from memory if I was asked to. It's teasing me, almost - mocking me because I'm scared of it.

I'd probably be standing here all night just gawking at it if my phone didn't ring. But my phone is ringing, vibrating obnoxiously against the kitchen table. I toss the bloody shirt into my stainless steel sink, and it lands with an unappealing, loud clatter. Messily collecting my phone, I panic as I see the blood on my hands and awkwardly slide the bar across the screen with my little finger to answer the blocked phone number.

"Hello?" I answer shakenly, wedging the tech between my shoulder and my ear as I rinse my hands of the blood.

"Please tell me you found a car." Jayne's desperate voice begs at me without even announcing herself, and I don't even have to ask to know what's coming.

I clear my throat as I reach for the tea towel on the drainer that I'd used only a few hours earlier to dry up my crockery from dinner. "No, I told you it'd have to be tomorrow."

"Shit." Jayne heaves her words, chased by a terrified sigh. "Is there any way you could get here in under ten minutes?"

"Not a chance in hell, I couldn't even get there that fast in a car." I shake my head, even though there's no one there to see it. Or so I think, anyway. "Why, what's the situation?"

"Two men were found out at Stubbs Wood with gunshot wounds. One is dead and the other has a bullet lodged in his spine."

My breathing grows uneven and heavy as she speaks, and once again I find myself drawn to the heavy object wrapped up in Harry's shirt in the sink. "Can none of the general surgeons get it out?"

"No way, it's in a far too difficult position."

"I'm sorry," I feel horrible, disgusting even as I delicately peel back the overlap, "I-I don't think I can mak-,"

"Don't be stupid, you didn't shoot anyone." Jayne hums softly. "We'll just have to do what we can. I don't hold much hope, though."

"No, me neither." I choke, putting the phone down before I can make my emotions bleedingly obvious, and it slips from between my fingers as a certain chromatic metal peeks between the pale material.

I gasp and take a step backwards, though I've gone further than I'd anticipated and knocked into the chair nestled under the dining table.

"Kita," Harry's voice comes quietly from behind me, and I'm turning my burning glare on him before he dares utter another word.

I reach around him where he stands to slam the door shut, and I'm retreating as far away from him and as far away from the gun in my sink as I can. "How dare you bring this into my house!"

Harry takes a step towards me, terror clear in his eyes as he speaks. "I'm sorry, I didn't have any other choice-,"

"Don't you fucking dare!" I point at him, leaning my body forwards but remaining in my corner. "You could've gone anywhere and got rid of it! Anywhere! And you bring it here to me?!"

"I was worried about Liam's foot, I didn't know what else to do!"

"Liam's not gonna die from a bullet in his foot, you idiot! You wrapping it up made sure of that, but now I've got an illegal gun in my sink and man with a bullet in his foot on my sofa!"