New Years, Cheers

Fireworks rang in the New Year hours before for London but the tears still glistened freshly on Louis' paling cheeks as he counted down the seconds till New York would celebrate. He was huddled up on the balcony of his flat with his knees held tightly to his chest. Snowflakes dotted his eyelashes and dampened his thin shirt as his bitten rosy lips were pressed into a thin line.

He was alone. Well, he was sort of alone. Eleanor, the three other boys, and Danielle were inside drifting off to sleep from the countdown drinking or watching the concert being broadcast from Time Square. However, he was alone outside, refusing to come in. Childishly desiring for the winter wind and unforgiving chill to slowly steal him away from his misery while he sipped at his personal bottle of vodka. 

Absently, he watched the lights of the city slowly dim and disappear to the tune of drunks wandering the streets below shouting of the New Year. Louis only had one thought on his mind however. His thoughts were drowned in Harry, and what he knew would happen when the Big Ben chimed six am, midnight in New York.

He had thirty minutes left. Thirty minutes to revel in what he had hoped he had with Harry, and what he had hoped to do with Harry. He had hoped to finally be able to spend a proper holiday together where they wouldn't be judged. He had hoped to finally kiss Harry's plush lips to the tune of confetti and fireworks that were more than the ones that he felt inside elicited by every touch. He had hoped to simply be with Harry. 

The glass door behind him slid open before Eleanor's sweet voice filled his ears, "Lou... Come inside, please. No point in getting sick out here, yeah...?" Her warm hands settled on his shoulders as they trembled with the cold. 

"El... Do you think he still loves me?" he asked in a drunken whisper. His chin rested atop his knees as he stared at the railing in front of him. 

She was silent for a moment as she tried to weigh her response carefully. Truthfully, she didn't know. No one knew. Like Lou and the other boys, she hadn't been in contact with Harry very often as of recently. "Louis, lets go inside and get you warmed up... We'll talk about it after that, okay?" she coaxed softly. The tips of her fingers drifted through his snowflake spotted hair before gently pulling the bottle of vodka from his hands. 

Louis didn't bother to protest as she lifted him to his feet and led him inside. A blanket was wrapped around his shoulders by a face he couldn't focus on as he slumped into the corner of the couch. 

A head of blond hair rested on his lap after a moment of his silence. "Louis?" Niall mumbled tiredly. His blue eyes were clouded with drunkenness and half lidded.

"What do you think Ni...?" he murmured in response. Louis lifted his arm and settled it on Niall's shoulder as he played with the boy's browning tufts of hair.

Niall seemed confused and rightfully so, "About what Lou...?"

"Harry and her..." Lou whispered out as he blearily caught sight of whoever was currently performing. 

His blond head shifted as Eleanor sat at Louis' feet. "Lou, I've never seen a love like the love he has for you..." the words were slurred and broken, but they meant something to Louis all the same. 

"Thanks Ni..." Louis murmured as fresh tears slipped down his cheeks.

----------Harry-----------

His curls clung warmly to his forehead beneath his Penfield grey beanie. He personally disliked the garment but it was one that Taylor had gifted him for Christmas and for the moment he had to wear it, the New York freeze demanded so. He had tried desperately to avoid attending Taylor's event and even left his passport at his mum's but things hadn't turned in his favor. He still ended up here, with her.