The Assistant

Chapter 11-avoidance

He called in sick two days in a row but then he knew that he had to do the walk of shame and face Harry and Niall because he was planning an event. He couldn't let Harry down even if he knew what he had to do.

He held his head up high as he walked inside the room where he and Niall had their desks. His heart was pounding fast. Niall was already there and he looked up.
"Dude..."

Louis couldn't meet his eyes.
"I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, but...are you okay?" Niall asked, sounding concerned.

"I will be." Louis sighed.

He took a seat and started working, trying to build up the courage to see Harry face to face. At lunch, he got him a sandwich. He hesitated outside the door before he finally knocked, knowing that Niall was watching him with pitiful eyes.
"Come in!" Harry's voice was heard through the door.

He took a deep, shaky breath in an effort to calm his nerves before he opened the door and stepped inside. Harry flew up from his chair.
"Louis! I'm glad you're back. We need to talk."

Louis raised his hand to stop him.
"I'll do the talking. You did nothing wrong, Harry. You were in a rut and you gave me the option to leave. I wanted to stay. I'm the one who acted wrongfully and I'm sorry. I'm giving you a three weeks notice. I'm leaving after the fundraiser. I don't want to leave you hanging, it's an important event."

Harry stared at him in disbelief.
"What? No! You don't have to quit your job, Louis. We can pretend like it didn't happen if that's what you want."

Louis couldn't meet his eyes.
"I can't work next to you. It was a mistake."

"A mistake? Oh, okay." Harry mumbled.

"I better get back to work. Eat the sandwich." Louis said before he turned around and left.

He sunk down on his chair with a deep sigh. He had done the right thing even if he felt like crap. He couldn't have casual sex with his boss every time he went into rut. Knowing what it was like, how amazing it was, how amazing Harry was would never end well. He would be able to resist and he would get burned.
"Are you sure you're okay? You look miserable Louis." Niall said from his desk.

"I'm fine. You should know that I just gave a three weeks notice. I'm leaving." Louis answered.

"Why? Because of the sex? I have known Harry for a long time Louis. He has never slept with anyone at the company before. It's not like him." Niall argued upset.

"He didn't take advantage of me. You don't have to worry about a lawsuit." Louis muttered.

"That's not what I'm saying! I just..." Niall said but Louis cut him off.

"I don't want to discuss it any further. I messed up. It's so cliche, sleeping with your boss. I'm better than that! Or at least I used to be. Never mind, I have to put this fundraiser together." Louis said and returned to his papers.
He missed the long look Niall gave him.

In the weeks that followed he buried himself in work, avoiding Harry at all costs. He was going to make this the best fundraiser this company had ever seen. They had planned it on the 3rd to avoid Harry's rut but it didn't happen on the 28th like before and Louis was a bit surprised but on the other hand, they had taken care of that three weeks ago so maybe Harry was just not in sync anymore. It wasn't his problem anyhow.

Harry had developed something of a bad mood lately and he wasn't his charming self anymore. He got his own lunch nowadays so Louis didn't have to.

Even Niall avoided entering Harry's office, knowing how grumpy his boss was. He had his suspicions about what drove him to such a dark place but the Omega at the other desk was in the same funky mood. It wasn't that hard to see what was going on, but unfortunately, the two morons sulking on the opposite side of a door were totally oblivious. Something needed to be done and those two wouldn't do anything about it. He decided that Harry was the one he had to get through to. He had watched them after they came back from South Africa and how they both were glowing around each other, before that incident when he walked in on them doing the hanky panky. That was an image he would like to get out of his mind but it was burned to his brain. Anyhow, they had something. They just had to admit it.

Louis had worked hard. He had managed to get some business to donate things for an auction. He had found a great jazzband that agreed to play for food and he had found a catering company that wouldn't charge him for the job, only the food, and alcohol, and that included waiters for the evening plus a bartender. He had also managed to persuade a big hotel to lend them their ballroom free of charge. He had almost sold all the tickets for the event, gathering Englands wealthiest people. He had no idea how he had been able to put it all together but he was proud of himself. It would hopefully be a great evening where they would get a lot of donations so Harry could continue to help homeless children around the world. 

The fundraiser would also be his last night. He was devastated that he was walking away from the best job he had ever had but there was no other way. He couldn't sleep with his boss, and even worse, fall in love with his boss, and continue working here. It would destroy him.

He went home early to get ready for the night, telling Niall that he would see him there. As soon as he left Niall marched right into Harry's office to have a little talk.
"You're a moron!"

Harry looked up, seeming utterly surprised.
"What?"

"It's Louis's last day. Are you just gonna let him walk away?" Niall asked.

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes with his palms in frustration.
"It's his choice. He wants nothing to do with me. I messed up."

"You really are a moron." Niall said.

"Stop calling me that! I feel bad enough as it is!" Harry huffed.

"Harry, you have to tell him how you feel because Louis doesn't think you feel the same way about him as he does about you." Niall said softly.

Harry lit up like a Christmas tree.
"You think he likes me?"

"No, I think he's in love with you! But you won't know unless you ask him, but you have to make the first move. What are you gonna do about it?" Niall challenged.

Harry broke out in a joyous dimpled smile.
"Thanks, Niall. I owe you!"