Chapter 17

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Enjoy the chapter my loves xoxo

The boy must be on the boat for a few hours now. The shore has been out of sight for a while. The only thing they see around is the coral blue ocean.

They haven't really talked yet. None of them knows how to start the conversation and they are both scared about the outcome.

It's Louis that breaks the silence in the end by walking over to the baskets on the blanket.

"Want to join me to eat? I'm a bit hungry." Louis asks. Harry has a small smile on his face and nods. He walks over to the blanket, taking place next to Louis but keeping some distance.

"Here are two chocolate muffins. They are your favourite, you can have them." Louis mumbles as he takes the food out, automatically giving Harry his muffin knowing that the younger boy loves them.

Niall knew Louis would give it to Harry, he always does.

"You don't have to do that, Lou. I don't want to steal your food." Harry says hesitating.

"It's alright, there are loads of other things. Eat them." Louis orders. Harry gives Louis a thankful smile and takes a bite of the muffin.

"Can't believe Niall has given us condoms. I mean we could literally throw them in the ocean, it's not like we will need them." Louis sighs, putting the box out of the basket.

"Louis, that's rubber! You can't just throw that in the ocean. The sea turtles will think it's food and eat it and then they die!" Harry argues, mouth stuffed with the chocolate delicacy.

"Haz, I wasn't serious. You know I'd never want to hurt the sea turtles, for sure not when you are around." Louis playfully rolls his eyes.

"Did you know that there were already types of sea turtles when the dinosaurs were still alive?" Harry smiles, teeth covered in chocolate.

Louis looks fondly at the younger boy. How he loves animals and nature, wants to fight for human rights, it's the cutest thing ever. Louis is sure that when Harry would have lived around the 60's, they would have met on Woodstock festival.

But now it's not the time to think about those things. Niall has brought them here on a boat for a reason, without the ability to walk away. They have to talk, and Louis plans to start that right now.

"I love hearing you talk about animals and stuff, Haz." Louis says carefully after putting some grapes in his mouth. "But we should talk about something else..."

"Yeah, I know." Harry whispers. "I really want to talk. I just don't know how to start."

Louis takes a deep breath, knowing that he will sign up for heart break, but he is going to say it anyway.

"What about you start telling me why you left? What made you think that I wasn't good enough anymore to love? What made you stop fighting for us? Because whatever I did to chase you away, I'm so sorry. You leaving me is the hardest thing I have been through apart from losing my mom. I thought I took care of you and made you happy. I just want to know what I did wrong, where we went wrong, because I never wanted for us to end on a boat being forced to talk about our break up for it to come later on international tv." Louis' eyes are tearing and it breaks Harry's heart.

Louis has always been so strong and before this show he has barely seen the older boy crying, always staying strong for Harry. But now Harry has seen Louis cry multiple times and knowing that he is the reason makes him feel sick.

"You were always enough, Louis. This was never your mistake. I didn't want to end things like that but... I didn't have a choice Louis." Harry sobs loudly.

"You always have a choice. You just stopped loving me! You didn't even properly say goodbye, you just disappeared Haz. You made the band go on hiatus, packed your bags, and left only to come out with someone else a few weeks later. Why? Please tell me the truth."

Harry remembers the promise that he made, the contract that he signed to never tell Louis about what happened, but seeing the boy literally destroyed in front of him, makes Harry doubt that he made the right choice.

"I shouldn't tell you what happened. But it was to protect you, Lou. I did all of this to protect you, and in a month, when the 18 months are over, things will be fine, we will be fine." Harry whispers, scared to look Louis in the eyes.

"I never forced you into anything, Harry. I never asked you to tell me things that make you feel uncomfortable, but you owe me this. You owe me the truth. Because whatever you did to protect me, it didn't work. You broke my heart, Harry. You did anything but protect me. You crashed me by leaving me, by coming out with someone else. So save your bullshit 'I shouldn't tell you', you should Harry because it's my right!"

Harry is scared and more tears are streaming down his face. Louis had never really risen his voice towards Harry. Of course they had fights before, but Louis never screamed. He would always just ignore Harry when he is too angry, knowing that the curly lad can't handle people screaming at him, and when he cooled down start a talk with him so they could make up.

Louis sees Harry flinching and he regrets raising his voice immediately. He grabs Harry's hand, his thumb caressing the palm.

"I'm sorry, Haz. I shouldn't have screamed at you. Just... Tell me the truth please."

"I'm so sorry, Lou." Harry sobs loudly and his body is shaking. "I am so fucking sorry. I thought I did good. I never meant to hurt you. I'd never hurt you intentionally. I wanted to protect you, Lou. You always protected me from everything so I owed it back to you. But I fucked it up. I'm so sorry." Harry breaks down and Louis immediately pulls the boy in his chest, playing with his curls.

"Breath, Hazza. It's alright, I know you're sorry. Just tell me from what you wanted to protect me, baby. Calm down, love. Tell me the full story, okay?"

"Promise you will hold me when I tell you?" Harry's voice is shaking.

"I will hold you."

"And don't let go of me before I finish..."

"I promise, Haz."

Ex on the beach {Larry Stylinson}Where stories live. Discover now