Hiatus

Carolina (March)

She's got a book for every situation
Gets into parties without invitations
How could you ever turn her down?
There's not a drink that I think could sink her
How would I tell her that she's all I think about?
Well, I guess she just found out

Harry

"Lou! Guess what? I'm making a movie! Chris Nolan is directing it and I have a great part. I'm actually gonna do some acting." He babbled excitedly as soon as Louis answered the phone.

"That's great. I'm so proud of you." Louis answered. He sounded off. Harry wrinkled his eyebrows.

"What's wrong?"

To his horror, Louis started crying.
"Me mum is sick."

"What? Sick how?" Harry screeched.

"Cancer." Louis sobbed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, love. I'll be on the next flight home. How bad is it?"

"Leukemia. She's getting treatment. The doctors sounds hopeful." Louis replied.

"Okay, that's good. Wait, let me just check airlines..." Harry stressed.

"Don't. It's okay Haz. You don't have to come." Louis said.

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm going home. I want to be there for you." Harry said.

"Don't take this the wrong way but I don't want to deal with us right now. One catastrophe at a time. I have to focus on my family now. I don't have the strength to have to cope with you too." Louis said.

That hurt but Harry knew he deserved it.
"Oh, okay. I don't want to make things harder. Just know that I'm here for you. Whatever you need, Lou. I mean it."

"Thanks." Louis said.

He broke down crying as soon as they hung up. He loved Jay. She was like a second mum to him. He was beyond worried and he felt so helpless. He wished there was something he could do. Anything.

He sent her a text. Telling her that he loved her and if there was anything she needed she just had to reach out. She answered with an 'I love you too. I'm gonna beat this'.

He couldn't handle this. He thought about taking a plane back home and just show up but Louis didn't want him there. He had made that perfectly clear.

He found himself in a bar a couple of hours later getting wasted, and then he got high. Cocaine loved him. Cocaine made him feel good. Cocaine wanted him around. Cocaine was the escape he desperately needed.

He even wrote a song about cocaine, without making it too obvious.

Louis

The news about his mum swept away the rug under his feet completely. He had just started to think about what he wanted to do career-wise when he got the call. His mum talked lightly about it, like she had caught a cold or something. He knew that she didn't want to worry him. He dropped everything and went home to Doncaster.
"You didn't have to come all the way home for this." His mum smiled and hugged him.

"Of course I did. Tell me everything. What's the treatment plan?" Louis said and they sat down in the kitchen with a cup of tea.

She told him everything about her upcoming treatment and he promised to be there for her all the way through it. She paused for a second and took in his appearance.
"So, how are you holding up? Harry texted me."

"He did? What did he say?" Louis wondered, dodging the first question.

"He just said that he loved me and I shouldn't be shy to let him know if I need anything. How are things between the two of you?" Jay asked cautiously.

Louis sighed and took a dip of his tea before he answered.
"I honestly don't know, mum. I don't want to think about that right now. He's off living the life of his dreams."

"Oh honey, he just needs some time. You have to fix that eventually." Jay said compassionate and squeezed his arm reassuringly.

"I have to fix it? I wasn't the one who left!" Louis argued upset.

"Listen to me, sweetie. You two were so young when you met. Harry was only sixteen years old. You've been through so much. It's not a bad thing that he wants to figure out who he is. It will make you stronger together. You should take his example. Figure some stuff out for yourself. But don't give up on him. Don't be too proud. I know how much you love him and how much he loves you." Jay said.

"He has a really strange way of showing it." Louis snorted.

"Just give him time. He'll come back to you. I know it. Otherwise, I'll hunt him down myself." Jay smiled.

Louis's eyes were glittering with humor.
"Yeah, sending me mum after him will do the trick."

Louis stayed in Doncaster and followed his mum to her first chemo. His focus was entirely on his mum and siblings.

Harry

After being constantly high for five days, waking up in his own vomits Harry did what he should have done all along. He flew back to England. He got to do a lot of soul searching on the flight back. He has to get his shit together. Even if Louis said that he didn't want him there he knew better. Louis needed him right now.

When he arrived in London he decided that he needed a big change. He went to get his hair cut and donated it to Little Princess Trust, a foundation that made wigs for cancer-sick children. It felt suitable.

Louis hadn't been at home when he arrived yesterday. Harry figured he was in Doncaster. He didn't want to call him to ask about his whereabouts.  He didn't wanna risk Louis telling him to stay away. He got in his car and drove to Doncaster instead. He was nervous.

He parked the car on the familiar drive and noticed Louis's car. So he was here. He hurried to ring the doorbell before he chickened out. Louis opened the door.
"Harry!" He gasped in surprise.

"Hi, Lou." Harry replied shyly, with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"You cut your hair!" Louis said, giving him a once over.

Harry's hand automatically flew to his head and he slipped his fingers through the short fringe.
"Yeah, do you like it?"

"You look good. What are you doing here?" Louis asked.

"I know things are weird between us and I'm not here to cause any trouble but I couldn't stay in L A. knowing what's happening right now. I just want to be here. Can I?" Harry said and bit his lower lip.

Louis's eyes teared up and he threw himself in Harry's arms, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you."

Harry wrapped his arms around him and nuzzled his nose in Louis's neck.
"There's nowhere I would rather be right now."