Hiatus

Six months later (Epilogue)

Harry

He had returned to the states. He sent Louis flowers every Saturday with the same message.

I love you. I'm here if you need me. /H

They had spoken on the phone once a month but other than that they had no contact. He was so scared that he would lose him forever. It was kind of ironic. He had started last year feeling lost and thought that he needed some time alone to figure everything out, just to realize that without Louis he was more lost than ever. Louis was his home.

He had finished the album and shot a music video for Sign of the times. The album dropped in May and the critics had given him good reviews so far. He wouldn't be able to tour it or make more music videos because their hiatus was almost over and that meant that they had to go back to being a band. He wasn't ready. He had just gotten a brief taste of a little bit of freedom. He knew that Niall and Liam felt the same way, but they were bound to a contract so there was nothing they could do about it. He had no idea how Louis felt about it though. He almost felt like a stranger nowadays which broke his heart.

To his surprise, Louis called him in the middle of June and told him that he was in L.A. and that he wanted to see him. He was beyond excited and immediately agreed. Louis informed him that Liam and Niall would join them as well. It wasn't exactly the reunion he had pictured with his husband but at least he would be able to see him. It had been six months! They decided that they would meet in his house so he spent a day cleaning, hoping that Louis would like it.

Louis

It had been a rough couple of months. His birthday and Christmas had both been two strange, sad events where the absence of his mother was painfully evident. He had celebrated it quietly with his siblings. Harry had spent Christmas with his family and it was the first Christmas since they met that they hadn't been together.

January had been mostly blurry. He had cried, and screamed and thrown things. Then he went to therapy and it helped. He was slowly getting back on his feet again, even if the loss of his beloved mother had changed him. He was doing better though.

As the end of their hiatus quickly approached he could hear how stressed out his bandmates were. Liam had gone to rehab and was finally sober. Niall was happy again and Harry was doing good too. They weren't ready to go back and he didn't want them to. How long until Liam was drinking again? How long until Niall wasn't laughing anymore? How long until Harry would display that lost look upon his face again? He knew what he had to do.

Harry

He had sent the address to all three of them, waiting nervously in the living room. It was silly, really. Liam was the first one to arrive and they hugged and talked at the same time, happy to see each other. Niall was the next to show up, his laughter filled the whole living room and Harry was pleased to see that he was back to his old self. Then Louis showed up. He hugged Liam and Niall before he came up to him.
"Hi, Harry."

"Hi, Louis." Harry suddenly felt shy. It was the same old Louis, beautiful, wonderful Louis, the love of his life, but there was something different about him. A sadness that you could only sense in those gorgeous blue eyes.

Louis opened his arms and Harry immediately stepped into his embrace. He smelled the same. A calmness washed over him, a sense of home. Louis let go way too fast and they took a seat in the living room.
"It's great to see you guys! I've missed you so much." Niall grinned.

"You'll get tired of us soon enough." Liam smirked.

"Well, I have some news. Our hiatus has been extended indefinitely." Louis smiled.