; 𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐘 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 | harry styles one shots.

; unexpected reunion (au), pt. iv

note; i'm insecure about this chapter and the pacing/plot/characters of this story bc i really wasn't expecting to continue this as anything more than a sickfic so i'm just trying to wing it. but i don't think i'm confident enough to wing it bc i'm terrified to post this AHH. but i've gotten multiple comments about wanting more and you are all so kind and i can't say no, so i hope this is okay??? pls be extra gentle with me on this one, thank you :,)

i've re-written this chapter so many times and added things and removed things and re-added things so much and i just need to suck it up and stop, or i never will lol. it's really dialogue-heavy, i hope that's alright. i'll try to make the next chapter better.

-

It's been over a week since Louis fell asleep in the creaky chair of Harry's hospital room, meaning it's been over a week since Louis fell asleep without an ache in his heart.

He's never believed in fate or soulmates– no matter how many times Harry used to challenge him on that, claiming that he and Louis must be soulmates. There's no other explanation, Lou. I accidentally pissed on you at a random gig, and now here we are, dating in university after we bumped into each other in the bathroom, Louis. The bathroom! Again! Louis would stubbornly tease him every time he brought it up. Coincidences are very much real in Louis' world. Though he'd be lying if he said he hadn't maybe wondered just a teensy, tiny bit if him and Harry meeting all those years later could maybe be fate. Maybe.

The longer Louis goes without seeing Harry, the heavier his heart feels, and the slower his movements become. He knows it's his fault – he had been the one to end things, after all – and he doesn't have the right to mope about losing Harry, but he can't help it. Things were finally starting to feel okay again, or as okay as Louis' life can be without those green eyes at least. And now here he is... back at square-fucking-one. He sits awake most nights as his mind tries to envision all the different ways this could have happened. Louis always knew that he would see Harry again, but this wasn't like anything in his daydreams. This could have all been avoided if he hadn't gone to Niall's early. This terrible, dizzying whirlwind of emotions would have never had happened if he hadn't agreed to Niall's stupid movie night. Now he's lost, spiraling, unable to block out the thousands of what-ifs whispering to him 24/7.

Fuck the butterfly effect, fuck the butterflies in his stomach, and fuck the pretty boy with the butterfly tattoo.

He's not bitter.

So when Louis gets a call at three in the morning on a Tuesday night, of course he's awake.

"Can I come over?" It's Harry.

"Oh- I- sure? Is everything alright?"

The line is quiet for a moment and it's suffocating. "Yeah. Yes. Yes, everything's fine. I just kinda...I just can't sleep, and um. Yeah."

Letting out a sigh, Louis caves. "Alright. Yeah, yeah. C'mon then. Don't want you getting in trouble for sneaking into another hall, though. So be quiet. Be good."

"Always am."

With that, Harry ends the call and leaves Louis in his dark room. Louis won't let his mind humor the double entendre that came with him telling Harry to be quiet and be good. It's certainly not the first time he's said that to Harry... all the times when they were still living at home, the possibility of one of their mom's hearing them– no. Nope. Stop it, Louis.

Louis knows he should be frantically tidying the room, picking up the haphazardly discarded articles of clothing and piling up all of the half-drunk mugs of tea. He doesn't want Harry to think he's gone back to being a slob without the younger boy's cute nagging. Messy bed, messy head, Lou! He was with Harry long enough to pick up his habits, even if he's too stubborn to admit that his mind really does feel less cluttered when his room is clean. He's not sure he cares enough to make his bed and fold his laundry anymore. He's not sure he cares enough about anything anymore. Not when he doesn't get to care about Harry.