Fine line (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 25

Slowly, I made my way back to the bed and sat down next to Alex, placing a hand on his shoulder. I felt that same spark as last night, but decided to ignore it.

"It was great." And it was. It was more than great. It was...special. "But-"

"Oh, I know," he interjected. "Like I said, I can smell a heartbreak a mile away, and you, sir, reek of it." He laughed, and sat up to get dressed. "I told you, jack, I wanted to help you forget. Have you?"

I winced awkwardly at the name "jack". I'd completely forgotten if given him a fake name and felt extremely guilty about it.

"If I'm honest, Alex, no, I haven't forgotten. I don't know if I ever will. And if I'm really super honest...my name isn't jack, it's Harry."

He laughed coyly and turned to me with a smile.

"Yeah, Harry I know that too. I just figured you might've wanted to be someone else for the night."

How could he know me so well, yet hardly know me at all?

"Thank you." And I meant it. I really did thank him, with everything in me.

After finally being with Louis the other day, after waiting for so long only to be told I was never expected to wait, I was broken. I was shattered. And after just one night, Alex had managed to pick up some of my pieces. It made a small part of me yearn for something we could have been, for something that never could.

"Thank you, harry. I know that just one night with someone else can't make you forget your past, but if you ever do...call me. I may have been trying to make you forget, but you made me remember. I like you. I like that you're okay with being vulnerable. I like that you're true to yourself when it matters. I like that you're not afraid. I like how you make me feel, only if it's just for a night. I've never met someone like you, and I wouldn't mind meeting you again one day, when you're ready, if you ever are."

I stared up at him in disbelief as he handed me my own phone and read his number aloud to me. Alex was...truly something else, in the best way possible.

I was about to thank him again before hearing a knock at the door.

"I'll be right back."

Alex nodded and continued to get dressed.

I thought about his words as I headed toward the door. Part of me wanted to ask him to stay. For lunch, for dinner, forever. But the other part of me w-

What the hell?

I stared at the front door for a moment, and into thee yes of the familiar face standing at it.

I turned the knob.

"Louis, what are you doing here....again?"

I let the last word hang for a moment. It had only been two days since her asked me for time, and he'd insinuated it could take months, years.

"Harry I need-"

"Hey harry," Alex interjected, appearing at the worst moment possible in the living room "I'm gonna run, I've got a shift at 5."

Louis shifted his gaze from me to Alex, and then back to me, obviously extremely confused.

"Oh, hi," Alex said innocently, walking closer to the door. He stared between the two of us then, and I could almost tell the exact moment that it clicked for him.

"Hi," Louis said monotonously.

They both looked at me then, and my glance wavered between them. I'm pretty sure they both got the idea that I had absolutely no fucking clue what to do, so thankfully, Alex took the first step.

"Well I should go," he turned to Louis, "nice to meet you!" Alex turned to me and his gaze softened, that same coy smile displayed on his face. "Thanks Harry. I won't expect that call anytime soon."

And he opened the door, swept past Louis, and was gone. I watched him leave for a moment, and Louis watched me. When I returned my gaze to him, his eyes were blank.

"Harry I-"

"Listen Louis," I interrupted, "it's none of your business. You told me not to wait. You told me you needed-"

"I left syco."

I stopped in my tracks, too surprised my the words that had left his lips. Before I had a chance to respond, he continued.

"I left Eleanor."

"What?" I exclaimed. What the hell was going on?

"Well technically," he continued while welcoming himself in, "first I left syco, then Eleanor and I decided to end it. The details don't really matter though, do they?"

Louis was pacing around my apartment now, clearly frantic, and I watched him in disbelief. I couldn't speak, only watch him unfold.

"Who was that?" He was still pacing

I took a step forward. "That was Al- wait , no, what is happening? Louis, what is going on, why are you here?"

"I already told you that. I left syco. Eleanor and I are done."

"Yes, I know you told me that, but why?"

He stopped then, and looked at me. From the way he was acting, I expected him to look sullen, exhausted. But his eyes were soft, his skin was clean, and he looked looked scarily calmer than I'd seen him in years. Maybe he was smoking pot again.

"Okay," he started. Louis walked over the the sofa and sat down, silently motioning me to do so as well. I did, wearily, and faced him, ready for my answer. He continued.

"After I left here the other day, I started to think. I thought about our time in the band, I thought about showing up at your house that night, I thought about what you said to me in the park. I thought about everything, and I just...came to something. You were right, about management. They've controlled us all of our lives. I knew how you felt about them when we split. I knew how angry you were at them because of the way we had to hide from them. But when the band split, I was worried I'd never make a career on my own"

His eyes began to water and I watched him intently. I could tell it was hard for him, being so honest, so vocal. I tried to think of the last time I'd heard him this way.

"I wasn't as good as you guys. I wasn't as confident. So I signed with syco."

My eyes closed as I took in his words.

"When?" I spoke softly, but intently. I needed to know.

"Before we ended things, you and I."

And it all started to make sense.