A Rainy Tuesday || larry

Epilogue

"Yeah. Just like with you..." Louis trails off. He looks down at the ground and his bare toes scuff at their floor. "Can you believe it's been one year? At 1:17 this time last year everything just changed," Louis mumbles.

The silence that fills the room after that is deafening and Harry doesn't know what to say to cheer him up. A year is a long time, but it's not long enough to heal wounds that cut so deep. Louis is going to speak about Jeff at the memorial today and ever since that's happened, the wound has been reopened and Harry pray's that Louis doesn't let it affect him too much. Louis' phone buzzes in his pocket and the boy pulls it out silently. He nods when he reads it and he looks up at Harry and forces a small smile on his face.

"Dad's here."

Harry grabs both their bags and Louis grabs their key and locks the door. They live on the second floor so the trip down is quick and Tom smiles when he sees the two boys emerge from the large building. He grabs the two bags from Harry and places them in the trunk before he turns around and pulls both boys into his arms.

"How are you, boys? I haven't spoken to you in ages," he remarks and Harry nods and sighs sadly.

"Busy with school. We barely have time to speak to each other," Harry jokes lightly.

They both climb into the back and Tom doesn't seem to mind. He turns on his music and sings while Louis cuddles into Harry's side like a kitten. Harry can feel Louis writing on his thigh and he smiles when they boy repeatedly write 'I love you' over and over. Harry just kisses the top of his head and whispers a faint 'I love you' back to him.

Small talk occurs occasionally and Louis comes more to life the more they drive. Tom seems relieved when Louis' loud laugh fills the car and his sassy, sarcastic replies start to come out. Harry takes this as his time to look out the window and think. The scenery coming home makes him feel sick, but he won't say anything. He's gotten into his habit where he just doesn't talk about Chad. Even when the day is mentioned Harry avoids the topic.

He can't help but think about him today, though. No one is speaking on his behalf. His parents moved across the country and no one really cares about good memories. Harry also thinks it would hurt Louis if he volunteered to go up and speak. Harry is fully over him now and Louis knows that, but Harry thinks he fears he that may fall back in love with a dead man. The idea is entirely wrong because Harry fully believes Louis is who is meant to spend the rest of time with. Even on a day like today where Harry remembers and misses Chad, he doesn't love him like he used too.

"You okay back there, Harry?" Tom's voice comes in. Harry jumps and looks forward. He can see the outskirts of his old town starting to come into view and his stomach feels like it drops to his knees.

"Me? Yeah," Harry replies back in a daze.

"Are you going to your house or ours?" Tom asks.

"Mine. Gotta see mom," Harry smiles. Tom just nods and drives down the familiar streets until he parks in front of Harry's childhood home. He smiles slightly at the sight and he looks down and sees Niall's house looking the same as always.

"I'll help you get your stuff," Louis offers quickly. Harry laughs as the boy gets out with him and opens the trunk. He grabs his duffle himself and Louis shuts the door. His mother is now outside smiling at him and Harry waves to her before turning back to Louis.

"I'll see you at 1?" Harry asks and Louis nods. He looks scared to let him go and Harry just leans down and pecks his lips before backing away into his yard. "I'll see you soon," Harry promises.

"Love you," Louis calls to him softly, pulling on the hem of his shirt. Harry just smiles and blows him a kiss.

"Love you too. Don't panic yourself too much. I'm just a phone call away," Harry calls back. Louis nods and then he walks back and gets into his car. Harry watches them drive away and turns when he hears his mother clear her throat.