I Bet You Won't • Larry

22. I Bet You Won't Fly Pt. 4

(Continued from previous chapter)

•••

"Ten minutes to... what?" Harry asks.

"Just... listen," Louis says, turning to fully face Harry.

"Alright. Jesus, this is harder than I thought. Okay. I'm just, like, putting it out there. Setting it all on the table. Where is the god damn table?" Louis says frantically, searching for a table that they both know isn't actually there.

"Lou, you don't have to-" Harry starts.

"Shut up, Kale Smoothie, let me talk."

"I- okay."

"Okay. It's- I- okay. We've known each other for years. Since the beginning of grade nine. And we've been friends since then. We were inseparable- no, we are inseparable. That's kind of why we're here, right now. Look. I know we say this all the time, and we say it because it's true, but I don't think we really understand what we're saying. We aren't the usual best mates. We cuddle, and hug, and cry, and we go on vacations together, and we have deep talks about absolutely nothing but absolutely everything at the same time that usually result in us crying or drunk, and we have matching tattoos for fuck's sake. When I touch you, or when you touch me, I feel something. It's like this spark, but instead of shooting out electricity, it's giving off this feeling. It's warm, and soft, and comforting, and... it's home, Hazza. And that's another thing- home. Do you think that Liam and Niall call each other home- or even feel that way? No. They don't. Why do you think that everyone we meet asks us if we're dating? It's because we are, Haz. We are dating. We're dating, aren't we? Not to us, no, but to the rest of the world. To everyone else, we are a proper, loved up couple. Now, ever since we moved in together, things have been... different. I'm not saying bad different, or good different, but it's definitely different. We've gotten closer- which I love, I really do. But I'm willing to bet my life on saying that you know the kind of different I'm talking about, H. Feelings, Harry, feelings. The kind of feelings that you get when you have a crush on someone. I think..." Louis pauses. "I think I've been feeling those feelings all along. Maybe from the first day we met, maybe from the day we moved in, I don't know. It took us moving in together and going on this god forsaken vacation to realize it. But I know that I am feeling these things that I could not figure out how to describe, or name, until... until now. I didn't know how or what these feelings were, or why they were happening to me but... I think... I think I know. And I-" Louis pauses once more, taking a deep breath or air and courage. "I like you, Harry. I like you in the buy you all of your favorite things when you're sad, ask your friends what your favorite food is so I can make it for you, kiss the pout off your lips kind of way. I... I like you. And it's taken me this long to realize that all of these feelings I felt, and feel, are real, relationship feelings. But... I'm not ready. I think that I know what the feelings are. I'm almost sure I like you. But, I'm just not ready. I need to figure it out some more, you know? I just need to figure myself out so that no one gets hurt," Louis says, his heart beating so quickly that he truly believes it might explode.

Harry's eyes are as wide as they could be before they would fall out. See, he's been feeling these feelings, too, and he didn't know what they were until Louis just said what they were. And now he knows. He knows the feeling. And it's mutual.

"I..." he starts.

"No. Not a word. I'm not going to let you speak. There is a second part of my speech. It's the bad part. Just... listen, okay?" Louis pleads.

Harry nods, not daring to say a word. Louis has never been this vulnerable, this raw, this open before. He is so not going to ruin it at the brink of the moment.