“Hey babe.”
“Hi,” Harry’s voice was breathless, his green eyes bright with happiness as he stared at Niall through his computer.
Niall laughed and Harry relished the sound, glad he had been the one to cause it this time. “Missed me did you?” Niall teased, running his hand through his messy blonde hair.
“So much,” Harry snuggled deeper into the covers of his bed, not caring that he had to stay up until two in the morning to get to talk to Niall. It was worth it. “I like your update videos.”
Niall made a face, “I’m sorry for crying so much. I feel like a fucking girl.”
“I like it,” Harry blushed lightly. “I mean, I hate seeing you cry, but I like knowing that you’re crying because you miss me so much.”
“Do you cry?” Niall bit down his lip, blue eyes nervous as he waited for Harry’s answer. “Cause you miss me?”
Harry nodded, his silky curls falling into his eyes. “All the time.”
“Oh good,” Niall breathed. “I mean, not good, but good.”
Harry laughed, “I get it.”
“You look pretty,” Niall mumbled, his eyes eagerly studying Harry’s face. “Your hair looks really soft.”
Harry brought a hand up and touched it. He had showered just for the occasion. “I miss you tugging on my curls.”
“I thought you hated when I tug on your curls,” Niall was sitting up against the headboard of the bed in some random hotel, computer balanced on his legs and arms hugging tight to a pillow. Harry had the Irish bear Niall had given him tucked into his own arms. “You said it hurts.”
“I know, but I still miss it. You do it all the time, even though I told you it hurts, and I don’t know, I guess I kind of like it now.”
Niall wiggled his eyebrows and grinned, “You’re going to regret saying that.”
“No rough sex,” Harry groaned. “At least not the first time after you get back. I want it to be special.”
“It can still be special with me tugging on your curls,” Niall stuck his tongue out. “I’ll tug gently.”
Harry fell silent. He knew that he should be talking to Niall, because he wasn’t sure when he would have this opportunity again, but all he really wanted to do right now was stare. His eyes scanned Niall’s face, taking in the flushed cheeks and creamy skin and dotted freckles and those blue, blue eyes. He watched as Niall’s face grew pinker with each passing second, as he nibbled on his bottom lip and stared back at Harry, as his eyes filled with love and want and need and pain.
“I love you,” Harry finally whispered, lifting a hand to press it against the computer screen.
Niall followed suit, sniffling loudly and pressing his own pale palm against the place where Harry’s fit. Harry wished that he could feel the warm pressure of Niall’s hand on his instead of the cool press of the screen, but it would have to do for now. “I love you too,” Niall murmured.
Harry let his hand fall away and he snuggled deeper into his bed, tucking his bear under his chin. “Tell me everything,” he shifted the computer closer to his face. “Every single thing you’ve done. What you eat and what you wear and what you see. Everything.”
Niall wiggled around to get comfortable, letting the pillow fall away and revealing his bare chest. Harry sucked in a breath. He wanted to touch so badly. Niall got down on his side and shifted the computer so that Harry could see from his collarbones to his face. He tapped his finger against his bottom lip and Harry was hit by a sudden wave of how much he missed kissing Niall. And holding him. And just knowing he was there.
“No Haz! No don’t cry!” Niall’s voice was panicked and laced with something Harry recognized as longing. “Please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you cry. I don’t like when you cry and I’m not there to hold you. Please Harry.” Niall’s voice broke, “I don’t know how to make you better.”
“Sing,” Harry mumbled though his sobs, brushing harshly at the tears on his cheeks.
“When you try your best but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.”
Niall’s soft voice carried across the ocean that separated them and calmed Harry, wrapping itself around him it all its lilting beauty, comfortable like a worn sweater or a familiar hug. Harry let his eyes flutter shut and it felt almost as if Niall was right there with him, singing him to sleep like he had done so many times before. But when Harry’s hand reached out he was not met with the silky feel of perfect skin, but instead the warm touch of his laptop.
Harry withdrew his hand and hugged Niall’s teddy bear tighter, pretending that the boy he loved was at his side. Niall continued to sing gently.
“Tears steam down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.”
Niall’s voice faded out and Harry blinked his eyes open to see Niall staring at him, tears streaking his pale cheeks.
“I love you Harry. This summer won’t last forever. I’ll be home soon.”
“Yeah,” Harry agreed hoarsely. “I love you too.”
“Bye Haz,” Niall blew him a gentle kiss and Harry caught it with his hand, pressing it to his cheek.
“Bye Ni.”
Then Niall’s face was gone and Harry’s tears returned, muffled sobs pressed into the green and white fur of the only link he had left.
