"So." Harry stutters, tugging on a ringlet of brown hair absentmindedly as he kicks his feet at lake water. "It's the last full day of camp today."
"Yup." Niall clucks from beside, tapping his fingers against the pudge of his stomach before he ruffles his browning hair.
"And, and you go back to Ireland tomorrow?" Harry tries again, turning to look at Niall even though Niall is staring across the lake.
"Yup." Niall says again and Harry winces this time because this isn't going at all how he planned it last night.
"How far is Ireland? Is it really far?" Harry figures he might as well try one last time, maybe this time, maybe this time, maybe this time.
"Yup." Niall's eyes flicker down just the slightest bit as he laces his hands over his lap.
"Oh..." Harry fully turns away as his eyes start to tear and he pinches into his thigh because he's twelve not two and he shouldn't be crying. It's pathetic.
"Will you miss me?" Niall asks suddenly in a quiet voice and Harry nearly jumps because, for once, Niall's saying something other than 'yep' and Harry's all choked up in his throat. Harry doesn't even realize he's waited too long to respond until Niall starts speaking again, "Even if you don't miss me, I'll miss you."
A small hand crawls over Harry's leg before he feels another's fingers lacing with his and he snaps his head around to stare at Niall with eyes wide and hopeful but still he can't speak.
"I'll miss you loads. Promise me... Promise me you'll write?"
"I promise." Harry blurts out almost embarrassingly fast and he has the good graces to blush and duck his head but then a thought nags at the back of his head. "Will you write me back?"
"Of course." Niall breathes, grinning at Harry so wide that Harry can see the holes in his mouth where Niall is still waiting for adult teeth to come in but he just finds it so adorable that he can't help but grin back.
