Solace

Chapter Sixteen

"What are you sorry for?" He panicked, eyes wide. Harry wanted to understand so badly what exactly was going on in Louis' head; he'd pay a million pounds to enter the land of mysteries and solve the missing puzzles, to help Louis win the battle in which he's taking part in. Harry wanted to help so bad, he wanted Louis to be okay and maybe, just maybe to know if Louis liked him back (but he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the real answer). He wanted to be Louis at least for a day so that Louis didn't have to face the challenges he himself faces within his head, he wanted to take away the pain from him.

Louis looked out in front of him, his gaze brushing over Harry's prominent features to then drop to the quilt on which they were sat on, and began to pull at it with his fingers in attempt to occupy himself. He shrugged as an answer to Harry's question because he didn't know why he was sorry, he simply was and wanted to apologise. Was that so wrong?

Louis searched for a notepad and a pen or a pencil by leaning over the bed, reaching to the floor, his hands scanning the surface. When he had found the paper, he quickly scribbled down a few words and then passed the note to Harry, hoping that he would be able to read his fucked up handwriting,

Can we grab something to eat, actually? It said. Louis felt bad and he couldn't stand the thought of Harry being sad with Louis, mad at Louis or annoyed with Louis; he wanted to avoid these for as long as possible, maybe even for eternity.

Harry motioned for Louis to pass the pen over and as soon as he did, his face beamed with a smile and he wrote his response back, the corners of his eyes seeing Louis' features quite clearly. He felt so much closer to Louis like this.

From the cafeteria or would you like to go somewhere else? He answered the question with a question and smiled when Louis' eyes flickered back up at Harry.

Louis' cheeks reddened once again, for an unknown reason and he shrugged twice, not wanting to be the one making the choice. As long as Harry was with him, he was fine with whatever. Although he really didn't want to go down to the cafeteria to face all the other disabled people that are so much less fucked up than Louis.

Seeing Louis' small response, Harry lifted himself up off the bed and stood up straight, stretching his limbs, joints popping in certain places, a sigh of relief flowing out of his plumb lips. His long arm then stretched in Louis' direction, offering him a hand which he gladly took. Harry pulled Louis towards himself with little strength and as they were standing chest to chest, or more like chest to shoulders, Harry quickly leaned in to press his lips against Louis' temple, Louis' blood rushing to the surface of his cheeks almost immediately.

"Come on then," Harry picked up his hoodie off of the floor and put it on over his head, Louis following his actions. Both of them slipped on their shoes and when Harry again reached his hand out to Louis, Louis took it gladly and gripped the bigger hand in his own, "Let's annoy Janet and sneak out, what do you say?" Harry rhetorically asked because before Louis had the chance to even shake his head no, because he didn't want to be in trouble with the mean lady, they were already halfway down the stairs, Harry in front, looking like a kid running up to the new candy store in town.

They slipped out through one of the back doors of the building, not wanting to be seen down the main corridor and made their way across the parking lot in front. Louis constantly turned his head back around, trying to see if they were being caught or not and each time it happened, Harry would give his hand (which he still was holding) a gentle squeeze to reassure him.

Reaching the main road of the village in which the institute was located at, they slowed down their steps, hands still holding on to the other. Harry's other hand was located in his trouser pocket, keeping it warm while the other one was embraced by the heat radiating off Louis' skin. He felt like skipping, the feel of the smaller hand against him making him warm and ecstatic and all he wanted to do was to hold that hand forever, forget about his responsibilities, forget about university and the assignments and focus on Louis and Louis alone, not analyze anything within the lad but to simply sit there and pepper him with lingering gazes.