If I Could Fly

Home

When I wake up again, I'm groggy and stiff, hands a little too cold. I shuffle, snuggling closer to my pillow and inhaling deeply to feel the stretch of my lungs.

Then my pillow moves and I startle, opening my eyes to a low light and an unfamiliar room.
It all comes back to me at once, and twist my neck to see Harry looking down at me with owlish eyes and a soft expression.

After his singing, I must have dozed off, Freddie still on my chest and Harry half under me, his head on the arm of the sofa.
He smiles lazily down at me when I hold his eye for a second and I deflect the flutter in my chest by reaching into my pocket for my phone. It's 01:50 am. Ten to fucking two in the morning. I groan and throw my arm over my face. It's too late for this shit.

"Ugh" I croak, voice just as tired as I feel. When Harry hums in reply, I feel the vibrations at the top of my back.   

"They're trying to lock the place up, want us out of the room" Harry whispers after a second of silence. I huff, completely content with going back to sleep right here right now, but shift anyway so I can sit up.

With the movement, Freddie stirs a little and I whisper soothing things to settle him again, his cheek pressed to my chest, hair all akimbo. Harry slips out from behind me, taking with him his warmth and leaving cool air that raises the hair on my arms, he steps to the side of us and stretches tall, still in half a suit and a black vest top.

"Do you want me to take him?" 

"Thanks" I mutter, stretching out my cramped muscles while he picks up Freddie's satchel as well as his own and I follow him out of the room.
He leads us back through the winding hallways, and out a side-door, the main entrance being locked by now.

The cold air hits me when I step out of the door and I shiver, wrapping my arms around my body to try and preserve some heat. The side-door is quite far from the main entrance and I see it's quite a walk to my car- which is easy to spot being the only one left- and I point it out over at the other end of the car park.

"I can take it from here if you need me to, you probably have to get back yourself."

"Nonsense" He replies, the word spiralling into the cold damp air.

We walk in silence, too tired to talk much and as we near the car I reach into my pocket to unlock it. The lights are bright and orange as they flash, and I welcome the thought of putting the hot air on when we're inside.

I open the door for Harry and he places Freddie into the car gently before stepping back and letting me strap him in. I grab his satchel from Harry and dig in it, knowing he'll have packed his blanket for this exact reason.

I find it at the bottom of the bag, because of course it's at the bottom and I end up having to empty the entire bag out to get to it. I pull out item after item, everything from his sunglasses to a plastic fork to all three Harry Styles albums and I hear Harry chuckle from behind me.

"He packed only the essentials as you can see" I say, laughing along with him.

"He definitely has good taste in music, I can see that."

I finally removed enough stuff to get the blanket out and I tuck him in tightly, just how he likes it. I pack all of his stuff back into his bag, popping it by his feet and move the hair out of his eyes, kissing his forehead lightly and shutting his door as softly as I can.

"You going to be ok?" I ask

"I'll be fine, it's you I'm worried about, are you ok to drive? You look knackered..."

"Yeh, it's not like the cars going to drive its self. Besides, I quite like late-night driving, it clears my head."

"Kay, as long as you're sure."

I turn to go and get into the car but a hand on my shoulder stops me.
"Hold on, I... can we like... talk sometime?"

"...yeh, when we're you thinking?"

"Erm... I'm busy until Monday, then I leave for my American leg of the tour so... Monday morning?"

"I actually leave for LA on Monday evening, but the morning should be fine yeh. Just can't stop for too long. I'll ask Liam if he'll have Freddie"

"Sure, can I get your number?" He asks and I hand over my phone, telling him to put himself in the contacts.

He hands me back my phone and I pocket it, telling him I'll text him when I get home so he has my number.

"Thank you Louis. For giving me another chance."

"Just don't make me regret it Harry, I can't put Freddie through that. I won't let it happen. You either stay, or you go."

He doesn't reply, just pulls me into his arms, so they're circling around my waist and my arms are around his neck.

He's definitely grown since I last saw him, he's tall enough that he has to bend down to hug me and I should feel self-conscious but it makes me feel safe and warm.

"I'll stay" he whispers by me ear and I shiver at the sincerity in his voice. I pull back and we both say goodnight as I head into the car.

I pull off and head into the night but I watch as he doesn't move, eyes following my car until we round the corner out of sight.

~~~

When we get home, it's we'll past two and I'm exhausted by the time I fall into bed but my eyes snap open, remembering my promise to text Harry when I get home.

>Night Harry, sleep well -L +F x

I receive a reply almost instantly

<Night Lou, sweet dreams x

I read it before falling asleep with thoughts of Harry Harry Harry stuck in my head. I want to believe him, that he'll stay. I just can't help my doubts.