fighting love » l.s.

ten - kiss

Harry jolted awake only to find himself still anchored against Louis's chest. Louis's arms were wrapped tightly around him and, even in sleep, there was no way Harry was getting away from him. Not that Harry really wanted to get away.

He still couldn't believe that Louis was here. He couldn't believe that Louis came over just because Harry said he felt a bit nervous. Harry had to keep telling himself that any good friend would do that for him -- he just had never had any good friends. But he wasn't sure.

Harry reached across Louis's body to grab his phone from the nightstand, wanting to check the time. It was dark outside, and Harry hoped that it wasn't the middle of the night. He felt like he could sleep for another day.

Luckily, it was only 9:30, so they hadn't slept for that long. Harry groaned at the thought of going to school tomorrow. He just wanted to stay in Louis's arms for as long as he could.

Louis stirred, gently squeezing Harry between his arms. Harry buried his face back into Louis's neck, wishing he could stay there forever.

"What time is it?" Louis groaned.

"About 9:30," Harry replied. "You wanna stay here tonight?"

Louis nodded, pulling Harry closer to him and burying his face in Harry's curls. "Wanna stay with you," he mumbled, kissing Harry's head gently.

Harry froze at the gesture, but a smile spread quickly across his face at the thought that Louis might have feelings for him. The thought that this might be more than two friends sharing a bed.

"Something wrong, love?" Louis asked, leaning away from Harry a bit so he could see the younger boy's face.

Harry shook his head, biting his lower lip to keep the wide smile from spreading across his face. Louis couldn't believe how beautiful Harry looked with that innocent look on his face. Harry's green eyes met Louis's and Louis's blue eyes flicked down to Harry's red, plump lips and before Louis knew what he was doing, he was leaning toward Harry and their faces were mere inches apart.

And then Louis's lips crashed onto Harry's, and the world stopped around them. Harry froze in surprise when Louis's warm lips met his, but quickly reacted and moved his mouth in time with Louis's.

It was an innocent kiss, but it sent shivers down Harry's spine. The passion between them was something that neither of them could have anticipated. Although Harry hadn't admitted it to himself, he'd wanted to kiss Louis from the moment his green eyes met Louis's blue ones. And Louis had secretly felt the same way.

Suddenly, Louis pulled back, breaking the kiss abruptly. Harry had a dazed expression on his face, a small smile spreading across his lips, which were even redder than before. Louis, though, couldn't keep the expression of horror from his face.

"I need to go," Louis stammered, jumping out of the bed immediately, trying to put as much distance between himself and Harry as possible.

Harry frowned and sat up immediately, watching in confusion as Louis grabbed his things and headed toward the window. "What?"

"I need to go," Louis repeated, fingers fumbling with the clasp as he tried to open the window as quickly as possible. "Just remembered we have school tomorrow."

"You can use the door, you know," Harry said quietly, standing and walking toward the bedroom door. He glanced back at Louis, trying to keep the hurt expression from his face. Louis refused to meet his gaze. "My mum's probably asleep by now."

"Yeah, right, alright," Louis stuttered, following Harry down the hall. Harry showed him to the front door, and Louis couldn't help but notice that there were no recent pictures of Harry in the house -- only pictures from when he was a kid. He shook the thought from his mind, focusing on the fact that he needed to get out of there.

He had just kissed his friend, and he had absolutely no idea what it meant.

Harry knew that Louis didn't have the same feelings as him, and he knew that he was a complete idiot for letting himself believe that anyone could like him like that. His chest felt tight and he knew that he would break down as soon as Louis was out the door, but he wouldn't let Louis see him like that. He wouldn't let anyone see him like that.

"See you tomorrow then," Harry said, keeping his gaze on the floor as Louis headed out the door. His voice was quiet and a bit shaky, and Louis had the urge to turn around and apologize right then and there, but he couldn't. He didn't say a word, and Harry closed the front door.

Although Harry wanted to break down and cry as soon as the door separated him from Louis, he headed back upstairs. If his mother came down to find him crying in the living room, it would only make things worse. He made it to the bathroom, shutting the door firmly behind him and hurrying into the shower.

As soon as the water turned on, the sobs erupted from his body. He sank to the floor, shaking as his tears mixed with the spray of the water. His clothes were soaked through, and the water was freezing, but he couldn't feel anything. He felt completely numb.

Louis, on the other hand, had to force himself to keep driving away. Every mile that he put between him and Harry gave him a mixed feeling, somewhere between slight relief and chest-splitting pain. He couldn't understand his feelings for Harry, and that's why he had to get out of there.

He knew that the stupid kiss could ruin his friendship with Harry. If Louis knew one thing, it was that he wanted to be around the curly haired boy as much as possible. He didn't know exactly what it meant that he wanted to do other things with him, too -- right now, he just had to keep Harry in his life. He just didn't know how to do that without his feelings getting in the way.

Harry made him feel safe, and completely comfortable. He could just be himself with Harry, although he barely knew the boy, and that was very new to him. He didn't open up easily, but Harry made everything easy. Louis knew that he couldn't lose him.

As Louis pulled into his driveway, the idea finally hit him. He just needed to make it completely clear that he and Harry were just friends, and nothing more. And he knew just the way to do it.

He tried to push the hurt expression on Harry's face out of his mind, because picturing it made him want to turn on his car again and drive right back to the younger boy's house, just so he could hold him in his arms and make the pain go away. This might hurt, but it would be better in the long run. He just had to keep telling himself that, and everything would be okay.