It's been a month since Louis has seen Harry. Though they have been messaging each other almost non stop, it's not the same as being with Harry. Being able to touch him and kiss him.
There were nights when Louis would call Harry, crying his eyes out, begging and begging for him to come home and hold him.
No matter how much Harry wanted to, he didn't. He just soothed Louis over the phone until he fell asleep.
Harry misses him too. He wants to forget about this entire thing and just run back to him. He can't, though. Harry threatening to never come back as led Louis to do so much better in his recovery. Louis knows the better he does, the more chance he has of being able to Harry hold him again.
They had been through so much together already. Harry wouldn't take it back for all the riches in the world. Louis is worth all the stars, The moon and The sun.
Louis felt the same way. Although he was angry and hurt that Harry had left him, he still adored Harry with every part of his body. He knew it hard to be hard on Harry, hard to see Louis lash out at any given moment.
Realizing this, Louis stopped being so angry with Harry. He decided he needed to step up and start becoming more serious about this.
Because Louis had fucked up his chances at joining the Vogue Team, he had to beg for his job back at the coffee shop. He dreaded it, because Zac was there, waiting to make every moment there awful. But he knew it was in his best interest to go back. He would be hired back there with the same pay he was receiving when he left.
They told him to come back in two weeks when the new pay period started. Today was the day he would start working again. Eleanor had Zac train him instead of her. She would've loved to, but her Mother had fallen ill and she had to leave town unexpectedly.
It's 6:30 in the morning, thirty minutes until the store opens. Louis walks into the café and takes his jacket off, hanging it in the back, where he see's Zac already preparing things and getting them out of the freezer.
"Good Morning, Louis." Zac greets, setting a few bags down and turning to him, "How's your morning?"
Louis looks at him and smiles forcefully. He figures if he's going to work with Zac then he ought to try and get along with him, "Tiring, hate being up so early."
"Yep," Zac says, "Takes you back to school days." He states, winking at Louis and then walking up to Louis. Louis freezes, unsure of what Zac is about to do as he nears him.
"Relax." Zac soothes him, reaching behind Louis and grabbing some coffee mix, "I'm not gonna bite."
Louis laughs a little, shrugging, "Sorry, Yeah, Um- Did you put out the flowers?"
"No, you can go ahead and do that." Zac tells him, gesturing to the table full of table flowers.
Louis does, glad to leave Zac's presence and busy himself instead of letting himself thinking too much over nothing. High school was five years ago. He knows he's different, just like Zac may be different. He will always be nervous around him though. Zac hurt him really badly back then. Thank god he had Harry to lean on during those times.
Just like that, his mind is back on Harry. He knows he would be angry with Louis for getting his job back here with Zac, but frankly Louis has to make decisions on his own. If he is never going to be with Harry again, then he needs to be able to trust himself with things.
"So, what made you decide to come back?" Zac makes small talk as he carries the cash rack to put it into the register.
"Um, You know, flunked on an interview." He shrugs, "It was for Vogue."
"What?" Zac asks, furrowing his eyebrows, "Why on earth would you do something like that?"
Louis looks at Zac and shakes his head, "Well, I did, now I'm here." He dismisses the subject, "I'll figure it out, probably go to college."
"What would you study?" Zac wonders, punching a few buttons, momentarily glancing up at Louis.
"I'm not sure." Louis says truthfully, "I'm thinking acting?" He blushes, "It's not very likely that would go anywhere."
"I say, If you want it, go for it." Zac offers his encouragement, "I mean, if an acting career doesn't take off, you can at least become a teacher, yeah?"
Louis smiles, "Yeah, I guess I never really thought of it like that." He says, "Thanks, Zac."
"No problem."
-
The day goes by slow, Louis is constantly checking his phone for a reply from Harry. It doesn't come until after he and Zac have closed up for the day. Zac offers to go out for drinks, Louis kindly declines him and heads home.
He had texted Harry this morning and told him to have a good day and that he would be thinking about him. Harry's only response was him asking if he could call Louis.
Instead of answering, Louis calls him, stuffing his free hand in his pocket as he walks to Harry's apartment. He doesn't understand why Harry won't stay there himself, it is his house afterall. He's sure it's because he doesn't want Louis to go to Zayn's and potentially fall in love with him.
Which would never happen, not now that Louis is so insanely in love with Harry.
"Hey, Louis."
Louis smiles at the sound of Harry's voice, instantly sending a warm feeling through his body, "Hey, I'm surprised you remember my name, you haven't texted all day."
Harry chuckles, "Sorry, Love, I was busy all day, I'm actually at the house right now."
Louis frowns, "Uh, why?" He asks, his pace quickening in hopes Harry won't leave before he gets there.
"Had to pick up some papers, for this new job Im interviewing for." He explains, "Where are you?"
Louis looks forward, eyes set on his- their apartment building, "I actually am heading home, now, so."
He hears Harry shuffle around the other side of the phone, "Oh, well-"
"Maybe we can order some takeout? Watch a movie?" Louis suggests quickly in hopes that Harry will accept and just let go of this no seeing each other thing.
"I don't think so, Lou." Harry says gently, sighing, "This is going good, right now, let's not rush anything, yeah?"
Louis sucks in a nervous breath and stops walking when he sees Harry walking out of the apartment and towards his car, "Okay." He tells him. He's trying his best not to cry. He hasn't seen Harry in what feels like forever. He knows he's being ridiculous, there was a time he didn't see him for years, a month is nothing.
"Hey, I love you." Harry speaks into the phone, pulling his keys out of his pocket.
"When did you get a car?" Louis asks and Harry almost immediately looks up, seeing Louis standing there with a curious look on his face.
Despite Harry's wishes to stay away from one another, he watches the older hang up the phone and walk towards him. His heart is beating so fast. He can't find words to explain how thankful he is that Harry had that reaction, instead of just hanging up and leaving.
"Hey." Harry says when he finds his way in-front of Louis, a smile on his face, "Didn't realize you were walking, would've offered my services."
Louis chuckles, "Well, Harry, S' not like I have my own fancy car or anything." He shrugs, "Plus, I like the exercise." He tells Harry, smiling at him. It's pretty cold outside, but seeing Harry looking so radiant puts a warm feeling in his chest.
"Where were you?" Harry asks him, glancing behind him, then back at his face. Louis doesn't bother looking back. He knows there's nothing there. Everything that matters is in front of him.
Louis hesitates before looking away from Harry's eyes and looking down at his chest, watching the way the sun hits his silver cross necklace. Louis loves that necklace, "I got my job back, at the café."
Harry furrows his eyebrows and tilts his head at Louis, "What? Doesn't Zac work there?"
"Uh, Yeah, I actually worked with him today, he wasn't rude, though." Louis explains, scared for Harry to start yelling and telling him it was things like this that made him leave in the first place.
Harry sighs, nodding understandingly. As much as he hates the idea, he trusts Louis.
"You aren't mad?" Louis looks into his eyes now, looking for any sign of anger. He's please to find there isn't any.
"No, baby, I'm not mad." Harry says almost immediately, lifting his hand to cup Louis's face, "I trust you, If anything happens, you'd tell someone, me even, right?"
Louis melts at the simple touch. He reaches his hand up and places it over Harry's, "Yeah, H, I would." He promises, not breaking the eye contact, "Thanks."
Harry looks at Louis for a few moments before leaning down and connecting their lips. Louis immediately falls into the kiss, molding his lips to Harry's.
There's no trace of lust in the kiss and Louis is perfectly fine with that. He's just happy to be here with Harry. Every-time he's with Harry it's like a moment is never wasted.
When they pull away from each other, Louis hugs him, resting his head on Harry's chest, relaxing into him, "I'm trying really hard, I promise." He tells him, "I love you, Harry."
Harry wraps his arms around Louis and presses his lips against his hair. His heart beating quickly against Louis's ear. Every best for him, "I love you too." He says, "I'm going to be with my Dad, for about a month."
"Oh, well thats not far, is it?" Louis asks, not moving from his place, he's quite comfortable against Harry's chest; It's one of his favorite places to be.
"They transferred him to a place in London, a hospice place." He tells Louis, his eyes getting misty at the mention of his father passing away.
"Oh, Harry." Louis whispers, pulling back and looking up at him, reaching up to place a hand on the side of his neck, "I'm sorry, love, I know this is terrible on you."
Harry shakes his head, swallowing as he breathes out, "I'm okay, really." He tells Louis, "You focus on you, I'll be fine."
"Hey, no," Louis frowns, "You need me right now, Harry, there's no way I'm going to just leave you by yourself, okay?"
"I'll call you, if I need you, I promise." Harry says, "Right now, I'm fine, I just need to get going." He tells Louis, squeezing his hips gently, comforting Louis as he tells him goodbye.
"Are you sure? You could stay- We don't have to have sex or anything." Louis blushes, moving his hand to Harry's chest, "I mean, unless you wanted to."
Harry chuckles, smirking as he shakes his head, "Oh believe me, I want to, but I won't." He presses a kiss to Louis's head, "I'll text you when I get to London, Okay?"
"Okay." Louis says, smiling through his disappointment. He wants to stay with Harry and comfort him through this. He knows it must be so hard on him, having to go through it alone. Of course Louis knows that Harry will come to him, but he also knows Harry will feel alone overall.
"Bye, baby, I love you." Harry says, pressing a quick kiss to Louis's thin lips and pulling away.
"I love you too, H, bye, be careful, don't forget to text me." He reminds him, watching as Harry walks towards his car, his eyes on Louis, though.
"I won't!" Harry grins, waving at Louis and then getting into his car. Louis wastes no time going inside of his apartment, well their apartment. Doesn't really feel like that much anymore, though. With Harry being away.
Louis spots some bags on the table, seeing that it's freshly bought groceries. Louis furrows his brows and looks in them. He sees his favorite snacks and drinks in them, including some fruit that he knows Harry put in there on purpose.
Louis's heart feels like it's going to explode. Harry is probably the most caring person he'll ever meet in his life. He quickly pulls out his phone and texts Harry a message.
Louis: Thank you for the food, Harry. I love you so much. You always take good care of me. I'll never be able to thank you enough.
Louis sets his phone down and starts to put the items away, humming 'Still the One'. It was a song that instantly made him think of Harry. He hopes when Harry returns to Doncaster that they can be happy together, here.
Louis's phone chimes, but it's not from Harry, It's from Niall.
Niall: Hey! Was wondering if you wanted some company?
Louis: Why not? Come over. I'll put pizza in the oven.
Niall replies that he'll bring some beer and Louis hurries to make sure the places is cleaned up for him. Louis hasn't had anyone over in a few weeks, the last one being Niall. He had gone off to Ireland to meet with his family.
-
"So, did you go to your recovery group thing yesterday?" Niall asks, lifting his brows as he looks over at Louis.
Louis nods, "Yeah, I have no choice, I don't want Harry to leave me for good, you know."
Niall nods understandably, "Do you think that he's being selfish about this? Like, I understand needing a week to yourself, maybe even three, but a month? Louis, he's being awful to you."
"No," Louis frowns, "It's a lot to watch someone you love go through this."
"Yes, but if he loves you he needs to be here with you, helping you. He's acting like he doesn't want to deal with it, with you, so he's just leaving." Niall explains, "I'm not trying to ruin your relationship, I just- I just don't want to see you get walked all over." He tells Louis, "Someone who loves you is supposed to be there for you, no matter what."
Louis looks away from Niall, biting his lip as he shakes his head, "I don't know- I never really thought about it like that."
Niall sighs, "I just don't understand why he isn't being more supportive."
"I don't know, but I'm not going to say anything, at least not now." He tells Niall, giving him knowing eyes.
"See? You're there for him even when he's being sorta cold to you." Niall exclaims, Louis really wants to glue his mouth shut.
"Can we talk about something else, Niall? I get what you are saying, but I just don't think thats it, I'm sure he's just- Just going through something thats big, it's hard to be strong for someone when you can't even be strong for yourself." He says, looking down at his phone with sad eyes, "He tried to be, he did, but it's hard on him, Ni."
"You're right." Niall says, reaching over and placing his hand on Louis's wrist, "I'm sorry I said anything."
"No, it's fine, I get it." Louis promises, "You just haven't seen the whole story."
Niall smiles at him, "So, Adam, that guy I introduced you to, like- The beginning of May when we went to that pub?"
"You mean the singer guy?" Louis asks. Niall had dragged him out of the apartment to go watch his friend's gig. He had been cooped up in the apartment for days. Drowning in his heartbreak after Harry left him alone.
Niall nods, "His birthday is Friday, we're throwing him a surprise party, wondered if you want to come?"
"Erm, I don't know if thats the best idea, he sorta liked me, don't you think?" Louis asks, because that night when he had gone with Niall, Alex definitely spent some time flirting with him. Louis, of course, told him that he was in a relationship. Alex didn't fight back, he was really sorry and respectful towards him.
"Yeah, he did." Niall admits, "He feels awful about it, though. Honestly Lou, I'm sure he wouldn't do anything."
Louis nods, "Okay, but if he starts, I'm leaving, alright?"
"Deal." Niall grins, "I'll let the lads know."