safe haven │ larry stylinson

34

Louis' POV

For the hundredth time, Simon had ruined everything. Louis had been so happy until he had seen Eleanor. Simon knew exactly what he was doing. Louis was scared that he would get in between the two of them a second time. He couldn't stand the thought of losing Harry again.

Louis spent the rest of the day with Eleanor. They ordered coffee at a café nearby and sat down in a park, playing their game as always. There were no feelings involved. From his point of view, El was nothing more and nothing less than his best friend. She knew him and they got along very well but there was no love like the one he felt for Harry. He had never loved anyone but Harry in that way and he was sure that wouldn't change.

Surprisingly, Harry spent the day with Zayn. They went shopping together and somehow Louis was jealous. He wanted to be with Harry. To be honest he hated going shopping most of the time but going shopping with Harry was like going shopping with Freddie. They got so excited over the little things. One time, Louis had bought Harry a little mug. A blue one with a moon and stars on it. For a moment he had thought that he had done something wrong because Harry had looked like he was about to start crying. He had been so happy. Louis smiled over the memory.

"What are you thinking about?" El sipped from her coffee mug and looked at him curiously. He looked back at her and shook his head. "Oh nothing"
"I didn't know that Harry was nothing" She grinned and earned a warning look from him. He didn't want to risk anyone to hear something like that. In the corner of his eye he noticed paparazzi and leaned forward. He placed his hand on Eleanor's cheek and kissed her quickly. As he wanted to lean back, she put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. He played along but felt uncomfortable. He didn't want that. It felt like betrayal, like he would cheat on Harry.

Eleanor parted from him, staying close. Her lips were nearly touching his. He looked in her eyes. The brown eyes were beautiful but Louis couldn't stop himself from thinking about the green-eyed idiot.

"You really love him" It wasn't a question. It was a statement. Eleanor looked at him and smiled in a way he couldn't read. She looked so happy? "I'm so happy for you, Lou. We'll figure something out. A way out of this. I promise" She leaned forward and kissed him again. This time when they parted, Louis was smiling as well. He was hopeful even though he didn't believe in hope. Too many times hope had killed him. But this time he had to hope again. There had to be a way out, hadn't it?

They stood up and made their way back to the hotel, holding hands and smiling for the public but kept quiet on their way. They stopped for some fans to take pictures but hurried when they realised that they were late for dinner.
Back at the hotel, Harry's laugh was the first thing Louis heard in the lobby. A laugh he'd recognise within thousands. He smiled and looked around to see his boyfriend standing next to Paul and Zayn. They were having a exciting conversation when Harry finally noticed Louis. For a moment he had thought that Harry would greet him. He desperately wanted him to. But the man turned around only showing him his back. A gorgeous back for the records. But Louis sighed quietly. He hated this. Eleanor noticed and squeezed his hand. He would've preferred if it had been Harry's hand he was holding.

Eleanor waved at the three of them and they made their way upstairs to change before dinner. Louis sat down on his bed while El quickly took a shower. He exhaled loudly and closed his eyes. Why was Harry behaving like this? Had he done something wrong? The fear of losing the man again made his heart ache. He didn't want to lose him, never again, Louis thought and stood up to grab a white Adidas shirt.

He put it on and thought of smoking on the balcony. Harry wouldn't even have to know that he did that, he thought. But the thought alone felt like betrayal so he dropped it. He didn't need to smoke anymore. His addiction was sitting downstairs, having beautiful curly brown hair and bright green eyes. The only drug he needed to live.

Eleanor opened the bathroom door and stepped into the bedroom wearing a different dress. She gave him a smile.
"You look lovely" He smiled back at her as she thanked him.
"He'll be Harry again as soon as Simon's gone" She added, trying to calm him down but failed.
"That's the problem. He won't be gone anytime soon"

Without saying anything else, he left her standing there and made his way to the dining room. She followed, keeping her distance. He knew that El knew him. His temper was exhausting sometimes, even to himself. But he couldn't change it. He wanted to apologize and turned around but she just shook her head with a smile.
Louis knew that Simon would be there as well so he quickly took her hand. She squeezed his hand again and they entered the room. As expected, the others were already sitting at their table waiting for the two of them.

They sat down and apologized. Louis swiftly looked at Harry who was sitting opposite of him but the curlyhead was talking to Zayn. Again, he was ignoring him. Jealousy made its way through Louis body as the two men laughed. He wanted to look in Harry's green eyes and see the smile on his face, the dimples. Instead those eyes were looking at Zayn.

Louis knew that there was no rational reason to be jealous of Zayn. He would be a father soon, was happy in his relationship and he was definitely not gay. But jealousy wasn't rational and Louis didn't want to be rational at the moment. There was nothing he'd love more than to turn Harry's head and put his lips on his own. But he couldn't because Simon was sitting at the other end of the table.

He felt the man's eyes on him and quickly started talking to Maya who told him about their trip today. Maya, Amelia, Liam and Niall had explored Melbourne together. Sightseeing. He tried to listen to what they told him about their day but his thoughts were wandering. Harry was the only thing he could think about.

The dinner passed and Harry was one of the first to leave. Of course with Zayn. They were talking about doing another boxing session and left. Simon excused himself quickly after and the three couples were the last ones.
"A drink anyone?" Niall asked and Louis thankfully agreed.
"I'm not drinking but I'll keep you company" Liam replied and Maya agreed while Amelia and Eleanor ordered themselves a drink as well.
"You don't drink anymore?" Louis asked, irritated. Liam had never said No to a drink in all the years he had known him.

"Toxic habit I had. I was addicted somehow. So now I feel better with leaving alcohol aside most times" He explained and Louis nodded. He had never thought of him as an alcoholic, in fact Liam wasn't one. But he understood his position.
"Great you can do that" Amelia answered and smiled at him.
"So, where did the two of you meet?" Eleanor asked her a few seconds later and Amelia started telling how she had met Niall. Louis listened and drank the whole evening. The more alcohol he had in his body, the more he started talking.
Several drinks later they decided to go to bed and he followed El upstairs.
It was already very late when he finally fell into bed. He snuggled into the blanket that still smelled like Harry and quickly fell asleep.