Exile || l.s. [on hold]

Chapter 4

Niall tossed the keys onto the counter, Harry just curling up on the sofa.

"All my clothes are at home." He murmured, staring out the floor-to-ceiling window.

Since leaving the weather had turned, a storm rolling in as the rain lashed down against the window. The perfect weather for his far from perfect mood.

"I know. I'll fetch them in a bit."

"I hate him."

"No you don't."

"Stop telling me how I feel! I hate him! He's a fucking self absorbed twat!" Harry shouted before burying his head in his arms again.

Niall thought it best not to say anything, instead just bringing Harry a cup of tea. Tea solved everything.

Niall's phone beeped and he looked down, turning it away from Harry as he saw Louis's name.

Louis: is Harry okay?

Niall: do you care?

Louis: don't be a bitch. I just want to know if he's alright

Niall: no, he's not

Louis: what's wrong with him?

Niall: if you really care ask Harry.

Louis: you know that's not going to happen.

Niall wasn't taking sides in this whole thing. Both of them had been as bad as eachother, but the way Louis was treating Harry now was a lot worse.

Harry had always been sensitive, and Louis knew that. So the fact that Louis was acting this way was downright cruel.

"Harry, I'm going to go and get your clothes. Are you alright here on your own?"

"I'm fine." He mumbled. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Don't you?"

"No. I don't." He glared.

"Okay." Niall shrugged with a sigh. "Don't get drunk, don't break anything, just don't do anything stupid."

"I told you, I don't need a babysitter. It's not like you're going to leave me and you'll come back to me and I'll be off my tits."

"Just don't do anything stupid.' Niall repeated.

As Niall left the house Harry collapsed back against the sofa. He was fucking exhausted. And this suit wasn't comfortable. He pulled it off, covering himself with a blanket and curling up.

He may as well sleep away his feelings. With the sounds of the rain and a compressing feeling in his chest he drifted off.

When Niall got back, Harry was still asleep, the blanket having slipped off and bruises revealed.

He frowned, crouching down next to Harry and shaking him slightly.

Harry stirred, his eyes fluttering open and his lips parting. "Hm?"

"H, what happened?"

"What you on about?"

"You're covered in bruises."

"Hmm?" Harry sat up slightly, looking down at his almost naked body.

"The bruises, where did they come from?"

"Oh..." Harry seemed to realise what Niall was on about and looked down, seeming as if he were ashamed. The bruises were only small, covering his waist, hips, thighs and arms. "Don't worry 'bout it."

"I am worried about it."

"Just, um like, pinch myself sometimes. You know?" He muttered.

"What, like, self harm?" Niall furrowed his brow.

"No." Harry denied quickly, "just helps. Helps when I feel like shit, anxious and stuff, you know? It's not self harm though."

"It is Harry, you're hurting yourself on purpose."

"Don't. I've had enough of today already, I don't need you adding to it."

Niall moved next to Harry, wrapping the blanket back around his shoulders before pulling him into a hug. "Don't keep suffering in silence. Talk to me."

"It's all the same shit. It's all Louis. Fucking Louis, Louis, Louis. I hate him but I miss him. He hurt me so bad and he's still hurting me but I miss how he was. How we were."

"You two need to talk. You left it on really bad terms and it's affecting you both."

"I don't want to talk to him. I don't want to be near him when he's going to treat me like something he found on the bottom of his shoe. I can't be around him when he's like this. I just can't. It hurts."

"H, you know he doesn't hate you. He doesn't mean what he says, he's just angry and defensive."

"He hates me. I'm sure of it. Niall, can I just sleep? Please?" Harry's voice cracked halfway through as his throat closed up slightly. "I don't want to talk about this. I just want to sleep."

"Okay." Niall sighed, "but sleep in the bed in the spare bedroom, not the sofa."

Harry nodded, pulling the blanket around him as he left Niall's arms and trudged into the spare room.

//

Harry had been staying at Niall's the rest of that week. He'd not gone into work since, taking sick leave. He hadn't left the house either, just staying in bed.

Niall had postponed the pub meet up until next weekend, deciding Harry certainly wouldn't be able to cope with that.

Harry was thankful for that, but he wasn't thankful when Niall told him that he had to get out of the house for a bit. According to Niall, a bit of fresh air would do him good. And maybe some nice food that wasn't pot noodles (Niall was upset that Harry had eaten them all).

It wasn't even like Harry had eaten many though. Niall had had two in his house, and they were the only things Harry had eaten except the occasional banana or apple. Harry didn't tell Niall that though, it would just make him worry.

But to Harry this was a normal occurrence. He didn't necessarily have a bad relationship with food, he just had weeks where he could hardly eat and this was one of them.

Even so, Harry left the apartment and headed to the nearest café- well, the nearest café that's didn't remind him of his relationship with Louis. Niall was probably right, he should eat something else.

The walk there wasn't the nicest. The rain was pouring down, pattering against the street and turning the stone dark. The clouds above were thick, keeping the sun at bay. Jesus, maybe if Harry could get some fucking sun he wouldn't feel so drained.

Despite the dreary weather the streets were packed. He supposed that's just life in the city. Never any freedom.

He eventually reached the café, shaking off his umbrella and stepping inside. He ordered a coffee and a toastie with chips before sitting down in the corner seat by the window.

Fairy lights were strung above him, a warm glow lighting up the table as a fire roared against the far wall.

He mumbled a thanks to the waitress as she delivered his food, pulling out a book.

Lightning struck outside and thunder roared, a few more couples seeking refuge within the café but Harry didn't look up.