Two Hearts In One Home

The upward turn

Therapy was going well. He almost felt hopeful for the future. It wasn't like he would ever get involved with someone again but that was okay. He didn't need love. He had that once. That was enough. He couldn't picture himself with anyone else than Ethan anyhow. He was supposed to marry him. They were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together.

Another month had gone by. He made a friend in Liam and they hung out. Liam dragged him out of his apartment even when he didn't feel like it. He didn't take no for an answer and he was thankful for that. It was so easy to lock the door and just feel sorry for himself but Liam wouldn't let him.

The loss of Ethan was a constant ache in his chest but he was doing better. He enjoyed working. He didn't have to drag himself out of bed in the mornings anymore, wondering how the hell he would make it through the day. He actually looked forward to his workdays. Back home he had been working on a copy place and hated it. Then work had been something he had to endure and he hurried home to Ethan. Now work was the one thing he had going for him.

He and Liam had spent the weekend watching movies. He went to work on Monday feeling good about himself for the first time in a long time. He was happy that he had made a friend. He didn't feel so lonely anymore. It was totally platonic and he was relieved that Liam was straight, not that he had any interest in him anyhow, not like that.

The first customers arrived and he walked up to a man with his back turned to him. He looked strangely familiar.
"Do you need some help?"

The man turned around and he stood face to face with Harry Styles. His eyes immediately traveled down to his chest.
"Oh, hi. Do you work here?"

He forced himself to stop staring at his chest, knowing that Ethan's heart beat inside of it.
"Yes." He made eye contact.

"I'm looking for a pair of running shoes but I can go somewhere else if this...ehm, I mean, if you..." Harry rambled, tripping over his words.

"It's fine. Favorite brand?" Louis said, trying to compose himself.

"I don't really have one." Harry replied, looking uneasy.

"Okay. How much are you gonna use them? How often do you run?" Louis asked. He just wanted to be done with this. Of all the sports stories Harry had to walk into the one he was working in. Was he stalking him? He didn't think so. It was probably just the universe's weird sense of humor.

"Five days a week usually, now when I can exercise again." Harry informed him.

Because of his new heart. Ethan's heart. Louis felt like crying. He didn't comment on it. Harry's words were hanging in the air. Louis turned around and walked up to a shelf with Adidas shoes.
"Asphalt?"

"What?" Harry wondered.

"Do you run on asphalt or go to the gym?" Louis almost growled. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself down. Harry was a customer like everyone else that walked into the store.

"Oh, I mostly run outside so asphalt." Harry replied and blushed slightly. Why did he have to be so damn cute? Louis furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance.

"Shoesize?" He muttered.

"10 but I usually wear 11 or 11 1/2." Harry replied.

"Why on earth would you do that?" Louis blurted out.

"I like to be able to wiggle my toes." Harry grinned.

Louis couldn't help but smile. He grabbed a pair of shoes in Harry's actual size and then he got the same one in size 11 as well. He handed them over. Harry took a seat and tried them on. He grimaced as soon as he had tied the size 10 and took them off. He tried the size 11 instead and stood up and walked around a little.
"How do they feel?" Louis asked.

"I don't know." Harry hesitated.

Louis went to get another pair from a different brand. Harry tried those on as well and shrugged his shoulders. He was a maintenance. Louis picked up five different types of running shoes and handed them over. He took both sizes 10 and 11 because who knew? Harry tried all of them. When he was down to the last pair he smiled widely.
"Yeah, these feel great!"

Fucking finally! Louis plastered on a smile.
"Yeah?"

"Yes. I'll take them. Thanks for helping me out...sorry I don't even know your name?" Harry smiled.

"Louis."

"Louis? It suits you." Harry said, eyeing him.

"Ehm, thanks?" Louis replied awkwardly.

Harry took off the shoes and helped him return the ones he didn't want on the shelves. They walked to the register and Louis rang them up. Harry paid for them and Louis handed him a bag.
"Have a nice day!"

"Yeah, you too. It was nice meeting you again." Harry smiled.

Louis couldn't say the same so he just fake smiled. Harry looked sad for a second but then he turned around and walked out of the store. Louis let out a breath he had been holding in. He knew that he was being a little overdramatic about the whole thing. He loved that Ethan donated his organs. He just never thought that he would meet one of the recipients. It felt a bit morbid to think about his dead fiance's heart beating in that man's chest.

Liam came rushing up to him.
"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Louis replied and he realized that he wasn't lying.

"That was him right? The man who has your fiance's heart? The one from the pub?" Liam questioned, eyeing him in concern.

"Yes. Small world huh?" Louis smiled.

Liam just looked at him, waiting for a reaction that didn't come. Hopefully, that would be the last time he ever saw Harry. What was the chance that he would run into him again?