Two Hearts In One Home

Getting to know each other

"How old are you?" Louis asked as they had found a seat by the window. It was Sunday and he had agreed to meet Harry for coffee.

"I'm 24. You?" Harry retorted.

"26." Louis answered.

"Alright, so tell me a little about yourself." Harry said. He took a bite from his chocolate biscuit and hummed in approval.

"Like what? You already know stuff about me, but I know nothing about you." Louis said.

"I don't even know your surname!" Harry pointed out.

"Tomlinson."

"Louis Tomlinson, 26, who works at a sports store. That's all I know about you." Harry smiled.

He also knew that he had a dead fiance whose heart was now beating in Harry's chest. Louis was glad that he didn't bring that up.
"Alright, fair. I'm from Doncaster. I have a big family. I moved to London recently and I hate avocados."

"You hate avocados? What have they done to you?" Harry chuckled.

"They taste weird. Trendiest food of all time. I bet no one really likes them, they just say so." Louis smiled.

"I like avocados." Harry giggled.

"Well, then you're weird." Louis sassed.

"Thanks!" Harry cackled.

They continued to talk while they drank their coffee and the conversation flooded easily. They spent some time looking at people through the window and making up life stories for them. Louis's stomach was aching from how much he was laughing. It was an odd feeling nowadays. He never thought that he would laugh again. Not like this.

They made plans to see each other again two days later and said goodbye before they headed in different directions.

Louis had a therapy appointment on Monday. He took a seat.
"So how have you been since our last appointment?"

"Pretty good." Louis answered honestly.

"Do you want to elaborate?" The therapist asked.

"I had coffee with Harry Styles twice. It was nice." Louis said and scratched his chin. He needed to shave.

"The man who received Ethan's heart?" The therapist questioned.

"Yeah."

"You're dating him?" The therapist asked, looking concerned.

"God no! I'm just getting to know him." Louis immediately replied.

"Because of him as a person or because he has Ethan's heart?" The therapist asked. Damn, she was really grilling him today.

"Uhm, both I guess?" Louis admitted.

"That concerns me. We're trying to help you to move on here. I'm afraid that you're transferring your feeling onto this man who has Ethan's heart." The therapist said.

"So I can't be friends with the guy? That's bullshit!" Louis argued upset.

"I guess that depends on your motive?" The therapist questioned.

"What fucking motive? I'm not hooking up with him if that's what you're afraid of? I don't know if Harry is into guys at all and frankly that's irrelevant. I'm don't want a new boyfriend and I'm sure as hell not gonna choose the one who has my ex-fiance's heart. That's just creepy. But I can sure as hell drink coffee with him because he's a nice person." Louis huffed upset.

"Okay." The therapist said and made a note.

"Okay?" Louis questioned.

She looked at him and smiled.
"Okay."

He left her office feeling annoyed. Not everything had to have a deep psychological explanation. Sometimes a coffee was just a coffee. He was almost about to text Harry and cancel the whole thing the next day but then he got stubborn. He could drink coffee and hang out with Harry. They could be friends without it being weird. Except, he hadn't told anyone that he had coffee with Harry. Not Liam or Niall but they just recently became friends. Not his old friends back home, which he hadn't talked to at all since the funeral, probably because they had all been Ethan's friends first. He hadn't told his mum. Harry was his dirty little secret, which was silly, because there was nothing going on between them and it wasn't like he was doing something wrong.

That was why he decided to tell Liam and Niall about it at work the next day. Like he had to prove to himself (and his stupid therapist) that it wasn't strange that he was getting to know Harry, the person with Ethan's heart. He said it casually.
"By the way, I had coffee with Harry Styles twice and I'm seeing him after work."

Liam and Niall stared at him with their mouth hanging open. They shared a look.
"So what? You're dating him?" Niall questioned.

"No! We just hang out. I'm getting to know him. Why are you acting like that's weird?" Louis asked.

"It's a little weird, mate." Niall said and scratched the side of his head.

"What? Why? Liam?" Louis wondered and looked at Liam instead.

"I don't know. You've been so upset when it comes to him." Liam said hesitantly.

"Which haven't been fair to Harry. He hasn't done anything wrong and he's a nice guy. I'm glad that Ethan's heart went to someone like him, you know what I'm saying?" Louis tried to explain.

"I guess." Liam replied, not sounding sure at all.

"I still think it's weird." Niall commented.

"Well, I don't fucking care. Getting to know Harry makes me feel closer to Ethan." Louis muttered.

"That's the problem. It shouldn't matter that he has Ethan's heart. It's not fair to him if you only befriend him because of that." Liam said carefully.

"It's not just because of that! He's nice! Oh, you two don't understand. I shouldn't have told you." Louis muttered and made an effort to walk away.

Liam grabbed his arm.
"Don't be like that. We're only concerned about you but if you want to get to know him that's up to you and we support it. Don't we Niall?"

"Of course." Niall immediately answered.

Louis shrugged Liam's hand off him and went to the toilet. He knew they would react like that. Now he felt guilty for seeing Harry, like he had some twisted ulterior motive. Did he? He had no idea. He didn't think so but he felt confused.