He woke up the next morning from sounds coming from the kitchen. He sat up and cracked his back. Louis' couch wasn't the most comfortable one but he was grateful to have somewhere to sleep. It really hit him how fucked up his situation was. If this really was another world he was stuck here, without an identity, job, money, or place to live. What if he never found his way back? That was a scary thought.
"Great, you're awake. I made breakfast." Louis' voice was heard and he looked up just to see him poking his head inside the living room.
"Thank you. Do you have to go to work soon?" Harry asked and got up from the couch and stretched his arms over his head.
"I'm on a vacation." Louis smiled.
"Oh, okay. What do you do for a living?" Harry wondered as he walked inside the kitchen and took a seat by the table.
"I work in a warehouse, in the back." Louis replied while he poured hot water into two cups.
"Do you like your job?" Harry asked.
"Not really. It pays the bills." Louis shrugged.
"I used to have a lot of that kind of jobs before I could live on my paintings." Harry smiled.
"Wait, you can live on that? Look at you Mr. Hotshot painter. That's awesome." Louis said and scooped a mouthful of cereals on his spoon.
"Yeah. I'm lucky." Harry smiled.
"You must be really good. I mean, you're not that old." Louis replied.
"24." Harry informed him.
"I'm 26. Man, I really have to figure out what I wanna do career-wise." Louis grunted.
"What did you study at College?" Harry asked.
"Drama." Louis replied.
"Really? So is that a field you would want to work in?" Harry wondered.
"Not as an actor but maybe a teacher?" Louis said thoughtfully.
"Alright. Well, there's something to think about." Harry smiled.
"Maybe." Louis said.
He offered Harry a pair of clean boxers, clothes, and a shower after they had eaten breakfast and Harry happily accepted it.
Louis got in the shower after him and when he was ready he grabbed his car keys.
"Come on."
"Where are we going?" Harry wondered.
"Well, if Niall's theory is correct, we have to get you some painting supplies so you can make a painting and go back to your world." Louis grinned.
"I feel really bad for not being able to pay for it. You didn't sign up for this." Harry said.
"It's okay Harry. I got the experience of a lifetime. All of a sudden a stranger showed up next to me poking my nose." Louis chuckled.
"Yeah, uhm, I'm sorry about that." Harry apologized with a sheepish smile.
"No worries." Louis smiled.
They went to a warehouse and Harry picked out the cheapest items he could find. He didn't want to skim Louis on money since he was so kind to purchase it for him. They returned to Louis' apartment with a canvas, some brushes, and some paint. Harry offered to cook them lunch as a thank you and Louis immediately took him up on that offer.
"I can't cook for shit." He chuckled.
Harry made them some pasta. There was a knock at the door. Niall came for a visit.
"How are things going? Oh, food!"
He had made enough so Niall joined them for lunch. They both complemented his cooking. After they had eaten Harry sat down to paint. He thought about his mum and began. Louis and Niall kept him company, asking him questions about his world, making comparisons.
"Biggest fast-food chain?" Niall asked.
"MacDonald's." Harry said.
"What kind of food?" Niall asked.
"Hamburgers. You really don't have that here?" Harry questioned.
"No. The biggest hamburger chain is Toto's." Niall informed him.
It took Harry an hour to finish his painting and it was by far one of his worst works but this wasn't something he would sell. It was just supposed to get him back to the reality he knew. Louis and Niall came to watch his painting.
"Is that your mum? She's really good-looking." Niall said.
"You're very talented." Louis said. Harry looked up and met his eyes.
"Thanks."
"So what now?" Niall asked.
"Well, now I touch it and then I'm gone." Harry chuckled nervously.
Niall opened his arms and pulled him in for a hug.
"It was nice to meet you. Take care of fake Niall for me."
"I will." Harry laughed and hugged him back.
They let go and he looked at Louis. They both hesitated briefly but then Louis hugged him.
"Thanks for everything."
"Don't be a stranger. Come back and visit." Louis said.
"Yeah, I can do that." Harry smiled and let go of him.
He turned around to face his painting and took a deep breath. He glanced at Niall and Louis.
"Alright, goodbye guys."
He reached out his hand to touch his mother's nose. He could feel the wet paint underneath his fingertip and closed his eyes. Nothing happened.
He opened his eyes again just to find himself standing in Louis' living room poking his finger at the painting. He tried a couple of different spots. Nothing worked. He let out a deep sigh.
"So now what?"
"Huh." Louis let out.
"Wait, didn't you say that you pained Louis from a dream?" Niall questioned.
"Yeah." Harry said, blushing a little. It was kind of creepy.
"So maybe that's how it works. What did you dream last night?" Niall asked.
"I can't remember." Harry sighed.
"Then we just have to wait until you get one of those dreams." Niall said.
Harry stared at him. He was panicking again.
"What am I supposed to do until then? I have nothing! No money, no clothes, oh yeah, a stupid pajamas, nowhere to stay, nowhere..."
Louis put his hand on his arm and squeezed it.
"Breathe Harry. You'll stay here with me."
"I can't take advantage of you like that!" Harry protested upset.
"You're not." Louis said. He sounded sincere.
"I owe you. I'm gonna find a way to get back and then I'll return here and I'm gonna stuff my pockets full of cash and repay you. Okay?" Harry said.
"Deal. Now, let us take you to the famous Toto's." Louis smirked.
They went out to eat and it tasted just like MacDonald's.
YOU ARE READING
Parallel Universes
Fanfiction@zpanacea sent me this suggestion: Harry is a painter. The time comes when he can't paint because he lost inspiration and can't get himself to paint. When he was trying to paint again, he let his hand do the work. He looked at the finished product o...
