Niall almost had a heart attack when Harry showed up from nowhere and let out a strange screech but then he saw his friend crying and hugged him.
"What happened?"
"He...he broke up with me." Harry wailed.
Nothing made any sense.
"You met someone?"
"Y...yes." Harry sobbed.
"It must be very recently. Did you already fall for him? I'm sorry he broke it off." Niall said, sounding confused.
Harry needed someone to talk to. He managed to pull it together.
"I'm gonna tell you something and when I do, please don't lock me into a mental institution. You have known me forever. Just keep an open mind."
"Okay? You're kind of scaring me." Niall said and looked at him worriedly.
Harry took a deep breath.
"A while back I had a dream about a guy and a painted him."
Niall waited for him to continue and Harry decided to put all the cards on the table.
"I don't know how, but when I touched the painting I got sucked in and ended up in an alternative universe."
Niall started laughing but it died out when Harry just stared at him.
"What? You're serious?"
"I am. I met Louis. He took care of me. We fell in love. I spent three weeks there before I dreamt another dream and could get back home, just to realize that three weeks in his world is only three days here." Harry explained.
"I... This is crazy talk, Harry! How am I supposed to believe this?" Niall questioned.
"Just hear me out. Three weeks later here I went back. That meant that five months had passed in his universe. I stayed for four weeks, which made it over seven months there. He's amazing Ni. I never met someone like him before. This time I could only stay for two weeks, three and a half months in his world due to my vernissage and I can't go back after three weeks here so he ended it. He said that we have to be realistic and he's right but I love him so much!" Harry rambled.
Niall blinked a couple of times.
"So you spent a year with him but it has only been a couple of weeks here? Does that make you a year older than you would have been if you just stayed here?"
"I guess, you're missing the point!" Harry said upset.
"Right. Love of your life in a parallel universe. Do you expect me to believe this?" Niall questioned, looking at him like he had totally lost it.
"No, but it's the truth." Harry sighed.
"Right." Niall said, looking skeptical.
"It doesn't matter. It's over." Harry sighed and started crying again.
"Hey. No, don't cry." Niall said and hugged him again.
Harry went home to an empty apartment after that. He cried himself to sleep. The next day he got ready for the vernissage. Niall joined him. A lot of people showed up and his paintings were sold. Niall stopped in front of a special one.
"Is that Louis?"
Harry glanced at the painting. His chest hurt.
"Yes."
"Wow, okay, let's pretend for a second that I don't think you've gone bonkers. Why can't you be with him?"
Harry let out a deep sigh and ruffled his hair.
"I told you why already."
"Just live there. If that makes you happy, fucking go for it! You're miserable Harry. I have never seen you like this." Niall said softly.
Harry stared at him with his mouth hung open. Niall continued.
"I did my math. A year here would mean like five years there. You can't come to visit once every fifth year? It would be like you had moved overseas or something. America has shitty vacation days so it wouldn't be any different. You wouldn't have to go back and forth, missing months at a time with him. I'm sure he would agree to be without you for five months every fifth year or tenth year or whatever. So, what's stopping you?"
"I... I have never thought about it like that. It's not the same. It's not like I can keep in touch over the phone. I would be gone most of the year, except for three weeks and I wouldn't see you in five years. What would I say to my family?" Harry questioned.
"How about the truth? Have you tried bringing your cellphone with you to that alternative universe?" Niall asked.
"No." Harry snorted.
"Maybe it works. Maybe you can call us here? Who knows? I mean, none of this makes sense anyway. It's worth a try if you're willing to make that sacrifice." Niall argued.
"I have to think about it. It's one hell of a decision." Harry said but his heart was beating rapidly. Could he do that so he could be with Louis?
He spent a week thinking about it, making a pro and con list but it always came down to the same thing, a chance to spend a lifetime with Louis. He called Niall.
"I want to be with him."
"Alright. How can I help?" Niall asked, a smile evident in his voice.
"There's so much I have to do. I have to sell my apartment. Why did I buy one? I have to resign from the gallery. What am I supposed to do with all of my furniture? And my family? How will I explain this to them?" Harry panicked.
"One step at a time. Give me a good offer and I'll buy your apartment. It's ten times better than this crap place I'm renting." Niall said.
"You wanna buy my apartment?" Harry asked, totally shocked.
"Yes. I'll get a loan tomorrow so give me a price and we'll make that happen. I can take your furniture too. I get rid of the stuff I don't want. So two things down. Tomorrow you call the gallery." Niall said. He was so practical but Harry was still freaking out. This was a huge decision but he knew what he wanted.
"Thanks, Niall, you're the best!" He beamed.
The next day he put his plan in motion.
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...
