Breaking The Code

6

Once they opened that box they couldn't keep their hands off each other.

They spent their days trying to crack the ciphers and their nights building up a sweat at Harry's place, or Louis' sunky hotel room if Zayn wasn't working.

The case stood still. Everyone was frustrated. Liam had other cases too and Louis' bosses weren't pleased with his work performance, and the Zodiac Killer continued to taunt them.

Christmas and New Year came and went. Harry and Zayn invited Liam, Niall, and Louis to celebrate with them and they clearly accepted the invite. Suddenly they had entered the 70's.

The Zodiac Killer continued to send letters to Niall at the San Fransisco Chronicle. Now he insisted that the people of the San Francisco Bay Area would wear Zodiac buttons featuring his chosen symbol, the crossed circle. Of course that didn't happen and Niall received another letter a month later where the killer complained about it and claimed more kills.

After a couple of more letters, he suddenly stopped communicating and that was when Louis' bosses finally pulled the plug. He had to go back to Washington. He broke the news to Harry one night in bed.
"I have to go back to Washington next week."

Harry froze.
"Oh."

"They need me on other cases." Louis said.

"Of course." Harry replied.

They lay there looking at each other. They had been having sex for almost a year but they had never talked about what it meant. They never had that talk and now Louis was leaving.

Harry didn't know how to feel about it. He was in a little bit of a shock. With Louis leaving he needed to find a new job. With Louis leaving they wouldn't see each other anymore and it wasn't just sex. Even if they hadn't talked about it they were a couple, at least in Liam's, Zayn's, and Niall's eyes.  Harry realized how much he would miss him and how much Louis meant to him, but this wasn't the time to declare his love. He missed his chance. They had been too obsessed with catching the Zodiac Killer to focus on themselves.

Louis didn't say anything either. Instead, he spun them around and kissed him. Louis topped this time and Harry completely surrendered under his touch. He didn't want to think or feel.

Their last week together went by fast. Harry didn't want it to end. He wanted to beg Louis to stay but he couldn't do that. Louis didn't express any deeper feelings toward him. He didn't ask him to move to Washington to be with him. Harry knew what this was and he had to let go.

They all went out to the pub to have farewell drinks on Saturday. Niall, Liam, and Zayn made sentimental toasts while Harry just drank his weight in booze. Zayn pulled him to the side.
"Why haven't you told him how you feel?"

"Why hasn't he told me how he feels?" Harry retorted.

"I don't know. Ask him!" Zayn replied.

Harry just gave him a long look and went to the bar to order another drink. He knew that Zayn was right but he was too much of a coward. He didn't want to hear Louis say that he didn't love him. He couldn't handle that kind of rejection right now.

He returned to the table and took a seat. Louis leaned in.
"Are you okay? You're pretty off tonight."

"I'm fine." Harry muttered and avoided eye contact.

He ended up getting pissed. Zayn and Louis carried him home. Louis helped him to bed. When he turned around to leave Harry sat up.
"Stay. Please." He whined.

Louis didn't say anything. He just removed his clothes and got into bed with him. Harry lay his head on Louis' chest.
"I'm gonna miss you." He slurred.

"I'm gonna miss you too. I'll call." Louis replied.

"It's not the same." Harry muttered before he passed out.

He woke up from someone shaking him.
"Harry? I have to go. I didn't wanna leave without saying goodbye."

Harry pried his eyes open. He had a nasty hangover. Louis was leaned over him. He was fully dressed. Harry just wanted to pull him onto the bed and hug him until his plane had left so he would stay. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"When does your plane leave?"

"In an hour." Louis said. He took a seat on the bed.

"Oh, okay. Have a safe flight." Harry said and tried to sound neutral.

"Harry..." Louis started off but he didn't say anything else.

"Yeah?" Harry said and looked him in the eyes.

Louis sighed. He reached out a hand and caressed Harry's cheek briefly.
"Take care. I'll call you later."

"I don't really see the point in that." Harry shrugged.

"Right." Louis said and stood up. "Bye."

He walked out the door and Harry lay down and stared at the ceiling. Tears filled his eyes and he let them flow freely. So this was how it felt to have a broken heart? It sucked!
 
Zayn poked his head inside his bedroom.
"Did you tell him?"

"No." Harry sniffled.

Zayn sighed and came to lay next to him. Harry let him comfort him. He stayed in bed the whole day.

On Monday he read the work ads in the paper. He needed a new job. Nothing felt exciting. He couldn't go back to delivering pizzas. Suddenly he just wanted to go home. He wanted to see his family and the old familiar surroundings of the village he grew up in. When Zayn came home after his night shift he looked up from the paper.
"I wanna move back to England."

Zayn looked surprised. Then he sighed and took a seat at the table.
"Give it some time, Harry. Heartache will pass."

'Don't you miss home?" Harry wondered.

"Of course I do." Zayn replied.

"Will you move back home with me?" Harry asked.

Zayn hesitated.
"No, not right now. I"m seeing someone."

"You are? Who?" Harry asked, sounding surprised.

"Liam." Zayn revealed and blushed.

"Really? That's great!" Harry smiled.

"Yeah, I think so too." Zayn grinned.

"My gaydar must be really broken. I've worked next to him for so long and I never even thought that he would like men." Harry said thoughtfully.

"Well, you'd only had eyes for one man." Zayn shrugged.

That hurt. Louis was gone. Harry's eyes teared up.
"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have mentioned him." Zayn said.

Harry got up and headed to his room and closed the door behind him. He merely left his bedroom in days.