From Everything That Was (Till Everything That Will Be)

Harry (Present)

Two birds on a wire (oh-oh-oh)
One says, "C'mon" and the other says, "I'm tired"
The sky is overcast and I'm sorry (oh-oh-oh)
-Two Birds, Regina Spektor

"I don't know what's wrong with him," Harry exhaled, taking a sip from his wine. "He's acting so different. So... self-destroying."

"I know," Liam said. "Maybe..." He sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. "Louis has a history of depression. Maybe it has hit again?"

"Maybe," Harry said. "Yeah, that could be quite possible."

They were in Harry's apartment. It was mid-December, and the snow was falling outside.

"Maybe just give him some time?" Liam said, his words slightly unsure.

Harry sighed. "I miss him. I see him all the time, but it's like he's not there. He's, like, this shell of himself."

"I noticed too," Liam said. "And he's pushing everyone away. I've been texting Zayn, and Zayn says that Louis hasn't answered any of his messages or calls since Halloween. He's really worried."

Harry smiled sadly. "Zayn's still coming to visit you this weekend, right?"

Liam nodded, smiling softly. "He is, yeah."

Harry wriggled his eyebrows, sipping his wine. "Heh."

Liam rolled his eyes, but an amused smile was on his lips. "I really, really like him."

Harry smiled softly. "I'm so happy for you, Payno. You deserve someone to make you happy."

"So do you," Liam said.

"Yeah," Harry sighed. "I guess. But the only one that could make me happy doesn't want me back."

* * *

Louis was sitting at his desk, engrossed in work. He didn't even bat an eye when Harry stepped inside the office, two mugs of coffee in his hands.

"Hey, Louis," Harry tried to say. Usually, he didn't get a response. Nor did Louis usually drink the coffee offered to him. Not since before Halloween. But today Louis seemed different. When he walked, his back was straight. He nodded at his co-workers in greetings. He had even smiled at Harry when he got inside the office.

Louis looked up, his eyes falling on the coffee mug. "For me?" he asked.

Harry nodded. "Yes, for you." His heart sped up a little with the way Louis was looking at him. "Do you want it? I made it the way you like it."

Louis smiled a small smile. "I suppose."

Harry placed the mug down on Louis' desktop but didn't move to his own. "So... I take it you're feeling better?"

Louis' eyes found Harry's, and Harry's heart skipped a beat in his chest. "What do you mean?" His words were slightly sharp.

"Easy there," Harry calmly said. "You've just... been pushing everyone away since Halloween."

"Oh. Yeah." Louis turned back to his work.

Harry sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, unsure where to go from there. "I care for you, you know."

Louis let out a deep exhale, turning around in his chair. His eyes found Harry's. "I talked to Zayn this weekend. Apparently, he came to see Liam, and came knocking on my door at midnight Saturday." Then for clarification, "He has a key."

"Yeah?" Harry slowly said. He had a vague feeling that Louis was about to open up to him, and he wanted to do nothing to jeopardize that.

Louis exhaled. "I've been rude. I know that, but..." He looked conflicted. "I have this voice in my head, and sometimes there are things that trigger it, and then things just spiral downwards. A lot. Zayn knows that. I've done it quite a handful of times over the last couple of years."