In love from the outside

March 2029 - IT'S YOU FOR ME AND ME FOR YOU

March 2029 

New York

He bangs on the hotel room door once again. 

'Damn it, Niall, open the bloody door,'  he groans low.

As on cue, he does, and his dark blonde friend stares at him.

'"Jesus, Haz, what is going on?" , he asks as Harry ignores his words and makes his way into the room, leaving him standing in the door frame, staring at the empty corridor. 

"Please come in, fella", Niall gestures grandly, at no one, rolling his eyes.

Harry walks straight towards the sofa and sits on it sprawled. He rests his head on the back cushions and covers his face with his hands. He groans.

"Lovely", Niall says, "coffee or kibble?" , he jokes.

"I am an idiot", Harry moans, "can't disagree" Niall mutters.

"Stop with the jokes!"  Harry tells him, finally looking at him, apologising instantly, "I am sorry".

"Bad day?", Niall asks him, hands on hips. "I fucked up again", Harry confesses.

Niall walks to the armchair, and sits on it, leaning forward, his forearms resting on his knees.

"What happened?", he asks him.

"She just...", Harry says, gesturing with his hands, as if he were strangling something. He sighs.

"She kicked me out. Of her house, of her life, God knows. Right after I told her, I was not leaving, ever". 

Niall nods at him, trying to catch up. "And when have I ever said anything like that?, I fucking meant it". He lowers his head again.

"Sorry, mate", Niall says, "why did she kick you out though?"

Harry turns to him, his eyes watering. "Because I am hurting them, or I will hurt them, and I will never in my life hurt that kid on purpose, I would hurt myself before letting anything bad happen to that child, and I promised I would not leave, and now I look like I broke my promise".

Harry sniffles, and Niall nods, still puzzled.

"Your girlfriend has a child?" , he asks, surprised, frowning.

"Who?", Harry looks at him in disbelief. "Who do you think I am talking about?"

Niall shrugs. 

"Taylor, I am talking about Taylor", Harry tells him, impatiently.

"Swift??", Niall lips curve slowly in a smile, "Oh my lord", he says sitting back on the armchair, beaming.

Harry is just staring at him, as Niall smiles and chuckles silently.

Niall leans forward again and places a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Do you want to know what I really think?" , Niall asks him, and Harry nods, sniffling.

"Just marry the girl".

Harry looks at him like he has just grown two heads, "what?"

"Why don't you? You have loved her, nearly for as long as I have known you both. You both are just too stubborn and scared to admit it. Tell me a day she has not crossed your mind?"

Harry sighs, "It's complicated..."

"Is it though?" Niall asks, "none of what you have told me cannot be resolved, just by telling her how you feel".

There's a silence as Harry processes his words, then he shakes his head, and rubs his eyes with one hand, "and if she doesn't want me?" he asks, timidly.

"Harold, I have seen you going through it all for her. I have been there as you were loving her, missing her, chasing her, running from her, crying for her, denying her, being mad at her...",

Harry stares intently at him wondering where he is going with this, "... and it's been how many years? And here we are again, today, and it is still her. It is always her for you, and always you for her".

Harry winces at his words, pausing before saying, "you really had to quote her".

Niall smiles softly then, feeling for his friend and patting his shoulder: "She said it Haz, she has been telling you all along, mate".