Just In Case - A Lilo Fanfic

Chapter 3

Two days later, Louis called Liam. Harry had spent the past two days with Louis, spending the night in the flat wrapped up with Louis on the couch because Louis couldn't even walk into his own room anymore without breaking down, never mind actually sleep in his bed. He tried the first night, Harry sleeping on the couch and Louis climbing into the bed with tears in his eyes. He didn't want to bug Harry so he had ignored the tears and tightening of his chest and crawled into the bed. He placed his head on his pillow and pulled the blankets over himself and lasted all of two minutes. The bed felt too big now with only one person in it, too much leg room and no extra body heat to warm it up, so Louis rolled over to take up as much room as he could but that had been a mistake. He rolled over and caught a whiff of Liam's cologne and practically jumped out of the bed.

Harry hadn't even questioned it when he crawled onto the couch with him, the two of them squeezing on together side by side, Louis clinging onto Harry to both stay on the couch and to stay some-what sane. Louis didn't do well with being alone at the best of times, never mind after breaking up with someone he had truly loved. The next morning Harry suggested he call Liam but Louis refused, still unable to get past the pain in his chest long enough to even consider trying to talk to Liam. That night they both climbed onto the couch, not even bothering with trying the bed. Louis was thankful Harry wasn't the kind of straight guy who had a problem with cuddling their gay best friend. He knows how lucky he is to have Harry and hopes to God he never does anything to screw this up too.

It hadn't been Harry telling Louis to call Liam that made him call. Harry hadn't even suggested it, realizing that when he did, Louis started to cry again. It had been a song on the radio that did it. Harry had turned it on to listen to while he tidied up the flat, bless him really, and on came a song that Liam used to always sing to. Louis could remember how much Liam absolutely loved the song, he could still hear Liam's smooth voice singing along with it and suddenly yearned to hear his voice again. It was a sudden spark inside him that had him reaching for his phone, he needed to hear Liam's voice again, even if it was only one word or telling him not to call again. Louis hit Liam's name and hit call, holding up the phone to his ear as he sat on the couch and watched as Harry danced around the flat, picking up dirty dishes and garbage.

The only voice Louis got to hear was that of a robotic woman telling him Liam was unavailable or out of cell range, basically a big giant 'fuck off' that had Louis frowning down at his phone. He tried again but the result didn't change and those same tears were burning his eyes again. Louis leaned his head back on the couch and took deep breaths. He didn't want to cry again. He didn't want Harry to have to hold him and tell him it'd be okay, he just wanted things to actually be okay. He didn't want to break down with the slightest reminder of Liam, he wanted to be able to spend the night in his own flat by himself so Harry could actually go home. Louis tried Liam one more time and when he still didn't answer that settled it for him.

If Liam was going to ignore him now, not even give him a chance to say anything about this because obviously he had been too shocked that night to do so, then fine. He was done with this. He wasn't going to let Liam ruin his life. Just because Liam had been the reason for Louis' life finally getting in order, doesn't mean he had to be around for it to continue to be in order. He was going to send Harry home, he was going to clean his own flat and go to work tomorrow and it would all be fine. Like Harry said, it was going to be okay. Louis didn't need Liam, he was his own person and knew how to survive on his own and everything was going to be okay.

~

Everything was not okay.

It was definitely not okay. Louis sent Harry home that day, saying he needed to be alone and he tried not to think too hard about the hurt in Harry's eyes. He had quickly explained that it wasn't Harry, it was just the fact that he figured it was time to start coping on his own because Harry couldn't be by his side twenty four seven. Harry had a job of his own, friends of his own, a life of his own, and Louis had to stop getting in the way of it. Harry was reluctant to go home but eventually did after he made Louis promise that he would call if he needed anything, anything at all Lou, really. Even if it's just a hug. Louis promised him he would but certainly wouldn't be calling him to come over for a simple hug. No, Louis was set on getting his life back into motion, he couldn't sit around and wait for Liam.