reminiscence - larry

Three

"Are you still being stubborn or are you gonna come?"

"I'm not being stubborn, Zayn, I'm being firm. Also, I don't appreciate you and Liam talking about my predicament behind my back."

"It's not like it's hot gossip, H. This is an ongoing issue that you know as well as I do, is getting ridiculous." Zayn says with a sigh, drumming his fingers against the armrest of the sofa.

Zayn had called into the flat on his way home from work after finding out that Harry had told Liam he wasn't going to the pub tomorrow. Apparently, neither of them respect his decision.

"Look, I appreciate you guys wanting me there but it's just so awkward." Harry says quietly, fiddling with the rings on his fingers.

After his conversation with Liam at the beach, Harry started thinking about everything that led him to that point and hasn't been able to shake the regret that's sitting in his soul.

"I get that, I really do but we all want you there. Just try, for me at least? It wouldn't be the same without you."

"Fine." Harry starts with a sigh, causing a smile to spread across Zayn's face. "But, if I want to leave, you can't convince me to stay, okay?"

"Okay." Zayn nods his head. "And I promise, Liam only told me because he's worried about you, I am too."

"There's literally no reason to be worried about me. I don't get why nobody can grasp that."

"Look, I'm not gonna push you any more, okay? Just please come tomorrow." Zayn says standing up, he opens his arms and gestures for Harry over. Harry gets up and walks over to him, happily letting himself be embraced by Zayn.

"I know none of us are that affectionate but I do love you, man. We all do." He says quietly, rubbing Harry's back. "We're not expecting you and Lou to be like you were again but we just want you to both be happy again."

Harry doesn't say anything until Zayn leaves to which he finally mutters "fucks sake" to himself, running a hand over his face roughly.

He knows that he doesn't have to go to their weekly meeting but they did promise, right? Harry's eyes scan the flat, the ghosts of the previous versions of himself and Louis dancing around even here.

"Look at us, being adults." Louis grins as he places one of many cardboard boxes in the hall. He walks over to Harry, wrapping his arms around him tightly. "Just ours, to ourselves."

"It feels so surreal." Harry says, smiling as Louis presses a kiss to his shoulder. "It's gonna seem so quiet without the others."

"It will but I guarantee you, we'll all be around each other's places all the time, don't forget our pact of meeting every Saturday."

"Do you really think we'll stick to that?"

"Yeah, of course." Louis says, his voice soft and promising. "No matter what happens, I think we'll all be desperate to see each other by the end of the week. You have to promise not to skip it ever."

"Even though it might get a bit boring?" Harry snorts, imagining them all still sticking to the promise, even when they're old and wrinkly.

"We won't, who could get bored of you? I'm lucky, though. I get to see you every day."

Louis lightly squeezes Harry's waist, causing a small laugh to flow out of Harry's mouth.

"That tickled." Harry says, instantly regretting it when mischief fills Louis' eyes.