Of the Earth

12

A while later they returned to the trail and resumed hiking. Harry couldn't get Louis' words out of his head. He didn't necessarily believe them, but he didn't know what to believe anymore.

The closer and closer they got to civilization, the more Harry realized his life was still a mess.

As much clarity as this trip gave him, it didn't fix anything. He would be driving home to live with his parents for the next few weeks before his classes started. He still had to retrieve some of his belongings from Dante's apartment. He had always considered it a home they shared between the two of them, but now that he really thought about it, he realized how wrong he was. It was Dante's apartment and it always had been. Harry was only a guest, and now he was an unwelcome one.

The rest of the trek was beautiful and Harry was crying unashamedly by the time they made it to the trailhead. Clifford ran happily into the parking lot, circling Harry's car which was waiting there, right where he left it. The whole place looked much different than when Harry first saw it, though nothing had changed.

Louis and Harry turned around to admire the view spread out around them. They kept their backs to the parking lot and looked out over the mountains they had just traipsed during the past week. Louis hugged Harry's side and they both knew it was more for comfort than it was to physically support Louis' poor ankle.

"We should take a picture," Louis said suddenly. "Your phone's in your car?"

Harry nodded and retrieved it, feeling the cold metal in his hands. This was the longest he had ever gone without a phone since he first got one when he was a teenager and it felt weird to hold it again. He swiped to get to the camera and held it up so they could take a selfie.

They were both a mess. Harry was crying and they both definitely looked like they had just spent a lot of time in the wilderness. But they were happy, too. Glowing. Louis wiped the tears away from Harry's face and they both laughed because it was just ridiculous. Louis wrapped his arm around him again, leaning on him for support. They took a bunch of pictures with the mountains in the background, the photographic proof of what they had achieved. They even got a few with Clifford in them as well.

"Send these to me," Louis ordered. "I'm putting my number in your contacts."

"Alright," Harry agreed.

He helped Louis into the car and Clifford jumped into the back. He heaved their pack into the trunk and they both removed their muddy boots and socks as well. They said their last goodbyes to the beautiful mountains that brought them together and then Harry put the car into gear and began driving.

The GPS on his phone said it was a fifty-nine minute drive to the nearest hospital, thirty-eight miles away.

"You should drop me off at my car," Louis said. "I can drive myself there. You've done enough."

Harry's shoulders tensed at the idea of saying goodbye sooner than anticipated. It was definitely over-the-top to drive Louis to the hospital, though, and then to bring him back to Dolly Sods to pick up his car. Harry shrugged as nonchalantly as he could and asked Louis to direct him to the trailhead where his car was parked.

The road was wide enough for only one car and it was unpaved, the rocks and dirt jostling the car. It jostled them around and was a bit scary to drive, so Harry went slowly. They passed untouched wilderness and other trailheads, a few backpackers getting ready to hit the trail. Harry was envious that their adventure was only just beginning as his own was coming to an end. He wanted to drag the trip out forever, so he and Louis could stay in their own little bubble and not face the world.

They arrived at Louis' car half an hour later, after a quiet, pensive drive. Louis smiled weakly as Harry pulled into the parking lot and stopped the car right by his own.

After redistributing the items from their shared pack, Harry stood there helplessly as Clifford jumped into the back seat and Louis got in the driver's side. It was his left ankle that was injured, so he would be okay to drive. Harry was still worried about him, and sad to see him go.

"I'll call about the pack, later." The one they left on trail. "Maybe they can mail it to us."

"You never know," Harry agreed, although he had a feeling they probably wouldn't ever get it back.

"Alright, well." Louis gestured his hands helplessly as Harry clenched his own behind him. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Harry Styles. I couldn't have asked for a better trail partner. Thanks for helping me out."

"Of course," Harry breathed, unable to convey the mess he was feeling inside his heart. The heaviness of it. The heaviness of saying goodbye. "Thanks for..." he didn't know how to convey it in words. "Thanks for everything," he finished lamely.

Louis smiled at him, a little sad. He waved him forward with his hands and Harry followed, finding himself in a tight hug.

"I'll be pissed if you don't send me those pictures," Louis whispered in his ear.

He cupped Harry's cheeks in his hands and pressed their lips together in a kiss. It last half a second, over before it had even started, quicker than a hummingbird's wings. He pulled back and Harry was just standing there dumbly so he waved and moved to close the door.

"See you later," Louis called, wiggling his fingers before closing the door all the way.

Later was a more casual replacement of the word someday, which would've been more accurate. See you someday. They didn't know if they would meet again. People who met on trail rarely did. That was just the way it worked. He appreciated how Louis didn't make any promises he couldn't keep, because it would hurt a lot more to have his hopes up, only for them to be crushed with time and distance.

It would be okay, even if they never saw each other again. Louis had touched his life in a way that changed everything, and that was enough.

Harry watched him drive away.