drowning on a dry land [ls]

Chapter 5: Whispers Among the Flowers

The next day, Louis wakes up to an empty bed. He glances at the clock, only to find out that it was much-before-any-one-of-them-got-up clock. He pushes the covers off himself and dashes towards the kitchen in his boxers. Harry is usually the one making breakfast for them, never not rubbing in his face that he got up before Louis.

It's not Louis' fault that he can't go out like a light, the way Harry does. Louis has never seen Harry toss and turn in bed until he found a comfortable position to lie down and beg sleep to envelop him. The boy dozes off minutes after resting his head on the pillow. Good for him!

His phone was lying on the counter but there was no trace of his boyfriend.

If Harry were to leave for somewhere when Louis was fast asleep, he'd at least place a note on their fridge using a magnet. Right now though, a reminder for paying the electricity bill was the only note that awaited him there.

Maybe he had just gone for a morning stroll. He never leaves without his airpods. This thought further spikes his anxiety.

"Harry!" His desperate voice wasn't faced with a response. His heart skipped a beat, he ran towards their garden. Looking around for him, he tripped over his own feet. The watering can was left near the fence. They had decided today to mulch their flowerbed of marigold. All the equipments were lying near the fence as well. He paused in fear, before gathering himself together. This has to be a cruel joke that Harry has been pulling on him for yesterday's fight. He hates him for that. "Alright enough, this is not funny."

How dare Harry not know where to draw a line? All this, and for what? For having the last laugh?

His feet rushed towards the front gate of theirs. Louis could feel his eyes water a little. He's in love with a fucking stupid twat who-

The door was left wide open. His mind ran back and forth, thousands of things that made Louis' stomach turn.

"Honey, please come out. I can't go on like this, you win." He yells to no one in particular. He'd bend and break if he didn't see his boy this right very instant. He falls to his knees, praying to whichever god that'd answer his beseechings.

"I'm gay." A voice overlaps with that of a smaller boy asking "We're playing hide and seek?"

Louis' neck snaps towards the voices at such a speed that he is left dizzy. In front of him, stood Mason, with a backpack slung over his shoulder and Harry

"I thought you knew that I'm gay?" an amused smirk plays on his lips, totally oblivious to the breakdown Louis had been having just a few seconds before this.

His unkempt curls were hardly staying tucked behind his ears and the man looked exhausted. A small yawn from the tall man further proved Louis' point. He's wearing their shared shirt that he had harshly yanked off Louis, the last night. This shirt, it made Louis chuckle fondly- it was neither Louis' size, nor Harry's. The couple, still couldn't leave behind the white shirt with pink peonies drawn on it, the first time they saw it.

It hung too low on Louis' collar (Although Harry never saw it as a problem) and way too snug around Harry's waist (Louis never complained).

"Meets us halfway," Harry had the audacity to look so cute while giggling at the horrible joke he made.

"You're lucky you're cute!" Louis declared, not having it in himself to feign a laugh just for the sake of his boyfriend's feelings.

They had thousands of pictures of each other in that shirt. They had even planted that very specific shade of peonies in their garden. And lord knows how much they had to wander and haggle for procuring them!

The shirt in question, had begun to fade a little now, after all, it had been seven years since they brought it. The shape of peonies stitched on it wasn't as prominent as before. Yet none of them was heartless enough to do away with it, even when it had noticeable unraveled threads at the seam.

"I brought my backpack!" Mason announces by throwing his hands in the air. He then hands it over to Louis, clapping his hands together again. "I am going to make a card to welcome Robbie."

"Robbie?" he gently asks the boy who is currently jumping around with joy.

"Louis, you know how she was seven months along?" Oh

He gulps, not knowing what to say. Early babies often suffer from various complexions. He wishes that the baby is okay. This little one over here deserves to have their little sibling in front of them.

"Let's get your backpack inside," he gestures to get him inside the house. Mason jogs inside, leaving Harry and Louis to their own devices and their crappy communication skills.

Say something!

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Louis. I picked up their call and they told me that the labor was unexpected early. They were so vexed, I didn't want to make them wait. So I had to hurry to pick Mason. I thought you'd be sleeping till I got back." Harry explained haphazardly, tugging at his shirt.

"You usually leave a note for me." He said in a non-accusatory tone. He knows the reason why it slipped off Harry's mind. He understands that.

"I know," he drapes a hand across Louis' waist and pecks him on the lips. "Let's see what Mason is up to." Louis lets himself be ushered into the hall with a steady hand on his waist.