the zone ➸ ziam [completed]

fifteen.

"Your ability to rock that lady blouse is really astounding to me."

Harry looks away from the balcony doors where he was peering out of the sliding doors, and turns around coming face to face with a shirtless Louis who's rubbing his eyes tiredly. "You're up." Harry blurts out, not really knowing what to say at the moment as he wills his gaze not to look down.

Louis hums as he walks into the kitchen, Harry following after him slowly. "The mattress in the guest room is probably the softest thing I've ever slept on."

Harry takes the cup of coffee from Louis and quickly takes a sip of the drink. It's been a week and a half since Harry had to make the decision of leaving Zayn with Liam, who still made him wary but Harry knew he was the best decision when it came to keeping Zayn safe.

He only had one close encounter of Valentino three days ago and really it wasn't even Valentino himself but two of his lower members who were given the task of creeping about next to Harry's shop. He knows it's still not fully safe for Zayn to come back but he just misses his son. It doesn't help that all Harry can think about is his son his little boy is staying alone with his boyfriend, who's older.

Harry breaks out of his thoughts when his phone buzzes and lets out a ring in his jeans pocket, signaling him of a text message. He pulls his phone out, sliding his phone open and clicking on the new message from his trusted body guard Justin who's been patrolling around their home and the shop this week.

no sign of v or his men.

Harry lets out a sigh, startling when he feels a breath of hot air beside him, he looks to the side of him at Louis who's reading over his shoulder at the message he just received.

"That's a good sign, maybe they didn't actually want anything from you." Louis comments.

Harry shrugs, sending a quick reply to Justin before setting his phone down, "Yeah well, I can't let my guard down just yet."

He picks his head to look at Louis who is silent as he stares at Harry with such an intense odd look, and for the first time in a long time Harry feels like he doesn't know what to do.

Louis catches his eyes, a small smile on his face, "I think you can let one guard down, maybe the one that has you so on edge with me."

Harry tenses. "I don't now's the time to talk about this Louis."

His words make the shorter man frown. "Why not? I just- I want you to open up to me again Haz, like it used to be yeah?"

Harry shakes his head, fiddling with his necklace as he stares at Louis with furrowed brows. "Louis, we've grown so much since then. I can't just open up to someone I hardly know now."

"Well stop pushing me away and you'd know me, Harry." Louis argues, shaking his head when Harry doesn't reply to him.

He crosses his arms against his chest and stares at Louis with a knowing look, "What's the real reason you came to me, Louis? Why now, after all this time."

Harry straightens up and becomes alert when Louis lets out a sigh and looks down at his feet. The blue eyed man doesn't speak up at all which makes Harry all the more on edge. It's not because he doesn't trust the man who used to be his best friend, but it's just that.

They aren't best friends anymore, haven't been friends since Harry moved to America. And Harry doesn't know what Louis' been up to since he left him when he was twenty. And Harry's learned that he can't trust anybody unless they show they can be trusted first.

Louis sighs and looks at Harry with a soft expression, "I'm here because of-because of our promise."

"What?" Harry asks, furrowing his brows together as he tries to make sense of what Louis is talking about. Their promise?