Impulse

Chapter 27

*NARRATOR'S POV*

"Are you sure, duckling?" Liam asks Niall for the twelfth time since they've exited the elevator.

Niall has decided to give it a shot but not exactly chance anything this early. He told Liam of his plan to agree to a date only after Zayn is discharged and Liam has to come as well.

"Yes but if you ask me again you aren't allowed to come on the date." Niall replies, passing the nurses and headed to Zayn's room.

Liam ignores that last part and worriedly follows Niall to Zayn's patient room, thinking if maybe he pushed too far this time. "Duckling, you really don't have to."

"Maybe I'm doing this for me, Liam." Niall counts the doors from the third hallway.

"Okay fine." Liam stands outside because he's too terrified about this going all wrong to go in. His Duckling is so darn brave.

"Hey, Zayn." Niall enters the through the open doorway and passes up the opportunity to sit on a chair.

Zayn looks taken aback by Niall's sudden act of appearance, but smothers that surprise with a crooked little smile. Niall hates him for it because his cheekbones are from Hell where a demon carved them perfectly himself. Brown eyes, darker than Liam's and a little less friendly, watched Niall.

"Hello, ducky." Zayn invites Niall to sit on a portion of his bed. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I want to give you a chance." Niall swallows and bends one knee - the fully able one - as he sits. His last word sounds like 'chonce' but it's out there now.

"Do you really? What changed your mind?"

"I hated you." Niall scowls powerfully. "Now I hate you a little less."

"I'll take it." Zayn blows out with puffed up cheeks. "I get discharged tomorrow. What do you and the man outside say to a fancy date?"

* * * * *

"I will never say I love you, petal-" Harry framed Louis' cheek with his palm. "-but everything I do in your name will mean much more than that."
Louis stared into the black stones that had replaced Harry's eyes. He felt like he was drowning and that water, the rain, was destroying the calcium in his bones and turning them to dry ice. The thunder was nearby but neither of them could hear it, adhere to precaution. They stood beside a metal staircase under the worst circumstances, facing each other in a fix or conflict situation.

It's not Louis' choice anymore and he's come to terms with that. He's offended Harry too many times for him to be the one who deserves to choose. Harry could walk out of what they have and Louis would let him go because he deserves some freedom from the misery Louis brings him.

"I want you to choose me." Louis' lips move in accordance to his heart now, no longer his brain.

Harry rested his forehead on Louis' and completely shielded him from the rain except for the rain pelting against his back. Louis inhaled the air with a sharp breath and tilted his head to the side, upwards, anything to get their noses to brush.

"Petal?" Harry moves his hand to the back of Louis' head, pulling him so much closer like he survives on the breath Louis exhales.

Blue met black and there's a new story to be told. "I don't deserve you, not after what you just said to me."

He sees Harry open his mouth to say whatever will put him back beneath Louis but that's not where he belongs. Louis puts a hand over the man's mouth and waits for him to stop, borderline emotions making tears cross over the red rims of his eyes. His lips quivered and his fingers shook, steadied only when Harry held onto them.