2.
What did he expect? A welcoming, loving hug? He probably should have been expecting Niall to be distant and uncomfortable, but it had never been like that. Niall had always clung to Harry, always looked up to Harry, always wanted to be with Harry. And Harry had always liked feeling as if he had a brother, but now...It was different. Everything was different because of him.
"Hey." Harry felt stupid as soon as the words came out, but what was he to say? It was hard, so so hard. He was talking to someone that seemed like a ghost. No, this was not the Niall he remembered.
"Niall, look. I know...I know I left you. I abandoned you. I disappeared on you. I know I did that and I know it was all my fault, but... I regret it. Gosh, Niall, you don't know how much I fucking regret it. I know that there is no way that we could be that close, or anything close to that, but if you let me, I'd like... I don't know... I just..." Harry finally looked up at Niall. He had tears flowing down his face, like a river, flowing. Niall was trying to wipe his eyes, but that just made them red.
Niall sobbed, but then held his breath. "I don't know you Harry... You just left... and... I had no one. I mean, the boys were there, but you were... Gosh Harry, you were you. No one could have replaced you. I looked up to you and I honestly wanted to be like you. You set the example for me, but who wants to look up to someone who just gave up? Who wants to be the person that leaves his loved ones behind? No, I didn't wanna be like that Harry." Niall was wiping his nose on his sleeve and Harry couldn't stop his instincts from pulling Niall's sleeve away from his nose.
"I thought I taught you to use a napkin." Harry wiped his eyes.
Niall looked at the ground. "You also taught me to take the easy way out."
Harry cried. He fell to his knees and then on the ground. He sat there, crying harder when Niall sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around him. Harry used to do that to him when Niall cried over not seeing his family for months, or falling to hard for a girl. Harry had been the grown up, the one to comfort, and seeing Niall do his job just made the tears come faster. Niall had grown up in the past five years and Harry realized that he had missed it.
"It's ok Harry. I... I forgive you." Niall whispered.
That did nothing to help the emotions Harry was feeling. Somehow, Harry ended up in Niall's house, waiting on the couch while Niall got snacks and hot chocolate. Harry had always found his home comfortable, that's why he had liked visiting Niall the most.
Niall had pictures up on the walls of the boys, all not including Harry except one. It hurt and stung, but Harry deserved it. Niall had nice, light brown furniture filling the living room and a nice flat screen TV up above the fireplace. It was great. Harry felt at home, but he knew when Niall got back, things would be awkward.
Niall turned the corner and walked in. "I didn't put too many marshmallows in yours, I know you don't like them that much."
Harry smiled. "Thanks, mate."
Niall sat across from Harry, falling into the plush sofa. "So."
"Yes?" Harry looked towards him, ready for the interrogation.
"You left." Niall started.
Harry slowly put his hot chocolate down and stood up. He walked towards the fireplace, where the picture of Niall and him was sitting. "This was my favorite picture of us ya know."
"Yeah, that's why I kept it. The boys wanted me to take it down..." He added the last part, considering that it might hurt Harry.
Harry sighed. "Yeah, that's understandable."
