Time Will Tell {A short story} - Louis/Harry

Part Five

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Harry stopped crying after a while, and Louis felt tired and just all around cuddly so he decided that they would put off this conversation for another time. Louis had shifted up to the pillow end of the bed and was pulling the blankets up around Harry, who had stopped shivering but was still so cold.

Harry pressed his freezing nose into Louis' check, his cheek stained red from his tears and Louis wanted to stay like this forever. It wasn't anywhere near perfect, but Harry was peaceful and warm and Louis was smiling as he looked down at this boy he was probably falling for.

On that note, Louis realised that, yes, he was falling for Harry. And Louis still had no idea if Harry was even remotely interested in him, or if he was even into boys, for that matter. Either way, it was cold and Harry was warm and so were his blankets, so Louis stayed, smiling down at the sleepy boy.

After while, Harry fell asleep, and Louis took the time to observe every inch of this boy. He knew it ws slightly creepy, but he didn't care. What Harry didn't know couldn't hurt him. Louis smiled as Harry shifted in his sleep, digging his nose further into Louis' neck, where he'd slumped to.

Harry had these very long eyelashes, and his cheek bones where very...Prominent. Louis frowned, risking moving his free hand to brush his fingertips over Harry's collarbones, which were poking out alarmingly from his skin where the jersey he was wearing was slipping down.

Harry's collarbones were also decorated with two birds - birds with eyebrows? - that made Louis smile slightly, before Harry's eyes fluttered and Louis withdrew his hand. Harry simply sighed and stayed asleep, and Louis continued watching him.

Harry was so fragile, his wrists were tiny and unbearably thin, and every bone that was able to be seen out from under Harry's clothing was seen. Louis had never quite noticed just how thin Harry was before, but now Louis' heart was beating a little faster with worry for this green-eyed boy.

The door opened then, and Louis jumped, cursing himself as Harry shifted, waking up this time and looking around in confusion. Zayn stepped into the room, raising an eyebrow at the two and the sight of Harry sitting up and rubbing his face with boney hands.

Louis scowled for a moment, before he managed to tame his face into a mask of no emotion. Zayn was observing the two, looking between them as if he was trying to figure something out.

"Hi, Zayn." Harry spoke, his voice quiet and slightly rough from his short sleep.

And Louis couldn't help being at least slightly just that more endeared with him. He was falling alright. Falling very, very hard for this boy.

"Hello." Zayn replied, stepping further into the room and dropping a few books onto his bed across the room.

He nodded and Louis, who nodded back and managed a small smile. Louis hadn't seen Zayn all that much, and they hadn't talked once apart from the few hellos here and there. Louis didn't mind though, because Zayn just seemed like one of those guys who didn't talk all that much.

Harry seemed to still be waking up, because he stretched tiredly, his long limbs reaching outwards, dragging his top and jersey up. Louis' eyes trailed across the pale skin there, slightly surprised to see the start of a tattoo. And sadly, Louis wasn't even surprised to see Harry's hip bone jutting far, far too much.

Louis bit his lip to keep quiet - he wasn't about to say anything while Zayn was there and Harry'd just stopped crying, really. Harry yawned, relaxing back into the crook of Louis' arms again, and Louis shifted slightly, his cheeks turning slightly red as Harry unknowingly brushed the back of his hand along the front of Louis' jeans.

"I-I think I'll need to be going now." Louis managed to get out, because he shouldn't be turned on by a simple unknowing touch through his jeans.

Harry looked up at him, frowning slightly but nodding, sitting and allowing Louis to stand. Louis tugged his borrowed jersey off and handed it back, giving Harry a warm, strained smile.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Harry asked, looking disappointed the older boy was leaving.

Louis nodded quickly. "Of course. Until then." He said, drawing Harry into a tight hug, but not too tight because Louis was still afraid Harry would break.

Louis left the room after saying goodbye to Zayn, and headed straight towards his own room, shaking his head at himself and wondering what he'd gotten himself into.

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