A Second Chance

32

Cause this new day
makes me dance on air

( Beautiful Morning , Ace of Base)

His hands are sweaty and his heart is pounding heavily against his ribcage as he stands on the pavement looking at the Tomlinson's house.

It's a beautiful early morning.
A cloud- free sky, first sunrays are dancing on frozen puddles, tingling his cold face, it's so chilly that Harry sees his breath in the cold air.
He watches puffs of his breathing  ascending as he tries to recollect his thoughts for the last time.

Harry feels quite queasy, couldn't find enough sleep the last night as he kept imagining their talk, tried to think of the right words to start with, tried to find reasons, racked his brain how to apologise.

Texted Niall at two am, hoping to find him awake as well, when he actually replied he was relieved.
He found out that Niall couldn't fall asleep either, being this his first night at home after the accident.
It felt strange to be in his room again, the room in which he spent uncountable hours hanging out with his best friend, talking, doing homework, listening to music, watching netflix or just spread over his bed in comfortable silence lost on their own thoughts, but finding comfort in the presence of another person.

Niall knew it before that being at home would most definitely trigger memories.
Memories churning up his mind, still painful enough but they lost their sting, lost their terrifying grip and the power to break him.

After their sweet time alone in Harry's flat parting was even worse for them both and he doubts that he can handle more months with his boyfriend living on the other side of the Irish Sea.

Being apart from Niall physically hurts, appears like missing half of him, missing the better part of him.

They had to overcome a lot of obstacles until they finally got together and he can't stand the idea, speaking  frankly he hates the idea of  falling asleep in a lonely bed again and again after the holiday break.
 
So they kept talking on the phone until they both dozzed off finally soothed by their regular breathing, their favourite lullaby.

Last night his mum told him they are going to have dinner at the Horans' house on Christmas eve, Maura invited them all, thought it would be easier for the Styles family to make it through the day when they weren't in their own house where every piece of furniture, every framed picture reminded them of Gemma.

The perfect chance to tell their families about them being together on Christmas eve when everyone gathers around the dining-table in the Horans'  house.

Whereas Niall slightly fears the reaction of Anne or Robin, fears they might consider him as too young, or as bad a choice for their son Harry has no doubt that his mum and step dad will be nothing but supportive, will welcome Niall with open arms as his boyfriend.

Something he never dared to imagine years ago, but Gemma's tragic death changed their lifes, in more than one way.

And now he finds himself in front of his ex best friend's house on a beautiful winter morning, stands fidgeting at his doorstep, hoping to find anything left of their friendship that can be fixed.

Two more steps and he reaches the front door, rings the doorbell with his trembling hand, hears hasty approaching of footsteps and a door that is thrown open and there he is, Louis.
And Harry is afraid that too much happened meanwhile, isn't sure any longer if he still can refer to him as his best friend.

Before Harry is able to throw more than a quick glance at the shorter man, he jumps towards Harry, almost knocks him over as he catches him out of guard with his unexpected movement.
Harry struggles to stabilise them when Louis throws himself into Harry who wraps his arms instinctively, without hesitation around the smaller man's waist.