Undercover (Larry Stylinson)

5. less lonely

What he did next didn't just surprise him - it terrified him. There was no way this was going to end well.

But Harry didn't really feel like he had any other options. He would sit at home, crying for the eighth night in a row, suffering in silence, sobbing to no one.

Or he could try to hold on a little longer, he could try to feel less alone.

That's what he had been trying to do in the first place when he agreed to go over to Liam and Louis' house. He shouldn't have gone over there. He wasn't supposed to be getting close with people or making friends. His main goal was to hide his identity, not flaunt it around. After all, what was the point of meeting new people if all he could tell them was lies?

But as he mopped up the vomit on the tiles with tears in his eyes, Harry couldn't bare to spend another night alone. And so he went back outside and walked over to his neighbor's house.

"Hi again," he said meekly as Liam answered the door, confused.

"I just... I'm sorry, I'm not thinking straight," Harry said, looking at his boots. He was still pretty drunk, even despite throwing up his bourbon. "I just feel a little lonely and don't want to be alone. Like tonight."

"Oh, are you okay?" Liam asked, taking in Harry's pale face and shaky posture.

"Yeah, just a little wound up from work I guess," Harry replied.

"Okay, well you can come back over, you're always welcome," Liam replied. "I'll get Louis."

"Actually," Harry responded, taking a step backwards. "Can you guys come to mine?"

Liam shrugged. "Sure. I'll get him."

Harry smiled and then dashed home to hide his bottles and clean up whatever other messes he had made during his initial days here. In the midst of his cleaning frenzy, Louis knocked on the door and Harry sped over to it.

"Hey," he replied quietly.

Louis cocked an eyebrow and headed inside, followed by Liam. "You good, Curly?" Louis asked.

"Yeah, just... would you want to watch a movie?" he asked.

"Okay," Louis said. "How's your stomach?"

"What?" Harry asked, leading them to the TV room. "Oh, um, better. I had some medicine."

"Is comedy okay with you?" Liam asked as he took a seat on the edge of the couch. Louis sat next to him in the middle of the couch.

Harry swallowed thickly and sat next to Louis, tapping his leg nervously as he browsed through the comedy section of Netflix on the TV screen. "Yeah, sure, take your pick."

"Oh! This one looks good," Louis said excitedly, slapping his hands together. It was a romantic comedy featuring a bunch of high profile actors.

"Yeah, sure," Harry said as he pressed play. As the movie started, he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath. Everything was going to be okay. It was just a movie, right?

As the movie continued, Harry found himself slowly loosening up. He found himself laughing at all of the jokes and really reveling in the drama between the characters.

"That is so fucking funny," Louis hooted as a character fell flat on their ass in the middle of a department store. "I could see you doing that Liam."

Liam chuckled. "Not a chance. You on the other hand, yes."

Harry smiled and leaned back into the couch. It was so good to hear their voices, to have their company. Even if it was just for a little while.

This was the first time in ages he was finally free of his thoughts. It felt so nice being able to silence his brain and just focus on the present.