Undercover (Larry Stylinson)

16. no tears left

a/n: this story is all over the place so if youre still reading this thank you.

They stood in the corridor of Harry's house for what felt like ages until finally Louis turned away, coughing to break the silence.

"I, um. I guess I should go," Louis said, trudging towards the door.

"Yeah, if you want," Harry said, his hands in his joggers.

Louis walked to the door but stopped when he got there. He turned back to Harry, his blue eyes large and longing. "I don't want to go back to Liam. We're fighting."

"Okay," Harry said. "You can stay here."

"You sure?" Louis asked, eyeing Harry cautiously.

"Yup," Harry said. "Kinda don't wanna spend tonight alone either. Feeling a little... drained."

"I understand," Louis said, making his way to the couch. It was the same couch they cuddled on the night Harry took care of him when he was sick at the bar. The same one where they had their first proper kiss.

But to Louis, it didn't feel so romantic anymore, sitting there alone while Harry puttered in the kitchen.

Louis sat back, trying to calm the thoughts racing through his head by focusing on the sound of the dishwasher humming. However, his meditation was quickly interrupted by the sound of Harry sobbing.

"What happened?" Louis asked. He rushed into the room, his feet padding across the tile floor.

Harry was on his knees, crying into his hands. "Niall. He's going to hate me so much," he cried. "I ruined his life."

Louis reached out, gently stroking Harry's shoulders. "Shhh, it's okay, Haz. He won't hate you. He's your friend."

"N-no, not anymore," Harry whimpered, his eyes red and puffy.

"He's still your friend, love," Louis said, he pulled Harry tighter, allowing him to fall on top of his chest. "I promise."

It took about an hour to get Harry calmed down. Eventually, he got up and drank a glass of water. Took his meds. Had a shower.

When he came back out, he looked at Louis, his face red with embarrassment, his curls dark and wet. "I'm a fucking hot mess," he said, shaking his head. "Sorry again. For all of this."

"It's okay. You need a friend right now," Louis said with a cheerful smile.

"I'm sure you could use a friend too," Harry said. He took a seat next to him, the smell of his freshly showered hair filling the air.

"I could use a hug," Louis giggled, quickly glancing at Harry out of the corner of his eye.

"I give the worst hugs but okay," Harry said. He pulled Louis onto his chest, engulfing his tiny body with his long arms.

"You give good Ones," Louis giggled as he nestled himself into Harry's embrace. With their chests pressed against each other, he could feel his heart beating.

"No, I'm too skinny and bony," Harry said with a laugh.

"I wish I had that problem," Louis groaned. "I have the opposite."

Harry quickly pulled away from the hug, brushing his thumb across Louis' cheek. "Stop talking about yourself like that, Lou. You're proper fit."

"I'm not," Louis said. "But thanks."

Sitting up, Harry turned to Louis and began to take in his features. When they went out to the restaurant, he had been so confident and full of life, with perfect posture and a flamboyant attitude to match. But sitting here now, he looked lifeless, gray, dull. Like a crumpled piece of paper that had long been tossed away.