almost // l.s

twenty four

harry woke up, back and heart equally as sore as one another.  he rubbed his temples, trying to soothe the dull ache his brain was creating, with little luck. he traipsed into the kitchen in search of something to drink. gemma was already there, fixing herself a morning coffee, a bright smile painting her pretty face.

"morning!"

"morning," harry repeated. his voice was significantly more drowsy.

"feeling any better?" gemma asked, worry lacing her voice.

"emotionally," harry paused, contemplating, "yes. physically, no."

his sister laughed, "bad back?"

"that bed is absolutely terrible!"

they spent the rest of the morning talking, catching up on each other's lives and laughing. that felt really good for harry as he hadn't been so joyful in a while. louis' behaviour had hurt him a lot, but the boy knew they needed to sort it out.

after a little while of comfortable silence, gemma spoke up, "although i'd love you to stay, haz, i have work this afternoon."

harry nodded sadly, "okay."

"besides, you and mr. tomlinson have some serious issues to discuss."

"we do," he agreed, nerves taking over. apparently that was obvious because gemma embraced him tightly.

"don't worry, baby brother," she giggled. harry giggled too, "i love you and he loves you."

"love you too gems."

-

harry stands, cowardly, outside the door to his house for ten minutes before plucking up the courage to knock. he taps three times in fast succession before the wooden structure is flung open.

"harry!" liam cries, "where the hell were you? we were freaking out."

harry smiled sheepishly, embarrassed that his friends had been so worried, "i went to see gemma."

"with hardly any contact and no indication that you were off? not cool man," he folded his arms across his strong chest.

"sorry," harry looked down, liam's expression making him feel even worse.

he placed a finger under harry's chin, forcing him to look up, "hey. come in and let everyone know you're okay, yeah?"

"yeah."

niall flung himself into harry's arms as soon as he walked into their house. he sobbed, which seemed a little dramatic, and soaked the collar of his shirt.

"harry!" he screeched dramatically, "you had us so damn worried," he stopped and lowered his voice, "until you texted. then we were fine- but still!" the irish boy cried and the falseness of it was laughable.

zayn came down from upstairs to see what all the ruckus was about. upon seeing harry, his expression softened.

"sorry mate, just thought niall was having a spaz over nothing again. y'know, the usual."

harry chuckled and ruffled niall's freshly dyed blond locks, "what'd we do without you though?"

niall shrugged, "probably be dead by now. you especially, zayn!"

zayn put his hands over his mouth in mock offence and threw niall the bird.

"hey, h," someone said quietly. there was no mistaking that voice. the high pitch it sported, the slight natural rasp and soft quality harry loved so much.

he turned around and smiled softly, "lou."

niall grabbed both zayn and liam by their shirts and dragged the pair out the door.

"how were you last night?" harry asked, an unwanted tension filling the room.

"not good," louis confesses, sitting on the couch and motioning for his peer to do the same, "i'm a wreck, harry."

he slides in beside louis, fiddling with the hem of his shirt, "why?"

"why?" he scoffs sadly, "because i feel awful that i've hurt you, that's why."

"i've had worse," harry said, smiling shyly.

"harry. don't," he wipes a hand over his face, messy fringe falling in his eyes, "don't try and make it anything it isn't. i ruined this i- i ruined everything."

"no, louis, you didn't," a tear dripped down his face, "gems talked some sense into me.