fighting love » l.s.

twenty eight - just like you

Louis made his way down the hallway, music from the party downstairs vibrating the floor beneath his feet. Despite the vibrations, the silence in the air was almost overpowering.

He was looking for something, but he wasn't exactly sure what -- all he knew was that he needed to keep going until he found it. He passed open and closed doors on both sides with the hallway stretching out infinitely in front of him. He walked and walked, aimlessly, torn between the desire to stop and the need to press on.

"Louis?"

He would know that voice anywhere. He continued down the hall. He wanted to go faster, to run -- anything to get to Harry -- but his feet wouldn't listen to him.

"Louis, please help me," Harry's voice called.

Louis's heart was beating faster and faster, but his legs wouldn't move. He kept his pace, walking slowly as Harry's pleas echoed through the never-ending hall.

Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, he stopped, turning to a door on his left. It was closed, but light shone brightly from the crack at the bottom the door.

He reached for the handle and the knob turned slowly; suddenly, the door swung open and Louis squinted against the bright light, blinking quickly as his eyes adjusted.

Harry was on the floor, just like before, blood pouring from his wrists. The curly-haired boy looked up at Louis, shooting a small smile and asking politely, "Could you help me? Please?"

Louis's heart was pounding in his chest, frantic thoughts flying through his head. As he tried to step forward into the room, something was stopping him. His feet wouldn't move. He wasn't in control of himself. He tried to speak, to tell Harry to stop the bleeding, but no words came out.

"Louis? Lou? It's okay," Harry said, still smiling as the blood pooled around him. "I'm gonna be fine, right? Everything's gonna be fine."

Louis woke with a start, gasping for air as if he'd been drowning. His right arm reached out immediately and felt Harry's figure beside him, still asleep. His heart was pounding in his ears. As he felt Harry stir beneath his hand, relief washed over him.

"Lou? What's wrong?" Harry mumbled, turning over to face the older boy.

"Nothing, Haz, just a bad dream. Go back to sleep."

Harry was wide awake at that point as he sat up to face Louis, who was still trying to catch his breath. "You had a nightmare?"

Even in the dark, Louis could make out Harry's bright green eyes -- just seeing them helped the older boy's heartbeat calm to a normal rate.

"Yeah," Louis replied, not knowing what else to say. "I can definitely see why you're not a fan of having them all the time."

Harry laughed humorlessly, reaching out to squeeze Louis's hand. "We must be cursed," he said seriously, ignoring Louis's eye roll in response. "I mean it! Two bad dreams in one night?"

"I was just trying to make you feel less embarrassed, baby," Louis joked, forcing a smile as he rubbed his forehead in an attempt to stop his pounding headache.

"Wow, thanks," Harry rolled his eyes. "What was it about?"

"Nothing," Louis shook his head. "I don't remember."

Harry eyed the older boy suspiciously but didn't press the subject.

Louis noticed Harry's skepticism and shrugged, wrapping an arm around younger boy's stomach and pulling him to his chest. "Can we just go back to sleep? Please?"

Harry grabbed his phone from the nightstand, checking the time. "It's 6:20," he announced. "I'm too awake to go back to sleep." Despite Louis's hold on him, the curly-haired boy sat up and swung his legs down the floor, looking back at the older boy over his shoulder.

Louis kept his hold on Harry and groaned, hiding his face in the younger boy's back. "Harry, it's so early."

"You can stay and sleep! I'll go make breakfast," he replied cheerfully, standing up from the bed and stretching with his arms high above his head.

A smile tugged at the corners of Louis's mouth; as always, Harry was the cutest person on the planet, and for some reason, the younger boy seemed happier than Louis had ever seen him. Still, his heart still felt weighed down by the events of the night before. And, to be completely honest, everything that had happened over the past few months. Everything that he had done to hurt Harry, whether he meant to or not.

"Haz," he called as Harry headed out of the room. Harry's curly head popped back into the room, raising an eyebrow in question. "After breakfast, we're having a serious talk. About everything."

Although Louis expected a protest, Harry simply shrugged, responding, "As long as 'everything' includes your dream." And with that, he was gone, leaving Louis to groan audibly and bury his face in Harry's still-warm pillow.