Right By Your Side ~ Larry Stylinson

Chapter 15: Our armageddo

"So tonight I'm gonna love you like it's the last day on the earth
It's the last time I'll get to show you all that you're worth
Like there's no going back, before the sky turns to black
I'm gonna love you so there's no regretting
Like it's Armageddon"
Guy Sebastian

When he answered Stan's Skype call, he didn't even get a chance to say hello before Stan was talking at him without even so much as a hello.

"So when were you going to tell me you were in love with your therapist?" he asked bluntly.

"Well, hello to you too Stanley" he replied dryly.

"Lou" Stan answered impatiently "answer the damn question!"

"So Zayn told you?" Louis asked.

"Yes. What I want to know is why you didn't tell me?" Stan raised an eyebrow at him. "We've been friends forever Lou – and besides, I've already seen your posts on Facebook, so it wasn't a huge shock."

"What do you mean?" Louis responded, frowning. "I've never said anything on Facebook!"

"Didn't have to mate." Stan gave him a pitying look. "Written all over your face in the photos and videos – and then there's the comments." He put on a besotted voice as he repeated some of Louis' words back to him. "Great day with Haz, Haz is so funny, What an amazing therapist... shall I continue? "

"Kindly fuck off" Louis replied, sulking. "He's a good mate and he's really been helping me."

"He sure has" Stan snorted. "Shagging your brains out daily if Zayn is to be believed. So why didn't you tell me? I waited and waited, but no, nothing! I had to get updates from Zayn, Lou, and that hurts."

Louis shrugged. "Didn't tell anyone at first, because we were trying not to get caught – it wasn't exactly ethical sleeping together, so we kept it on the down low. Then I guess I didn't want to have to talk about it to anyone, I wasn't ready to confront the fact that I'll be coming home soon. Everyone keeps asking what we'll do and I don't have any answers. I didn't mean to keep it from you Stan, I just wanted to keep it in our little bubble, you know?"

"I get it Lou, I really do" Stan replied. "But Zayn reckons you're pretty close to completing your therapy, so you'll have to face it sooner or later." He paused, hesitating before he continued. "Zayn said you're in love with him. Is it true?"

Louis nodded slowly, his face a mask of misery. "I do. I'm fucking crazy about him. And part of me is just screaming to throw caution to the wind and tell him that I'll move here and be with him, and the other part of me is horrified at the thought of leaving my family – being away from the girls, and Mum and Dad. I'd be giving up my job, my friends, all except Zayn, and my family, and relying on one person for my happiness. That's terrifying, if I'm honest – even if it is Harry. I mean, what if I moved here and it didn't work out and I've disrupted my whole life. His would go on as normal, but I'd have to find a new job back home and relocate again. He's not just a few hours away, he's in bloody Australia!"

Stan listened silently, nodding now and then. "I understand mate, it's a big decision. It's also a hard decision and nobody can tell you what to do – you just have to hope that you'll know what the right thing is at some point, I guess."

"Yeah, but it just seems like an impossible choice! Whenever I try to make a definite decision, it never feels right either way. Like, back there is my home and I feel like I just couldn't be away from it for years and years – maybe forever. I can't imagine not being part of the girls' everyday life, you know? But then leaving Harry feels so wrong too. Every time we're together, I can't imagine us not being together like that every day. Ugh! I'm so torn – what am I going to do Stan?"