roommates | l.s (unedited)

44 · repeat

A/N: it's a short one but it's cute. some larry fluff coming soon cause y'all have been waiting long enough :)

Louis

Sleep. Wake up. Stare at the walls.

Sleep. Wake up. Stare at the walls.

Sleep. Wake up. Stare at the walls.

Sleep. Wake up. Stare at the walls.

I've lost count of the days.

Two? Three? Four? Doesn't matter.

Sleep. Wake up. Stare at the walls.

I haven't left the room since we got back.

Neither has Harry.

I've grown so used to his presence that his breathing no longer annoys me.

I've grown so used to his questions that my subconscious tunes them out for me.

Sleep. Wake up. Stare at the walls. Sleep.

---

I'm startled awake by ice cold water being poured on my face. That's new. Harry stands next to my bed, staring at me expectantly.

"What the fuck?" After what I assume to be days of not speaking, my voice feels foreign leaving my throat.

Harry let's out a relieved laugh, and a single tear slides down his cheek.

I resist the urge to wipe it away.

"I've missed your voice, baby," he croacks.

I stare at him blankly.

"Listen," he pleads. He crouches down next to my bed and a sad smile forms on his lips. "I'm sorry."

That's a statement I haven't heard from him.

"I'm sorry, Lou," he sighs. "I was really mad." He pauses. "And scared." His eyes meet mine, and for a split second, the urge to give in washes over me. I supress it. "I saw you hurting, and I wanted - needed - to get you out of there." He takes a deep breath. "I didn't realize you needed to want to get out of there. I should have-"

"You don't understand," I whisper. No one understands.

Harry nods his head. "Can you explain it to me, then? Help me understand?"

I shake my head as tears slide freely down my cheeks. "You'll never understand."

"Try me."

And so I tell him. I tell him everything. I tell him how when Connor and I started dating, I had no one. How he would fight the kids who would push me around at school. How he was so sweet, and caring. I tell him how Connor changed. How he's not so sweet, or caring, anymore. I tell him how, still, I love Connor. And Connor loves me. I know he does. I tell him everything. And he listens.

There's a long pause before he speaks. And when he does, my world shatters. "He doesn't love you. He loves controling you."

I shake my head. He's wrong.

"I know you need time. Time to process everything, time to rebuild yourself." He pauses and sends me a small, reassuring smile. "And until then, I'm here. And after then, I'll be here. You can count on me."

---

Sleep. Wake up. Eat. Talk. Smile. Sleep.