Frame of Hearts - l.s.

Chapter Thirty Five

i'm doing my best for daily updates since the book is coming to end very shortly. :)

Sighing to the window, his breath fogs up the glass. Louis draws a smiley face for good measure and hopes that he'll be happy soon. He can't, though.

He doesn't know how he'll imagine himself happy after today. He sighs again, deeper this time, and feels his body sink lower as he leans against the window sill. They're blocked from the sunset's heat, still radiating off the ground from the hot Friday afternoon. They've been locked in the tree house for virtually three hours now and they don't want to leave.

This is Louis' final day at their tree house.

Of course, it'll always remain their tree house, but Harry knows the moment tomorrow comes, there will be no more meet ups at the tree house. There will be no more keep the secret from others so no one else will know. There will be no more no food no entry. There will be no more secret kisses and soothing hugs. After this, Louis will be gone, and the only few chances Harry will see him is at school. Hardly two hours of Louis a day. In the morning for ten minutes, in the afternoon for another ten and then the rest of the time between for lunch and recess. It isn't enough.

He's not going to be able to get Louis to come over whenever he's sad, because he'll be in town, literally half an hour to an hour away. There will be no more outback adventures with them on the back of the ute. There will be no more guitar playing, no more lazing around in the meadow, or snogging deep into the dirt next to the lake. None of that. It's disappearing in less than twenty four hours.

This is the end, Harry supposes. It feels like it. He's stuck in the corner snuggled inside a beanbag and he's called Louis over to join him. Despite the heat wave, he's shivering all alone. He's got little time with Louis and that little time needs to be made up for.

But Louis doesn't move from leaning against the window sill. He's been standing there for a while and Harry's not too sure what he's looking at. His hands are tightened up in a small balls of anger, Harry supposes, but his eyes remain blank, emotionless. 

Harry stands from the beanbag and ambles slowly to Louis. He's tentative of what would happen. Louis hasn't spoken for at least an hour. Harry didn't think that anything was needed to be spoken, but it does. Harry misses his cheery voice, and even if he speaks now, Louis' voice wouldn't be merry. It's toneless like it has been all week.

Two arms around his torso from behind, Louis doesn't jump with surprise. He stays still leaning against the sill and his eyes fall on the LOUIS and HARRY etched into the wood. His fingers run over it. It still felt like forever, hopefully always will be. 

Harry's chin rests upon Louis' shoulder and he sighs, the breath hitting Louis' face like a gust of wind. Louis also breathes out heavily and removes his hands from the sill to set on top of Harry's. He looks to the wooden flooring and bites his lip, watching their hands together on Louis' concave belly. Louis slips his fingers between Harry's gaps and holds him. Harry holds him back.

"I love you," Harry whispers to him. "You'll always be my best friend, Lou."

He obviously means the love of a best friend, and not the other way, unfortunately. "I-I love you too," Louis whispers back. "Always."

Louis undoes their hands and twists in Harry's arms. He faces his best friend and guides a finger under Harry's chin to pull him into a kiss. Harry steps forward and presses Louis on the sill, where he jumps and sits on the wood. Harry settles between his legs, hands on Louis' knees before he kisses his lips again.

He'll miss this for forever, he thinks. This is the last time in the tree house together. This is the last time Harry will kiss him in the tree house. This isn't right. This is all a mess. Everything's fallen to a mess and Harry wouldn't be surprised if the tree supporting the house were to break right now. He'd be happier in the clouds with Louis, maybe. This entire thing isn't working out anyway.