A Rose By Another Name

Chapter Five

Unedited
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Niall had been tasked with investigation by Liam. Liam never told Niall what Louis said when he went to his hotel room a couple of days ago, but Niall knew the basics. Louis liked Harry and they needed to know how Harry felt, too. So, Niall being Niall, it would be easy for him to ask questions before Harry would raise suspicion. That was why Niall decided to knock on Harry's hotel room door at eleven o'clock on a warm Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

"Wha- Niall?" Harry appeared to be extremely tired, but Niall could tell Harry hadn't been asleep yet.

"Were yah sleepin'?" asked Niall. He knew the answer, but this might be the perfect opportunity to invite himself in and get him talking.

"No, no. Did you need something?"

"I'm just bored is all. Tommo's on the bus again and the other two lads are sleepin'," answered Niall. "Mind if I-."

"Come in," smiled Harry, opening the door for Niall to walk in. He was already in his pajamas, it seemed.

Harry's room was always kept tidy, usually. Tonight, however, Harry's blankets had been thrown off of the bed and his clothes that he had worn that day were strung across the room instead of folded into a neat pile. Harry's hotel room looked eerily like how Louis would keep it. Harry looked at Niall and watched him as his eyebrows squished into one another.

"Is something wrong?" asked Niall, finally. "You're never messy."

Harry shrugged. "Just didn't feel cleaning up."

   Instead of arguing with Harry, Niall began to pick up the articles of clothing and trash around the room. Harry protested, but Niall insisted, so eventually Harry gave up and began to help his friend. Harry held up the bin as Niall attempted to make a shot, but it just ended up smacking Harry in the face. They laughed loudly and Niall hoped that they wouldn't wake Zayn, who was next door. If Zayn was woken up before he had to be, he would be angry. Harry ended up playing music from his phone and as they cleaned up Harry's space, the two danced and sang as if they were young kids again. They truly felt, in that moment, as if they had grown up together as brothers and were reliving their childhood. Soon enough, reality crashed on them when they realized the room was spotless.

   "Are you ready talk now, H?" asked Niall, as the two took a seat on Harry's bed.

Harry knew Niall knew something was wrong, he just didn't want to talk.

   "I know you'll be supportive and the last thing you'd do is make fun of me, but that doesn't me any less scared," admitted Harry softly.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, leaning into his pillows. Harry's music, complete with Fleetwood Mac, was playing softly in the background and that helped to calm to Harry's nerves.

"I'm just confused, Niall," mumbled Harry. "I've never really felt this way before. I don't know what to do. It's scary."

Niall knew he was taking a risk, but he decided that in the moment it better than staying silent. "Your feelings for Louis?"

Harry's head shot up and stared directly at Niall, who was staring back. "What?"

"You like Louis," insisted Niall. "Come on, H. You aren't exactly subtle about your affections."

"Do you think Louis knows? Oh god, I hope not. Not yet anyway."

"No, no. Louis's as oblivious as it comes when it comes to your feelings for him."

Harry let out a sigh of relief and leaned back before sitting up. "You don't think it's weird?"

"Harry, why would I ever think anyone's genuine feelings are weird? You can't exactly just wake up one day and decide who you'll fall in love with."

"I'm not in love with him," objected Harry. "I just think he's pretty. Do you think Louis is pretty, Niall?"

"Alright, mate. I'm okay talking about your feelings for Louis, but I won't gush over the looks of one of my best mates."

"Right," laughed Harry. He grabbed a bag of M&Ms from his bedside table and began to eat a few, but as Niall began to pick at the bedsheets, Harry flicked a green one in his blonde hair.

"'Ey! What was that for," laughed Niall loudly. He picked the sweet out of his hair and ate it, smiling back up at Harry. "You're a jackass, y'know that?"

Harry only smiled at his friend fondly. "Thank you," mumbled Harry.

"For what?"

"For being so cool about this."

"You can tell me anything, Harry. Nothing you could ever say to me would change the way I see you. You could be bloody well in love with me and I'd still be your friend. I won't kiss yah though."

"Noted," grinned Harry. He paused for a few minutes before speaking again. "I don't really think I like labels much, to be honest. I'd rather just let love come to me than hold back any restrictions."

"I like girls, like a lot, but I think that's a good way to be," said Niall.

Niall could see Harry look away and blink a few times before rubbing his eyes. He was crying.

"Come here you big oaf."

Harry crawled over to Niall and hugged his friend tightly. Niall could feel hot tears pit through his shirt, but Harry didn't make a sound. He didn't care as long as he was there to comfort Harry and make sure he was okay.

"Harry, the boys and I love you very much. Alright? We'll never think any different of you for liking blokes too. Hell, we're proud, H."

   Harry grinned into Niall's shoulder and released himself from the embrace. "Thank you, Niall. I've been sort of struggling with this for a while now and you being there for me really helps. I, umm, I love you guys, too. I'd probably be in college right now if it weren't for you all being on X-Factor when you were, so thank you."

   "Do you believe in fate, Harry?" asked Niall as the two boys leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Their legs dangling off the end of the bed and their arms were crossed behind their heads.

   "I think so, yeah, but I also believe that if you don't like what fate's given you, you can change it," answered Harry.

   "But isn't that really just fate working itself out? Isn't that just you working through what fate handed you? What if you were meant to work through it or find someone or something else?"

   "I never thought about it that way," mumbled Harry softly. He peered over to the clock and decided that maybe it would be alright if he feel asleep in the middle of the conversation. It was nearly 1:30 in the morning and they had to get on the rode in a few hours.

   "Night, H," whispered Niall as he stood up from the bed, quietly exiting the room and walking to his own.