Sleepless Nights

1st

The first time Louis calls Harry, he regrets the decision immediately.

Sometimes, Louis would wake up in the middle of the night and dial Harry's phone number, especially after a particularly rough night. Since One Direction had split up it had been difficult to rest at night, and he knew the reason why as much as he didn't want to admit it to himself.

He had gotten a new phone a couple weeks ago, and it's the only reason why he was ballsy enough to call the number he has committed to memory long ago.

Louis desperate to hear the voice that he had missed so much, no matter how painful the reminder was.

He hadn't realized he had made a routine of it until his new roommate had pointed it out one day. They were somehow able to recognize that it had been helping Louis cope with the aftermath of One Direction breakup, and they were kind enough to keep any comments to themselves. Still, that didn't stop some of the knowing glances that he received time to time, but he never paid to much thought to them.

The insomnia had calmed down as the weeks passed by, but it never truly went away. So, when Louis wakes up at four in the morning, sitting upright with his eyes wide open, he doesn't hesitate to grab his phone on the night stand.

Old habits die hard, and he doesn't properly think as he listens to phone ring against his ear. He gets out of bed and begins to pace the room, letting the feeling of the cold floor distract him as he impatiently waits for the call to run to voicemail.

He always banks on Harry ignoring numbers he doesn't recognize, and he knows that it could easily pass as a sales call. He also knows that the man is a heavy sleeper, and he uses this to his advantage as he presses the phone closer to his ear.

Much to Louis's shock, someone answers the line after the fourth ring, and he almost drops the phone when Harry speaks up.

"Who is this?"

Harry's voice is slurred and groggy, and it's clear that Louis had just woken him up from a deep sleep. He feels embarrassment flair up on his cheeks, and he tries to think of a quick answer to fix the situation.

"I must have butt dialed you- sorry about that."

Louis hears a noncommittal hum, and he waits until he breathes a sigh of relief. If Harry were more awake, he would have seen through the lie in seconds, but it seems that he must have woken up from a REM cycle.

"Okay- goodnight Louis."

It was clear that Harry was already falling back asleep even before the conversation had ended, yet the casualness of it all had Louis taken aback.

They hadn't talked to each other in so long ever since One Direction made their break up official, and it makes him wonder if he and Harry didn't have to break up themselves.

He shakes his head, suddenly angry with himself for entertaining the possibility. He doesn't sleep for the rest of the night.