Worth Fighting For

Chapter Five

A/N - So.... yes there's two parts today cause I was a dumbass and forgot to actually publish the part for a few days ago. 

Also I am so sorry.

Harry drums his fingers along a bouncing thigh as the car drives up the long drive leading to Simon's house. Something's wrong. He knows something's wrong. He's known since Louis got that call from Simon. He had begged Louis not to go that morning. The knot in his chest now tells him he should have tried harder.

"Harry, lad, calm down I'm sure it's all fine," Zayn reassures him, noticing how nervous the boy is. Herry shoots him a quick smile before looking back out the window. The car pulls to a stop in front of the front door and Harry's throwing the car door open and running into the house without another thought. Relief floods him when he sees Louis standing just inside waiting for him. A smile takes over his face and he surges into his boyfriend's arms, burying his face into the crook of Louis' neck.

But Louis doesn't hug him back. Instead, he gently pries Harry off of him, stepping back with a sad look. Harry's heart twists.

"Hazza... we need to talk, love," Louis says softly, sadly. Harry nods, numb and scared. Louis looks at the other boys, just now walking in, telling them, "Lads, Haz and I need a minute, yeah?" as Harry lets Louis take his hand and lead him into the adjacent living room. They sit down on the couch and Louis takes a deep breath, running his thumb over Harry's knuckles lightly.

"Louis, what's going on?" Harry asks, looking at Louis with wide eyes.

Louis can't do it. He can't. He can't break Harry's heart like this, he just can't- but he has to. Or god knows what Simon will do. So Louis runs over the story he concocted last night instead of sleeping. He takes another deep breath and raises his eyes to meet Harry's emerald green ones.

"It's over, Harry," Louis whispers. He sees all the emotions that flash across Harry's face- confusion, disbelief, worry, and then heartbreak. Pure, unabashed heartbreak.

"W-what do you mean?" Tears are welling in Harry's eyes now, and Louis is barely able to hold back his own. He just has to get through this.

"Harry, it's over." Louis can't look at Harry. He can't look at Harry and lie to him like this. So he looks at their hands instead. "I- I met someone else. Her name is Eleanor. But Simon asked me to wait to tell you till after the tour. He asked me to come first to tell me they were cutting the tour short and I could tell you. I'm so sorry, Hazza-"

"No," Harry whispers, shaking his head. It can't be true. "No, no this is Simon's doing, what did he do Louis?" Louis just shakes his head, drawing in a shaky breath.

"I'm sorry Harry. I-" He can't do this. "I love her." He has to do this.

Harry actually feels his heart shatter. He feels it break into a million pieces. He doesn't believe this, he can't believe this. He takes Louis' chin in his fingers, making the older boy look at him. There are tears in both their eyes and Harry has to stop his lower lip from wobbling.

"Tell me again," Harry demands, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "Tell me you don't love me, tell me you love someone else."

This is it. Louis has to do it. He has to. "I don't love you, Harry. I'm in love with Eleanor." It's interesting, Louis thinks, how he can actually see, actually feel it when Harry breaks. He doesn't know what it is exactly. But he sees the instant it happens, feels it like a stab to the heart.

"Louis, please-" Harry begs, but Louis can't take it anymore. He has to get out of here, he can't be here. So with a broken, whispered "I'm sorry," he squeezes Harry's hand and runs from the room, no longer able to hold back tears. The boys are standing right outside the door and reach for him when they see his tear-streaked face, but he's too quick, and the boys are too worried about Harry to chase after him.