Labels || H.S. [#Wattys2020]

SIXTY-SEVEN

This time around touring was beginning to wear harder on the boys. It was after all the first leg since Zayn had left, the first leg since they knew that by the end of this tour there was no multitude of work for them. This was the first time that they didn't know what would come next, and as much as it scared them, it excited them.

As the idea of the hiatus began to grow on the four boys, it became clear that perhaps one year may not be enough to make up for the five years of giving up basically the entirety of their youth to one record label. At least, that's what Harry was soon thinking as he laid in his bed, restless, after the fourth show of the European tour.

It was late into the night, and as he was still jet-lagged, Harry found himself thinking about everything he had missed in the last five years. He tried not to think about it much, he knew that if he did he'd find himself in one of those fits of depression that he attempted to avoid whenever possible. But the night called for it seeing as within two days Reagan would arrive. And thinking about Reagan made him think about the future, and how she played into it of course.

He heard Louis snore softly across the room as he laid on his back and shifted upon the stiff sheets. He couldn't help but think of his mate, how he was going to become a father. How one year couldn't possibly be enough to spend time with his baby. He thought of Niall, of his family, how he hadn't seen them since Christmas and how he hid the pain it caused him because he wanted to be strong for them. He thought about Liam, how his girlfriend Sophia was beginning to lose her patience with him. How she wanted to be with him, to build a life with him, and how all he could tell her was that they had to wait. But most importantly he thought of Zayn, how he had to leave to be able to himself again. How as much as he wanted to be mad at him, he just couldn't, because he knew what it felt like to be drowning in loneliness and to not have someone who could rescue you from the overwhelming sea of sadness.

He knew that his life was far from tragic, but nonetheless at times it just wasn't enough. He wasn't sure that all of this was worth it in the end if it caused them this much pain. He loved to sing and he loved to tour and he loved all the love the fans gave him and the support they provided, but it just wasn't enough. And he knew he shouldn't feel that way, but tonight for some reason he did. He felt that crushing weight upon his chest once more and yearned for the girl who kept trying to avoid the fact that they belonged together.

"What are you mooning about now?" Louis whispered, clearly knowing that Harry was still awake from the fact that he heard him sigh every ten to fifteen seconds.

"Nothing." Harry said a little too quickly, turning his back toward Louis' side of the room and trying to fall asleep at the very instant.

Louis sighed loudly, "Is it because Reagan is going to be here soon?"

"Kind of."

"Well what else is it?"

"I don't know. You know how it is, three AM ponderings."

"No, I really don't. That's when people fucking sleep, Harold." He added in a yawn, just for emphasis.

"Go back to sleep then." Harry said, rather dismissively in a harsh whisper, "I'm fine."

"You're not fine. And we both know you're just going to be pathetically sighing and moving around all night. So spare me the act, what's up?"

"Do you think a year is enough?" Harry asked, turning back to face Louis, and reaching over to turn on the dim light upon the table beside his bed.Louis sat up upon his bed, cross legged, already giving up on his much needed sleep.

"For what?"

"For a hiatus." Harry said avoiding Louis' stare.

"You think it should be longer?"