A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. We're on vacation right now and we seem to always be doing something. Anyways. Love you<3

\/\/\/ 

The door slammed closed.

Harry didn't know whether he should feel sad or panic. The way his eyes started to water and the lump in his throat grew seemed to say sad, but the way his heart was beating out of his chest was saying panic.

Through blurred vision, Harry tried to gather his clothes as fast as possible. It didn't matter how he looked right now, he just had to catch Louis.

He managed to get dressed in record time. His shoes put up a fight, refusing to fit over his heels as quick possible and Harry cursed them for that. His jaw was set tightly with stress and determination as he stormed out of the flat and out onto the dark street, brightened by street lanterns.

But that was it.

He looked around, left and right, but he couldn't find a sign of Louis. Or anyone else for that matter.

Harry wasn't about to give up now though. He took long, fast strides around the block, trying to spot Louis or find a clue where he went. One time around, he walked left, then turned around, to the right. He walked into every side street that was around Louis' house.

In vain.

Returning in front of Louis' front door for the eighth time, he took a deep breath. This wasn't getting him anywhere. He needed to clear his head for a few seconds. His phone. He could call Louis.

Reaching into his pocket for his phone, he cursed. Of course, it was in the flat.

Louis' flat, Harry realized. Louis had ran out of his own flat. That meant Harry couldn't expect Louis to come back before he knew Harry was gone. That was just how Louis was, he ran. But, shit, Harry couldn't go into the flat to get his stuff, like his flight ticket for example, before Louis came back.

Harry ran his hands through his hair, trying to figure out what to do. He had no idea what time it was, no phone, none of his belongings except for his clothes and the unimportant things he had left in his hotel room, a flight to catch at nine thirty in the morning, and the person he not only needed to solve everything but genuinely cared about was mad at him and had run god knows where. Great.

Harry started to panic. He didn't know in what trouble he would get in if he didn't catch this flight and show up at his job in time. Harry hated getting in trouble, that's why it didn't happen often.

Zayn, Harry suddenly remembered. Zayn was the solution.

He started to walk the path Louis and him had taken to get to Zayn's party. Fortunately, it wasn't a complicated or long path so Harry could find the house without further distractions. Harry was aware that it was sometime in the night so it was likely that he might not get a friendly welcome but he was desperate.

When the door opened after Harry rang the door bell for the third time, a rather dishevelled Zayn opened. His voice was slightly raspier than Harry remembered, probably from the sleep, when he asked, "Harry? You're Louis' Harry aren't you? What's up? Why are you disrupting my beauty sleep?"

Harry smiled. That wasn't as unfriendly as he had feared and with the Italian accent was kind of cute. "Umm... does Louis happen to be here?"

Zayn furrowed his eyebrows, "Unless he broke in while I slept, no."

"Oh," Harry said, "Umm... I'm really sorry to... disrupt your beauty sleep," Zayn let out a hoarse laugh. "But... umm... this is kind of an emergency so, umm, could I possibly use your phone to call him? Err... I also don't have his number memorized?" Harry was really uncomfortable asking all that of Zayn at arse o'clock in the morning. He wasn't even his friend. Fiddling his thumbs anxiously, he awaited Zayn's answer.

He was surprisingly accommodating. He waved Harry in and closed the door. Instead of giving Harry his landline phone like he had expected, Zayn grabbed his mobile phone, pulling up Louis' contact and handed it over to Harry. The latter was incredibly thankful that Zayn didn't ask any questions although Harry owed them to him.

It took only about three rings for Louis to pick up, "Zayn? Ciao, mate." 

"Louis." Harry breathed.

"Harry?" 

"Yeah," Harry panicked when Louis didn't answer but shuffling was heard instead, "No, Louis. Please don't hang up. This is important. Please. Just listen to me."

"Harry," Louis' voice was more soothing than Harry had expected, "I know it was a great time but I think it would be less harmful if you just go without too much goodbyes and stuff." 

Harry took a deep breath, "Okay, well. It's all good and well if you want to treat this like a dream that you woke up from when you get back into your flat but that will be kind of hard if my stuff is all over the place." The words burned in his throat. He didn't want this to be a dream to be woken up from. Pretending it never happened.

Louis was silent for a moment. "Oh." He said in realization, "Have you locked yourself out of my flat without taking your stuff?" 

Maybe Harry imagined it but he could hear a hint of amusement in Louis' voice. "Well, yes."

Louis sighed, "Your flight goes at nine thirty, doesn't it?" 

"Yeah." Harry whispered.

"I'll meet you in front of my house at eight o'clock." Louis decided.

"But Louis-..." Harry started to protest but Louis had already hung up. He stared at the screen in disbelief. It was 3:03 o'clock, Harry noticed. So where was he supposed to stay for the, well, five hours he still had of the night?

He looked at Zayn. No, he didn't want to ask him. He had already been far too friendly for someone who had been woken up in the middle of the night by some acquaintance. He clicked the contact again.

"Harry-" Louis sounded annoyed.

"Louis," Harry said hastily, "It's three o'clock in the morning. Where should I stay? Where are you staying? What am I supposed to do?"

Louis sighed, "Go back to the hotel or something."

"Oh," Harry said, "I didn't think of that." 

He must have sounded pretty dumb because Louis let out a laugh. Harry could swear it was at least a little fond. It didn't matter because next thing he knew was Louis saying "Bye." And hanging up before Harry could say anything else. 

Harry sighed sadly and hung up too. He was starting to feel the tiredness that had been suppressed through the energy that came along with sex and the agitation of the fight afterwards. 

Taking the phone Harry was giving him back, Zayn offered, "Wanna crash here? I have a couch." He shrugged.

Harry thought for a second, "That would be so amazing. Thank you so much."

Zayn gave him a lazy smile, his eyes drooping. "Come in. I'll fetch you a blanket."

Harry entered the living room and sat on the rather big couch. His feet were hanging over the armrest but he was almost fell asleep right there. Zayn came back and handed him a green-blue patterned blanket. Harry send him another thankful smile.

"Thank you so much. And just so you know, I have to be at Louis' at eight so, well, I don't know when you're planning to be awake but I'll probably be gone by then." 

Zayn just nodded, "Night, mate." Then he went back into his room to sleep. 

He was an interesting guy, Harry thought. He never said more than necessary and didn't even ask Harry what happened but still helped him out. 

Before Harry fell into a restless sleep he laid awake, thinking about what to do with the situation he and Louis were in. He couldn't figure it out before he was asleep.

/\/\/\

Fortunately, Harry's inner alarm clock didn't fail him. At 7:30 he woke up, like every normal week day, although it was Sunday. He let himself out of Zayn's house quietly and was at Louis' about ten minutes later. 

He waited anxiously. He had no idea how to act when Louis came back. 

The older man arrived at eight AM sharp, which was strange since he was almost never punctual.

He only nodded at Harry's careful "Hey Lou." Silently, they walked up to the flat. Louis unlocked the door and let Harry in. The business man went into the bedroom to retrieve his bag and whatever else had landed in Louis' flat during the last two weeks while Louis disappeared into the kitchen. 

Harry was disappointed in Louis' cold behaviour towards him. He had hoped they could at least talk. In less than one and a half hour Harry would be in a plane that brought him back to London. Home.

That shouldn't bring tears into Harry's eyes. It shouldn't. But it did. 

It weren't only tears of sadness. Also frustration. Frustration that the one person that Harry fell for the hardest in his entire life wasn't by his side, not even talking to him, shortly before he was leaving. Like he didn't care that this was the last time they saw each other in who knows how long. Like this whole thing they had was onesided.

But Harry knew it wasn't. He wasn't full of himself, he really wasn't. But he knew what they had was not onesided, that the glances Louis threw his way were truly affectionate, that the way he talked to him wasn't like he normally talked to people. 

Once Harry had gathered all of his possessions he stomped into the kitchen determinedly. "Louis." 

The addressed lad didn't look up from where he was sitting on the table with a tea in his right hand and a book in his left one. The only sign that he heard Harry was the tension in his shoulders and the disinterested hum. 

"Louis, why are you acting like this now? I know, I know this isn't an easy situation but I really don't think this is the way to go." Louis still didn't react. "Lou... This doesn't have to be the end, does it? I mean, we, errm..." He paused, then continued in a slightly smaller voice, "You feel it too, don't you? This is special. We shouldn't let it fall like this. We can figure it out, along the way. It doesn't even have to be that complicated."

When Louis still didn't react Harry sighed and walked up to Louis, crouching down in front of him. He took the book and the tea out of Louis' hands and held them in his. Louis didn't have a choice but look at him. Harry didn't know how his eyes looked but Louis' were shining with unshed tears. 

"Lou." Harry whispered. "We'll make this work. Promise."

He thought he almost convinced Louis but suddenly, the blue eyed pulled his hands away and pushed his chair back abruptly. It made a startling scraping noise that sounded deafening in the silent kitchen. Louis stood up and paced around the kitchen.

"Harry. I told you. I told you from the beginning." He turned to Harry, looking directly into his eyes, "Why couldn't you listen to me?" He almost shouted.

"Lou..." Harry said softly.

"Don't Lou me." Louis sounded angry. Angry at Harry. Angry at himself. Angry at his feelings. Angry at his ex-boyfriend. Angry at anything that brought them into this situation, "We can't hold a long distance relationship. We're both affectionate people. We would miss each other too much. We would miss being around each other constantly. It would be a constant hurt, Harry." He got a bit quieter, "This one will pass, Haz. We just need to distance from each other. Then everything will be fine... Everything will be fine."

"But Louis." Harry protested, his voice shaking a little. Louis sounded like he had put much thought into this. But Harry didn't want Louis to be right, "We will be so much more miserable without each other at all."

"I don't think so, Harry." Louis said, a lot softer than the angry rant, "I got over my fiancé in about five month by finding myself. We were only remotely together for two weeks. It may be hard in the beginning but we'll get over it. And with much less time and complications. We'll get over it. I promise, we will."

Harry ran his hand through his hair in frustration, "You don't get it. I don't want to get over you. Louis, even if it has been only two weeks, you already mean more to me that anyone else ever has." He whispered, his voice breaking slightly, "We can't ignore this."

Louis smiled slightly, but it was bitter, "That's the point, Harry. We will hurt, constantly, if we do long distance. I have trust issues, Harry. There will be a constantly nagging voice in my head that any second you could find someone better. There's nothing you can do to change that."

"I'm not your ex, Louis." Harry all but shouted.

Louis whispered, "You remind me a lot of him."

"Wh-what?" Harry was shocked.

Louis ran his hands over his face in frustration. "Harry, I have a type. And you just happen to fit into it exactly. But, like, you're not exactly like him. You're more generous and you're more endearing with the way you speak and more soft and, honestly, you're the best person I have ever met. But you also have dimples and green eyes and this eyebrow shape and you're tall and you are insistent and a little shy sometimes, just like... him."

Harry took a deep breath. If he was being honest, he didn't like that he reminded Louis of his ex. But... "I am not Aiden, Louis. You said so yourself, I am better. Louis, I can be better." He took a step closer, "I'm not gonna leave you."

Louis smiled again, that bitter-sweet smile, "Funny, he told me the exact same thing."

"But I mean it." Harry insisted.

"I'm sure he did too at the time." Louis smiled softly, apologetically, "Haz," He took a step closer and rested his hand on Harry's cheek, "Unpredictable things happen in our lives. You don't know what you'll think when you wake up tomorrow morning. I know right now... you think I'm the only one or something. But I'm not, Haz. There are way easier ways to have a relationship, Harry. You'll find someone and have your happily ever after, but it won't be me."

Harry's heart hurt. Tears stung in his eyes. 'No!', he wanted to yell. 'You're the only happily ever after for me.'  But he knew there was no point. Louis was stuck in his belief that they could just let go of each other and find something better, someone to make them happier.

So instead of disagreeing, he pulled Louis close. So close that it had to be suffocating for Louis, but he didn't say anything. They held onto each other for a while, letting their tears fall. "I'll be fine... Everything will be fine." Louis mumbled. Harry wasn't sure if he was reassuring Harry or himself. Eventually, Louis started to squirm. "You should get going. Can't be late for your flight."

Harry squeezed him even tighter, if possible. Despite the circumstances, Louis started to giggle. "That tickles." For a moment, Harry didn't know what he meant. Then he realized that him nosing on Louis' cheek meant that his hair was tickling Louis' neck.

Harry grinned at the sound. But it dropped as soon as his eyes caught the sight of the clock hanging above the kitchen counter. He squeezed Louis close again and burrowed his face in his neck, "Will you come to the airport with me?" He whispered.

Louis sighed heavily and lifted his head, forcing them to look at each other. "I don't think that is a good idea." And like that, the air around them thickened again, suffocating.

"Why not?" Harry whispered.

Louis rested his forehead against Harry's shortly before pulling back completely. Harry was holding onto him stubbornly but Louis pried his hands away, taking two steps back. "Isn't this hard enough." He whispered.

Harry swallowed hard, "It doesn't have to be."

Louis shook his head at what Harry was implying. "It wouldn't work." Louis whispered, but his own words were thick, like he was holding back tears. "Come on." 

They walked to the door where Harry slipped into his shoes and jacket. Louis watched him from a respectable distance. The silence was suffocating. The air was thick with unspoken words.

Harry squeezed his eyes shut for a moment to not let the tears fall that were tickling in the back of his eyes. Then he stood up straight and looked at Louis. The older man seemed to try to smile but it didn't reach his eyes. The beautiful crinkles around his eyes didn't make an appearance. 

"So..." Harry took a deep breath, "This is it?" His voice was hoarse.

Louis' face lowered to the ground, "Yeah." He whispered.

Harry swallowed hard, "Can I, at least, like... kiss you?" He saw how Louis hesitated so he pressed, "Please?"

Louis looked up with watery eyes and gave him a small, barely noticeable nod. Harry stepped into his space, touching his cheek with one hand and resting his other on Louis' waist. Then he leaned down and laid his lips over Louis' carefully. Louis pulled him closer, almost like a reflex. The kiss started to get more intense, desperate. Their lips moved together almost frantically and their grips on each other grew tighter. A tear slipped down Harry's cheek, making the kiss salty and more wet. He was sure Louis was shedding tears too. Harry caressed his cheek with his thumb, attempting to soothe him but spreading the wetness instead. 

Louis was the first one to part, only a few millimeters though. "You should get going." He whispered.

Harry gave a small nod but leaned in again. Louis indulged. Parting wasn't easy for him either. But he had to be the voice of reason. Knowing Harry's flight was about to go in barely one hour he managed to get Harry going.

They whispered their goodbyes before Harry was walking through the door, heavyhearted. 

Louis ran to the window, watching Harry leave for good. It would be for the best...

He just didn't know why his gut was weighting down so heavily. 

A/N: Just hold on. 

Everything's gonna be alright... aaiaiaight...

Honestly, it's gonna get better:)