Spaces between us hold all our secrets, leaving us speechless, and I don't know why.

~One Direction, Spaces

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Author's note: the paragraphs in italics are from the past, so don't get confused in those moments because there will be a lot in this story.

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Harry wrapped an arm around Louis's tiny shoulder, giving the boy a look of annoyance. "Look, you need to at least act like you're in love with me. You love acting. So play this up."

Louis sighed and looked around the packed club before pulling slightly from Harry. "Come on, babe. Let's go get some drinks." He could sense the paps around them and he didn't want anyone to happen to hear of their situation.

"Don't call me babe," Harry said with a roll of his eyes. "I'll use the pet names."

"Oh, but you were the one who begged me to call you a certain name-"

"Begged!?" Harry repeated, ordering a beer and a whatever the hell Louis wanted. "You were always the begging one."

"It's so nice to speak about our sex life again," Louis said dryly. Then there was a pap in his face with a camera.

"Lou, Harry! Why have you kept your relationship a secret for so long? Are you happy now that you're out? Which one of you fucks the other? Do you plan on getting married now that you're out?"

Louis winced and backed further into Harry, who said, "Please, give us some space."

"Why is our sex life important?" Louis grumbled as they managed to slink away from the paps. "I've gotten so many tweets asking questions about it."

"It's pretty obvious you take it up the bum," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

Louis scowled. "Don't make me-" A pap waddled towards them- "Kiss the hell out of you, you... gorgeous man." Louis wanted to roll his eyes but he was refrained when feeling Harry's lips on him.

Harry's lips, so sweet, always so sweet and slow and they caused Louis's stomach to erupt into butterflies. "I love you, Louis," Harry murmured.

"God," Harry breathed as he pulled away, hiding his annoyance by running a hand through his hair and smiling at the boy.

A security guard suddenly gripped the pap's arm and pulled him away. Harry sighed in relief and Louis frowned a bit.

"This is painful to watch," Liam said, stepping up behind them. "You two don't look like a couple at all. Get to doing something."

Harry scowled. "I just kissed him."

"Let him grind on you, grab some more drinks, snog some more. We'll all be sued to hell and back if you don't get this together."

Harry nodded at his friend and chugged down his drink. He knew this was awkward and that he needed to get it together- for the band.

He tossed their empty cups and guided Louis off to the dance floor, immediately pulling him close. He felt Louis's breath against his collarbone and he leaned in, moving his body against the smaller boy's.

Louis closed his eyes and rocked his own body, never being very coordinated, but he sure could bounce his ass when he needed to and he knew that would be tonight.

Harry breathed out, trying not to lose control but it was so hard to do with Louis. They'd done this before... they'd been this close. It hurt Harry beyond belief that they couldn't go back to how they once were.

"Louis, there's so much between us," Harry murmured. "Maybe we should try to push past it for a bit..."

Louis sighed. He knew Harry was right. But Louis was stubborn. "Harry, I don't think I can forget-"

"I couldn't forget the good things that happened between us but I did what I could for you. Do this favor for the fans, if not for me. Some of them killed themselves, Louis. They killed themselves."

Louis suddenly felt a pull in his heart, the first one since the incidents started happening. And he felt his first twinge of guilt.

"Louis," Harry said quietly, turning Louis to face him. "Please. For the passed fans."

Louis nodded and leaned up, connecting their lips as a camera snapped beside them.

For the passed fans.

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Louis linked his hand tightly with Harry's as he was pulled through the streets, a small smile- though false- graces his lips, waving at the paps.

It had been a month since coming out and the boys were put through hell.

They hated one another so it was difficult to act out love, but they'd gotten a little better, at least. They'd both been forced into faulty relationships before- but never with the same gender and never with someone they were once so close with.

"Want coffee, love?" Harry murmured, pointing to the Starbucks down the street and Louis nodded, going with Harry into the coffee shop. Paps weren't allowed in stores of any sort, so they just peered through the windows and took pictures.

"This is worse than just being a part of One Direction," Louis said bitterly.

"What?" Harry snapped.

"I mean the paparazzi are worse, Harry," Louis hissed, putting on a smile as a few girls in the corner waved and squealed. Harry waved politely back.

"Louis, I don't know what else you expect-"

"Hello, welcome to Starbucks, how may I help you?" The barista said, offering the two boys a smile

Louis thought she was rather pretty, definitely his type- female.

"Hello," Louis said with a smile. "I would like a green tea, please, Venti."

"Just a venti caramel frappé," Harry mumbled, pulling out his wallet to pay. "And two blueberry muffins."

Louis blushed. Blueberry muffins were his favorite...

Once they got their things, they slipped into a corner booth in the back where there weren't able to be seen by sleuthing paps in the window. This is the spot celebrities normally took when they wanted privacy on coffee trips.

"Hey, that's Gigi," Louis said quietly, pointing to Gigi Hadid, who was eating from a little snack plate.

"Shit," Harry muttered as Zayn Malik suddenly joined her, holding two coffees. They looked really happy, Harry noticed. He was at least glad that Zayn was feeling good but leaving the band was simply the wrong thing to do.

"Don't say a word," Louis warned because him and Zayn were no longer friends and Harry was just a nice little twat so it was likely he'd try to be polite and say hi. 

"Shut the hell up," Harry said quietly. "Maybe we can slip-"

"Harry? Louis?" Gigi said, suddenly looking carefully at them. "Look, Z, it's Harry and Louis!"

Zayn turned, offering a fake smile. Louis rolled his eyes. "Hello," Zayn said quietly. "Enjoying a date, I see." He was smirking and this annoyed Louis because Zayn knew of what had happened between he and Harry.

"Well, we were just leaving," Harry said coolly, standing up with his drink and the bag of muffins. "Come, lovely."

Louis nodded and stood, holding Harry's hand. He had a hunch the Zayn hadn't told Gigi the truth about them and that she thought that they were a real couple. That was good. The less who knew, the harder it was to get out.

Louis really didn't want the secret to come out. It was already there and told and he would be straight out of business if the lie was discovered.