"The final contestant who has made it through is..." Simon paused, and the room was completely silent. "Tom Richards!" Louis felt his mouth fall open. I mean, I knew I wasn't going to win, but I thought I might at least have a shot. Guess not. His hands started to tremble and he was fighting back tears. Even though he knew how immature he was being, Louis felt like his world was crumbling. Everything music related that he had done up to this point was leading up to what, this? This disappointment, this pain? Louis shook his head, trying to ignore the stinging behind his eyes. 

Instead of allowing himself to cry, he looked around at the group of people who were onstage with him, taking in their heartbroken expressions. He spotted Harry, and almost lost it right then  and there.

The younger boy was bawling as he walked off the stage, his shoulders shaking and an occasional sob escaping his mouth. It took everything in Louis not to run up to him and give him a bear hug, he just wanted the boy to be blushing and giggling again. But there's no way he wants to see me after what happened at the auditions. What did happen at the auditions? I had tried to say goodbye to Harry, but Hannah had pulled me away, and by the time I looked back at him, he was facing the other way... crying? Louis wasn't sure what the younger boy had been thinking when he was facing away from Louis, but it sure did seem like he had been crying.

Louis was still going over that day's events in his head, sitting on the stairs that led to the stage, when he saw Harry smiling sheepishly at him from across the room. Louis smiled back, and Harry started walking towards him. Shit, he's coming over. Okay, be normal, don't say anything stupid, for the love of god.

"Hey," Harry said, barely loud enough for Louis to hear. "Hey, are you alright?" Louis looked up at Harry, trying to look like he couldn't have cared less that all of his dreams had just been crushed.

"Yeah, m'fine. Just... just really disappointed is all." Louis averted his eyes, feeling himself tear up again. "I honestly can't believe you didn't make it through. You... you were incredible at that audition." Louis, you fucking idiot. I couldn't have just said that he has a good voice? I had to say he was incredible, not his singing? I'm so thick sometimes, I'm already ruining things with him. I mean... not that there's anything to ruin. We're not even friends... yet.

Harry was beaming, somehow still full of happiness and energy, even though he hadn't made it through. Louis knew that he could learn a thing or two from this boy, he was still on the verge of tears.

"Same goes for you! You have the voice of an angel, Lou." LOU????????? lou... L O U. Did he- Did he really just say that?? Oh man, oh shit. Wow. He thinks I have the voice of an angel, ME!!!!!! Christ, this boy will be the death of me. Suddenly Harry's cheeks were a deep crimson, and he was stuttering, trying to explain why he had said Lou. He was failing miserably. Louis had to laugh at the blushing boy. God, he really is adorable. But, like, in the most heterosexual way possible. Hannah, Louis, remember Hannah. Hannah, my girlfriend. Who I love very much and would do anything for. That Hannah.

Louis assured Harry that calling him Lou was no problem, and that as long as he wasn't calling him Boobear, any name was fine. Naturally, Harry immediately started calling him Boobear, and the two began bantering, which almost everyone would've mistaken for flirting. But Louis knew it wasn't flirting, just friendly banter. He was pretty sure Harry knew too. He did... right?

Louis could see that Harry was about to tease him more, and he was smirking in anticipation, when an older man walked up to the two boys, holding a clipboard. 

"You two, go stand over there with the other boys." The man pointed and walked away, leaving Louis and Harry very confused. Louis looked at Harry with a questioning expression, Harry just shrugged.

They joined the group of the other boys who hadn't made it through, and the man with the clipboard started speaking again.

"I'm going to call 5 names, alright? If you hear your name, go stand in a line over there, and you will follow me in one moment, got it?" Everyone nodded silently, still utterly confused. Harry asked Louis what he thought was happening, but Louis had no clue, so he shrugged. 

"Alright. Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, please come stand by me." Louis hadn't realized it, but he was holding his breath, and when he heard Harry's name, so closely followed by his own, he felt like he was going to pass out. Harry flashed a quick (dazzling) smile at him, and started whispering to another boy. For some reason, Louis felt a pang of jealousy, but he willed that feeling to go away. He didn't know what was happening, but whatever it was, it seemed big.

The 5 boys walked back onto the stage, along with a group of girls that had also been called back by the judges.

Nicole started talking about how the 9 singers were "too talented to let go of", but Louis didn't really care. He was watching a certain curly boy as he bounced around on stage, obviously trying to conceal his excitement. He. Is. So. Cute. Wow, Louis thought, thinking about how brilliant Harry's smile was, how gorgeous his eyes were when he stared deep into Louis's soul and-

Louis was interrupted by Simon saying, "We've decided to put you both through." Louis was pretty sure he had stopped breathing at that point. He looked over at Harry, who beamed at him, and that did it for Louis. 

Without thinking, he ran over to Harry, jumping into his arms. Surprisingly, the younger boy caught him and gripped him tightly, like letting go would have meant releasing him into a bear's den.

For about 5 seconds, Louis felt pure bliss. He felt so safe, so at home in Harry's arms. But at some point, Harry had to put him down, and Louis felt like half of him was missing when his skin wasn't making contact with Harry's. But in a friend way. Obviously.

Simon was talking about how they had been giving a lifeline, how they'd have to work incredibly hard, but Louis didn't really care.

The only thing on his mind was what had happened just a minute prior. Harry smiling as Louis ran up to him, Harry spinning Louis around in his arms, Harry existing. As far as Louis was concerned, at that moment in time, the only thing that mattered was Harry. 

And Louis was perfectly content with that.