A Rainy Tuesday || larry

Six.

The problem with missing someone is you don't miss them all the time. You get mad at them and hate them for leaving you. You don't miss them when you're with other people or you're busy doing something. You miss them when you're alone and the rain is falling hard and your bed is empty. You miss them when the lights are out and your body feels numb and you remember the way their touch set you on fire.

That's how Harry misses Chad. He misses him at his weakest moments and he hates himself for missing someone who left him. He hates himself for missing his voice and his hair and the way he smelled. He hates himself for forgiving him so easily and for still loving him. How can he do that when Chad hurt so many people? When Chad hurt Louis?

Harry tugs on his hair as he cries in his bed. His parents are asleep down the hall and he's tempted to knock on their door and crawl in their bed like when he was little. He can't sleep because of his nightmares and he can't stay awake because his mind won't shut off. He just whips his tears pathetically and grabs his phone.

"Hello?" A husky voice answers and Harry sighs at the sound. This voice is one of his favourites.

"Hey, Z," Harry greets him in a whisper. He listens to Zayn yawn and hears some shuffling.

"Hey. Can't sleep?" Zayn asks and Harry just sighs and lies down. He crawls under his blankets and pulls them over his head.

"No," Harry tells him and he feels guilty for waking him up, but he needs Zayn. Zayn is Harrys life line right now.

"Just stay on the line with me then. I'm sorry if I fall asleep," Zayn yawns again and Harry closes his eyes to the sound.

"That's fine. I just wanted to hear someone. I'm lonely," Harry admits sadly.

"Okay. Want me to sleepover tomorrow? I miss seeing Anne," Harry can hear Zayns smile through the phone and it makes him smile in return.

"That'd be great. She'd like that," Harry mumbles. It's the last words between the boys before they both fall asleep.

•••

"So you and Malik?" Louis asks three nights later. Harry looks up from the book he's reading and sees Louis is still painting the walls.

"What?" Harry asks in confusion. He scans over Louis' art work and just sees a storm cloud and a little boy with bright green boots under it.

"You're dating Malik aren't you?" Louis asks again. His full attention is on Harry and Harry blushes at the statement and shakes his head.

"No. Best friends," he rushes out and Louis just smirks and leans back on his elbows. His hair is falling in his eyes and paint is covering almost all of his hands and spatters of it run up his muscular arms.

"Doesn't look like it," he continues to tease and Harry just looks away and coughs awkwardly.

"Nope definitely best friends. I don't look at him like that. He's a brother," Harry explains, looking up at Louis through his lashes. Louis just smirks and rolls his eyes.

"I still don't believe you. He's a work of art," Louis muses and Harry shrugs.

"He's not that pretty," Harry tells him honestly and Louis looks at him like he's lost his mind. Harry really doesn't find Zayn all that perfect though. Sure the boy is attractive, but he's not Harrys type.

"Name someone prettier," Louis dares him and Harry just shrugs.

"You," he answers quickly and Louis goes such a bright pink that Harry actually feels accomplished. He looks shocked and his blue eyes are wide and pretty.

"Oh. Um... Thanks," Louis mutters, turning to hide his face. Harry just smiles and picks up his book.

"No problem," he replies casually but he peaks over to see Louis still blushing. Harry can't wipe the stupid smile off of his face at the sight.

Eventually they fall back into their easy silence and Louis adds some final touches to his painting and Harry finishes the chapter of his book. He folds the corner of the page to mark his place and watches as Louis packs away all his belongings.

"Why are you watching me?" Louis asks in a light tone.

"Because you're interesting to watch. You have a very expressive face," Harry informs him and Louis looks up with a cheeky smile.

"Oh do I?" He questions and Harry bites his lip and nods. "Well you have a very cute face," Louis tells him and now Harry blushes red. "Made you blush," Louis giggles and Harry goes even more red and covers his face.

"Stop. I'm not blushing," Harry protests and Louis just smiles at him and he looks happy.

"Harrys blushing because I think his face is pretty," Louis calls in a sing-song voice. Harry does even more red and groans.

"Stop it," Harry whines and Louis just walks over to him and removes his hands from his face. He brings his fingers up and pokes Harry in the nose leaving a paint mark there.

"See you later, curly," Louis smiles at him. Harry can feel him slip something into his pocket and then watches as the boy disappears with his bag of paints on his back. Harry reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small paper with a phone number scrawled on the inside.