Falling Up (A Larry Stylinson FanFic)

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Harry squirmed underneath as he waited for him to reply. "Please?" he said again for good measure. 

"Haz... I can't," Louis said, getting up off from the younger boy and laying down on his side next to him so they could talk, even though he felt a physical ache from the space between them. 

Harry turned to face away from Louis. 

"I love you but it's not the right time- you're too upset right now, and I want it to mean something. Plus," he added, "I know you came to understand what being bi meant to you a little while ago, but everything's really new for me still, and I know I need a bit more time to figure it out. I mean, it's been like a day since we kissed, Harry... I need time." 

Harry turned over, his eyebrows knit together. "Wait what did you say?" he asked. 

"I just said I don't want to do anything we're not ready for," Louis said. "Everything's too soon and you're going through too much right now." 

"No," Harry said, with a sleepy smile. "Before that... you said... you loved me?" 

"Oh," Louis said. "Oh shit. So much for taking it slow- fuck." He laughed and covered his face with his hands. 

Harry smiled brightly, "I love you too, Louis." 

"Oh my God," Louis said, groaning in embarrasment with his hands still over his face. "It's been a day." 

"Actually," Harry said, still smiling to himself, "It's been almost five years. But who's counting." 

***

Harry woke up and rolled over to see Louis, who was still sleeping. 

"Babe?" he whispered, hoping he didn't wake up Lou- he wanted to try out a pet name when Lou couldn't react, just to see how it felt to him saying it. Harry had noticed Lou calling him 'love' lately, and it made him feel like his insides were buzzing. "Goodmorning," Harry said softly, smiling at Lou who looked so peaceful in the sheets. 

Harry reached for his phone before he remembered. 

He knew he shouldn't check it before Louis was up. 

Then again, he knew Louis wouldn't let him look at it. 

He opened his twitter page. #AnaHarry and #SickHarry were trending. He scrolled through. 

Of course there were fans showing their support, saying they'd love him no matter what. 

But then there were people who weren't so... nice. 

Harry bit his tongue to stop his eyes from watering. He'd just cried last night, and he didn't want to start it up again. 

But there were articles by the dozen popping up all over twitter, debating Harry's eating disorder, talking about whether he was anorexic or not. He couldn't believe his best kept secret was a headline.

He looked back at Lou's sleeping figure and thought about being tangled in the sheets together, their tattoos pressing together, blurring each of their stories into one.

Second best kept secret.  

Harry slipped out of bed, pausing for a moment to make sure he hadn't woken up Lou. He tugged on a sweater and some socks and padded down the hallway to Liam's room. 

"Hey," Liam said, opening the door after a few knocks. "What's up?" his face sunk as he remembered about the photos. "Oh God, Harry, I'm sorry- come in." 

Harry sat down on Liam's couch, hugging his knees to his chest like he always did when he was anxious. "I didn't know who to tell," he started, "I thought I might tell Niall... but I already admitted about the.... the Lou Thing to you a little while back, if you," Harry coughed a little, "if you remember?" Harry was blushing furiously. 

"About your feelings for him? And the time when you two almost kissed? Of course I remember," he smiled, but Harry could see concern forming small wrinkles around his eyes. "Did something happen?" 

"Yes," Harry said, "Yeah actually, something did... Lou kissed me." 

"He what?" 

"He kissed me," Harry said, his face glowing a little, "Like a lot, and more than once and... yeah," he ran his fingers through his messy curls. "I just needed to talk to someone about it. I mean, it's getting kind of overwhelming aready." 

"Well that's great," Liam said, patting Harry on the shoulder. "I'm so happy for you." 

Harry started down at his hands, twisting the sleeves of his sweater. 

"What's wrong?" Liam asked. 

"It's just," Harry sighed. "Would you want to be with someone with... God, what do I even have?" he said, running his fingers through his hair more forcefully. "I'm more bulimic than anorexic really... plus I binge eat-"

"Harry," Liam said, cutting him off. "What colour is my hair?"

Harry looked at Liam like he was deranged. "Um, sorry- what was that?"

"My hair," Liam repeated. "What colour is it?"

"It's... brown," Harry said, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Everytime you look at me," Liam said, "Do you think- oh there's Liam, he has brown hair?"

Harry started laughing. "I don't get where you're going with this, Li- it's too early for analogies."

Liam laughed. "What I'm trying to say is that no one's going to look at you and say oh there's Harry, he has an eating disorder, people just look at you and think there's Harry. And Louis cares about you more than you think. Trust me. You're not the only one who tells me things around here. Like I'm happy to play your therapist all the time, but I mean, really? You people never want to go to Zayn or Niall- or maybe I don't know just talk to each other-" Liam mumbled, trailing off.

Harry ignored the last part, shaking his curls slightly. "I mean, I know Louis cares, but it's not like-" 

Louis burst through the unlocked door. "Liam!" he yelled, sounding frantic. "Harry's missing again! We have to- oh," he stopped when he saw Harry and a blush crept up on his cheeks. 

"See?" Liam said under his breath, nudging Harry gently. "Told you he cares."