I Want to Write You a Song

Half a Heart Without You

"Harry, I brought you some dinner."

Confusion paints Harry's face. "Do I know you from somewhere? You look kind of familiar."

"It's me, Louis."

"Louis." Harry says his name, carefully tasting it. "Louis, I'm sorry, but I don't think we've met."

Louis fights back tears, knowing this isn't the time for them. But it hurts... it fucking hurts. Like one hundred knives digging around in his heart. Honestly that might even hurt less.

"It's me, Love. It's me. Louis? Boobear? I'm your Lou and you're my Haz."

He reaches out to stroke Harry's curls.

Harry flinches away from his touch. "What are you doing, you creep! Get out! Go! Get out!

Louis wakes up, gasping for breath. He reaches for Harry's side of the bed and finds it cold and empty. Okay, now he's screaming.

Frantic footsteps break through the hall and the door swings open. "Louis?"

"Harry?"

No wait, it's Liam.

Louis bursts into tears.

Liam is taken aback by the state of his friend. "Niall took Harry to..." Liam pauses. "Run an errand."

It's a weak alibi, but Louis' mind was too preoccupied for him to notice.

"He's okay?" Louis chokes out.

Liam sits on the bed beside Louis and pulls him into a hug. "He's okay."

For now.

--------------------

When Harry comes through the door, Louis almost knocks him over hugging him.

Harry stumbles backwards. "Hi Lou," he laughs, "missed me much?"

"So much, baby." Louis crashes his lips into Harry's, because he's been dying to kiss him all day.

Harry worries that Louis will question where he and Niall went, but luckily he doesn't. Even if he asked, Harry wouldn't tell.

It's a secret he might be taking to the grave.

"So," Harry begins, kicking off his boots, "what are our plans for the evening?"

Louis takes his coat and hangs it up for him. Partly to be a gentleman, and partly because his coordination is getting worse and Louis fears he'd knock over the coat rack again. "Let's see," Louis begins, "I was thinking a movie. And I'll cook dinner, and you'll eat it, please?"

Harry frowns, "A movie sounds great, but I'm not hungry."

Louis sighs, "Love, you know you-"

"No, Lou," Harry cuts him off. "I feel bad today... worse...." he rubs his head. "Worse than normal."

It's only then that Louis realizes how bad he looks. Pale, dry skin. Dark, purple crescents under his glassy eyes. He looked a bit... distant.

"Okay, Love," Louis swallows the growing lump in his throat. "Let's go cuddle up on the couch and find a movie then."

Harry rubs at his head again. "Actually, I think I need to go lie down for a bit upstairs."