Right By Your Side ~ Larry Stylinson

Chapter 5: Friends

"Maybe all we were meant to be is beautifully unfinished..."

Ella Henderson

It was a tense walk up to SeaWorld the next morning, Zayn not saying much and Louis just trying to calm the butterflies that had set up camp in his stomach. He had come to a decision this morning – one he hoped he was strong enough to stick with.

When they'd entered the house the night before, Zayn had been giving him the full silent treatment, had done so all the way home. As Zayn had tried to walk toward the stairs, Louis had grabbed his arm.

"Zayn, nothing happened."

"Maybe not Lou" Zayn had replied quietly, his tone resigned "but it would have if Niall and I hadn't interrupted you. You seem hell bent on being stupid, so it's only a matter of time really, isn't it?"

When Louis had remained quiet, Zayn went on. "I won't tell you again what a mistake it would be, Lou, but I will say that I love you and I want you to get better. Your parents paid a shit load of money for this treatment and I put my life on hold to come and support you. Don't you think you owe it to yourself and everyone else who loves you to get better?"

He had left Louis standing in the hallway, feeling guilty and wretched, and gone upstairs to his room. Louis had grabbed a beer from the fridge and sat out on the back deck by himself, watching as the sky turned a burnt orange and vowing to speak to Harry in the morning. He owed to his family and he owed it to Zayn, but most of all, he owed it to himself.

He had gone to bed agitated and woke in a cold sweat, whimpering and shaking as Zayn held him until the nightmare dissipated.

So here he was, on the way to his morning session with Harry after promising Zayn he would sort out the mess he'd made with Harry, tired and wrung out. He was fervently wishing he was anywhere else right now and was not in any way looking forward to speaking with Harry, but he knew in his bones it was the right thing to do.

***

Harry was hanging up the remaining wetsuits that had been washed the night before in the change rooms. He had arrived at work absurdly early this morning, unable to sleep and too worked up to stay at home. He needed to occupy himself, so he didn't have to think about the discussion with Louis that was looming.

He had spent the evening before lying on a sun lounge in the garden, wrapped in a blanket with Liam in a similar pose beside him, pouring his heart out. He told Liam everything, including the almost kiss.

"I've behaved so badly Liam. It's not like me to be like this, especially over someone I barely know! I nearly kissed him today – in fact I would have if Niall hadn't walked in with his boyfriend in tow. It was all sorts of awkward."

"Harry, you need to get this thing under control for both your sakes or it'll blow up in your face. You don't want to put your job in jeopardy" Liam had told him.

"No I don't and I also don't want to compromise his treatment" Harry had replied. "I want to see him get better, not be the reason he doesn't."

Liam had reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "That's your answer then – you need to keep it professional, whatever it takes. I'm sorry it can't be different Harry, but you have to put any idea of romantic involvement with this boy out of your mind."

Harry knew he was right, had steeled himself to speak with Louis this morning, but he couldn't help the tinge of melancholy that had settled over him, the feeling that he was missing an opportunity for something wonderful.

There was a knock at the door and he called out a greeting as he walked out into the office and found two smiling faces waiting for him. Ashton, a fellow dolphin trainer and Luke, the new intern, stood milling around near Harry's desk in their wetsuits.