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"God fucking dammit!" Harry groaned as the car failed to start for the fifth time in a row. He was running out of fuel and stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Nowhere, meaning a dark alleyway his GPS had to lead him to.

He sighed and sat on the seat, hanging his bag on the door as he tried to dial Niall. His efforts, however, went in vain for the area lacked network coverage, and all he could was try to start the car again.

With much difficulty, he opened the bonnet, a whiff of black smoke hitting his face as he did. Coughing, he moved aside, clutching onto the open door as he tried to find a pack of tissues. After managing to grab a pack, he wiped his face clean, immediately turning his attention back to the evidently damaged part of the automobile-

When the heavens felt he needed more trouble, and his brand new jacket got caught in the gap between the opening of the bonnet and the car.

He tugged slowly at it, trying to not tear it in the process, groaning again as the jacket refused to budge.

In the struggle and hustle of everything, Harry hadn't heard footsteps approach him.

"Need help there, love?"

"Oh god, yes-" Harry turned around to look at the source of the voice and his heart dropped to his stomach as they caught each other's eyes.

Harry checked the time. It was eleven pm- bedtime. He wished his mum goodnight and ran upstairs, to his room.

After changing into an outfit he thought Louis would like, he sat on the bed, waiting for his mum to go to sleep, picking his nails and bouncing his leg.

He soon heard the click of the light switch and soft footsteps, followed by the unmistakable sound of the door lock. Ten more minutes and when he was sure Anne would be asleep, he grinned to himself, pulled his boots from under the bed, and opened the window.

He looked toward his right, then left, glad his step-dad had left the ladder outside after cleaning the rooftop: It made getting back in much easier.

The coast was clear, b ut L ouis wasn't there yet.

He sucked in a sharp breath, heart pounding against his ribs. Without wasting another second, he leapt out of the window.

H e landed on the grass with a soft thump. Quickly sliding his boots on, he jumped the fence and looked around for Louis.

"Tsk, curly, here!"

He turned to his right and saw him standing on the other side of the road. He smiled and waved and Louis smiled back as Harry jogged towards him.

"Why weren't you outside my window?"
"Too risky, someone could have seen me." He whispered as they began their walk.

Louis- Harry's best friend. They'd known each other since they were six and Harry had been pining over him since they were twelve. He was pretty sure he was in love. But it was only in the final year of their high school that they discussed it. The feelings were mutual.

Louis wanted their first date to be a secret, he didn't want anyone to see them. He'd asked Harry, reason unexplained, who'd agreed on the condition that the date would be on Valentine's day. Only Niall knew of it and he called Harry a lovesick sap.

It all felt like a dream to Harry. He was head over heels for his best friend and he actually liked him back. They'd grown up together and they were now going on a date.

Harry was already daydreaming about their wedding, Louis didn't have to know.

"Car's round the corner," Louis told him as they walked down the street.

They were walking down the cobblestone path when they heard a loud thud, followed by profanities.

"Oh fuck." Louis muttered under his breath as he looked at the source of the noise.
"What's wrong?"
"That tosser! Run?"
"Wha-" before Harry could complete his sentence, Louis grabbed his hand and started running.

The wind hit their faces as they ran down the wobbly path, fingers interlocked and hands swinging back and forth.

They'd always raced, running the smallest roads, through the gardens, anywhere they could.

But running with, and not behind or ahead of Louis, hands together, blood rushing to their ears as they fled felt so new and illicit to Harry and a dazed smile took over his face, followed by a breathy chuckle.

"There's the car!" Louis said, trying to catch his breath and open the door.
"Lou, keys." Harry panted.
"Keys, yeah, keys." He muttered to himself and dug his hands in his pockets. "The fuck?!"
"What's wrong?"
"Can't find them." He looked again only to find his lighter and a pack of cigarettes.

He suddenly widened his eyes and leaned to look into the car from the window, cupping his hands on the side of his face.

"Shit, Haz, I locked them in!"
"What?!"
"Keys, locked in the car!"

They stood quietly for a minute until Louis clambered onto the bonnet of the car.
"What do we do now?"
"Dunno," Harry murmured as he sat beside Louis.

Silence hung around both the boys, Louis locking their ankles as Harry rested his head on his shoulder.

"What a wonderful first date." Louis chuckled.
"I mean, I am getting to be with you, so it's still fun."
"Styles, you sap." He laughed, flicking his finger over his nose. Harry giggled.

"Knock Knock." Harry began after a while
"Who's there?" Louis asked hesitantly.
"Butch, Jimmy and Joe."
"Butch, Jimmy and Joe who?"
"Butch your arms around me, Jimmy a kiss, and lets Joe," Harry said, throwing in an exaggerated wink.

It was not at the pick-up line but the wink Louis started laughing at, throwing his head behind and clutching his stomach as he did so. Harry joined in, giggling as their shoulders brushed.

The laughter died soon but giddiness lingered as Louis pulled his cigarettes out.

"It's okay right?" He asked. Harry nodded. "Light my cigarette, will ya?"

Harry smiled and took it from him as Louis reached out for his other pocket.

Harry clicked the lighter on, flame hovering near the cigarette until it caught fire. He handed the lit fag to Louis who in return, gave him a handful of candy.

"They reminded me of you. Your strawberry body-wash to be exact." He smiled as Harry unwrapped one and popped it in his mouth.

They sat in silence again, only sounds of soft chewing and sighs filling the air, as their hands found each other in the small gap between them.

Harry swallowed the last bit of the sweet as Louis dropped the fag to the ground, putting it out. He too, popped a candy into his mouth to make up for the absence of gum.

"'M sorry, our first date turned out so shitty." Louis sighed, looking at his feet.
"It's alright Lou. It's not like you did it on purpose."

He smiled and turned towards Harry, who as he predicted, was looking at him.

Their eyes never left each other, smiles never fading.

It was a split-second decision, both leaned in, grip on each other's hands tightening as their lips met in a hurried kiss.

They moved closer to each other, metal clinking and echoing under them and their tounges mingled in no time- Louis taking initiative and Harry giving in, tilting his head.

They pulled apart breathless, resting their foreheads together and chuckling.

"What an amazing first date." Harry laughed. Louis hummed in agreement, kissing the tip of his nose.

They spent the next hour chatting about everything they could think of, basking in the smallest details, a gentle brush of lips now and then and the softest caresses.

They walked back to Harry's when it got too late, Harry climbing to his window with the ladder.

Louis waved him goodbye, smiles permanently etched on their faces. Harry watched Louis walk away, excited to see him the next day.

What Harry didn't know, was Louis wasn't going to show up the next day.

Or the day after.

Or ever in seven long years.

They stood in silence, just looking at each other, concerns long forgotten.

Harry had changed a lot in seven years. He wasn't wearing the same checkered red flannel covered in lint, or skinny jeans that seemed to be painted on him. He now donned what seemed like Gucci, his nails painted a bright red, a pearl necklace. So different but yet so Harry.

But Louis? Louis still seemed the same.

Blue eyes, black jeans, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in his hand.

It was Louis, who broke the silence with a small, barely audible "Hi."

Harry's posture stiffened as he stood up from where he was crouched, jacket freeing itself on its own.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, resisting the urge to ask about the hundreds of unanswered phone calls and texts, or flinging himself at his best friend, his first love.
"I live on the other street. Was passin' by." He said, voice gentle. "What are you doing 'ere?"

Harry's heart picked up pace and blood rushed to his ears as he heard Louis speak.

"Was on my way home from, uh, work." He mumbled, immediately turning away and going back to the open bonnet.

He shut his eyes tightly when his face was hidden from Louis' sight.

He wanted to cry. He wanted to bombard him with questions. Hug him. Be close to him again. Shove him in the chest and ask why?

"Uhm, do you need help?" Louis asked hesitantly.
"No, thank you." He replied, trying his best not to look at him or let his voice waver.
"Harry-"

The bonnet shut with a loud thud. Harry was crying.

"Louis." He croaked. Louis wasted no time rushing to his side, pulling him in a hug.

He was hesitant at first, worried that Harry would be uncomfortable but Harry melted in his touch, crying on his shoulder. They stood there, arms wrapped tightly around each other with barely any gap, as though it were making up for the time passed.

"How are you?! Where the fuck were you? Why'd you leave? And why didn't you tell anyone, anything?" Harry let out in one breath, the fastest he'd ever spoken.

Louis sighed.

"As anyone who's disappeared would say, I can explain. I really can. But d'you wanna listen?"
"Of course I want to!" Harry exclaimed, pulling away from their hug and wiping his tears.

Louis gave him a weak smile and hopped onto the bonnet. Both of them were thrown back into time again.

Harry copied him, clambering onto the bonnet and sitting on the other side.

A little far away.

"I'll get to the point. Long story short, me mum's boyfriend was homophobic, abused-" he shuddered. "Mum. She managed to keep us safe until he hit me one day. That night was the breaking point for her. We ran."

It was a lot for Harry to wrap his head around.

"You can't just, info-dump, on me like that." He mumbled.

"Harry-" he began, voice exasperated. "I really don't want to waste your time. Like seriously, I'm surprised you cried when you saw me, I didn't expect you to even remember me."

Harry frowned.

"Of course I'd fucking cry!" He yelled. "Louis you were not just a silly crush I managed to bag a date with, even you know that! We bloody grew up together, twelve years! I've still got pictures of us in the attic, I've still got that stupid pebble you gave me when we went on that trip to Brazil, I still have mine from our matching superman t-shirts, I think of you every time I see a football, every time I see strawberries, every time Niall puts on 'Grease'! I loved you, Louis, loved you."

Louis was taken aback.

"And I think I still might." He thought to himself.

It was Louis' turn to tear up.

"I'm so, so, so sorry Haz." He said reaching out to hug him again. Harry's heart leapt at the nickname. "I'm so sorry."

Harry had rarely seen Louis cry. And he knew, even after years, that Louis cried only when he hit rock bottom.

And so, with every broken sob, Harry's heart sunk.

"I saw it with my own eyes Haz, he hit mum. My sisters were in the garage, I couldn't bear it anymore. I tried to stand up but it only made everything worse."

"The moron was a police officer, knew his ways through the law, tricked mum into giving all her money to him. We had to run or we wouldn't live, Harry."

"Louis, you don't have to tell me anything." He managed to say. "I know you wouldn't have left without a trace for no reason. I was just devastated, and only because of that I asked the questions. You don't have to."
"I want to Haz, I missed you all these years. You were my best friend Harry and I'm not kidding when I say I've loved you since we were eighteen."

And so, they sat together again, ankles locked and Harry's head on Louis' shoulder, catching up with lost time.

"But she's happy now. She found a perfect man, who's worth having her. We've got another set of twins, I finally have a younger brother. I managed to catch up with everyone, make myself a career." He explained. "But something always felt missing all along."

Harry's heart picked pace again.

"And what was that?" He dared to ask.
"As sappy as it sounds- Love." Louis sighed.

Oh.

"Love?"
"Nothing's changed, you're still the oblivious one, Styles."

Harry's cheeks flushed pink, matching the sunset they were seeing.

"Really?"
"Yeah, really."

Harry ran up the staircase, banging his fist on Louis' door.
"Lou?!"
"A minute!"

Louis unlocked the door and Harry shoved the bouquet of roses in his face.

"Why didn't you tell me before?!" He squealed, launching himself onto Louis.

Louis had finally decided to confess his feelings for Harry. He'd asked him to meet him behind the mall after school. He brought a bouquet of roses and waited. But Harry was a little late- which disheartened Louis, who left the flowers with a note, ran back home and locked himself up in his room unable to bear what he thought was rejection.

"Wait, what?!"
"I've had a crush on you since we were twelve, you moron!" Harry yelled as Louis tried to set him down. He failed to do so as Harry didn't let go of him.

They toppled, Louis falling on top of Harry.

"Wait what?!" He asked frantically. "Yeah! Didn't you hear me?!"

Louis gasped.

"Really?" He whispered.
"Yeah, really."

Hesitantly, Harry added a quiet "Me too."

Louis' head snapped towards him.

"Wait what?"
"Didn't you hear me?"

Louis held back his urge to kiss him, quickly turning away.

They sat quietly, watching the sunset.

"I- I should get going." Harry broke the silence.
"Oh. Uhm, yeah, alright. I need to get going too."

They looked each other in the eye. The silence seemed to last for ages.

"Really?" Louis whispered.
"Yeah, really."

And in a beat, their lips collided in a kiss.

Harry placed his hand over Louis' chest, the other cradling his jaw while Louis' hands settled hesitantly on his waist.

Faces flushed, they rested their foreheads together. No words were exchanged, they only looked into each other's eyes, basking in the familiar warmth.

"Do you want us again? I really missed you." Harry whispered.
"If you want to try, I missed you too."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really."

They smiled for the first time in the evening. Wholeheartedly, like their eighteen-year-old selves.

After exchanging numbers and hesitantly departing, Louis reached home, slumping on the couch with a sigh, taking in a long, long day when his phone suddenly pinged.

And the white box across the screen with a 'Harry' on the top read 'You still taste like strawberries and cigarettes'.

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