Voices Carry

Louis sighed, letting his head fall on his pillow. This was his eighth attempt at trying to fall asleep tonight and it just wasn’t working. He couldn’t get the picture of how distraught and upset Harry was earlier. It was honestly tearing him apart inside.

He pulled himself from the bed and made his way to his bathroom. He opened the cabinets, hoping to find a bottle of sleeping pills. He sighed when the only thing that was in there were his medications.

Dammit, Harry. Louis sighed, slamming the door shut.

Louis headed towards the kitchen, hoping that Harry hadn’t replaced everything in there with bottles of Louis’ medication.

Louis stopped in front of Harry’s door, the sound of crying catching him off guard. He hated that noise more than anything in the world. It had been so long since he last heard it.

One year earlier - November 18th, 2011

Louis grabbed a megaphone off the kitchen table, pressing the on button.

“HARRY STYLES! PLEASE REPORT TO MY BEDROOM! AGAIN, HARRY STYLES PLEASE REPORT TO MY BEDROOM!”

The alcohol flooded his mind as he watched Harry’s cheeks flush red at his comment. Louis winked, pumping the megaphone in the air with one hand. The party goers around them all mumbled and laughed and Liam pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, not sure whether he was amused or if he should be stern.

Louis giggled, dropping the megaphone and running as fast as he could upstairs. He knew he was way too drunk to even think straight. It was their CD release party for their first album and to celebrate he and Harry threw a celebration party at their flat.

Louis took his shirt off and fell onto the bed, letting the nice breeze from the air conditioner send cold chills down his body. He knew there was only one thing he wanted tonight...

Harry crashed through the bedroom door in a fit of laughter, obviously drunk himself.

“Louis! Louis! Can you believe it?!” Harry landed face first onto the bed. “We made it! The album is done; it’s out!” Harry giggled a little bit as he pulled himself up and wrapped his arms around Louis’ shoulders.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” Louis smiled, leaning his face close to Harry’s, “but you know what would be even more amazing?” He whispered.

“What?” Harry already knew what Louis was suggesting and just smiled.

Louis’ fingers trailed along the buttons on Harry’s shirt. He smirked. “Nobody has to know...” He ran his fingers through Harry’s curls and smiled. “How about it, Styles?”

“It’s like you read my mind,” Harry whispered, smiling right along with Louis. Louis’ smile brightened as he grabbed ahold of Harry’s shirt and began to furiously unbutton it.

“Wait! I have to get something!” Louis jumped up from the bed, laughing, and ran to the bathroom door.

Harry watched Louis’ every move.

“Haz,” Louis stood at the door, smiling.

“Hmmm?”

“I love you, Harry...” Louis finally said what he’s been wanting to for the longest time. He knew that neither of them would remember this night in the morning so it was safe.

Harry stared at him, a little surprised. A small smile appeared back on his face. “I love you too, Lou.”

Louis’ heart skipped a beat as he laughed a bit before disappearing into the bathroom.

Harry laid on the bed, fiddling with his curls. He looked at the alarm clock every few minutes, wondering what was taking Louis so long. It had already been twenty minutes since he went into the bathroom.

Harry got off the bed and stumbled towards the bathroom door. “Come on, Lou! Now you’re just teasing me!” He laughed as he turned the doorknob and opened the bathroom door.

His face fell.

He stared at Louis’ lifeless body on the floor.

“Louis?!” Harry slid to his knees next to Louis’ body, shaking it vigorously. “Louis can you hear me?!” Harry held Louis’ face in his hands. “Say something!!!”

Harry pulled Louis’ body close to him, tears falling from his eyes.

“SOMEBODY HELP!!” He screamed.



“Harry,” Zayn joined the rest of the boys in the waiting room, handing Harry a cup of tea. “Louis is going to be fine. He probably just had too much to drink,”

“I don’t know...He was completely fine...And then that...I don’t get it.” Harry sighed.

“What were you two doing, Harry?” Liam raised an eyebrow.

“Just...” Harry looked away. “We were just talking,”

“Why was Louis shirtless when you found him?” Niall was starting to feel a little suspicious too.

“How should I know?”

“Well, Louis did ask you to come to his bedroom in a very seductive way,” Zayn put a hand on his chin, thinking back to the party.

“Will you guys just shut up?! This isn’t about what Louis and I were doing; this is about if Louis is okay!” Harry’s face flushed red as he stood up and walked away from his friends.

“Nobody has to know...”

Harry leaned against a wall, sighing.

“I love you, Harry.”

He slid down the wall and pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them.



Louis sat on the patient table, swinging his legs back and forth out of nervousness. He couldn’t remember a single thing from the night’s events. All he remembers is waking up in the emergency room. But why?

“Mr. Tomlinson,” Dr. Tucker came into the room, staring at his clipboard, “how are you feeling?”

“A little weak. My head is killing me though.” Louis hated being in hospitals. It was way more nerve-wracking than getting on stage.

“That’s normal in your case,” Dr. Tucker pulled his chair up to the table.

“What do you mean by ‘your case’?” Louis tapped his fingers, biting his lip. He knew by Dr. Tucker’s expression that whatever it was it was something serious.

“Mr. Tomlinson...” Dr. Tucker was obviously struggling with what he was trying to say. “Louis...we went through your scans and...we found something,”

“What did you find?”

“A tumor...” He sighed. “We found a tumor in your brain.”



Louis walked aimlessly down the hallway, towards the waiting room. He knew the boys would be in there, waiting to hear the news. But Louis wasn’t sure how he was going to tell them. He didn’t even know if he could tell them. How do you tell your best friends that you’re dying?

Louis turned the corner and found Harry sitting on the floor.

“Harry?”

Harry looked up, his eyes showing definite signs that he had been crying.

“Lou!” Harry jumped up from the ground and quickly wrapped his arms around Louis. “Oh my God, you’re okay!”

“I’m fine,” Louis lied.

“I was so worried! When I found you on the floor and you weren’t responding...I didn’t know what to do! I thought I lost you!” Harry was, once again, crying.

Louis smiled and placed his hand on top of Harry’s head. “You’re so sensitive,” He laughed. “Don’t be scared, Harry...I ain’t going nowhere...” He smirked a bit and so did Harry.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Harry put his arm around Louis’ shoulder and began dragging him to the waiting room so the other boys could celebrate Louis’ safety with them.

“Yeah...me too...” Louis sighed.

Present Day

“Louis you shouldn’t sleep on the floor.” Harry walked out of his bedroom and found Louis sleeping on the floor right outside his door.

Louis opened his eyes and looked up at Harry.

“I heard you crying...I guess I fell asleep while waiting for you to stop,” Louis rubbed his eyes and sat up straight. “I had a dream about our CD release party,”

“That was supposed to be a good day, but it went all wrong...” Harry joined Louis on the floor.

“I don’t really remember it. I only remember the hospital.”

“That’s when you found out, isn’t it?” Harry laid his head on Louis’ shoulder. Louis just nodded slowly, not able to speak. “You should have told us,”

“Did you tell the lads?” Louis looked away, not sure if he was ready to confront anyone just yet.

“Liam already knew...but I think you need to tell Zayn and Niall. It’s the right thing to do, Lou. We’re your best friends...” Harry lifted his head up to look Louis in the eyes.

“You’re right...I guess we should have a band meeting so we can all talk about this.”

“There’s one more thing, Lou...” Harry felt his stomach doing flips. He wasn’t sure if this was the right time to bring it up.

“What?”

“Why...” Harry was having trouble getting it out. “Why did you lie to me when you said there was nothing anyone could do to save you?”

“There isn-”

“I know about the surgery, Louis. I know that you can get surgery to save you.” Harry could feel the tears rushing to his eyes. “Why did you lie to me?”

Louis’ stomach sank.