Night Changes

"Are you sure you want me to come out?" The voice was mellow, slightly shaky.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Harry smiled overconfidently. "I'm Harold Smiles. Who are you?"

"Liam Payne." The figure was tall and light-skinned, with wavy, unkept hair and heavy eyebags under his brown eyes. He stood in front of Harry hesitantly, as if he was afraid of Harry.

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked.

"You cut your hair yourself," Liam said in his monotone voice. "Because you live alone now. You're 21 years old, wild and free, and your favorite color is..."

Liam fidgeted with the pocket of his pants before pulling out a faded piece of cloth.

"Orange," he said with a smile.

"H-how the hell do you know that?" Harry asked, now a bit afraid of Liam. Something about that smile made Harry afraid, and his brain laughed at him just as Liam answered him.

You idiot, he's a vampire.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe I was once your age."

"Shut the hell up!" Harry screamed, oblivious to the now appalled Liam. "There is no such thing as a vampire!"

"Are you like all the rest?" Liam had raised his voice a little. "Do you see me as creepy and weird because I was once wild and free as well?"

Harry's shoulders started to shake a little. He was afraid, not of Liam, but his brain. "Stupid brain..." he managed to say before breaking down entirely.

Liam fidgeted again, thinking that he had hurt Harry.

"Hey... I'm sorry," he said, quietly.

Harry remained silent, sobbing into his hands.

"Hey," Liam knelt down, now at level with Harry's face. "I said sorry... I hurt you."

He enveloped Harry in a warm hug, resting his head on Harry's jacket. He smelled strongly of sweat and roses, and this smell somehow calmed Harry. He opened his eyes, and stared at Liam's tangled mane.

"Your hair smells nice," he commented, reaching out to touch Liam's hair.

Liam stood up, seeming to know what Harry was about to do next. He didn't like strangers touching his mane-for him, that was his only sense of privacy.

Harry took the hint and nodded, folding his hands together. "You don't like people touching your hair," he noted.

"Not people," Liam said. "Strangers."

"Were you abused before?" Harry asked.

"Not by anyone close to me," Liam said. "But by the only person who knows every chapter of my life better than anyone else. I know him so well.. well enough to know that this is his fault."

Liam sat down on the ground, spreading his long legs out. Harry sighed, wiping his face. He was getting sweaty in the hot summer breeze, in spite of his short hair.

"How about you?" Liam asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Harry replied, confused.

"Why do you talk to yourself?"

"I'm lonely." It was the first thing that came to Harry's mind, although it probably wouldn't have affected Liam so much, had he not been compassionate.

"You can't possibly be that lonely," Liam said, standing up, then sitting next to Harry. "I mean, what's wrong with talking to the moon?"

"It's a way of escape," Harry said softly. "The psychologist said that I'm lonely, so I talk to the moon to let out my emotions."

"You don't trust other people?"

"Only my best friend, Louis."

"Is there something about the moon that reminds you of Louis?"

It was just a simple question, but in some way or another, it stirred Harry's inner voice, which had been quiet for some time now.

It's the moon-eyes, Hazza, Harry's voice told him.

"His eyes..." Harry whispered, trailing off mechanically. "His eyes are green and they shine like the half-moon in the sky. When he laughs, the eyes become crescent moons, and when he's mad..."

Harry began to cry again, but this time, he didn't hide his face. Liam took his hand and held it for a long time.

"So your lonely heart trusted a good friend," he said. "Lucky you. I never had a person I could call 'best friend'."

"D-do you want me?" Harry's voice was shaking with emotion when he finally spoke.

"What?" Liam raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

"Do you want to be my friend?" Harry asked, looking up.

"Of course!" Liam's face broke into a grin.

Harry smiled, glad to see Liam smile for the first time.

"Then let me make it official. What do you say to a shopping spree? Then, let's eat fish and chips and sleep in 5 star hotels."

"Aye!" Liam said, standing up.

Harry stood up as well.

Time to show Liam what having a friend feels like! His brain said, just as excited as he was.

Harry laughed, as if to tell his brain, "Not bad for a first night. Not bad at all."

Notes

Chapter 3. ILY all this much.

So now that I've done some shit, I might take some time on the next chapters... or so. Maybe I should collab with someone, so PM me or something if you want. But you have to be consistent and shit or I wouldn't want to work with you. Probs best to send me a part of your story to show me what you got.

Anyhow, just a thought: do you think this is gonna be Larry? Why?

Oh and yes, Harry and Liam are going somewhere... see ya in the next ch.