[Wednesday 16:32 p.m 42b Dulwich Road, Herne Hill., Brixton]

Louis took a deep breath before giving the door a short knock. The sound of Harry's voice had made him worried, what had he been doing? Why did he need help? But when Harry opened the door, still fully dressed, cheeks rosy, with no signs of what Louis had imagined finding, he could relax.

"Come in," Harry said, avoiding Louis's eyes as he moved back up the stair and inside his apartment. Louis bit his lip as he studied Harry's slow walk. He walked like a fucking zombie, "Thank you for coming, I thought I was losing my mind there for a bit," Harry said and gave out a low chuckle.

"Harry," Louis said and closed the door behind them, biting back a laugh, "Are you high?"

"No!" Harry said and took a step back, brows furrowed. Louis gave him a questioning look, and he burst out into laughter, "Yeah, okay, I'm bloody baked."

"I figured," Louis said under his breath as he hung his jacket on a hook beneath the hatrack. It wasn't just the walk and the eyes that gave him away, the apartment reeked, "Alright, I'm here, what's the emergency?"

Harry walked inside the living room and spread himself out on the sofa, resting his head on a cushion, "I'm okay for the moment, but when I called,...everything was spinning and I swear my heart was coming out of my chest. I thought I was going to have a heart attack!" he said, and then closed his eyes as an unpleasant look passed over his face, "Ah fuck, here we go again."

Louis knew that face, so without thinking he went into the kitchen, found a large glass and filled it up with cold water. Harry would need it, and that would be the only thing he would need for a while.

"Harry?" He asked as he placed the glass on the living room table, "What's worst?"

There were twitches in Harry's face before he slowly opened his eyes to look at Louis who stood bent over him, "It feels like I'm fake. Like I'm not real," he said, his voice shrill. Sweat formed on top of his upper lip, his cheeks blushing with heat and his hands shaking in his lap, "Louis!" he said, clenching his fists.

"Yes, I'm here. What can I do?" Louis sat down beside him, careful not to sit to close.

"Please, tell me I'm real," Harry's lips trembled.

"You're real, everything around you is real!" Louis said with the calmest voice he could manage, but it wasn't enough for Harry to stop shaking in fright. Louis knew too well what he was going through, but he wasn't sure he was allowed to do those things he knew would help.

"No, no," Harry shook his head, "I'm freaking out, you-you have to reassure me, please," he opened his eyes and looked at Louis with pleading, desperate eyes.

Louis inhaled a lung full of air, he needed to help him. He swallowed, looking down at Harry's hands in his lap. He had to.

"Okay, I'll do my best," Louis said as he exhaled a deep breath and turned around on the sofa so he faced Harry completely. Before he continued, he reached out his hands and grabbed Harry shaking ones from his lap, placed them inside of his own and held them tightly. God, they were soft, he thought but shook it away. No time for distractions.

"Harry," He said calmly, "I want you to focus on the pressure of my hands on yours, okay?" he said and hugged Harry's hands harder. They were a lot bigger than Louis', but somehow they fit perfectly inside his embrace.

"Okay," Harry whispered.

"I know it feels like you're losing control, and I know it's scary, but try focus on my hands. They're the proof that you're real, that you're here," Louis said and watched as Harry's breathing slowed down. The worst was over for now, but it would definitely come back.

"Are you feeling better?" Louis asked after a few minutes, still with Harry's hands tightly held in his.

"I think it's going down for now," Harry said and opened his eyes, "Thank you," he smiled at Louis who got very aware of the fact that he was still holding onto his hands as Harry's eyes met with his.

"No problem," Louis said, and let go of Harry's hands before he would feel the sweat coming out from them, "Drink some water," he pointed at the table, "I'm sorry to say this, but it will come back."

"Fuck, I know," Harry sighed and took the glass to his mouth.

"You smoked too much, newbie," Louis teased him and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Don't you think I know that?" He turned to look at Louis who hid his laughter behind his hand, "Hey, don't laugh at me. It's bloody awful!"

"I know, I'm sorry," Louis gave him an apologetic look, "I'm here to help, not to mock."

Harry looked at him, his eyelids heavy as he smiled, "I'm glad you came."

[Wednesday 19:45 p.m 42b Dulwich Road, Herne Hill., Brixton]

Three long naps and five glass of water later, the room had finally stopped spinning as Harry opened his eyes. It had gone dark outside, the only light in the room coming from the TV. Harry rose his head from the cushion, a yawn left his lips.

"Oh, hey, you're awake," a soft voice spoke and he looked to his right. Oh right, Louis. Had he been here all this time? "I turned on the tv, hope that's alright."

Harry rolled his neck, "Yes, of course," he straightened himself and grabbed his glass from the table, "I'm sorry I'm such a lousy company."

"Hey, don't mention it," Louis said, looking at the TV, but then he turned to look at him, "Are you feeling any better?"

Harry inhaled, "Much better. The room isn't spinning and your voice sounds normal," he said, resting his chin in his hand.

"How did I sound before?" Louis said, laughing.

"It's hard to explain, but, like if we were inside of an aquarium and you were miles away, but also like an old music box from a horror movie, I-" he stuttered, and realised Louis was giving him a grin, "Forget it."

"I'm sorry!" Louis said, giving him an apologetic pout, "I won't laugh, I promise. It's an awful feeling, I know."

Harry nodded, and let his eyes wander to the tv-screen, where Monica Geller was busy fluffing her cushions. It had been awful, the feeling of not existing, just the thought of it made him nauseous. He couldn't imagine what he would have done if Louis hadn't shown up. His presence had really helped him, it was as if he had known the exact right words to say. A short memory of Louis' hands around his flashed by, and he glanced over at him. What was it with this man that made him feel so,...safe?

"Hey," Louis said after a while, averting his gaze from the TV, "What happened today?"

Harry's eyes met his before he turned away, he didn't know if he was ready to talk about it. He wasn't sure he even knew himself.

His shoulder tensed, "Sometimes..., I get overwhelmed," he said, looking down at his fingers, "And when I get like that, it's impossible to do anything. How am I supposed to act when my own mind is going round and round and round," he spun his hands around his head, and Louis followed his movements with steady eyes.

Louis opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, "If you sorted your own mind out, do you think that would make you able to act again?"

Harry sighed, "I want nothing more than that," he turned to look at Louis who was already looking at him with those soft blue eyes that Harry had already without realising associated with safety. '

"I-" Louis began but got interrupted when the phone on the table gave out a buzzing sound, he looked at it and Harry noticed the crease that appeared between his brows, "I'm so sorry," Louis turned to Harry, "I have to take that."

"Of course," Harry nodded and watched as Louis picked up the phone and walked out into the hallway. He turned to the TV, did his best not to let his attention turn to Louis low mumble in the hallway, but he failed.

"Danielle, I'm sorry," he sensed the tension in Louis' voice, "I've been at work all day and,...Yeah, I know, I know," pause, "No, you don't have to worry. Nothing happened, nothing at all, and that's a promise," he heard the fast pacing of Louis' feet as he moved around the narrow space, "It won't happen again, okay? Ever. What?!" he raised his voice, "Tell me you didn't call Lottie, she has enough on her plate as it is," pause, "Okay, good, good. Yes, I will. Okay, call you tomorrow," another short pause, "Love you too."

When Louis returned, Harry sat with his eyes steady on the tv-screen, not showing any sign of that the had just been eavesdropping his very private phone call, "Sorry 'bout that," Louis mumbled as he sat down. Harry just shook his head, still with his eyes on the tv.

"Shall we order some food?" He said, his stomach aching.

"Would love that! A big munching pizza?" Louis said, smirking.

Harry gave out a long grunt in agreement and left the sofa to grab the meny from the local pizza place from the fridge. As he stepped inside the kitchen he couldn't get rid of the nagging thought of the name Danielle, and he couldn't for his life understand why.