How to stop syncing between laptop and desktop?

For starters, I've tried this:

1. From your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud.
2. Next to iCloud Drive, click Options.
3. Desktop & Documents Folders.
4. Click Done.

But anything I began to delete from my laptop was also happening on my desktop. What I'm trying to do is make more space on my laptop without putting the files on my desktop at risk of being deleted. I just want them to stop syncing entirely! I've tried signing out of iCloud on my laptop but it left me on a loading screen for days.