Young & Beautiful

scribbled all those months ago that drunken morning after he’d woken up on the school grounds to
find Harry missing.
It’s the first time he’s spoken of it aloud, and Harry’s eyes widen at the words. He looks glazed
and nearly terrified and…amazed. Harry looks amazed.
It destroys Louis’ insides.
“The quote,” Harry remarks softly, eyes locked with Louis’. “I knew it was you.”
“Obviously,” Louis says, trying for lighthearted, but his voice cracks, feeling weak.
Eyes still locked on Louis’, Harry’s hand slowly begins to raise. He reaches out his fingers, soft
and slender and white, and—as his eyes flick down, breaking their stare—the pads of his fingers
come to rest atop Louis’ lips. He stares in amazement, in reverence almost, and Louis cannot
fucking breathe, his lips burning with the cool touch of Harry’s fingers on his fucking mouth.
And then, just like that, Harry’s standing up.
“I’m tired,” he mumbles, already stalking away. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”
“Harry,” Louis says, completely startled (because what??), fumbling to stand, his limbs heavy.
“Wait--”
“I don’t want to be here anymore,” Harry repeats, and when he turns to look at Louis, his eyes are
cold. “Goodnight.”
And he’s gone.
**
The next day, Harry is missing.
Of fucking course.
Louis had went to his rooms after his lecture, as is custom, and was met with a locked door.
He texted—no reply.
He called—the phone was off.
Fuck.
“Why does he always fucking do this?” he says angrily to Niall as they’re on the couch.
Niall glances at him, before returning his eyes to the television screen.
“You scare him, Lou.”
“Yeah? Well he scares me more,” he grumbles, before turning his attention back to the textbook
on his lap, feeling empty.
**
Harry’s missing for nearly a week. A fucking week.
And wasn’t his birthday coming up? Is this because he doesn’t want to grow up?