Young & Beautiful

“And feel free to have as much as tea as you like. I’ve got quite a selection, you know,” Louis
says, as Niall hums impatiently. “Even mum says I always keep the best.”
Something in Harry’s face flickers, bright and tornadic, before disappearing completely, leaving
trepidation and sadness. “Your mum?” he asks softly.
Louis nods, brow furrowing.
Something is definitely off.
Harry swallows, looks away. “I wish I had my mother.”
And that sentence…that is a huge sentence. That is a fucking enormous sentence that Harry has
just set down in their living room, and fuck, Louis wants to inspect every inch of Harry’s skin to
see if he’s all right because where did that come from?? And what’s wrong?? And what does that
mean??
Something is so, so wrong.
“Harry?” Louis asks quietly, stepping forward, but Harry steps back.
“Talk later?” Harry asks lightly, clearing his throat. “’M hungry.” A sheepish smile makes it past
his lips.
Fuck. Louis is torn.
“Fuck’s sake, I shoulda just left without you,” Niall sighs with frustration, digging the heels of his
palms into his eyes.
Louis looks at Harry one last time for reassurance. Because should he be leaving? When Harry is
obviously balancing precariously on an unknown precipice?
“Go,” he urges, shushing him forward, and he flashes a tiny pink smile, one that Louis wants to
collect and scoop into his pocket to keep his hands warm.
“Going,” Louis smiles in a song, giving a squeeze to Harry’s hand for reassurance.
Harry’s smile deepens, gazing at Louis.
“See you soon, mate!” Niall calls, clearly irritated, already out the door and leaving it wide open
for Louis.
“Coming, coming,” Louis grumbles, ripping himself away from Harry--an honest struggle. Before
he steps out, he sends one last look back to him. “We’ll be back in a minute. I hope you’re
prepared to eat,” he grins. “And whatever you don’t finish, we’re going to have to throw at people
tonight when we go out. So just keep that in mind, Curly. Wouldn’t want breakfast pastries
sticking to posh kids’ Burberry jackets, now would we?”
Harry laughs again. “We absolutely would,” he smiles, eyes growing warmer.
Louis grins, winks, then goes to shut the door.
“Louis.”
He pauses, turning back around to look at Harry who’s walking forward, face serious. He waits as
Harry’s eyes begin to cloud over, as the sunlight mutes the room in calm. Then Harry sighs,