A World Without Augusts

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Hi hi hi Ik it's been a minute and I have another ongoing book but this is so so sugary soft. Dw I'll finish 'The Sun and His Moon'. 

This story wouldn't be possible without my amazing beta T and @princess_bubblecum who makes all these amazing covers. A massive thanks to both of them.

Louis smiled to himself, the day had started out great. It hadn't rained all day, his suit was pressed and ready, and best of all, his boyfriend had gotten them breakfast in bed. He was happy, it was everything a man could ask for. Well, at least a man who was an exec at Browning and Sons living in London. And for once, his laptop's keyboard wasn't the one who was getting the worse part of his frustration. All was on track. Life seemed good, lovely even, at the very moment.

"Louis," his boss called for the third time but he didn't hear until then, too focused on the task at hand.

"Yes, sir?" he asked, getting up.

"Can I see you in my office in five minutes?" he asked while knowing full well what Louis' answer would be.

"Yes, of course, sir," he smiled until he walked into his office before he could follow behind.

As much as Louis told his idiot brain to shut up with all the bad possibilities, he really couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in his gut as he walked to the door that led to Matt's office.

Louis stumbled out of the office building, unable to speak. The box of office supplies in his arms seemed unbelievably heavy, like it was holding the weight of all his work, his ambitions. All he worked for, the all-nighters at business school, weekends spent on getting his degree, all had fallen apart in a mere half-hour. What was supposed to have been a steady job of at least ten years had been cut short to three. He wished the tears would fall, the disappointment in himself piling like fallen leaves. The world seemed so fast at the moment, everyone had jobs, everyone had a place to be and everyone would get a paycheck at the end of the month. But he wouldn't. He would be left trying to get a job half as amazing in all aspects as the one he lost.

He stepped inside the lift of his flat, the words Matt said playing on repeat inside his mind. "You have been a wonderful employee for the entirety of the time you've worked here. You know our profits aren't very high right now and we are looking to make some reductions in the office. You, unfortunately, are one of them. I am so sorry it had to be this way, I would have loved to have you around. I'll write you a letter of recommendation, I'm sure a man as brilliant as you will have no problem finding another job." Louis scoffed at the image in the lift's reflective glass. All he had been able to say was "I'll miss working with you and all these people too. Thank you, Matt." He should've asked questions, he should've asked where he went wrong, he should've written down all of them as he watched him sign his name on the letter.

His shared flat seemed ghostly all of a sudden. He had never seen what it looked like on a Tuesday afternoon. Every piece of furniture felt foreign, untouched. He dropped the box of pastel highlighters, pens and folders on the sofa, walking to the shelf to get the packet of cigarettes calling his name. It all seemed rather ironic. Louis was the kind of person who would never stop speaking, even if it was to himself and now he was rendered speechless and not a single emotion gracing his features. He had worked hard for his position at the company, sacrificing vacations and weekends to turn in his work early. Of course, Luke had hated that he never had quite enough time for him but Louis had always said it was for the good of the two of them. All that seemed so useless at the moment, so unnecessary. He should've taken days off, he should've taken Luke to see France, he should've stayed in bed a couple of minutes longer to kiss him goodbye. He would've if he had known what Matt had been holding up his expensive sleeve.