March 16, 2023
Charlie is 18, Louis is 17
Louis drags his feet slowly along the sidewalk, dreading each step, but knowing that he needs to keep moving. He's watching the sidewalk; where he's going, he doesn't know, just that he needs to get as far away from the place he called home as possible. It's a month after his seventeenth birthday, and the day has come where he was kicked out. Louis' been expecting it, but it snook up him, leaving him unprepared.
"Excuse me," he says quietly, having bumped into someone.
"'S alright," the other guy says, cheerily, in response. Louis looks up to see a head of dark curly hair, and green eyes looking straight into his. For some reason, the brief exchange of glances seems more intimate than it should've, and Louis feels closer to the stranger than he's ever felt to anyone before. It's like the world around them has stopped, and the only two people in the moment, despite being on one of the busiest streets in the area, are Louis and this mysterious boy, staring into each other's souls, and it's evident to Louis that the other boy has had the same sensation.
"Hi," the brunette breathes, breaking the moment, extending his hand. His other hand holds a bag of groceries.
Louis reaches out and grasps it, shaking slightly. "Hi," he says back, hastily. He can see his breath in the air, as it's rather cold for March, and the skin on his hand is chapped, as he isn't wearing gloves. The warmth of the stranger's hand comforts him for a second.
"Charlie." The boy offers, as he looks not much older than Louis.
"Louis." Louis says back. He doesn't know why he's telling the stranger his name, but he feels like he can trust him, for some reason.
"Louis," Charlie repeats, "Where're you headed?"
"Nowhere," Louis says honestly, smiling. "I've been kicked out."
Charlie shakes his head, his eyes narrowing, as if he's considering what to say next. "That's awful." Louis opens his mouth to protest, because it's really not, but Charlie cuts him off, "Do you want to come to mine and eat, or something?"
Louis' mum has always told him never to talk to strangers, never to give strangers his name or information, and never to follow strangers to equally strange locations, but seeing as if his mum had kicked him out, and she wasn't with him, and he'd already broken two of the rules, he agrees.
"C'mon," Charlie says, starting to walk down the street. "We're not getting any younger."
So Louis follows him.
March 16, 2024
Charlie is 19, Louis is 17
"Hey Lou?" Charlie asks as he laces his fingers through the younger boy's, turning his neck to see him. It's normal behavior for them, they're very touchy-feely, and you'd think they were dating if you didn't know better. Louis wishes he didn't know better.
"Yeah?" Louis responds, looking back at him.
"You never told me why you got kicked out last year."
"Oh," Louis swallows. "Right."
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want," Charlie assures him. "It'd just be nice to know."
Louis nods. He's been contemplating when to tell Charlie, but he guesses that now would be an acceptable time. He's pretty sure Charlie's 'The One' for him, and that he wouldn't leave him when he finds out. So he'll tell him.
"Is it bad that I'm happy you were kicked out?" Charlie says softly. It's not really a question. Charlie knows that Louis isn't upset about being kicked out. Louis smiles. "It lead you to me." Charlie adds.
