Spring
"No, no way," Gemma protests before slamming her row of cards down on the table, "You fucking cheat, every time."
"You're just jealous," Louis snaps back. He rakes in his winnings; a bag of crisps from the machine on the third floor.
She rolls her eyes. "Did you see that?" She asks pointedly at Harry, "He cheated, you saw that, right?"
Louis' head flings back as he cackles. That stirs Gemma up, making her laugh just as loud.
Once the moment of absolute insanity deflates, she gets up from her chair and strings her bag over her shoulder. "I'll get you next time, Tomlinson. Swear to GOD, I'll destroy you."
"I'm terrified, really." He sarcastically snickers.
"What's this?" She asks after a moment, causing Louis to shuffle in his seat. When he looks up at her, she's holding the book from the bedside table. "Sleeping Beauty... Did my mum bring this?"
Louis blushes. He's...embarrassed?
Because yes, it's a book Anne brought from home that has a very special meaning to Harry, so it makes sense. It's a sentimental thing between mother and son. That's all! That's really all it is. Really.
Him reading it to Harry every night is for her.
He'd seen the movie as a child. Liked it, but never watched it again. Everyone knows the story of Aurora, the sleeping princess that wakes up to the love of her life, a gorgeous prince, waiting to kiss her.
Louis never cried when he watched the movie.
When he reads the dramatic tale to Harry, he sobs. Breaks down and lets every ounce of emotion pour through the words that come out of his mouth. He fucking performs the characters when he reads it out loud. It's between Harry and himself, and he finds it quite beautiful, but that is to remain between them and only them.
Gemma doesn't know any of that.
He gulps, swallows his guilt and embarrassment.
"He's a good listener."
"You read it to him?" Gemma replies. Her voice hesitates towards the end, endearment mixed with sadness on the tip of her tongue. Her eyes finally raise to meet Louis' as her fingertips hover on the cardboard cover.
He nods.
"That's really sweet, Louis," She nearly whispers. Clearing her throat, she walks over and hugs Louis. It's kind of awkward, like when a sister is forced to hug relatives she doesn't quite know. It's quite dear, though. Tight. "I'll see you later," She smiles before turning and leaving the room.
His heart is swollen in his chest. This family, Harry's family, has grabbed every slice of his being and taken him in. When his eyes wander back to Harry's sleeping figure, he notices the way Harry's chest rises and falls in time with his breath. Notices the small curve of Harry's lips, and he wonders what it would be like to kiss them. What it would be like to be kissed by them.
When did he fall so far in love with him?
YOU ARE READING
Once Upon a Dream
FanfictionWhen Louis sees Harry wheeled into the doors of the ICU for the first time, he knows he's screwed. What he didn't know was that, even in a comatose state, patients can still hear you; and they tend to dream about what they hear going on around them...
