From Everything That Was (Till Everything That Will Be)

Before (Past)

And maybe I don't quite know what to say
But I'm here in your doorway
- this is me trying, Taylor Swift

Harry wasn't taller than Louis, but to Louis' surprise, he was much older.

"My birthday is February first," Harry said one day when they were seated in the attic. Louis had asked him how old he was. "So I'm ten."

"Damn," Louis said. "That's almost a year older than me. My birthday is December twenty-fourth."

Harry smiled softly. "Christmas baby."

Louis nodded, looking down at the floor. They were sitting on his newly built bed. The rain was pouring down outside. Typical for October. Louis had already been living in the attic for a bit over a month, yet he had not unpacked much. If anything at all, really. He had his bed, his dresser, and his boxes of an earlier life.

"Is it nice?" Harry asked. "To be born on Christmas Eve? Or is it a curse?"

"Eh, my parents have always made it feel like I mattered just as much as the holiday, if not more, so I wouldn't say it's a curse, no."

Harry wet his lips, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "Louis, can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing," Louis said. He looked at Harry with mild curiosity.

"Where is your father?" Harry rushed out. "Like, you keep talking about parents in plural but there's only your mom here, so..." He trailed off, looking down.

Louis' whole body stiffened as he contemplated whether to reply to Harry truthfully. He hadn't told any of the kids at school that his father had died, but this was Harry. Harry who quickly had become one of his best friends. Even better than Stan back home in Manchester.

He exhaled. "He died at the end of last school year. Drunk driver on the highway."

"Oh." All the air seemed to leave Harry's lungs. "God—Louis, I'm so sorry—"

"It's fine," Louis said. His cheeks were damp. He wiped them in his sleeve.

"It doesn't have to be fine," Harry said. "Come here." And just like that, he pulled Louis into a sideways hug.

Louis exhaled, letting himself slump against Harry's side. "Thank you," he whispered.

"No problem, Lou." Harry stroked his back. "It's okay to be sad."

* * *

Every Wednesday, Patrick and his wife, Veronica, came over for dinner. It was a tradition that Louis' grandfather and Patrick had even before Louis and Jay moved in, so of course it just continued on as usual.

Louis didn't mind. Patrick was a nice man who always brought a small present for Louis, and he also had some very interesting stories. Louis felt himself lost in Patrick's voice when he spoke of all the adventures he went on when he was younger.

Veronica was also kind to him, though much more reserved than her husband. All in all, Louis loved Wednesday dinners.

One day, a Wednesday at the end of October, Harry stayed over for dinner after having spent the day playing on Louis' PlayStation after school hours. They had played Sly Cooper, a game that Louis' father had bought him on his last birthday.

Patrick came over around five p.m. without his wife for once.

"She is busy with work today," he apologised. "She told me to say hello to you from her."