In a swirl of flashing lights [ls]

⋅•∘☽only one is need to know☾∘•⋅

Louis had always been the happy-go-lucky, outgoing toddler. Ever Since he had learned the ability to string in letters to form coherent words, he'd try and be friends with everyone in the sandpit. To him, at that age- it was almost a moral obligation to be in a state of fraternity with all his playmates. Even Sandy- who kept trying to make everyone eat sand. In hindsight, his parents must really regret naming thei-

Making friends in childhood was almost effortless. The children mixed up so easily, becoming mates wasn't a backhander for fulfilling personal agenda and was devoid of ulterior motives.... You like the same cartoon as me? I'm late on the first day and you are the only one with a vacant seat? You're coloring the water the same shade of blue as me? Boom the next thing you know is that they are attached to the hip and being each other's rock in times of crisis throughout the turbulence of middle school. A sense of belonging that might play out throughout life in some fortunate cases.

Around this time the kids become capable of the social skills necessary to get along with others like turn-taking, empathy and communication.

Just like children running, Louis and Harry had formed an unbreakable, almost pious bond at the mere age of six. Although in major cases, the friendships start with some common likes and interests- Harry and Louis' dislike for a particular classmate had served as the common ground in their case. Ben- a classic case of that one student adored by all teachers and compassionate towards his classmate; wasn't necessarily liked by Louis.

For some reason, he thought it'd be okay to talk shit about him to the boy sitting next to Ben (when the boy in question was not present obviously). Looking at it now, it was not a wise first thing to say to the curly boy. It would have gone down in drain if Harry was friends with Ben! But not knowing any better, seven-year-old Louis tapped the boy sitting on the desk in front of him and remarked, "He seems so lousy."

As young as he was, Louis was left stunned as the curly head turned around and looked at him through his emerald-green eyes and a smile so serene it reflected a sense of belongingness.

"Right? That dumb pan even stole my Sparkie- the sparkly mechanical pencil and won't give it back." he furrowed his eyebrows and exaggerated his lips forming a frown as he almost vigorously shook his head.

"I'm Louis Tomlinson." he blurted out and kicked himself mentally.

"Ah! That's a surname I can't pronounce. Can I call you Louis Tommo?" he looked at him hopefully, "But then I'd have to shorten your 'Louis' as well.... Let's see, how does Lou Tommo sound?" The boy seemed so lost in his thoughts that Louis felt like he was invading his privacy by listening to him.

"Lou will do," Louis concluded for him. He watched the boy giggle and marvel at the fact that it rhymed.

"I am Harry," he murmured back like a secret as the teacher entered the class and instructed them to show the homework given yesterday. Louis sighed, he didn't want to stop talking to him. Harry obeyed the teacher's instruction and straightened his back; relaxing it right against the chair and Louis almost got his mouthful of his hair (as he was still leaning a little ahead) but recovered and whispered in Harry's ears lowly.

"Then I am guessing you're Haz for me. And Haz, I am getting your sparkly back."

"Louis, dear pay attention to the board," the teacher reproached gently.

The whole process of confronting Ben didn't exactly go as it should have- turns out their assumption was horribly wrong. Ben had actually been a rather sweet boy (as they said) who hadn't stolen Sparky. Although Louis recalls being very gentle while asking him, Ben started shouting and shoved Louis. He had backed out before the matter inclined but Ben still told Louis off to the teacher for being rude to her favorite student. Deciding it was in his best interest to not make Ben upset again, he concluded that he needed a new plan. However, he never got to implement it.

The next day, Harry came up to him and asked him if he could sit next to Louis. He explained to him in a hushed manner that it was Harry who had left the fancy pencil in his sister's room, only for her to accidentally break it. He apologized to him and pleaded in a weak voice, "Please still be my friend?"

"Haz," he hugged him. How could he think that? "We're gonna grow old together, just you watch."

Louis apologized to Ben, mentally adding a 'thank you for being the causing factor for Harry becoming my friend.' The visibly angry boy just shrugged and grumbled something under his breath that Louis didn't even bother to interpret. Not when he had to run back to Harry and ask him so many questions. The very first being that if he wanted to come to his house in the evening for them to play.

Henceforth, he got to know so much about Harry. His likes, dislikes and some very quirky habits reserved for his eyes only. One of the first things Harry told him was that his mother was a teacher in their school. A very disciplinary and strict teacher- as he would later find out. He might not agree with half her methodologies but he respected her wholeheartedly. She was one of those teachers you are sure to miss once the college professors commence their reign of terror.

The only time he felt that maybe these disciplinary measures of her could get a bit too harsh, was when she took some stern steps after Harry got caught foul-mouthing Ben at the age of eleven. The term 'foul mouthing' here (Louis is convinced) suggests that he (must have) called him a 'dimwit.' That's as far as his glossary of colorful words extended at that age! This ought not to be a punishable offense. But as a respected teacher, she had to make sure that her students didn't think she was partial to her son. Louis hadn't realized how unjust the level of punishment was until he (after a lot of pleas to Harry) accompanied the boy to Ben's house to deliver cookies. Now his house wasn't what Louis would describe as 'at walking distance.'

The way Harry thrusted the jar in his hand and scowled "You're still a little shit and a dumbpan!" at an unbothered-looking Ben meant that the duration of the punishment was much longer than Harry had led Louis to believe. A sense of hesitation was evident in his eyes each time he was questioned for it.

In interesting turns of events, by the time Harry and Louis reached the age 'dumbpan' turned to dumbass; the well-mannered Ben had turned into a typically nasty bully. Louis had once joked about Harry's accusation (of stealing Sparky) being his original villain story and the horror on the boy's pale face ensured that he never made that joke again.

Speaking of jokes, Harry liked cracking jokes- a ton of them, which didn't even slightly mean that they were funny. But he laughed anyway because Harry would make that frowny face when he thought that Louis didn't understand his (attempt at a) joke and tried explaining it to him until the former chuckled at them.

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it's going so well don't you think?the quiet before storm

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