52 Birthdays With Lou

age: 66

When Harry turns sixty-six, he visits Louis at the home he's placed in. It hadn't been his idea, it had been Michelle and Zach's suggestion, but as they'd sat him down and handed him a pamphlet, he realized he didn't have much say.

He was getting older, he couldn't take care of Louis anymore, it was the only option.

Harry found Louis, sitting in the music room, picking the strings of a guitar aimlessly. His hair had receded, but was still tousled a bit, just like it was when they were in One Direction, teenage popstars together.

And now they're just another old married couple, in the midst of a long battle with a deadly illness.

Louis doesn't recognize him, but he doesn't expect him to. The Doctor said, on his last consultation with Harry, that the disease had struck Louis young and taken over quickly.

"It's just poor luck," He'd said and Harry had sat there stone face, because 'poor luck' didn't even begin to cover it.

Harry reaches for the box he'd brought with him and pulls out the cupcake, setting it down on the table in front of Louis, "I brought you this," He mutters and Louis looks up from the guitar, eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Who are you?" he asks, and Harry clenches his eyes shut, and swallows thickly, unable to bring himself to answer. Instead he reaches for the lighter inside his coat pocket and lights the single candle.

"It's tradition," he whispers, voice cracking as he turned to Louis, "Will you help me blow the candle out?"

Louis stares for a second, before nodding slowly, leaning forward and blowing the candle out with Harry.

Harry wishes for only one thing this time. He wishes for Zayn and Niall to be there for Louis, when Harry can't anymore.