Echoes of Love ( one direction)

Only angel

Harry's POV:

Math class felt longer than usual, but maybe that was because I spent the entire time signing everything for Louis. I didn't mind, though. If anything, it helped me stay focused, knowing that Louis was relying on me to keep him in the loop. He sat beside me, his eyes fixed on my hands as they moved, interpreting the teacher's instructions and equations.

It wasn't easy keeping up. The teacher, Mr. Wilson, moved fast, his explanations coming in quick bursts, and every so often I had to slow down to make sure Louis understood what was being taught. His brow furrowed slightly as he followed my signs, but he didn't seem frustrated. He just seemed determined, like he was trying hard to keep up with everything.

When I wasn't signing, I'd glance over at him, making sure he was okay. His face was calmer today—no tension like the day before, no signs of the panic that had taken over in art class. Still, I could tell he was tired. School was draining for him now in ways it hadn't been before, and even though he wasn't wearing his hearing aids today, the effort to stay focused and alert all the time was clearly taking its toll.

About halfway through the lesson, Louis leaned in and tapped my hand, catching my attention. "You're going too fast," he signed, his lips twitching into a small smile as he gave me a playful look. "Slow down."

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "Sorry," I signed back, exaggerating the movements for effect. He rolled his eyes, but the smile stayed on his face.

For the rest of the class, I made sure to go slower, taking extra care to break down the equations so that he could follow. By the time the bell rang, I could feel the fatigue settling in my own hands, but it didn't matter. The look of gratitude on Louis's face was worth it.

As we packed up our things, I nudged his arm gently. "How're you holding up?" I signed, watching his face carefully.

He shrugged, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Tired," he signed back, though there was a softness in his eyes that told me he wasn't completely overwhelmed. "But better than yesterday."

I smiled at that, relieved. "Lunch?"

He nodded, and we headed out into the hallway, walking side by side toward the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was its usual chaos—students shouting across tables, the clatter of trays, the hum of a hundred conversations overlapping. I could feel Louis tense beside me as we stepped inside, the noise and movement clearly unsettling him. Even without his hearing aids in, the vibrations of the room must have felt overwhelming.

I steered us toward a table near the back, away from the busiest sections. It was quieter there, or at least as quiet as the cafeteria could get. Louis sat down with a sigh, and I dropped into the seat across from him, pulling out my sandwich from my bag. He didn't say anything at first, just stared down at the table like he was trying to settle his nerves.

After a minute, he glanced up at me, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his sketchbook, which I hadn't noticed he'd been carrying. He hesitated for a second, then tapped my hand, catching my attention.

"I want to show you something," he signed, his movements a little slower than usual, like he was unsure.

I nodded, setting down my sandwich. "What is it?"

Louis opened his sketchbook and flipped to a page near the middle. He paused for a moment, glancing up at me again, before turning the sketchbook around and sliding it across the table toward me.

My breath caught in my chest as I looked down at the drawing. It was me—his sketch, detailed and delicate, of me. My hair, my face, the way my lips curved into a small smile. I looked calm in the drawing, peaceful even, and the detail he'd put into it was incredible. The way he'd captured my expression—it was like looking into a mirror, but a mirror that showed the version of me that Louis saw, not the version I usually saw of myself.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I ran my fingers gently over the edge of the page, staring at the drawing in awe.

"Did you draw this in the library?" I signed after a moment, my fingers moving slowly as I tried to find the right words.

Louis nodded, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. He looked nervous, like he wasn't sure how I'd react. "Yeah," he signed. "I... I wanted to draw something that made me feel better. You always make me feel better."

The warmth in my chest spread, and I couldn't help but smile as I looked back at the drawing. It was more than just a sketch—it was a piece of him, of the way he saw me, and knowing that I could bring him some kind of peace in all of this mess made me feel like maybe I was doing something right.

"Louis..." I started to sign, then paused, not sure how to express everything I was feeling. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "It's beautiful," I signed finally, my hands trembling a little. "I love it. Thank you."

Louis's face softened, and for the first time all day, he smiled—a real, genuine smile that reached his eyes. He looked relieved, like he'd been holding his breath, waiting for my reaction.

"I'm glad you like it," he signed, his fingers moving a little quicker now, his confidence returning. "I wasn't sure..."

"I do," I signed back, shaking my head. "I really do."

We sat there for a while, the noise of the cafeteria fading into the background as we focused on each other. Louis's hands were still resting on his sketchbook, his eyes bright as he watched me look over the drawing again.

He hadn't worn his hearing aids today, and I knew he still wasn't ready to face the world of sound again. But this—this drawing, this moment—it felt like a step forward. It felt like he was starting to find his way back, piece by piece. And I was going to be there for every part of it, no matter how long it took.

Lunch eventually came to an end, and we packed up our things, ready to head to our next class. As we stood up, I gave Louis one last smile, my hand brushing his as we walked out of the cafeteria.

Whatever came next, I knew we'd face it together.