larry stylinson imagines

maybe next time

this is adorable.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1155056?hide_banner=true
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December in England was one of the coldest, rainiest months of the year. Most stayed inside, cuddled up in blankets on the couch with their loved ones as they watched cheesy Christmas movies and sipped at hot tea. The snow falling outside would create the perfect setting for all of those couples. But, then there were the people that just couldn't keep a serious relationship so they were alone during this month. Those were the people that walked around England at ten at night as if they actually had somewhere to go. Louis was one of those people, unfortunately.

He would walk around at the same time every night in December, like it was his own tradition. It wasn't a tradition. It seemed that every December, Louis was single even if he had a nice relationship in the month before just like he did this year; he and his girlfriend had broken up two days before December 1st, which was just ridiculous. Every year, he was alone on December, and every year he'd walk around town every night at the same time in December with his hands in his coat pockets and his head down. If he had someone to go home to still, he'd be one of those couples cuddling on the couch and wishing time would stand still. Louis just wished the month would end.

One particular night in December, Louis pulled on his coat and started his walk; it was the same thing he did every night. He pushed his hands into his pockets, dropped his head a little, and watched his feet move one step at a time towards nowhere. There were a few Christmas lights around his block, and the colors bounced off the crystals of snow that covered the ground. Louis rounded the corner, dodging a person going in the opposite direction; the man on the phone was promising the person on the other line that he would be home soon and that, yes, he got the wine she wanted. He was one of those couples, Louis was sure. Mentally, he was mourning over all those lost months he spent loving his ungrateful girlfriend that just ended up telling him he was being too clingy and she needed some space; she left him and never came back.

It was when light suddenly landed on his damp shoes that Louis lifted his head completely. His breath puffed out in little white clouds right before his very eyes. He stopped walking and turned to find that a café was open, all the lights cut on and a roaring fire inside. The café had been closed down because of management issues for the past three years, Louis remembered. Apparently, those issues had been solved because there were almost ten people inside; some of those couples that should be at home were instead curled up on the same side of booths with mugs in their hands and some kind of dessert sitting on the table in front of them.

"Hello mate!" a voice made Louis snap his eyes to the front door. He was shocked to find a man standing behind the glass, waving at him. Louis studied him closely.

He took in the man's curly dark brown hair that was messily made up on his head in a weirdly perfect fashion. Sparkling green eyes stared back at him; he looked almost eager at the moment. Louis took in the man's extremely worn out boots, his dark blue sweater, and his skin-tight black jeans. Something stirred in Louis' stomach that he hadn't felt since that time he hooked up with another man at his senior prom. That's when he was first dumped by his first serious girlfriend because she got word of it from the man that Louis blew under the bleachers; it was his first time giving someone a blowjob and the man seemed extremely satisfied with Louis in the end, so Louis suspected he was quite good. Louis quickly snapped himself out of his daydream to reply.

"Yes?" he wearily asked.

"Well, come on in!" the man gestured to the inside of the café that was probably sweltering compared to the freezing night. Louis bit the inside of his cheek, contemplating on whether or not he should go inside.