27 Minutes (Larry Stylinson)

Bravery

Harry POV

July 15th, 2013

The saying Time stands still is the one thing running through my mind right now. Out of everything I could be thinking about my mind chooses this to relax on. My mind focuses on that while I watch everything in front of me move at a fast pace. People moving, people leaving. High pitched yells and deep conversations. Out of all that is happening around me the only other thing my mind can conjure is something that makes me chuckle deeply.

Time stands still is utter bullshit.

When faced with an obstacle so large you fear of not overcoming it , time doesn't just stop. It quickens. Time never stops. The seconds tick on like a never ending wave in an ocean and I can scream all I want to make it slow down but it will never listen. I suppose its mother natures way of saying fuck you.

And boy do I feel fucked right now.

I'm no longer surrounded by people, but now sit alone staring into a screen that makes me feel a million miles away. How did I end up sitting here feeling like I lost everything all over again? It can't be possible can it? I feel as though I've been dealt a shitty hand in life but I play the cards as they come. I don't turn and run the other way but push on with all my might. I know I'm weak but I remain strong for those around me who would crumble along with me. But the thing is, I'm not willing to give up. I'm not willing to back down. I've already lost everything once in my life and I'm not prepared to do it again. No, this time I won't loose. It's my turn at the finish line and the one I want there to greet me is begging for help. Even if he doesn't know it.

My hands are moving faster than my brain at the moment as I pull out my cell phone. I quickly open the app I know almost everyone of our fans have to be on and pray they see and listen. My nimble fingers shake as I type out a tweet sending it to my wide range of followers.

Help me. Send a message in the comment box and tell him to call me.

Short and to the point is all I need as I send out my plea. I wait for only a few seconds before I see everything exploding on my screen. Floods of mentions and tweets. An out pouring of love and devotion from those who have never even met me but are determined to help. I feel tears prick my eyes for the hundredth time this evening and I look back up at the screen. I watch intently as Louis is staring down picking at his jeans he's wearing.

"Come on, Lou.." I whisper to no one in particular but just needing to say something.

"I know it's almost time for me to go..." He says softly. "But before I do I'd like to show you all something that I got.. I hope maybe it's a beautiful reminder to you and maybe some of you will even find it romantic or whatever.." He gives a simple shrug as he looks up with his beautiful tear stained face.

"You know another thing you had right was about our tattoos.." He chuckles softly. "Man, you guys don't miss anything.. Nothing ever slips by you..." A fondness slips over his the smile on his lips as he talks to anyone listening.

My eyes look up when I notice someone walk in front of me and I see Niall turning on the television to the news. There on the news is my beautifully broken boy making headlines with his story. I shake my head and look back down to Louis as he continues.

"Some of them were planned yes but some of them we got to match the other secretly.. Harry has never actually told me this but how could I not understand it?" He swallows dryly. "I used my body as the canvas of words I wanted to speak but couldn't.. It's a map, a intricately drawn pattern, a story.. It tells you all my secrets, wants and desires...

"I wanted you all to know.. I wanted to give you a piece of something so you would know the truth that I couldn't speak.. And that was my way of doing it.. I think I succeeded in that.. Or at least I hope I did.. Maybe it would finally be one thing I did right.." He says with a shrug and then furrows his eyebrows before shaking his head. "No that's not correct.. The one thing I've ever done right was loving Harry.."

My breath catches in my throat as more tears threaten to spill over in a sob. Emotions wreck my body at his words. A feeling I've never known before but one I know I will never let go of.

"Yeah.. That's right.." He gives a feeble nod. "But the thing I wanted to show you was I guess my last salute to this whole situation.. Everything that has happened has finally caught up to me.. I can't take it anymore... It's all just become to much that my mind has shut down and I feel the rest of my body shutting down with it.. I don't enjoy life anymore..." He clenches his eyes shut. "I know some of you won't understand because it seems that I have it all doesn't it? I know I have an incredibly loving family whom I miss and will miss dearly.. I have beautiful friendships that I cherish so deeply in my heart.. We have fans all around the world that devote so much to us... But I don't have the one thing that I want... And that's Harry.." He groans and wipes his eyes furiously. "I keep getting sidetracked.. So.."

My eyes shift all over the screen as I watch him stand out of the bed and tilt the laptop screen a bit higher. My eyes scan the room behind it and the painting I can still see the corner of.

"I know that room.." I whisper not realizing the entire room is quiet and watching my every move.

"What do you mean Harry?" I hear Paul say from beside me. "You've seen it before?"

"I've been there before... I just.." My brain tries desperately to cling to the piece of information hanging right before my grasp. I know that painting, I know the color of those walls, even the chair that sits in the corner of the room behind Louis. I know it all but can't remember why.

"So what I want to show you, I'm hoping all of you who have stuck by this whole Larry thing understand what it means... In truth when I wrote it, it meant exactly what you thought and it still does... It took a lot of convincing myself to do this and to get to this day... But I knew I needed to do it.. I needed to show and prove that you can't take something as big as love away from someone just because you may not agree with it..." He bites his lip and grips the bottom hem of his shirt.

"I got this in hopes you would all understand.. That maybe Harry will understand.." He takes a deep breath and I notice the hitches in it. Sobs crash through his body as he mutters his words. "I'm sorry that it has to come to this.. I never wanted it to.. I never meant for it to end up this way and I'm sure most of you are just watching this for a good show.. I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.." His face scrunches up in a painful look as he raises he shirt. My eyebrows knit together in confusion.

He slowly lifts his shirt from his body removing it completely revealing to us his toned stomach and chest. The air leaves my body and my eyes widen father than I thought possible. I hear gasps escape everyone in the room as we all look at Louis.

Standing there shaking with sobs, face red with sadness and anger. Hair disheveled and eyes dim with no life. My eyes scan over the middle of his chest seeing the word he had professionally carved into his flesh. A tattoo. Just one word yet the entire world weighted on it. Everyone in this room knew exactly what it meant and I felt its weight pull me down with it. Just one word.

Bravery.

His hand skims across it lightly and he looks at the screen once more. I see in that moment the last of his desire to live life drain from his body. Its gone. Nothing is there anymore but the need to let go.

"Paul..." I croak out. "He's going to..." I can't finish the sentence but I sense him step forward. He places his hand gently onto my shoulder squeezing lightly.

"Harry you need to remember where that room is." He speaks firmly and my brain is suddenly going haywire. I know that room, why can't I remember!

"Bravery." Louis says with a sad smile. "This is my moment of bravery and also my moment of being a coward.." He says and steps forward, kneeling down giving only a view of his chest and face. I see his eyes scan the page looking into the comment box.

"Please Louis.. Just one call please.." I'm begging him even though he won't hear me. One call is all I need, but it's one call I won't get as I see him shake his head.

"Loving you was the best decision of my life.. The time spent with you was far greater than anyone could ever imagine..." He says staring straight at the screen, speaking to me. Each word diving straight to my heart tugging on every string.

"But this is my final goodbye..." He whispers sadly. "I love you so much.." he says directly to me and my heart beats faster at his words.

"I'm sorry." And then his screen blacks out.