Imprisoned In My Heart: A Larry Stylinson Fanfic

1.

Chapter One:

 Funnily enough, Louis Tomlinson had never included prison on his list of places that he expected to be spending a significant amount of time in.

 Luckily for him, he wasn’t locked away in one of the cells. When he’d originally chosen psychology as a career option, he’d never have guessed that his unusual flair for it would land him a job in a prison.

 It wasn’t a particularly high security prison; none of the offenders in there had done anything serious. It was mostly just petty theft, the odd fraud, a couple of hit and runs here and there. Nothing too major. For that Louis was thankful; he wasn’t sure he could have coped trying to psychoanalyse a group full of terrifying thugs. Still, he must have looked pretty apprehensive anyway, because as he wandered along the gloomy corridors, briefcase in hand, the security guard – a tall, good-looking guy a few years his junior who had cheerfully stated his name as Liam – was making conversation with him. It looked like he already had a friend; he felt pretty proud of himself. His mum would be as delighted as she was when he had moved schools and instantly slotted into a friendship group.

 She hadn’t been overly keen on his placement at first; her concerns had been far greater than his, which was less than reassuring. For the first few months after he had been accepted for the job, she had been non-stop trying to talk him out of it. Begging, pleading, nagging, even bribery – Jay knew how best to attack her son, and she used the knowledge as a formidable weapon. In the end, only a carelessly worded sentence had steadied his resolve and made him determined to take the post.

“Are you sure it’s wise, love, taking this position?” she had asked.

“Of course I am. It’ll be a good experience. You know I love a challenge; what could be more challenging than analysing a building full of dangerous criminals?” He had grinned teasingly at her to show that he was joking.

Her forehead creased with worry, she had attempted another tactic. “But will they treat you differently? I mean…they don’t take kindly to your sort in there, do they?”

Louis remembered the icy tone of his voice as he had said, “I’m not sure what you’re suggesting, mother.”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

He had known, of course he had – but he couldn’t see what his being gay had to do with anything. Equal rights had to count for something. Why should his sexuality prevent him from accepting an interesting new job  opportunity? Especially when it was such a well-paid one. And he found that it impressed people, saying that he was going to work in a prison; they thought he was brave. Louis liked the idea. He also liked the excitement of it all, and especially the opportunity to talk to people – and get paid for it. Finally his natural gift for never shutting his mouth would come in useful! People fascinated Louis; he liked knowing what made them tick. He was hardly going to pass up on such an amazing opportunity to find out about people just because his mum thought they would disapprove of his sexuality.

“I’m afraid I don’t. But whatever it is that you’re getting at, I am going to take this position, mother. I was hoping you’d be a little more supportive.”

 Of course, her motherly instincts had won the battle, and on his very first day she had fussed over him like it was his first day at school all over again, and rushed him out of the house so eagerly and proudly that he had to smile just thinking about it. Twenty years old, and he was still as devoted to his mum as he had been when he was four.

 The chat Liam had been attempting to have with him suddenly changed dramatically, demanding Louis’ attention so that he could participate and answer questions, and his reverie was shattered as he forced himself to listen to Liam.