A Thousand City Lights ➳ l.s

chapter ➳ 1

Half of the apartment smells like tea. Yorkshire tea. And old books with crisped paper that could pass off as a hundred years old (which they probably are). The other half, smells like worn out Vans and fresh April rain.

“How many books do you own, Lou?” Harry asks. He's sitting on the couch, observing the three foot long shelves that align the walls. “People are gonna think this is a library.”

Louis doesn't answer from his place on the love seat. He sticks his little tongue out, taps his index finger on it, and peels back another page in the book in his hands. Harry sighs and Louis rolls his eyes. “273.” he says.

Harry gives a look that could mean one of two things. The you're-crazy-for-having-that-many-books look, or the you're-lying-that-can't-possibly-be-true look. It's a bit of both, actually. But Harry hasn't physically gotten up to actually count how many books there are. 'S not like he's interested anyways.

“Really?”

“Maybe.” Louis says.

Harry gets up from the couch, eyeing the black skateboard near the front door. He zips up his grey hoodie half way up his torso and tucks the board under his arm. “I'm leaving for a bit.” he announces. Louis hums.

Harry's eyes roll before he's opening the door and skipping down the steps, out of the complex. It's raining when Harry gets outside, but it's not enough to flood the streets.

"Rainy weather is perfect for reading."

Harry can hear Louis' voice in the back of his head. Harry laughs and places his skateboard down and stepping on to glide down the wet sidewalk.

➽

Harry gets back when the rain starts to pour violently and when Louis is on his third book that day.

Louis takes a few seconds from his book to glance up at Harry whose drenched and dripping all over the floor.

"Need a towel?" he asks and Harry nods, tossing his skateboard in it's usual corner.

Louis fetches a towel from the nearby bathroom and tosses it at him. Harry has enough coordination to catch it.

Louis plops back down on the love seat and if it wasn't for the freshly made mug of tea sitting on the side table, Harry would of thought he never moved since he left.

"Is there any left?" Harry asks, pointing to the cuppa.

Louis looks over to his own mug and back to Harry. "Uh, yeah. I'll get you a cup while you change into less-wet clothing." he grins.

They go in opposite directions and while Harry changes, Louis is stirring a teabag into a white tea cup.

"Hey Lou!" Harry calls from the bedroom and when he hears a faint "What", he grins teasingly. "You should come skateboard with me sometime."

A very loud, over-dramatic sigh echoes through the apartment but it gets over powered by Harry's booming laughter.

That may or may not be the millionth time Harry has asked that question.

➳

Later, Harry gets his tea and curls up on the one end of the couch. Which doesn't make sense to Louis because he's got the whole couch to himself (Louis only likes the love seat), he could sprawl out as much as he wants.

It's gotten dark outside as well. The street lamps are shown faintly through the soft, vintage curtains. And the stars are shining like sparkles on dresses and tiaras. But the rain hasn't stopped. In fact, it's probably achieved it's maximum level of velocity. Not to mention it's coming down hard enough to put indents in Louis' car.

Harry takes a sip of his tea and looks at Louis for a brief moment. "Do you always drink tea when you read?" he asks, seeing that Louis was already on his fifth cup.

"It cleanses the soul," Louis says, flipping a page and adjusting his glasses.

"It cleanses the soul? Really?" Harry says.

Louis nods. "I read it somwhere online once." And not once has Louis looked away from the book in his hands. Looking For Alaska is the title Harry notices.

Harry sets his now empty cuppa down on the coffee table. A loud grown emits from his mouth and Louis looks up through his lenses.

"What?"

"Can we please do something?" Harry asks with pleading eyes.

"Like what?"

Harry shrugs. "I dunno. We can cuddle. Watch a movie. Play Monopoly."

Louis' eyes widen. "That game ia ridiculously long. Inexcusable."

Harry chuckles a bit before he's nodding in agreement. "It is, innit?"

"That game ruins friendships." Louis continues.

"Can't have that here, can we?" Harry says, grinning.

"Suppose not." Louis says. He removes his glasses and rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands, mouth stretched open into a yawn. "Mm. Tired." he mumbles sleepily.

Harry would tease him. He really would. Say something along the lines of "But you've just sat there and read all day. Barely moved a muscle" but Harry sees how adorable and tiny Louis looks then and thinks that he'll save that line for another time.

Harry stands up and walks slowly over to the boy. He sticks his hand out for him to take. "Up you go. Time for bed."

Louis obliges and takes his hand, letting himself be dragged (more or less be carried) off to their bedroom.

It's only a one bedroom apartment. The only thing they could afford at that point in time but they didn't mind the whole 'bed sharing' deal they have. Often times Harry would just crash on the sofa with the T.V on. Louis got to sleep in the queen sized bed.

Louis crawls into bed and lays his head on the pillow. Harry  changes into white boxers and loose fitting tee.

He opens the window by just a crack before crawling in next to Louis.

"Is this okay?" Harry whispers. And at first, Louis is confused but catches on to the fact that he was talking about the limited space between them (which isn't a lot at all).

"It's fine," he mumbles, half asleep.

A few minutes pass and Louis falls asleep to the soothing sound of rain hitting gravel.

Harry lies there, eyes opened and very much awake. Somehow Louis got encased in his arms, locked securely. Protected.

Harry's mind is filled with what if's. Like what if he did teach Louis how to skateboard. What if he did get Louis to go out and see the world for what it is with him.

'Cause he wonders if this all truly happened, would he still be here in the outskirts of Holmes Chapel?

My apologies if this is like, extremely short. A longer one next time. Promise. xoxo