A Thousand City Lights ➳ l.s

chapter ➳ 2

Louis is placed comfortably in the love seat again. A hot cup of tea in his favorite mug fulfills his tiny hands. His lap consists of a new book called Devil's Knot and the pure concentration written on his face tells you he's really into it.

Harry walks in then, a pair of joggers hung low on his waist. "What are you doing sitting in the dark for?" Harry asks and reaches to turn on the light.

"You grow accustomed to different lighting." Louis responds. He sips his tea slowly, a little slurping sound coming from his mouth.

Harry nods. "Ok?"

Harry goes to the kitchen to make toasted bread with cinnamon and maybe his own cup of tea.

While the toast cooks, Harry looks out the window to see the skies cleared up a bit, but there's definitely puddles scattered across the streets and roads.

"Hey, Lou?" Harry calls out. Just then the toaster makes a dinging noise and two pieces of toast pop out. Harry gets his plate ready and set the hot pieces of toast down.

"Yes, Harold?" Louis drags out his name, matching the same tone Harry had had. A bit of annoyance is hidden somewhere in his voice, too. Good, Harry thinks. At least there's life in his voice. Because honestly, Louis' so silent you'd think he could be dead in there.

"We should do something today. . .wait no," Harry pauses his movements from spreading the butter on his toast and goes to stand in the doorway of the living room. "We are gonna do something today."

Louis sighs and places his book on the side table, next to his tea. He runs a hand down his face, tiredly. Louis knows that if he doesn't go along with whatever Harry wants to do, he'll be breathing down his neck until he does.

"And what exactly do you want to do, hm?" Louis says, the attitude quite obvious in his voice. Harry rolls his eyes.

"Everything." Harry says. His face is serious and he stares at Louis with so much passion, hope, and seriousness that Louis' never seen before.

Louis puts his bookmark (which is really just one of those kid bookmarks you get in a local library) in the crease of the book where he stopped. He sets the book on the side table and crosses his right leg over his left, leaning back on the chair. "Let's just leave. We'll pack up some things we might need and just. . .we'll go explore." Harry continues.

Louis quirks and eyebrow and it's silent for a brief second before he bursts into tiny laughter. He claps his hands and bends over, his face red. Harry crosses his arms, but contains the same serious expression on his face.

"You can't possibly be serious." Louis says after he's calmed down. He wipes under his eyes, swiping away any access tears that escaped. But when Louis sees that look in Harry's eyes, Louis knows that this isn't a joke. He's truly being serious.

"You're not kidding," Louis whispers. And this surprises Louis because this is Harry and he's all jokes and laughter, never seriously committed to things besides learning how to skateboard, and once he had managed to succeed to that, it was back to telling knock-knock jokes.

"I'm not. Grab a few things. I'm going to finish breakfast." with that, Harry turns on his heel and finishes his food. Leaving Louis stunned and dumbfounded.

Yet not fully convinced, Louis however goes into his bedroom and grabs a small suitcase. It's dark purple and his mum got it for him after he graduated. Granted, he fills it up with seven new and unread books, a toothbrush, cologne, his wallet, socks, shorts, shoes, and a few t-shirts. He shoves his phone charger in the small pocket in the front, too. When he's satisfied with items in the suitcase, he pulls up the lever and rolls it out into the hallway.