Shut In (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 1

A picture of what Louis looks like in the majority of this fic attached above

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Colour: Blue (Gives peace of mind. The most calming color. Indicates sensitivity, truth, healing, hope, friendship, physical protection, creativity, patience, wisdom, peace, loyalty. Assists with sleep. Represents inner light. Guidance.)

***

*Third Person Limited*

Louis sat in the corner of their special colour room, which is saved for times like this, playing with the frilly strings poking out from his socks. Despite being basked in the blue light, Louis still sniffles and cries from the experience he had earlier.

"Why-y? Wh-why?" Louis whispers, rocking back and forth while he pulls at his hair.

Marcus rushes into the room, immediately dropping and wrapping his arms around Louis. "Sh baby it's okay. I'm here now."

"D-di-id," Louis hiccups. "Y-you lock-ck the do-or."

"Yes of course sweetheart." Marcus speaks tenderly into Louis's ear, holding him tightly from behind.

Louis's heart rate slows, the feeling of protective arms calming him down. Eventually, he turns in Marcus's arms, snuggling his face in the warm fabric covering Marcus's chest.

Suddenly, Louis screams loudly and shoves me away roughly as he crawls to the corner of the room, which is spinning from the gyrating light. Marcus looks down at his outfit, searching for an alarming color when he notices that his tie is dark orange: the color of distrust and deceit.

"No no no love. It's not what you think!" Marc shouts, moving towards Louis.

Louis flinches away and pulls his knees closer to his torso as he quakes.

Marcus moves away and exits the room to go change into his pink track suit with beige strips down the side, on the collar, and bottoms of the sleeves and pants. Beige represents being neutral, and a soft, faded pink represents unconditional love, romance, fidelity, friendship, honour, harmony, compassion, service, faithfulness, and affection.

This colour obsession started about 4 years ago. Louis memorized a chart of colours and their meanings, and now he follows it like its a religion. It took Marcus forever to memorize the list since he doesn't have a photographic memory like his LouBear.

Marcus reenters the colour room and walks warily over to Louis.

"Hello honey." Louis looks up at Marcus and glances at what he's wearing. "This was what I meant."

Louis immediately lightens up and launches himself at Marcus, knocking him on the floor. "I-I kn-knew that y-you didn't me-ean it."

Marcus sits up and rubs Louis's back tenderly, kissing his forehead. "I love you more than anything the world could offer. I love you more than air. More than water. More than food. More than medicine. You are my life."

"But-t yo-ou need-d those th-th-things to surv-vive." Louis looks at Marcus in concern, causing Marc to laugh.

"Yes I know sweetheart. I just need you more." Marcus strokes Louis's hair, waiting for him to understand.

"O-oh." Louis says, eyes widening in realization.

"You have always been so observant and intelligent. Makes me so proud." Marcus says, hugging Louis in a bone crushing manner.

"I-I have?" Louis snakes his arms around Marcus's neck, clearly blushing at Marc's comment.

"Yes my love." Marcus kisses his innocent boy, causing Louis to pull away in surprise before reconnecting their lips softly, leaning in until Marcus is knocked onto his back, Louis tumbling on top of him in a giggling fit.

"Oo-oops."

Marcus kisses Louis's nose. "Oops indeed."

The two stayed snuggled up together for another 10 minutes before Marcus suggested that they go downstairs.

"Are you ready to go downstairs lovebug? I'll make you some warm tea and your favorite meal for dinner okay?"

Louis nods, and murmurs into the fabric of Marcus's shirt. "You're always s-so nice t-to me."

"Well isn't a prince supposed to be treated kindly? You are royalty." Marcus says.

"I am no-not! Don't-t lie." Louis sits up a bit, staring down at Marcus.

"You are. You are the prince of the sassy kingdom." Marcus smiles at his lover.

"That's pretty-y co-cool. Does that-t make you the ki-king then?" Louis raises his fist to his chin, baggy sweater flopping over his hand.

Marcus giggles. "If that's what my prince wishes."

"It-t is. Someone's gotta ru-rule our kingdom after a-all." Louis kisses Marcus, standing and pulling him to his feet. "Now, let's go get-t some gru-grub."

Hand in hand they trudge up the stairs.

***

*next day*

It isn't intentional. Harry really doesn't mean to be a creeper, but he can't help it.

He is currently pulled to a stop in the middle of the street staring at the old Victorian house that he had mistaken for Mr. Marigold's just a day earlier. The small, shaky man was just so captivating. It's none of Harry's business, but he wants to know more about what goes on in Louis's life, and more importantly, his mind.

A loud beep from another car pulls him from his thoughts. Harry takes his car out of park and motions an 'excuse me' out his window with his hands. He best be arriving at Mr. Marigold's soon.

***

"Hello Mr. Marigold. Remember, me? It's Harold. I came to visit you yesterday." Harry says, walking over to the man's wheel chair.

Mr. Marigold stares at me, fuzzy eyebrows furrowed. "Oh yes. Such a lovely young man. It's good to see ya." He glances around. "Have you seen Amber? She's been at the grocery store for hours."

"No I haven't sir. I'm sorry." Harry kneels down as he speaks.

"Call me Graeme." Mr. Marigold holds out a hand. "You know who would love you?"

"Who?" Harry smiles, already knowing the answer.

"Amber. How about I give her a call." He wheels his chair to the phone and starts babbling away despite the fact that he didn't dial anyone.

"Thank you so much sir. It's wonderful to see how well you work with my father." Mr. Marigold's daughter Yuriko extends her gratitude to Harry. (She was born in Japan due to the family being stationed there during Mr. Marigold's time in the army.)

"It's not a problem m'ame. Have a good day at work." Harry says raising a hand as a farewell.

"Thanks again." She says, running out the door, probably late.

Harry drags his attention to his patient. "Graeme?"

The man turns, obviously confused. "Amber didn't answer."

Harry's face softens in sympathy. "Amber can't answer. She's an angel now, and there are no cellphones in heaven."

Graeme's face drops. "How sad." It appears that he's about to start crying so Harry intervenes once more.

"Let's go take a walk through the garden ya?"

"Ooh yes. I love flowers, Amber did too. That's why we named our beautiful daughter Yuriko." Harry starts wheeling Graeme outside. "Yuriko means Lily child."

"That is quite a lovely name sir."

Graeme turns around in his chair and narrows his eyes. "Don't you be hittin' on my daughter now. You got it punk?"

"Yes of course sir."

"I've got my eye on you mister."