Flowers in the Window || Larry au

Flowers in the Window

Title taken from "Flowers in the Window" by Travis.

I got this idea from when I was watching a pottery video on YouTube at like three in the morning (?). I'm not sure if Color Me Mine exists anywhere besides the States, so if I doesn't, I'll explain: it's basically a pottery store where you pick like a mug or a plate or something and you paint it, and then they bake it for you and you pick it up a day later. It's really cool, actually.

This particular one-shot is very, very cheesy. You're warned right now.

You can reach me on Tumblr (winterlouie) if you have any questions!

:)

*****

"I hope you one day you find someone who makes flowers grow in even the saddest parts of you."

~

The shop is just down the street from where Louis lives. The day previous had been the twin's birthday, and they had (at last minute) decided to go to an artsy, lonely old pottery shop with a creaky sign declaring it as Color Me Mine.

And so today, it is Louis' job to pick up the makings of the twins.

"What d'you need, dear?" the old, kind-eyed lady from behind the counter asks Louis when he approaches the desk.

"Uh, I'm here to pick up some mugs? Tomlinson?" Louis mumbles, not wanting to be heard by any of the other customers.

"Oh, yes. I remember those two yesterday, so charming. You're their brother then?" the lady asks sweetly, but Louis nods. He's never been good at making small talk, especially with people older than him.

"It'll be a minute dear," the lady says while wiping her hands onto her burgundy apron that is slung tight around her middle. "We had a lot of customers yesterday."

Louis nods again, turning around and leaning against the counter as he waits for the lady to bring back his sister's mugs. He surveys the customers around the area, laughing when he spots a frazzled mom and her two kids, who are currently wreaking havoc at their table.

Then he sees the boy.

He's doe-eyed and concentrating hard, it seems. His tongue barely pokes out from between his lips, his eyebrows set in determination. Louis lays eyes on the piece of pottery he's currently working on. It's beautiful, but Louis believes beautiful is too dull a word.

There's stripes and colors and all good things, all weaving together to create one extravagant masterpiece. It's nothing like Louis has ever seen before, but the boy looks so unsure, so worried about it, so he must reassure him.

Before he knows it, he's walking up to the boy, flashing a friendly smile and warm eyes. "Hello, sorry to bother you," Louis simpers politely, offering clean teeth. "I'd just like to compliment you on your work. It's beautiful."

The boy looks up, and Louis is struck. A thinly-veiled, shy smile. A slightly-too-big nose. A single dimple cutting the skin on his cheek. Green eyes akin to supernovas.

"Thank you," he says simply, a flicker of doubt in his eye, before he returns his gaze to the pottery.

Louis has never been anything but stubborn, so he sits down and smiles wider. "I'm serious. It's brilliant. You should be an artist."

"Thank you," the boy says again, barely above a whisper.

Louis decides that he must introduce himself to this beautiful creature, before he shrinks away in the shadows. "I'm Louis Tomlinson," he says, extending a hand.