The Love We Share: L.S one-shots

Close Your Eyes, Clear Your Heart, Cut The Cord

by: eli_ssabeth

10,608 words

Summary:

Louis is a paediatric surgeon who hates publicity visits and Harry is a singer who visits publicly. A lot. They fall in love anyway.

Start:

"So... that's it?"

"Essentially, yes. Of course, we'll have check-ups, starting off weekly, but hopefully getting less frequent fairly quickly. We were very lucky to get it all this time around, but we need to keep an eye out for any recurrences just to be safe." Louis smiles warmly at Mrs Carson, who still looks vaguely shocked.

"I— I feel like there's a catch," she says, her voice dropping to a whisper when it catches on her tears.

"There really isn't," he assures her. "Riley is well on her way to being officially in remission."

Mrs Carson sways forward, like she was going to hug Louis but caught herself at the last moment, so he opens his arms for her and she embraces him firmly. "Thank you," she cries quietly into his ear.

"It was my pleasure," he says, genuine and kind, after releasing her from the hug, keeping his hands on her upper arms. "Riley is an incredible kid; I can't wait to watch her change the world."

Mrs Carson sniffs quietly, dabbing under her eyes with the knuckles of her index fingers. Louis claps his hands in front of him, smiling widely.

"How about we go collect your superstar? The discharge papers are all set once you sign them and then you both will be free to go."

When they get into the room, Riley is sat up on her hospital bed, wrapped in fuzzy pyjamas and an even fuzzier dressing gown, building something out of Lego on the table perched over it.

Her pale, round face brightens when she sees Louis enter the room with her mother. "Doctor
Tommo!" she exclaims happily, halting her Lego-building.

"Hey, superstar," he greets her. "Guess who gets to go home today?"

Her eyes widen, deep brown and still shining with the brightness of childhood. "Me?!"

"You," he matches her grin, holding his fist up for her to bump with her own as she squeals in delight. She promptly gives him the fist bump before throwing her arms around him and squeezing as hard as her seven-year-old arms will allow her.

"Thank you," she whispers against where her face is squished into his shoulder.

"Just don't forget me when you're a big shot, yeah?" he whispers back, thumbing towards her half-built Lego rocket.

Her answering smile could power London for the rest of the century.

♡

Several long, exhausting hours later, Louis is standing in front of the kettle in the doctors' lounge staring down at the mug in his hands as if he's forgotten how to drink it.

"Louis!" a voice behind him exclaims, nearly causing him to spill his tea on himself when he jumps. An arm attached to the voice wraps around his shoulders as he sets his tea down before anything truly disastrous can happen.

"Hi, Pez," he sighs as he leans his head so it rests atop hers.

"Hello, darling," she returns, smile evident in her voice. "How are you on this lovely eleventh hour of our twelve-hour shift?"

"Oh, I'm splendid," Louis replies, matching the overly dramatic tone of Perrie's voice. "About to fall asleep standing if I don't get this tea in me ASAP, but splendid."