Larry Stylinson Alphabet

R is for Remember Me?

{83 year old Harry suffers from severe dementia, but somehow, he always remembers Louis. Until he doesn't}

Louis: 85
Harry: 83

Word count: 1036

•••

"Louis!" Harry beamed, reaching his arms out for his husband.

"Hi, love," Louis pressed a kiss to the younger man's lips and joined him on the bed. "How was the rest of your day yesterday?"

Harry began to babble on about all the other residents and how annoying they were, and Louis just listened with a smile.

And that was their routine every day. For the last 3 years, since Harry was first diagnosed.

It started with just forgetting the day of the week, or where he left his glasses.

But then he started waking up in the night and forgetting where he was.

And when he fell down the stairs at 3am, Louis had to make the hardest decision of his life, to put his husband in a home.

He never improved, always forgetting who certain people were, especially the nurses who took care of him everyday.

But he always remembered Louis.

He always talked about him when he wasn't around, bragging about him to the other residents.

But he never really remembered details about the last 58 years they were married.

He just remembered that he really really loved Louis.

And well, Louis really really loved him.

~

"Louis!"

This time Harry was seated on a park bench outside when his husband came to visit.

It was a beautiful autumn day and Harry loved to watch the leaves fall from the trees.

"Hi, love," Louis greeted him the same way and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, causing Harry to giggle like a lovestruck teenager.

"How was the rest of your day yesterday, darling?"

And Harry began to tell him the same story he always did.

And Louis just listened like he always did, holding his husband's hand.

~

"Hey, Louis?"

"Yeah?" Louis stopped walking in the direction of Harry's room upon being called.

A nurse walked over with a sad look on her face.

"Harry had another episode last night. Forgot where he was and well, pretty much tried to attack all of us."

"Oh," Louis frowned. "Um, It's okay, I'll just go sit with him and he'll be okay."

The nurse nodded sadly and gave him a reassuring pat on the arm.

Louis continued down the hallway before he made it to Harry's room, finding it empty.

"Harry, love?" He called out, a little worriedly.

The bathroom door opened then and Harry stepped out.

But he didn't smile and rush over to hug Louis this time.

He frowned and scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion.

And when he asked, "Who are you?", Louis felt his world falling apart.

He had no idea how to respond.

"H-Harry.. it's me, your husband, Louis," he ended up saying.

"I'm not married. What are you talking about?"

Louis' voice got stuck in his throat and he didn't know what to do or say, he felt his heart physically hurt in his chest.

So he left, his head spinning as he stumbled down the hall.

He could barely breathe and soon, he saw spots.

And then suddenly the ground came up to meet him.

~

"Louis!"

Louis slowly blinked his eyes open and was extremely surprised to see Harry standing at the side of the bed he was in, with a worried expression on his face.

"Harry?"

"Louis, you're okay." Harry leaned down to hug him, frowning when Louis didn't react right away.

Louis finally noticed the nurse standing nearby, who gave him a look that basically said "we need to talk".

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, holding Louis' hand tightly.

"Yeah, love, I'm fine," Louis cleared his throat, "Why don't you go outside and find a nice bench for us and I'll be out in a few minutes, okay?"

Harry nodded happily, kissing Louis' cheek before leaving the room.

"What is happening?" Louis questioned the nurse, as he sat up from the bed.

"Harry's condition is worsening, Louis.. and it's becoming extremely difficult to predict when he's going to have any sort of episode. Even though he's always remembered you for the last few years, there are going to be days, or even just moments, where he forgets even you. I wish I had better news for you.. but there's really nothing we can do at this point," the nurse explained with a sad expression on her face.

Louis just nodded, trying so hard to hold back tears. "Okay," he cleared his throat. "Um, well, I guess I'll go out there while he still remembers me."

And so Louis went outside to join his husband.

~

Days, even weeks passed, and Harry was doing the same.

Most days, he greeted Louis the same as always, with a big smile and awaiting a kiss.

But there were still days that Louis walked in and Harry looked so confused.

There were even a few times that Louis just went to the bathroom and came back to his husband not remembering who he was. Those moments were rare - thank god - but those ones hurt the most.

It made Louis never want to leave his side. Because if all it took was Louis shutting a door between them, then he wanted to be with Harry constantly.

So that's when Louis made the big decision of selling their house and moving into the retirement home himself.

He didn't need that big house to himself anyways, this was the best decision for both of them.

Even the nurses thought so, especially when Harry was having many more good days and a lot less bad ones with Louis so close by.

It still hurt, every time Harry looked at him with that puzzled face and asked, "Who are you?", but being able to hold him every night made those days bearable.

Harry seemed happier too, even if he didn't understand the gravity of the situation. He was just so content having his love around all the time.

And well, to sum it up, their lives both felt more full being able to be so close again.

They'd definitely be perfectly happy staying here forever.

As long as they were together.