concealing ➸ tomlinson

Liii

| ❝ you'll be in love 'till it kills you both. you'll fight...  and you'll hate each other until it makes you quiver but you'll never be back to friends❞  |

-

louis was smoking when kris found him.

between losing the trail multiple times and the part of the city they were in had become unusually crowded, it took what felt like forever to find him. but when the regular intervals of ice steps finally ran out, kris recognized where she was. she and louis had come down into the area before leaving town the first time. there was a good bet she could find him.

and, almost ironically, he was in the same tree.

at first, as kris started to climb her way up, she didn't think louis noticed she was there. when she was maybe halfway up, she noticed how much frost had been left on the bark. it caused her to hesitate. ' what if something happens?' kris thought, beginning to freak herself out as she held herself there.

after a few seconds, louis glanced over. "do you need help?"

kris face reddened. "no."

louis rolled his eyes, then moved himself and extended his hand down. heat rising behind her cheeks, she took it and sat herself down close. it felt far too similar to their first time sitting in that place. but their conversation would hold no parallels.

"harry didn't mean anything back there." kris finally said.

louis laughed sarcastically. "yeah, sure."

"i'm serious. i don't think he-" she cut herself off as she noticed louis pulling something out of his pocket. she recognized the box.

louis glanced down at it, then at her. "what?"

"i thought you said you didn't smoke?"  'on multiple occasions'.

he shrugged. "didn't figure it was that big of a deal. no one else seems to give a shit about if we do it or not."

"you do. or, did, whatever."

again simply shrugging in response, louis tried to start up the lighter. kris exhaled, pushing her knees into her chest. she realized she had no idea what she could say to him. she didn't know how to comfort him or how to even relate to what was going on.

"i mean it, though." kris said, "i think harry is trying."

louis abandoned the distraction to answer. "i would figure he is, but..." heavy exhale. "it's frustrating. to have people think one type of pain is more serious than another."

she found fault with that; or, could, at least, see where others could find fault, regardless if she agreed or otherwise. "maybe he thought you didn't need the help. that you were smart or strong enough to take the strain."