Tears Remind You You're Alive {Larry Stylinson}

= Chapter One =

Louis fiddled with the ends of his sweatshirt, the warm wool wrapped around his hands forming paws. He leaned back in his chair and let out a quiet sigh, this is how it had always been, silent. And this is how Louis liked it, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop from across the house, something about it was so relaxing for him and it gave him time to think.

Of course there wasn’t much to think about, just a sad boy in a sad world full of sad people doing things that made them a little less sad. But just the concept of everyone being sad made him feel like he wasn’t alone in the room, that all of those people were sitting in comfy leather chairs in front of fireplaces and enjoying the silence like he was.

Louis had a sad job in a sad old library where he spent his days shushing the laughter of the small kids even though he longed to be laughing with them, or to have a few laughing kids of his own. He had grown accustomed to the silence of his life and just the faint noise of children laughing would be equivalent to one thousand elephants roaming through the dim old library, disturbing the peace like the kids were. People would come and go, filling the room with the beep of the book scanner and tiny whispers among themselves but other than that the library was pretty empty which didn’t surprise him very much either. Louis had lived in the outskirts of Doncaster, hiding in the shadows of his previous job as a worldwide superstar. After it fell apart he wanted to be away from everyone. Away from all the attention and screaming and just the loud of it all. The rest of the One Direction boys had moved on with their lives, marrying off and only calling Louis occasionally for two minute conversations on the weather but no matter how short the phone calls were, he always looked forward to them.

Louis’ head popped up as he got ready to say the line he had to say whenever someone walked through the glass doors,” Hello and welcome to the Doncaster library, can I help you find anything?” He asked and lowered his focus to checking in the books that had been dropped off on the counter in front of him.

“Yes I’d like to check out a book on how to have fun,” A deep but familiar voice said, making Louis’ ears perk up.

He looked up quickly at the man and a smile grew on his face, “Harry Edward,” He said and reached out, gently slapping the tattoo covered arm in front of him. “You know perfectly well how to have fun, so why the hell are you in a library?” Louis asked, shoving the books onto a cart and standing up, moving out from behind the counter.

“Oh the book to have fun isn't for me,” Harry said before shaking his hand and putting his hand over his chest. “It’s for you, my good lad”.

Louis shook his head and started pushing the cart of books towards the isles to put them back in their places., he didn't even have to look at Harry to know how big the grin was. “Fuck off,” He said after checking to make sure the library was empty besides for the two bickering men. “I know perfectly well how to have fun, do you not remember the past five years, Harry? It’s over mate and it’s time for us to grow up,” He whispered, remembering how he always refused to grow up when he was little.

What’s the fun in doing it anyways?

“But deep deep inside the cold, sad heart of yours there’s a Louis Tomlinson,” Harry said, poking at Louis’ chest before having his hand smacked away. “And do you know what that Louis Tomlinson would do?” He asked, watching Louis carefully study the labels on the spine of the books and shove them into the right spot on the shelf.

“That Louis Tomlinson would say yes to going out to dinner with me tonight,” Harry said, grabbing the book from Louis’ hands so he would have his full attention.

Louis’ breathing caught in his throat as his eyes slowly wandered around the room, not daring to meet the green ones in front of him. “But Harry I-” He started but was cut off by a hand being put over his mouth.

“I’ll see you at eight,” Harry whispered before kissing Louis’ forehead and walking off.