Little Things // A Larry Stylinson Faniction

Eleven

He sits in the car, bundled up in scarves and jackets, his blue eyes wide with worry. It makes me smile a bit, to see him so cozy, yet so caring. I slowly hop into the car, unsure of what Louis's really going to do or say.

"Hi," I mumble, looking at my feet, and fiddling my thumbs.

"What happened? Are you okay? Niall said he found you in the Dumps. What were you doing there?" He says in a matter of seconds, so fast that the words all seem to blend together. He's clutching the steering wheel, his knuckles white. It's weird seeing him like this. He's normally laid back and calm. It's nice that he's worried- but I still can't muster the courage to tell him what happened.

"Louis, I'm fine," I mumble in the end, and his face softens a little.

"That's not what Niall said." He counters in a whisper, and I sigh. Of course Niall said something.

"If you don't want to tell me, that's fine. I'm just worried." I smile lightly at this. He's worried- and better yet, he admitted it.

"Lou," I start, and look at him. His knuckles are still white and taut, and his eyes are an icy blue, his nose blush from the cold.

"It was so scary," I begin, and he leans in, taking my freezing hand with his warm one. It's such an unexpected gesture that I flinch, until I realise what he's doing. My cheeks tint red, and I have to look down to control my bubbling emotions. He gestures for me to continue, so I do.

"I was just taking a stroll, after Gemma had left, and then I found myself downtown. And it was kinda scary, because I didn't know how I'd gotten there, and I didn't know how to get out, and everything felt like it was closing in on me. And then this man-" I can see his sweaty, unkind face- "started talking to me. And it all happened so fast, Lou. I didn't like it. He touched me." The last sentence is a whisper, and Louis is tracing patterns into the back of my hand with his thumb. There are tears in my eyes, and he wipes them away with his free hand.

"It'll be okay, Haz. Don't worry, I'll look after you." And, weirdly enough, I believe him. I believe every last bit, his voice dripping with sincerity. I nod softly and curtly, my curls ever-so-slightly falling into my eyes. Louis grins, watching my hair escape from the top of my head.

And then we're driving back home, a warm, cheery silence settled over us. The radio plays softly in the background, a quiet ambience filling the car, making it seem more whole and dimensional. I like this feeling; just being able to cruise down the motorway in the middle of a freezing cold night. And it's weird, how fast the day has come and gone: it's already 7pm. Sometimes I wonder if time is even real, with how fast it comes it goes. It's like it just decides when it wants to be night or morning or midnight, and then it just is. I shake my head- sometimes my thoughts just get the better of me.

And then Louis' hand is suddenly on my thigh, rubbing circles.

"You okay?" He asks softly, "You seem a little out to it." I giggle a little bit, unsure of what to do. His hands are so warm and soft, even through my jeans, and his touch makes me feel things I'm pretty sure I shouldn't.

"Yeah, I-I'm fine," I mumble, a blush creeping up my neck. Louis notices, and he suppresses a grin, playfully poking me. And to my horror, there's a pressure building at my crotch. Oh no, I think, and go to throw a jacket over my legs.

"You alright, Harold?" Louis says, and a wave of goosebumps come over me, shivering me to my spine. No one's ever called me Harold like he does, and I like the way it rolls off his tongue. I grin- he called me Harold for God's sake.

"Just a little cold," I lie, and swat at his hand playfully. He looks at me, a grin taking up his features. I look back, surveying his face. I guess I've ever really noticed how truly pretty Louis is. Selene's small shards of light dance over Louis' face, causing his cheekbones to look more accentuated than ever. His long eyelashes cast shadows over his cheeks, and there's small, lilac bags under his eyes, but only visible if you're close enough. His small button nose wrinkles in delight as he tucks a strand of his caramel brown hair behind his ear, and his perfectly parted red lips warp into a smile. They look so soft; so comfortable.

"Louis," I start, but stop myself. I'm going to say something I will regret, so I shut my mouth.

"Yeah?" Louis replies, grinning.

"Can we go home now?" His smile falters slightly, but then, just as soon as it's gone, has he pasted a bigger, faker smile on his face. I cringe, but don't say anything, my smile slowly fading. It's as we're driving into the carport of our apartment that he says something that really gets my heart racing.

"Please don't stop smiling, cutie."