Always, Forever (Larry)

Chapter Eight

The birds were chirping as they sang their songs through the sky, wings wide and futures bright. The trees wafted to the sweet sound of rushing water upstream, and two boys sat comfortably on the green grass waterside.

"So peaceful." Niall whispered to Harry as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in.

"Why can't it always be like this?" Harry exclaimed quietly. He wasn't referring the peacefulness of the environment particularly, but the certainty and calmness that surrounded them is what Harry wished would appear in his own life, and Niall knew it.

"It'll get better, H, just give it time."

Everyone seemed to be telling him that lately. Niall raised his knees to his chest and stood to his feet with ease. Harry's eyes followed him as he walked calmly to the boot of the car, emerging with his guitar. As he threw it casually across his chest, he strummed a chord that melted everything else away. All Harry could hear was himself breathing, and Niall singing 'Dear Patience'.

The river presented many beautiful things, and Harry was in the middle of admiring a black and pink narrow boat floating along the water. It was creating its own little bubbles at the far end, mimicking the dotted pollen of the sunflowers painted excellently next to the window. The old gentleman steering the boat gave a charming wave to the boys and Harry saluted back with a small smile.

Moments later, Niall's phone rang. It was Zayn. Harry continued to breath in the calmness of the air as Niall eventually hung up the call, explaining that he needed to go.

"Want me to drop you home?" Niall offered kindly. Harry pondered for a moment before responding.

"Actually, could you take me to the airport? I have a flight to catch at midnight so I can just chill there for a bit. Filming starts again on Sunday."

Niall nodded as he helped Harry to his feet and both boys made their way to the car. As Niall turned the engine on, the radio sang quietly through the speakers. They both instantly recognised the song and Niall reached his hand to change the station before receiving a slap from the curly lad. Surprised, Niall retracked his hand as the volume amplified and Harry stared fondly out of the window listening to 'always you' by none other than Louis Tomlinson.

...

Harry emerged from the plane, anticipating Jeffrey's arrival. Not one to disappoint, he swiftly pulled up as Harry and his baggage stepped into the soft light of the night, once again illuminated by the moon.

Harry was staring at how dull it seemed sat aimlessly in the sky. He wished it was the sun instead; Louis. He had always been Harry's sunshine and the thing that kept his world bright. Jeffrey knew what was up as he turned the radio down in preparation to speak to the younger boy.

"I know what you're thinking."

"No, you don't." Harry adamantly stated.

Jeffrey sighed in frustration. "Harry, promise me something?" Harry nodded and Jeffrey continued. "Promise me you will remember when you look at the moon, it shines because of the sun. The sun is always there, even in the darkness when it feels like there's no light left. You just have to look for it."

Harry smiled and nodded silently as they cruised down the road. He didn't feel like smiling. He had been struggling more recently to control the ways that he felt and talking about Louis didn't help one bit. He was taking medication for depression and PTSD, something that he had to do since Louis started ignoring him.

It was odd. On one hand, Louis was the reason that Harry wanted to die. He couldn't imagine his life without the one person that he loved the most. If he couldn't have Louis, he didn't want anything. But on the other hand, was hope. Hope that one day Louis would return and say that he was sorry, and he fucked up. He hoped that Louis would wrap his arms around him and hold him till he fell asleep, kissing his forehead and caressing his curls.

(A/N: credit to @ansonseabra on TikTok for the song lyrics in this paragraph) I guess you could say that Harry thought peter pan was right; growing up was a waste of time. He just wanted to go back to how things were when he was younger. Before the world knew his name. Before Louis. Harry just wanted to fly away. He wanted to forget everything and escape to a place that he could be normal. He wanted to find his star, sour through the sky straight on to the morning. Like peter pan.

They set a pickup time for the morning of filming before he jumped down from the tall car seat onto his toes and grabbed his suitcase from the back. Pushing open the front door, he waved a last goodbye to Jeffrey and disappeared inside.

Desperate to get some sleep, Harry quickly changed into his pyjamas and crawled into bed, closing his eyes and dreaming of his sun. Jay's words haunted his dream that night. Go. Go save Louis. Take him to the moon for me.