The Fires of Spring (Larry AU)

s e v e n t e e n

just are

i am just flesh
and blood
and heart beat
and seventeen summers
of too little time
and you are just flesh
and blood
and heartbeat
and yet all of your just are's
are better than mine

 

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There's confetti literally everywhere, and Louis thinks he might be drowning in the noise. Bodies are all around him, pushing, shoving, screaming with joy. Louis knows he should be happy.

He should.

He's actually trying really hard to smile and be happy because he can see Harry making his way through the crowd and towards him with that goofy smile he always sports. Harry's octopus limbs reach out and envelope Louis into a hug that he can't help but melt into.

Harry smiles down at Louis and rips off Louis' cap and throws it up with the rest of the now just-graduated students. Louis knows what Harry's doing. Harry's going to keep acting like none of this is actually happening. Like he isn't leaving to America for an entire year in just two days.

Louis doesn't feel like he's just graduating. In fact, he barely remembers walking the stage to receive his certificate and shaking the principals hand. All of his teachers had nodded and smiled at him like they were proud of him or something. Louis almost laughed because, really, these teachers didn't even know him. They taught him for a few months and were nothing spectacular. He wanted to punch his woodshop teacher when he told Louis that he was his favorite student because Louis knew that he was just making fun of him, Louis was the worst woodshop student on the entire planet.

Louis supposed his didn't mind chatting with Mr. Prewitt about how good of a teacher's assistant Louis was. Louis like Mr. Prewitt because all he ever did was have Louis stamp papers.

Eventually, Louis' mum makes her way over to the two boys and hugs them both nearly to death. She's crying and her make up is running and Louis is absolutely mortified, but as four little girls suddenly throw themselves at them, it makes it a little better. Louis tries to hug all four girls at once-five actually, Poppy had somehow tagged along with the girls.

"How do you feel, big brother? You're officially done with high school!" Lottie exclaims, hugging Louis tightly.

Louis shrugs. "Don't know, I feel the same. It feels great to be done with high school, but I know that now life is going to be eight times as hard."

"It's okay, I know you can do it."

Louis' not so sure.

After Louis is finally done thanking all of his teachers, saying goodbye to random students whom he barely ever spoke to during his few months, hugging the life out of all of his closest friends that he made, he makes his way over to his family, Gemma, Poppy, and Harry, and they all go back to Louis' house for dinner.

Cher was throwing a party later on in the night, and Harry and Louis were planning on going immediately following their dinner.

Harry places his head on Louis' shoulder as they sit together in the back of Gemma's car that she bought a few days ago, their hands clasped together. Louis leans into Harry and puts in head on top of Harry, nuzzling into his hair.

Gemma and Lottie are chatting in the front seat, so Louis whispers to Harry, "Thank you."

"For what?" Harry whispers back.