Breaking Louis Tomlinson {Larry Stylinson AU}

Chapter Thirteen

Harry just laughed away Louis’ comment in a way that obviously said he wasn’t taking Louis seriously.

“Yeah, sure,” he replied. “I wouldn’t throw around shit that I don’t think is true. That’s not my personality, no matter how good of friends we are.”

Louis considered this statement for a second as he applied an ample amount of gel to his little cinnabun curl. He knew Harry well enough to know this statement was true, so maybe he really did mean what he said. That both baffled and flattered him in an odd way.

Louis didn’t really know what to respond so he eyed his freshly-done hair and tried to find something else to fix. It took about two seconds to realise he needed to shave again.

He pulled out his razor and eyed it warily before applying the shaving cream and bringing it to his face.

Louis tried to stay focused on getting the right angle with the razor blade, but at the same time its secondary purpose wasn’t far from his mind. He had to swallow the lump that had risen in his throat so he could finish the job without shaking hands.

It’s just a razor, Louis.

 

He reminded himself that as he finished his shave: The razor was as harmless as he wanted to make it.

Still, Louis shoved it deep inside his drawer before his willpower broke and he lost his little confidence boost before he’d even stepped a foot out of the door. After all, he had Harry to make proud and a family to reassure.

Louis took a deep breath and closed his eyes to clear those thoughts out like cobwebs in a corner.

And when he opened them again, there was a reflection glaring harshly back at him from the mirror. The liquid sapphire eyes. The clean, crisp angles of the face. The thin, pink lips pulled into a narrow line. The perfectly-styled hair sweeping across the forehead. The dark blue of the dress shirt and collar that stood out against the neck, yet went magnificently with the eyes.

Louis looked so much more… put-together. This Louis had a purpose. This Louis had a future that was anything he wanted to make it. This Louis had a family that would still love him, even though the real Louis was hidden underneath all this costume.

He sighed and flicked off the lights. No time to get down on himself anyway. Harry was tapping insistently on the door in his impatient manner, telling him to hurry up.

Louis stepped out of the bathroom with a weak smile. The cologne he’d put on followed him out in a cloud that enveloped both of them. He took a deep breath and looked up expectantly at the dimpled grin Harry was giving him.

“Wow, Louis,” Harry sighed to himself. “You look… Amazing. And you smell really great too.”

Louis laughed nervously—he didn’t know why his stomach was knotting like this; he should be more nervous over him upcoming task, not some silly compliment Harry paid him—and looked down at his new slip-on VANs. They went really well with the black jeans he’d chosen.