Book 1: Into the Woods | Larry Stylinson ❀ [Werewolf AU]

20 - Hold On

Louis was still in the exact same position in one of the waiting chairs when the door to the medic room finally opened. Louis didn't even have to pick his head up from his hands to catch a whiff of Liam entering the room, and he didn't even have to hide the tears that were blurring his vision for Liam to know that he was still not okay - that maybe he might never be okay.

"Hey," Liam breathed, stepping closer to Louis and placing a hand on top of Louis' shoulder, causing him to drag his bloodshot eyes to look up at him. "We have to tell his mum soon."

It was at those words that Louis felt like crumbling. He didn't stop as his face flooded with tears and when a loud, unattractive sob pushed past his lips. For the past few days, Louis hadn't even considered what Harry meant to the world. All he cared about was how much Harry meant to him, and Louis didn't even think about letting Anne know until Liam had just reminded him. It was like he was hit with the reality again of how truly gone Harry was, and Louis honestly didn't think he was strong enough to admit it out loud - let alone to Anne - that Harry was dead.

"Hey, Louis, Shh." Liam ended up crouching down by Louis and wrapping his arms around his body to help calm Louis down, bringing him in close to his chest and gently running his hand up and down Louis' back. "Hey, we'll get through this, okay?" he tried to reassure, feeling Louis shake some more with his cries. "It'll be, okay, Lou. It'll be okay."

Louis gripped on to the front of Liam's shirt and slowly pulled back, bottom lip trembling as he looked back at his Beta with so much sadness and heartbreak. "How?" Louis finally spoke, having his words come out in a choked sob. "How will it be okay?" he questioned much clearer.

"Because the world still turns, Louis. The sun will come out tomorrow, and you'll feel better than you did today. And if you don't feel better, keep telling yourself that tomorrow will be better because one day, it will be."

Louis let out a loud breath and closed his eyes, really trying to believe every thing Liam was giving him. But, it was hard. It was hard for Louis to believe that he will ever be okay with Harry's death. He refused to believe that he will ever feel any ounce of normalcy knowing that he will never get to hear Harry's voice again. Everything that Louis had with Harry, he didn't want to let that go. He didn't want Harry's voice to fade from his mind or let the memories he made become distant and unclear. Louis didn't want to be okay because being okay meant moving on, and Louis couldn't move on from the love that he shared with his boy.

"It hasn't gotten easier," Louis mumbled under his breath, blinking his eyes open. "It's getting harder everyday."

Liam let out a small sigh and pulled away, offering Louis the weakest of smiles. "You just have to hold on, Louis."

Liam left shortly after, giving Louis one final hug before Louis was back to being alone. Louis had managed to finally stand up from his chair when he looked over at Harry, feeling that sudden need to be right next to Harry's body. Louis didn't know what it was, but it always hit him in various parts throughout the day and continued to pester him until he was standing right there next to Harry. His body eased even more whenever he pressed a hand somewhere on Harry, typically letting it rest right over Harry's heart to remember what it used to feel like knowing there was a once a heartbeat there.

"You promised me you would be safe," Louis whispered into the air, blinking quickly when his eyes rapidly filled with tears again. He let out a dry laugh and leaned closer to the table, clenching on to the shirt that was covering Harry's corpse. "You weren't supposed to die, Harry. You were supposed to live - You were supposed to survive." Louis wiped his eyes with his free hand when the tears really started to spill over, and he ended up crouching lower so he could rest the side of his face on Harry's abdomen.