Bound by Pages | larry

after

Harry grabbed his coat from the closer, not bothering to put it on before racing out the door. Somehow, Louis has already left. Speedy bastard.

When he planned this, he was kind of expecting to get to the park before Louis realized he was there, but the tables have turned. Again, curse that speedy bastard.

Harry ran down the street in the cold air. The only sounds he heard were his feet pushing across the paved road and his heart thumping in his chest. He focused on keeping his breathing steady, one breath at a time. He definitely did not work out enough for this. 

He turned the corner into the distinct ring of trees that made him wonder why more people didn't know about this place. 

Looking around, he saw nothing but the tent he had set up earlier, and the lanterns scattered across the open trees. Harry bent down, panting from the unexpected run.

"You know, I was really wondering when you were going to show up," A voice came from one of the more dimly lit benches around the circle. Louis stood up, with that distinct smile of his, and started walking towards the taller boy. 

"Shut up. I was- I was- you were-" Harry had to pause, still breathing heavily from his run. "Damn, I'm really out of breath."

Harry watched Louis' face as his eyes softened and he looked around the park. "This is actually really romantic Harry, did you do this?" 

"Of course I did," Harry leaned forward, planting an impromptu kiss on the boy's lips. "But you weren't actually supposed to be here yet."

"My bad," Louis laughed. "What's the tent for?"

"Why don't you come in and find out?" Harry replied, gently grabbing Louis' hand and leading him towards the zipped tent door. 

Harry opened the tent door, feeling a blast of heat in his face. Yes, he had left a heater there unattended, but he figured the layers of snow would do its part to prevent a forest fire. 

He crawled into the tent, making sure Louis followed, then immediately zipped the door back up to preserve the heat. He had filled the tent with countless pillows and fluffy blankets, so it really didn't feel like they were laying on the floor. 

"Do you want any food?" Harry offered.

"To be honest, not really."

"Good, because I forgot it at home," Harry sighed, relieved. They both had a good laugh about that. 

They got themselves entangled between the many layers of blankets and Harry opened the top of the tent, letting cold air in, but giving them a perfect view of the stars.

You know those paintings or Tumblr posts where they have a stary night surrounded by a ring of trees? I'm sure you've seen them. That was the view that was in front of their eyes. It was a perfectly clear night, the air crisp, but not that cold. More importantly, the sky was cloudless, and it looked like gazing every star that was ever born, forever. 

They both looked up, mesmerized for a long time before either of them spoke. 

"Have you ever thought about all the forgotten people up there?" Louis mumbled. "Like, one day, we're all going to die, decompose into gas, and just float away forever. Then eventually, when the memories of us fade... so will we."

Harry sighed because yes, that has been a thought that's crossed his mind. "I like to think that when we die, we'll become a part of something better. Someone better. Like, matter can't be created or destroyed right? So we've gotta go somewhere."

"From space dust we come, to space dust we go, I guess."

There was another silence between them, but both their minds were filled with loud, screaming thoughts. 

"I just don't to be forgotten," Louis admitted. Harry could almost hear the pain in his words.

And just like that, his fears got drawn out. 

"I've tried so hard to live my life, and get where I am today, but in a few hundred years, no one's going to know."

Harry felt something wet drip down his face. It took him a moment to register that it was a tear. 

"I want to think that I've made an impact-"

"You have," Harry cut him off.

"I know, I just..." He sniffled. "I guess that's why I wrote the journal."

"The journal?" Harry asked out loud, his voice cracking in the most perfect way. 

"Yeah, I mean," Louis sighed. "I'd like to think that whatever happens to me, whatever happens to us... as long as I write it down..."

His words trailed off, but Harry knew what he wanted to say. 

"It'll be forever bound in those pages?" 

"Yeah... exactly." 

And so Harry pulled him closer into his arms, held him tightly as the stars just merely existed above them. 

These were the moments that you just couldn't write down. The ones where Harry cherished every second of. He focused on every little movement Louis made and how he felt pulled close. Someday, these touches are going to be forgotten, but for today they're all that mattered. 

fin.