"Mr. Tomlinson, please snap out of it." Louis' gaze broke from where he daydreamed at the back of his collegue's head to peer at his Professor. "You'll never ace the exams if you keep nodding off like this. Not a lot of professors here are willing to tell you to focus. We get paid either way."
His face burned with embarrassment as he steadied his focus onto the ongoing lesson, ignoring the snickering from the other collegues. No matter. He'd been holding in something vicious all day and he'll gladly push it out once class is almost over.
Louis was most definitely a class clown, which he could afford to be because his GPA was the third highest ranking at his university. His childhood, from what he could remember, was pleasantly filled with mischief, along side his main mate Zayn Malik. He and Zayn did mostly everything together, normally ending with them in handcuffs and sent back to their mothers with their tails tucked between their legs. The two were so close, they even went to University together, even though Zayn's family moved to America about a year ago.
Louis texted his friend, letting him know what that he was about to rip one, and Zayn responded calling him his favorite jackass.
"Ew! What is that smell?"
Louis pretended not to take notice of the girl's complaining next to him and took notes even though he'd already written them and was one step ahead of the class.
Soon more angry complaining followed coming from all his peers just before the bell rang, Louis leaving with his head held high and a small smirk threatening to break out on his face.
He was now free from classes for the day, and he was completely exhausted. All night he tossed and turned and dreamed of...him. Louis was blinded by beauty. The forgotten boy of his dreams was stood in front of him, short and sturdy, with a barely there face and piercing green eyes. He remembers...almost successful in molding his lips with him, until the depressing buzz of his alarm clock woke him up for Physics 101. At least it wasn't like the first night that dream happened, when he did get to kiss him, passionately, before he woke up with a hard-on. Strange. That hasn't happened since high school when he saw Ashton Irwin shirtless at gym. Those were awkward boner times. Awkward awkward boner times....
Oh well. He'd decipher his wet dreams later. Right now he had a date with the love of his life.
"Pizza," he said dreamingly, catching sight of their little cafeteria where his love lay out. "I see you got all dolled up for me," he flirts, admiring the scattering of pepperoni shining from the grease under the bulb light. The added layer of cheese completed the look.
"Lou, come on mate. Are you going to make a complete ass of yourself everyday, talking to food?" he heard Zayn whine from behind him. "People are staring."
"Why hello to you, too, Zayn," he laughed, bent over to stare at his "lover". He shook his head and whispered to the pizza "Don't mind him. He's just jealous of your beauty."
Zayn slapped him on the ass, making Louis squeal and turn to glare at the elder. "Never say such garbage. We both know I'm fucking gorgeous. I'm not being egotistical, either, I'm stating the facts."
Louis huffed and grabbed a plate so he may get out of the other buyers' way. He didn't need to dignify that accusation with a response. Absolutely not.
"You need a guy, seriously," Zayn smirked, walking to the salad bar. Louis relented. He did really need to be in a relationship, but....his heart just didn't allow it.
Meekly stalking to pay for his lunch of pizza and carrot sticks, for healthy reasons, he sat down at his table and waited for Zayn. The boy came not a moment later, babbling with a friend across the room, before settling with his tasty salad.
"You still miss him don't you?" was the first thing he'd said. Louis lifted to meet his gaze, and it was yet another reminder that he still wasn't over Harry Styles. It took much counseling and support from his friend before he could even get out of bed after Harry left. The stabbing pain of isolation and loneliness that followed was somewhat cushioned by Zayn, yet it didn't help him during the night. Most nights, he'd sneak out-which was difficult since his mother became more watchful of him- and would sleep in Harry's tree house that stayed forgotten in Harry's backyard. Harry's parents were arrested, leaving the house completely vacant for the next couple of months.
He wondered if it was disrespectful, to bring Zayn up to he and Harry's secret location, but Louis knew Zayn was a trustworthy guy if he'd ever seen one, and Louis longed to tell someone, anyone, about Harry Styles. Louis needed proof that such an angel ever existed.
"I always dream of kissing him again. Last I heard from the orphanage, they said he moved to the states."
Zayn knew of Louis' predicament to have his first and only love back, but there wasn't much to be done when Harry was moved such a long distance.
The blue-eyed boy had heard through the grapevine, aka the nosy neighbors, that Harry had no other family besides his mother and father. That being said, he was an instant ward of the state once his parents were incarcerated. He was adopted within a month's time, as Louis predicted.
Staying strong, and true to his word, Louis stopped being so pessimistic and mean, didn't focus on life so much and spent a great deal of time numbing his mind in mindless video games. He also developed a bit of a rambunctious streak, and it fit well with Zayn being down for the ride. After all, they both bonded cleaning up their baker's store to make up for the stolen pie that Zayn dropped in his escapade.
Finishing their lunch and preparing to go drop their books off at home, Louis departed with Zayn, telling him he didn't feel well and that he might be coming down with something. The admission was all the excuse Zayn needed to stay away from him.
Louis recited all the mathematical equations needed for calculus as he pushed his way through crowds of people down the sidewalk. It was getting late, and he needed to get home so maybe he could sleep his problems away. Drinking didn't seem to do much help than give him a hangover, because he couldn't stop once he'd started.
"No control," Louis thought, for absolutely no reason that he could think of. But he was so clumsy, with his head down, that of course he had to crash into someone and fall to the floor. The thud of a book hitting the ground made Louis flinch and stare at the item he'd knocked out of the stranger's hand.
"Excuse me, I'm such a clutz," a masculine voice chuckled throatily, and Louis was met with....green eyes. Bright green eyes. "I'd trip on air if it was a physical substance."
"No, no I- it's my bad, really. I should really watch-" Louis' eyes must be playing tricks on him, because on the ground was one of his childhood favorites. "A Shakespearean lover, I take it?" Louis asked, eyes never leaving the book.
Louis could see the guy standing in his peripheral vision to dust off his pants.
"My first ever book, though someone literally had to break everything down to me." Oh, what a husky voice. Definite turn on, Louis concluded. The love for Shakespeare certainly added to his charm, because from what Louis could tell, he was beautiful.
Louis went to reach for the book, but the stranger snatched it first, protectively, making Louis really give him a proper once-over.
"Sorry. It's just-" The guy was certainly a sight for sore eyes, and he was easy on the eyes, and dimples- lord have mercy. "this is special. Someone I cared for gave it to me, so I don't let people touch it."
Louis didn't know what it was that triggered something in his brain, but whatever the case, Louis was grateful, if not hopeful.
There was a tense stare down, as people left and right whizzed by them to get to their destination. But all that mattered was the person in front of them. But it- it couldn't be. There was just no way in hell that-
"You- you look so-" the green eyed beauty began, but couldn't finish as his throat visibly tightened.
"Familiar?" Louis asked. He put a hand over his heart in fear of it exploding, because he definitely rang a bell.
Louis' eyes trailed down to the book that Harry still had a firm grip on, and he gingerly went to pry it from his hands, and to much success and lack of struggling, he did. Taking a deep breath, Louis opened the first page of the book, scanning his eyes for that very same message he'd left just for Harry-
"Always in my heart, yours sincerely-"
"Louis!" Harrry cried, launching himself at Louis and sobbing into the slightly shorter boy's shoulder. The man was ready, though. Prepared all his life to catch Harry if he were to ever cross paths with him, and never let go. "Louis. Louis. Oh my God, Louis. It's you."
Harry was delirious with relief, mumbling into Louis' collar about how he can't believe it's him, and all the shorter boy could do was hold him and love him. This was his baby. His Christmas miracle had returned to him. It was if that weight he'd been carrying on his chest was lifted, finally.
"Shh, baby. I've got you. You're alright. I'm here." Louis tumbled with the weight Harry- his Harry- was pushing onto him. "Harry, my Harry."
"I found you. I d- don't b-believe it. I th- thought I'd never find y- you." Their were very few people around them now, and they all were in awe of the sight of the two's long, overdo embrace.
"And I- you, Harry. My Harry," he cried, tears of uttermost joy. Harry pulled away to get a better look of the now shorter Louis, thinking of how fit he was, and all Louis could do was congratulate himself on knowing Harry would be model-material. "You've really grown, love."
Harry rolled his wet eyes, saying it was silly of him to say such a predictable thing.
"This is so surreal. I always dreamed that- that this is how we'd meet again, but now that it's happening. Holy fuck." Louis took it upon himself to brush his fingers through his Harry's long hair. "What happened to your curls, love? You've gone Rapunzel on me."
"I let it grow, to make it easier to maintain. But look at you! You're rugged and fit and handsome....and not a twink like I remember." Louis shoves him playfully, but not too hard. He'd never forgive himself if he bruised the best thing that ever happened to his childhood.
"I took your advice, Lou. I studied hard and was so beyond my level, that I managed to skip a few grades and get the merits needed to attend an early college semester. I'm currently the number one GPA in the entire University."
For some strange reason, Louis wasn't surprised by this information. This was Harry, after all, and Harry was a miracle. Simple as that.
"Wow....that's incredible, Harry. I'm so proud of you. I told you that you were brilliant. I always knew, didn't I?"
A tear slid down Harry's cheek that he'd left untouched. Harry wiped the rest of his tears away, but more tears fell, so Louis did what he should have done when his instincts told him to do so as a kid. Louis kissed his tears and brushed his long hair from his face. The older looked into Harry's wet eyes.
"I've waited- so long for this moment," he whispered, leaning his forehead to Harry's.
"Then I don't think you should wait any longer," he whispered back, even though they now stood completely alone, ignoring the howl of the wind. Louis brushed his lips to Harry's, happy he waited to save himself from intimacy with another guy. He'd always known his angel would fly back to him.
Louis coached Harry into walking hand in hand to his room, sighing in relief that Zayn would most likely be with his boyfriend, Liam, this night.
Most would have thought it was too rushed, Louis taking Harry apart so soon, but they were soul mates, and they'd been away from each other far too long to stop now.Once safely inside, Louis pushed Harry into the door frame, Harry mumbling in between kisses that he, too, was a virgin.
"Then we can wait another night, love. Just let me kiss you."
So that's what the two did. They made out intimately from then til the early morning, whispering about what they'd done since their break up, their school life, social life, and non-existant love lives. Both were hopeless when it came to finding their better halves, almost as if it was impossible to find any sort of connection. But this. This was something.
Harry cuddled into Louis' chest, explaining about how he cried days after he was taken away, about his confusion of where he'd go or who'd he be with, and how he moaned for Louis everyday. But one day, he said he had to face facts. His Louis was gone.
"I'm just happy you're back, safe and sound," Louis breathed into his curls. Harry sighed in content. The whole he'd felt in his own heart was filled. "I love you," he mumbled, nodding off, finally able to have a good night's rest. "I know it's been years and we don't even know each other anymore, but I love you...so much."
"And I love you more, angel." But Harry was wrong. They were more alike than they realized, in Louis' eyes.
Louis set his alarm for a few hours from now so he could wake Harry up to leave for class. Then he stared at his ceiling, questioning the idea of existence and fate like he used to do.
Maybe he'd discuss it with Harry over something richer, and sweeter.
☕
Yassss I finally finished. How was it? Did ya like it?