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Harry wraps his arms around his own torso in a vain attempt to comfort himself. The cold, hard plastic of the seat beneath his bum seems to be making his mental anguish become physical. He hangs his head down and stares intently at the floor of the Tube.
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, Harry remembers.
He doesn't have any plans; just working and finishing midterms. Working, always working. He doesn't have any free time these days. He didn't even celebrate his birthday, for God's sake. The closest thing he has to a friend is his roommate, Ed, but even he is always out of their dorm partying or playing a gig. He couldn't even make it home.
Hence, his current state of depression.
Harry's thoughts are interrupted by the feeling of a small object bouncing off of his shoulder. He figures he must be imagining it, he really needs to get some sleep.
Until, it comes again, this time, with a bit more force. Harry looks down at his shoulder and sees nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until he looks at the floor before himself and sees two tiny, pink objects.
Again, he feels the impact and looks down just as the object bounces off of his shoulder. This one is mint green. Harry blinks a few times and squints until he makes out exactly what they are.
Candy hearts.
Harry is almost endeared, but his feelings are quickly diverted by the speculation of why he is being pelted with candy hearts on the Tube at nine o'clock in the evening.
A fourth candy heart- this one yellow- thumps against his chest, resiling into his lap. Harry plucks it up between his thumb and forefinger and reads the smudged, magenta print.
BE MINE
Harry lifts his head to search out the culprit. Mostly everyone is minding their own business, not at all worried about the boy being bombarded by candy hearts.
He searches the faces of each civilian until he locks eyes with a boy diagonal to him. He has caramel hair, sharp cheekbones, and a bag of candy hearts resting in his palm.
Harry doesn't know exactly what to do, as he's never been burdened with anything close to this type of situation ever before in his twenty-one years.
The stranger lifts his hand from inside of the bag and targets another candy heart at Harry. It's pink and it hits his chest half-heartedly before landing gently in his lap.
Harry cocks his head slightly to the left, as to convey the question of why the fuck. All of the sudden, the Tube comes to a halt and Harry's vision is obscured by the bodies standing from their seats all around him.
Harry stands as well, gazing over the crowd, trying to spot that head of wispy, caramel hair.
He- very uncharacteristically- pushes people out of his way, making a beeline for the nearest exit where he swore that the boy in the green Adidas hoodie left. Harry subconciously apologizes to the people surrounding him, but eventually gets through the opening and steps onto the station platform.
His eyes search frantically until they land on the green hoodie amidst a mass of people. Harry silently thanks the gods above and makes his way carefully through the crowd, eyes trained on the man.
Harry is just a foot away when he decides to reach out and place his hand firmly on the stranger's shoulder. The man stops in his tracks and Harry squeezes through the people, standing in front of him and, yes, it is him. This is definitely the man with the wispy, caramel hair, and sharp cheekbones from the Tube who was throwing candy hearts at Harry.
But, now, Harry has arrived at an impasse.
For a few seconds, they just stand there, staring at each other, Harry's hand still on his shoulder.
"Hi." The man greets tiredly. Harry is suddenly jostled by another body and is falling into Louis.
"Oops, um, sorry, uh," Harry stammers, standing up straight and running a hand through his own hair.
"You look tired." The other man states unexpectedly.
"Is that why you were throwing candy hearts at me?" Harry asks, his eyes glancing down at the small bag still in the man's clutch.
"No, that was because you looked sad. Up close, though, you look tired." Harry looks at him bewilderedly.
"I'm Harry." He really doesn't know what to say.
"I'm Louis. Was this your stop?" Louis asks, his blue eyes searching Harry's face.
"Um, no. But- I- um, it's not everyday someone throws candy hearts at you on the Tube." Harry explains slowly, still quite awed.
"Well. Would you like to go for some hot chocolate? It is quite late and quite cold. I know this great place nearby. Come on." Louis grasps Harry's arm with his free hand and begins walking out of the less than crowded station, not even waiting for Harry's answer.
"Um, sure. I guess." Harry can't help but entertain the idea of Louis being a serial killer who picks out his victims by throwing candy hearts at them. Louis leads them into the chilly night air, turning to the left and walking along a slightly deserted sidewalk. Maybe the serial killer idea shouldn't be fully discarded.
"So, what brings a nice lad like you onto the Tube at nine pm?" Louis wonders out loud.
"Well, I'm a uni student, and I take night classes, so I was going home. That was, until, some stranger began throwing candy hearts at me." Harry replies, strolling beside Louis, who lets out a short laugh.
"Yeah, well, my co-worker gave these to me because she thinks I'm lonely and straight, which is only half-true. But I hate candy hearts." Louis explains, and Harry mentally notes the first part.
"And you pelted them at me because...?"
"You looked sad and I figured that if I could put these otherwise worthless candy hearts to use, and simultaneously take someone's mind off whatever was bothering them, well that would be a win-win for both of us." Harry looks over at Louis and feels a small smile creeping onto his face. He hears the sound of a spray paint can to his right as they continue walking in silence.
"Here we are." Louis says as they approach a small diner. He opens the door for Harry, who thanks him and takes a seat at the nearest table. Louis sits across from him and calls over a waiter.
Harry looks around the place; it resembles a classic diner, black and white tiles covering the place with windows above the tables pressed against the farthest wall. One of those tables is occupied by a blonde girl with a nose piercing, wearing a gray, tweed shirtdress and black, sheer tights. She sips from a white mug and gazes out the window solemnly.
Harry tears his attention away and looks up at their waiter, a blonde fellow who is smiling at them and bouncing with all the jubilance of someone who's just downed the entire coffee machine.
"Hi, I'm Niall. What can I get ya?" He speaks in an Irish accent.
"Just two hot chocolates, thanks." Louis orders, smiling back. Niall's positivity is infectious.
"Sure thing, mate!" Niall essentially hops away and Harry watches after him, wondering how anyone could be that happy at this time of the year.
"So, Harry. What's getting you down?" Louis folds his hands on the table and leans forward curiously.
"I guess school is pretty rough. I'm taking a bunch of classes and it's all very overwhelming. Because of that, I couldn't make it home for my birthday, so I'm kind of bummed out about that. I haven't seen my family in a while." Harry confesses. He finds it strangely comforting to confide in this complete stranger with pretty blue eyes.
"Aw, mate, that's shit. Sorry 'bout it." Louis says as the diner speakers begin to softly sing the chorus of Wind Beneath My Wings. From the kitchen, they hear a loud shout of "DID YOU EVER KNOW THAT YOU'RE MY HERO,". Harry suspects that it's Niall and smiles to himself. Seconds later, their joyous waiter returns with two steaming mugs. He sets them down in front of the boys and pulls up a chair to Louis and Harry's table, straddling it and leaning his crossed arms on the back.
"Tomorrow's Valentine's Day." Niall states, still smiling.
"It is." Louis confirms. Harry sits, quietly confused.
"Any plans? I've got plans. Gonna take my girlfriend out to this restaurant downtown. She's been talking about the place forever and I feel like it would be the perfect date. I love Valentine's." Niall sighs contentedly and Harry giggles softly at his excited demeanor. It's quite refreshing.
"Nah, I've got no plans. Say, do you like candy hearts, by any chance?" Louis asks, Harry giggles a bit louder this time.
"I do! Why've you got any?" Louis holds up the bag and hands it to Niall, who grabs it and begins devouring them. Louis makes a slightly disgusted face while Harry watches the two in silent delight.
"What about you, mate? Got any plans for V'Day?" Niall inquires. Harry shakes his head.
"None. Just studying. Got an exam Tuesday." Harry sips his hot chocolate and glances up at Louis through his lashes, only to find the man looking right back at him.
"Ah, that sucks. Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. It's so beautiful, all this love in the air, it's just a great time, y'know?" Niall confesses.
"Oh, of course, I love the commercial dominion of Valentine's Day." Louis adds bitterly. Niall rolls his eyes, still keeping that bright smile on his face.
"Sure, it can be a commercial holiday, but it's still all about love!" Niall announces as Harry sips the last of his hot beverage.
"Good to know that someone's happy about it, but we've got to run. Good luck with your girlfriend tomorrow." Louis stands from his chair, prompting Harry to do the same.
"Bye, Niall!" Harry adieus cheerily.
"See ya, lads!" Niall calls from behind them as the door falls shut.
"Wait, so where are we going?" Harry asks Louis as he buttons his coat.
"I'm not sure, but we'll find something to do." Louis answers as they walk back the way they came. Harry again hears the spray of an aerosal paint can. From this angle, he can see the wall of an alley covered in graffiti. There's a man shaking a paint can, stepped back to gaze at his work.
"Woah, that's sick!" He hears Louis shout. The man turns on his heel to observe his new onlookers. He has a white surgical mask over his nose and mouth and his dark hair is tied back in a bun. His attire consists of a black sweater and black jeans that hug his lean frame perfectly.
"Holy shit, mate, d'you do this?" Louis asks as if he's sure that this stranger isn't going to be hostile.
"Um, yeah." The man replies, sounding surprised. He pulls down his mask and Harry almost gasps. Even in the darkness of the alley, this man is probably the most gorgeous he's ever seen. Harry breaks his eyes from the man to marvel at his work. The concrete wall is covered in different paintings, but the one that stands out is a giant, white rose. It's incredibly detailed and magnificent.
"Wow, you're really good." Harry comments, still staring in amazement.
"Thanks." He replies warily, probably wondering if the two men are police officers undercover.
"I'm Louis, this is Harry. And you can chill, we aren't gonna turn you in or summat." Louis greets. The man giggles and Harry momentarily wonders if maybe it was just the angels singing.
"It's cool. I'm Zayn." Zayn holds his hand out for Louis to shake.
"Zayn, this is so sick, though. You go to art school?" Louis questions.
"Nah, I've got three sisters. We couldn't pay for it. This is good enough practice, though." Zayn shrugs. Harry smiles fondly.
"Yeah, I can relate, I've got five sisters and a brother. I couldn't even dream of going to university." Louis comments. Harry suddenly feels guilty for complaining about uni.
"I've gotta get home to said sisters, actually. But it was nice meeting you lads." Zayn says as he stuffs the white aerosal can into a duffle bag.
"'Course, you too. Have a good night. Oh, and happy Valentine's Eve." Louis farewells. Harry nods in agreement.
"You're really good with strangers." Harry declares once they've walked in silence for a bit.
"You're really quiet around strangers." Louis adds. Harry hangs his head a bit.
"Yeah, I guess I'm kind of shy."
"'S okay, that's why I'm here." Harry can practically hear Louis smiling.
"Yeah, I guess. Hey, why are you doing this, by the way?" Harry asks quizzically.
Louis' pace slows while he ponders the question. Harry shoves his hands into the pockets of his coat while he awaits an answer.
"Well, I'm not too sure. Just that I've nothing important to do, and I do get bored a lot. I'm a drama teacher, but we just finished putting on a play, so I'm getting used to not being busy, if that makes sense. Plus, I was fully prepared for you to say no to hot chocolate, but that didn't play out. I mean, you did follow me off the Tube, so who am I to ditch it?"
Harry smiles and blushes a bit as they turn a corner. Louis' looking over at him with a small grin planted on his face.
"Yeah, I mean, it's not everyday you get strangers throwing candy hearts at you on the Tube." Louis laughs next to him.
"Come on, then. One more stop and then I'll release you, promise." Louis takes off bolting ahead of Harry, who follows after a few moments of disbelief, because, what in the hell is happening to him?
Harry gathers that Louis is anything but a track star, seeing that thirty seconds later, he's bent over with his hands resting on his knees, panting.
"Oh, come on," Harry shouts, smiling and slowing to a stop in front of Louis, who looks up through his lashes.
"Oh, yeah? You try working with masses of third graders twelve hours a day and finding time for the gym, Curly." Louis says between breaths, straightening his back and gazing intensely into Harry's eyes. Harry regards the passionate blue of his eyes even in the darkness of night.
"Where are we headed, anyway? 'Cause right now it looks like you're luring me to the middle of nowhere so you can end up with the nickname 'Valentine's Eve Killer'." Harry puts his hands on his hips and cocks his head slightly, momentarily biting his lower lip before releasing it.
"That's good, might have to consider that. But, sadly, no. I'm afraid I'm not planning your death, but we may be about to break a small law." Louis informs, walking on towards his destination.
Harry raises his eyebrows in curiosity.
"A small law? Didn't know they classified 'em as such." Louis turns on his heel to look at Harry and continues to walk backwards.
"It's not like we'll even get caught. I mean, who's patrolling trespassers on Valentine's Eve?" Louis defends, turning back around once he's finished making his point.
"Oh, right, of course. That makes sense." Harry responds with sarcasm treading his every word.
"Don't be smart with me, Styles. Might end up with that nickname, after all."
Louis leads them to a chainlink fence about as tall as Harry. It's not so much in the middle of nowhere, as right off a highway in the middle of nowhere. Louis swears that he comes here all the time and cops never come patrolling out this far, but Harry is still reluctant.
"I can't have a record, Louis! I'm gonna be a medical examiner, I don't want dismeanors following me around." Harry protests.
"I'm quite positive misdemeanors won't jeoparadize your career, Harry." Louis contends, intertwining his fingers with the chainlink, ready to climb.
"But, still," Harry tries.
Louis hikes himself up so that his torso is leaning over the top of the fence. He swings his legs over the top easily and jumps down.
"Your turn, Curly." Louis says from the other side. Harry shakes his head, but pulls himself up and over nonetheless.
"See, that wasn't so bad. Feelin' reckless, yet?" Louis teases, walking ten paces before sitting himself on the grass.
"Not a chance. What are we doing?" Harry tentatively takes a seat next to the other man.
"Stargazing!" Louis gestures wildly to the sky as he leans back to lie on the grass. Harry cocks an eyebrow.
"Stargazing? Really?" Harry questions.
"Sure! It's a clear night, beautiful. Used to take my sisters all the time." Louis explains, glancing up to Harry momentarily before settling his gaze back on the starry sky.
"How many are there, again?" Harry asks, joining Louis in stargazing and lying down on his back stretching out his limbs in the process.
"Six altogether, now. Back then it was just four, but then my mum got remarried as soon as I left home and they had twins. Not to mention my half-sister. There's a lot, I can barely keep track." Harry giggles airily and tries to spot any constellations.
"I've only got one sister. Just me, her, and my mum growing up. Now, I have a stepdad, but, like you said, I was already out of the house."
"Yeah? You said you were studying to be a medical examiner, how'd you get into that?" Louis inquires naturally.
"Well, ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be some kind of detective, but I'm too nervous to actually be in the field and I always did really well in biology, so I figured this would be the best route. Of course, it is extremely grueling and some nights I feel like giving up, but I think it'll be worth it in the end."
Louis hums in agreement. They fall into a comfortable silence, Harry searching out constellations, and Louis attempting to count all the stars. It isn't long before they hear the croon of a police siren and Harry freezes.
"Just stay still, maybe they won't see us." Louis proposes, though Harry already knows they're caught.
"Gentlemen," says a voice, "you understand that you are trespassing, yes?"
Louis and Harry both stand up.
"Yes, officer, but you see," Louis starts, taking Harry's hand in his, which results in the latter looking at him bewilderedly, "my boyfriend and I were, um, kicked out of a diner, tonight. I got the point that we weren't welcome, but I just wanted us to have a nice night, and- and my deceased father used to take me here, I'm sorry, officer, we just wanted to spend Valentine's Eve together before my boyfriend, here, was deployed." Louis spouts dramatically. Harry remembers Louis saying he was a drama teacher and wonders if he is possibly in the wrong position in that field.
The officer looks at them sadly, and Harry is actually floored that he believed Louis' bullshit story.
"Oh, lads, I get it. My brother-in-law gets the same problems with his fiance. I'm sorry to interrupt your night, I'll let you off on this one. I was never here." The officer nods.
"God, thank you, officer..."
"Payne. Officer Payne. Don't mention it."
And with that, he gets into his vehicle and cruises back out onto the highway.
Harry stares in disbelief, before realizing that he's still clutching Louis' hand. His heart flutters, but he'll never admit it.
"I can't believe that just happened." Harry announces as he steps back to look at Louis, simultaneously releasing him.
"That was amazing!" Louis shouts, leaping up to clutch the fence and swing himself over. Harry follows and they begin the walk back into town.
At the station, Harry turns to Louis and they stare at each other silently for a few seconds, before Louis speaks.
"Well. That was surely something." Harry smiles.
"That was the most fun I've had since I got to uni." Louis laughs and moves his own hair out of his face.
"Great. We should do it again sometime." Louis says, offering his phone for Harry to tap in his number, which he does.
"I guess this is farewell, Louis Tomlinson." Harry feels almost a pang of sadness in having to leave his newfound friend.
"That it is, my friend. I promise it won't be too long before you're seeing me again, don't worry. And you take care of yourself, all that stress isn't good for ya."
The train pulls up and the crowd moves around the pair.
"Of course. And thank you. For caring, at least." Harry's heart definitely does pang with sadness this time.
"Goodbye, Harry."
"Bye, Louis."
In his seat, Harry stares out the window, his eyes quickly finding Louis, still standing on the platform. Their gazes meet and Louis gives a tentative wave, which Harry returns.
He leaves Old Trafford with thoughts of shining blue eyes and candy hearts fresh in his mind.