Love Me Please (Larry Stylinson)

20

Louis receives a text message the next morning begging him to help Harry study again.

He says yes only because he feels obligated. At least, that's what he tells himself. They meet at the library again, at the same table in the back. Out of all places in the library, this is the most private, and perhaps the most beautiful. Louis is almost always surprised when the table is open because it's such a great place to study.

This morning, sunlight is streaming in through the window and illuminating the top of the table in golden glow. Today it smells of books, like always, and coffee.

Harry is sitting there waiting for him and he has two to-go cups set on the table. As soon as Louis arrives he hands one to him with a shy smile.

"I'm sorry for bothering you," he murmurs, offering the coffee as a consolation prize. "I appreciate your help very much."

Louis is still so confused because the Harry Styles he sees now is definitely not the Harry Styles of last month, or even a few days ago before he called crying like the world was crumbling down, and maybe it was, in a way. For as long as Louis has known him, he's been loud and arrogant and always the center of attention, always silently demanding people look at him and regard him as something special.

Something has changed, though, in the way he's much quieter now, much softer. Louis doesn't like to think this change is caused by the pain they've both been facing even more so lately, the pain of separation. The pain of soulmates who are supposed to be together, but aren't.

They're together for now at least, for these short few hours in the morning as Harry reads aloud from Les Fleurs du Mal, stumbling over the words and mispronouncing most of them, only for Louis to correct him in a softer, gentler voice than he usually uses with Harry. It seems cruel to be harsh, so he isn't, not now at least.

"What is aimons-nous doucement ?"

Louis blushes, correcting Harry's pronunciation as a way to stall. He fiddles with his coffee and then tells him quietly, "It means, Let us love gently ."