(but maybe all along) i’m afraid
fic by @voulezloux
art by @moon-sun-thyme
“You're in love with Harry,” it’s a statement, not a question. “And he’s in love with you.”
His hands shake as he retrieves his keys from the ground, trying to find the store key quicker so he can escape the situation. “I’m not in love with Harry. And he is sure as fuck not in love with me.”
Zac’s reflection frowns. “But you are? Both of you. It’s like looking at Michael and Isaac or Niall and Zayn with you two. You…” he stops, trying to find the right words to describe how they are apparently. “He looks at you like you hold the answer to everything in the universe. You look at him like he hung the stars in the sky. There’s… there’s no way you guys aren’t in love.”
Finally getting the right key in and locking the door, tugging a bit too hard to check it’s fully locked, Louis can’t hide the simmering anger that is now boiling over the edge. “We are not in love. Harry’s in love with life, the sun and the stars. He looks at everything like that,” he spits, hands clenched by his side. “I don’t even think a love like that exists. I’m never going to be in love, and I wish everyone would stop forcing me to be in love,” he checks the door one more time. “Have a good night, Zac.”
the five stages of realizing you’ve been in love with your best friend, who definitely doesn’t feel the same, this whole time.
written for the @onedirectionbigbang 2025
