Visionary [Louis Tomlinson AU]

[02] Phil and MISS Jen

“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'it will be happier'...” 

~Alfred Tennyson 

May 19, 2043

4:30 P.M

            Louis sat in a plush, cushioned chair, one that he had come to be familiar with over the past month. He had grown to like the conforming stuffing of the leathery material, the cool armrests that he so often found himself using. 

            And most of all, he found himself becoming used to (and maybe even mildly fond of) the older man sitting across from him. 

            Louis’ therapist, Phil, had slightly graying, jet-black hair that never seemed to want to settle down. He was a man in his late forties, who always wore his glasses on the very tip of his nose, giving him the classic “intellectual” look. Though he wasn’t as stony-faced as many of these intellectuals were portrayed as being, he was still very smart, and somehow knew how to connect with people in just the perfect way, hence his occupation. 

            “So how’s work been?” Phil, asked, leaning back and lacing his fingers together. 

            Louis shrugged. In all honesty, what was he supposed to say to that? He saw his best (imaginary) mate there every day, and it was kind of suffocating to be honest. 

            Sure, he loved seeing Liam, even though he wasn’t entirely… Liam. It was fantastic to be able to see him at all, but he was so different, the more he got to know him. 

            Yeah, he was still joking around a bit, and not as serious about everything- which was nice-, but he longed so much for the Liam he knew. He missed seeing Liam Payne being uncomfortable around spoons, seeing him obsessed with the old Toy Story series, and being able to talk to him about everything and anything.

            “Good,” was all he said instead, because he knew that saying all those things wouldn’t make any sense to Phil. Not to anyone here. 

            Phil had a faint smile playing around his thin lips, watching Louis with a warm gaze. “That’s good,” he said, and Louis couldn’t help but think that, of course it was good. That’s all he provided anyways. 

            “How about coworkers?” Phil continued. “Do you like working with them?” 

            “Yeah,” Louis shrugged. “They’re nice people. It’s just a job.” Though with Liam around the whole time, it had really turned into anything but ‘just a job’. 

            Phil was silent for a moment, just allowing Louis to think, as if he could read his thoughts and know that that was what he wanted. 

            After much internal debate, Louis decided that he would tell Phil about Liam. Phil had explained to him the therapist-patient confidentiality rules. He wouldn’t say anything to his parents unless there were dangerous circumstances involved. Phil already knew about the creation Louis had thought he lived in, touring the world with four best mates as a band. It would be fine to tell him.

            “Liam works there,” Louis finally said, his voice quiet in a way that said that it upset him.

            Phil raised an eyebrow slightly, but that was it. “And?” 

            Louis felt frustrated. How was he supposed to describe the emotions he got when being around Liam now? He felt hurt because of how different he was, betrayed almost, yet also happy, because he was there.