The Larry Book [ completed ]

Breathing In Your Dust

By : togetherwecouldbealright (ao3)

Summary:

"Must be fate," Harry jokes, rolling his eyes and Louis' face softens as he nods in agreement.

"Well Harry, we are soulmates after all," Louis reminds as if he thinks Harry might've forgotten, even as his hand is still stuck to the wall.

AU where Harry doesn't believe in soulmates despite living in a world where soulmates and fate are key words. Louis is just a boy he meets but at the same time, he's so much more.

Fate.

The word feels funny on Harry's tongue but it's a word that's common in his world. It's a word that's sacred and it's a word he has never felt right using.

Another word that's common in his world is the word soulmates.

The idea that people are meant for each other, made to complete each other is completely lost on Harry. He doesn't understand how that can be or why that would be.

Or at least, that's what he tells himself.

-

He's five when he first sees the engraving on the side of a bank. It's etched into the wall, two hands and then words on top and beneath them.

Harry has to squint a little and think back to what he learned in school before he finally gives up and turns to his sister who's waiting for their mother with him.

"Gemma, what does that say?" Harry asks, pointing his index finger at the wall.

It takes her a minute to read it but when she's done, she leans down, quietly saying, "On top of that hand, it says 'place your hand here'. On the other hand, it says 'have stranger place hand here' and on the bottom it says 'remove hands when no longer strangers'." Then she pauses, blinking. "It also says 'warning: be careful because fate has a funny way of working itself out'. What does fate mean?"

Harry shakes his head, confused and that's when their mother walks out.

She sees them staring at the wall and turns to look at it herself before laughing brightly, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. You'll know what that is when you're old enough."

"Is it just for making friends?" Harry wonders and she smiles, carding a hand through his hair which is getting darker now that it's summer. He worries one day it'll turn completely brown.

"Yeah, H. It is for making friends. There's more to it but that's not for you to worry about. Now come on, your father is waiting for us."

She gently nudges him before taking Gemma's hand and walking towards where their car is parked.

Harry waits a beat longer, still staring at the wall curiously. He's about to raise his hand and put it in the place of the first hand when his mother shouts, "Harry! Come on!" and he immediately drops his hand to his side before sprinting towards their car.

-

He's ten years old when he hears someone talking about it again. There's an engraving of the hands in the back of school but Harry's never seen it. He's only heard of it.

However, now that Harry's looking, he knows that the hands are basically everywhere. They're on all types of buildings and he even saw it on a tree once. He has no idea what to make of it but every time he asks, his mother tells him not to worry.

So of course, all he does is worry.

Now that Gemma is twelve, she knows and Harry is, without a doubt, jealous. He wants to know so badly but no one will tell him and it's utterly frustrating.