The Future Is Now - Larry Stylinson

Chapter 25

He'd gotten through. That was the important thing. Harry tried to tell himself this as he walked down the corridor in the stadium the X-Factor auditions were being held, trying to find a place he could splash his face and try to calm down. He'd gone on stage and sung his heart out, thinking back to the video he'd watched with Louis (It was just a dream, he reminded himself angrily) of his audition. Harry sang the same song and he'd actually gotten through, surprisingly enough. It didn't do much to help the aching in his chest or how he felt like something had been ripped from him.

He saw a sign with the words MENS TOILETS and an arrow, so he followed it and found himself at a bathroom tucked away from the rest of the crowd. Good. He'd have some time alone to think and maybe try to calm down before he texted his mum to pick him up out front.

He pushed open the door and went straight to the sinks, turning the tap on and shoving his hands under the cold water. The frigid temperature did nothing but make him shiver, but he splashed it over his face anyway.

A toilet flushed and someone came out of a stall, moving to stand in front of the sink next to Harry's. He didn't look up, just leaned over the white plastic and tried to ignore how upset he was over a damn dream.

"Hi," the person next to him said softly, and Harry looked up so fast his neck cricked.

It was Louis. A much younger, softer version of him, but it was definitely him. Harry's hand slipped on the wet plastic of the sink and accidentally plunged the arm of his hoodie under the tap, getting it soaked, but it didn't matter because Louis was right in front of him. His Louis, blue eyed and smiling at him.

After a strained pause Harry pulled his arm out from the water and turned the tap off, glancing down at his dripping hoodie. "Oops."

Louis laughed, and fuck. It was the exact same as the one Harry had gotten used to hearing for over a month, except maybe this one was a little higher. "Sorry to awkwardly make conversation in a bathroom of all places, but I just wanted to say I saw your audition. You were really good."

"I, uhm, thanks," Harry managed, not knowing quite what to say. He didn't know what was going on. Had the month and a bit he'd spent with the other Louis been real, then? Had he seen this Louis boy before in passing and managed to dream about him and Harry being married when they were older, and then coincidentally met him the day after the dream?

But no, he remembered looking at the rings on their fingers and asking about the words engraved on them. He remembered Louis sighing and hiding his ring as he told Harry that they were the 'first words we spoke to each other'. And this Louis had said 'Hi' upon seeing him and Harry had awkwardly replied 'Oops' without thinking. That couldn't be a coincidence.

"I think you're really going to make it, mate," Louis said brightly, washing his hands and then drying them on his jeans. "You'll be a right pop star one day, you'll see."

Harry barked out a laugh at that, thinking about One Direction and Liam and Zayn and Niall and Louis. LouisLouisLouis."Thanks," he said again, relaxing a little and smiling at the other boy. He didn't know what was going on but he was just so relieved Louis was actually real that he didn't care.

"No problem, mate," Louis said, grinning cheekily. "In fact, I'm so sure you're going to make it, I'm going to ask for your autograph right now."

Harry's smile widened. He remembered reading an article on how Louis had asked for his autograph when they first met. Too many things were falling into place and he had to admit that somehow he'd either had a premonition of the future or he'd actually time travelled or something. Either way, he was just glad the ache in his chest had disappeared.

"I don't have any paper on me," Harry said, holding out his hands to show he had nothing in them. His left sleeve was still dripping onto the tiled floor.

"That's okay, we can find some," Louis said with a smile, holding out his hand to shake. "I'm Louis, by the way."

I know, Harry thought. "I'm Harry. Harry Styles."

"I know," Louis said, chuckling. "I saw your audition, remember?"

"Right," Harry said, taking Louis' hand and shaking it firmly. "I'm just about done in here anyway. Should we go look for some paper?"

"Yeah, that sounds good," Louis replied, smiling.

_-_-

6