first words ; larry au

1 // Hi

Harry's POV

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February 1st, 1994.

Seventeen years and 364 days later, I'm finding myself laying in bed, trying desperately to sleep. In a few hours, it will be my eighteenth birthday and, to me, the most important day of my entire life.

For so long I had wanted for somebody to say 'I love you' and mean it and those three words would turn into the two that rhyme with it and be said once the bride and groom make their everlasting promises.

'I love you' and 'I do' are surely important, but what is the first word or phrase that your soulmate will say to you, your never-ending lover? At eighteen, that word or phrase is naturally inked onto your body.

What will mine be? Whatever it is, I am surely going to say that to everybody I meet until I find the perfect girl.

I have a countdown in his head and occasionally look at the old clock on my bedside table. I turn my head to check and the red lights blind me for a second, but the time reads 10:21. It feels like I have been in bed forever and waiting will be harder than expected. Questions run through my head and turn everything on in my body so that I am wide awake and just thinking about closing my eyes makes me want to scream.

I look out my bedroom window (I still haven't put any blinds up) and look out over the dead silent street that was dimly lit by a single lamp and a few indoor lights from the apartments and shops below.

The stars never come out. People I meet will tell me that their sky is lit up with thousands of them and the moon is like a nocturnal sun. But in the middle of London, I've hardly even seen the moon, let alone stars. The farthest I've gone from here was to visit my grandparents in a small town about an hour away from my place. Still, no beauty in the sky.

I hope that my soulmate was as beautiful as the night. She would have hair as dark as the sky and eyes as sparkly and intriguing as the stars. Maybe I could connect the freckles on her cheeks like the ancient constellations. I would treat her as well as the creator of space and give her all she needs to keep my glorious night sky living and happy and well.

I don't even know her and I'm already in love. Hell, I don't even know what I'll say to her when I meet her!

I turn my head again and look at the clock; one minute had passed.

I bury my head in my pillow and let out a loud groan. "Dammit, I'm bored!" How long could I just lay here, sitting, waiting, wishing?

I lay there for another hour or so and my eyes grow heavy as I try to close them once more. My arm seems to be asleep as my head hits the pillow.

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Light.

Light pours in through my window and onto the duvet and my face. It blinds me as I open my eyes, but I sit up and look at the clock again. 7:49.

"Eighteen!" I shout. I throw the covers off of my body and scan my legs for any sign of the marking. Nothing. I check my stomach and use the mirror to look on my back and there isn't anything on my neck or head. Raising my arms over my head slightly, I see a black word written under my shoulder.

'Hi'

A smile appears on my lips as I trace the single and simple word that would lead me to love.

"Mom!" I run out my door and into the miniature apartment kitchen. The smell of bacon and eggs pass my thoughts completely as I tumble into the room.

"What does it say?" she asks me, smiling. I lay my finger on the word.

"'Hi,'" I tell her. Her grin weakens some. "Wait, what's wrong with it?"

"Oh... I guess lots of people will say that to you in your lifetime. It may be a bit hard to find the one." I shake my head.

"No, Mom. I'll know when I meet her," I say. No way in hell she will make me upset right now. "Anyways," I start, changing the conversation, "what's for breakfast? Smells amazing."

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hiiiii, so here's the first chapter :) the first few will take longer to publish so just hold tight to your britches for now. anyways, sorry for the long a/n but im pretty excited. please follow my twitter and instagram (in bio) for updates on this fanfiction and my uninteresting life! love you all and thanks so much

maggie