Chapter Text

December 24 1927, 12:34 pm

Screaming could be heard through the room as Jay Austin pushed with all her might, almost on the verge of giving up.

"One last push mam, and everything will be over," the nurse encouraged her as she saw the head of the baby come out.

"GAHHHH!" With one last push, the crying could be heard all through the room.

"Fantastic job Mrs Austin, you have a wonderful and healthy baby boy.”

When the baby was placed in her arms, he immediately quieted down as he looked at her, with wondering eyes. His wonderful blue eyes shone up at his mother, his tiny button nose twitching as he grasped the new world around him.

"I'll be calling you Louis, how does that sound love?" she asked him, even though she knew he wouldn't respond. Instead he kicked his feet and continued looking at her.

"Louis, Louis, I like how it sounds, my baby boy," she whispered as a tear escaped, sliding down her rosy checks as she remembered that he will grow up without a father, seeing as after she got pregnant, her partner left her. They weren’t soulmates.

"Me and you against this big, big word boo," with that she held him close to her as he stretched his tiny mouth in a tired yawn, and with a final puff of his lips, he closed his eyes and drifted to his first sleep in his new reality.

March 2 1928 8:00 am

"Baby shush now, mummy has got you, don't cry, it's all going to be alright," she said to her tiny bundle of joy, who was screeching, as she picked him up from his crib. He still continued crying while she stood pacing in their room, "shh baby, what's wrong?"

To this the only answer she received was more crying.

"Louis love, it's me, mummy" but soon she gave up. She had only given him his bottle less than half an hour ago and she has changed his diaper right after that.

"Oh how I wish that he told me what he wanted," she knew that no one would listen her, besides Louis, and well, he couldn’t answer yet. So Johanna just spoke to herself, hoping that maybe there was an answer out there in the silence.

She started to hum a song that her mother sung to her. It was only fitting, passing down the tradition, as she continued pacing with Louis, bouncing him in her arms.

She continued doing this, and soon she found out that he was only letting out sniffles now, when she looked down at him, she found him staring up at her with his big baby eyes boring through hers.

"You like that baby boy? You like it when mummy sings to you?" Louis kept staring at her, his blue eyes meeting hers, filled with blissful ignorance.

And so that's what she did, she continued humming to him until he quieted down, then she placed him in his crib once again, while she left to do some cleaning.

It was difficult to raise a child on your own, especially without the help of your family. Jay was left stranded alone when she got pregnant, because her parents thought she was going against the law. But what was she meant to do? She gave up waiting to find her soulmate, she wasted decades trying to find him, and yet she never did. So when she met Troy and started talking to him,  she thought that just maybe he would be the one. That finally she would step out of this prison she was in, and could live. But, life doesn’t always work out the way you want it to.

Boy was she wrong, the moment he found his soulmate, he left her all alone, with a baby growing inside of her. No one cared about her, and the baby: it was just them on their own. But, somehow, Jay wouldn’t want it any other way. Things happen the way they need to. She knew that it would be okay, someday. She hoped that it would be alright. That maybe Louis would have it better. She promised herself, her back bent over the counter scrubbing, that Louis would have a better life than her. No matter what.

So here she was, doing the dishes she had left the night before, before she had to head to bed as to nurse Louis before he fell asleep.

February  16,1929, 15:00 am

Ever since Louis learnt how to walk, the house has been a complete disaster. Jay first thought that it would be funny to throw the cushion on the carpet, and mismatch her shoes, even break the plates sometimes. But more it grew into bigger trouble than she had hope, quicker than she had wanted.  

“Louis no! Come back here you little devil,” Jay scurried after him as he continued running through the living room, “Louis you’re going to fall, stop it!”

She was only answered back in gurgles and a jumble of words, until he fell on his bum and started crying, “See I told you boobear, you were going to fall, come here,” he looked at her with his eyes brimming with tears as she picked him up.

“It’s alright darling, it’s nothing big,” she placed his clothed bum in front of her face and kissed it better, and then he soon stopped crying, “who loves her baby boy very much, huh?”

He then proceeded to giggle, the sound of his tiny voice pulling at the corners of her mouth. Then, in a moment that she would cherish for the rest of her life, Louis lifted one tiny hand to her nose, his mouth forming the words “Ma-ma”.

“What was that Lou?” Jay stopped, holding Louis to her chest.

“Ma-ma,” his face looked like he was trying something sour for the first time when he said the words outloud.

“Yes, Yes that’s right baby, mama loves you the most doesn’t she? She loves you plenty plenty,”  he kept on giggling then, and even more when she started tickling his round belly and making funny faces at him while he started to move around trying to escape.

“Oh no you don’t mister” she started laughing alongside him and soon they were both on the couch, with him cuddled against her chest.

“Mama, mama,” she couldn’t help looking at him like he was simply the most perfect human being on earth, his hair was already starting to grow a little in a hazelnut sort of colour, and his eyes were simply the most perfect eyes she had ever seen; they were the most beautiful shade of blue, glittering as you looked at them.

“Yes boo?”, he made grabby hands from her chest, which only meant one thing, he was getting hungry.

So she sat up on the couch and grabbed him up with her,  pulling up her cardigan and unfastening her bra top she moved his head so that it was right up against his nipple so that he could suck on it, and he did, he sucked until he was tired, and when he did fall asleep, he stopped. He fell limp on her chest and started breathing evenly.

“Time for a nap, little bud,” she pressed a kiss to his forehead and headed towards the bedroom as gentle as she could, so that she wouldn’t wake him up.

When she passed the bathroom and arrived at the door next to it, she opened it as to open her bedroom door and went in. She placed her bundle of joy in his crib so that he would nap for some time, until he woke up again.

Making her way to the living room once again she sat down and fell deep in thought: had she been doing an acceptable job as a mother, or had she been doing everything wrong ? Will her son grow up to hate her? She may only start growing when she found her soulmate, what if her own son found his before she did hers?

She can only hope that he does find his soulmate at an early age, and not end up like herself.  She has waited for over thirty years to find her soulmate, but luck never was at her door, until Troy.He was such a sweetheart at first, but people change as easily as the wind. And soon Troy had blown away on the next breeze.

November 24, 1929 15:30 pm

Do you know how things just happen? How suddenly, when you weren’t really paying attention, everything just changes, and you aren’t quite sure how you got from where you were to where you are?  That’s what happened when she was walking in the market and bumped in a tall handsome guy, eighteen just like her.

It was raining and the clouds covered the sky like a carpet but Louis was running out of diapers and she had to go buy some more so that she would be safe.

“I’m really s-so-sorry,” Louis was getting annoyed against her hip, and he kept fiddling around.

“It’s nothing, cute boy you have there,” he gave out his finger to Louis and he immediately caught it with his entire hand, and started giggling, “hello there mister, what’s your name?” Louis just looked at him with a smile on his face.

“Darling tell the man what your name is,” and he simply let out a mumbled ‘Louis’ come out of his lips.

“Pretty  name bug, and what about this pretty young lady’s name?” Jay felt her cheeks heat up; she had never encountered someone who wanted to give her help, let alone talk to her out of their own record.

“Mama!”

Fonding down at her son, she nodded slightly, “But friends call me Jay”

Looking back at the man in front of her she gave out a small smile, “Well Jay, I think you have an adorable boy, and he has an adorable mom, I’m Ben myself” shaking the hand he outstretched she gave him another smile.

“Really glad to have encountered you Ben.”

“As have I, wouldn’t mind bumping into you again, another time soon, maybe,”

And so they exchanged addresses, and he promised her to go over sometime whenever he had the chance. Jay was ex tactic for that, because finally she will have someone to talk to, who doesn’t just blabber back.

That night she headed back home with more diapers and a smile which almost covered her entire face.

Chapter Text

February 1 1931, 13:23 pm – Doncaster

Louis was doing what he normally did, being the child that he was. He was simply playing with a toy his mum knitted for him, seeing as she spent most of her time doing that, when she wan’t working.

She had recently started courting Ben and things had been going great for them.She has finally found a good job and when she was working, she could leave Louis in the hands of Ben. Louis had accepted Ben in his life, and nothing was more important to Jay than that.

She will never have the words to describe what it felt like what Lou first turned around to Ben and muttered the word "Papa." It was simple, and innocent, and Ben replied by scoping him into his arms.

Life was finally falling into place.

Then, one day Louis felt a sort of twinkle course through him; when he looked down at his hands he noticed that his skin was turning a soft shade of green. “Papa !”

“What’s wrong,Lou ?” Ben came from the kitchen as he knelt down next to Louis.

“Green,” he said thinking that Ben would know what he meant. He held out his hand with his words.

“What do you mean by that Bear ?” Examining his hands Ben saw nothing different turning Louis' hands over in his own.

Louis looked down confused at his hands, “They were green papa, and I felt my twinkle,” Louis felt the back of his hands press against his forehead.

“You don’t look sick though, whatever happened I don’t know, but tell me if it happens again, yeah love ?”

Louis simply nodded at him and continued playing with his stuffed bear, who suddenly he decided to name Harry; the most beautiful name he could even think of.

February 1 1931, 13:23 pm – Holmes Chapel

“Why did you do this to me!” Anne cried out as she held Des’ hand as tightly as she could, “wasn’t one enou- FUCK”

“One more push mam and everything will be fine, the head is already showing” the nurse encouraged her as Anne screamed and pushed with all that she could.

Wailing could be heard all throughout the room as Anne fell back on her pillow, relieved that everything was over, and that her baby could finally be with her.

“Oh look at this” she heard the nurse who was holding Harry say, showing whatever she saw to the other nurse in the room.

 Anne was confused as to why everyone in the room decided to wrap around her new baby boy; she just birthed him she needs to hold him.

 Coughing politely she decided to remind the nurse that both her and her husband where in the same room, “Something wrong?”

The nurses just gave eachother a secret look, which made her even more furious, and then the one holding the washed baby was moving towards her.Once she reached her, she put the baby in her arms and pointed at a birthmark placed on his left thumb, “Mam, this means that your son’s soulmate is already alive, it only shows on people who have already met their soulmates in their past lives, well or so the people say.”

Anne gasped at this: her small bundle in her arms has already connected  to his soulmate, and here she was, with a man who wasn’t even hers. She smiled down at the little boy happy that maybe he would at least find happiness in this world.

Caressing his mark Anne started cooing at him, “Look at you, only a few minutes old and yet you already know that your soulmate is alive.”

The tiny baby in her arms, whom she still had to name - although she already had few in mind - opened his eyes and she gasped: they were green as the grass which surrounded her house, they held a sparkle in them, she had never seen such beauty in simply a pair of eyes.

They laid there standing still, looking in eachother’s eyes, mother’s boring through her son’s, finally reunited after he spent nine months in her belly, protected from the world which now surrounded him.

“You’re a beauty aren’t you? Most beautiful baby in the whole world darling,” she thumbed his cheek and his eyes continued to stare at her.

“He looks just like you, darling,” Finally remembering that they weren’t alone in the room, Anne looked at her husband, “just as beautiful”.

She felt lips press against her forehead and smiled at the heating sensation slowing through her veins, “I cannot wait for Gemma to finally meet him, he will have her wrapped around his teeny tiny baby finger.”

“He already has everyone wrapped around his fingers, love” Anne just nodded, agreeing with him.

They both stayed silent for a moment, simply admiring the bundle placed in Anne’s arms, “Mrs. Styles have you yet decided on what his name will be ?” they were brought back to reality and shared a look with eachother, as if  they knew what the other was thinking.

“Harry” Anne muttered out, eyes still focused on the baby in her arms.

“Harry Edward Styles” Des finished for her as the nurse gave them a polite smile and headed out of the room to write out the birth certificate so that it could be sent to the printing press and be approved and stamped.

March 30 1931, 10:03 am – Doncaster 

Out of all the days that Louis decided to throw a tantrum it was on the day the papers would have been signed so that Ben would finally be his legal adoptive parent. But, of course, now they were three minutes late - not a lot of time really but it’s always a tad better to be exactly on time with important people.

“Louis please stop being so fussy today darling,” Jay muttered down to her son as she was bouncing him on her hip, “It’s alright love, shush for mummy” she didn't know what else she could do so she decided to press a kiss to his forehead, checking hia temperature as she did - it was fine.

She was then struck with what normally helped her baby boy quiet down and started humming down at him sweet lullabies as they waited. She looked at Ben who she saw was relieved when Louis started to quieten down as they continued waiting in queue, although they were next to enter.

it seemed like the people before them took up a lot of time and had troubles signing the papers.

***

It didn’t take them as long as the couple before them to sign the papers, and everything was finished, with Louis now being named Louis Tomlinson instead of Austin. Everything was finally falling into place.

That night when they were back home and settled on the couch, enjoying the presence of eachother, Ben felt Louis start to fumble around in his lap and when he looked down at him, he noticed him almost sweating. It was funny though, because he wasn’t running a temperature, but the needs of sweat damped his dark hair to his forehead. “Louis, love are you okay ?”

Louis just whimpered and shook his head, “Fells funny papa, just like last time,” Jay, being concerned as well soon surrounded them both and started kissing all over his face and soothing him so that he would feel better.

There is nothing a mother couldn’t fix.

March 30 1931, 19:21 pm – Holmes Chapel 

“Gemma, please could you bring me a cloth covered in cold water, please?” Anne questioned her daughter as she felt her son heating up, he can’t catch a fever, he is way too young.

Gemma’s response was a simple ‘coming’ and soon she was next to her baby brother, holding the damp cloth against his forehead, “Is he alright mummy?”

Anne knew her daughter was always scared of things happening and not being able to be fixed, “Darling, whatever happens he will still be alright, you know people only get very bad when they grow old with their soulmate, your brother is going to be fine”.

She still knew that Gemma shed a tear when she looked at her brother squirming at how hot he felt from the fever and brushed her hair, “it’s okay Gems,” she only received a nod in return.

“He’s so beautiful mum, I can never get over how beautiful my brother is."

“You’re just as beautiful love,” she said as Gemma was kissing Harry’s nose, which made him squirm out of pure enjoyment, "see he’s alright”, and continued with caressing his right cheek.

“Mum, he is simply perfect. I mean, look at him, I have a baby brother”

Anne simply smiled at her daughter’s joy of being a big sister and having a tiny brother.

“Yes, yes you do love, a beautiful tiny baby,” she couldn’t help but fond down on her children.

They grow up so fast.

January 21 1935, 16:00 pm – Doncastar

It’s funny isn’t it? How children have just been born one second, but then the next they are running around and already seven.For Jay, it was sad to see that her baby was now growing in a boy who just asks and asks questions about life and all of its wonders.

“Mum, can I ask you a question, please?” Louis asked politely as he sat down on a chair which was situated in the rather small kitchen.

“What’s it lovely?” Leaving the plates in the basin as to wash later, Jay turned towards her son.

Once Louis saw that he had his mother’s full attention he asked a question which Jay would have never thought of answering.

“Why do you always say that you’re eighteen? Why do you never grow like I do?” You wouldn't be shocked if I said that Jay was stuck on the spot, almost breathless.

“Well darling it’s quite a long story, and I don’t thik you’re ready for it” she felt like a bad mother, but how could she tell him how tough life really was?

“I’m a big boy now mummy,” he gave a toothy smile, well as many tooths as he had left in his mouth.

“Are you sure darling?” She only received an eager nod in return, “well alright then, do you want dad here too to answer questions?” She then was only met by another nod and a simple ‘yes, please’, so they waited until Ben got home, with Jay doing the dishes she had waiting and Louis playing with the almost broken soft toy, he once called Harry.

When Ben arrived, Jay explained to him what was going on, seeing as he knew that they had a rather intelligent child he agreed almost instantly.

“Boobear, come down here for a second,” within a milli of a second he was already sitting on the worn out couch, waiting eagerly for them to begin.

“You can start asking questions now, love,” she proceeded for him to start and oh boy he did, once one question was answered another two were fired out just like bullets in a gun.

“Slow down munchkin, and we’ll answer as best as we can” Jay laughed at her son’s enthusiasm.

“If people start aging when they find their soulmates, why aren’t you doing so,” Jay and Ben never expected that, and they kept staring at their son who was biting his lip anxiously as if he had grown two heads.

Staring back at eachother, they both gave out nods and told the easiest thing they could, the truth.

“You see darling,” started out Jay, “Sometimes even if you know that your soulmate is out there, you don’t know in which continent he is, for some luck people their soulmate is around the corner, and they never stop aging at the age of eighteen, but for some they could be all the way across the sea, and it would be almost impossible to find them.”

Ben gave a nod of approval and continued, “Exactly what your mother has just said, and when that happens and you cannot find them, you end up finding someone else,” here Louis saw Ben take his mother’s hands in his own and then he stared into her eyes, “and you think that no one could be better than her.”

As if both were thinking the same thing, both opened their mouths to speak, “And that can only mean that you have to live together for eternity, and you never can grow up but it’s the best feeling in the world.”

To say the least, Louis was left speechless was an understatement.

July 18 1935 12:00 pm – Holmes Chapel

Four year old Harry was an angel child, he had muttered his first word, which strangely enough was ‘cat’, after his sister decided that it was funny if she drew cats all over his face.

 That day he ended up giggling whenever somebody mentioned cats to him.

He even had his first steps, also because of Gemma, when they were at the park and Gemma sprinted when she saw a squirrel, Harry not knowing what to do, just started crawling behind her, and soon he was fed up with walking on his hands and knees so he decided to stand by himself. Sadly the screech his mother made a few minutes later made him fall back on his bum.

So really things were fine with the family.

Des had sadly left them when he found his soulmate, just like most men do, but both him and his soulmate still visited them and they always stood behind the door bearing gifts.

Neither child was by any means sad about it all.

Anne was quietly trying out a new recipe for breakfast, when she felt a pair of tiny hand circle her knees, “oh my we have a burgler in the house and he’s trying to steal me” she felt her knees vibrate and soon heard giggling.

“No mummy it’s me, Harry,” he continued to giggle some more, a dimple showing in his smile. Anne just fonded down at her son and continued joking with him.

“Oh no my son is becoming a thief,” gasping she picked him up and checked his temperate as a joke, “you even feel like a thief”.

Harry simply continued giggling in his mother’s neck, and soon Gemma was in the kitchen joining both her mum and brother in the happy hour.

“Gemma noo put me down,” He was still laughing, hair devilished by all the spinning and tickling he had just went through.

“I will when I hear the magic words”

“Please gemmy put me down” Harry tried, accidentally misspelling put.

“Not that one Hazzy”

“I love you Gemma and I will give you kisses,” he tried once again, hoping he won, but still laughing his little heart out.

“That’s the one big boy,” ruffling his hair she put him back on his feet and steadied him, while their mother was plating up food.

26 September 1939 – Doncastar

Ever since Louis had the talk with his parents, he was never quite feeling it.He changed, although no one could say whether it was for the better or the worse, eventhough his parents thought it was for the latter.

Ever since he heard that soulmates could be across the sea, he made it his mission to go to the ends of the world to find and hold them his arms, he never wanted the miss the warmth a person could give you.

He knew thathis mom was happy with Ben, but he sometimes wondered in his bed, while the moon illuminated his window from the window, whether it was worth giving up on your soulmate; giving up the feeling of growing up and aging together with the one you were made to hold.

In thoe days the sirens would come on almost every night. People hid in their basements so that they would stay safe; so that they would make it through the night. Ben had left not so long ago, and Jay would hold Louis even tighter. He didn't quite understand where he had gone, but Louis knew that his mum was worried.

Families scared that there loved one wouldn’t return from war. His mom usually told him about how it was all a sick game out there.

People who had only found their soulmates that day, still had a chance to die - it wasn't fair. It sucked to see people receiving letters saying that their loved ones were gone.

It was all fine for them though, until it wasn’t.

One time when his mum was cutting up some vegetables, Louis heard letters going in through the mailbox port in the door and immediately got curious.

“Mom, we have mail” Jay immediately scurried to the living room to check about what could have been sent to them, once opening the letter they were both floored with sadness and heartache.

On the envelope “Send to 15, ‘Lonely Walk’ Street if found dead” was scribbled in Ben’s handwriting, everything shattered around Jay then, tears started pouring down her face, not knowing how to explain it, but also not having the courage to open the letter to see how ?

Louis soothed her by rubbing her back and decided to read her the letter himself.

Dear Jay and Louis,

I cannot say how relieved I was at first, when I had no soulmate, because I knew that I would come back home and care for you the best I could, but things never do work out do they ? The instant I had arrived in the city of Germany, the unthinkable happened, I met her.

I did and it felt amazing, but nothing was as profound as the love I felt for you Jay . Nothing could beat the fact that you and Louis were my life, I just couldn’t bear with it.

This was taken by such shock from me that I spent the next few days in a haze, I am still not sure how I survived, it’s a blood ground in here, everyone dies and it just isn’t what I wanted, I never wanted to sign up for this, I simply wanted to be there for you, I wanted to be a father and a husband.

If you actually do end up receiving this, It can only mean one thing, I have died and I will never fulfill my dream to asking for your hand, I will never fulfill my dream of growing children with you and Jay it is the worst think I could think of.

If you don’t it means that I am still alive and will be returning as soon as all of this ends, but only I can hope for the best.

All the Love,

Ben

 When Louis finished reading, his face was covered in tears and snot, same going for his mother and they simply embraced eachother, no words spoken, just broken sobs coming from their mouths, until only sniffles could be heard as they laid there.

Protected by the warmth of eachother, mother and son.

All back to square one.

26 September 1939 - Holmes Chapel

Harry didn’t know why, but even since he woke up it felt as if something bad had happened. His gut kept pulling at him, making him believe that it was appetite, but food was almost extinct in their house, all because of the war which was happening.

He padded softly in the kitchen and found and smelled broth brewing on the stove, probably mum was already preparing lunch and he noticed that it wasn’t his appetite.

His instincts told him to look down at his mark which was situated on his thumb, his mother had explained it to him just last week and his thoughts could only be I hope whoever they are is okay and gently caressed the mark, not knowing that with simply that he made a boy a few hours away feel secure and a bit better.

Chapter Text

October 21 1945

Everything was still building up to how it used to be, the distractions that happened during war, sadly, couldn’t be repaired in an instant. Rivers were covered with the smell of death, houses were wrecked and sadly, people were dead.

Not many – but not a few. The neighbourhood was no longer the same, everything was so quiet now, the chats which took place outside the houses before war started no longer happened, it was all sad and quiet now.

The people were all still shell shocked about whatever happened to their soulmates, some even said that they could no longer see in colour, that it was like they knew that their better half had died, like an abundance of waves had crashed down on them.

The soldiers who returned from war were indescribable, some had started talking to themselves, and some were so bad that they had to be scurried to a mental hospital the minute they landed back home.

The ones who had died weren’t given a proper goodbye; they were simply left to rot themselves to ashes, or else to be eaten by vultures surrounding the area.

In short – everything – was simply destroyed, and all families had to restart from square one.

October 21 1945 – Doncaster

For Louis, well, things weren’t easy at all, ever since the death of Ben, he had never returned back to his normal self, he had simply locked himself in his room and started working on projects, started researching on soulmates and the only thing he ended up thinking about when all was done was simply Darling I don’t know who you are or where you are but I cannot wait to hold you in my arms.

Unfortunately from all the signs that he read about, not a single one matched with his, until he ended up on a book, The Prophecy of Perfect Soulmates , he never heard about there being a prophecy, or perfect soulmates, but the more you know.

He spent about an hour reading, and with every chapter he skimmed through, the more his mouth started to drop, now these, he has experienced.

Seeing you turn another colour – check

Feeling like somehow you aren’t yourself – way too many times really

Seeing yourself glow – check

Changing moods in an instant – double check

So many he could be going made right now but I mean what if it really could happen, maybe he is one of the lucky bunch, but he doesn’t quite think of it.

One line mostly stood out to him out of the ones he had skimmed through, he felt like finally, all the puzzles were really fitting together

Sometimes you feel them without even knowing and sometimes that is all that you really need.

He just couldn’t believe that he had a chance of matching up with the real prophecy of having a perfect soulmate which was customised exactly for you, made to fit like a puzzle with your soul, never had he been more ready for something in his whole entire life.

When he got cramped in his bed he decided to see how his mum was this day and so he padded his way downstairs, he was indeed growing a bit taller.

With only a single look at him his mum smiled genuinely, he hadn’t seen her like this for quite some time, ever since he died no bad thoughts Louis.

“Mum, all good?” He didn’t know he asked /that/ question but it was like his mind was on filter.

“Yea, I guess, getting used to it, it’s quite hard,” she sniffled a bit, and from what I could tell her eyes looked like she had been crying – judging by the red circles which encircled them.

Moving around in the kitchen as to make two cups of tea, Louis noticed how low their stock was, they only had little food to eat for that same day even, “mum how are we going to survive?”

“I don’t even have a clue Louis, I’m sorry” He just put the kettle on heat and went to hug his mother while he waited for the kettle to boil.

“Don’t be mum, things will get better, they always do” she just nodded against his neck until the kettle started boiling, then he made two cups of sizzling hot tea, just the way they liked it – Yorkshire.

October 21 1945 – Holmes Chapel.

You know how things just don’t work? The Styles family happen to know about that, while the war was going, they ended up being one of the victims who lost their house, although thankfully while it happened, they were protecting themselves in Des’ basement, which left them all uninjured.

This is how it leads to them living with Des and Melissa.

“Maaaaa,” Harry was getting annoyed at having nothing to do; everything he owned had burnt down, leaving him with nothing.

“What do you want Harry?” her annoyed tone could be heard, but what could he do? He was a fourteen year old with nothing.

“Nothing mum, never mind, sorry” he just continued wallowing in self-pity, until he decided to go and look at the book his dad owned.

***

When he starting looking through the books, he just couldn’t seem to stop, the amount of information which was going through his brain was probably way too much for him, but the information was so nice, it talked about what happened when soulmates met for the first time, the sensations you get, how you start feeling a heat surrounding you but yet you have never felt so calm in your whole entire life.

It also talked about colours, how your skin starts turning in another shade, it wasn’t known why you turn a certain colour but it is believed that you turn in the colour of your soulmate’s eyes.

He didn’t know it turned out so late when he heard his mother call out for him, he spent about six whole hours reading about soulmates and what they are and everything and nothing at the same time.

He just couldn’t stop wondering what would happen when he met his.

17 May 1947 – Doncaster

When Louis turned eighteen, it was like time stood still, he immediately stopped growing the minute the clock hit midnight and it felt, weird? Louis couldn’t even know how to explain how it all felt like but it was whirlwind of feelings really.

Although the sun was still hidden behind the clouds and the rain still poured when it felt like it, basically London was still the same; it was as if nothing changed, really.

But one thing he couldn’t get out of his head was the dream he had, he was in a meadow and birds were chirping a melody which sounded all too familiar and there was this voice, which it was, he couldn’t really tell but he felt safe, at home even.

When he was off shopping the day beforehand he met a guy, his hair swept across his forehead and he had these brown eyes, but they glittered, like literally glittered when he thought of something funny or was speaking about someone who was part of his family.

He found out that his name was Liam and that he had been searching for his soulmate for about two years but still had no such luck, but from what Louis could tell, he wasn’t going to give up soon enough.

They talked about everything, but nothing at the same time. Louis told him about how he really wanted to travel the world to find his soulmate and Liam immediately asked him whether he would like to join him on finding both their soulmates with some company, and just like that they made plans.

That same night Liam stayed over at Louis’ home since he had no place to go yet and Jay welcomed him in with open arms, it had been quite some time since they had visitors really.

They stayed up all night talking about what Liam saw during his travelling and Louis couldn’t keep his mouth shut by how amazing the world seemed from outside London, it all seemed simply stunning and Louis couldn’t wait to go and travel alongside him.

 18 May 1947 – Doncaster

When they woke up the next day, Louis couldn’t stop jumping around, he was about to travel the world and he couldn’t hold it in, he was so excited.

“Louis did you pack whatever you may need love?” His mum had still to wrap her head around it all; she wasn’t so keen on him travelling with someone he had only just met.

“Yeah mum I have got everything I may need” he padded his way down the stairs with Liam right behind him, bag in his hand with all the necessities he needed for the voyage.

“Come give me a hug, you’re all so grown up,” she was tearing up but it was sort of funny because she was actually his age and looked like his own sister I hope she finds her soulmate soon.

She was soon engulfing him in her arms, tears were streaming both down her face but they were only his mum’s tears seeing as he wasn’t yet crying, “don’t forget about me boo bear,” this is what brought him to tears, she though he would forget about her, as if, he could never forget about his mum, she kept him healthy throughout all the years.

“Mum I would never,” he hugged her even tighter, and when they had pulled away, he noticed that even Liam had tears in his eyes,”Goodbye, Love you” he pulled her in once again and gave her a peck on the cheek.

“Love you too, boo. Stay safe and send letters or whatever you can, don’t keep me worried” They pulled apart and headed to the doorway where they gave each other another goodbye hug and finally he left, to see where he could find his soulmate.

When they both got out of the house they gave each other a smile and let out a big sigh of relief.

“So are you ready for this Tommo?” letting out a laugh and crinkling his eyes Louis nodded.

“Most definitely Payno,” I feel like this is a start of a beautiful friendship.

“Have you heard of this Frank Sinatra guy? He’s a really good singer, well that’s what I heard,” Louis’ forehead wrinkled up, who was this guy?

“Nope, never heard of him to be quite honest, funny name though”

“Isn’t it? But I heard a song of his and it sounds good”

“Oh you should tell me about it later on, also from where are you really?” What? Louis gets curious, like he is the only one, sure.

“I was born and raised in Wolverhampton, mum and dad are called Karen and Geoff, I suppose you live in Doncaster?”

“Yeah, I live with my mum, she still hasn’t met her soulmate though, it’s such a pity, she is such an amazing woman,” He looked up at Liam and gave him a sad smile.

“I could tell from the way she welcomed me, she is such an amazing woman and deserves someone who will treat her right,” Louis only nodded with him in agreement, because it was true, his mum needed all the good stuff.

“So where are we off to first then?” he literally had no idea of what he had to do.

Looking a bit deep in thought first Liam started thinking,”How about good old London, people say they find their soulmate there mostly.”

“Whatever you say is fine with me”

“Great then off we go,” and just like that they starting heading out to the dock.

17 May 1947 – Holmes Chapel

When the Styles’ house was re-built and they could finally return to their home everything was finally back to how things were before, except the house looked a little bit different, but the family bond was still there.

Anne had recently met her soulmate, shocking right? His name was Robin and he was such a caring guy, from what she could tell she explained meeting him felt like she was a rainbow, popping with colours, and that she felt as calm as time starting moving again for her.

In short she said that it was simply /perfect/

The kids immediately got used to him, like it was simply meant to be, and he was also okay with the fact that she had other kids from another man, who isn’t her true soulmate.

“Mum, what do you want from the store?” Harry looked through the door which led to the kitchen, waiting for his mum to tell him whatever she needed.

“Just some broccoli and meat love,” she said while she looked up at him from where she was seated.

“Okay, I need money though,” she simply nodded in an ‘of course’ and gave him a ten pound note.

“If you have more than enough buy something for you and your sister love”  with a peck on the cheek and a slap on the bum, Harry was out of the house in record time, so that he would return back home as soon as he could.

While he was walking in town he bumped into a rather tall guy, “Excuse me sir,” he was about to continue moving to the store but a hand caught him back, “Please leave me alone I have to go buy for my mother”

Not daring to look at the man who was holding him still he started fretting around trying to get away from the tight grip, “I have other fun things in mind”, his voice was raspy and he sounded like he already had found his soulmate, for he was surely older than eighteen.

“Leave him alone Winston” Harry looked up with tears in his eyes to see a black haired guy coming towards him as if to save him, or well at least he hoped.

“What are you going to do about it Grimshaw?”

“Help him you twat”

“Tsk Tsk the fag talked everyone, Like you could help” A punch went swinging right upon Harry’s head and soon the grip which was holding him hostage freed him, he immediately saw a woman crouching down as to say to go near her, and he did, well he was going to go but another hand stopped him.

“Are you okay boy?” He noticed that it was the guy who freed him talking to him,” Nodding his head, tears still spilling he looked up at the man and saw that he was also a guy without a soulmate, from what he could tell, quite gorgeous too, “where are you off to ? I can keep you company”.

“I have to –“hiccup “- go buy from the store for mum” His breath wasn’t really keeping up with him.

Lifting him up on his feet, the guy started walking with him toward the shop, “So how old are you then?”

“Just turned sixteen a few months ago actually, you?” Looking up once again at the man, he saw how he received a smile from him.

“You’re still so young, I am eighteen myself, well have been eighteen for about ten years now” Harry couldn’t help but let put a shocked gasp, well his mum had been eighteen for over twenty years, sooo.

“I’m Nick,” offering Harry his hand for a handshake, Harry took it and shook it as he gave him a smile.

“I’m Harry,” they offered each other small smiles and continued moving to the store where he bought whatever his mother needed and some sweets for his sister and himself, he also bought some for Nick, seeing as he did save him from getting hurt just now.

He was also walked back home by the Nick guy so that he would be supervised all time, they walked in silence, but not that kind of tense silence, it was calm, almost  relaxing, “Thanks so much Nick, I cannot thank you enough though, but I have to go now, I will see you around then”

Giving him another small smile, he unlocked the door and got in, right after hearing Nick mutter “See you around Harry and seeing him go back to where they just came from

If soulmates feel better than this, then when will I get to meet mine?  

Chapter Text

21 September, 1965 -  Spain

Time seemed to have changed so much, but the search for his soulmate never stopped and the need to find his soulmate seemed to grow with each day. He saw people holding hands and laughing like their soulmate was the meaning of life, and Harry’s search only became more desperate.

Sometimes when he would land in a new country he would feel his skin tingling, like something was happening, but he could never determine what it really meant. He had recently befriended an Irish boy who was strumming his guitar and singing when Harry passed by.

There was something about the boys voice that made him turn around, he decided to stop and listen. When Harry tipped him, his eyes lit up in a way he would never forget. They became instant friends just like that. 

Harry was walking through the streets of Mullingar, people around here were all so nice. Not a single passerby frowned at him, they all smiled like everything was problem free, and it almost felt like Harry should have visited here sooner.

What stopped him was a voice which sent chills down his back, he found out that the voice belonged to a male, who just like him looked like he had stopped growing when he hit eighteen. He was jamming to Blue Suede Shoes by what’s his name, it really sounded like pretzel, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

He looked like he was meant to play guitar, which was held in both his hands, like it would break if he let it go.

Harry couldn’t help but bump his head to the rhythm as he stopped in front of the lad, and dropped a generous tip in the hat laying on the ground.

The song then came to an end, but a voice with a thick Irish accent spoke up.  

“Oi mate! Thank ya for the tip !” When he watched the Irish lad closely he noticed how blue his eyes were, just like ice.

“No worries, your voice is amazing, I’m Harry” Harry stretched out his hand for the Irish lad with bleached locks to shake.

“ ‘M Niall, nice to meet ya mate, got some sick hair” he replied after shaking his hand.

Running his hand through his hair, Harry let out a lopsided smile showing off his dimples, “Thanks mate, you too, although I don’t suppose that hairstyle is a natural,” letting out a cackle, Harry ended up receiving a flap to his arm.

“Shut up ya shiat,” this only made Harry double over with laughter, what can he say, he gets humo ured easily, “Oh god, you’re a freak”.

Wiping up the tears which fell from his eyes while he was laughing, Harry let out another smile, “Whatever you say, I do really love your voice though, do you do this for living ?”

“Not really, I just do it because I like to, if you know what I mean, but tips make my pockets happy” letting out a chuckle, he continued “ and also, I just recently got home from traveling, have to start again soon and some added money is always welcome”.

“That’s sick, I’m traveling too.”

They ended up speaking about everything and nothing, Niall soon ended up asking Harry whether he could join him on his travel to meet their soulmates, of course Harry’s immediate response was ‘you didn’t even have to ask’ and then they continued walking, after Niall picked up all the the things he had set out on the floor while he was singing.

“Oi Neil, wait up  !” Harry knows how it makes Niall cringe whenever he calls him that, but it has almost been five years since they met, and he can have some fun with his best mate.

“Call me that one more time and you’ll be sobbing on the floor like an iffy baby ya twat,” he said, as soon as he stopped to wait up on Harry, who looked like he was walking on pins and needles, “hurry up, princess. We don’t have all day.”

“Oh shut up, we have all the time in the world. My soulmate is a little shit, why the hell is he hiding from me” To this, he received an are you kidding me look from Niall, well, what ? He’s lonely and he just wants to meet the person he’s supposed to be with for the rest of his life already.

“You are sucha diva, grow a pair and walk” Niall turned back around and continued walking whilst Harry kept pulling faces from behind him, “pull one more face, Styles, and you will really have to grow a pair,” this got Harry to stop and continue walking.

 While they were walking in some comfortable silence, Harry decided to break it, “Why did God do this to us? Why do we have to go through all this to meet them, Niall ?”

Niall only looked at him with a gentle smile, “It’s to show how much they are worth Harry, that’s what my mum always tells me,” that got him to shut up. Harry began having dreams where he was holding someone, a man, but he could never remember his face. His smile though. His smile was something Harry could never forget. Just with that  smile to look forward to, he knew that it really was going to be worth it.

For some reason that same night he could only sleep when he started caressing his birthmark, he hopes that his soulmate is okay.

21 September, 1965 -  France, Paris

Havoc. Madness. Sirens.

Basically, Liam and Louis were in trouble. Again. Their hearts raced as they sprinted down the streets trying to get away from the blaring sirens getting louder by the second.

“Tommo I told you we shouldn’t have done that, you idiot” Sweat was dripping down their faces as they got farther away from the police, so far eventually that the sound of the sirens could only be heard from a distance.

“Well Payno,” He then stopped talking and continued running with Liam beside him, giving him a look which most likely meant well what ? “Shut up, if you didn’t want to end up like this then you should have stayed at the hotel”

“I didn’t know you were going to actually do it, you idiot” he whisper yelled to Louis as they still continued running.

“What the fuck did you expect me to do ? They obnoxiously shared all their details with the fans, of course I was going to go to their hotel room and make a mess Payno, da fuck, don’t you know who I am? That was a once in a lifetime opportunity, mate” Liam just gave him a why do I even speak to you look and turned a corner to get in an alleyway, soon the sirens passed the alley and continued straight forward. When they finally caught their breath, Liam and Louis smoked a fag, “these are good times mate”

“Shut up you dumb shit” he then received a kiss on the cheek from Louis.

“Love you too fluffy bum.”

Looking at Louis, Liam knew that he would get in plenty of trouble because of this kid, but he really didn’t care, as long as he had his best mate by his side he knew he had a reason to keep going.

“Mate you know what ?” Liam spoke up after taking another drag from his fag, Louis just hummed in response, eyes closed, taking in the serenity which surrounded them.

“Your soulmate is going to be the luckiest,” This got Louis to open his eyes and look at Liam, halfway through his taking a drag, and he smiled, making his eyes crinkle.

“It’s not only mine whose going to be lucky though, yours will be lucky too.”

So they stayed like that, and soon they quickly fell asleep, Louis even more relaxed then Liam, until they heard the sound of a train, which then lead to them both opening their eyes and rubbing away the sleepiness which occupied them.

“Think we’re safe now. Li?” looking up at him, his mouth feeling dry like he just walked through a desert, he waited for an answer.

“M’not sure Lou, but I sure hope we are” pushing himself off the ground, he gave Louis his hand, pulling him up. They started walking back to their hotel to prepare to embark on another journey, hopefully it would lead them to Spain.

“Up for another day, Payno ?”

“ I’m always up for an adventure with you Tommo”

And just like that, hands held as if they were eachother’s soulmates they were going wherever the wind would take them, so that maybe soon, they would meet their better halves. But for now, together they were alright just as partners in crime.

22 September, 1965 -  France, Paris

Louis and Liam

Once they were about to enter the borders of Spain, Louis started feeling somewhat dizzy. He felt like his skin was peeling itself, but he didn’t know why, he didn’t eat anything bad for all he knew, just some chicken, but Liam had the same thing and he seemed fine.

“Mate. you’re glowing green.” Liam immediately began feeling his pulse and seeing whether he had a temperature or not. He concluded that everything seemed fine medically, which still didn’t explain why he was turning green?

People started to gather all around him, Louis slowly got to his feet, the glow seeming to come and go on repeat. People gasped in shock and looked on in awe, some couldn’t believe their eyes and others seemed as if they knew what was happening.

All the while it was as if Louis couldn’t stay still, he kept looking around, like he was in the search for something, or someone, Liam couldn’t really tell, but he was getting scared for his best mate.

“Oi, Lou, Lou calm down, everything’s alright” Liam tried to soothe him even though, he, himself didn’t know what the fuck was going on.

“I am turning green Payne d’ya really believe that everything is okay ?” He rolled his eyes at him and continued pacing back and forth, sunlight hitting him as if he was a piece of glass, which only made the green look even brighter, “fuck, I read that this happened when soulmates where about to meet, but all these people are blocking me, jesus christ, why does this always happen to me.”

Although by the time he finished speaking the spark no longer ignited his skin, and with that each person who was gathered around them during the scene left, muttering amongst themselves about what had just occurred in front of them.

Deciding to break the tense silence which fell on them, Liam decided to point out that passengers were starting to board the ferry.

22 September, 1965 -  France, Paris

Harry and Niall

The ride from France to Sapin was, to put it simply, hectic.

Harry sported a migraine the whole way through the ferry and it seemed like he couldn’t stop it no matter what he did, especially seeing as all of the other passengers couldn’t stop talking about how amazing Spain was, he also heard someone talking about escargot and what the fuck is that?

So basically to make it short, Harry was acting fussy when they got out of the ferry. The fact that there was a commotion outside made everything worse, people were talking about a guy who was turning green, and what does that even mean? This country is insane.  He shook his head, grabbed Niall’s hand, who for some reason kept telling him to ‘stop’, but instead he kept making his way out of the people who surrounded him.

It wasn’t until they had cleared out when Niall stopped him to talk, that he knew he made a mistake; “Harry ya were turning blue, your soulmate was right there, you shit”.

He got a smack in the head, and he deserved it, because a walk away from him, there he stood, the boy he was meant to love for the rest of his life, but he was an idiot. He didn’t stop.

Going back to where the ferry arrived ended up with him getting no help, because the boy and his friend seemed to have left when he had just arrived, to say that Harry’s heart was broken was an understatement.

24 September, 1965 -  England, Wolvehampton

It took them such a long time to get back home, well for Liam they were home at least. They had to catch a ferry all the way from Paris to Calais, where they ate some good home made bread, and then left on a boat trip to London,  which was followed by another train ride to Wolvehampton.

Exactly. Hectic.

Everything was hectic now.

The moment Liam had opened the door, they were both embraced by Karen; who within moments treated Louis as her own son.

Tea was served, and dinner had been eaten. Now it was Louis, Liam, Karen and Geoff stood around the dining table while Liam’s siblings were snoring lightly in their rooms; them already having their fair share of hugs from both the boys.

“So tell us what happened, you seemed a bit quiet when you were talking about the journey from Paris,” Karen lifted her mug of tea to her lips and took a sip, but she quickly pulled it off saying that it was ‘scolding’.

“The only thing I know is that first Louis is all good and next thing, he was glowing green and couldn’t sit still,” Lifting his shoulders like he gave up, Louis gave him an ‘are you serious ?’ look. I mean, it’s not like Liam was the one changing fucking colours.

“Basically, I was walking like normal yea ? I mean, obviously I’m gonna walk like normal, And then I started feeling hot and like my clothes were burning,” taking a sip of tea and letting out a sigh of relief because finally, Yourkshire tea, “And then Liam, told me that I was glowing green, and who even glows green ? I seriously thought he was having a joke with me and I was about to slap him, but then I look at my hand, and it’s green,” Letting out an incredulous look, he opened his mouth and shrugged because he simply didn’t know what happened to him.

It looked like both Karen and Geoff were in the same state because while Karen had her eyebrows up to her hairline, Geoff let out a surprised chuckle like he just heard the greatest joke.

“Green ? That has got to be the worst joke you ever came up with Louis.”

“It’s actually not the first time it happened, now that I think of it. I was three when it first happened to me.

This is what got Geoff and Karen to share a knowing look, which made Louis instantly pale.

“Louis have you ever heard about perfect soulmates ?” Louis of course, raised an eyebrow, because he did know, he read about them when he was younger, so he just shook his head ‘yes’.

“Basically legend says that there are certain people who have met their soulmate in another life. The first one to be born will never know whether he has this or not, but the second born might have a birthmark, people say it is the first placed that the soulmates touched in their past life.”

“The first born may only know that his soulmate is born by feeling a spark, and glowing a certain colour. Sometimes the name of their soulmate is the first thing that comes to mind,” Louis starts to remember how he had a toy his mum had knitted him, called Harry. He remembers his mum questioning him, asking where he got the name. Tea long forgotten, Louis focused all of his attention on whatever Karen and Geoff were saying.

“That had actually happened to me, I remember it.”

“Also most probably while you were glowing, your soulmate was about a few steps next to you, the bigger the glow, the closer you are. Some also say that you glow the colour of  eachother’s eyes. So they were most probably glowing blue.”

Four cups lay on the table, three empty and one still half full. It was then Liam’s turn to open his moth as to speak, “Well I thought I saw a flicker of blue when I was next to you, it was a guy with curly hair I believe, he seemed in a rush or somthin’, looked like he was in pain.”

This is what got the other’s attention, and a slap in the face from Louis, “You shit ! You saw my soulmate and you didn’t even tell me, what kind of friend are you ? I could have met him Liam ! I have been waiting for so long now.”

“Well mate, I was a little preoccupied at the time!”

Getting up from his seat and leaving the house, without another word, Louis left and didn’t look back, because he was so close to meeting his soulmate, but somehow it all went to shit. He knew it wasn’t Liam’s fault, he was just angry that fate was being such a bastard.

He heard footsteps coming from behind him and his skin immediately prickled. Realizing it probably wasn’t the best idea to go off by himself in the middle of the night, he started running. Apparently he wasn’t fast enough because the next thing he knew he was being knocked out, and the last thing he saw before his vision turned black were honey sweet memories of green eyes and curly hair. 

Chapter Text

30 September, 1965 -  Unknown

Louis woke up in the same room he still couldn’t get used to. Bare. Dirty. He didn’t know how it got to this point, the last thing he remembers is getting mad at Liam because he didn’t tell him that his soulmate was /there/.

He could only feel safe by imagining the details Liam had told him, curls and green eyes, they were what was keeping him sane while he was held hostage for a reason he, himself didn’t even know.

On the second day which he was held here, he started banging against the door so that he would be left free but it only ended up with him getting no food the following day.

He was left rocking back and forth, wrapped around himself, crying without no one holding him safe. He could only close his eyes and think about an imaginative person wrapping their arms around s they spoke soothing words in his ear.

Sometimes while he was asleep he would also hear soothing words being said to him, something along the lines of ‘please be safe, stay safe for me darling’.  It only got him to cry more, he was so lonely he was ending up creating a fake person.

He knew. The second he got out of here, he would have to go to a mental hospital.

30 September, 1965 -  England, Wolverhampton

The moment Louis hadn’t returned home, the whole Payne house went insane, Liam kept crying about how it was all his fault. Geoff called the authorities , whose only response was, ‘We can only start searching once the person had been gone for over 48 hours’.

He did keep chill while he was talking to them, but the moment they were out of ear shot, he couldn’t stop cursing about how idiotic and mad  the English authorities were.

Karen, just like her son, kept crying the second Louis’ face popped up in her brain. At least Geoff held her tight and caressed her hair while speaking soothing words, telling her to let it all out and that Louis would return back soon.

Liam’s sisters, Nicola and Ruth, were stunned because they treated louis like their own brother, and when they heard the news. It broke them down. They couldn’t keep their food down; nor could they close an eye when night came around.

When Jay found out, she caught the first train she could find to go to Wolverhampton, arriving broken, like her whole life had stopped, Geoff could only hug her when he opened the door to dull eyes, expecting nothing in return.

To say that Louis was the pediment of both families was enough.

30 September, 1965 - England, Cheshire

Niall could be seen soothing Harry, whilst they both lay in bed. It got down to the point where the whole family had decided to lodge on Harry’s room, seeing how awful he looked.

His day involved staring in the abyss, sleeping, drinking some water and talking to someone, soothing someone ; whilst he rubbed his birthmark. Anne’s first thought immediately went to him getting sick, but when she talked to the family doctor, he only gave her a hurt look.

That was what made all the pieces fit together,  the birthmark, soulmate, Harry’s soulmate was aching for affection.

She and Robin felt as if their heart would break out of their body by how sad they felt to see their little boy crying because of something he didn’t understand. So they decided that Anne would talk to him, tell him what everything was about.

Niall, having gone out of town to do some shopping, and Gemma going out to let her mind think about something else other than her brother broken in bed; and Robin decided to go and repair some things which were laying around the house, seeing as he though it would be better if only Anne was talking to Harry; Anne made two cups of soothing tea and walked up to Harry’s room.

Not even bothering to knock, she pushed the door with her behind, and entered the room, shoulders first, she noticed how Harry was currently rocking in bed holding onto himself as tears fell down from his eyes.

“H, I got you some tea, just how you like it,” as if he was caught doing something he shouldn’t have done, his eyes opened like saucers and he sat upright in bed; Sweat covering his whole body.

Anne placed both cups on Harry’s night stand and rushed to his side, calming him and whispering in his ear, ‘it’s me darling, it’s mum’,  this lulled him back to reality and his eyes went back to his normal size, as his posture softened.

“Mum, I’m so scared, I don’t even know what’s happening to me, I just feel like something is wrong and my gut feels so heavy,” another batch of fresh tears started streaming down his cheeks once again and Anne patted his back, just like she would do when he used to wake up with nightmares.

“Some soulmates are bonded telepathically and they can feel whatever their soulmate feels,” to prove her point she rubbed his birthmark gently, which made him kiss it softly, as if he was saying  don’t touch it.

She couldn’t believe that her son had a perfect soulmate, she always believed that they were all legends but it seemed as if the only thing which was fake about it, is that the two people where always happy.

Grabbing both mugs, which were still letting out steam, she handed one to her son, who took it generously after giving her a small smile. He hadn’t smiled since the day he walked through the door.

Banging could be heard coming from the door, as if something wrong had happened, leaving the dishes she was washing in the bassinet, she rushed to the door and opened it, seeing Niall holding a very limp Harry in his arms.

“What happened ?” Leading both of them inside while she rushed to grab a cold cloth from the bathroom, Niall laid Harry on the couch, while he petted Harry’s curls away from his sweaty forehead. She could only think that he had been shot.

Looking frustrated, Niall ran a hand through his own hair and let out a strangled noise, “we were in a train and he fell on me, I don;t even know what happened to him, we ate the same food, so nothing could have come from that. And there were no bugs in Paris so I can’t really put the pieces together.

“Mum I was so close to meeting him, we were at the same train station,” Going through the new information which had just been given to her, Anne gasped, how can you be close and not noticing ?

It seemed as if she was speaking her brain, because he continued, “I had this huge headache on me, so I couldn’t focus on anything and I just wanted to get out of the crowd, only it seemed like I was growing blue. I didn’t know about this information until later that day, only it seemed like he had already left the country.”

Sighing in his mug Harry looked at his mother, “So you know that it’s a  he ?” Harry only nodded, confused as to why his mum would ask that question, after he had just told her massive block of information. “That’s beautiful Harry,” he simply nodded, still confused as to why his mother was acting like this.

1st October 1965 - General

Both Harry and Louis laid on the floor in different cities, maybe even countries. Louis didn’t know. They stared at the roof as if it were holding some answers, but nothing came. They could only stop and stare at it, almost mesmerized by its calmness.

For Louis it felt like a huge block had been removed from his chest, like he could finally  breath, although he didn’t know why. Harry was still caressing his birthmark, so maybe it was because of that.

Starting to hum a melody under his breath from one side, Louis started to listen to it play as if someone was whispering it in his ear; although when Louis turned his head, only a gush of wind came to face with him. Disappointing.

Only then he heard proper people coming inside of the room, covering himself, scared that they might hurt him, he burrowed himself in a fetal position, but then he was picked up and people were going over him like he was breakable.

Back in Cheshire, Harry felt a gush of relief course through his veins as he sat up straight.  Was his baby okay ? What happened ?

Louis was carried into an ambulance where his mum was already waiting for him. One look at her and he was sobbing in her arms, he missed her so much.

“Louis baby are you okay ?” Her still being the same age as him, made it all look somehow weird, but he could only nod and cuddle in his mother’s embrace even more.