Strong
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/62260821.
Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: M/M
Fandom: One Direction (Band)
Relationship: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Characters: Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Original Styles
Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Actor Louis Tomlinson, Actor Zayn Malik, Singer
Liam Payne, Singer-Songwriter Harry Styles, Exes, Angst and
Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced
Domestic Violence, Never Between The Boys, Threats of Violence,
Mentions of Blood, injuries, Slow Burn, they haven't talked in years,
Idiots in Love, Depression, toxic management, Mentions of Past Stunts
with Original Female Character, Closeted Harry Styles, mentioned in
flashbacks, Flashbacks, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Louis Tomlinson
& Niall Horan & Liam Payne & Zayn Malik Friendship, Niall Horan &
Harry Styles Friendship, Liam Payne & Harry Styles Friendship, First
Kiss, First Time Blow Jobs, First Time Bottoming, First Time Topping,
Quote: They kind of share that really (One Direction), Title from a One
Direction Song, Fluff and Smut, Anal Sex, They Really Needed To Talk
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2025-01-16 Words: 1,910 Chapters: 1/20
Strong
by HalosAngel
Summary
Louis is standing there looking at Harry hugging Lizzy while staring directly at him. Louis
fights back the tears and repeats his mantra in his head. "You will not just forgive him, you
cannot just forgive him. You are stronger than Harry Styles." He starts tapping his foot in
place as he tries to break from the hold Harry has on him. "God I still love him, dammit."
-OR-
Louis hasn’t spoken to Harry in years when his younger sister Lizzy Styles shows up on his
doorstep crying and bleeding. Not knowing how to help her best he has to look into his past
to heal Lizzy, and himself. Can you overcome the obstacles of a broken heart and a jaded past
to help someone you once thought of as family?
Notes
Hello, everyone. This will be a WIP. I plan to update fairly regularly as long as life doesn't
get in the way. The entire story is planned out, and I will be a few chapters ahead each time I
post a new one. I promise to finish it. Please see the tags, and if something should have been
tagged, let me know.
Just a reminder this is a fictional story, these are characters in a story, I do not believe any of
this happened in real life. The siblings are original characters. I do not permit this to be
posted elsewhere by anyone besides myself. Please do not post translations.
⚠️
Now for the Trigger Warnings:
There are discussions of domestic violence (never between any of the boys). There are mild
descriptions of injuries and blood referenced in Chapter 1. Nothing overly graphic will be
included without a Chapter Warning.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence please reach out to
community resources in your area. No one should feel that love and relationships make you
feel in danger. No one deserves to feel they cannot be loved in a healthy environment.
See the end of the work for more notes
He has just settled onto the couch to watch the new episode of The Traitors when his doorbell
rings, followed by some insistent knocking. He throws his blanket off and sets down his tea.
Mumbling to himself as he has no idea who could be showing up uninvited. Niall is off on a
new nature adventure in New Zealand, Zayn just went back to Pennsylvania after finishing
the 4th installment of his superhero franchise, Liam was touring his second album, and Harry
well who gives a shit what Harry Styles is doing after walking out of his life years ago. He
has known the boys for years, something that didn’t seem to matter to Harry when he left
them all behind.
As he slides on his cardigan he opens the front door to a face he was definitely not expecting
to see. Standing on the porch crying and shivering as the snow was mixing with the blood
streaming from her nose was Lizzy Styles. Fresh bruises were forming on her face hiding
behind the stream of tears falling from her eyes.
“Lizzy, what happened, are you okay, did you have a wreck on the road, what are you doing
here?” He struggles with what questions to ask as he wraps his cardigan tightly as the wind
seems to be seeping into his bones. She starts crying harder, unable to form any coherent
words through her sobs, coughing and sputtering. “Hey, hey come here let’s get you inside.
Let’s get you warmed up.” he wraps his arms around her tentatively and guides her inside,
closing the door behind them. Lizzy jumps at the sound and shrinks into Louis, crying into
his chest.
Louis helps her take her wet coat off and guides her to the couch covering her with his
blankets. “Let me go get you a warm jumper from the dryer and a cup of tea. How do you
take it these days?”
Lizzy swipes her hand across her nose and realises it is covered in blood. “Oh no I am getting
blood all over your blankets.” she sniffles. Louis goes to the closet and grabs a few flannels
and hands them to her, “No worries Lizzy, here, let me go get you some warm clothes and
you can use my bathroom to wash up.” He helps her up and stops and grabs a warm jumper
and t-shirt from the dryer for her. “Take your time, I will go make you a cup of tea and meet
you out here when you’re ready. Okay, love?”
Lizzy closes the bathroom door and he can hear her hiccuping as she starts running the water
in the sink, he heads into his kitchen and puts the kettle on. As he gets out the tea tin and a
mug he pulls out his phone and sends a quick text to the group chat.
Louis: You will never believe who just showed up at my doorstep tonight.
Niall: The love of your life?
Zayn: I don’t have time for games.
Liam: TOMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOO it wasn’t me, sorry to disappoint you.
Louis: Lizzy
Niall, Zayn, Liam: WTF
Zayn: Is Harry with her? Did he finally come crawling back?
Niall: Don’t give in Lou, we love you too much to let you just let him crawl back into your
life after we spent years letting you use our shoulders to cry on. Please tell me he isn’t
already in your bed waiting for you to go back and join him.
Louis: What the fuck Niall, no.
Louis: I think something happened to her, she is bleeding and bruised. I am waiting for her to
finish washing up and change. I just wanted to know if anyone had heard from H and if you
had any idea what is going on.
Liam: I talked to Harry last night, he didn’t mention anything to me.
Niall: Nah man, I haven’t talked to him since my birthday.
Zayn: Lou let us know if we can help.
Louis hears the bathroom door open just as the kettle starts whistling. He pours the water
over the tea bag as Lizzy shuffles into the kitchen.
“Hey Lou, do you have any socks?” she asks, he turns and now that the blood has been
washed away he can see the extent of the bruising on her face.
“Hey love, yes I can go grab you some fuzzy socks. Your tea is ready, milk is in the fridge
and sugar is in the bowl next to the mugs.” He goes and grabs a pair of socks for her and
sends a quick text.
Louis: Thanks, I will let you know when I find out some more information. Going to sit and
have a cuppa and see what I can find out.
Louis walks back out and sees Lizzy curled back up in the blankets slowly sipping her tea.
“Let me go top mine off and I’ll be right back.” He sets the socks next to her and grabs the
bloody blanket to toss in the hamper. After making a new cup of tea he walks back into the
room and sits down in his recliner across from Lizzy.
As he takes a sip he looks up to see Lizzy fighting back tears again. “Lizzy, what happened?
Do you have your phone, have you called your mum or your brother?"
Lizzy gasps, “No Louis you cannot tell Harry, please tell me he doesn’t know I am here. Oh
my god, he is going to be so pissed. He told me not to go back to him. “ She starts sobbing
into the blankets as she pulls them tighter around her body.
“Hey hey it is going to be okay, I don’t even have a way to contact Harry, love, although I did
tell the other boys you showed up.” He sets down his tea and leans forward. “Honestly this is
a bit of a shock to see you after all these years and you were bleeding, and you have bruises, I
just need to know what is going on. Do we need to go move your car, is it out on the road? I
didn't see it out there?”
She slowly unwraps the blankets and picks back up her tea. “A friend dropped me off, I did
not know where else to go. I am sorry, I can leave. I didn't mean to interrupt your night. Wait
do you have a boyfriend or a partner here, oh my god, I am so sorry Lou. I can just go, it is
fine. I will be okay.”
She starts to stand up and heads towards the door as Louis follows and pulls her into a hug,
“You are not an interruption, and no, no one else is here. No boyfriend, no partner, I gave up
on love long ago. Come on let’s sit. Are you sure you don’t want to use my phone?”
Lizzy lets Louis walk her back to the couch and sits back down. “You are welcome to stay
here tonight, I can make you a bed in one of the guest rooms or you can have the couch. I was
going to watch the new episode of The Traitors but we can watch something else or whatever
you are comfortable with. We don’t have to talk until you are ready.” He sits down next to
her, giving her a bit of space. Lizzy slides closer and lays her head on his shoulder.
“I would love to watch The Traitors, thank you. Thanks for being here, I have really missed
you. I was worried you wouldn’t be home since you are on a break from filming. Thought
you might be up north or on vacation. I have been keeping up with your career, I have seen
all your movies. Watched them with Harry, he probably wouldn’t want me telling you that.
Sorry, you probably don’t want to hear about him.” She snuggles closer and pulls the blankets
over them both. “Start the show and let's see which arse is lying.”
Louis presses play and sits back, he struggles to pay attention as his mind is now consumed
in memories of Harry. What do you mean he has watched all his movies? Louis hasn’t been
able to bring himself to even listen to any of Harry’s songs. He made his sister swear to never
mention his music or even let him know if she went to a show. He needed to keep Harry out
of his mind if he had any chance of living each day. His heart was still healing and it had
been years since Harry packed up and moved out while Louis was filming on location in
Italy. No note, no texts or phone calls, and when Louis tried texting and calling he discovered
his number had been disconnected. Harry wiped his burner social media accounts and Louis
knew better than to reach out on his professional accounts. Harry didn’t even have the
passwords to them.
The episode ends and Louis realises he has no idea what just happened. Lizzy is softly
snoring and he turns the TV off and carefully lets her lie down tugging the blankets over her.
He picks up the mugs, takes them to the kitchen and checks his phone.
Niall: Hey Harry just texted me, he said he was supposed to have a call with Lizzy tonight
and she bailed so he was checking if I was around to get together tomorrow. I wasn’t sure
what to say about Lizzy so I let him know I was in New Zealand and that hopefully, we can
get together when I get back home.
Louis: Thanks Niall, I don’t know much though. Lizzy asked me not to let Harry know
anything, She seemed to think he would be mad at her for what happened. She is asleep on
the couch and she can stay here as long as she needs. I have nothing planned for the next few
months. I’ll let you all know tomorrow how it goes.
Zayn: Night Lou
Liam: Night Tommo
Niall: Sounds good brother. Night.
As he heads back into the room he sees Lizzy curled up around the pillow sleeping
peacefully. He puts a bottle of water on the table next to her and debates if kissing her on her
forehead would be overstepping. He has known Lizzy since the day she was born, 19 years
ago, he was at the hospital with Harry waiting for hours to meet his new sister. He remembers
the first time he got to hold her sitting in the chair with both their mothers helping to keep her
supported. He remembers looking at Harry and whispering how much he already loved her.
They were 11 years old and he thought they would be together forever. Man was he stupid to
give his heart over so young to someone who would let it shatter on the floor 10 years later.
Louis heads into his bedroom and changes into some pajamas before climbing into bed with
some scripts his manager sent over. The words are too blurry to pay attention to as the tears
he has been holding back for months spill out. He grabs his phone and puts on some classical
piano music and rolls over to try to get some sleep. He has lived alone for years, yet tonight
when someone else is in his home he has never felt more lonely.
End Notes
Thanks for reading ;)
You can find me on Bluesky @AlwaysHalo
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