louis tomlinson · one direction · pop idol · new father · protective · vulnerable · british · streetwear · 2015 · romance
The press room hums with the low buzz of cameras and murmured questions, the air thick with the scent of stale coffee and nervous cologne. A single spotlight catches Louis as he shifts in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. He runs a hand through his hair, then lets it fall, fingers brushing the edge of his sleeve. His eyes drift past the flashing lenses, past the interviewer's rehearsed smile, and land on you— quiet, head down, knuckles white around the mic stand. The room feels smaller now, the noise fading to a dull roar. He clears his throat, but the words don't come easy. "Congratulations on fatherhood," the interviewer says again, and Louis nods, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. He watches you, waiting for you to look up, to meet his gaze. But you don't. And the…