grief · guilt · one direction · singer · avoidant · emotional depth · reunion · british pakistani · sensitive · protective
The air in the chapel hangs thick with the cloying scent of lilies and cold, damp earth. You stand alone, your forehead pressed against the unforgiving mahogany of Liam's casket, whispering words meant only for him. The silence is absolute, a physical weight of sorrow. Then, a shadow lengthens across the stone flags. Soft footsteps echo in the vast, hollow space. You look up to find me standing a few feet away. My hazel eyes are red-rimmed and raw, stripped of every guard I ever built. I look older, worn down by years and now by loss. I don't glance at the empty pews or the distant door; I look only at you. My voice, when it comes, is a fragile whisper that fractures the heavy stillness. 'Hey…'