Louis thinks he deserves some fun. After his girlfriend had surprised him, along with a date which didn't go as well as either of them hoped. The conversation felt forced, awkward. His smile was tight and her eyes kept drifting down to her phone. Which in return, he pulled out his own phone to see any update from Harry on Rae. Nothing. So he assumed that she was over the flu and accepted his lame apology.

He got home later, much early than previous dates (they didn't even kiss goodnight), to an empty sitting room. When he checked Harry's room, Rae was fast asleep under the covers while Harry sat idly at his desk, scrolling through photos on the camera.

A night where he realized, while lying in bed, he no longer feels anything for her his girlfriend. It's strange, in a way where he thought he'd be more sad about, thought his stomach would hurt more and his heart would break. It doesn't. He only feels sad when he can't remember when it started or how it happened, but knows it was a long time coming. Sad and confused in a way that he's not very sad at all. Almost like missing something and he'd forgotten what he's actually missing. That maybe he wasn't really missing it in the first place and tried to feel bad about it. All in all, it wasn't a very good night.

So fun after a bad night was needed. What better way to have fun than baking for the upcoming annual bake sale Hummingbird Hospice does every late November. He grabs the neon blue flyer off the bulletin board and marches right up to Rae the next week, handing it to her as she plays Go Fish with Ronan. She explains they do it every year, and every year she bakes what she can to help out.

Louis conveniently drops the flyer by Harry's jumper that he left on the table in the room. Coincidentally, Harry invites Rae over. Not Louis. Harry does because of that bake sale the Hospice is doing. Harry bakes. Rae bakes. Louis does not bake so why would he invite her over. Just because he knew both Harry and Rae bake, doesn't mean he walked right up to Rae and asked her if she'd be doing it again this year. It's not like Louis knew Harry would be his good-hearted self and extend an invitation. So in no way did Louis actually invite her over; he may have, sort of, possibly, more than likely, initiated it.

Louis is sat on the opposite counter top of their shared kitchen, watching both Rae and Harry fondly. She accidentally pours the flour too fast, puffing up and splaying Harry on his chin. Her laugh is cut short when Harry flicks a bit of the flour in her face. Niall comes out of nowhere, more flour in his cupped hand and smacks it lightly on Harry's cheek. Rae laughs so hard, doubled over the counter wheezing out that he looks like he just made out with a box of powdered doughnuts.

"I thought the flour's suppose to go into the batter." Louis calls from behind them teasingly.

Rae stands up, dipping her hand in the bag, and aims it at Louis, eyebrows raised and challenging. "I do not see you helping, sir. The true sign of a baker is having a little bit of flour on you."

"You wouldn't dare." Louis taunts, hopping down into the floor.

"It's true." Harry inputs, stepping sideways away from the pending attack.

Rae smiles innocently at Louis, raising her arm, exposing the To The Moon And back on her inner right arm, which also causes her oversize jumper to fall down her left shoulder. The red fabric is spotted with flour and a smudge of chocolate batter. Her hair has been pulled up into a loose bun, with shorter hairs falling around her face. Her eyes are shinning with mirth, deep blue with that one golden speck glistening under the kitchen lights. She is absolutely stunning, standing there with bits of flour falling from her hand, lips dark pink and pulled up into a mischievous smile. The last thing Louis sees is a flicker of a wink, before white powder is flung in his face. She's got good aim for someone standing ten feet away, her laughter ringing in his ears like it usually does.

After Liam comes in to break up the mini flour throwing spectacle, but not before dipping his fingers in said flour and wiping it across Zayn's face, they clean up the mess they made of the floor. They pop in two cupcake sheets in the oven and set to work on red velvet cupcakes. Rae zones in her focus, watching as Harry carefully demonstrates how he does it. Louis is busy dusting off the last of the flour in his hair when Zayn speaks up.

"Rae, what sort of tattoo is that?" Zayn inquires, staring at the back of her left shoulder.

The top half of what looks like a very detailed tattoo, is peaking out from where her jumper had slipped. Rae's stirring of the bright red batter stops abruptly. She rests the spoon against the bowl, and without turning around, pulls her jumper down further, revealing the rest of the tattoo. It big, spanning from the top back of her shoulder, over her shoulder blade and ending where the back of her ribs start.

A beautifully elegant dream catcher is etched on her skin, a few inches in diameter. The strings of the catcher weave in and out, with little colorful beads marking each intersection. Three other strings dangle feathers on each one, two smaller ones on the outside, with the middle being the largest. The feathers are carefully detailed and shaded perfectly, beads dangling from top of the feathers. It's a gorgeous piece of work, that obviously took a lot of time and concentration. Louis has seen it somewhere before.

"Got it two years ago," Rae explains quietly. "My uh-" she clears her throat and talks to the counter. "I really wanted another tattoo, wanted it to really mean something. Not to say that the others don't. I just didn't know what to get, but my cousin...he did. I have this nightmare some times, and it scares me. So Vinny brought up the idea of a dream catcher, said he'll even design it himself.

"He was such a talented artist, the best, and he drew it up for me. Said we can get it done for my birthday." She pauses to take a deep breath, and Louis notices her left hand gripping the edge of the counter, her right hand no longer in sight.

"I called him the night before we were suppose to get it. He sounded excited, or I thought he did. Said he had to do something that night. Told me that he loves me and to give his kisses to Ronan. He-he...um...my mum got a call later that night. Vinny...he took his own life."

Louis is pretty sure he can hear every one of their hearts drop to their feet. Gobsmacked and frozen. Until Louis launches himself across the room once he sees Harry pull Rae's hand away from her chest. Before he can do anything, however, Rae spins around, a bright smile on her lips and shrugs. She gently pulls her wrist out of Harry's grip.

"Anyway, he designed it. It's wicked, yeah?" She asks, then turns back to pick up the spoon and begins stirring again.

All five boys exchange glances, because what? Rae just showed a sliver of her heart. Of the emotions that are actually pent up inside her, before she quickly put her mask back on, shooting them a smile likes it was nothing.

Oh, it all makes sense now. The bag, and the photos and the evasive way she always skirted around that topic. The dream catcher above her bed in her room, the mini one above Ronan's bed at Hummingbird.

A soft, sharp intake of breath snaps Louis out of his thoughts. Looking over to Raelyn again, he sees her stirring has stopped. However, Zayn is moving quickly, placing a hand over hers on the spoon and helps her stir. The day continues and they all do their part in helping and baking more cupcakes, two different types of pies, and two giant batches of biscuits.

If at the end of the day, when the last batch of peanut butter chocolate biscuits are cooling on the wire rack, Rae reaches out and grabs at Louis' elbow and smiles tentatively at him, then okay. Okay. He sees the storm back in her eyes, wraps his arms around her tight, just how she likes and holds her until she begins to tremble.

She admits, with her face pressed into his shoulder, that she hasn't really spoken of Vinny since it happened. Informed Louis that her camera bag was an early birthday gift from him, and she just can't throw it away. The cross necklace was his, and she keeps it in her bag because all Vinny ever did was encourage her passion.

Louis just holds her, one hand tangled in the ends of her hair, until Liam is walking into the kitchen with a troubled look on his face. He opens his mouth to say something, when Eleanor walks in right behind him. Louis' heart skips a beat, then realizes how perfectly fine and friendly this hug is. He is simply comforting a friend who can't seem to find it anywhere else. So he doesn't feel guilty when she raises a perfectly arched eyebrow at him, arms crossed.

Rae seems to sense tension in his muscles, and shifts her head to see who's standing there. Slowly, she detaches herself from Louis, smiling kindly, which, weird. Because Rae's thoughts and opinions have been anything but friendly involving Eleanor, but still. She smiles, extends her hand and properly meets Louis' girlfriend. The greeting is nice enough, no caddishness in either girls eyes. Rae thanks Louis, presses her hand into her chest for a few moments, before Liam takes it away and pulls her out from the kitchen.
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Notes