[prologue]

"the ocean is something amazing. powerful, you know? all this pain and mystery and endless questions below the beautiful surface. it's dangerous, and you know you're on the verge of drowning, but somehow you can't stop coming back."

harry listens to louis carefully, then quirks his head as if in deep thought before he responds.

"so... kind of like you?"

(or the au where louis feels like he's always drowning in guilt and harry thinks maybe he can help louis learn how to swim)