'Tired Tired Sea' best quotes ; a thread

DISCLAIMER: it will obviously include spoilers, so be aware of that if you check this thread.

"The wind howls early in the morning, a comforting lullaby for a man who has lived on Fair Isle for almost a decade."

───; Chapter 1

"the hint of freezing sea barely visible in the distance, though Louis can hear its tempestuous presence – to think winter hasn’t even arrived yet."

───; Chapter 1

"he catches sight of the sea beyond the cliffs through the shadows that he’s lucky enough to call home, Louis can’t help but think that he’d rather die than be anywhere else."

───; Chapter 1

"The cliffs look impressive, even more so in the dark, Louis thinks vaguely as he looks back. They look threatening, like sleeping giants protecting their coast; dormant, tranquil, but still deadly if needed."

───; Chapter 1

"So the pacing man managed to reach Fair Isle – and the Lighthouse outside the village – completely unseen. That’s… that’s different."

───; Chapter 1

"I wasn’t running away from home. I was running towards it."

───; Chapter 1

"like having a physical body that can be looked at causes him pain."

───; Chapter 2

"Harry seems deep in thoughts, unbothered by the way the wind is messing up his curls, eyes fixed on the seemingly never-ending horizon, the sea that goes on and on and on."

───; Chapter 2

"all the microexpressions flashing on his face as he rereads what he just wrote, drumming his pen against the pages of his journal, the small tap tap tap still heard underneath the storm outside, mixing in with the sound of rain splattering against the windows"

───; Chapter 3

"It’s his story, the most important story he has to tell, as silly as it might seem."

───; Chapter 3

"“I’ve always been a romantic, but I didn’t really believe in that kind of stuff, you know? I probably still don’t when it comes to people… You need time to fall in love with people, but places? You can definitely fall in love at first sight with a place."

───; Chapter 3

"I guess I just wonder what it feels like, to know what your home is so easily."

───; Chapter 3

"I needed to be here more than I needed to be back home. And as soon as I was here, it became home. There’s a little voice inside of me that feels… settled here, that feels at home. And I couldn’t get it to shut up, no matter how hard I tried."

───; Chapter 3

"I like the cliffs and how gorgeous they are. How they stand tall and proud, unmovable. I like the darkness of the sea, the strength of the waves. I like the sound they make, muted through the lantern room windows, late at night when I’m reading."

───; Chapter 3

"But I love the way I feel when I’m here, like I’m the truest version of myself."

───; Chapter 3

"I used it to love it so much. But I don’t know if I can ever love it again, not after everything."

───; Chapter 4

"I couldn’t bear the thought of figuring myself out with everyone looking over my shoulders, […]. I just wanted to be the furthest away from it all as possible. I just wanted to run to the edge of the universe."

───; Chapter 4

"There’s something mysterious and a bit romantic about the way Fair Isle exists in the shadows for such a long time."

───; Chapter 5

"Soon enough, it’s way past their usual dinner time and Louis’ voice is quite hoarse, but Harry hasn’t moved in ages, eyes wide open as he listens to Louis telling him a story like this."

───; Chapter 5

"He’s still holding himself close like maybe he’s trying to make himself smaller still, but he doesn’t look agitated."

───; Chapter 5

"how great would that be though. To suddenly reach an age and bam… you’ve got all the grown-up answers."

───; Chapter 6

"They watch the sunrise in silence and Louis is almost moved to tears, not by the sight of the world awakening, but by Harry’s reverence to it. He looks at the sunrise with wide eyes, body fully still as he experiences it like a sacred moment. Like he feels lucky he’s here at +

all to witness it, like he’s thankful for the opportunity."

───; Chapter 6

"Louis never thought he’d meet anyone who gets this place the way he does."

───; Chapter 6

"Harry opens his hand and inside it is a piece of sea glass, dark blue or green or both, the one he picked up a while ago, or an older one, Louis can’t tell. “It’s really… silly, actually, but you know…” Harry shrugs. “You love Fair Isle a lot and this… I picked it up +

because it reminded me of you,” he admits with honest eyes, wide and as green as the sea glass and how could it remind Harry of Louis when looking into it is like looking into Harry’s gaze."

───; Chapter 6

"Seriously though, I just… want to keep being me, want to keep living here and keep meeting… the incredible people who pass through, whether they stay a day or… months."

───; Chapter 6

"They stand there holding hands, silently watching for who knows how long, and Louis doesn’t feel the cold, doesn’t feel the wind. He doesn’t feel anything except the warmth of Harry’s body against his, the weight of his hand in Louis’, the contagion of his joy. They watch +

until the lights vanish and when they do, Louis closes his eyes, still holding Harry’s hand, silently wishing he could stretch this moment just a little longer."

───; Chapter 6

"Every time their fingers accidentally brush together, they break apart, putting some distance between their bodies only to end up back at the start."

───; Chapter 7

"But the water? The water is cleansing. The waves keep coming no matter what, no matter who you are, making you feel brand new. You can lose yourself in the water, turn invisible. The entire world disappearing except for you."

───; Chapter 7

"You make everything else quiet. Everything else disappears when I look at you."

───; Chapter 7

"and starting to read in a low voice. Barely above a whisper. Even with the sound of the wind whistling through the windows, there’s no need for more than that for the two of them."

───; Chapter 7

"I do think that beauty IS meaningless. And that it has no link so someone’s actual value as a person. I have a lot of little sisters okay, I meant that speech."

───; Chapter 7

"He looks beautiful in the late afternoon light; ethereal, yet not out of place even though maybe he should. The sun has started to set, bathing him in golden pink light. He looks like he belongs, looks as beautiful as the scenery."

───; Chapter 8

"seeing the ribbon of pain still coursing through him, but also seeing the strength of his character, seeing the way he’s rebuilding himself and suddenly he has to blink back tears at how fiercely proud he is of this man."

───; Chapter 8

"There’s nothing about the way he’s being looked at right now that makes him want to hide away. Which, for a man who has made his life mission to spend as much time as possible by himself, is no small feat."

───; Chapter 8

"The sky darkens dramatically before it starts raining the way it only can in Scotland: heavy and apocalyptic. In the span between two breaths, it suddenly feels like it will never be sunny again."

───; Chapter 8

"«You deserve nice romantic gestures,» he declares."

───; Chapter 9

"«Are you homesick now?» Louis can’t help but ask. [...]

Harry huffs. «Of course not,» he replies before giving Louis a devastating smile. «Just wanted to share this with you.»."

───; Chapter 9

"This morning, with Hell raining down on Fair Isle, it’s a tempting sight, for sure. Louis knows how comfortable and warm it is, with a body to hold that fits in his arms perfectly in ways he can’t afford to ponder too long."

───; Chapter 9

"At one point, Harry slides down and falls in the grass and Louis goes to help him up but he’s laughing so hard that his attempt to lift him up ends with both of them flat on the ground, soaking wet and giggling."

───; Chapter 9

"At some point, he takes his hood off, tilting his head back and spreading his arms wide, eyes closed and feeling the overwhelming power of the rain.

“What are you doing?”

“Cleansing myself,” Louis replies."

───; Chapter 9

"The sun won’t rise for another couple of hours and it feels like the whole world is asleep. It’s just the two of them, the two of them in the eye of the storm, laughing. It’s cold and wet and miserable.

[...]

But they’re young and foolish and together."

───; Chapter 9

"I don’t know that people are ever fully truly happy. I mean, they are obviously, I just mean… No one is happy all the time. People aren’t built that way. And life would lack depth. But no one should be unhappy the way I was, you know?."

───; Chapter 10

"You’re too small to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders like that."

───; Chapter 10

"Bit rough on everyone else who's ever written a love song,” he comments with a grimace, “but I can’t say I disagree. Besides, if you’re gonna pick one song to be the greatest love song ever, at least pick a gay one. Can’t argue with that."

───; Chapter 10

───; Chapter 10

p.s.: sorry, this whole part MUST be here

"You’re definitely armed with the knowledge and the wisdom to deal with whatever happens."

───; Chapter 10

"They kiss and Louis knows it’s not going to be their last [...] but he savours every single second of it. He savours the way Harry touches him, what he tastes like, the two of them on this beach. He savours the feeling of being young and feeling it for once."

───; Chapter 10

"They waste the afternoon talking about nothing and everything, snuggled on top of the lighthouse. Louis is in his favourite place in the world with one of his favourite people. How beautiful it is for him to have this. How tragic it is that it can’t last."

───; Chapter 10

"He walks around until he finds the perfect viewpoint, hair in the wind, hands gripping the railing, as he watches Harry becoming smaller and smaller, until he’s but a dot on the horizon, until Louis can’t see him at all, until he’s finally truly left."

───; Chapter 10