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Liam and Louis have always been close.
Despite the fact that Liam is older than Louis by four years, they’ve been practically inseparable ever since Louis was born. They weren’t only brothers, but best friends as well, close as can be.
When Louis was born, Liam instantly assigned himself as his protector, always nearby and always keeping him out of danger. They grew up together like that, Liam always taking care of Louis. Their father had left their family not long after Louis was born, leaving Liam as the man of the house and the father figure for Louis.
When they were in high school, Louis was starting his first year while Liam was in his last. Liam still watched over him, not caring about whether or not it might seem “uncool” to interact so much with his baby brother in school. Liam was popular, and he kept his younger, less popular and more drama geek-y brother out of trouble and away from bullies.
When Louis came out as gay, Liam was right there beside him, supporting him and encouraging him. Liam used to badmouth people for being gay which is why Louis had his reservations about coming out, but as soon as he did, Liam forced himself to change his perspective and apologized for everything he’s ever said, knowing that Louis being gay didn’t change who he was and didn’t change how he loved him and would always protect him.
When Liam graduated and went to university, one in a town three hours away, it was heartbreaking for both of them. Louis, despite pretending that Liam’s fatherly tendencies annoyed him, dreaded the loss of his protector. Liam feared how Louis would fare in high school by himself.
However, Louis was fine in school – he had gotten the reputation as the guy who shouldn’t be messed with unless you wanted to face his older and much stronger brother after Liam had punched out some sophomore that was bullying him – and their bond remained as strong as ever. Liam visited frequently and they could call and text and Skype whenever they were both free.
The distance didn’t taint the strong relationship between the two brothers.
+
Louis’ now 17 and Liam’s 21.
They’re still as close as ever, but they have less time to talk because Liam’s course load is getting harder and Louis’ in his senior year of high school meaning that everything he does academics-wise counts for his future.
Louis’ a bit distracted from his schoolwork, however, because he’s found himself a boyfriend. A college boyfriend, which he brags about to his friends nearly every day according to Zayn, one of his best mates.
His boyfriend, Harry, is only two years older than him at the age of 19, but he seems much older due to how feminine Louis looks and how Harry, tall and tattooed, looks the opposite. (Louis denies this vehemently. He thinks himself as “very masculine”, another thing he’s always reminding his friends of. They disagree.)
Louis and Harry met when Louis’s mom sent him out to pick up some groceries. Louis had had a really awful day that day, and when he was in one of the store’s aisles trying to reach the soup can his mom wanted him to get and he just couldn’t quite reach it, he almost broke down into tears as some helpful stranger came by and got it down for him. That stranger being Harry, of course.
Harry must have noticed his extreme distress because he asked Louis what was wrong and that day was the first time Louis cried in front of Harry. Unfortunately,that was not the last, nor was it the first time he’d cried in a grocery store, but that’s a story for a different day. Harry had taken Louis outside and calmed him down and then helped him with the rest of the groceries and just so happened to get Louis’s number. (Louis doesn’t even want to talk about the dark period where he left Harry’s first text unanswered because he was so embarrassed about crying in front of “that hot stranger from the soup aisle”.)
They’ve been dating for a little over two months, though, so. There are benefits to being short.
Liam, however, hasn’t met Harry yet due to the fact that they’ve only been dating for a couple of months and Liam hasn’t visited in a while, and Louis sees no reason to even tell Liam he has a boyfriend. Liam would only worry and demand to interrogate Harry and really, Louis doesn’t want to scare his first boyfriend off.
The moment of Liam and Harry’s meeting, however, comes sooner than Louis expected it would.
+
When the bell rings at the end of that school day, Louis practically leaps out of his seat. It’s the Friday before a long weekend, his teachers decided to go easy on their students for once and not give them any homework, and Louis has plans to spend his entire weekend with Harry.
As he shoves the things he needs for the weekend out of his locker and into his bag, he couldn’t be happier. He’s practically skipping as he exits the school building, going out into the parking lot and looking for a black Range Rover.
He sees it across the lot and smiles, waving to Harry who’s leaning against it, waiting for him. Harry always drives him home from school when he can, and they usually spend some time together afterwards as well. However, Harry’s been busy lately and they haven’t seen each other for over a week.
Louis presses a kiss to Harry’s lips in greeting, giggling as Harry’s wide hands go behind him to grope his arse, lifting him a bit so that Louis’s on his tippy toes.
“Not now, Styles,” Louis chastises, wiggling around in Harry’s arms. “I know it’s been a week but we’re in a public parking lot here.”
“Does that mean later, then?” Harry asks, winking.
Louis shrugs, flicking his fringe out of his face with one hand, smirking mischievously. “I guess you’ll have to find out.”
“Oh yeah, I’m coming over tonight, aren’t I?” Harry says, smiling back at Louis, pushing his sunglasses off his face and onto his head so he can look his smaller boyfriend in the eyes.
“Yep,” Louis replies, popping the P. “My mum left for that business thing sometime today and isn’t home until tomorrow afternoon, so…”
“Ooh,” Harry says, waggling his eyebrows. “I like the sound of that.”
Louis beams at him. “Let’s go then!”
+
When they roll up to Louis’s house in Harry’s car, Louis immediately hops out and goes to walk towards the front door, but pauses when he realizes Harry isn’t following him.
“You coming?” Louis asks, eyeing how Harry hasn’t even stepped out of the car.
Harry shakes his head, but gets out to talk to Louis.
“No, actually, I’m going to go home real quick to shower and get an overnight bag and stuff, and tell Niall where I’m going, the usual,” Harry explains, referencing his roommate. “But as soon as I’m done I’ll come right over, okay?”
“Okay,” Louis says, pouting, a little disappointed that Harry isn’t coming in right away. “Just let yourself in, okay? I might have a shower too.”
Harry smirks. “Should I let myself into the shower with you, too?”
Louis rolls his eyes, unamused. “Bye, Harry.” Louis turns to leave then, but Harry grabs onto his wrist.
“Wait just a second.”
As Louis turns back around to face him, Harry grins, pulling him in by the arm. Harry kisses him deeply, before pulling back and resting his nose against Louis’s, staring him in the eye. “Love you,” Harry whispers.
Louis snorts, shaking his head. “I love you too, you dork. Now go, the sooner you leave the sooner we can get our night together started!”
Louis watches fondly as Harry says goodbye and stumbles back into his Range Rover, driving away. He feels a bit lonely at the sight of him leaving, especially since they haven’t been able to see each other lately, but he knows he’ll be back.
With a sigh, Louis walks over to the front door of his house. Upon walking in, he doesn’t expect much – an empty house, maybe a note from his Mom and money for pizza left out for him. What he really didn’t expect is what he’s met with, the sight of a suitcase in the front foyer and a warm body colliding with his, wrapping him in a big hug.
Louis hugs back, despite his confusion.
“Louis!” The person shouts, gleeful, and – oh.
“Liam?!” Louis exclaims, mouth dropping open in surprise, forgetting all about his disappointment and his anticipation for Harry to come over tonight.
Liam pulls back to look at Louis, laughing at his confusion. “Hey baby brother!” He greets him happily.
Louis’s face breaks out into a wide smile, mirroring Liam’s. “Liam!” He repeats, this time more assuredly. “You didn’t tell us you were coming home!”
“Well,” Liam starts. “We’re getting a long weekend at university too and I thought I might come down for the weekend, maybe surprise you guys a bit. It’s been a while, yeah?”
“Well you certainly surprised me,” Louis agrees. “How the fuck did you even get here?”
“Hey, language,” Liam scolds him, but he elects to ignore the eye-roll Louis sends his way. “I took the train, I didn’t want to bother anyone for a ride. By the way, where’s Mum?”
Louis’s smile drops at that, frowning. “She’s gone until tomorrow afternoon, sorry.”
Liam just keeps smiling. “That’s okay, Lou,” Liam says, knowing that even though Louis pretends not to, he loves that nickname. “We’ll have ourselves a boys’ night, yeah?”
In that moment, Louis completely forgets about his plans he has with Harry. He’s just so excited to finally get to spend time with Liam again.
“Yes, of course!” Louis says excitedly. “Mom got me the new FIFA game, wanna play it with me?”
“Aw, c’mon Lou, you don’t want to talk about how school’s going or anything? Or help me take my suitcase up to my room?” Liam jokes, punching his brother lightly in the shoulder.
Louis just purses his lips at him, eyebrow raised, waiting.
“Whoa, fine,” Liam says. “When did you get so sassy?”
Louis ignores him, just smiles, takes his hand, and leads him to the living room where he’s got his game console set up.
+
Ten minutes later, they’re both on the couch, game controllers in their hands, and Louis’s practically on Liam’s lap.
“Yes!” Louis cheers as the seconds tick down and he wins the game. “Suck it!”
Liam just laughs, letting his controller fall to the floor, staring at Louis fondly as he watches him do a little victory dance. “What?” Louis asks, pausing as he notices Liam’s staring.
“I’m just really happy to be back for the weekend,” Liam replies.
“You’re so sappy, Liam,” Louis teases him, poking him in the cheek. “But yeah, I’m glad you’re back too. I missed you.”
“So how’s school?” Liam asks.
“I thought we weren’t having this conversation,” Louis says, smirking. “I thought you were less boring than this.”
“Oh, c’mon, I’m your brother, I want to know!” Liam tells him, shifting them around so that Louis’s curled up against his chest, Liam leaning his back against the arm of the couch.
They’ve always been pretty tactile with each other as far as brothers go, and neither of them mind or find it weird. They’re both always up for a cuddle and it’s nice. Its part of the reason they’re so close.
“Its fine, the same as ever,” Louis says offhandedly, feigning disinterest even though he really wants to launch into the story of how Zayn and him are planning the best senior prank ever. He has other news to talk about, though. This, Louis thinks, is the perfect opportunity for him to tell Liam about Harry.
“Well, actually –” Louis starts, squirming around so that his chest is against Liam’s and he can face him, getting ready to tell him about how he’s found himself a boyfriend, bracing himself for Liam’s questioning. Before he can get it out, though, he freezes, remembering how Harry is supposed to come over any time now.
He considers his options – whether he should text Harry and tell him not to come, whether he should continue on with telling Liam about Harry and add in the tiny detail that he’ll be coming over at any moment and they can meet – but before he can make any decision, the front door is opening.
“Is that Mum?” Liam asks, leaning forward to try and look at the door, Louis still weighing down on him. “I thought you said she wasn’t going to be home until tomorrow?”
“No, it’s –” Louis starts to explain, but he’s cut off by Harry’s voice saying his name.
“Louis?” Harry calls out, stopping in his tracks as he finds Louis there on the couch, in Liam’s arms.
“Who are y –” Liam starts to ask, but Harry cuts him off too.
“What the fuck?!” Harry exclaims, taking in the sight of Louis and Liam, moving his gaze to glare at Louis. “Why the fuck did you invite me over here just to see you with another guy?”
“No, Harry, this is my broth –”
“Are you cheating on me?” Harry roars, angry, and then his face morphs into one of distress. “Did you just completely fucking forget about me when you had him come over?” Harry says the word him as if it’s poison in his mouth.
Louis’s face heats up as he realizes what it must look like. With the position Louis wiggled into to face Liam as he prepared to tell him about Harry, his and Liam’s chests are pressed against each other and Louis is arching back so that their faces are apart, but they’re still awfully close together, as if they were kissing rather than being two brothers cuddling.
“Harry, calm down, let me explain – ” Louis tries again, but Harry isn’t having any of it.
“No, Louis, I don’t fucking want to hear it,” Harry says, voice flat but the angry tone is loud and clear. “I don’t want to hear how you let some random dude in to - what? Make out with? Have him fuck you?”
“Harry, please,” Louis cries out, because Harry’s scaring him now. He’s never been this angry, or irrational. “Stop it!”
Liam looks equally terrified, but he quickly puts on a mask of bravery, standing up and moving in front of Louis as if to shield him from Harry, always the protector. It seems Liam’s caught onto the situation, and he opens his mouth to reason with Harry.
This just pisses Harry off more, who advances on Liam, looking like he’s ready to attack, arm coming up to grab onto Liam’s shirt collar. Liam’s fists are clenched, looking like he wants to knock Harry out, but he’s looking back at Louis like he doesn’t want to scare him, or hurt who he loves.
“Calm down mate, this isn’t what –”
“Oh yeah, then what –”
“No, see, I’m his –”
“I’m going to fucking –”
Louis can’t watch anymore.
“STOP IT! Harry, let go!” Louis shrieks, standing up and pushing Harry off Liam with all his strength. “He’s my fucking brother!”
It’s silent as Harry stares at Louis, wide-eyed, processing this information. “Is that true?” Harry asks, looking to Liam for clarification.
“Uh, yeah,” Liam says, a little dazed. “That’d be me.”
Harry looks back and forth between Liam and Louis, sighing. “Oh. Fuck.”
Louis grits his teeth, feeling a bit guilty for how things unfolded when none of this would’ve happened had he warned both Harry and Liam of the misunderstanding between the plans made for that night, but feeling mostly irritated at Harry.
“Both of you, sit down,” Louis orders.
Harry obeys right away, but Liam is eyeing Harry suspiciously. “Louis, I –”
“I said sit down,” Louis repeats, voice cold.
Louis waits as they both take a seat, Liam on the couch and Harry on the loveseat. Louis joins Liam, sitting down next to him and facing Harry.
“Harry, this is my brother Liam,” Louis introduces, voice a bit lighter. “And Liam, this is my boyfriend, Harry.”
“I’m so sorry,” Harry blurts out, ashamed. “I just – we’ve never met before and… he didn’t tell me you were going to be home, and you guys were so – so close, and I just…”
Louis sighs. “It’s okay, it was all a misunderstanding.”
Liam scoffs, turning to face Louis with an affronted look on his face. “It’s okay? That was not okay! Clearly he has jealousy issues! He’s dangerous, Louis! And how old is he, anyways? I will not have you dating him, if that’s what you two are doing!”
Louis goes to reply, but Harry quickly jumps in.
“No, please, I’m sorry!” Harry says, all apologetic and upset. “I was just really looking forward to this evening with Louis and I thought you were some strange guy here with him and you guys were laughing and having fun clearly and I was just so torn up at the thought of Louis looking so happy with someone that wasn’t me, and I…”
“Well at the very least you have anger issues!” Liam accuses him. “This is my baby brother we’re talking about and I will not allow him to date some older guy who freaks out and gets violent so easily!”
“Oh, please,” Harry mutters, getting angry again, but looking like he’s trying really hard to contain himself. “We just haven’t had alone time in a while, okay? We were both so excited for tonight but when I came in it really looked like you two were making out or something, and I got angry because Louis had invited me here, to his home, and I thought – you know! But it won’t happen again!”
“Oh, so you were upset because your little booty call was ruined?”
“Liam!” Louis gasps, offended. “Who do you think I am? That’s not what this was. We love each other, and we wanted to spend a nice night together. It’s not my fault that you showed up out of the blue. And yeah, maybe we were going to have sex, but I’m seventeen, Liam, you need to lay off.”
Liam cringes at those last words. “But –”
“No,” Louis cuts in. “Liam, I love you so much. You’re the best brother a boy like me could ask for. But please, can you tone down your papa bear side for two seconds?”
“Fine,” Liam agrees, letting out a big breath. “Maybe we should restart, then?”
Harry smiles, liking that idea, getting up to lean over and shake Liam’s hand. “Harry Styles, nice to meet you.”
Liam accepts the handshake. “You too, I’m Liam – are those tattoos?”
“Liam,” Louis warns, getting his best pout on.
Liam practically melts when he looks over at Louis. He can never resist the puppy eyes. “Fine, fine, sorry! Just – let me ask a few questions at least! Humor me here.”
“Liam, seriously –” Louis protests, but Harry shakes his head.
“No, no, it’s okay,” Harry says, smiling. “The least I can do is answer a few questions.”
“See, calm down Louis, we’re being civil,” Liam says, slightly patronizing, to which Louis rolls his eyes. “First of all, how old are you?”
“19, sir,” Harry replies, respectful as ever.
Liam raises an eyebrow, skeptical, but is slightly placated by Harry’s manners. “You don’t look 19…”
“Well he is,” Louis supplies helpfully.
“Fine. What are your career prospects?”
“I want to be a musician –” Liam glares at him. “But I’m getting a degree in sociology as my back-up plan.”
“Good idea,” Liam says dryly, looking Harry up and down. “Now what are your intentions with my baby brother?”
Louis claps his hands together loudly at that. “Okay, that’s enough.” Liam goes to protest, but Louis keeps talking. “Now how about we all have a nice little visit together and then you, Liam, go off and find some random ass university party to show up to and not come back until tomorrow morning, yeah?”
Liam agrees reluctantly, pretending not to notice the wink Harry sends Louis’s way at that for the sake of not starting up another argument.
In the end, the evening ends up being mostly enjoyable for all three of them. They have dinner, which Harry cooks. Liam resents him a bit for it, feeling like he’s just being buttered up, but Louis starts raving about how Harry is always cooking for him, and well, Liam can’t deny that the pair seem awfully in love, despite his reservations. So yeah, dinner is nice and the conversation is nice and the video games they all play afterwards are nice and despite the initial conflict, Harry and Liam get along well enough.
It’s only when Louis’s practically pushing Liam out the door afterwards that Liam’s worries from earlier resurface.
“I don’t think I should leave you two alone together,” Liam says with a frown, eyebrows furrowing and forehead crinkling as he stands in the front doorway, looking back at the couple,.
“Stop worrying so much, Liam,” Louis laughs, stepping forward to pat him on the shoulder. “Seriously, it’s not a good look on you.”
“Okay, but I swear to God, if Harry hurts you, I will rip his –”
Louis just smiles, waves, and shuts the door on him.