Archive of Our Own

“Daddy?”

“Yes, love?” Louis asks, tossing some fruit snacks in the trolley and continuing down the cereal aisle.

“I want cocoa pops.” Emma, his four year old daughter, informs him.

Louis starts to protest, since they already have a half empty box of the same cereal at home, but he’s a single parent and as always he feels guilty denying her of anything else.

He reaches for the cereal at the same time as someone else and he’s about to tell the person to fuck off, in nicer words of course, because he really doesn’t have the time for this and that he just wants his cereal and he wants to go home. But then he sort of ends up looking at the person and letting him take the box for himself. Except that he doesn’t.

Well, at first he does, keeps it in his hand as he apologizes, smiling all pretty with dimples. Then he kneels down on the floor in front of Emma, handing her the box.

“Sorry,” he says. “I believe this belongs to you.”

She beams at the man – or boy, Louis doesn’t really know – taking the box and holding it protectively in her arms.

“It seems we both have quite good taste in cereal.”

Emma nods her head timidly and Louis had never seen her this shy, but he supposes there are exceptions for strange men in grocery stores. Which, right. That’s what this guy is.

“Thank you.” Emma says finally, smiling wide and putting the cereal box in the trolley. “I got cocoa pops, Daddy!” And Louis feels that warmth in his chest he always gets when it comes to his daughter, and he smiles down at her, almost forgetting that there is another person there with them. Emma is literally his whole world, sometimes he forgets that other things matter too.

The man stands up and smiles at the pair of them like he’s not sure he should be there anymore, and when Louis looks over to him he glances away, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Um, sorry. I’m Harry.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Louis.” He tells him, and he knows they’re in a grocery store and it’s ridiculous but he’s being all guarded because he always is; he’s so protective. Besides that, Harry is like insanely handsome and it’s possible Louis always falls too hard to fast for any nice and attractive guy he meets, so even though it probably wouldn’t happen in a million years, he’s still getting over his last break-up, which seems like ages ago, and all cute boys are out of the question at the moment.

“Right.” Harry says, grabbing some stuff and then taking a step back. “I should get going. Nice to meet you.” He waves at Emma and smiles, dragging out the last bit of the word when he says bye.

Louis breathes out once Harry has rounded the corner and picks Emma up to put her in the trolley to do the rest of his shopping.

+

Louis is surprised to say the least the next time he sees Harry.

It’s a little over a week later, Louis has just gotten off work and he’s trying to get his shopping done before picking up his daughter from nursery school.

Harry distractedly bumps into him from behind as Louis tries to set his things on the conveyer, and although he looks a bit more disheveled and frantic than the last time Louis saw him, he still would recognize Harry anywhere. He’s got a black bag slung over his shoulder, a scarf in his hair, and he mumbles an apology to Louis before looking up at him.

“Hi.” Louis says and smiles at him, because even though he’s had a rough day and his tie is half undone and he wants to get home as soon as possible, he’s not really in such a bad mood. He can stand to be nice.

“Oh.” Harry clearly recognizes him too, and Louis is glad because it could have been a bit awkward if he didn’t. “Hi. It’s you.”

Louis nods, makes a noise of affirmation. “Yes, it is me.”

Harry lets out a little chuckle, like he’s not sure if it’s a joke or not. A few moments pass by as the cashier tells Louis his total and he pays, getting his groceries in his trolley. Harry is behind him getting one or two items checked out as he looks over to Louis. “You- um, that’s a lot of groceries.” He points out and Louis resists the urge to make a sarcastic remark. “Do you need help maybe?”

That was kind of the last thing he expected Harry to say. “Oh, no that’s okay, I think I’ve got it. Thanks.”

Harry accepts his change and grabs his small grocery bag and follows after Louis. “I insist.”

Louis shrugs and rolls his eyes because who is he to deny a handsome stranger’s help? “Fine, if you must.” He teases, kind of. He’s not flirting. He’s not.

They walk out to the car together, Harry pushing along the trolley because he insisted and wouldn’t take no for an answer, or at least that’s how Louis is playing the story back in his head.

“So the little girl you had with you last time, is she yours?”

Louis glances over to find Harry looking at him with questioning eyes. He tries not to look too long, Harry is clearly too young and Louis isn’t really interested, or at least he’s not supposed to be. “Uh, yeah. Her name is Emma.”

He glances over again to catch Harry’s soft smile. “That’s a good name. You seem like a really good father, your wife is really lucky.”

He unlocks his car as they approach it and gets the trunk open with much difficulty because like, Harry is a nice person and he compliments strangers he doesn’t even know, and also he’s pretty sure people say that when they want to find out if someone is married or straight maybe. He wonders if it’s wrong that he hopes Harry has ulterior motives.

He ends up laughing as they both get his groceries into the car. “She’s uh, not- I’m not married anymore.”

Harry’s face goes red as Louis packs the last bag into the trunk and shuts the door. “Oh my god, I’m sorry I didn’t know.”

“Relax, Curly.” Louis says, and maybe he should like, not call Harry nicknames after just informing him that he is very single, but fuck it. “It was quite a while ago, and I’ve,” He pauses for a little over a second, leaning back against the back of his car. “moved on.” He’s definitely flirting now, and he steps on his own foot to sort of ground himself because he promised himself he wouldn’t. He’s not supposed to be looking right now, especially if his last relationship taught him anything. Besides, clearly Harry is young and even Greg who was much older didn’t really want to settle down with a man who has a kid, so there’s that. Louis digs his elbow into the back of the car and clears his throat.

“Right, well good for you.” Harry smiles. And Louis hopes he hasn’t scared him away with his awkward fidgeting and half-baked flirting. “See you around, Louis.” And then he’s backing up and waving at Louis before turning around and walking the other direction.

Louis tries not to wish Harry had stayed a little bit longer as he gets in his car and leans his head against the steering wheel.

“Steady, Tomlinson.” He tells himself before taking a deep breath and pulling out of the parking lot.

+

Zayn is drinking all of Louis’ alcohol, and Louis wonders why he’s even friends with him at all.

Actually, why is Zayn friends with him is the better question; all Louis does is complain about cute boys in grocery stores and how his abstinence from dating is slowly killing him. It’s no wonder Zayn is drinking his alcohol.

He sighs. “So tell me again why you’re suddenly in love with him?”

“Piss off.” Louis grumbles, leaning his head on the counter next to where Zayn is standing. He’s known Zayn for almost all his life, and they’ve had worse conversations, but Louis can’t help but feel bad that he’s always complaining to Zayn and stuff. He just really needs to get laid.

Zayn laughs at him. “Yeah, you’re alright. You probably just need a night out or something, you seem really stressed.”

Louis shakes his head against the counter where it’s laid. “No, I’ve just had Emma go over and stay at my mum’s, there is no way I’m gonna make her go again twice in two weeks.”

“What about Liam’s?”

Louis shakes his head. “He’s taking the family on vacation.”

“She could go to Niall’s.” Zayn suggests, and Louis just really hopes he’s joking.

He gives him a look. “Yes, of course, because I’d really love my daughter to come back to me with her head missing or something.”

“Niall isn’t that untrustworthy.” Zayn tries to defend, but it’s kind of pointless because Louis isn’t going out with them, and Niall is never ever going to watch Emma.

“Would you trust him with your children?”

Zayn gives a small shrug. “Wouldn’t know, since I don’t have any.”

Louis rolls his eyes, because right. Like Zayn would ever let him forget how he went off and got married young and had a child while Zayn lived out his dream and became an artist and shit with a beautiful girlfriend and a successful career. “Just wait until you get Pezza knocked up.” He mumbles and then gets up to find a glass and pour himself some of whatever Zayn’s drinking. It’s late and he’s tired.

Zayn takes another drink from his glass until it’s empty. He sets it down against the counter and slumps over a little bit more. “Hey, can I crash here?”

“Considering I’m not letting you drive after you’ve had this much? Yeah of course you can.” He punches Zayn in the arm and starts back towards the linen closet. Niall and Zayn tease him about being more of a single mom than a single father, since he’s gotten all organized and shit with his matching towels and linen closet and whatever. It’s not like he really has a choice, when everything else is so crazy in his life. No one has seen his room in a long time though, that’s quite possibly the only room in the house he lets become a complete and total mess.

He grabs some blankets and throws them out on the couch.

“Lovely.” Zayn says, coming over and leaning against the back of the couch.

Louis chuckles, patting him on the head. “Emma will be glad to see you.”

“Miss that little munchkin.”

Louis hums and then sighs. “I’m headed to bed, Z. Get up before the afternoon tomorrow, please.” He runs his fingers through Zayn’s hair and then pulls on it just enough so that he’ll complain like he always does.

“Alright, fine. G’night, you dick.”

“Night, asshole.” Louis returns and then heads off to his room. He just needs to sleep off everything really.

+

It’s a little over a month before he sees Harry again, and it’s a little bit more of a shock than the second time he saw him. He’d almost forgotten about their encounter from before, or at least he was starting to put it out of his mind a little and get back on track with his normal routine. Of course it’s just his luck that Harry apparently lives close by and gets his groceries from the same place as him.

Harry doesn’t notice him immediately, and he knows that he should just ignore Harry and carry on with his life, the life he had before he was pining after a boy he doesn’t even know. Like, it’s so shameless and ridiculous, all because he knows Harry’s name and he’s super fucking cute and attractive and looks like he gives great cuddles. Louis can’t help himself, he’s hopeless honestly.

He walks up to Harry, takes a deep breath. “Hey, fancy seeing you here again.”

Harry is looking at soap and he turns his head to look over to Louis. His features kind of light up, Louis is pretty sure; he’s certainly not that delusional that he’s seeing things. “Oh, hi.”

“You’re not stalking me?”

Harry smiles, shaking his head and crossing his heart. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Louis lets himself smile back, like really smile, and it’s been a while someone else besides his daughter has made him smile like that. Like seriously, Harry has charm. “Good.”

There’s this awkward silence for a minute where Harry turns back to his shopping and Louis isn’t sure if he should walk away or what. But then Harry clears his throat, and twists his hands together when he looks down at Louis. He’s so fucking tall Louis might die. “Lou? Can I call you Lou- is that like, a thing?”

Louis just nods, resisting the urge to cuddle Harry because he’s apparently nervous for some reason and he’s so goddamn cute.

“Right um, well. Do you maybe wanna grab a bite to eat with me?” He bites his lips and blinks a few times quickly and Louis is pretty sure Harry is asking him out kind of, maybe. He’s pretty sure.

“Oh.” He says, because it’s not exactly what he was expecting to come out of Harry’s mouth.

“It’s not like- I’m not- I get if you don’t want to, but I just. I just mean as friends.”

Louis lets a laugh tumble out of his mouth because shit, right. Of course he meant it at friends. Or maybe he’s saying that because he doesn’t wanna freak Louis out, like he thinks he’s straight or something. But does that mean Harry is gay? Louis mind is running a million thoughts a minute and he realizes that he hasn’t replied to Harry yet. “You mean now?” He hopes so because he has a free afternoon, and this is probably one of the best ways he could be spending it.

“Uh-” Harry seems a little surprised. “Yeah, I mean, if you want to.”

He doesn’t laugh again, just smiles all soft at Harry. “’Course I want to.”

+

They end up walking to a small coffee shop, not too far from the grocery store and Louis insists that he buys their drinks and anything else Harry wants even though Harry complains, but Louis is a bit stubborn so it doesn’t really work.

Harry explains how he comes here all the time and leads them to a table towards the back corner of the shop and Louis just goes along because Harry is endlessly adorable.

“So black tea, huh?”

Harry shrugs, settling into his seat across from Louis, drink warming in his hands. “It’s my favorite. I don’t care much for coffee, so.”

“Right, so you took me to a coffee shop.” Louis teases.

Harry laughs and shakes his head, his cheeks getting red. “Right. Clearly the right choice.”

“Well, I like coffee, so yeah it was.” He decides he likes teasing Harry, but he also likes making him feel better and he likes when Harry is smiling. “So Harold, what do you do?” It’s a roundabout way of asking Harry how old he is. Maybe. Or maybe not, Louis is kind of an idiot.

He takes a sip from his cup. “I uh, I used to be in law school, but I guess I dropped out.”

“You guess?”

Harry kind of winces and Louis is a bit worried it might have been a sore subject. He kind of wishes he could take it back, even if he was only joking. “Uh, I didn’t like it. Some stuff came up.”

Louis nods along, decides not to dig too deep into the life of someone he’s only known for less than an hour. “There’s nothing wrong with that.” He assures him and Harry smiles. “I was a drama teacher, and I really liked it, but I quit because I went through a really rough time, and now I’ve got this stupid desk job working with my ex-boyfriend. I kind of miss marking papers if I’m being honest.”

Harry’s face lights up a little, but it’s barely noticeable. If Louis blinked he might have missed it. “Boyfriend?”

“Ex,” Louis clarifies because people are always doing that. “But don’t worry; we’re just friends now I guess.”

“I mean, I just thought you were straight.”

That’s interesting. “I didn’t think I was really giving out a particularly straight vibe considering you asked me out.”

“No. I didn’t- I meant- like, I said as friends.” And oh, seeing Harry all flustered and blushy is Louis’ new favorite thing. He feels a bit mad with power, surging with confidence now.

“So, is it still?” He’s playing with fire definitely, but Harry is so sweet and so pretty, Louis really can’t help himself.

Harry hits his knee on the table, and his blush gets deeper if that’s even possible. “Still what?”

“As friends.”

He shrugs and then goes to stammer out a reply, but Louis is kind of distracted by the bell of the door ringing that he almost misses when Harry says he needs the bathroom. He barely has time to feel a little guilty for being so forward because Liam is walking up to his table and smiling.

Liam is actually the least inopportune of his friends, but right now Louis isn’t so sure.

“Hey, Louis!”

He’s wearing his uniform and with his partner so Louis knows they won’t be here long. “Hey, did you catch any bad guys yet?”

Liam chuckles and shakes his head. “You know I’m a cop not a superhero, right?”

“Is that right?” Louis teases. “Could have fooled me.”

He rolls his eyes. “Quit flirting with me Tomlinson, I’m a married man.”

Louis just laughs and he’s really glad to see Liam, he really is. Even if he’s ruining his life a little bit right now. They used to be much closer before the two of them got married and had kids. They hardly see each other anymore, besides the fact that they call each other all the time, because Liam is all busy with work and being married and shit. It’s just nice to see him, aside from going to his house to drop his little girl off to be babysat. Being an adult kind of sucks.

There’s a small silence and Liam’s eyes drift over to the extra cup across from Louis. “Are you on a date, Lou?”

He can’t help when he smiles because like, yeah he sort of is. Well, if Harry ever gives him an answer, but then he told his friends he wouldn’t date and he kind of wants to keep this to himself. “It’s just a friend from work.”

He gives him a warning look. “Is it Greg?”

“Shut up.” Louis says, giving him a look. “It’s not him. Get back to saving the world.”

Liam smiles now. “Alright, sorry. See you around, Tommo.” And then he’s gone

Harry stays in the bathroom for a while and when he comes out he scans the room like he’s fucking trying to avoid Louis or something. He’s probably not, Louis is just kind of paranoid.

He smiles at Louis when his eyes land on him and he walks up to the table. “Hey.”

Louis decides not to mention how he took forever in the bathroom. “Hey.” He parrots back.

“Um,” Harry shifts from foot to foot and looks down. “Is it wrong if I ask you to give me a ride?”

“I don’t fuck on the first date, sorry Harold.” Louis might actually be the worst, and like, he can’t stop himself. It’s like a disease.

Except this time Harry smiles and laughs instead of blushing furiously and retreating to the bathroom. “Fuck off, I meant a car ride. To my flat?”

Louis cocks his head to the side, examining Harry for a split second. “So it is a date then?”

Harry bites his lip letting out a small chuckle and they’re not breaking eye contact. Louis is literally about to jump him in a fucking coffee shop. He nods. “You’re too hot for it not to be.”

Louis’ eyebrows fly up into his hairline basically, but then he regains his composure enough to grin and nod towards the exit of the building. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

+

Harry’s flat is in the same direction as Louis’ house, or at least they’re heading in that direction, which makes things worse now that Louis knows how close they are to each other. Harry could stop by whenever he wanted. He’s probably a really great babysitter.

Louis is doing a horrible job of not letting his thoughts get away from him.

Thankfully, Harry breaks the silence. “Is it weird if I ask how old you are?”

He resists the urge to laugh. “Of course it’s not weird. I’m twenty-eight.” He pauses for a second to decide if it’s appropriate to ask Harry the same question. He decides it is. “And yourself?”

“Uh,” Harry clears his throat. “I’ll be twenty soon.”

Louis takes a second to decide if that’s bad. Technically Harry is legal so like, he shouldn’t really worry, but he also wants to kiss him a lot and he’s nearly ten years younger, so he worries. “How soon?”

“February.”

He chuckles because he doesn’t want Harry to think age is a fucking obstacle because it doesn’t have to be, Louis is determined for it not to be. “Soon? Being a bit generous, don’t you think?”

Harry laughs but he’s blushing again. “Yeah, I guess. It’s soon enough.”

Right, Louis thinks. They’re in September. “Remind me and I’ll get you a birthday present.” Is what he settles on saying because this is unchartered territory. His youngest friend is Niall and he’s twenty-four, and he isn’t in love with Niall. Not that he’s in love with Harry, but he figures there’s a possibility he could be.

“How old were you when you got married?”

“Why, are you planning on getting married?” Louis asks, and he’s mostly joking. Also because like, Harry shouldn’t get married.

He laughs. “Definitely not.” Louis tries not to interpret that in a negative way. He feels like he’s losing brain cells pining over Harry for no reason. “Just curious.”

Louis tries to remember for a moment, because he doesn’t really like thinking about his marriage. “Uh, it was six years ago, so I was twenty-two. One of my best mates had just gotten married the year previous and I’d been dating her like, two years already.”

He glances over and he can tell Harry’s thinking, the way he pinches his lip with his two fingers, and his brow gets all furrowed. Maybe he’s wondering what questions are appropriate to ask when you’ve only know a person a couple of hours. “I’m sorry.”

Louis sighs because he doesn’t need to be sorry. “No, it’s totally okay. Like I said it was six years ago, and then we broke it off almost four years ago. I’m getting over it, so don’t like, feel bad for asking.”

Harry smiles at him then, tension broken. “Okay, good to know.” He goes back to giving Louis directions.

When Louis pulls up to the curb next to Harry’s building, he’s literally five minutes from his own house. Louis isn’t sure what to do with this information.

“Hey, thanks.” Harry says, getting out of the car and grabbing his bags from the backseat.

Louis turns around to look at him. “No problem, mate. See you around.”

“Yeah.” Harry smiles at him. “Yeah, see you.” And then he’s closing the door and walking away.

Louis watches him go, all smiley and shit. He bangs his head on the steering wheel when he realizes he forgot to get Harry’s number.

+

Louis isn’t surprised when he sees Harry next, it’s just the change in location that seems strange. Maybe not that strange considering they live really close to each other and it’s the post office, but Louis doesn’t really meet people he knows in the post office.

Harry looks so cute, opening his little mailbox with his little key and he’s humming to himself. Louis almost doesn’t wanna tap him on the shoulder, but he does anyway.

When Harry turns around and looks down at where Louis is standing behind him he’s a bit startled at first. But then his face lights up, and Louis would kiss him if he wasn’t standing hand-in-hand with his daughter at the moment.

“Hey! What are you doing here?”

“I was just getting my mail-” He cuts off when Emma starts tugging on his hand. “What is it, love?”

She leans into his arm and whispers, “I remember him.”

“You do?” Louis asks, and even though Harry is quite memorable Louis thought that a phenomenon that only he was experiencing.

She nods. “He was nice.” Harry is positively beaming.

“Why don’t you introduce yourself, poppet?”

She’s hesitant at first, pauses for a really long time before looking up at Harry and giving him a little wave.

Harry gives Louis a look and then kneel s down in front of her and smiles with his dimples and everything and Louis is going to have a heart attack in the middle of the goddamn post office. “Hi. What’s your name?”

“Emma.” She says.

Harry hums in response. “Emma? That’s a lovely name, dear. How old are you?”

She holds up four fingers and Harry pokes each one of her fingers, counting them off until she’s giggling.

“Four is a great number. When I was four my sister used to braid my hair every night.” Louis isn’t sure if that’s true but its got Emma laughing so he doesn’t even care if Harry is telling stories. “Getting your hair braided is the best, innit?”

She nods her head.

“Do you have a brother or sister, Emma?”

She shakes her head. “I want one.”

“Hm,” Harry taps his finger to his chin, pretending like he’s deep in thought. Seriously Louis is about to walk out of the building right now, because it’s too adorable. “Well maybe Daddy will get you some soon, yeah?”

Emma looks up at Louis with big eyes and smiles all wide. “Can we, Daddy?”

“One of these days, love. But it’s complicated.” He pushes her hair away from her face, brushing his fingers through it. He turns to Harry as he’s standing up mouthing, “you little shit”, because that’s what Harry is.

He just gives him a shit eating grin and Louis knows that he will be the death of him.

Louis leaves the post office with a stack of mail, Harry’s number, and a fucking whipped smile.

+

Louis isn’t exactly proud of himself, but he’s in a pinch and Harry is good with kids. It’s not a thing. Maybe it’s not advisable because he barely knows Harry, but at the same time he could find a babysitter he barely knows and it would be the same thing. If Zayn knew he would judge him, but Zayn doesn’t know and Harry picks up on the second ring. Louis is pretty sure it’s meant to be.

“Calling for a second date already?” Harry teases, and Louis decides he likes Harry’s cheeky side almost as much as he likes making Harry blush.

He laughs but then composes himself and lets out a laugh that’s drier instead. He has to keep up appearances. “Very funny. I actually need a favor.”

“Oh no.”

“Shut it. Are you busy today?”

There’s a pause and then, “Not really, no. What do you need?”

Louis pauses for a second to make sure this isn’t the worst idea he’s ever had before speaking again. If he’s considering calling Niall to babysit then he is truly desperate, and Harry might just be a better choice. “I really need someone to watch Emma while I go to the doctor.”

“Yeah, of course.” He doesn’t hesitate and Louis is so pleased. “Are you sick or something?” And Harry cares about him too, he’s going to faint.

“Don’t worry about me, Curly. It’s just a checkup.”

“Right.” He can hear the blush in Harry’s words almost. “When should I come over?”

“My appointment isn’t for another four hours, but I forgot about it till today and I couldn’t get anyone else to watch her.”

Louis is positively swooning when Harry says that it’s not a problem and that he’ll be there in an hour. He’s going to be two hours early and Louis will have so much time to let him know what he needs to do, it’s like a dream come true. He hangs up and Louis texts him the directions even though it’s literally five minutes from his house. Maybe he’ll convince Harry to be his permanent babysitter.

+

Harry shows up in front of Louis’ door wearing a black shirt that has white powder all over it and Louis is really confused. So confused that he misses the Tupperware container in Harry’s hand. 

“What’s that?” He asks, pointing to his shirt.

Harry’s smile fades a little bit as he looks down and then laughs. “Oh! It’s flour. I was baking.”

“Baking?”

He nods. “Yeah, I bake sometimes when I’m stressed.”

Louis opens the door and invites him inside, taking his coat and mentally patting himself on the back for being so hospitable and having such a clean house. Hopefully Harry is impressed, because Louis is impressed with himself. “Oh, were you stressed?”

Harry toes off his boots and nods. “Yeah, I had a thing- it’s not important. Here.” He hands Louis the container he was holding which has said baked goods inside. “I brought them for you and Emma.”

“What are they?”

“Chocolate chip cookies.” He gets a bit of a worried look on his face. “I hope that’s okay.”

Louis smiles at him until his eyes crinkle at the corners. “Of course that’s okay, silly.” He kind of wants to hug Harry, like a lot, but he doesn’t know if that’s a thing he can do. The lines are a bit blurred because, even though they technically went on a date and Louis has been relentlessly flirting with him, Harry is still much younger than him and he doesn’t really know where they stand. He doesn’t hug him, just keeps smiling like an idiot before realizing that they’ve barely made it past the threshold of his house and there was a point to Harry coming over. And it isn’t so he can mindlessly chat to Harry about cookies and shit.

“Thanks.” He holds up the container to make it clear that’s what he’s referring to. “Do you want water or anything?” They’re finally making their way towards the kitchen.

“Oh yeah, thanks.”

Louis nods, turning back to shoot Harry another smile. “You can go join Emma, she’s just there in the living room.”

Harry looks over to find her sitting at the living room table, coloring. “Sure.”

When Louis brings three cups of apple juice from the kitchen - because water is just too plain isn’t it – Harry is sitting there coloring with Emma and Louis’ heart is literally going to burst. He stays in the doorway of his kitchen, hoping that he’s undetected because he kind of wants to watch for a minute. Harry is so good with Emma, asking her questions and taking her suggestions on which colors to use. The crayons are literally dwarfed in comparison with Harry’s hands and he doesn’t color in the lines. Louis is positively endeared.

After a bit, Louis decides to make his presence known. “Who wants apple juice?” He sings and comes around the couch to sit down next to Harry after setting the cups down on the coffee table.

Emma sets down her crayon to lift her cup up with both hands and take a small sip.

Harry pouts. “No fair, I wanted a princess cup.”

“You’ll survive.” Louis tells him. It all feels weirdly domestic and like, it shouldn’t. Louis shouldn’t want to put his head on Harry’s shoulder while he colors along with his daughter; they’re not even together. He either needs to ask Harry on another date or stop thinking about it, because it’s killing him.

“Here.” Emma says, handing Harry her cup with both hands.

“It’s alright, love. I’ve got my own, thank you.” Harry says before Louis can even say a word, and it’s all so sweet, but Louis has to take a step away from the situation to talk to Harry for a little bit about all the things he’s responsible for doing.

“Darling, Harry and I are just gonna go talk for a little bit, okay?”

She just shrugs and keeps coloring.

Louis grabs Harry by the arm and pulls him into the kitchen. It’s not unkind, he just wants an excuse to touch him in any way. He does let go though, albeit reluctantly, and leans up against the counter grabbing one of the cookies and taking a bite. “So, here’s the deal. No ice cream under any circumstance whatsoever, even if she begs. She’s already got the cookies. Put her down for a nap at like, two maybe? Because otherwise she’ll be proper grumpy. Don’t watch like, too much TV because we’re trying not to be like crazy TV watchers, and also if you could make a lunch that would be brilliant because I have to leave around lunch time so I won’t be able to. I’ve got snacks in the fridge and in the pantry so you can help yourself to anything you want.” He tries to think of anything else because he’s always a nervous wreck when leaving his daughter with anyone, especially a new babysitter, even someone like Harry. It’s just instinct. “My number is on the fridge and also other emergency contacts in case something happens.”

Harry speaks for the first time since they got in the kitchen. “Nothing is going to happe-”

“In case something happens.” Louis repeats, and maybe he’s a little stressed but that’s to be expected of a single parent really. Hopefully Harry doesn’t take this to be a total turn-off, not that Louis is even thinking about that right now.

Harry smiles though and smoothes a hand down Louis’ arm. “Don’t worry. I’ve babysat before, it’s not an issue.”

Louis lets out a sigh, tries not to notice the fact that Harry’s hand is staying on his arm. “Yeah, okay. It’s just that she’s my whole world and I just never want anything to happen to her.”

Harry rubs his arm again and maybe his hand is glued there permanently now. “I get it. But nothing is gonna happen, yeah? And if something goes wrong I promise I’ll call you, okay?”

He lets out another sigh and nods. “Yeah.”

“Hug?”

He looks up in Harry’s eyes and Harry is so cuddly and adorable, Louis would never be able to deny him of a hug.

He’s so broad and strong, but also perfectly soft and he makes himself small in Louis’ arms, ducking his head to hook his chin over Louis’ shoulder. Weirdly enough, Louis feels confident enough to breathe him in, a mix of cinnamon, laundry detergent, and baked goods, wrapping his arms around his waist. He hums into his neck and just lets Harry hold him, and it’s so good. He feels like his stress is melting away a little bit, and he’s just needed a good hug for ages.

When Harry pulls away he holds Louis at his shoulders and gives him a big, dimpled smile.

“Thanks.” Louis breathes out.

He bites his lip, staring at Louis and the silence feels like it goes on forever, like they’re stuck in this little bubble that Louis will never get out of. But then Harry nods and goes to grab a cookie for himself and the bubble is burst.

When Harry turns back to him, he’s got a cookie crumb on his lip and Louis is completely overwhelmed with how fucking adorable he is, and how much he wants to fucking kiss him. “You have a-” He points to his own lip and Harry just furrows his brow, all confused. “Fuck- Nevermind.” Frustrated would be the best word to describe Louis as he stalks out of the kitchen and into the goddamn bathroom to splash cold water on his face and maybe get some sense knocked into him.

+

When Louis comes back to his house, and closes the door behind him, there’s a distinct shushing sound coming from the living room, and the TV is playing The Little Mermaid on mute. He goes in the living room to further inspect the noise and finds Harry sitting on the couch, turning to look at Louis and placing his finger to his lips.

He understands once he finds his daughter tucked in with a blanket, head on a pillow that’s resting on Harry’s thigh. He kind of wants to clap because she is perfectly healthy and in one piece and Harry did so well. He fucking got her to sleep, which isn’t easy because she’s so much like Louis, and she won’t go down without a fight. Sophia can never get her to sleep, not even with Liam’s help, and Louis is strangely proud of Harry and he kind of wants to kiss him a lot and repeatedly.

“Look at her.” He whispers and brushes her hair out of her face, careful not to wake her. “She’s so lovely.”

“Isn’t she?” Harry echoes and when Louis looks over to smile at him he immediately turns his attention the TV and starts blushing.

“So, Little Mermaid, huh?” He says in a hushed voice, glancing over to the TV as well.

Harry shrugs. “It’s what she wanted.”

Louis rolls his eyes, but doesn’t mention how Emma doesn’t even like that movie, but he suspects Harry suggested it and she went along with it. She seems to like Harry a lot. He’ll ask her about it later.

They both sit in silence for a while, Louis sitting on the floor and Harry above him on the couch. It’s oddly peaceful and Louis is literally this close to losing control and asking Harry to spend the night when he thankfully breaks the silence.

He kind of leans in and whispers in Louis’ ear though, so it’s not really helping Louis’ predicament. “I actually have to go. Is there any way I can get out of this without waking her up?”

Louis stifles a laugh when he looks up at where his daughter is laid against Harry’s leg. With her wrapped up in the blanket it won’t be so bad, she’ll probably sleep through a quick replacement. “Yeah, just wait there while I get her in bed.” So Louis leans over and picks her up, all cocooned in her blanket, careful not to wake her. He gets her settled in her room and then hurries back out to the living room, hoping that Harry hasn’t left yet.

He hasn’t. He’s standing by the front door ready to go, all pigeon-toed, a bag slung over his shoulder, and his hands clasped behind his back.

“Hey.” Louis says, his voice still a bit hushed.

Harry looks up from his feet and smiles at him. “Hi.”

He lets out a breath and steps closer to Harry. “Um, so I want to pay you for today.” Most of the people he’s had watching his daughter were really clear about payment. With his friends and his family it’s always free because they’re just looking out for him, and when he hires a babysitter it’s clear that they want to be paid, and they usually have rates too. But with Harry it just suddenly seems really complicated and awkward.

“Oh.” Harry seems surprised. “You really don’t have to; it was just a favor for a friend. Seriously.”

Louis bites the inside of his cheek, thinking about this. “Oh, well. I was hoping you could do it more often though.”

Harry shrugs. “And it would still be a favor for a friend.”

Louis is getting a little frustrated because he wants to pay Harry in some way; he brought cookies for Christ’s sake. He’s literally on the verge of suggesting payment in the way of blowjobs. “I want to repay you somehow, for helping and being so kind. Can I do that?”

He seems to think it over for a minute, biting his knuckle and twisting his other hand in his pocket. “How about a kiss?”

“Pardon me?”

Harry clears his throat. “Like, a kiss- payments in kisses and cuddles? And dates?”

“Oh.” Right. of course. “Yes. Yes, a lot yes.” Clearly Louis has forgotten the basics of communication. “Friday night. I’ll pick you up at seven, okay?”

Harry raises his eyebrows, apparently not expecting such a desperate reaction, but that’s what Louis is so. “Okay.”

“Okay.” Louis confirms.

Harry smiles and then he’s turning around and heading out the door.

“Wait, Harry.”

There’s literally no hesitation in the way he turns back around at Louis’ voice, and Louis is so close to just taking a step forward and kissing him. But he doesn’t. He just smiles and bites his lip, trying not to laugh for some reason.

“Right. Goodnight then.”

Harry chuckles. “Yeah, night Louis.”

It’s literally like half four in the afternoon and Louis just said fucking goodnight to the boy he wants to shag like nobody’s business. He plops headfirst on the couch and screeches into the pillows. He’s an idiot. An idiot with a date on Friday.

+

When Friday rolls around, Louis is literally a nervous wreck. Not counting the coffee lunch date thing he had with Harry last week, he hasn’t been on a proper date in many, many moons. He’s probably going to fuck it all up. Thankfully he doesn’t have to deal with his friends though, because he asked Perrie to watch Emma and not to tell Zayn, so no one but Perrie knows about his secret date and that relieves so much stress it’s uncanny. She also helps him pick out his tightest jeans and a date appropriate t-shirt, that doesn’t make it look like he’s trying to pull at a club. He puts on his vans and throws on a hoodie, which has Perrie in a protest, but there is absolutely no way he’s wearing a fucking blazer to a cinema date. That’s the most ridiculous thing he’s ever heard since fake fucking eyelashes. Perrie swears by them, but Louis isn’t convinced. It’s stressing him out and he’s nervous about his date and leaving his daughter alone. He just hopes he doesn’t come home to Emma with makeup or fake eyelashes on because he might strangle Perrie, despite the fact that she’s a girl who makes her living as a makeup artist, and also Zayn’s long-term girlfriend.

When he finally leaves his house, he isn’t fashionably late, but he is breaking the speed limit on back roads. He makes it to Harry’s house in less than five minutes, and finds him sitting on the sidewalk outside his building. He’s wearing ripped jeans and a flannel with a fucking matching headscarf.

Louis takes a breather for half a second before rolling down the window and smiling. “Hey, Curly. You ready?”

He gets in the car, beaming back at Louis. “You’re late.” He doesn’t seem too upset.

“Hope you don’t mind going a little bit fast.”

“You might have to hold my hand.” Harry responds, no hesitation, and Louis might be in love with Harry when he’s being cheeky like this. He also will not turn down an invitation to hold his hand.

He slips his fingers into Harry’s bigger ones, and tries not to think about it. Which makes him think about it more, obviously.

“Where are we going?” Harry asks.

“The cinema. I hope that’s alright? I was thinking like a cheesy rom-com and then I can feed you popcorn and we can be disgusting and then hopefully I’ll get a kiss at the end of the night.”

Harry laughs and he’s smiling and yeah, maybe that plan is good then. “I’d like that a lot. But I think I’d like to kiss you before the end of the night, if that’s okay.”

“I can pull over if you want me to.” Louis teases.

Harry just looks over at him very seriously, squeezing Louis’ hand.

Louis’ foot stutters on the gas pedal and he clears his throat. “Let’s go get candy.”

+

After a very interesting and oddly quiet car ride, and a pit stop to the grocery for candy to sneak into the film, they arrive at the movie theatre and Louis is so ready for this fucking date honestly. Harry is so adorable, Louis just wants to buy him popcorn and kiss him forever.

He gets out of the car, trying to stuff a huge bag of M&M’s in his coat pocket before he even closes the door, and it kind of works, but it also looks really fucking dumb.

“I can put that in my bag, if you want me to?” Harry asks, ducking his head so he can see Louis’ face from where he’s still sat inside the car, packing his bag full of goodies. “It might make things easier.”

Louis nods and tosses Harry the bag, before deciding to forgo the coat all together and placing it on his seat. He shoves his phone and wallet in his back pocket and then waits patiently for Harry to exit the car.

They both walk around towards the back of the car when Harry finally gets out, and Louis feels kind of awkward standing so far away from him. He wants to hold hands, or bump shoulders at the least.

Harry makes the decision for him. “Hey.” He says softly and holds out his hand for Louis to take.

Louis takes it gladly.

Apparently that’s not all Harry wanted though because, before they even make it to front door, he tugs Louis by the hand until he’s standing right in front of him.

“Hi.” Louis says, getting a little closer so Harry can let go of his hands and wrap them around his waist.

“Hello.”

Louis places his hands against Harry’s chest and stares at the spot right between them, biting at his lip so his smile doesn’t completely overtake his face. He needs to keep a handle on this.

It’s extremely difficult to “get a handle on it” when Harry guides his chin upwards with a finger and keeps his eyes fixed on Louis’ mouth.

“Oh.” He breathes, and then Harry is leaning down to press his lips to Louis’.

It’s not really like Louis imagined it would be, especially since it’s been a while since he kissed anyone properly, in addition to the fact that Harry’s lips are so much softer and he kisses so much sweeter than Louis expected he would. He leaves two lingering kisses, his lips barely parted and Louis mind is literally swimming in a haze of sweetness because of this boy. The date hasn’t even really started.

“Sorry.” Harry says when he pulls away. “I couldn’t keep- I wanted to-” He cuts himself off, leaning down to kiss Louis one more time.

“Don’t apologize.” Louis tells him once the kiss is over, dropping his hand down to grab Harry’s. He’s not sure how many more kisses he can survive, and the movie previews have probably already started playing if he’s not mistaken. So he pulls Harry inside the theatre so they can quickly buy their tickets and buy popcorn.

Harry argues that he should pay, but Louis is probably the most stubborn person ever, so he pays anyway. Never let it be said that Louis Tomlinson is not a fucking gentleman. Harry is clearly not upset either, if the way he rests his hand on the small of Louis’ back is any indication.

Louis spares a thought to how fucked he is at this point, what with kissing Harry and all, and the fact that he said he wouldn’t date anyone for a really long time, but Harry feels so warm next to him that he kind of throws that thought away. Right after he rationalizes that cute boys with curly hair don’t come around that often and he would be stupid not to snatch him up for himself before anyone else does. It’s just logic really.

Harry is absolutely the sweetest too, opening the doors for Louis and making silly jokes about nothing. They’re not late for the movie either, like Louis anticipated, but there are a few people already sitting down and they have to step over a few people to get to a good seat. Harry just keeps giggling and Louis has never felt this young. He can’t stop smiling.

Once they’re sat, Harry immediately leans into him and whispers something Louis doesn’t even catch so he just turns in his seat to give Harry a kiss which Harry returns very happily.

The movie is fine, a bit boring if Louis is honest, but Harry keeps being cute and laughing at things in the movie that normal people don’t laugh at, and he keeps a hand solid on Louis’ thigh, so it’s pleasant enough.

Maybe about two thirds through the movie Harry leans over and whispers in Louis ear. “Hey do you wanna do something cool?”

He pretends to be paying attention to the movie, and doesn’t look at Harry even though he really wants to. “I’m watching a film, Harold.” He makes a vague gesture towards the screen.

Harry just nuzzles into his neck and huffs out a breath. “Please?” He’s horrible at whispering.

Louis rolls his eyes, but finally looks over at him. “What is it then?”

He smiles at him from underneath his eyelashes and doesn’t waste another second before getting up and dragging Louis along with him down the steps and out of the film.

“What are you doing?” Louis asks, but he keeps his voice hushed still for some reason.

Harry just giggles. “Theatre hopping.”

Of course Louis’ eyes go wide. Not that he’s a prude or anything, clearly since he’s spent the last hour thinking about ways he could get his mouth on Harry’s dick, but he also hasn’t done anything like this since he was a teenager probably. Which right, Harry is. He’s not opposed to crazy, Louis absolutely adores crazy. “Isn’t that illegal?”

Harry shrugs, “It’s fun.” And that’s really all Louis needs to be told honestly. He’s so fucking fucked is the thing.

“So which one of these movies do you fancy trying out?” Louis figures the worst that could happen is them getting kicked out.

Harry’s face lights up, and he drags them into the next theatre room, which happens to be a horror film. He doesn’t really seem to mind though, as he drags Louis all the way to the back of the room, sitting in the seats at the very top.

Louis is stifling laughter, and dropping his head onto Harry’s shoulder, shoulders shaking. Thankfully there aren’t many people seeing this movie, because they’re both making so much noise trying not to laugh.

Louis decides it’s a good time to bite Harry on the shoulder, and Harry squawks, pushing Louis away and smacking a hand over his mouth.

It’s so nice to be able to just be this close with someone, and not in a friendship way, like how Louis is with Zayn and Niall or whatever. He doesn’t really talk about it much, but he really loves being in a relationship. He loves the feeling of first dates and he also loves the feeling of being really comfortable and close with someone after a few months. He loves living with someone and stealing kisses over breakfast and sharing toothpaste and having regular sex. He kind of wants that with Harry. Not now, but he wants it eventually. He sort of ends up wanting that with everyone he dates really, but he figures he can’t be blamed. He just wants to settle down again.

The laughter dies down and he hums, sighing into Harry’s shoulder. “I think I really like you.”

Harry looks down at him and smiles. “Really?”

He pokes his dimple. “Yeah.”

Harry is silent for a moment, maybe thinking it over. He kisses him, just a quick little press of his lips to Louis’ and Louis chases it when he pulls away. Amazingly, they’re having a romantic moment with the sounds of people being slaughtered in the background. This is Louis’ life now.

“Can I kiss you more?” Harry asks, and Louis wants to marry him honestly. He’s so fucking cute.

He decides not to propose to him though, instead he smirks. “Never made out in the back of a theatre before?”

Harry just bows his head, blush creeping onto his cheeks.

“Oh god, just kiss me.”

Harry does, but not before pulling up the armrest between them and putting a hand on Louis’ waist.

It’s so nice, but like a hot kind of nice, much more than their first little kisses.  Harry keeps playing with the hem of Louis’ shirt, not in an I-want-you-to-take-this-off kind of way, but in a nervous way and it’s hopelessly endearing.

It does get a bit heated, but not unpleasantly so. Louis could probably kiss Harry forever.

Harry’s hands start to wander a bit, and one ends up on Louis’ thigh and the other underneath his shirt, feeling the warm skin there, gripping onto his hip a little bit. Louis lets himself shuffle a bit closer to Harry until he’s almost in his lap, and it’s so strange how Harry is so much younger but he’s so much bigger than Louis. It’s strange in a really hot way, and Louis wants to find out if Harry size has a correlation to what’s underneath his jeans.

It doesn’t take long before Louis is scooting even closer and he’s literally two seconds from crawling into Harry’s lap, bracketing his thighs, and rutting up against him. It’s highly inappropriate for a second date, and a movie date at that. Although, their movie choice might suggest differently.

He pulls away from Harry, to breathe for half a second and get his thoughts in order, but Harry just pulls him closer to kiss at his jaw. It’s delightfully pleasant, but Louis needs to sort out some things, like how he really wants to suck Harry’s dick and all that, or the fact that he’s getting hard in his jeans from just kissing and thinking about it. It’s like he’s becoming a teenager by osmosis, not that it’s exactly a repelling thought, it’s just sort of an issue right now with Harry mouthing at his jaw and kissing him senseless.

“Hey.” He breathes out, and Harry stops immediately, giving him a look that’s slightly akin to an alarmed deer.

“Did I- is this not okay?”

He can’t help when a chuckle tumbles out of his mouth and he smiles, probably beams, at Harry. “No, it’s definitely okay. More than okay, actually.” He takes a breath before asking, “Do you want to like, go out to my car maybe?” And like, it sounds so forward and cheap and horrible and he doesn’t wanna fuck Harry he just wants to make him happy which isn’t exactly an option where they are currently. Louis is pretty sure that actually is illegal, so no.

Harry doesn’t take it as a negative thing, like Louis was playing out in his mind, just bites his lip and nods, and oh. His eyes have definitely gotten darker, and he’s definitely unabashedly taking in the sight of Louis, all flushed in the face from snogging in the dark. Louis feels like he looks a proper mess really, but Harry’s staring seems to say otherwise.

“So, you wanna get out of here?”

Harry kisses him again, just a peck on the lips this time. “You have no idea.”

In the backseat of the car, after running down the corridor and exiting the building a flurry of stolen kisses and holding hands, they both don’t waste any time letting their intentions be made know. It’s not like it wasn’t obvious, with the bulge in Harry’s trousers and the fact that they both got in the back of the car at the same time. Louis tries not to think about how big the backseat is, how he bought the car with the intention of it being a family car.

He climbs into Harry’s lap, and they’re both kind of idiots, giggling like mad and kissing like they just figured out how to. Harry tastes like popcorn and candy and Louis wants to taste him in every way.

He kisses deep into his mouth, relishing the little sounds that Harry makes and how he grips onto Louis’ hips almost desperately when Louis shifts his weight against Harry’s crotch.

“Good?” He mumbles against Harry’s lips, shifting his hips down again and Harry lets out a groan.

He nods a bit frantically in answer to Louis question, gripping the back of Louis’ shirt in his hands. “Really good.”

Louis kisses at Harry’s neck, and resists the urge to rip off his pants when grinding against Harry becomes just this side of uncomfortable. He’s kind of caught up in the moment anyway, so he doesn’t. Doesn’t even take off his shirt, or Harry’s, even though he can tell they’re both getting quite heated from their movements and the stuffiness of Louis’ SUV.

“Fuck. I’m-” Harry just lets out a muffled noise and then groans again.

He’s flushed from his neck up, and Louis can feel how hard he is, even with the layers between them. He’s so fucking hot like this, eyes closed and letting out little groans. Even the situation is hot in a way Louis didn’t know it could be. He’s never actually done anything like this, and even though it’s not like they’re fucking, they are in the back of his car in the middle of the day getting off. The back windows are tinted and they’re behind the driver’s seat, but Louis doesn’t have a cover for his windshield and even if he did he doesn’t think he would have remembered to put it up.

“Open your eyes.” Louis mumbles against Harry’s neck, just loud enough for him to hear.

He does and Louis can hear him let out a little gasp, so he kisses his lips again, swallowing the sounds he’s making

That apparently does the trick because then Harry’s mouth goes slack as he sort of whines while Louis is sucking on his tongue and then he kind of just slumps back against the seat.

“Did you just-”

Harry nods solemnly.

Louis groans and sort of ruts up against Harry’s thigh two or three times before his hips stutter and he’s coming in his pants too, ridiculous as it is.

He collapses against Harry, nuzzling into his neck and pressing his knees against Harry’s sides. “Oh my god.”

Harry starts laughing and in a post-orgasmic haze Louis just starts pressing kisses to the side of Harry’s neck, mumbling about how lovely he is.

“Gonna be a bit uncomfortable.” Harry says.

Louis detaches himself from Harry’s neck to look at him in the face. “What?”

He laughs again and kisses Louis all soft and sweet. “Our pants.”

Louis lets out a little laugh as well, ducking down to rest his forehead on Harry’s shoulder. “Jesus.”

Harry clears his throat, and drops a kiss to Louis’ hair. “It was quite good.” Louis laughs again at that, because he’s kind of just really happy and Harry adds, “Maybe we should call it a day, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Louis says, lifting his head up again.

Harry presses a kiss to Louis’ sweaty fringe and then gives him a soft smile. “Unless you want to come back to mine for ice cream?”

Louis is meant to smack him in the chest, but instead he kind of just presses his hand against Harry’s sternum. “Jesus Harold, at least save something for the third date.”

Harry giggles and Louis honestly and truly cannot help how much he’s smiling.

+

Zayn is really fucking suspicious now that Louis is walking around with a permanent smile on his face,and also due to the fact that Liam told him about the day at the coffee shop. Louis didn’t even know that his friends went there, and now he has to deal them worrying about him. Not that he’s told them he’s dating yet, even with Perrie telling him that he should mention it to Zayn lest he lose his fucking mind with worry. It’s just that he knows how much they worry about him getting his heart broken, especially with his last relationship. They ended on good terms, but that didn’t mean that Louis wasn’t heartbroken a little bit. Especially because he really just wants to find someone who makes him happy and doesn’t mind the fact that he maybe wants to start another family.

He’s not sure that’s what Harry’s looking for and maybe that’s what worries him about telling his friends. Harry is so young, he knows for sure that’s the first thing they’re going to bring up, how he probably just wants to have a fling and doesn’t want to be in Louis’ life for real. Louis has those fears too, but honestly it’s only been four dates and a couple of clumsy handjobs, so Louis doesn’t even really know what Harry wants with his life. Besides the fact that he dropped out of law school to pursue music, and ‘other things’. It doesn’t exactly marriage material make, but he doesn’t want to ruin this by worrying yet, and Harry could surprise him. He doesn’t need his friends on his back telling him every five seconds to be careful. He’s also an adult, so.

Even if Harry doesn’t want a serious relationship, Louis can deal with that. He’s just so happy for the first time in months, and it’s nice. He doesn’t wanna ruin that.

It gets to be a bit much by the time Niall calls him. He gets that they care, but he just wants to feel normal and not like he’s made of glass for once.

“Listen, Niall, if you’re calling to ask who I’m dating or any of that shit I’m never giving back the Iron Man DVD I borrowed.”

Niall whines on the other end of the phone call. “Not fair. I just called to check up on you.”

Louis frowns, flopping back on the couch. “Well in that case, I’m fine.”

“Zayn said some things.” He trails off, waiting for Louis to elaborate. Niall is kind of like that; he won’t come right out and ask, and if Louis doesn’t take the opportunity to talk about something he’ll just change the subject.

Louis decides that if he’s gonna tell anyone, it might as well be Niall. Besides that, it’s been at least two weeks and he figures it’s about time someone besides Perrie knows. “I’m dating someone. Sort of.”

Niall lets out a little noise of intrigue. “Do I know them?”

“I hope not.” Niall makes another sound of protest and Louis laughs. “Nah, mate. I don’t think you know him.”

“Damn, I thought we could play twenty questions. But now I know it’s a guy!”

Louis rolls his eyes. Niall could be so ridiculous sometimes, and it’s probably the reason Louis likes him so much. “Right. Well, don’t tell Zayn or Payno just yet, yeah? Wanna tell them myself.”

“Course not. Thanks for lettin’ me know!” Louis knows Niall is horrible at keeping secrets though, so he’s got about four days before Zayn and Liam find out, at the most.

“Yeah, bro. I have to go actually, I’m about to watch all of my recorded Next Top Model and it’s very important.”

“You’re disgusting.” Niall jokes, and it’s probably about the meanest he’ll ever get. “Are you drinking wine?”

Louis spreads out on the couch, putting his phone on speaker and placing it on his chest. Sometimes he can be so lazy. “Niall, have you ever known me not to drink wine while watching reality television?”

Niall laughs really hard like he always does whenever Louis makes a slightly funny, true statement. “I best be going too, my girl is coming over in about a half hour.”

“Which one is that?”

“Brunette?”

Louis has lost track. “Seriously, do you even know how many brunettes there have been?”

“Um,” Niall is very bad at keeping track himself,  mostly of the little differences that tell his friends which one is who without using their names, because who even learns people’s names? “The one with the nose job.”

Louis tries to hide the disgruntled noise that comes out of his mouth upon remembering her very large nose, even despite the nose job. “She was sweet.” It’s not the best he can do, but Niall will probably buy it.

“Yeah, she’s great.” Niall says dreamily. He falls in love with every single girl he dates within at least a week without fail. He’s really bad at relationships, but somehow he gets into a lot of them. Niall is good at pulling, that’s for sure. Like, too good; sometimes he has more than one girlfriend at a time. It’s all very complicated. “See you!”

Louis hangs up, rolling his eyes, but smiling fondly all the same. Niall is like the little brother he never had and sometimes he misses the fuck out of him, kind of like now. Niall cuddles are always the best. He wouldn’t trust him within a mile of his daughter because Niall is about the clumsiest person he knows, even more than Harry, but he loves Niall with more than all of his heart probably.

He sighs, bringing his blanket up to his chin and drinking his wine from the bottle. His daughter is spending the night at Liam’s so she can hang out – do toddlers even “hang out”? – with their little girl, Jade. Louis has to pick her up in the morning, but for right now he has one night to himself and he’s gonna use it to the fullest.

He tried to invite Harry over, because he’s a bit desperate to get Harry in his bed, but also for movies and ice cream and fattening shit and cuddles, but Harry was busy. He’s a bit sad now, hence the wine, but he’ll get Harry to come round sooner or later, it’s only a matter of time.

Louis settles back into the cushions, pressing the play button and letting out a happy sigh. Things are going well.

+

“Do you always have to do that?”

Harry looks up at him, all innocent and sweet. “Do what?”

Louis puts a hand on his hip, “The humming thing.”

He gives Louis a confused look before recognition dawns on his face. “Oh. I’m humming?”

“Oh, Harold.” Louis sighs. He’s fighting the urge to sit at the table with Harry and his daughter, but he has to go out and do some errands. “What a weirdo.” He ruffles his hair and Harry just smiles, pushing up into his touch a little. It’s sweet. He’s cute. Louis likes him.

“You’re not allowed to judge the way I do things. You’re not paying me and I’m helping Emma with a pre-school project.”

Louis rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling and laughing fondly. “Right, of course. You’re perfect, I mean.”

“Much better.” Harry hums, but he’s not really paying attention, he’s more focused on pouring glitter all over whatever he’s made. Louis doesn’t even know what it’s supposed to be, but right now it just looks like a blob of glitter and pipe cleaners and god knows what else.

Louis really wants to kiss him before he goes, but he hasn’t really made it obvious to Emma yet that he’s dating Harry; he doesn’t really want her to get the wrong impression so he’s trying to figure out the right way to do that. Kissing in front of her doesn’t seem like the way to go about it.

He isn’t fucking desperate for a kiss though, even though he totally is, so he doesn’t ask Harry to join him in the kitchen so he can kiss him a bunch under the pretense of “having a little talk”. Louis is weak, but he isn’t that weak, and he can definitely go an afternoon without kissing Harry, at least on the lips anyway.

“Bye, darling. Be good.” He says to Emma, giving her a kiss on the forehead. She seems a bit distracted, so he quickly gives Harry a kiss on the top of his head before rushing out of the house before he can be upset with himself.

“Wait, Lou?”

Louis slowly turns around because he’s literally two seconds away from closing the door and about two steps outside of his house. Not that he’s upset, but he should probably get going with all the time he wasted trying to get out of the house in the first place. It’s hard getting away from Harry. “Quick, Haz. What is it?”

Harry awkwardly rushes over to where his bag is and pulls out something. “You should come inside for a second, it’s cold.”

Louis does, but he doesn’t stop hopping from foot to foot, a little impatient.

“Sorry, hold on.” Harry says, trying to get everything back in order before standing up and hiding what he had in his hands behind his back. “I- um, I got you something.”

Louis is surprised to say the least, because he didn’t know that they were giving gifts now. It’s so sweet he forgets that he’s in a hurry at all. “Oh my god, really?” He hopes his swooning isn’t painfully obvious.

Harry uncovers the item hidden behind his back, which is covered by a plastic bag, and hands it to Louis, smiling wide. “It’s kind of dumb, but I noticed your record player and I thought you’d like it.”

“Oh wow.” Louis unwraps it from the plastic and his smile kind of fades. He tries to cover it over, but it might be a bit too late because Harry touches his arm and has this worried look on his face.

“Is it horrible? Do you hate it?”

He shakes his head thankfully without hesitation, because of course he doesn’t hate it. It’s just that he has the exact same one in his collection already. “It’s lovely, Harry. Thank you so much. I just- it’s just that I have this same one already.”

Harry gives him a confused look, maybe a bit skeptical. “I hate to say this, because I don’t want you to think I went through your stuff, but I looked at your collection and I hadn’t seen that one.” He frowns.  “Maybe you lent it to someone or lost it?” And then he goes to take it from Louis, “I’m sorry, I can get you something else.”

Louis snatches it away before Harry can though, and just laughs. “If it’s not there then I don’t have it. This is a perfect gift, I promise.”

Harry bites his lip, but he doesn’t look sure.

“Hey,” Louis grabs his hand. “I love it, okay?”

He smiles softly.

“I hate to be the worst right now, but I have to go. Thank you again.”

Harry smiles a little wider now. “Yeah, of course.”

Louis takes a cautionary glance towards his daughter over at the dining room table, who isn’t paying a single bit of attention to them, and then leans forward to peck Harry on the lips. “See you when I get back.”

He takes a glance back before leaving to see Harry blushing and rocking back on his heels. Louis doesn’t even realize he has the fucking gift still in his hands until he gets out to his car, and he just ends up laughing for five minutes before actually pulling out of his fucking driveway.

+

“I can’t believe I had to hear you were dating from Niall of all people.”

Louis can’t believe that he opened the door to this and Zayn skipped all formalities. “Hello to you too.”

He’s not mad, of course he’s not, probably just a bit frustrated that Louis didn’t tell him. Hence the fact that he invites himself in and plops down on Louis’ couch.

“Zayn, I’m sorry I’d really love to talk but I left Emma in the bathroom getting ready for bed and I have to get back.” It’s not even a lie; Louis actually was rudely interrupted trying to get his daughter ready for bed by a knock on the door. It was Zayn. He’s expecting to Have Harry over too, but when he gets Emma to bed of course because if he had Harry over for a movie while she’s awake it would have to a cartoon and she might wonder why Harry is coming over if he’s not coming over to babysit. It’s a very complicated situation that Louis will settle when he gets the chance, but as of right now he hasn’t gotten that chance.

“I’ll follow you.” Zayn starts to get up, but Louis stops him and frowns.

“Well, you see- I haven’t told Emma about me and Harry yet, so we probably shouldn’t talk about it in front of her.”

Zayn’s eyes kind of go wide and he plops back against the cushions. “I would judge you if I had kids.” He picks up the remote and turns on the TV.

“You don’t wanna say hi?”

He sighs and smiles, getting up again. “Yeah, of course I do.”

Good then, maybe with Zayn distracted by saying hi to Emma he’ll forget why he came over here in the first place. It’s not likely, but Louis can hope.

“Emma!” Louis calls down the hall before opening the bathroom door. “Guess who’s here!”

She looks past Louis and squeals when she sees Zayn, running into his arms and letting him pick her up.

Louis still has a lot to do, like brush Emma’s teeth and get her in her pyjamas, but right now he can kind of relax while Zayn talks to her and tells her how big she’s getting and how much he misses her.

Louis takes this time to send a text to Harry, telling him that he may need to come over much later, if at all because Zayn has decided to make a surprise visit to talk about their relationship. Well, he doesn’t really say all that, just the basics, and he also sends a lot of hearts. All around it’s a pretty solid message.

“Alright, miss.” Louis says finally, pocketing his phone. “Let’s get those teeth of yours clean.”

She protests, of course, she hates getting her teeth brushed, but Louis is in a determined mood, so he doesn’t take no for an answer, just threatens her with tickles and she relents.

Zayn sits on the lip of the bathtub while Louis sits on the toilet seat and carefully brushes Emma’s teeth.

“So, just tell me some things.” Zayn says and Louis rolls his eyes. “You can be vague, right?”

He clears of his throat, patting Emma on the hip. “Rinse.” He hands her a cup full of water and she steps up on her stool so she can spit it out in the sink. “Show me those pearly whites?”

She smiles really wide and Louis kisses her on the forehead.

“Good girl.” And then he turns to Zayn. “Emma got a new babysitter. Wanna tell Uncle Zayn about him, Em?”

Her eyes go really wide and she hops up to sit on the toilet lid. “He makes me cookies!” Zayn is trying to stifle his laughter and Louis starts brushing his own teeth, waiting for what else Emma has to say.

When she doesn’t elaborate, Zayn coaxes it out of her. “What’s his name?” He shoots Louis a knowing look.

“He’s called Harry and he helped me make a picture to give to my teacher.” She explains to Zayn. “He has really curly hair and he makes funny noises when I pull on it.”

Louis spits the toothpaste out of his mouth. “Emma, why are you pulling his hair? That’s not nice.”

She frowns. “He wouldn’t let me eat more than five cookies.”

Louis stifles his laughter, because he isn’t supposed to find that funny. “That’s my rule, love. He’s just following it.” Technically he doesn’t really have a rule for cookies, but he’s pretty sure five is too much anyway.

“I wanted more cookies.” She huffs.

Louis kneels down and taps her on the nose. “Sometimes we have to follow the rules though, yeah? You shouldn’t pull Harry’s hair anymore.” He sighs, shaking his head fondly at her. “Alright pumpkin, let’s get you in your jammies, yeah? Maybe Zayn will finally go home if we leave him in the bathroom.”

“But I like Uncle Zayn!” Emma protests and Zayn gives Louis a pointed look.

“See? Some people actually want me here.”

Louis punches him in the arm before picking Emma up. “Just go wait in the living room for me, alright?”

“Wanker.” He grumbles under his breath.

“Language!” Louis calls after him.

When Louis finally gets Emma to bed he emerges into the living room and Zayn is already asleep on the couch. He’s kind of being a really big cockblock if Louis is honest.

He’s trying to figure out how unethical it is to have his boyfriend over and potentially fuck with his best friend on the couch in the next room. Maybe he’ll go to Harry’s, but even though Zayn is here he can’t just leave Emma. Maybe he’ll just have to reschedule with Harry, or he could wake Zayn. That’s kind of his last resort, but Louis is nothing if not desperate, and desperate times.

He ends up sitting on Zayn.

Zayn is possibly the most graceful person Louis has ever had the great pleasure of knowing, but when he wakes up he is anything but graceful. He smacks Louis on the back and then somewhere on his thigh, and he still hasn’t opened his eyes.

“Come on, Zayn. Get up. Go home.”

He gives up all pretenses of trying to get Louis off of him and sort of ends up nuzzling into Louis’ bum. “But, I’m sleepy.”

“You’re gross.” Louis says, standing up. “Fine, stay. See if I care.”

He cares so much, but he goes back into his room. Zayn picks the worst times to crash on his couch, and it’s worse because he knows Perrie is out of town and he hopes this won’t be Zayn’s crash pad for the rest of the week because he really wants to eventually fuck his boyfriend at some point.

Logically, he ends up calling Niall.

“How unethical is it if I fuck my boyfriend with two other people occupying my home?”

Niall laughs, because of course he does. Louis is having a legitimate moral debate and Niall is laughing. “Mate, you need better planning. Have someone come over and watch Emma some night and then go to his and then you guys can, you know, do the thing.”

“Do the thing. Good one Niall. Thanks.”

Niall apparently can’t stop laughing in some way or another. “Take a hot bath or something; it’ll calm your nerves.”

“Thanks Ni, I think I’ll just sleep and then kill Zayn if he’s still on my couch tomorrow morning though.” He holds his phone between his ear and shoulder, getting his pants off while he’s talking.

“Mate, sometimes you’re so fuckin’ intense.” He laughs again.

Oh. “Are you high?”

“Like a plane.”

Louis snorts. “Right, have a good night, Niall.”

“Don’t kill Zayn; karma’s a bitch.” He’s so full of wisdom.

Louis hangs up. He texts Harry not to bother coming over and he doesn’t sleep well at all.

+

“I’m here.”

Harry takes in the sight of him, in jogger bottoms and duffel at his side full of his stuff. He was definitely expecting him to come over, Louis knows that because they talked about it when he’d explained the whole ordeal from last night, but maybe he wasn’t expecting this. Louis is just well prepared.

“Did you expect someone else?”

Harry shakes his head. “No, of course not. Come into my home.”

Louis laughs till his eyes are crinkling at the corners. He doesn’t even wait for Harry to shut the door behind him, just drops his bag onto the floor and pulls him closer by his t-shirt. “Missed you.” He mumbles against Harry’s lips.

Harry hums. “Missed you too.”

He saw Harry about three days ago, but still. It doesn’t stop him from wanting to kiss him every time he sees him. So he does, and Harry reaches behind him and pushes the door closed so he can push Louis up against it.

Louis is very pleased by this turn of events, and he very much wants to get into Harry’s bed, forget everything else. He hums against Harry’s lips and tries to get his point across by canting his hips up.

Harry pulls away and gives a little pout. “But I got a movie and bought chocolate covered pretzels.” He did get the point obviously, but he’s just not really on the same page.

“I’ve been waiting to get into your bed for weeks, Harry. So are we going to cuddle with chocolate covered pretzels or are you gonna let me fuck you?”

Harry’s breath hitches, and he attaches his lips to Louis’ again, and this time Louis thinks he knows the answer to his question.

They travel backwards, Louis pushing on Harry’s chest in the direction that he thinks the bedroom is, alternating between kissing Harry and panting against his lips as they try to get their clothes off before they even get to the bedroom.

Harry trips over Louis’ bag and they both burst into a fit of giggles. Louis’ shirt is half off and Harry’s belt is undone. They’re a right mess.

“Nice place by the way.” Louis gets out, pulling his shirt off the rest of the way, and Harry just laughs instead of saying thank you.

By the time they get into the bedroom, Harry is tripping over his own pants where they’ve pooled at his ankles and the rest of Louis’ clothes, besides his briefs, are strewn across Harry’s flat. Louis takes advantage of Harry’s lack of balance and pushes him onto the bed.

Harry lands with an oof and let’s Louis crawl up his body, placing a kiss to his collarbone and then to his lips. This isn’t the first time he’s seen Harry without a shirt, and it definitely won’t be the first time he’s seen Harry’s dick, but the situation sort of heightens the anticipation, almost like he’s never done those things before.

Harry smiles up at him all dopey and sweet. Louis kisses him rougher than intended, but it has the desired effect and wipes that look off of Harry’s face, replacing it with a dirtier look, and yeah, Louis likes that one.

“You’re so fit.” He gets out, kissing Harry along his collarbones because they’re the best collarbones and Louis likes to bite them. Likes the sounds Harry makes when he does. He’s absolutely lovely, and Louis thinks he would look even lovelier completely wrecked. “Scoot up the bed a bit, love.”

Harry does as he’s told, scooting up the bed and biting his lip waiting for what Louis is going to do.

“Take off your pants, yeah?”

Harry closes his eyes, takes a breath and then nods. Once they’re off, Louis takes a moment to take Harry in, laid out on the bed, flushed from his chest up.

“Beautiful.” Louis comments, running his finger along his jaw, and Harry nuzzles into it.

Harry reaches down to wrap a hand around his own cock, that’s almost fully hard now, and Louis doesn’t even think about it before he smacks Harry’s hand away. Harry looks up at Louis surprised for a second, but then it turns into a sort of pleading look and Louis doesn’t know how to take that. So he wraps a hand around Harry’s shaft and gives him a few lazy pumps, just to take the pressure off a little bit.

“Alright, babe?” Louis asks and Harry nods frantically before Louis takes his hand off and leans down to kiss Harry on the lips. “You can touch yourself, but just don’t come yet.” It’s weird, and he’s a bit surprised when it comes out of his mouth, like when he smacked away Harry’s hand. It’s just coming to him in the moment, and it’s hot, but he’s not sure if this okay. Although the way Harry groans and wraps a hand around himself might say otherwise, Louis feels like he needs to ask.

“Harry, babe?”

Harry stops moving his hand, looks up at Louis, chest heaving. He’s not saying anything at all, and Louis is worried.

“Are you- I’ve never- is this okay?” He’s a bit frantic because like, he’s so turned on by the idea of telling Harry what to do, giving Harry permission for things, even talking, but he’s never done anything like that before. He’s read about it a few times, mostly watched stuff like that on porn, but he never considered that it would be hot to use in bed with someone. It’s just how Harry is though, so sweet and cuddly, standing with his hands behind his back all the time like a fucking schoolboy. He would be so perfect taking direction. Louis shakes his head; he should probably get this sorted out.

Harry nods, biting his lip and continuing to move his hand.

“Baby, you can- you can use your words.” He’s trying to get his voice to stop shaking.

He lets out a breath, like maybe he’d be waiting for Louis to say that without even being prompted, and lets out a whine. “God, Lou.”

“Do you like that? Like, being told what to do?”

He nods frantically. “Yes, oh my god. I mean- as long as you’re- you’re okay with it.” He lets out another shuddery breath, working his hand over himself and it’s too much. Louis is going to explode.

“I’m okay with it.”

“Fuck- okay, good. Wonderful even.” His breathing is a bit ragged, his speech is a bit choppy and he’s working his hand a little faster, moving his hips up into his fist.

“Hush now.” Louis tells him, trying not to be too harsh with his words. He wraps his hand around Harry’s and slowly pulls it off of him, setting it by Harry’s side, and Harry keeps it there, twisting it into the sheets when Louis flicks a finger over his nipple as a last minute thought.

That’s a new idea.

He tries it again, and Harry keens, digging his heels into the duvet cover.

“Good?”

Harry nods, closing his eyes and letting out another breath, biting his lip. Louis brings his thumb up to Harry’s lip, in an attempt to coax Harry’s lip from the hold of his teeth, but instead Harry sucks it into his mouth and Louis’ breath hitches. He thinks of about a billion different dirty thoughts, trying to just focus on the task at hand.

“Shit.” Louis mumbles, and after he overcomes the initial shock of Harry being so obscene, not to mention the fact that Louis hasn’t even taken off his briefs, he takes his thumb and swipes it across Harry’s left nipple.

Harry lets out a little muffled noise, his back arching up off the bed and Louis honestly can’t take it anymore.

He brings his other hand down to Harry’s hip, rubbing circles there with his thumb, and then he flicks Harry’s nipple again, this time with his tongue. He has about the same reaction, and Louis can’t help it when his mouth just starts moving again. “Doing so well, baby. Taking it so well.”

Harry makes a small noise and cants his hips up, trying to get friction from anything.

“Tell me where the lube is.”

Harry opens his eyes for the first time in the last few minutes and flops a long arm towards the nightstand. “Uh- in the top drawer.”

“Good boy.” Louis says and Harry whines underneath him.

Louis closes his eyes for a second, crawling out from between Harry’s legs and taking a breath. He doesn’t want to wait too long, but he’s just trying to get his thoughts together. He’s a bit out of his element, but he really just wants to make this good for Harry. He opens the drawer, takes out the lube and a condom, setting them right next to Harry’s hip, before settling between his thighs again.

“Knees up.” He says, tapping Harry’s left knee with his finger. He wants to ask Harry if he wants it this way or if he’d rather be on his stomach, but he looks so beautiful on his back, already shining with sweat, his cock hard and leaking against his hip. Louis almost wishes he could take a picture.

He’s so responsive too, Louis can’t believe it. He kind of wants to see what it would be like to have him not make any noise at all, but he also wants to hear him, so Louis decides he’ll save that for another time maybe. If Harry doesn’t decide this was the worst sexual experience of his life.

He’s very careful, once he spreads the lube over his fingers, just working a finger over Harry’s rim before pushing it in.

Louis cringes a bit at the sound it makes when he pulls his finger out and presses two back in, but then Harry keens underneath him, making these lovely noises, panting and opened mouthed. Louis can’t help but kiss him and Harry kisses back as much as he can while still trying to breathe, Louis working his fingers in and out steadily.

It becomes a bit overwhelming for Louis at some point, the fact that he’s got this boy in his own bed, giving Louis everything he’s got. He feels a sort of responsibility over him, like he’s supposed to be the one giving Harry life advice or something, not opening him up so he can fuck him. But at the same time, Louis likes him so much, like sickeningly so. He absolutely adores Harry already, and he’s so pleased that Harry trusts him. Louis knows that fucking someone is kind of a thing people do for fun really, but in a relationship he thinks it counts. He’s not really sure that this is a proper relationship, but he’s pretty sure this is quite a big step, and it must count for something, if not trust between them. Especially with Harry wanting for Louis to tell him what to do. Jesus. Louis almost wants to pause for a second and get his mind sorted out.

Then Harry is moaning and pushing back on Louis’ fingers, and Louis kind of snaps back to reality, pulls himself out of his thoughts to thrust into Harry extra hard.

“Please.” Harry breathes out. “please, fuck- Lou. Nngh.”

He slips his fingers out of Harry’s hole, using his other hand to rub circles on his thigh. “What do you need, baby?”

Harry wiggles his hips to get his point across, but that’s not enough. Louis wants to hear him ask for it, maybe beg a little.

He takes off his briefs, slipping his thumb past Harry’s rim and hearing his breath catch. Louis’ dick twitches in sympathy and he spares a thought to how turned on he is by this. “Need you to ask for it, Harry.”

Harry lets out a breath, and Louis is amazed by how often Harry holds his breath, like maybe that’s a thing for him. Which, that’s not something he’s trying to think about at the moment. “Fuck me, please. Need you- I can’t- please, please.”

Louis shushes him, toying with his rim still while trying to get the condom on with one hand and get himself slicked up. It’s quite difficult, but he manages.

When he lines himself up with Harry’s hole, Harry opens his eyes for the first time in what feels like ages, and he whines a little, saying Louis’ name.

Louis shushes him again, bending down to kiss him softly on the lips while he sinks in painfully slow. “Look so good like this.”

It’s so much easier to tell how much this is affecting Harry now that he has his eyes open. He looks so blissed out, mouth parted open, and his eyes so wide, just trying to take in the sight of Louis sinking down into him.

When Louis bottoms out, Harry lifts himself up on his elbows, scrambling to feel where Louis is pressed inside of him. He slips a finger alongside Louis’ dick, just to feel, and groans out loud, throwing his head back against the pillow.

“Feel good?” Louis asks, and his voice has taken on an even darker note that he never thought it could. He starts moving his hips, thrusting into Harry shallowly, just getting used to the feeling.

Harry just lets out another small noise moving his hips back to meet Louis’, before Louis stills his movements, holding Harry’s hips down.

“I asked you a question.” If he thrusts particularly hard into Harry after that, it’s just the heat of the moment really.

Harry lets out a broken off cry and tries to wiggle his hips again, but Louis has got a pretty good hold on him. He starts babbling a bit, just saying ‘yes’ and ‘please’ over and over, and Louis feels like maybe he should be a little worried, or maybe they should have talked about this more beforehand. He doesn’t want to ask now, because what if he ruins it for Harry? So he just goes with it, and hopes for the best, with the prospect of talking about this more in depth later.

“Good boys stay still. Are you gonna stay still for me?”

Harry nods a bit frantically, gripping onto the sheets even harder as Louis snaps his hips into him over and over. Louis doesn’t even know how he’s actually talking right now, honestly, with Harry so tight around him and overwhelming. He can’t imagine what this must feel like for Harry.

As a second thought, Louis pulls on Harry’s hair, exposing his neck and making Harry whine. He sucks a bruise onto the hollow of his throat, and Harry squirms a bit with the attention, but tries to stay still anyway. Louis can’t even remember if getting your hair pulled feels good during sex, but with the way Harry’s responding to Louis when he does, it must feel good.

When Harry finally comes, he shoots all the way up to his chest, going completely pliant afterwards. Louis is a little wary of using him to get off two thrusts of his hips later, but Harry is so good for him, still clenching around him even after he’s come down.

It’s not until Louis pulls out that he realizes Harry is a bit teary, and he wants to immediately apologize and ask Harry if he’s okay, until he’s dragged down by two strong arms and Harry is trying to cuddle him, even with his come still streaked across his torso. It should be gross, but Louis doesn’t really care.

“You were so good for me, baby.” He kisses all over Harry’s face. “Such a good boy.” He almost wants to make Harry come again, see if he’ll still be good, but he decides to save it for another time when he’s surer of himself. Or when he’s more familiar with this thing, whatever it is, that they’re doing.

Harry hums, making little noises, and nuzzling into Louis’ shoulder.

He kisses his hair, rubbing his hands up and down Harry’s back, drowning him in as much attention as he can. “So proud of you.”

Harry’s eyes flutter closed.

“Baby, I need to take care of you. Wait here for me for one second?”

He makes a noise of protest, and Louis knows that he shouldn’t leave him for long, if at all, but he’s probably thirsty and he’s got come drying on his chest, so there’s no way Louis is gonna leave him like that.

He’s quite tired himself, but he basically runs into Harry’s kitchen, frantically opening cupboards as quietly as possible and trying to find Harry’s cups. He ends up filling up a mug with tap water and wetting down a kitchen hand towel before getting back to Harry.

He’s not asleep thankfully, just starts making grabby hands for Louis when he comes around to the side of the bed.

“Gonna get you cleaned up.” Louis says, wiping Harry down with the flannel from the kitchen. Like, he knows Harry is going to kill him but he doesn’t know where Harry’s bathroom is, and he was in a hurry. Neither of them are even aware enough to care at the moment anyway.

Once he gets Harry all cleaned, he goes to reach for the mug and tries to help Harry sit up just slightly so he doesn’t choke.

“Drink.” He says, pressing it up against Harry’s lips.

Harry drinks it happily and as soon as Louis sets the mug down on the nightstand Harry is dragging him back for a cuddle. Louis wonders when he got so strong, because he certainly wasn’t this strong ten minutes ago when Louis was holding him down.

Louis isn’t really complaining though when he wraps his arms around Harry and pulls him closer.

“Sleep now.” Harry tells him, and of course how could he possibly say no.

+

Liam is the last to find out of all Louis’ friends. He’s not mad, not that Louis thought he would be, he’s just upset when Louis won’t tell him who it is. Louis likes to think he’s quite smart though, because if he gave Liam Harry’s name he’d just use his police status to search him out and Louis is probably unlucky enough that Harry will have some kind of criminal record, maybe killed a few men in his life. Or Liam will go on the hunt for him and give him a speech that will make Harry question whether or not he should be dating Louis.

Dating, that’s right. Louis is supposed to be getting to the bottom of that.

It’s late and Louis is drinking sangria. He was drinking with Niall, but he left at least an hour ago, and Louis decided to watch a marathon of Friends and finish off the second carafe they made. He doesn’t have work tomorrow, and this is basically the only way he knows how to spend his evenings at this point.

Louis doesn’t think that there’s anything about his life he doesn’t love, except for maybe his job, but he sometimes wishes that he still had someone in his life. He hates being a single father, with an ex-wife who doesn’t even want partial custody of his daughter. I mean, of course, it’s probably better that way, not only because Louis couldn’t bear it, but he’d also feel bad playing tug-of-war with Emma all the time. So it’s definitely better this way, he just misses having someone there to help out, and he misses being able to spend more time with Emma, now that she’s in school and he’s taking more time at work.

He just needs this time to sort things out, and maybe ask Harry what they’re doing with this. He wants so badly to have someone like Harry in his life, someone he can date with the idea of spending the rest of his life with them. He’s not drunk, and he doesn’t want to spend the rest of his life with Harry. Yet.

He’s so ready for this conversation though, even if he has to dump Harry, he’ll find someone who’s ready for a family, someone who’s going to make him happy. He can make this work.

He’s about to call Harry, when his phone rings.

“Hello?”

“Hiiiiii.” It’s Harry.

Louis isn’t really surprised, considering Harry calls almost every night if he’s not with Louis so he can say goodnight. “You read my mind.”

“What?”

“You called me right when I was gonna call you.” He can’t help smiling; Harry’s voice always kind of makes him smile. He takes it back, there is no way he could ever dump Harry.

“What can I say? I’m a mind reader.” Harry slurs.

Louis is definitely ignoring the television now. “Where are you, then?”

There’s a silence and then. “I’m at a bar. I miss you.”

“I bet you do.” Louis teases, because Harry might be drunk, and that’s new. He doesn’t really know how to react to that knowledge. Obviously he can’t have the conversation he was thinking about having before Harry called.

“I do.” Harry says, sounding very serious like maybe Louis had doubted him for a minute. “I just wanted to call and tell you that.” Louis didn’t know that Harry’s voice could actually get any slower.

Louis smiles; he can save the conversation for a rainy day, and maybe he’s also had a little too much to drink for it to go over well anyway. He can admit that much. “That’s sweet, Harold.”

“Not my name.” Harry whines.

Louis can kind of hear the music through the line now that he knows where Harry is, but it’s a bit faint, like maybe Harry excused himself off to the bathroom just to call him. “Right, of course. Sorry.” It’s reluctant, but he doesn’t really think he should be on the phone with Harry right now, doesn’t want things to slip out of either of their mouths in case they regret being so honest later. Louis has had that happen quite a few too many times to mention. “Love, you should get back to your friends.”

“Maybe.” Harry acquiesces, and Louis hears a door opening, the music getting louder for a brief moment before quieting down again. “Bye, Louis.”

“See you, darling.”

“Bye.” Harry says again, and Louis tries not to laugh. He feels all giddy and smiley.

“Goodbye.”

“Bye.” He says one more time, and then finally he hangs up.

Louis just laughs and flops back against the couch cushions.

+

The first time Louis gets the idea that Harry is stealing from him is the day after he calls him drunk. He comes over, head hanging down when Louis answers the door, and he apologizes more than twice, rushing inside the house with cookies and a small gift bag.

When Louis opens the gift, despite Harry telling him to open it later, he could swear Harry is just buying him things he already has, maybe replacing them with newer versions. But, upon further inspection, he’s pretty sure he has the same exact picture frame, same chip on the corner and everything. He doesn’t say anything about it though, just gushes about how much he likes it. He should, since he’s the one who bought it. He knows he should probably say something too, ask Harry what the fuck he’s playing at because it’s not normal, but he doesn’t of course. He doesn’t say a word, he just makes him tea and they talk about nothing just to pass the time until Emma wakes up from her nap and Harry says he has to go.

Louis checks his house for missing items unintentionally.

Their first argument is about that, and only a week later. It’s pretty much a repeat of the week before, Harry going out with his friends and getting mostly tipsy, calling Louis to tell him how pretty his is because he “just couldn’t wait, had to do it now”. Louis found it more endearingly sweet than disconcerting. It was a Friday, and Harry is nineteen; he’s allowed to get drink. They aren’t even official, so it’s not like he owes Louis anything, which is why it’s so confusing when he wants to apologize. Louis still hasn’t had the balls to ask him if they’re actually together-together, and he feels a bit like he’s been going in circles since they started dating. He doesn’t really know what he’s doing.

Emma is staying at his mum’s when Harry comes over this time. He’s made banana bread and he’s got a gift bag hidden behind his back. Louis knows what’s probably inside, the brand new candle he bought and never lit that mysteriously went missing. Maybe Harry should try being more subtle. Still, Louis can’t resist leaning up on his toes and smacking a kiss to Harry’s cheek.

“Emma?” He asks, peering around the house once he’s entered.

“At my mum’s.” Louis answers. “What have you got there?”

Harry acts as though he’s surprised to have items in his hands, and it gets an embarrassing little giggle out of Louis. “Yummy things.”

“Mmm,” Louis takes the plate of bread, lifting the lid and sniffing dramatically. “Smells good.” He counts it as a win when he uses enough self-control not to ask Harry if he was stressed again.

“And here.” He hands over the gift bag and Louis takes a breath, hoping the first two gifts were just coincidence and that what he expects to be in the bag won’t be in it. “No use in getting you to open it later, is there?”

Louis laughs, and hopefully it doesn’t sound as nervous as he is.

When he opens it, he considers getting a good luck charm, because clearly his luck is quite shit. The worst luck in the world possibly. 

In matching wrapping paper lies the candle Louis bought not even a week prior, something shitty for a few dollars to put in the guest bathroom. Beach Breeze. Louis is going to be sick.

At his falling smile, Harry cuts in, “It’s an apology for last night. I tend to have a bad habit of calling people I like when I’m drunk.” It’s supposed to be cute, more than likely that’s what Harry wants it to come across like if the way he smiles at Louis all dimpled and sweet is any indication.

“Do you have a habit of stealing from them too?” Louis surprises himself and he’s definitely caught Harry off-guard as well, but he’s not backing down now. More specifically, he can’t, even as much as he’d like to.

When Harry doesn’t respond, Louis shoves the fucking ‘gift’ back in his arms. It’s all kind of built-up till now, a week, at least, of frustration and having all this uncertainty about Harry floating around in his head. The gifts, and the fact that Louis can’t even ask him where they’re going with all of this. He wishes he could stick strictly to dating his friends, but then he’d have none left probably. It’s just that dating someone new, that he doesn’t know prior to, leads to this shit and Louis is too old and emotionally unstable for whatever tornado of a life Harry has got going on.

Still, he can’t help himself. He needs to get to the bottom of this.

“Do you think I’m an idiot Harry? Did you think I wouldn’t notice?” He ignores Harry’s shrug in favor of pressing on. “You can’t just think it’s okay to come and apologize with a gift of something I already own.”

Harry shakes his head, repeats the word ‘no’ a few times like this can’t actually be happening, and doesn’t make eye-contact with Louis.

“No? What is it then, Harry? Hm?” Louis is trying his hardest not to be the kind of angry that makes this argument something they can’t come back from, it’s just that he’s so fucking angry. Like, mostly at himself because he wants to give Harry the benefit of the doubt, even despite the evidence staring him in the face which he realizes is ridiculous, but also at Harry for being so fucking nice and giving Louis a reason to never want to be upset with him.

“I didn’t-” Harry presses his lips together, still doesn’t look at Louis. “I wanted to- I’m not- fuck.” He buries his head in his hands and Louis almost feels bad, wants to take everything back. He doesn’t though, just waits for Harry to continue. “I didn’t wanna fight,” He finally gets out, and Louis scoffs. Harry visibly winces at that, but carries on. “I- I just thought it would be a funny way for you to find out,” Before Louis can ask what, Harry starts speaking again. “I’m not exactly swimming in money at the moment and I didn’t know what you liked, but I wanted to give you things.”

Louis wants to reiterate the fact that it’s fucked up for Harry to do that, he could have just given Louis kisses and hugs and he would have been happy, but instead he just asks, “Funny way to find out what?”

Harry opens his mouth to speak and then he sort of just lets out a pained sound, dropping his head in his hands again. “I’m afraid you’ll never wanna see me again.”

Louis thinks that feeling guilty was sort of inevitable. “Jesus. Why would I-” He sighs, guiding Harry out to the living room. He feels like the fight is draining his body now. What he really wants, honestly, is just to get to know Harry better than he does, because he barely knows him at all.

He’s glad that Harry isn’t crying when they both settle on the couch because he’s not sure if could take it. He just looks at Louis for the first time since the start of the argument. His cheeks are flushed, but not in the way that Louis likes.

“Alright, love.” He settles a hand on Harry’s knee, tentative, not sure if Harry feels okay around him anymore, even if he’s considerably less angry. He doesn’t make any efforts to move away though, so Louis thinks it’s alright. “Go on then, tell me.”

Harry shakes his head.

Louis tightens his hand on Harry’s leg in a way he hopes comes across as reassuring. “Please Harry? It’s the only way this is going to work. I need to know your side so I can reasonably forgive you.”

Harry relaxes a little after that, taking a breath. “I have this like-“ He lets out a sigh and shakes his head again before continuing. “I have like, a compulsion to take things. Um, st- stealing things, I mean. My doctor told me it has to do with anxiety disorder? But- I just don’t feel like I’m anxious, really.” He pauses and lets out a frustrated sigh. Like this, Louis can see just how young Harry really is, and it makes something uneasy settle in his chest. “All I know is that when- when I take something, I feel like, this overwhelming sense of- um, sort of satisfaction, kind of? I wanted to give It back to you because I don’t like stealing from you, I just wanted to take it, but putting it back felt more like borrowing, and I think like- maybe I wanted you to find out. I don’t know.” He glances down to where Louis’ hand is still resting on his knee. “Kick me out if you want to, I’d understand.”

Louis doesn’t really know how to process all of that really, and if feels like the type of thing he should have a really good supportive response to, or a very adverse reaction, but all he can think to do is kiss Harry and tackle him back against the couch unceremoniously. It’s the only thing he can think of that may get rid of the weird feeling he has. Like maybe if he doesn’t think about what Harry’s said too much, or if he plays it down in his head, then he can forget about it, forget how young Harry is and how different they are.

“You’re an idiot.” He mumbles against Harry’s lips.

He gives Louis a confused look and a small smile, like he’s unsure what all of this means and Louis is unsure too, but he just barrels on.

“You’re an idiot, but you’re cute and I like you a lot. I don’t care about that other stuff. Well, I mean, I care, it just doesn’t bother me as long as you don’t land your pretty arse in jail.” It’s all mostly true, or at least Louis is trying to convince himself of that. Harry lets out an awkward laugh, under the attention probably, and Louis shuts him up with another kiss. “You can steal from me all you want.” He doesn’t know if Harry will, and he’s not sure he wants that really, knows he should tell Harry to hit the road, but he can’t, because Harry is just- he’s so perfect, and Louis isn’t sure he’ll ever be ready to let him go.

“Okay.”

“Okay.” Louis smiles. “Now carry me to my bedroom so I can give you a proper spanking.”

Harry eyes widen, and while Louis was only joking, clearly Harry is not.

Louis has never actually made it to his bedroom that fast in his life.

+

Louis feels like a horrible father and also a horrible person, but he just doesn’t want his family to find out he’s dating again. Not yet.

He knows that doesn’t make him a horrible person per se. It’s just when he wakes up to the sound of a doorbell ringing, the smell of bacon cooking, and Harry calling “I’ll get it” from the kitchen, he knows that he’s fucked.

Thankfully though, he’s able to jump out of bed and into a pair of sweatpants in two seconds flat, and he’s just pulling on a shirt when he comes out of his bedroom to tell Harry to go back to the kitchen.

He’s in need of a shower and basically his whole morning routine. How Harry didn’t vomit at the sight of him is something Louis will wonder for the rest of his life. Maybe it’s because he just pardoned Harry’s errors the night before.

His mum catches on though when Louis finally opens the door, right after aggressively motioning for a pouting Harry to vacate the premises.

She doesn’t miss a beat, doesn’t even say hi, before informing Louis, “You look like shite.”

“Language.” He says, covering Emma’s ears and ushering her inside.

She gives him a smile, poking her head inside at Louis’ house. “Smells good in there. Maybe you should consider showering before making breakfast sometime.”

Louis rolls his eyes. “Thanks for watching her again.”

”It was my pleasure.” She replies. “I’d love to stay for tea, dear, but I’ve got to go.” She gives Louis a swift kiss on the cheek and calls goodbye after Emma.

“Thanks.” Louis says again.

She waves her hand around. “Don’t even mention it, really.” She smiles. “Bye, love.”

“Bye, mum. Love you.”

“Love you too, Boo.” She chuckles, blows him a kiss and starts down the stairs. “Be good!” She calls over her shoulder.

“Am I ever?” He calls back. She just waves and gets in her car.

When Louis turns back inside his house he’s met with a little girl sporting a very curious look.

“Hey pumpkin, d’you have fun at your Nan’s?”

She just looks at Louis, ignoring his question. “Why is Harry in the kitchen making breakfast? He’s wearing your clothes.”

This is the moment that Louis decides he’s really the worst person. He wanted to tell Emma later, and when he was sure if he could even call Harry his yet, despite the fact that he’s done it quite a few times, just not to his face. “Oh I- oh god, um,” It’s not his most elegant speech, but no one can really blame him.

Emma cuts him off a bit. “Is he here to babysit me?” She pouts.

“No, no.” Louis says, crouching down to ruffle up her hair. “Harry is- Harry is Daddy’s special friend, and so sometimes we kiss, and sometimes we have sleepovers and cuddles.”

She’s still pouting and Louis is afraid he’s said something wrong or she doesn’t like Harry, or something horrible. But then she asks, “Is he stealing you away from me, daddy?”

Louis feels relief wash over him, but at the same time he’s worried that maybe he gave Emma that impression, and he feels bad. He tries to stay calm and not get worked up about it and worry his daughter more. “’Course not, pumpkin, I’m all yours.” He taps her on the nose and she smiles.

“Okay.”

Louis is so relieved. “Okay, any other questions then?”

She puts a finger to her lips and concentrates really hard on it, a habit she must have gotten from her mother. She looks up at Louis after a moment and cocks her head to the side. “Are you getting married?”

Louis sputters out a response that doesn’t really consist of real words and then clears his throat. “Uh-” He’s a bit flustered and blushy about it. When he looks up behind Emma, Harry is standing in the kitchen doorway smirking at him, which doesn’t really help. “I’ll get back to you on that one.” He says, turning his attention back to Emma before giving her a kiss on the forehead and standing up.

“Who wants breakfast?” Harry asks, and even though Louis knows Emma already had breakfast, she’s squealing and running over to the dining table.

Louis goes into the kitchen to serve the plates and harry hip-checks him before giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Louis still hasn’t showered and he imagines he must be in a right state, although Harry doesn’t seem to mind. He’s just glad that Harry hasn’t brought up the fact that he doesn’t want to introduce him to his mum yet.

“So, Boo, huh?”

Louis scowls at Harry. “Right, I’m gonna go take a shower.”

Harry cackles as Louis stalks out of the kitchen, fighting back his own laughter.

+

Things go a little bit better after that, even if Louis still can’t find it in him to bring up the relationship talk.

Harry is extra nice, probably wanting to make it up to Louis, even brings him a gift that isn’t stolen from his house, still has the tag from the shop and everything. Louis is impressed, and it feels nice that Harry is trying to fix things for him, even if there isn’t a lot to fix. They can get past it, just like Louis can get past the fact that there is an age gap between them, if he tries hard enough. He’ll bring up the conversation yet, he just needs to wait for the right time, or at least that’s what he’s telling himself. He just tries to focus on being happy for right now, hopefully the rest can come later.

Especially right now, with his daughter taking a nap in the other room and Harry sitting on the couch with him watching TV, he can pretend that this is something Harry wants to do for the rest of his life too.

Harry is talking about how he wants to take Louis out sometime again, maybe go bowling because he’s really good at, and Louis can tell he’s being sarcastic saying how amazing he is. It’s cute, and Louis is pretty sure Harry’s sarcasm has been perfected by hanging around him. It’s just adorable.

Despite Harry’s riveting story about a bowling competition he once took part in, Louis is starting to get a bit sleepy. He stops playing with the ankles of Harry’s sweatpants, where his feet are settled in Louis’ lap, and lets his head fall to the side, looking over at Harry with sleepy eyes.

“I’m sorry, is my story putting you to sleep?” He asks.

Louis lets out a chuckle. “Just your voice.”

Harry hums, “Can’t have that, can we?”

Louis gives him a confused look and pouts. “Why?”

He grinds a heel down in Louis’ lap instead of giving an answer and Louis’ eyes go wide with the implications.

“We have a thirty minute window at least and I’m tired of telling stories.”

Louis doesn’t want to give away how much Harry affects him in general, so he plays the unaffected and annoyed card. “That is the least hot thing you’ve ever said or done.” He lies.

Harry laughs, getting up and crowding into Louis’ space. “Should I try a little harder?” He asks, and places a hand over Louis’ clothed crotch.

“Oh my god.” Louis groans putting a hand over his face and shaking his head. He tries not to laugh. “You’re the lamest person I have ever met in my life. Harder? Really?”

Harry just buries his face in Louis’ shoulder and starts laughing. “I’m just horny, I make horrible jokes when that happens.”

“You always make horrible jokes.” Louis informs him.

Harry waggles his eyebrows.

Louis hits him playfully in the chest. “You’re gross, get off of me.”

Then Harry gets a bit more serious. Instead of getting off of Louis, he climbs on top of him, sitting in his lap, his knees bracketing Louis’ waist. “Want you.”

“Harry,” Louis says softly, putting a hand to his chest. He’s not pushing him away but he’s not letting him get any closer. “I can’t do this right now.” It’s hard to explain, but it’s not just that his daughter is in the other room, and that he would feel incredible trashy and also like the worst person ever if she came in the room while this was happening. It’s that, but also the fact that even if they went in Louis’ room, he would feel a bit sad. It’s ridiculous really, because he’s trying his hardest to be happy and Harry does make him happy, it’s just that he feels sad about it. It’s weird, and he doesn’t even know how to begin to explain it. He feels like he can’t give Harry everything he wants, and that maybe they can’t do that for each other in the long run.

“Please.” Harry mumbles against his jaw, putting his hand over Louis’.

“I’m not-” Louis cuts off and makes a sound he’ll be embarrassed about later when Harry presses the heel of his other palm against Louis’ slightly tented sweatpants.

“I know.” Harry’s saying next, trailing his lips along Louis’ jawline. “But, I promise it’s not irresponsible. It’s fine.”

Louis is afraid that Harry can read his mind sometimes. He shakes his head anyway.

“Not irresponsible.” He says again and this time when he kisses Louis on the lips, Louis kisses back because he’s basically powerless to deny Harry of anything, and if the fact that he’s getting hard just from Harry sitting in his lap is any indication that he wants this then he definitely wants it pretty bad.

“Fuck you.” Louis says between kisses, rough and hot and not really doing much else but letting their hands go everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

“That’s the plan.” Harry pants and then attaches his lips to Louis’ neck, and Louis groans louder than he probably should because he’s so, so gone for this boy. It’s slightly alarming.

It’s not until there’s a knock at the door, loud and pounding, that they break apart. Harry very nearly falls off of the couch, and most definitely does fall out of Louis’ lap, squawking in the process and panting. Both of them are looking at each other surprised, like they just had an out of body experience or something equally as ridiculous, when a second knock comes, almost as loud as the first.

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ.” Louis mumbles, and then louder, “I’m coming!” He winces when he realizes that Emma is still napping in the other room.

He opens the door to reveal one Liam Payne. There’s a squeak from the other room and Louis hears Harry scurrying off to the other room.

“I have a bloody doorbell, you know.” He tells him.

Liam laughs and smiles at him. “Good to see you too.”

“What brings you here this fine afternoon?” Thankfully Liam hasn’t noticed that Louis is incredibly hard in his trackies because, although Liam has seen him is a lot more compromising positions, Louis is not really keen on him looking down and noticing. He’s trying to figure out if it’s more obvious to just leave it be, or to try and cover up. He fidgets and zips up his hoodie, wondering if he probably looks like he’s just been snogging someone very enthusiastically. He imagines he probably does.

Liam gives him a strange look. “Um, I was just in the area. I wanted to drop off that platter you lent me last week.”

“Right.” Louis says, taking it from Liam’s hands and nodding exaggeratedly. He places it in front of his crotch. He’s incredibly fidgety and he just wants Liam gone.

“Can I come in?”

Louis is going to murder him maybe. “Uh, yeah.”

He does that slow walk inside that he always does whenever he’s in uniform, like he’s the most important person in that room. He acts like he’s a fucking detective or something, like he’s not the guy who just pulls people over for speeding. Louis is pretty sure he’s still on duty so he should probably leave Louis alone. Nothing better to kill the mood than Liam in uniform. “Is Emma here?”

Louis nods over towards the hallway as they head into the kitchen. “She’s taking a nap.”

“Oh good.” Liam says. He looks relieved. “Have you got a minute?”

Louis wants to say no, he hasn’t got one second, but Liam is his best friend and he looks sort of anxious about something, so Louis can’t actually say no. “Yeah, sure. What’s up?”

He leans against one of the kitchen counters, and sighs. “I think like- I think me and Sophia are having problems.”

Louis inwardly groans. This is going to be a long, repetitive conversation. They’ve definitely had this talk before. “What kind of problems?”

He shrugs. “Like, we haven’t- you know. Done it in a really long time.”

Louis is about to gag when there’s a squeak from the pantry and when Louis looks over he can see the outline of a person through the slats, looking through. It’s fucking Harry Styles, hiding in his pantry and eavesdropping on his fucking conversation about Liam’s marriage problems. How great.

Liam looks over too, and Louis is definitely not about to let Liam find out that Harry is hearing this conversation so he slams his hand down on the counter, averting his attention. “Liam, Liam, Liam. Do you want some tea?”

His smiles, brightening up a little. “Could you, please?”

Louis pinches his cheek and smiles back, even though inside he feels like he’s having a heart attack. “Anything for you, babe.” Maybe Harry will be indignant when he gets out of the pantry; it’ll serve him right.

Louis gets to making the tea, listening to what Liam has to say about his wife, and how he feels like they’re not close anymore, how he’s scared about it, and Louis has heard all of this before. He’s glad Liam trusts him enough to come to him about this kind of thing though, and Louis is a good friend who doesn’t mind listening. It’s too late for him and Harry now anyway. Louis is mostly just nervous now that Liam will find out Harry is hiding in his pantry, because Harry is apparently a fucking dork.

Louis doesn’t really have any advice to give Liam, considering he kind of failed at making his last marriage last, but he tells him that maybe he should talk to Sophia about it. He feels like a hypocrite because that’s his biggest problem, the fact that he doesn’t communicate like normal human beings usually do. He figures that’s why Harry is hiding in his pantry and why he can’t ask him if they’re actually exclusive or whatever. Secretly he’s also worried if that’s like an old fashioned thing, or like if young people now just assume. He’s pretty sure that he never got back into the game, just got lucky with Harry he guesses.

Either way, he finally finds a lull in his nearly twenty minute conversation with Liam to tell him that he has to wake Emma up, and vacuum the floor that Liam just ruined with his boots. It’s kind of his way of telling Liam very nicely to get out of his house.

Thankfully, Liam takes the hint, gives Louis a hug and tells him he’ll call before he finally gets out of the house and into his car.

It’s not a lie, Louis will get to both of those things eventually, but right now he just slumps against the counter and drinks the rest of the cold tea that Liam didn’t finish.

Harry finally emerges from the pantry, and gives Louis an embarrassed smile. It’s hopelessly endearing, but Louis has to roll his eyes at him because what the fuck.

“Harry Styles, what were you doing hiding in my pantry?” This is the only time he’s ever not been thankful for having a walk-in pantry.

A small laugh bubbles out of him and he claps a hand over his mouth. “Oh my god, I panicked.”

“You panicked.” Louis repeats dryly. He’s not upset, not really; it’s a ridiculous notion for him to be upset that someone hid in his pantry. It’s unheard of, sure, but not anger inducing. “Of all the places you could have ran to hide your raging boner.”

Harry eyes him confusedly, like he’s not sure if Louis is joking and then he breaks out into another laugh. “Ew, stop.”

“I can’t believe you were that turned on that you didn’t even want to meet one of my best friends.”

Harry shakes his head, his curls flopping around. “Clearly, since I hid in your fucking pantry.”

Louis rolls his eyes at him again, and puts a hand on Harry’s hip just because he can.

“Is he really one of your best friends?”

Louis nods. “Yeah, one of the best.”

Harry sighs. “That must be nice. You seem to have a lot of good friends.”

“Just three.” Louis says, shaking his head. “And they’re all idiots.”

Harry laughs, but he seems to be all serious now, a bit sad even, and it’s making Louis worry. “I just think- I mean, it must be nice.”

“Hey,” Louis puts his other hand on Harry’s side and pulls him closer. “You alright?”

Harry shrugs. “Yeah, fine. I’m just being silly.” And then he smiles finally, and Louis thinks maybe the air has cleared, before Harry starts speaking again. “It’s just that I’m pretty sure all of my friends hate me now.”

“I’m sure they don’t.” But of course, how could Louis actually know? He’s basically just going by the fact that Harry is to lovely for that to ever happen.

Harry shakes his head, smiles again. “They’re all idiots anyway. So, I bet you get out of a lot of speeding tickets then, huh?” He teases.

Louis pretends to be all offended instead of worried or upset that Harry changed the subject, putting a hand to Harry’s chest, but not pushing him away. “Excuse you, I am a stand-up citizen. I uphold the law and all of its facets.”

“I wish you’d uphold all of my facets.” Harry says and Louis groans, actually pushing him away this time.

“You’re the worst person I have ever met.” He says and Harry just laughs. “For that, I’m going to make you vacuum my house.” He pokes him in the chest once and then turns around.

Harry smacks him on the bum. “Yes sir.”

+

“So,” Louis clears his throat, stands over Harry where he’s perched on the couch, watching The Little Mermaid for the second time this week. Louis doesn’t know why he finds that so adorable, but it’s Harry, and everything Harry does is adorable. “I want you to meet my friends soon.”

Harry blinks at him a few times. “Um, I’m busy.” Is what he finally says.

“Bus- Harry, I didn’t mean now.” Louis is confused. He thought that it was something Harry would want to do, be part of his life like he is with Emma.

He scratches the back of his neck. “Uh- I can’t?”

Louis is silent for a moment, crosses his arms self-consciously. “Why?”

Harry bites his lip, keeps his eyes trained on the television. He just sort of shakes his head and sighs, looking over at Louis finally. “I think-” He looks like he’s going through a lot of inner turmoil and Louis gets that sinking feeling in his stomach that only sinks deeper when Harry says solemnly, “I think I need to tell you something.”

“Um,” Louis says shakily, doesn’t want this to be that dreadful conversation he is never looking forward to. “You’re not breaking up with me are you?”

“Jesus, no.” Harry’s eyes widen and he covers Emma’s ears. “I’d never, I just-” He sighs again, nodding over towards the other room. “Let’s go talk, yeah?”

Louis nods, taking a shaky breath.

“Hey, love.” Harry says, addressing Emma softly. “Me and your daddy are just gonna go talk in the other room, will you just sit here and watch the movie?”

She frowns but nods anyway. “Fine, Papa.”

“Oh my god.” Harry says, and then he gets up, rushing towards the bedroom ahead of Louis, his eyes wide. Louis feels a bit frozen to the spot himself, but Emma doesn’t even notice, distracted by the TV.

“Shit.” He mumbles, shaking his head as he starts walking towards his bedroom.

When he enters the room, Harry is already sitting on the bed, head in his hands. He closes the door and Harry’s head snaps up when he hears the click.

“I swear to god she’s never said that to me before.” He gets out quickly, and Louis is pretty sure it’s the fastest he’s ever heard Harry speak.

Louis is having some issues processing that himself, considering the fact that he dated Greg for almost six months and Emma never felt like she could call him her Papa. Where did she even get that idea? Louis’ mind is racing and he keeps thinking if Harry breaks up with him he won’t be able to take it. He’s not sure he can breathe. “Well,” He chokes out. “Me neither.”

“Oh.” Harry coughs.

Louis shakes his head. “I mean, I’m sorry? I guess. Like, she never gets attached to someone like that, I just think that maybe-”

“Louis,” Harry says softly. “Don’t apologize. We’ll work through that, I mean I’m not entirely bothered with it.”

Louis exhales for what feels like the first time in five minutes. “You’re not?”

Harry shakes his head. “Look, I came in here to tell you something important, so let me just tell you, okay?”

Louis leans up against the wall, and nods. “Okay.”

“It’s about meeting your friends. Like, why I don’t want to.” He seems nervous.

“Oh.”

“Not like- I mean, I’m sure they’re lovely, I would love to meet them. I just can’t.” He shakes his head at himself. “No. I mean that I can’t meet Liam.”

Louis is silent for a moment until Harry looks up at him from underneath his eyelashes. “Uh, why?” He asks, feeling confused.

Harry turns his sock covered feet towards each other, stares down at them now. “He’s like- he’s a police officer, right?”

Louis shakes his head, almost using his whole body in protest. “Oh god, Harry, don’t tell m-”

“It’s not as bad as you think.” Harry interrupts, and then he’s silent for a moment before he adds, “I don’t know, maybe it’s worse.”

Louis takes a breath. “Well, get it out then.”

Harry bites his lip, runs a hand through his hair. “Shit. Do you- do you know what a supervising officer is?”

Louis looks up at the ceiling like he’s trying to retrieve his memories on the subject but currently his mind feels a bit like a blank slate. He shrugs. “I don’t know. I- I don’t know.”

Harry grips onto his own hair, his other hand fidgeting relentlessly. “It’s like a parole officer, but they just keep track of you while you’re like, serving your sentence, but not in jail. If that makes sense.”

“It bloody well does.” Louis wishes it didn’t.

“Right.” Harry says, and he looks at Louis even though it’s probably quite difficult at this point. “Um, Liam is that for me.”

Louis nods, but he’s sort of feeling like he’s going crazy, and he feels a bit like he can’t breathe. Like, he’s basically been dating someone who’s in jail, but not really in jail. “Right, so you’re like, a criminal.”

Harry looks a bit like he’s on the verge of tears, and he lets out a controlled breath before he speaks again. “Um, it’s just like misdemeanors, petty theft, assault.”

“Assault?” Louis is trying to hold it together, but his voice wavers when he’s asking questions he doesn’t want to know the answers to. He feels like everything has been flipped upside down.  

Harry shakes his head, and then nods. “It wasn’t really assault. I was charged for a lot of things that sort were exaggerated truths. I’m trying to be better, and I have problems with stealing, but I was stupid before and now I’m trying-”

“What? To not get caught?” Louis knows he probably doesn’t have any right to be angry, or maybe he does. He’s not sure at what point in your relationship you tell the person that you’re a criminal, if this even is a relationship.

“No, Louis. I’m-” He sighs, frustrated, grips a hand on his own knee. “Before I met you I was still stealing from stores- I feel like sometimes I can’t help myself. Now I have a reason to try and,” He pauses, trying to find the right word. “To just try to not do it? I don’t know. I didn’t have any friends before, they all abandoned me because I treated them like shit, and I felt like I had hit rock bottom, and no one would talk to me, but I feel- I feel like I’ve got someone now.”

Louis scrubs a hand down his face, shaking his head. “I think- like,” He presses two fingers to his temple, can’t stop touching his face. “I need to process this, and I think it would be best-” He sighs because he can’t believe he’s actually going to say this. “I think it would be best if you went home for now.”

Harry bites his lip, lets out a little noise like he’s about to cry. “Uh,” He breathes out. “Right, yeah.” And then he’s taking off past Louis, jerking the door open and Louis would imagine he ran out of the house. He feels a bit like he can’t move, but he does anyway, checking to see if Harry’s gone yet, stepping out into the hallway.

He hears voices though.

“Where are you going?” It’s Emma.

It’s the sound of Harry’s voice next, sounding a bit distressed and choked-up. “Oh god- um, just home.”

There’s a pause where Louis takes the opportunity to creep a little farther down the hallway to where he can see Emma, and then, “Are you crying, Papa?”

Harry just lets out a sound like he does when he’s hit his elbow or knee on something hard. He does that a lot because he’s so clumsy, especially when Louis says something that surprises him. Louis doesn’t want him to go now, keeps thinking of reasons to make Harry stay and to make things better, but he’s already made it happen and it’s already gone downhill. He’ll try and fix it later, it’s what he always does.

“Shit.” Harry says quietly, just loud enough that Louis can hear. “I’m sorry-” And then Louis can see just barely Harry coming over and giving Emma a little kiss on the forehead. “See you, monkey.”

She sighs, seeming annoyed, but then once Harry’s out the door she turns her attention to the TV like nothing ever happened.

Louis comes out from the hallway, running a hand through his hair and trying to look more composed than he feels. “Hey, pumpkin.”

“Hi, Daddy.” She says, and then turning her attention from the TV, she asks, “Is Harry okay?”

He clears his throat. “He’ll be fine, love. Do you want some ice cream?”

Her eyes go wide and she bounces up and down. “Yes, yes, yes!”

“Alright.” Louis breathes, heading into the kitchen. He leans against the counter for a moment, trying to ground himself, squeezing his eyes shut. He’s not sure how long he stands there, trying to get a grip on himself, but a while later Emma comes in the kitchen and tugs on his shirt sleeve. “What’s taking so long?”

Louis opens his eyes, shakes his head, and exhales. His chest feels heavy. “Right, sorry. Just- yeah. Okay.”

Emma pats his wrist. “It’s okay, Daddy.”

“Yeah, love. You’re right.” He nods. “It’s going to be anyway.”

+

Louis calls Zayn, because Louis always calls Zayn in times of crisis. Unless he is the crisis and then he calls Niall. Thankfully, this time Zayn is not the crisis.

“Maybe I’d be able to help a little better if I actually knew this boyfriend of yours.” Zayn tells him when Louis informs him that he’s having a little ‘trouble in paradise’, as Zayn put it, with Harry.

“Well, first I’m not even sure if he’s my boyfriend, and s-”

“Did you break up?” Zayn asks, all concerned now that he’s realizing that this is actually a real phone call and not just Louis complaining about something.

Louis scoffs. “No, we just never had the relationship talk.”

“But you’re dating.” Zayn says. “Me and Perrie never had a relationship talk.”

“That’s because you two are like, on the same wave-length all of the fuckin’ time. It’s creepy.” Louis tells him.

Zayn chuckles, but doesn’t comment on it further. “So what’s the problem besides that, then? Unless that is the whole problem.”

“Trust me,” Louis says. “The problem is a lot worse than that.”

“Oh.” Zayn groans. “That really doesn’t sound good, Lou.”

“It’s not good.” He sighs. “Listen you have to promise me you won’t tell me to just ditch him because it runs a lot deeper than that now and I can’t just cut him out of my life. I feel like I’m kind of in love with him and I really want it to work out, I just kind of freaked out and he told me some things that were way out there. I just, I needed to tell someone.” The whole love thing definitely just slipped out, but Louis isn’t sure he feels like he needs to take it back.

“Oh god,” Zayn seems very compassionate towards Louis’ problem tonight. “He doesn’t want to call you ‘Daddy’, does he? Because like, Perrie brought that up one time and I told her-”

“Ew, gross. Can you just pause for like, a second?”

“You sound like a teenager.” Zayn informs him.

Louis is started to get frustrated. “It’s probably all the time I spend with Niall. Now are you going to shut up and let me tell you or do I have to call him instead?”

“Jesus.” He mutters. “Tell me your thing before you burst an artery or something equally as dangerous.”

Louis just sighs and groans and tries not to cry as he rolls around in his sheets. “I’m literally the most upset I could ever be, I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do. Like, he told me that-” He takes a deep breath. He feels like that’s all he seems to be doing these days so he won’t lose his mind. “Oh god- Liam is his fucking supervising officer.”

Zayn is silent for a moment. “I don’t know what that is, but it doesn’t sound great.”

“It’s basically like he’s serving his term out of jail. He’s a fuckin’ criminal Zayn!” He covers his face with the hand that’s not holding his phone. “I’m so fucked, oh my god. And on top of that it had to be Liam, of all the fucking police officers in the world.”

“Yeah, but like, how do you know it’s Liam? How does he know you know Liam?” Zayn asks.

Louis flops his head from side to side, thinking of the best way to explain this. “Liam came over one time when Harry was over and he hid in the other room basically.” He doesn’t mention the pantry thing, doesn’t wanna be laughing right now, it’s not fair that Harry does funny things. “That’s why he doesn’t wanna meet my friends because my friends include Liam, the fuckin’ supervising officer. I didn’t even know he did shit like that, I thought he just went on cool cop chases and stuff.”

Zayn lets out a little laugh and Louis can almost tell he’s shaking his head. “Just take some time to cool off about it, Lou. I know you told me not to say this, but you don’t even know if he wants just a fling or something or if you’re actually in a real adult relationship, maybe he’s just not good for you.”

Louis groans and hits his phone against his head a couple of times before returning to the conversation. “I can’t, Zayn. My daughter fucking called him ‘Papa’. I’m losing my mind over him, and it would be even worse if he was out of the picture completely.”

“Say again?”

“Which part?” Louis asks.

“Emma called him Papa? Like, as in, Dad?” Zayn seems more surprised than Louis was at the time. “Did he tell her to do that?”

“God, no. He’s not like sadistic or whatever, she just said it on her own. Honestly, he was just as shocked as I was.”

Zayn sighs. “That is- that’s some heavy shit, Louis.”

“I know, but-” He wants to get this across in the best way but he feels a bit like he’s going crazy. “He’s literally one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, Zayn. You’ll see that when you meet him.”

“I really do wanna meet him, see if he’s worth all the trouble you’re going through for him. If not then I won’t make any promises I won’t beat the shit out him.” Zayn is such a supportive best friend honestly.

Still though, “Please don’t punch him, he’s much bigger than you.”

“Alright.” Zayn says, laughing a little. “I think you should probably sleep on it, yeah? We’ll talk about it later, but I think it’s something you should really think about. It might be good to talk about it with Liam too, see how he’s really doing and if he’s not feeding you lies-”

“Zayn.” Louis whines.

“I know, I know, he seems like the sweetest person in the world, but still. Just think about it.” He pauses and when Louis doesn’t respond he continues talking. “I gotta go, Pezza is home for the first time in a whole week and it’s late.”

“Okay.” Louis says. He feels so small. “Goodnight.”

“Get some rest, Louis. He’s not worth losing sleep over.”

Louis hangs up and mumbles, “Yes he is.” He ends up falling asleep ten minutes later anyway.

+

When Louis finally talks to Harry it turns out a little bit stranger than he expected.

He goes the unconventional way with it, deciding to sneak up on Harry in his home. Well, not exactly sneak up on him, he just doesn’t tell him he’s coming over and sends him a snapchat of the outside of his building asking if he can come inside.

Harry responds with a picture of the foot of his bed informing Louis to be warned that he looks like shit, and Louis sends him one back of a picture of his door informing Harry that’s completely impossible.

Louis waits a few minutes, waiting to see when his snap is sent and delivered, before tentatively knocking on Harry’s door.

When Harry answers, he’s in a pair of worn out trackies and a white t-shirt. Louis hasn’t really left it long enough for Harry to look like he’s lost weeks up sleep, but his hair is a mess and he doesn’t look like he’s exactly been the happiest person in the world.

“Hi.” Louis squeaks out.

Harry sighs and smiles at him. He looks cuddly and tired. “Hi.”

“You don’t look like shit.” Louis blurts out. He’s an idiot, and he hopes Harry has kind of realized that by now.

Harry lets out a little laugh, like he’s not even sure if Louis is actually real enough right now to be blurting out things in the first place. “You shouldn’t be driving with such bad eyesight, it’s dangerous.” He tells Louis. “Did you forget your glasses at home or something?”

“Shut up.” Louis chuckles, and shoves Harry’s shoulder lightly, and then he doesn’t really let go. “Can I come in?”

“Could never say no to you.” Harry tells him, his expression soft. Louis thinks he’s as glad to see Louis as he’s glad to see Harry.

Louis nods, stepping inside. “Yeah, I seem to be having the same problem.”

“We should- um,” Harry wrings his hands together, stands in the middle of his own flat awkwardly.

Louis doesn’t know what he’s even thinking, can’t let his words catch up with his thoughts, or the other way around. He doesn’t know. “How does a shower sound?”

Harry gives him a strange look. “Yeah. I think- we should, yeah.”

“Okay. Good then.” Louis says. He stands there for a minute, both him and Harry blinking at each other, and then he nods once decisively, heading off towards the bathroom.

Harry follows.

He averts his eyes when Harry undresses, trying to get his own clothes off despite his shaky fingers.

It’s not very long before they end up talking about it in the shower.

Louis insists on washing Harry’s hair, and it just tumbles out of his mouth. It’s much easier when Harry has his eyes closed, when he looks so calm and pliant under Louis’ touch.

“I overreacted.” Is what he starts with.

Harry hums like he agrees, but he shakes his head instead. He doesn’t open his mouth though, probably doesn’t want to accidentally eat soap.

“I just- you can’t do that to me, Harry. I know that we’re not- you can’t just-” He pulls Harry closer into the water spray so he can rinse out his hair, lowers himself from how he was standing on his tippy-toes, lets the water do most of the work. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but I-”

Harry grabs Louis by the wrist, backs away a little bit so as not to get water in his eyes. “What makes you think I don’t owe you anything?”

He’s not holding on hard, Louis supposes he’s just trying to focus and it’s quite difficult with Louis touching him. He hopes that’s what it means anyway. “I mean, it’s not like we’re really together, is it? It’s obviously just a fling. I’m just someone who can fill space in your bed, right?”

Harry lets go of him.  “You’re not-”

“I’m sorry,” Louis barrels on, doesn’t even wanna know the answer to that question. “I want to be that person for you, I want to be that person that you can just hang out with on the weekends and drink and have sex with, go travel with or whatever the fuck you wanna do, and be young and crazy, but I can’t. I can’t give you that.”

“I never asked you to!” Harry says and Louis visibly winces. It’s the loudest he’s ever heard Harry; he’s never heard him shout before. “Oh my god.” He grumbles and gets out of the shower, pulls the curtain back and grabs a towel wiping himself down. “I thought we were gonna have an adult conversation about it, but clearly I’m not the only teenager in the room.”

“It’s not like you’ve given me reason to believe otherwise.” Louis tells him, and tries not to raise his voice. He tries so hard. He’s kind of torn between staying the shower or getting out, but there’s not a lot of room for him to shuffle around next to Harry trying to dry himself off. He’s definitely put himself in a bad position.

Harry lets out a breath, presses the heels of his palms against his eyes. “Fucking hell, Louis.” His towel has been abandoned to the floor and he starts frantically pulling on his clothes. He’s not even completely dry yet, his hair is still dripping. “I’m sorry I don’t want to marry you.” He’s saying now, and Louis turns off the water finally, reaching for a towel. “Jesus, but I thought it was obvious that I wanted to be in your life.”

“Well, clearly it wasn’t very obvious to me.” Louis says, and he feels a little lost.

“Is that why you don’t want me to meet your mother?” Harry asks, and he’s still shouting. Louis just wants him to stop, but they can’t now, they’re too far into this. “Because you think that I’m playing you or something? Oh my god, Louis, I can’t fucking believe-”

“You didn’t even tell me about all this baggage you were carrying until now, so what the fuck am I supposed to think?” He interrupts Harry, trying to get on his clothes now too, because apparently he likes to strike up arguments in the worst possible places.

“I didn’t want to tell you because I wouldn’t say it’s exactly a first date topic. I didn’t want to scare you away because I wanted to have you in my life longer than a few weeks.” He groans, frustrated and pulling at his hair. “If you were just a fling I wouldn’t even come around so much. If you were just a fling I wouldn’t even care about you, but you know what? I do. I care about you a whole fucking lot, and it’s just really shitty that you can see that.” And then he turns on his heel and slams the bathroom door on his way out.

Louis’ words die in his throat, and he thinks that maybe he made things a little worse than he expected he would. A lot worse. He should have followed Zayn’s advice and waited even longer.

He slips on his shirt and dries his hair a little more before he braces himself against the wall, trying to calm down and ground himself. Clearly, he’s in the wrong, if Harry’s whole speech was any indication, but he doesn’t really know how to make it right. He knows leaving won’t do anything, but he doesn’t really wanna put salt in the wound by staying and bringing it back up. He presses his forehead against the wall and whimpers, trying not cry. “So fucking stupid.” He mumbles to himself. He wants to call Zayn, but he’s pretty sure that’s frowned upon or something. The only option really is to exit the bathroom and sort of face whatever is waiting for him out there.

Harry is in the kitchen, moving around and wiping his eyes like he’s just started to cry. Louis feels his chest get tight and he doesn’t want to do anything stupid. He’s always messing things up with his uncertainty.

He leans in the doorway for a while, just watching and trying to figure out what he’ll say, if he even needs to say anything at all. When Harry notices him, he gets a bit startled.

“I, um-” He wipes his eyes. “I was making tea, if you want some.”

Louis clears his throat; it feels like he hasn’t said a word in ages. “Yeah, that would be lovely.”

Harry blinks at him a few times and he looks like he’s about to say something, but then he turns back towards the kitchen and opens one of the cupboards to grab a box of tea.

Louis just follows his movements with his eyes. He feels so tired now, like being yelled at by Harry kind of drained the life out of him. It did, probably.

He’s still trying to think of what to say when Harry starts talking. “Listen,” His voice sounds heavy, like he’s been crying for ages. Louis is glad he’s not yelling anymore. “I get it,” He says, placing both hands down and leaning against the counter. He’s not looking at Louis. “I’m sorry I made you feel like that, Louis. But-” He wipes his eyes again, sniffing just a little bit. “You don’t get to just write me off like that. I’d understand if it was about me being- you know, but not because you think that I don’t want to be in your life. I’m young, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I want to party and shit, or whatever the hell you think it is I want to do. It’s not like you’re some old man either, just because you have a child and a history and shit. We could make it work, and I was willing to- shit, Louis. I was willing to give up a lot for you, if you weren’t such a fucking idiot.”

Louis is- he’s just, sort of at a loss for words, doesn’t know what Harry means. “Are you not willing to anymore?”

Harry wipes his nose, clears his throat. He looks over to Louis finally. “Of course I am. I just need you to know that this time.”

“Yeah.” Louis says. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry- the last two serious relationships I had were with people who didn’t want to stick around or commit to me. I thought that- I didn’t want you to be the same, but I guess I had already made it up in my head that you were.”

Harry takes a step closer to him. “Well,” He sighs and closes the distance. “Don’t let your silly head get in the way anymore then.” He bites his lip and tentatively reaches forward to put a hand over Louis’ chest, on the left side, right over his heart. “Just- listen to your heart.”

“You’re the cheesiest person I’ve ever met.” Louis says finally, once he’s remembered how to breathe.

“Does that mean you don’t want to cuddle and watch cheesy movies with me?” Harry asks. They’re getting back into it. This conversation isn’t anywhere near being finished, and they still have loads of things they need to talk about, but with Harry making him tea and offering up cuddles, Louis thinks that the rest can wait.

“Wouldn’t dream of doing anything else.” Louis tells him.

+

“What I don’t get,” Louis is saying, cuddled up into Harry’s chest. “Is why they would cast Channing Tatum. He’s clearly a horrible actor, and why would she go through all that trouble to be with him? He’s not even that good looking.”

Harry shrugs and Louis moves with it. “I don’t know, I think he’s kind of hot.”

Louis smacks Harry on the chest. “Ew! He’s not hot at all. Now, Amanda Seyfried, she’s not bad.”

“She has like, cow eyes. Even if I was straight I wouldn’t go for her.” Harry is saying now, and it’s funny because Louis knows he’s only trying to get him to take it back.

Instead though, his mind goes somewhere else. “She kind of looks like my ex-wife.”

“Oh.” Harry says, and it’s like the weirdest thing he’s probably ever said to Harry, so it makes sense when he kind of freezes underneath him. Finally, he gives Louis a kiss on the shoulder and doesn’t stumble over his words when he says, “I told you we should have watched The Vow instead.”

Louis shakes his head. “That one’s sad.”

“So is this one.” He pauses it. “Let’s do something else, yeah?”

Louis shrugs.

“Yeah, c’mon.” He seems very enthusiastic. “We should go get dinner instead of ordering pizza. Emma is at your mum’s for the weekend, and it’ll be really fun. We’ll go to a nice restaurant and drink wine and feed each other dessert and we can be disgusting.” He’s getting excited talking about it, running his fingers through Louis’ hair. “And then we can come home and you can fuck me.”

Louis laughs at that. “How about we go ahead and order pizza, stay in, and I’ll fuck you anyway.”

Harry frowns. “Louis, please? It’ll be really nice, we haven’t been on a date in what feels like ages.”

“This is a date.” Louis informs him dryly, giving him a look.

“You know what I mean.” Harry says back and kisses him on the cheek softly. “Please, please, please?”

Louis rolls his eyes but finally relents. “Fine, but just know that I really wanted pizza.”

“We could go to Italian and get you a really fancy pizza.” Harry suggests.

Louis leans forward and smacks a kiss right on Harry’s lips. “You’re a genius, love.”

“Are you alright?” Harry asks, putting his hand over Louis’ on top of the table. They both tried to dress up, Louis throwing on a blazer over his t-shirt and jeans, and Harry borrowing a bigger jacket from Louis, which probably was already Harry’s to begin with, and heading out of the house before they were sure they wouldn’t ever get a table. Louis feels a little warm now, under the drop light between them.

He shrugs. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He’s felt a little weird since earlier, but he gets like that sometimes, doesn’t want to talk about it.

“Good.” Harry says and smiles at him softly. “I’m here to talk if you need it. Like, all the time.” It’s not really something they’ve talked about extensively, Louis being married before, or past relationships. He thinks it’ll probably come up eventually, but he doesn’t want that right now, not really.

He chuckles kind of unexpectedly, and like, Harry is just really nice. “I know. I’m good though, thank you baby.”

Harry beams at him. “Good.” He says more firmly this time.

When the waitress comes around with their food, Louis is absolutely starved. Not even Harry’s meal can ruin his appetite.

“How can you eat that?” He asks, shoving a spoonful of pasta in his mouth, not bothered about how unattractive it must look. Harry’s already seen at him at probably his worst, so it’s not like Louis is trying really hard to impress him at this point. He’s more interested in making Harry laugh than impressing him most days.

“Eat what?” Harry’s mouth is full too, and Louis feels ten times more domestic than he did five minutes ago if that’s even possible. He can’t help but smile at Harry when he gives him a confused look.

“The eggplant.” He finally says. “It’s gross.”

Harry shakes his head indignant. “Not gross. Actually it’s the best thing on this menu.” He spears a piece with his fork and holds it up in front of Louis’ face. “Taste.”

“Ew.” Louis says, scrunching up his nose and pushing Harry’s hand away. “As much as I like the idea of sharing food with you, I’m not eating that.”

Harry rolls his eyes, leaning forward in his chair and he’s this close to force feeding it to Louis, a challenging look in his eyes, when Louis squawks.

Louis’ eyes go wide, and he starts panicking, smacking Harry’s fork down so it falls out of his hand. At Harry’s confused face, he adds in a harsher tone than he intended, “Get under the table.”

“What?” Harry asks and Louis hooks his foot behind Harry’s knee, pulling him forward.

“Under the table, now.”

It’s a good plan, a quick solution, especially since the stupid fancy table cloths reach all the way to the floor, covering the entire underside of the table. Harry rests his head on Louis’ knee, more than likely waiting for an explanation.

Louis hopes that hearing Liam walk up and say hello is enough of an explanation for Harry, as to why he’s sitting underneath their dinner table.

What a ridiculous turn of events, Louis thinks. He’s made his boyfriend hide under a table. Amazing. This might be worse than Harry hiding in a pantry.

“Hey, you two.” The last time he saw Liam in person was when he came over to talk about his marriage problems. Louis has not been avoiding him. He hasn’t. “Date night?”

Thankfully, Liam is here with his wife, so things can’t be going that bad. He does this all the time though; they just have a rocky relationship that he never stops questioning. It’s a little bit exhausting.

“Yeah, you as well?” Sophia asks, smiling and trying to make small talk.

Louis is about to lie, but then he feels Harry’s fingers toying at the seam of his jeans on his inner thigh and he coughs. Harry lifts the table cloth so it covers Louis’ lap and Louis scoots his chair forward. “Um, yeah.”

“It’s nice to see you dating again.” She says, smiling. Her and Liam both look genuinely happy. Even so, Sophia tells him, “You look happy.” Louis didn’t know that actually. He felt happy, but he didn’t know other people could see it like he sees it on them.

“Oh thanks.” He chokes out when Harry’s hand reaches his clothed crotch. “Wonderful times.”

Liam gives him a weird look. “Well, at least you weren’t the last to know.” He jokes to his wife.

“I was!” Sophia is saying now, and Harry is unzipping his pants.

He lets out a noise, covering it over with a cough. “So, kids out then?” He doesn’t know why he’s continuing to make small talk. He wants to punch himself in the face. Instead he ends up slamming his fist down the table when Harry mouths at his crotch through his boxers.

“Uh, yeah.” Liam says. “You okay?”

“Never been better, Li.” He says, slamming down on the table again. His water falls over. “Don’t worry about that. You two should enjoy your-” Harry sucks on his length through the fabric. “Night! Enjoy your night.” Things are escalating so fast.

“Maybe you oughtta go to the washroom, Louis. You look a little red.”

Liam just rolls his eyes, showing a lot less concern than his wife. “You’re such a weirdo; if you wanted us gone you should just say so.” Then he laughs. “Go get yourself sorted, Jesus.” And then they’re both waving and heading off to the other side of the restaurant, out of sight.

“Fuck, Harry.” He says quietly, banging his elbow on the table in an effort to get his hand under the table and Harry away from his cock.

When he pulls him away, Harry finally comes up from under the table and Louis looks around to see if anyone has noticed. If they did, no one seems to care.

Harry gives him a shit-eating grin, and licks his lips before biting his bottom one.

“No biting.” Louis instructs and Harry lets go of his lip. “Bathroom, right now.”

Harry’s eyes go wide, and he stumbles after Louis when he takes off towards the toilets, which is thankfully not on the side of the restaurant that Liam is sitting.

Once inside, Louis drags Harry inside one of stalls, and locks it shut. This place is fancy enough that the stalls have partitions that go all the way to the floor and Louis’ is glad because it would be kind of awkward to walk in a bathroom and realize that two guys are in one stall.

He pushes Harry up against the stall door, glad that he left Harry’s coat on the chair because he’d hate for the staff to clear up their plates before they’ve even gotten to eat, and he attaches his lips to Harry’s neck, sucking a bruise there until Harry is whining and canting his hips forward.

Louis pulls back and shakes a finger at Harry. “Sorry, love.” There’s a pause and then it only takes a second for Louis to decide he wants to tease him a little. Maybe a lot. He drags a finger down Harry’s torso, starting from his chest down to the waistband of his jeans. “So desperate, aren’t you?” He asks and Harry nods, but Louis continues. “Wanted to suck me off right there under the table with my friends watching, didn’t you? Is that what good boys do?”

Harry shakes his head, and Louis grabs him by the chin.

“I asked you a question.”

“No.” Harry chokes out. “No.”

Louis isn’t being horribly rough, but he’s always struck by how easily he falls into this roll. “Hm,” He pushes Harry back just a little bit, putting space between them. “Knees.”

Harry does as he’s told and drops down to his knees in front of Louis. He places his hands on Louis’ thighs and Louis smacks his hands away.

“No touching. Hands behind your back.”

Harry lets out a breath and then clasps his hands behind his back.

Louis goes to unzip his pants, and his cheeks heat up when he realizes that they’re still unzipped from earlier and he starts laughing.

Harry looks up and bites his lip, keeping from laughing himself.

“S’alright.” He says, and braces himself up against the wall of the stall, laughing still. Harry’s laughter joins in with his a beat later. “I’m so embarrassing. Like, I walked through the restaurant like that. We can never come back.”

Harry just shakes his head and smiles. “Don’t be embarrassed.”

Louis chuckles, looking down at Harry and running his fingers through his hair. “Is this-” He gestures around him, hoping that gets his point across. “like, is this okay?” He’s changing the subject now, how ridiculous.

Harry nods. “Yeah, I like it.”

“Okay.” Louis exhales, feels more relaxed now. “If I do something you don’t like just-”

“I know.” Harry interrupts, and he must be feeling quite bold now that they’re only negotiating. “Just tap your ankle twice, I remember. Don’t worry so much.”

Louis nods. “I’m not.”

Harry makes like he’s about to give him a look but thinks better of it. “I’d unzip your pants for you, but-”

“Behave.” Louis tells him, and then Harry puts his hands behind him again and he’s back to being submissive, just like that. Louis slides his fingers into Harry’s hair and tugs, just the slightest bit and Harry squeaks, trying to stay quiet by biting his lip. “I think you want to suck me, don’t you, baby?”

Harry nods as much as he can with Louis still holding him by his hair, not hard, but enough that he knows Louis has control over his movements.

“Do you think you’ve been good enough for that?” He asks, and he knows Harry will say yes. He wouldn’t deny him of that anyway, especially not considering how hard he is in his trousers, how hard they both are right now.

Harry nods frantically, letting his hair get pulled whenever his head goes down. He leans forward, rubbing his cheek against Louis’ crotch.

Louis pulls him back roughly, soothes it with his words. “Patience, lovely boy.”

Harry whines.

He tries to determine if he wants Harry to get him out of his pants, but decides that he doesn’t really deserve that yet. So Louis drops his pants himself, letting them pool around his ankles on the floor. He guides his cock against Harry’s lips, smearing precome there, surprised at how well Harry is doing keeping his mouth closed. “Good boy. Open.”

Harry does as he’s told, opening his mouth and when he closes his eyes it’s clear how hard it is for him to say so still, as Louis guides his cock into his mouth. He pushes until he’s all the way in, and Harry gags slightly, but takes it so well, swallowing around Louis’ length and making all these small keening noises.

Louis runs one hand through his hair, and uses the other one to feel around where he’s stretching out Harry’s mouth. “Look at how good you’re doing, baby. Open your pretty eyes for me.”

It takes a moment, but when he opens his eyes, they’re all glassy like they always get. It’s a bit early for that, but Louis just runs a hand through his hair. “You’re alright?”

He nods, and Louis wants him to be able to say it, if not for the fact that his mouth is otherwise occupied. This will have to be okay.

“Do you want to do it, love?”

Harry nods again and Louis groans when Harry swallows around him again and then comes back up a bit, bobbing his head and humming around Louis’ length. He only comes up to suck around the head of Louis’ dick a little bit because he knows Louis likes it when he stays deep, really works for it. He’s so good at this, barely even gagging when he takes Louis in all the way.

Louis tugs on his hair probably more than is absolutely necessary, but Harry likes it, so it works for both parties. “Born to do this, weren’t you darling?” He asks, and then pulls Harry off completely. “Gonna fuck your mouth now, okay?”

Harry whimpers, but doesn’t do much else, so Louis wipes away the tears forming in the corner of his eyes and takes a softer tone. “Is that alright, baby?”

He nods softly, and so Louis takes it a little slower, thrusts into his mouth a few times but not hard, lets his grip on his hair go a bit softer.

When he finally comes into Harry’s mouth, Harry chokes on it a little bit, and Louis rushes to let him know that he can swallow because he won’t do it without permission. Harry slumps back onto his feet, like he’s the one who’s just come and he opens his eyes again finally to look at Louis.

Louis pulls up his pants, makes sure that they’re zipped this time, before he crouches down in front of Harry and tilts his chin up to look at him. “Did so well, baby.” He tells him, swiping away the tears from under his eyes and wiping up the come that’s collected in the corner of his mouth, feeding it to him. “Made me a mess, didn’t you?” He kisses him on the lips. “Got me so worked up.” Kisses him again. “Such a good boy for me.” He trails his hands down from Harry’s shoulders, helping him to release his hands from behind his back, and stretch them out a little. “D’you wanna go back out and finish our food now?”

Harry hesitates before shaking his head.

Louis fixes him with a look. “Let me rephrase that. We’re going to go back out there and finish our food, and I’ll take care of you when we get home. Come on up.” He helps Harry to his feet, kissing his knuckles when Harry grips onto his hands. “You good?”

He nods once.

“Harry,” Louis says soothingly, putting a hand on Harry’s hip. “Use your words, baby.”

“I’m good.” He replies, and jesus. His voice is so wrecked. It always gets like that, but it never fails to surprise Louis. “Very good.”

Louis pats at his hip where his hand was resting and pecks him on the lips. “Good boy.”

Harry bites his lips, trying not to smile so wide and looking away from Louis. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me, lovely boy. You’ve done all the work so far.” He kisses him again. “Give me your hand.”

Louis doesn’t look around to notice if people think it’s strange that they’re walking out of the bathroom hand-in-hand. He doesn’t care.

Dinner is excruciatingly slow after that, and Harry barely eats, can’t really focus. He just pushes his food around his plate and he keeps looking up and smiling at Louis. It’s hard not to notice how his eyes are blown and a bit glassy. Louis feels a little strange doing this to him, but Harry had mentioned something about this before and so Louis holds onto that, knows that Harry likes this so it’ll be okay. He just needs to wait until they get home, they’ll be fine.

He forgets all about how Harry said they would feed each other dessert and drink wine and all of that, he just wants to get out of this restaurant. He finally pays the check, asks them if they can get their food put in boxes, because he knows how much Harry liked his meal and it would be a shame to waste full plates of food.

When they get in the car Louis gives Harry a kiss on the cheek and leans over to open the glove box and grab a packet of lube that he was keeping there just in case. It seems to be coming very much in handy right now.

He places it in Harry’s hand, closes his hand over it and looks him in the eye. “Would you like to know what I want you to do now?”

Harry blinks a few times at Louis and then nods.

“Answer me, love.” They’re still in the parking lot and Louis knows that this is no time for him to be asking questions twice, but he needs to hear Harry’s voice again. He’s barely talked at all in the last half hour.

“Yes.” Harry says, nodding again. His cheeks aren’t as flushed as they were earlier, and he’s still mostly hard, but Louis is glad he’s more relaxed now for what he wants him to do.

He smiles at Harry and gets a small smile in return. “My good boy.” He hums, running his fingers through Harry’s hair, and then he pulls away, getting the car started and pulling out of the parking lot. “I want you to sit there and open yourself up while we drive home, okay? So you’ll be ready for me when we get to the house.”

He glances over to Harry, who’s just blinking over at Louis, like he didn’t quite catch what he said or didn’t understand.

Louis wavers. “Is that okay?”

Harry nods. “Yes.”

“Alright then, baby.” Louis puts a hand on his knee. “Go ahead. I can’t drive around all night.”

Harry whines, closing his eyes, and starts unzipping his pants. Louis takes his hand off Harry’s knee and pulls onto the main road.

When Harry finally gets his jeans and briefs off Louis still has a few minutes till he gets home. After a normal date, he’d probably be rushing a little bit to get home, but tonight he’s actually taking his time a little bit, despite the fact that he really wants to get home soon. He’s trying so hard not to pull over and just take care of Harry right now.

“Do you like that?” Louis asks, when Harry sits up on his knees and leans against the dash. He’s circling a finger around his hole, not pressing in just yet. “Knowing that anyone driving by could see you?”

Harry pushes his finger in and slumps forward even more, letting out a loud moan.

Louis takes a deep breath, grips his hands even tighter to the wheel. He’s trying not to get distracted by looking at Harry next to him, can’t afford to crash his fucking car.

He starts breaking the speed limit by the time Harry starts pressing a second finger in, and he makes it home before Harry can even start to press in a third.

He turns off the car and sits in his driveway for two seconds, just trying to breathe normally. It’s extremely hard though, when Harry is right next to him, fucking himself down onto his fingers. Sometimes he feels like Harry does these things on purpose, but then again Louis did instruct him to do this, so probably not.

“Baby,” He says, and soothes a hand down Harry’s back. “Lovely, I need you to stop now, okay? We’re home. I’m gonna take you inside and take care of you, okay?”

He looks over at Louis, easing his fingers out of his hole.

“Harry? You’re okay?”

“Yeah,” He says, and reaches out to grab Louis’ arm, pulling him forward for a kiss.

When Louis pulls away they’re both smiling, and he’s not even bothered that Harry grabbed his jacket with lube covered fingers. He probably had to get this jacket dry cleaned anyway. “It’s actually amazing how lovely you are.” He tells Harry, pushing his curls out of his face. “Let’s go inside, yeah?”

Harry nods. It seems a little ridiculous to put his jeans back on, so he just leaves the car after tugging on his briefs and Louis hopes that the neighbors aren’t being nosy tonight. The coat he’s wearing covers most of his bottom, but Louis isn’t keen on anyone else seeing his boyfriend in his pants, under any circumstances, coat or no coat.

They rush into Louis bedroom as soon as they’re inside, and Louis doesn’t waste any time tugging off Harry’s coat, and getting his shirt off, pushing him onto the bed.

Harry scoots up towards the headboard, and props himself up against the pillows, waiting for Louis to join him.

Louis loves leaving marks on Harry more than anything, and he didn’t really get a chance to at the restaurant, so he uses this time, crawling up Harry’s body, to leave lingering kisses and bruises all over him. He starts with Harry’s thighs, until they’re shaking, then he moves up to his stomach and then his chest. Harry starts making all these small noises after a while, and Louis figures he should probably quit teasing since that’s what he’s been doing for at least the last hour. He feels a little guilty, so he doesn’t stall when he gets Harry’s briefs off and tucks two fingers inside him, just to see how ready he is.

Harry turns his head into his arm and muffles out a moan against his skin, squirming his hips. “I’m ready- so ready, please.”

Louis shushes him, pressing a finger into one of the bruises he left on his hip. “I’ve got you, baby. You’ve been so good for me. I’m gonna take care of you, darling.”

When Louis twists a third finger inside, Harry grinds into them and bites into his own arm, muffling another moan. His cock is so hard, leaking so much precome, and Louis can’t really help himself when he leans forward to lick it away. Harry’s hips jerk up and he whimpers, shooting all the way up his heaving chest.

Louis stares at him slack-jawed.

“Shit-” Harry covers his face with his arm, and squirms around a little bit, whining. “I’m sorry, I didn’t- fuck. Oh my god.”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Louis shushes him and runs a hand from his face down to his chest, rubbing Harry’s come around his torso and sort of staring at it in awe. “God, there’s so much.”

“Are you rubbing it around?” Harry asks. He sounds like he’s about to cry.

“Uh,” Louis nods. “Yeah, I am. Do you wanna taste it?”

Harry scrunches up his nose. “It’s mine.” He looks flushed from his chest up, eyes fluttering closed every few seconds like he’s trying hard to keep them open. Louis is pretty sure Harry is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

“Yeah, I know.” He says back, like he’s really not concerned as to whether Harry wants to try it or not, even though he’s very concerned with it.

“You could.” Harry tells him.

Louis looks up at him, eyes dark still. “Harry, behave.” But, he still brings his come covered fingers up to his lips and licks it off. Harry’s eyes close and he shivers.

He takes a moment to just take in Harry’s body, all lose and relaxed against the bed, before he leans over toward his nightstand and takes out a condom and the bottle of lube he keeps in there. He sets it next to Harry’s hip, like always, and then he runs a finger up the side of Harry’s cock, which hasn’t fully gotten soft yet.

When he wraps his fingers around it, and starts jerking him off, Harry whines and wiggles his hips, like he’s not sure if he wants to get away from it or jerk up into Louis’ fist. He must be so sensitive, Louis knows that.

“Think you can go again?” He asks anyway, even though he knows Harry can; they’ve done it before.

“Yes.” Harry says, but Louis covers his mouth before he can finish.

Harry moans, breathing out of his nose. Louis gives him a nervous look and then shakes it off, gets back into his role. “No talking, alright? Need you to be quiet for me.”

Harry just nods, so Louis releases him.

“Good boy. Ready?”

He blinks, nodding and Louis kisses him, hoping he can relax a little bit.

Harry is so loud when Louis finally pushes in, all but screaming when the head pops past his rim. He’s gripping the sheets and Louis wants to maybe cover his mouth again, but he’s not sure if he’s allowed to. Instead he just lets Harry know that he can touch, and tries to angle his thrusts so he can hit Harry’s prostate every time.

It’s doesn’t take long for Louis’ orgasm to creep up on him and Harry follows shortly after with a shout.

He’s about to leave to get a flannel so he can clean them up, since Harry’s got evidence of two orgasms on his stomach, but Harry brackets Louis in, doesn’t let him leave until he’s got him cuddled against his chest.

“You’re covered in it.” Louis tells him, and Harry just laughs. His voice is so rough.

He nuzzles into Louis’ neck and breathes him in. “Maybe next time I’ll try tasting it, if you taste the eggplant.”

Louis groans, but he actually really likes the sound of that, even if it means he has to eat vegetables. “You animal.”

Harry laughs again, but he sounds incredibly sleepy. “Thank you.”

Louis kisses his hair. “You were so good, I’m proud of you.”

He looks up at Louis now, beaming, his eyes half-lidded. “Yeah?”

“’Course.” Louis tells him.

“You know that thing you did- like, when you, sort of- when you covered my mouth?”

Louis nods, brushes Harry’s hair off of his face when he wrings his hands together against Louis’ chest. “Yeah, was that- was that not okay?”

Harry shakes his head. “No- I, um- I actually liked it, so.” He trails off, scooting closer to Louis and hiding his face again.

Louis kisses his hair and smiles to himself. “Oh. Well, I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

“You should.” Harry says, he sounds less embarrassed now. “You should also go to sleep. How are you still awake?”

“How are you still awake?” Louis counters.

Harry just flops a hand around Louis’ waist and pretends to snore, which turns into him actually sleeping in less than five minutes.

Louis has never been more positive about loving someone.

+

“I love you more than anything in the world.” Louis says. His mirror doesn’t reply, and he feels a bit like an idiot. “That’s not good, too fucking forward.” He slaps a hand to his face. When he looks back in the mirror he frowns. “I love you? God, what the fuck is wrong with me. I love you.” He changes his inflection to something less serious. “Hey, so basically I love you. No. Hi, it’s me. I love you. Shit, what the fuck. I LOVE YOU. No, that’s way too much. I definitely feel like I’m in lov-”

“What are you doing?”

Louis doesn’t scream like a little girl. He doesn’t. “Shit- Zayn, hi.”

He gives him a funny look. “Uh, Harry let us in. Are you ever gonna leave your room?”

Louis shakes his head. “Probably not.” And then he’s pulling Zayn inside and shutting the door again. “I’m freaking out.”

“What’s new?” He rolls his eyes and then realization settles on his features. “Were you just practicing how to say I love you in the mirror?”

Louis nods.

“Oh my god, it’s like we’re in year eight all over again. Sit down.” Louis sits and Zayn continues. “I’m gonna need you to calm down. You’re not gonna tell him tonight, so don’t worry about it yet, yeah?”

“I’m not?”

Zayn shakes him by his shoulders. “You have fucking company and he’s just meeting your friends. You can’t tell him tonight, it’ll be too much.”

“It will?”

He sighs, exasperated. “Just take him on a date and make it seem spontaneous. He’ll be like ‘OMG what??? I love you too!’ and you can ride off into the sunset together, okay?”

Louis thinks this over. It makes sense. “Considering your advice hasn’t steered me wrong yet, I’ll go ahead and take it.”

“Wonderful. Now let’s go out there before Niall steals your boyfriend.”

Louis pouts but leaves his room anyway.

Niall and Harry hit it off like they’ve been friends for ages, and Zayn seems to like him too. Harry makes dinner because he’s really eager to please and nobody tells Liam what they’re doing. Louis is in love with his life, and more importantly he’s in love with Harry. Like, he figured maybe he was before, but now he feels like everything is finally falling into place, and like maybe things could really, really work between them. It’s been quite a while, a few months, and Louis thinks that’s enough time to make up his mind, definitely. They still have a lot of things to talk about, and things to discuss, but for now that’s okay.

As long as Niall doesn’t steal him away, which actually seems like a possibility at this point.

“I should have you to see the family in Ireland! You and Louis can come to visit and we can have Guinness and-”

“Niall,” Louis interrupts and Niall pauses where he’s pouring his beer, but only for a moment. “You haven’t even been back in like two years.”

“I’ve been busy!” He says, and then he laughs. “Hey, Harry. You wanna smoke off with me?”

Zayn snorts from where he’s perched on the couch, playing Fifa. He’s beating the shit out of Louis; his mind is somewhere else entirely.

“Oh, no thank you.” Harry tells him politely. Louis nudges Zayn and gives him a look. Basically he’s trying to prove to Zayn that Harry’s an angel. “I’ve already had a bit to drink, and I don’t- um, I don’t smoke anymore.”

“Suit yourself.” Niall says, and then cuts a glance over to Louis. “Do you mind?”

“Hasn’t stopped you before has it?” Louis teases, not even looking over.

Niall laughs again and flops down right between Louis and Harry practically on Harry’s lap. He’s already had more to drink than all of them combined. Louis is glad that Zayn is driving him home.

He pats Zayn on the leg. “Good luck with ‘im tonight.” And then he’s abandoning the game to put Niall in a headlock.

Harry speaks over Niall’s squawking to ask Zayn, “Oh wait, so you and Niall are together?”

Zayn pauses the game to laugh. “Hardly. I have a girlfriend, and I wouldn’t say Niall is my first choice in blokes. Even if he was, he’s not gay.”

Harry glances over to where Niall’s got his legs around Louis waist and is pinching his nipple, and he gives Zayn and incredulous look.

“Well, not much anyway, despite his habit of accidentally stealing boyfriends.” And with that, Zayn turns his attention back to the game.

Harry’s eyes go wide and he steps in to separate Niall from Louis, bumping Zayn in the process, who curses at them profusely.

“You idiot, Niall’s not gonna steal me away!” Louis shouts, and then he starts tickling Niall who ends up on the floor in a fit of laughter.

Not long after, when Niall’s still on the floor, he lights up a joint and passes it to Louis.

“Thanks.” He says, taking a hit and then passing it to Zayn, who shoos him away.

“I’ve got Perrie waiting for me at the house, and I have to drive this wanker home.” He nudges Niall’s arm with his toe. “Useless, you are.”

Niall giggles, and then takes the joint from Louis.

“Sorry,” Louis whispers, leaning into Harry. “We’re all terrible people.”

Harry laughs and then shakes his head, running his fingers through Louis’ hair. “I like them.” He whispers back.

Louis hums, pushing back into Harry’s touch. “I like you.” He says.

After a few more hits, Niall decides to take the second controller and play against Zayn, shoving Louis to the other side of the couch, and closer to cuddling with Harry. Louis is definitely feeling his high now, although it’s mild enough that he’s not confessing his love to Harry or something. He’s trying to stay on his toes. Cuddling is nice; he likes cuddling.

“You alright?” Harry asks after a while of them just watching Zayn and Niall play, Niall cursing every time he messes up, which is a lot.

Louis nods into his shoulder. “Great.”

“It reeks of weed in here.”

Louis laughs. “I wonder why.” Then he pecks Harry on the cheek just because he can. “Help me get the smell gone tomorrow?”

Harry is agreeing when Niall’s phone rings, clattering against the coffee table.

“Niall, don’t pick it up.” Louis tells him, because he’s high and it could be like, his mum or something. “Whatever you do, don’t-”

Niall picks it up, but doesn’t answer it. “It’s Liam.”

“Niall.” Louis warns again.

“You might as well talk to him.” Zayn was supposed to be the voice of reason in this situation, but clearly he’s only out to ruin Louis’ life. “I’m pretty sure he already knows you’re dating a fugitive.”

“He’s not a fugitive.”

Harry blushes.

“Alright, I’m gonna answer.” Niall says, and Louis is midway into yelling no at him when he puts it up to his ear. “Hello?” He smacks Louis in the face trying to shoo him away.

His phone is turned up so loud he can hear Liam on the other line. “Hey, Niall, where are you?”

He trills his lips and then starts laughing. “Louis’, I’m at Louis’.”

“Oh my god, are you high?” He’s asking now.

“Here’s Louis.” Niall says, fumbling with his phone when he hands it over. Louis doesn’t want to take it but he’s not sure what else he’s supposed to do in this situation.

“Hey, Liam.” Louis answers.

There’s a pause and then, “Why didn’t you invite me?”

“Uh,” Louis looks over to Harry, who looks absolutely gutted and horribly guilty, and averts his eyes from him for the rest of the phone conversation. “It was sort of last minute.”

“Is your boyfriend there?”

Louis winces and tries to hit the button on the side of the phone to turn him down, but his fingers are all fumbly and not cooperative. “Uh, yes.”

“Do you not want me to meet him for some reason?”

“Liam, don’t be like this.” He says, and Zayn sighs.

He doesn’t let up though. “Well, don’t you?”

“Yeah, you’ll meet him eventually. It’s just complicated, alright? Goodnight, Liam.” And then he hangs up on him. He kind of stares at the phone in shock because he never hangs up on Liam. No one hangs up on Liam.

“I think we should listen to music.” Niall suggests when the awkward silence lingers for just a little bit too long. Harry buries his head into Louis’ shoulder and apologizes.

Louis pats his head and tells him it’s alright.

Next thing they know, Niall’s blasting Beyoncé and Zayn is getting up and dancing. Of course Louis and Harry have to get up and dance too, and then Niall is joining them and Harry’s laughing, and Niall has the best ideas when he’s high. All in all, it’s sort of a successful night.

When Niall and Zayn are gone and Louis finally settles into bed with Harry, he feels like he’s coming down from his high and Harry is still giggling about the night and how much fun he had, and how much he likes Louis’ friends.

“Well, please reserve judgment for Liam; he can be kind of a hard ass sometimes.” Louis tells him, and Harry gets quieter, starts picking at the loose seams on Louis’ old shirt.

“Yeah,” He says finally, a little breathless. “I know.”

“Right.” Louis keeps forgetting that he’s already known Liam for quite a while.

Harry is silent for a while, and Louis is sure that he’s fallen asleep until he starts talking. “So, uh- Sorry- if I ruined your friendship with him or whatever.”

Louis shakes his head, runs a finger down Harry’s side. “No, don’t apologize. You’ve not ruined anything, you’re perfect. I’ll deal with that later, alright?”

Harry nods.

“Stop worrying about it, love.” He kisses Harry on the cheek. “We’ll talk about it later.”

Harry looks away and nods again. “It’s just that I know what it’s like to lose friends and I don’t want that to happen to you over me.”

Louis shushes him and shuffles even closer to him under the sheets. “Babe, don’t worry about that, alright?” He wants to tell Harry that his friends would never leave him over something like that and his friends must have been pretty shit, but he doesn’t because it doesn’t seem like that would go over so well.

“You’re right. I don’t know why someone would stop being friends with you over me, since you’re so wonderful and everything.”

“Hey,” Louis turns Harry’s head so he can look at him. “Stop talking like that, you’re wonderful too. I don’t know everything that’s happened to you, but I’m right here with you every step of the way, alright? I know you, and I know that you’re a good person, so if Liam doesn’t think that, then screw him. I mean, we’re best friends so if he doesn’t support me then that would just be the worst, and I wouldn’t want him in my life anyway.”

“Really?” Harry asks, and maybe he’s getting a bit teary, but it’s quite dark in the room and Louis doesn’t want to focus on that.

“Really, really.” He kisses him on the cheek again. “Now, stop worrying about it. Just think about how much fun we had tonight.”

Harry nuzzles into his chest. “Yeah, alright. Thanks, Louis.”

“Of course. I- you know, I-” He wants to say it, but then Zayn said not to. Louis feels it everywhere inside of him, like he's bursting with it, but Zayn has always had good judgment and Louis has always had bad judgment, so he bites his tongue and pulls Harry closer. “I- I think you’re great so.”

Harry smiles into his t-shirt and Louis feels like it’s not enough.  

+

They’re having a proper snog on the couch, celebrating Louis’ day off with Harry’s hands very nearly down the waistband of his pyjamas and dangerously close to his bum, when Louis gets a phone call.

At first he’s annoyed with the fact that he has to literally get off of Harry’s lap to grab his phone that’s all the way on the other side of the room. He doesn’t even look at who’s calling, just answers it with a hand on his hip and frown on his face.

“Hello, Mr. Tomlinson. This is your daughter’s school calling.” Louis’ stomach drops, but the lady on the other line is cheerful enough that he doesn’t think the absolute worst. Still, he starts thinking pretty close to it. “We need you to come down and pick Emma up, if you’re not busy?”

“Is everything alright?” Louis is already running around his house frantically, putting on a coat, and trying to find his shoes.

“Louis, what’s wrong?” Harry’s asking, but Louis doesn’t even know and he’s on the phone so he can’t be bothered to answer. The concern is nice, if not badly timed.

“Nothing to worry about, just a little accident. Maybe bring a change of clothes for her?”

Louis, being the overprotective and worried father he is, starts thinking the absolute worst at that. He thwacks on his shoes, hands shaking. “Oh god, is she hurt or something? Is there like, blood?”

“No, Mr. Tomlinson, nothing like that. It’s nothing to worry about.” She says. “She doesn’t really want me to talk about it, and I can’t leave the room, so I’ll explain when you get here.” Her voice gets progressively quieter, until she’s almost whispering. “We’ll see you soon!” She’s normal volume and all cheery again. “Bye-bye!”

Louis stares at his phone for a few seconds once she hangs up, trying to figure out what must be going on. “Shit- I have to go.” He runs into Emma’s room and grabs the emergency bag there, before coming out and double checking his pockets.

Harry is getting his coat and shoes on as well, following after Louis. “What’s wrong? Who was that?”

He follows Louis outside, where he’s waving his hands violently and trying to hit the button to unlock his car. He keeps locking it, instead. “It was Emma’s school, they want me to go pick her up.”

“Hey,” Harry eases the car keys out of Louis’ hands and softly hits the unlock button for him. “I need you to calm down for me, alright? I’m sure it’s gonna be fine.” He helps Louis into the car and rushes over to get in on the passenger side, in case Louis takes off without him. “What did they say?”

Louis rubs his face with one hand, the other on the steering wheel, as he pulls out of the driveway. “I don’t know- like,” He slams on the gas pedal, goes way faster in a residential area than he should. “I don’t know.”

Harry would drive if he could, but that’s not really an option right now. The best thing he can do is try to calm Louis down. “Babe, it’s alright. I’m sure Emma is fine, right? It’s gonna be okay.”

Louis takes a few calming breaths, but he’s still speeding and now he’s not even talking.

Harry runs a hand through his hair. “Everything is going to be okay.”

They pull onto the main road and Harry is holding on very tightly to the overhead handle, gripping his seatbelt with his other hand.

“So, any chance of you telling me what they said?”

Louis puts on his blinker and switches over to the other lane. “She just said like,” He pauses. “I don’t know, she said I needed to come get Emma.”

“Alright.” Harry’s voice is so calm and soothing right now, but Louis is still speeding. “Anything else?”

Louis brings up a palm to his forehead, trying to think.

“Hey, both hands on the wheel, please.” Harry says, but it’s not aggressive. Louis isn’t sure how he’s being so calm right now.

He doesn’t mention it. “Uh, she said there was an accident.”

“Did she elaborate on that?”

Louis shakes his head, grips his hands on the steering wheel. “She said that Emma didn’t want her to talk about it.”

“Well, maybe it’s just embarrassing.” Harry offers, shrugging. “And she asked you to bring extra clothes?”

Louis nods.

“Lou,” Harry says, and he’s putting a hand on his knee, giving him a soft smile. “I think Emma might have just had a little wee-wee in her pants.”

“Wait, what?”

Harry chuckles. “That’s probably all it is, nothing to be worried about.”

Louis doesn’t stop gripping the steering wheel, and he doesn’t slow down the car. “You think so?”

“Yeah, it sounds like-” Harry’s cut off by the sound of a police siren, and Louis grips the steering wheel tighter if that’s even possible, slowing down just the slightest bit and checking his rearview.

“Shit.” It’s clear that he’s the one in trouble, especially when he slows enough to pull over and the cop doesn’t pass him. Louis pulls to the shoulder, and tries not to have a panic attack or something. “Shit, shit, shit. What if it’s not Liam? What if it is Liam? Shit- fuck. Promise me that you’re not actually a fugitive.” He says to Harry.

“Louis!”

“Sorry, I’m just- my stuff is in the glove box, can you-”

Harry opens the door, and cracks a joke. “Now isn’t the time for lube and condoms, Louis.”

“Fuck you, Harry Styles.” Louis says, and frantically checks his rearview again. The cop is approaching.

“That’s exactly what you shouldn’t be doi-”

“Shut up, I’m actually panicking.” He takes his registration when Harry hands it to him and then gives him another apology. “I’m not-”

Liam, in full uniform, is knocking on his window, interrupting whatever he was going to say. He’s not even sure. “License and registration.” Harry is hiding underneath his jacket.

“Liam.” Louis is sure he must look a mess.

“Are you going to give me an excuse?” He asks.

“Please, I-”

“What? You need to get off with your boyfriend?” His tone is harsh. Louis nearly crumples the paper in his hand. “License and registration.” He repeats.

Louis hands them over and frowns when Liam starts looking them over, like he actually needs to.

“Hi Harry.” He adds and Louis is literally about to reach out of his car and strangle Liam, but he’s pretty sure that would qualify as assaulting a police officer and not just assaulting his best friend for being a dick.

“Oh, hey.” Harry squeaks, like he wasn’t just hiding underneath his jacket.

“Liam, is this really necessary? I have to go get my daughter from school, she’s had like, an accident or something, and-”

“I suppose you’re not really in the right frame of mind to be driving then, are you?”

“Liam-” Louis starts, but he’s cut off by him again.

“I’ll just write you up a ticket and then you and your boyfriend can be on your way, alright?”

Louis is literally this close to choking him. “Liam.” He says, harsher this time, but Liam moves away from his window and goes to his car to write up the ticket.

Once he’s gone, Louis smacks his hand against the steering wheel. “Fuck him honestly, Jesus fucking Christ.”

There’s a little bit of silence after that and Harry taps Louis on the thigh. “Hey, I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Louis is calmer just looking at Harry, which he’s pretty sure says a lot.

“This is sort of my fault, innit?”

Louis shakes his head, puts a hand on Harry’s cheek. “Hush. Liam is just a dick, and I really shouldn’t be speeding anyway. Also Liam is a dick, did I mention that?”

“You did.” Harry bites his lip and then Liam is at Louis’ window again, handing him a yellow piece of paper.

“Don’t forget about your court date next week, Harry.” He says, while Louis just stares at the speeding ticket. He’s completely baffled, really. And then Liam is walking back to his car and driving off.

“To think, like, ten minutes ago we were making out, and now this has turned into the worst day of my life.” Louis says, pressing his head against the steering wheel and tossing his ticket in the back. It doesn’t quite make it, landing on the center console instead. “I can’t believe him right now, on top of everything.”

Harry doesn’t say anything.

Louis looks over to him and he’s just got his jacket draped over his front and his knees pulled up. “Everything okay?”

“I can’t believe he mentioned my court date in front of you. I was going to tell you about that.” He grips onto his jacket and looks out the window.

Louis pulls his car back onto the main road. “Harry, it’s alright. I told you, Liam is just upset and he’s being a shit dick.”

Harry laughs a little bit at that, looks back over to Louis. “I was gonna tell you though, I really was.”

“I know.” Louis says. “I wouldn’t have been upset if you didn’t either.”

“Thanks. We’ll- we can talk about it later, right?”

Louis nods and smiles back. “Yeah, of course we can.”

“I feel like today might still get better, yet.”

Louis laughs and looks away from Harry, biting his lip. He hopes he’s right.

As it turns out, Harry is correct about Emma’s accident. She’s proper embarrassed so Louis doesn’t say much, just takes her into the bathroom to help her get on the change of clothes he brought.

When he gets out, Harry is just standing there awkwardly at the front of the classroom, rocking back on his heels. He’s not usually so timid, would usually be playfully flirting with someone, like the teacher or something. Louis isn’t opposed to his aversion to it, considering that anytime he’s not flirting with someone that isn’t Louis it’s a win. It’s still a bit strange though, like maybe he just feels awkward because he’s just Louis’ boyfriend and not Emma’s second dad.

Louis decides not to bring it up because he’s really not ready for that conversation, especially since he hasn’t even told Harry he loves him yet. It has to be perfect, and then maybe they can segue into the future talk or something, but for now Louis is just trying to get over one hurdle at a time.

Harry is the first one to start talking to Emma when they get in the car though, and Louis thinks something can be said for that. He twists his body so he can have a good look at her and tells her all about the time that he peed his pants in year one and how everyone laughed and he wanted to cry a lot, but instead he just crossed his arms and stood in the same place until his mum came to pick him up.

Louis finds himself smiling a long, and the only time Harry turns around is to tell Louis to turn on a different road than the one that takes them home.

“I think we’d really just like to go home, Harry.”

“Well, you see,” He looks back at Emma and then leans in to whisper in Louis’ ear. “I was thinking we could go to the zoo.”

“The zoo?” Louis whispers back, confused and surprised. He turns on the road anyway.

“Why are you hiding secrets, Daddy?” Emma asks from the back and Harry tries to hold in a laugh.

He turns back around to talk to her. Louis loves the way he puts in the extra effort to look at her while they’re talking instead of just addressing her in the rearview mirror. It’s endlessly adorable and super sweet. Louis is swooning. “No secrets. It’s a surprise.”

Of course Louis gets on board with it easily, he’s sure Harry knew he would. He’s got the day off and everyone really needs a good cheering up. Anyway, it’s not like it’s a huge blow to his wallet and he’s never been able to turn down a sort of date with Harry, so the zoo it is, no matter how absurd it might be.  Everything is a bit absurd with Harry.

Emma is enjoying herself, the beginning of the day almost completely forgotten, especially with the prospect of seeing the giraffes and elephants in her near future. It’s amazing how easy it is to fix a bad day. Louis figures if they stop for ice cream everything will be behind her in an instant.

It’s not as easy for him to forget the fact that he has to pay off a speeding ticket and also deal with his sort of, maybe falling out with Liam, but with Harry’s arm around his shoulders and all their laughter mixing in and the sunshine shining on his face, he feels like maybe he’s starting to.

He’s in love with today, and he’s in love with everything else. He’s in love with every day as long as Harry is in it.

It’s no surprise that Emma has been running ahead of the two of them almost all day, shouting out all the names of the animals when she sees them and asking Louis silly questions that Harry gives most of the answers to because Louis is too busy smiling his face off and being an idiot who suddenly doesn’t know a thing about animals. Technically Harry doesn’t seem to know much either; he makes a lot of it up. It works though. They work.

He kind of gets a bit thrown off though towards the end of the day, and it was really bound to happen eventually. It’s just that Emma has gotten so close to Harry in the past few months that she treats him like family and it gives Louis a lot of mixed feelings.

It’s when they’re watching the flamingos and she turns to Harry this time, asking him why they stand up on one leg.

“It’s so they can dry their feet one at a time.” He comes up with and Emma just beams at him like he’s given her all the secrets to the world and Harry stares at the flamingos like they’re the cutest things he’s ever seen. Louis tries not to be too indignant because he’s quite cute too, or pretty or whatever, but he’s kind of derailed from that train of thought when Emma laughs and pokes Harry in the arm.

“You’re so smart, Papa!” And then she’s heading towards the aquarium part of the park.

Louis feels a bit dizzy.

Harry smiles after her and gets up from where he was kneeling on the ground, falling in step with Louis. “She really likes calling me that, huh?” he asks.

Louis shrugs. “Uh, yeah I guess. I’m sorry, I know that it’s- like, it must be like a-”

“Hey, don’t do that. I like it, yeah?” And then he’s slipping his fingers into Louis’ and it’s like a fairytale or something equally as cheesy and Louis just smiles at him.

“You do?”

“Yeah, of course I do.”

“Just-” Louis doesn’t know why he’s having this conversation right now, he wasn’t supposed to be. “Inside the school earlier, you seemed a bit out of place.”

Harry chuckles. “Well, I felt like that. I mean, I’m not used to it yet obviously, but I do think about-” He clears his throat. Emma is still far enough ahead of them that she won’t be nosily listening, with her face pressed up against the glass exhibits. “Like, I sort of- like, I think about it sometimes, you know? The whole- uh, the future thing. Kids. Stuff like that.”

“Oh.” His chest is going to explode probably. “Yeah, that’s- I think about that too obviously. I mean I-” Now would be a perfect time to say it, Harry’s probably waiting for it anyway and it’s about time. Louis knows that, knows he can’t put it off forever and think that it’s okay. “It would be good, because I- like, I just- I think you’re great.”

Harry nods slowly. “You think I’m great.” He repeats and it sounds a little dry.

“Yeah, I think you’re really great.” Louis says softly, maybe a little too soft, like maybe if he says it with enough feeling Harry will get the point.

“Great enough to get ice cream with?”

Louis lets himself laugh and lean into Harry, and bury his face into his arm. “Yes, probably for the rest of my life.”

The way Harry smiles down at him and laughs softly makes Louis pretty sure that he knows. Harry has to know. “Excellent.” He says, and his voice has gotten softer too, like they’re being courteous to the fish or something. “Would you like to go see the penguins after that?”

“I would very much like to go see the penguins after that.” And ridiculously enough, it sounds like a promise.

+

Liam doesn’t talk to him for a while and things get a bit tense, so it’s quite a surprise when Liam shows up at his door bearing peace offerings. His baking is worse than Sophia’s, which is quite bad, and Louis is so used to Harry baking that the few burnt cookies at the bottom of the dish look a lot worse than they probably should. Louis eyes them suspiciously.

“They look a lot worse than they actually are.” He tries and Louis gives him an unsure smile. “Well, okay. They’re shit, but I thought I’d try anyway.”

“You’re competing with Harry, mate, and I like him a lot better than you right now.” Louis almost immediately takes it back until Liam chuckles and it feels like maybe things will get better, so he invites Liam inside.

“Harry bakes?”

Louis shrugs. “When he’s stressed out. Like before court dates and drug tests and stuff.”

Liam is about to say something after that when Emma comes out from the living room and hugs him around the legs. He smiles and he picks her up, poking her in the cheek. “Hey, little one. Causing any trouble lately?”

She shakes her head and then reaches out for the container in Liam’s hands. “What’s that?”

“Trash.” Liam says, not hesitating. They drift over towards the kitchen and Liam sets it on the counter, gives Louis a small smile and then sets Emma to sit on the counter as well. “How’s school?” He asks.

“It’s almost Easter break! I get to go shopping for pretty dresses, Daddy said.”

“Did he now?” Louis asks just to mess around and she gets all pouty and reminds him that, yes in fact, he did.

Liam nods along like it’s the most interesting thing he’s ever heard and then he turns to Louis. “I’ve gotta get going, Sophia wants me to dig up the garden again.” He pauses. “But anyway, I just came over to tell you that I took care of that ticket. It wasn’t right of me to give you that just because I was angry. You had a good reason for, you know.” He glances over to Emma who’s listening but looking confused and a bit bored, and she starts opening the cookie container. “So, I was just upset you didn’t tell me, or like, ask about him or something. I put it behind me though, because I figured where you were coming from and I just came over to apologize, make sure we’re square.”

“EW!” Emma shouts, spitting the burnt cookie back into the counter and Louis laughs, grabbing a paper towel and wiping her mouth.

“It’s alright, mate. It’s been behind me for a while, I was just waiting for you to come around I guess.” He picks up the container and starts washing it up in the sink. “I’m happy and I need you to know that.” He glances behind him and Liam nods. “I wasn’t too upset though; figured it was about time I got a speeding ticket finally.” He dries off the container then and hands it back to Liam. “We’re square then.”

“You don’t have to worry about the ticket.” Liam tells him again.

“I know Liam, you told me.” He teases and then Liam finally rolls his eyes and Louis thinks maybe it’ll go back to normal then. “And, Harry’s sound, right?”

“’Course he is. He’s changed a lot, I think, especially in the last few months. I actually see him a lot- you know, outside of seeing you, and he kind of told me I should apologize to you. He really loves you- so.”

Louis kind of freezes and eyes Liam suspiciously. “Did he- did he say that?”

He shrugs. “No, I guess I could just tell, the way he talked about you.”

Louis nods and then worries at his lip, trying to figure out what that means. Harry hasn’t said it but apparently it’s obvious, just not to Louis apparently.

“Why, has he not said it?” Liam asks curiously and Louis waves his hand around like it’s not a big deal.

“Alright, go on home, you’ve done enough damage for one day.” He starts rushing Liam out of the house.

Liam is protesting, asking questions and Louis is just laughing at him awkwardly, trying to avoid it. He’s not strong enough to push Liam out of his house.

“I’ll go home and stop asking questions if you give me a hug.” Liam finally says and opens his arms.

Louis gives him one halfheartedly and Liam laughs, squeezing him until he feels like he can’t breathe.

Things are better and Louis smiles the rest of the day.

+

It happens on the way home from picking Emma up, just before the spring break, and she’s asleep in the back of the car. Harry is drumming on the dashboard of the car, singing along to some acoustic songs playing out from his iPod on the lowest volume.

Louis’ heart feels a little too big for his chest.

“Hey, do you want to meet my family during the break?” He asks, breaking the silence and Harry is a bit broken out of his trance, looking over to Louis a bit surprised.

“Really?”

“Uh, yeah. I want you to meet my mum.” Louis knows it might be endlessly embarrassing for Harry to meet his family, but he does really want him to meet them anyway.

Harry smiles brightly at him for a while and then turns his head to look out the window again.

Louis feels a little like he’s going to die if he doesn’t say it out loud right now, and he’s pretty sure he’s stopped following Zayn’s advice a long time ago, and he knows it’s not the most romantic moment, but he thinks it’ll probably be better that way.

“I love you.” He blurts out, and he imagines him and Harry driving Emma home from school together every day and telling each other whenever they get a chance.

“Say again?” Harry asks, looking over at Louis with wide eyes.

“Um- I love you?”

Harry bites his lip, and he has that stupid little sparkle in his eyes that Louis loves so much. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He confirms.

Harry leans back against the seat. “Oh, thank god. I was starting to think you didn’t because you kept saying I was just ‘great’ all the time.” He chuckles and then looks back over to Louis again.

Louis pulls his car to the side of the road even though they’re almost home and leans over to kiss Harry for all he’s worth. “You are great, but I also love you. A lot.”

“If it wasn’t obvious I love you too.” Harry says and kisses him back.