Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

With the high price of his rent, Louis can’t afford a car. That’s why he’s skating on the uneven cement sidewalks to a casting with a backpack hung on his shoulder. He nearly dies trying to obviate injuring pedestrians. He gets so many glares from the people he passes but he doesn’t have the time to feel bad for being a dick on a skateboard, he’s trying to survive in this city.

He kicks up his board, holding it in a hand, before he steps into the building, finding boys already crowding up in the halls. He shoots death stares at the familiar, rude straight boys he’s encountered in the past. He looks around at all the queuing males but is disappointed. The thing no one realizes is that almost all male models are straight. After he signs in, he props his board against the wall before leaning his back against it. He pulls out his phone and starts playing an app to pass time.

It’s been twenty minutes without his name being called and Louis is tired of the app he’s playing. He stuffs his phone back into his jeans and looks around the hall again. That’s when he takes notice of a boy he’s never seen before at a casting call or in magazines sitting on the dark green couch in front of him. Louis wonders why he isn’t in every magazine yet. He’s wearing a really cute lilac knit sweater with tight black jeans. His dark, curly hair is held back by a headband, still tickling his cheeks because it’s long and he’s hunched over to look at his phone. And even though Louis hates when people think he’s gay just because of what he wears, he thinks that this boy might be gay. He’s going to find out.

He grabs his skateboard and walks over before sitting on the couch next to him, setting his bag down by their feet. The boy hardly acknowledges him, which slightly annoys Louis because he is a firm believer that he deserves attention. But he’s also no wimp when it comes to cute boys. He’ll win this war. He leans forward and clears his throat before saying, “Hey, I’ve never seen you around. First audition?”

The curly-haired stranger seems surprised as his eyes flicker at Louis then back at his phone. He puts down his mobile and turns to face him. “Uh, not my first,” he replies with an accent that tells Louis that he’s not from America either. This excites him a bit. “Just haven’t really been in this scene that much.”

“Well, good. A lot of boys here are… twats,” Louis replies with a chuckle. He extends a hand.“I’m Louis. What’s your name?”

“Harry, I’m Harry,” He says, taking Louis’s smaller hand into his and shaking it. “So gossip to me about some of these twatty boys, yeah?”

Louis snorts as he leans back and discreetly searches for a boy he’s had some history with. He brings his lips close to Harry’s ear and whispers, “The boy over there in the dark blue Burberry coat. His name is Claude. Incredibly rude. I blew him in a club bathroom after he was begging for me all night, and then he ignored me for like two weeks. He then texted me to apologize because he was on vacation with his new girlfriend.”

“Hate when guys do that,” Harry mutters. “You suck their dick and they try to forget about their gay foray because they enjoyed it way too much.”

“Know the feeling then?” Louis asks. Harry smiles at him and nods. Louis’s about to ask him out but he’s cut off by Harry’s name being called. “Go get ‘em, mate.”

Harry shoots him another smile. Goddamn that smile. He stands up and uses his long legs to walk himself into the audition room. Louis sighs, lonely, as he sinks back into the couch. He pulls out his phone and plays the same stupid app as he waits. Louis wonders how high he must’ve been to have chosen to pursue modeling. He absolutely loathes casting calls.

Harry steps out just as Louis’s name is called. But Louis won’t waste the casting directors’ time for some boy. This is survival and he’s not going to risk it over a possible mate. If it’s meant to be, Harry will also want him and hopefully stick around for a few minutes while Louis has his go. Louis hands his book to the casting directors, takes a few photos, then exits.

Unfortunately, the dark green couch is missing a lovely looking boy.

Louis sighs and leaves the building. He wonders if he’ll ever see Harry again. But he reminds himself that if he doesn’t, that’s okay. He’ll find someone cool to hang out with all the time eventually. So he skates home to his tiny flat feeling undefeated even though he hadn’t even gotten the boy’s number. Like fuck, he was the first gay guy Louis’s met in months that he’s been attracted to. He’s fucked up but he’s not defeated.

Louis unlocks the door to his apartment and flips on the lights. He leaves his skateboard by the door and makes a b-line for the living area. He sets his apartment key and backpack down on the coffee table and sits back on his old sofa that’s close to falling apart, just like he is. He sits in silence and looks around his empty apartment. His tiny flat consists of a couch with a telly and table in front of it (Louis calls this the living room), a kitchenette, his bedroom, and an en suite.

As Louis lights his weed, he considers getting a cat to keep him company. But he figures that would be a bad idea. He can barely support himself with his career. He’d probably die for the reason that Louis would devote himself to the animal and its wellbeing before his.

—

When Louis steps out of the shower, his phone buzzes from where it sits on the bed. He runs the towel through his hair a few more times before setting it down on the sink and walking out of the en suite naked. He picks up his phone and finds a message from his friend, Zayn. He unlocks his phone and skims through the text, already knowing it’s an invitation to a party. He quickly sends him a text back to thank him for the invite and continues getting ready for the day.

Louis pulls on the black Louis Vuitton coat he splurged on last year when he had a bit of money left from a fashion week. Louis isn’t too impressed by LV but he’s slightly fond of the name. He straightens out his white t-shirt, pockets his mobile in his black jeans, and loosely wraps a burgundy scarf around his neck. Before he leaves, he sits down on his couch with his Macbook in his lap and quickly scrolls through Tumblr. He checks how he looks in the camera, and since he looks extremely good, he takes a picture or two and posts them on his blog. He shuts his laptop and steps out of the apartment with his skateboard in his hand and backpack slung on his shoulder.

He gets buzzed in and meets Zayn at his door. “Yo,” the dark-haired boy says as he widens the entrance to let Louis in. He’s wearing a robe over his shirt and boxer shorts, and he still looks good enough to walk down every runway. Louis would hate him if he wasn’t so nice. “Let me get dressed and we can go do something before the party…”

He leaves Louis in the living room. Louis’s eyes wander around his flat. Zayn’s apartment isn’t much bigger than his but it gives a feeling that it is. The floor creaks under his feet as he shifts his weight back and forth. It’s a few minutes before Zayn steps out in jeans, a graphic t-shirt, and a hoodie. He’s gorgeous. “Ready?” Louis asks. Zayn nods as he grabs his own skateboard with a deck that he designed himself.

Zayn needs groceries so naturally, they go to Whole Foods. Louis fixes his skateboard onto his backpack to have another free hand. Louis is still intrigued by the orange and purple cauliflower. Zayn has to drag him away from the colorful vegetables. “To speed this up, can you pick out some things for me? I’ll buy you a slice of pizza,” Zayn says. Louis nods. Zayn tells him a list of things he’s never heard of because, honestly, Louis is a simple man and doesn’t worry himself over things like kale or chia seeds. Whatever the fuck that is.

He skips through the store, occasionally being distracted by strange looking cheese. He has a basket of the aforementioned kale and chia seeds. He stops by a sample table and eats a few strawberry slices before continuing to browse the fruits. He’s staring at the bananas from afar, comparing them to the dicks of all the straight boys he’s been fucked by. He’s brought out of his bubble by hands interrupting his sight of the yellow fruit. Large hands that Louis’s had around one of his. It’s Harry.

Louis tries to pretend that he’s casually looking over all the fruits before bumping into him. “Louis!” Harry says with a bright smile. “Hey, mate.”

“Harry, yo, what’s up?” Louis asks.

“I’m just picking up some bananas. Need my potassium,” Harry answers, wiggling the bananas in front of Louis face. “I’m also getting stuff to bake a cake for a birthday party later.”

“That’s cool. You bake?”

“Yeah, I work in a bakery to help pay rent,” he replies with a cheeky smile as he places his bananas in his basket. “What are you doing?”

“Helping my friend, Zayn, pick up some groceries. Do you know what kale is?” He says, receiving a snort from Harry as he nods. “Don’t patronize me. The only greens I’m familiar with are weed and the spinach I sometimes put on pizza.”

Harry laughs, a little too loudly in Louis’s opinion because it wasn’t that funny. But it makes him feel warm nonetheless. Harry is about to say something, but Zayn, with his perfect timing, walks up to them. “Done, Louis?” He asks. It takes a lot for Louis not to elbow him in the stomach. “Who’s this?”

Harry smiles as he extends a hand. “I’m Harry,” He says. “And you are?”

“Zayn.”

“I think I’ve seen you in magazines and fashion shows before,” Harry says. And maybe Louis is childish for being annoyed that Harry’s attention isn’t on him. But he really doesn’t want the boy to figure out how cool Zayn is. He’ll probably kill Zayn if he wins Harry over. He already has a boyfriend!

Besides being gorgeous and cool, Zayn’s intelligent and realizes that Louis is trying to get at this boy. So he starts to back off. “I’ll take those,” Zayn mumbles as he takes the items from Louis’s basket. “Anyway, I’m going to start queuing. Nice to meet you, Harry.”

Then they’re alone again. But now Louis panics because he doesn’t know what to say. “I… Uh, I should be going with him now. He owes me a slice of pizza,” Louis stutters like an idiot. As he turns to leave, Harry stops him.

“You should give me your number… Or let me put mine in your mobile,” Harry says as red begins to creep up on his cheeks. “You seem nice.”

Louis pulls his phone out of his pocket so fast, he almost loses his grip and flings it across the store. He’s so glad his hand isn’t trembling with dumb excitement as he hands his mobile over to Harry. He watches Harry as he types in his number then takes a photo of his bananas. The green-eyed boy returns his phone and Louis sees that his contact photo is his bundle of bananas. He cracks a smile and looks up at Harry, who begins to giggle. “You’re so weird,” Louis comments before sighing. “I should go now. It was nice seeing you.”

“Yeah. You too. Make sure to text me,” Harry replies. Louis gives him another smile and is off. He finds Zayn paying for his groceries and scoots up next to him.

“You like him, Lou?” Zayn asks with a smirk.

“I barely know him,” Louis scoffs.

“Okay. But do you like him?”

“Yeah. He’s a proper weirdo and fit.” Zayn smiles and rolls his eyes.

Liam opens the door to Zayn and Louis, immediately pulling the dark-haired boy into a side hug and kiss. “Happy birthday, babe,” Zayn says, gently rubbing their scruff together. Louis absolutely loathes how cute they are.

After Louis and Liam hug, the blue-eyed boy makes his way to the drinks. Liam’s apartment is dingy with gross mold in certain corners and visible pipes near the ceiling. But with the balloons, lights, and people, the combination creates quite a pleasing aesthetic. He pulls off a red cup from the stack on the counter and looks around the plethora of drinks before deciding on some vodka and lemonade. “You’re doing this?” Louis hears someone shout loudly from the kitchen. His curiosity makes him move towards the room. And fuck New York, honestly. He finds Harry there in the kitchen.

He watches the green-eyed boy stare at his blond friend incredulously before he grabs the nearby bottle of tequila and pours some over the messy plate of nachos in front (Louis swears that something on the plate had been alive minutes before). “Get in!” Harry shouts, pushing Niall in front of him. And even though it’s disgusting, Louis can’t look away as Harry’s face lights up, watching his friend grab a handful of soggy nachos and shovel it into his mouth. He laughs as Niall’s face scrunches up in distaste, looking around the kitchen at their onlookers. He catches Louis and replaces his laughter with a smug smile. Louis raises his cup at him before exiting the kitchen.

Louis takes a seat next to Liam and Zayn on the living room couch. Liam has his boyfriend in his lap, snogging the life out of him, as they wait for the bowl to come around again.They’re disgusting, and Louis wants to be disgusting with someone else too. Maybe God is answering him or just being a fucking tease, but Harry bounds into the living room, hand on his stomach as he finishes laughing. He looks around the room, searching for a familiar face, before his gaze lands on Louis and he stumbles over.

He crashes onto the couch and presses the side of his head into Louis’s collarbone, still giggling. “Niall— He puked it up,” Harry say, resulting in more laughs bubbling out of his throat. Louis snorts before bringing his cup to his mouth. His heart in beating out of his chest and he wonders if Harry can hear it. He really can’t handle having a cute, drunk boy almost on his lap. Harry sighs happily and looks at Louis, smiling the same smile from earlier. “How are you?”

“Grand,” Louis answers, trying to look chilled out. But even if Harry can see through his façade, he doesn’t draw any attention to it.

“I never took New York to be small,” Harry says. “But here we are together again after just a few hours. It must be a sign.”

It must be the alcohol talking. And possibly weed, considering that the scent is everywhere. Louis shudders at the image of him shotgunning with Harry, smoke barely curling around his pink and plump lips. He’s tempted to search for the nearest blunt just to share the smoke with Harry. “It could be,” Louis finally replies, shaking his head to wipe away that visual. “I think models are just magnetic, drawn to each other and whatnot.”

“Magnet models?” Harry hums in interest. “So are we opposites that attract then?”

Louis can’t fucking believe how faded Harry must be to talk cheesy shit like this. He shrugs a shoulder and lets out a tense giggle. He doesn’t know where his confidence has gone to. Maybe Harry’s taken all of it.

He’s too forward. That’s what’s making Louis feel out of his element. He’s good at flirting, teasing, and bantering. He’s good at all of these, starting off subtle and slowly building up to the “Want to go out some time?” But Harry has just dove in. Louis finds him cute, physically and personality wise. He just needs more time before he can give himself away. He needs the chase.

The giggly boy stays at his side even when everyone is rounded up for cake. “How do you know Liam?” Louis asks, gently bumping bodies with the surrounding people. Harry grabs a large lock of his hair and throws his back.

“Niall knows him. Niall is like a DJ. He sees Liam a lot at clubs and stuff,” Harry explains, some of his words blending together. “I was his plus one. And I made Liam a cake and some brownies.”

Louis looks at the kitchen counter and sees three cakes. “A cake? Which one?” He asks, still looking over the three cakes. He can’t even guess, they’re all nicely made.

“The one with him and Zayn on it,” Harry answers with a point. Louis chuckles at the picture of them, surrounding by icing hearts. “It’s red velvet… and has ice cream inside.”

Louis hums with a nod. “I’ll make sure to get a piece of that,” he says.

“As long as I get a piece of you eventually,” Harry giggles, dimples deep. He gently pokes at the blush blossoming on Louis’s cheeks. “Eventually,” he repeats. Louis needs more alcohol if he’s going to go through these hot, inappropriate comments without squirming in his skin. Harry’s about to speak again when Zayn interrupts them, the whole room actually, as he starts the first syllable of Happy Birthday.

“You’re closer to death, lad!” Louis shouts near the end of the song, receiving a glare from both Liam and Zayn. He places a hand on his chest as he laughs. Harry joins him in laughing, taking a loose grip of Louis’s shoulder as he hunches over to guffaw. Louis brings his arm around Harry’s waist and pats his chest. “Calm down, mate,” he says with a large smile.

The party falls into a lull as people start to choose and eat slices of cake. Louis gets a slice of cake with Zayn’s lips on it. “You can kiss his frosting lips,” Harry mumbles as he eats his own slice. They’ve both returned to the couch.  

“Bet you wish they were yours though,” Louis replies with a smirk, finally cutting through the cake and the frozen middle layer. Once he has a proper corner of the cake on his fork, he stuffs it in his mouth, immediately moaning around the creamy, vanilla ice cream and delicious red velvet. “Good job, mate. Fucking hell.”

Louis scarfs down the cake, only stopping to chew and recover from brain freezes. Harry watches on, sitting back on the couch with a proud smile on his face. “You like it then?” He asks. Louis places his empty plate down on the coffee table and nods. “I’m glad.”

“I knew you were a baker and all, but fuck, I’m still surprised,” Louis adds.

“I’ll bake you some stuff… Just for you.”

“Oh, please don’t. I’ll be out of work because of the weight I’ll gain,” Louis chuckles as he leans back against the couch, finally being at the right level with Harry.

Harry shrugs. “Don’t see how weight would bring you down. You’re so…,” Harry trails off.

“What?”

“Beautiful,” He finishes then quickly sits up to grab a cold beer from the ice chest on top of the table. Louis’s cheeks turn hot behind him.

Louis is a model and has been called every word synonymous with sexy. But being called beautiful by a boy who’s tenfold more beautiful than him makes him feel like his ribs are made of glow sticks, snapping away and lighting up with beautiful colors inside of him. He wants to slap himself for feeling so enamored by this person who’s only existed to him for about five days.

Harry settles against the back of the sofa again with his bottle in between his lips, gulping down the beer. “…Did you ever get a call back?” Louis asks.

“For what?” Harry says, raising an eyebrow.

“For the casting call… The one we met at,” he clarifies, bring one of his ankles under his bum and sitting on it.

“Oh. That,” Harry takes another sip as he tries to remember. “Yeah. Yes, I did.”

“Oh, me too.” Harry looks up at him and smiles with the bottle pressed to his lips. Louis gets a few pictures in his head, replacing the bottle. He clears his throat. “I’m always scared that I won’t fit their ideal model type because I’m too small.”

Harry places his beer down on the coffee table and copies Louis’s sitting position. His eyes are twinkling as he stares at Louis. “You are very small,” He replies. “But they’d be the stupidest fucks alive if they didn’t use that as an asset.”

Louis could rise just a bit and kiss Harry if he wanted to. He would ask first, of course, since he never really liked feeling like he stole a kiss. “What do you mean?”

“S’fucking adorable,” Harry giggles.

It’s not the alcohol Louis feels burning in his stomach. He lets out a breathy laugh and tries to stop his head from feeling so fuzzy with compliments. “Where are you from?” Louis blurts out, trying to take their conversation somewhere else without ending it.

Harry tilts his head to the side a little, eyes slightly suspicious, before he hums. “I’m from Holmes Chapel, Cheshire,” Harry answers. “What about you?”

“Doncaster, Yorkshire,” He replies, feeling a little dizzy over how close he and Harry used to live. Now they’re both in New York, trying to follow the same stupid career. Harry’s smart though, having a job on the side. Louis doesn’t know how he’s made it this far. “I want… I want to talk to you more. But it’s getting louder in here.”

“We could go somewhere else,” Harry says.

They end up in Liam’s room, which had been locked with a key the entire night. Louis had to ask and assure him that he wasn’t going to shag anyone in his bed. It took some convincing, considering Louis’s history with boys, but the little pout did Liam in and he handed over the key. “When did you move to New York?” Louis asks, stretching his arms above his head.

“About four months ago,” Harry answers from where he lays on Liam’s bed. “I moved from California. I was there for about two years.”

“Wow,” Louis says as he slides onto the bed next to Harry, keeping distance between them. He promised Liam nothing funny would happen in his bed. “What were you in California for?”

“Um,” Harry bites his lips. Louis feels regret fill his stomach, seeing Harry leave the eased state he was just in. “I… I had met my ex-boyfriend in Cheshire when I was eighteen. We were together for two years when he needed to move away to California for work, and I went along because I was sure he was the one. Then I don’t know. We just sort of… fell out of love after two years in America. But I think he found someone else.”

“Shit, sorry for asking.”

“S’okay since the cutest boy on this planet is asking,” Harry replies as he lifts his neck to drink from his bottle without choking.

“That’s such a false statement,” Louis says, laughing at the cheesiness.

“Right,” Harry agrees. “In the entire universe is what I meant to say. My apologies.”

Louis really, really wants to keep him. They continue to talk about their pasts, mostly the good things. Harry needs to level up before he gets a ‘painful’ backstory out of Louis. As time goes on, the more beer fills their bellies and the closer they get.

When the party’s ended, Liam bursts through the door to find Louis with Harry’s head in his lap, poking at his face as he tries to tell a story. “Mates, you staying the night?” He asks the drunk boys on his bed. Harry puts a thumb in the air, making Louis giggle at him, all high and squinty-eyed. He looks away from Liam and turns his attention to the giggling Louis and joins him. “Alright, but you’re not sleeping in my bed. Couches are free.”

Louis drags one of Liam’s blankets behind him to the couches outside, trying to keep his eyelids open to save himself from stubbing a toe. He lands on the couch, face pressed into the cushion and sighs tiredly. He hears footfalls behind him, the floorboards creaking lightly, before hearing the springs of the other couch straining. Louis lifts his head to see the large mass of cute boy in the other couch, curled in on himself. He sees Harry’s eyes pop open in the gentle fairy light glow. “Are you staring at me?” He asks.

“No,” Louis answers with a smile. Harry shuts his eyes as he snuggles himself deeper into the couch, dimples on display.

“Good… Otherwise, I would’ve told Liam you’re creeping me out,” Harry says.

“Oh, I’m the creep? Says the bloke who was chatting me up all night.”

“Maybe I wasn’t,” but the smile in his voice really gives it away. “Maybe that’s just your ego making you think that.”

“You called me beautiful.”

Harry falls silent for a minute, and Louis thinks he’s fallen asleep until he starts giggling. “Okay. I won’t deny that,” The long-haired boy says as he turns onto his side to get a better look at Louis. “Was really glad you talked to me during that wait. I waited for you after you went in, but I was told to leave because it was getting packed.”

Louis’s stomach warms up at this. “You did?”

“Yeah. So I was fucking ecstatic when you bumped into me in Whole Foods, which wasn’t an accident, right?” Harry smirks.

“Maybe,” Louis answers, voice small, cheeks turning hot.

“Okay,” Harry replies before he pulls his sheet up to his shoulders and shuts his eyes. “Goodnight.”

—

Louis’s glad that his head only throbs for a few minutes after he wakes up before subsiding into a gentle headache. He scrunches his nose at the smell of frying eggs. “God, who’s cooking eggs?” He calls out as he rises from the couch. He turns and finds Harry standing at the stove, Zayn and Liam sitting at the kitchen counter.

“Me. Do you want some?” Harry asks as he slides one into Liam’s plate.

“No, I’m going to chunder all over the floor,” Louis groans.

Harry gasps. “Maybe you’re pregnant,” Harry says before clicking his tongue. “Getting pregnant after a party,” he shakes his head indignantly, “Never took you as that kind of girl.”

Louis is about to retort when Harry shuts off the stove flame. He hums, pleased, as Harry takes the pan to the sink. “How’d you sleep?” Liam asks.

“Well, Liam, babe, this curly-haired one kept talking in his sleep,” Louis says, tilting his head to the smiling boy washing the dishes. “And that sounds cute in theory but is pretty fucking terrifying. Other than that, it was great. Couch is comfortable, as always.”

Zayn chuckles before pressing his lips to Liam’s cheek. Harry puts everything on the dish rack and dries his hand on the flannel hanging on the oven handle. “Wait, let me add to this conversation. Louis, you giggle in your sleep,” Harry informs him. Louis squints at him. “Proper giggle.”

“I do not,” he hisses. “You have no proof I do.”

“Well, you have no proof that I talk in mine,” he replies. He looks over at Liam and Zayn. “Anyway, I should be going now. I have to get to work.”

“Bye, Harry!” Liam calls out as the green-eyed boy grabs his keys out of the dish on the entertainment system.

“Bye!” Harry says as he opens the front door. “There are still brownies from last night in the fridge, Lou. Sorry for not making you breakfast.”

The door shuts, and Louis stares at it for a few moments before turning his eyes to Liam and Zayn, who are staring at him. “You fancy him,” Liam says. Louis smacks his arm.

“Not very christian of you to lie like that, Liam,” Louis replies. “What would God think?”

“I don’t even—”

“That’s what I thought.”

“He fancies you too,” Zayn mumbles as he pokes at Liam’s eggs. Liam nods with his eyes wide.

Skating home, he takes a different route and gets distracted by a pet store. He decides to take a little peek. He holds his board in his hand as he walks to the large cage in the center, holding four kittens. He squats and sticks his finger through a gap to gently stroke a calico kitty, watching it turn its attention to him and squeak out a meow. Louis sighs at how cute it is and how badly he wants one and can’t have one. He quickly snaps a picture of the kitten and straightens out his legs. He leaves $5 in the donation jar at the counter and leaves, glancing over his shoulder at the small kitten.

He takes a shower as soon as he gets home, a trail of clothing from his front door to bathroom. The steam opens up his pores and he washes away the dirt, sweat, and alcohol.

He pats his face dry before wrapping his towel around his hips. He walks into his living room and turns on the TV just to have some noise going. He goes over to his fridge and takes out the ingredients to make a quick ham and cheese sandwich. His life is so pitiful.

Sandwich in hand, he walks over to his couch and takes a seat. He picks up his phone from the table with his other hand. He finds a text message from Harry.

Don’t go too crazy with those brownies or else no one will be able to bring you back down from the clouds ;) x

He wonders if Zayn or Liam told him that he took some home in tupperware. And then he wonders how Harry got his number. He hadn’t texted him before. But then it turns out he did and didn’t.

The blue bubble above Harry’s recent text is from last night that he knows he didn’t type and reads:

I personaally lov e your flat white arse!!!

He giggles.

Is there an illegal substance in these brownies, Curly ? Have you drugged me ?

He finishes his sandwich and grabs his backpack from where it slumps against the couch. He pulls out the brownie-filled tupperware. He breaks off a soft corner and puts it in his mouth. His phone vibrates.

Legal is some states… And I don’t know, have I?

No ;P Took one bite of them, tasted like arse so I stopped eating. I had high hopes, considering your cake. So heartbroken.

I think you’re lying. Everyone loves my edibles. And I wouldn’t take you as the type to be turned off by things that taste like arse. xx

Louis feels his cheeks and stomach heat up. But it isn’t just warmth in his stomach. It’s pulling at something inside of him. He reads over the message again and again, imagining himself eating Harry and being eaten by Harry. He bets Harry has the nicest looking hole and an incredible scent. He bets Harry has a strong tongue and wet mouth. He exhales sharply and hesitates before undoing his towel.

His phone vibrates just as he comes all over his stomach. His breaths are ragged as he reaches for his phone and sees it’s Harry again. He realizes he didn’t reply.

(Was that too far? Sorry. x)

No. Was busy is all. You’re right btw but I prefer my brownies to taste like brownies. Let’s leave arse to taste like arse.

He texts Harry for a few more minutes before he has to get back to work. Louis groans at himself when he realizes he’s let his come dry on his stomach. He goes back to the shower and quickly rinses.

Now that he has no one to distract him, he opens up his laptop and goes onto his Tumblr. He won’t tell Liam and Zayn, fuck them, but he’ll post something to his two thousand followers.

think i’ve started to fancy a really cute boy i’ve only known for a week. help !

He continues to scroll, seeing notifications of people liking his post. He replies to someone asking what his crush looks like.

tall. he has obnoxiously long limbs. curly hair and green eyes. he’s a dream.

He shuts his laptop twenty minutes later. He ponders his life. He should probably get a job to finally get a steady flow of money instead of just the sporadic thousands of dollars. But he doesn’t have any talents or anything he actually enjoys doing, really. He sighs.

Maybe he could be a very successful cam boy. He likes masturbating and having sex, maybe he should do it for money now. But that would probably put a smudge on his modeling career. He’s not sure if Burberry would want a cam boy on their runways.

He runs a hand through his damp hair and stands. He finally picks his discarded clothing off the floor as he walks to his room to dress.

He’s watching Grease when his phone vibrates.

Heyyy, I’m off of work in thirty minutes. Want to get some froyo with me after?

Louis really needs to learn how to control the blood going to his cheeks.

What makes you think I want to hang out with you and your flat white arse ?

Because it’s irresistible. And I’m giving you free yogurt and pastries.

Hope they aren’t as bad as your brownies.

Shut up. Do you want to meet at the bakery or froyo place?

Louis finds himself pushing open a door and being hit by a warm, sweet aroma. He’s always liked bakeries.

He walks up to the counter and sees a head of curls held by a hair net in the back. Harry flicks his eyes over and then locks his stare on Louis, a smile creeping onto his slips. He walks away from the bread rack and nears the counter. “Hi, some of your finest arse-tasting brownies please?” Louis says.

“Kind of beating a dead horse, aren’t you?” Harry replies as he places his palms on the smooth counter and leans over.

“Yep. Want you to get absolutely sick of it,” Louis nods.

“Okay,” Harry chuckles. “I’m off in ten minutes. Can I get you anything while you wait?”

“I’m fine. I think I’ll just hang around, pester your customers, make you lose business,” Louis replies. Harry smiles at his hands and nods.

“Okay, you do that,” He says as he gently slaps the counter and turns around. Louis watches him for a moment as he checks the ovens. He then spins on his heels and takes an empty table just for himself. He pulls out his phone and scrolls around on Tumblr. He sighs before he writes up another post.

crush invited me out. now I’m sitting at the bakery he works at, waiting for him to get out. shittting itttt ! i feel fourteen again.

He feels Harry approaching before he sees or hears him. He clicks out of the app and puts his phone in his pocket. “Ready?” Louis asks the boy who’s finally let his hair out of the net.

“Ready,” Harry answers, adjusting the bag on his shoulder.

Harry and Louis take a seat in the corner. “You look ridiculous eating,” Louis says, giggling around a spoonful of raspberry frozen yogurt.

“What? Why?”

“You stick your tongue out… like a landing pad for the spoon,” Louis explains, pointing his own at Harry. “Like the proper frog you are.”

“Well, I’m sorry,” Harry says sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He smiles and puts another spoon of his vanilla yogurt in between his lips, not sticking his tongue out this time and making sure Louis notices. Louis shakes his head and turns his eyes to the glass wall.

The sun has just begun to set, pinks and oranges tinting the clouds. Louis takes out his phone and takes a picture. He glances at Harry and sees him mindlessly swirling his spoon in his froyo as he looks at his phone screen. He takes a picture of him just as he looks up. It’s unfair that Harry looks so good even caught off guard. Harry gives him a curious smile. “I’m using this photo to sign you up to every dating site ever created,” Louis says.

“Sure you are. Bet your setting it as your background right now,” Harry replies smugly.

“You wish.” Harry shrugs and leans back in his chair.

“Okay. Then I’m going to assume you’re posting it to some social media site to dote on me.”

“I don’t dote on people as conceited as you,” Louis scoffs, making Harry giggle. “But I’ll post it to Tumblr, show everyone my discovery of a new frog species.”

Harry nods. “Tumblr. I haven’t been on that in nearly two years,” Harry says. He taps his fingers on the table. “What kind of stuff do you post?”

“Pictures of me,” Louis answers. “Sometimes porn.”

“Knew it,” Harry chuckles. “What were you doing when I texted you?”

“I was watching Grease. Didn’t finish it. Probably will when I get back.”

“Oh, can I finish it with you?” Harry asks. “We can eat the scones and bread I’ve brought along. I could even cook dinner for you to make up for breakfast.”

Louis hums, considering. “Sure.”

Louis closes the door with his hip and watches Harry step into his flat. He does a 360, taking in the apartment and everything in it that says Louis, like the jar of weed on the coffee table next to a mug of forgotten tea and boxes of Vans and Adidas shoes stacked in the corner of the living room. “You can take off your boots,” Louis suggests. “Unless your feet stink.”

Harry snorts. “My feet don’t smell. You could lick my feet, Louis,” He says. Louis scrunches his nose.

“I’ll pass for now,” He replies. Harry chuckles as he bends over and zips off his boots.

“Do you want me to take out the pastries or cook first?”

“Hm, dinner first, dessert later, yeah?”

Harry smiles and nods. “Good choice.”

“I should warn you that I have next to nothing in my kitchen. It’s barren.”

“I like a challenge,” Harry says as he walks over to Louis’s kitchenette. “You can watch the movie while I cook.”

It feels overwhelmingly domestic (and a hint sexist), sitting on the couch while Harry cooks for him. He keeps looking over at the tall figure striding around the kitchen. “Challenge too difficult?” Louis asks. Harry turns around to him and places his hands on his hips.

He huffs. “I’ll be honest, yes. I can make you a lot of things, but they’re all too close to desserts,” Harry admits.

“Mmm, still in your baker headspace, eh?” Louis teases. He pats the spot on the couch beside him. “It’s fine. Cook for me when I actually have things to cook with. Don’t want to be eating dust and spider webs. We can just order in tonight.” Harry smiles and happily takes a seat next to Louis on the couch. “Does Thai sound okay, babe?”

He doesn’t mean to call him that and screams at himself internally. He hopes that Harry didn’t notice, but the way he sees Harry chest stop expanding for a moment tells him that he did. He doesn’t say anything about it though. “That sounds great, yeah,” He answers.

“Okay,” Louis nods. “I’ll go get some menus for us to pick something.”

He finally takes a breath, being turned away from Harry as he goes to his drawer of menus. He picks out the one of his favorite Thai place and returns to the boy on his couch. He sits a bit closer so they can look through it together. He finally catches the scent of Harry, sugary like the bakery. It’s a bit heady. He wonders if his skin tastes the way it smells.

Louis badly needs to pinch his nose to keep himself from finding out. He’s fidgety as they wait for their food to arrive. He feels saved when he hears a loud buzz.

Louis nose is finally assaulted by spicy, garlic goodness instead of sweet, subtle sugar as he lays out all of their food on the table.

They finish their food before the movie ends. “I’m going to need a tiny break before I whip out the baked goodies,” Harry says with a light groan leaving his lips as he stretches out his upper body. “You still up for dessert?”

“Fuck yeah,” Louis replies. “I’ll just clear the table.”

Only crumbs are left behind of the loaves of banana and pumpkin bread and blueberry scones. Louis’s nearing uncomfortably full but he’s okay with it. “Did you like them then?” Harry asks, bringing an arm around him to gently scratch his scalp.

Louis leans into Harry’s touch. “Yeah, they were good,” Louis sighs almost dreamily.

“You’re always cuddly after I feed you,” Harry giggles into Louis’s hair. “I might start baking even more just to get a cuddle or two out of you.”

“I am not some cuddle prostitute that you pay in pastries, Harry.”

“Not yet. But I’ll bring that side out of you, babe.”

“Are you staying the night?”

“No, what kind of girl do you take me for?”

Louis snorts and pats his chest, just under his collarbone. “Thought dinner would’ve gotten me lucky,” Louis jokes.

“When you cook me dinner then I’ll consider,” Harry says. “But I should be going. You sound pretty tired and I have to get up early.”

They both rise from the couch, stretching. “I’ll walk you out,” Louis yawns.

After Harry pulls on his boots and gets his bag around his shoulder, they exit the flat and pad down the hall to the front of the building. “This was pretty fun,” Harry says as he tiptoes onto the brick step. “We should do it again.”

“Why do you want to cook me dinner so bad?” Louis replies, eyes sleepy but smile very awake. They both giggle. “But yeah, I guess we should. I mean, I don’t really have anything else to do…”

“…Goodnight, Louis,” Harry says, pulling the tinier man into a quick hug before turning around and going down the brick steps.

Text me once you get home, need to make sure you weren’t murdered.

He slips into bed, skin freshly washed, when his phone vibrates.

Home, completely alive. I don’t live too far from you.

Good to know.

—

Two weeks later, Louis steps into his apartment after another casting call. He takes a long, steamy shower. He possibly gets three fingers inside of himself and comes on the glass door before he shuts the water off. But no one except him knows.

Louis dries off and starts to dress. He checks his phone and finds a text message from Harry.

Finally have a full day off, kind of want to spend some of it with you.

Sure. What do you want to do ?

I bought some groceries. Still need to make you dinner.

Louis squeals, glad that no one else is in the room but him. He runs his hands down his face, telling himself to calm down, before he picks up his phone from where he tossed it on his bed. He types up a reply.

Do you have a fetish for feeding people ? haha do you want me to come over or are you coming over ere ?

Either is fine. What do you want? x

Hmmm… Kind of want to see where you live. Unless you live in a trashcan , that is.

Nope. Even better, I live in a dumpster. Niall lives on the right side, I’ve taken the left. I use dirty napkins for a blanket to sleep with at night.

Charming. I’ll be over 20. If you actually live in a dumpster , I’ll turn around and pretend I’ve never met you.

Deal. See you. x

Louis walks to Harry’s flat wearing a dark denim jacket over a white t-shirt with a rainbow Apple logo on it. His hair is soft and messy, inviting Harry to play with it as much as he likes. His black jeans are tight around his arse, also inviting Harry to play with it as much as he likes. Of course, they haven’t gotten further than just teasing each other and saying suggestive things. But Louis is in no rush. If it happens tonight or doesn’t, he’ll be happy just being around the long-limbed weirdo since he hasn’t seen him in a few days.

Harry meets him at the front of the building, pulling him into a hug. “Hi,” he says warmly into Louis’s neck. It’s chaste but Louis can’t deny that the moist heat on his skin makes his dick twitch a little in his pants. He chuckles nervously into Harry’s shoulder before he’s finally released from his arms. “Come inside. See my not-dumpster.”

Harry’s flat is bigger than Louis’s, having two bedrooms, but it’s also furnished a lot better. It’s homey and colorful, Louis’s in love immediately. “Niall and I didn’t really have a color palette. We just… bought everything we could from thrift stores,” Harry says, explaining the disarray of color in the living room. “What d’ya think?”

“I like it. Very vibey,” Louis says as he takes a seat on a flower-patterned couch.

“That’s not a real word,” Harry chuckles as he rounds the corner and takes a seat next to him.

“Shut up,” Louis replies, smiling. “Where is Niall?”

“At a club, DJing,” Harry answers. “Do you want to start dinner now?”

“Hm, I actually want to see your bedroom first,” he says, rising from the couch. “Need to confirm your room actually isn’t a sex dungeon.”

Harry looks at him incredulously as he stands. “Why would I sleep in a sex dungeon?” He asks as they head towards the hallway.

“I don’t know, but there’s something about you that says ‘I sleep in a sex dungeon,’” Louis jokes.

“I think that says more about you than me,” Harry comments smugly before he stops the both of them in front of his door. “Ready to see where I sleep and fornicate occasionally?”

Louis cringes. “That’s a horrible word, please don’t,” Louis replies.

“Okay. Won’t use the word ‘occasionally’ ever again,” Harry giggles as he turns the doorknob and pushes the door open. “Voila.”

The entire room is very light. His mattress is on the floor and his bedsheets are flowered similarly to the couch in the living room, but the colors are more muted. Light pink and violet instead of bright yellow and orange. Harry catches him staring at it. “Again, thrift stores,” he explains, blushing lightly.

“I am noticing a pattern though,” Louis replies, wiggling his eyebrows at him. He has a rolling rack of clothing in one corner of the room. Louis doesn’t know why he has one since his closet looks massive enough. Probably for aesthetics, he thinks.

He has a dark vanity in the other corner of his room. Louis can imagine Harry rolling out of bed and walking there first, trying to see if sleep has left his face. He wants to punch himself in the throat for imagining himself on the other side of Harry’s bed, watching him stare at the vanity mirror. He does a full turn before landing back on Harry, who’s watching him softly, intently. “Dinner?” He asks, voice a little choked up. Louis nods.

They silently walk back out into the living room. Louis takes his seat back on the flowered couch and watches Harry continue to the kitchen without him. “So, Harold, what are you making for dinner?” Louis says.

“Something simple. Do you like scallops?” Harry asks. “If you don’t, I can make something different.”

“No, scallops are fine.”

“Cool. I’m making pan-seared scallops on linguine,” Harry clarifies as the stovetop comes alive. “You can watch some telly while I cook, babe.”

Louis feels that tingle in his stomach again. He clears his throat, “Will do.”

Harry starts singing after the scallops hit the pan and start hissing. “He will then be reborn…” He sings, dragging out the last syllables of every word, “from 1970s porn… Wearing tube socks with style and such an innocent smile.”

Louis smiles at his back and takes a picture of him. As long as his face isn’t showing, Louis feels comfortable that Harry won’t be mad at him if he shares it on his Tumblr. He captions it:

he’s cooking me dinner and singing ffs. if i don’t blow him soon , I’m gonna go mad !!!

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He puts his attention back on the television screen but he’s struck by a song lyric he hears. “No, I won’t be one… baptized in come,” Harry sings out as he crosses the kitchen.

“W-what?” Louis asks around a laugh of disbelief. Harry turns to look at him and smiles, blush coming onto his cheeks.

“Gay Messiah, Rufus Wainwright?” Harry says, voice going a pitch higher to make it sound like a question. “It’s a good song.”

Louis nods. “I realized,” he agrees.

“Dinner’s almost done, by the way,” Harry adds before turning his attention back to the food.

Once everything is set up on the table, Harry calls Louis over to the small dinner table. Louis nearly comes in his pants seeing Harry standing, feet crossed over each other and his hands behind his back, next to two plates of steaming linguine and scallops. He stops himself from saying anything stupid. “I hope everything is to your liking,” Harry says shyly as he pulls out a chair for Louis. Louis walks over and slips into the seat. “I, um, I have wine if you want that? Unless you just want water or something.”

“Wine is good,” Louis says earnestly. Harry gulps, seeing Louis look at him so softly. He pulls out the chilled bottle of wine from the fridge and goes to retrieve a two glasses for it.

After he’s poured Louis some red, he takes his seat on the other end of the table and pours himself some wine too. Louis hasn’t taken a bite of his food. “Is… Is everything alright?” Harry asks.

“Oh, yeah! I was just waiting for you,” Louis replies. “Don’t want to start without you. It is taking a lot of willpower though.”

Harry smiles as he picks up his fork. Louis stabs at a scallop and raises it towards Harry. Harry does the same. They gently tap their scallops together, smiling uncontrollably. “Cheers,” Harry says before putting it in his mouth.

After dinner, Louis and Harry cuddle on the couch. “Cuddle prostitute,” Harry whispers, giggling into Louis’s shoulder. He noses at the skin on Louis neck and then the feathery ends of his hair. “Your hair smells so good. So soft too.” Louis smirks to himself.

“I’ll let you play with it as a thank you for making me dinner,” Louis mumbles. Harry giggles as his brings a hand up to Louis’s hair and cards his finger through it. Louis practically purrs, moving into the touch.

“Proper kitty you are,” Harry says.

Louis hums in amusement, ignoring the burning sensation in his lower tummy. “I really want a cat,” Louis blurts out.

“Why not adopt one then?”

“Can’t. I can barely survive, having to calculate all my spending so I always have rent. A cat would have more luck on the streets than living with me,” Louis explains. Harry nods. “But one day. I should probably get another job to reach my goal faster.”

“You only model?”

“Yeah. Really stupid, innit?”

“A bit,” Harry chuckles, nosing behind Louis’s ear. “Where would you work if you could?”

“Don’t know. There’s not much I like,” Louis admits. “I mean, I don’t even like modeling that much but it’s simple. I just look pretty and do my best to stay that way.”

“Hmm, which is extremely easy for you,” Harry replies. “Unlike the rest of us who have to work for it everyday.”

“Like you aren’t gorgeous,” Louis scoffs, rolling his eyes. “Bet you have boys, girls, and everyone else in and out of that spectrum falling at your feet.”

Harry chuckles. “Not as often as you think,” he says. “And… no one’s ever really caught my attention. Not in a while… But there’s something you have to like. Just list things off the top of your head.”

“Fine. Football. Pizza. Children. Ca—”

“Teach children how to play football,” Harry suggests. “Or just babysit.”

“That’s actually not a bad idea,” Louis smiles. “Oh God, I can imagine it now. Children from three to seven years old running around my flat, screaming. What a dream.”

“Are you good with kids?”

Louis turns around to face Harry. “I’m the best with kids, are you fucking kidding? I’ve babysat four little sisters nearly my entire life.”

“I might have to challenge your title. I click with children very easily.”

“Probably cause you are one.”

“Hey,” Harry says with faux-offense, gently nudging Louis’s knee with his own. He then shrugs. “You’re probably right.”

Louis smile is interrupted by a yawn. Harry chuckles as he strokes his face, getting hair out of his eyes. “Time for me to go,” Louis says. Harry nods before they both stand.

“I’d rather you not pass out on the sidewalk, so I’m going to walk you home if that’s alright.”

“So romantic, Harry. We’re in one of those boring, straight romance movies. Are you going to kiss me like a virgin on the front steps too?”

“We’ll just have to find out.”

Louis keeps with Harry’s pace easily. He’s a lot faster than Harry but Harry has longer steps. “What if we were just mugged right now? What if someone just put a knife to my throat or held me at gunpoint? What would you do?” Louis asks randomly to fill the quiet that only holds the sound of their footsteps.

“Probably leave you for dead,” Harry chuckles. Louis punches him in the arm. “Hey! Hey. I’m joking. I’d… probably start undressing to take them by surprise. They’d probably run away before I took my willy out.”

“You’d take your willy out for me?”

“If necessary.”

“My hero.”

At the bottom of the brick steps, Louis turns to Harry. “You waiting for me to kiss you?” Harry asks cheekily, smile curling up more on one side.

“Waiting to see if you have the balls to.”

“I do,” Harry replies with his smug smile never leaving his face. He steps closer to Louis, and the smaller man can feel his heart pounding, realizes it’s been pounding ever since he laid eyes on Harry the first time. Harry leans in and kisses… his cheek. “Goodnight, Louis.”

Louis spins around, shocked. “You did n—”

The broad figure starting to walk away turns around and giggles mischievously. “I did! Goodnight!” He turns back around and skips away. Louis doesn’t, doesn’t, smile. And he doesn’t place a hand to his cheek and sigh happily like in those romance movies. He doesn’t.

And later, he doesn’t open up his Tumblr and post:

he kissed my cheek tonite , even better than blowing him somehow

—

Louis sighs as the hair stylist flicks his fingers through his hair. He’s been doing it for minutes now, like every single strand has its place and he won’t stop until he finds them. Louis’s probably going to run his fingers through his hair and fuck up his meticulous work anyway. Finally, his hair is hairsprayed one last time and he’s allowed to get out of his chair.

“Louis!” Harry’s voice calls out. Louis whips around and finds Harry watching him as he goes through the clothing rack. But he’s only wearing black boxer briefs that hug his small, muscular thighs beautifully. He beckons Louis over.

“Hello, how’s my favorite curly freak?” Louis says.

“Mm, your favorite?”

“—Curly freak.”

“As long as I’m your favorite something,” Harry says as he pulls on dark wash jeans. He looks up at Louis as he’s buttoning his pants and winks. “Got your hair done?” Louis nods. “I think you style your own hair better. I like it when I can run my fingers through it.”

Louis smiles. “Maybe you can come over once we’ve wrapped this all up and I’ve washed all the product out of it,” He suggest. “We can order in again. I’m thinking Chinese this time.”

“I’d like that.”

Louis stands behind the photographer as Harry has his go. “Loosen up a bit more, Harry,” He says as the light flashes two more times. “Walk towards me.”

The pictures look great. Harry was made to have pictures taken of, to be looked at. Although, Louis believes the actual being is more beautiful than the pictures of him. Louis gives him a thumbs up, making Harry smile. The photographer gets a picture of that, and it’s probably Louis’s favorite of them all. He wonders if he can get a print of that one since they won’t be using it, models always having to frown sexily and stuff.

They both change into their clothing together, Louis so fucking blessed to not have been sporting a semi.

As Louis’s pulling on his jeans, Harry whacks his ass with the $300 shirt he was wearing and he nearly falls over. “Twat,” Louis hisses, trying to ignore that heat in his lower stomach again as he buttons his jeans. “I should disinvite you for that.”

“You wouldn’t though,” Harry replies, smile smug and knowing. “I think you actually enjoy having me around.”

“You’re the furthest thing from right, Harry Styles.”

“Shut up,” Harry says as he comes closer to Louis. Louis flails his arms as Harry traps him in his arms. Louis tries to free himself because he has a premonition about the boner he’s about to pop, being chest against chest with Harry. “Tell me you enjoy my company!”

Louis tries to hit his chest with his fists but he can only do so much with how tightly Harry is pressed against him. “Stop being weird,” Louis whines.

“Tell me!”

“Never!”

Louis yelps as he’s thrown over Harry’s shoulder. “I’m not putting you down until you admit it, babe,” Harry threatens as he begins to spin around. Louis will seriously kill him if he trips or drops him, he doesn’t care how cute Harry is or how much he really loves his attention right now.

“I hate you!” Louis says as he beats Harry’s ass with his fists. “But I love having you around! There!” Harry stops spinning and begins to walk. “Hey! Put me down! We had a deal, you bastard.”

Louis ends up on his back on top of a couch. “I’m a man of my word, princess,” Harry says. Louis huffs out a little breath at how close Harry is and how if Harry brought his knees onto the couch, he’d be hovering above Louis. His eyes shut as Harry tenderly brings a loose strand of hair back into his quiff as best he can. He opens them once the fingers disappear.

If anyone walked in on them, they wouldn’t believe what was actually going on. Louis feels kind of lame that it isn’t even as scandalous as that.

Harry’s lips curve into a smile before he stands up straight. Louis takes a deep breath before he sits up. He watches Harry for a moment, and he thinks he can make out the outline of his cock in his CK trunks. But he averts his eyes when Harry’s face starts to turn in his direction.

Louis’s startled by a piece of fabric hitting his head. “Get dressed, knobhead,” Harry says. Louis grabs his shirt and pulls it on over his head.

They sit closely together on the underground, almost in each other’s laps. Harry brings an arm around Louis shoulders and presents him with one earbud. Louis gladly takes it and puts it in his ear. “Hope you listen to actual music instead of the sounds of whales making love,” says Louis before his ears are pleasantly flooded with Fleetwood Mac’s You Make Loving Fun.

At some point, Louis has leaned into Harry and his eyelids are drooping a little. “If you fall asleep, I’m leaving you behind,” Harry giggles, gently tapping the point of Louis’s nose.

“Dick,” Louis mumbles as he buries his face deeper in Harry’s shoulder and the arm around him gets tighter. Harry goes to his sleep playlist, hoping that he can get Louis to sleep for the rest of the tube ride. He smiles when he listens to the gentle intakes of breath and small whistles of them leaving Louis’s lips.

“Is he yours?” Harry turns to the elderly lady sat next to him. “Your sweetheart, I mean.”

“Is he my sweetheart?” Harry looks over at the sleeping boy on his shoulder before turning back to the old woman and shaking his head, smiling. “No, no. We’re just friends.”

“Well, you two are adorable together,” She says sweetly, eyes wide while nodding. Harry chuckles.

“Thank you. I agree,” He replies. The lady smiles at him before standing up.

“You have a good day,” She says as she fixes her bag onto her shoulder and begins to make her way for the nearest exit. Harry waves goodbye at her and then turns his attention back onto the boy leaning on him.

“Said we were cute together, Lou,” He whispers.

Once they’re at their stop, Harry cards his fingers through Louis’s hair and gently wakes him up. Louis freezes before he remembers he fell asleep beside Harry on the subway. “Are we… are we here?” He asks as he rubs his eyes with a knuckle. He and Harry both stand up and enter the bustling station. Louis is so glad to have Harry guiding his sleepy body.

“Did you have a late night, babe?” Harry asks as they step into Louis’s flat. Louis scratches his scalp as he turns around to face him.

“Um, yeah,” Louis answers. “I drank some coffee so I was feeling okay earlier but now I feel like shite.”

“Take another nap, yeah?” Harry says, placing a gentle hand on Louis’s shoulder. “You can sleep while I order and I’ll wake you up when the food gets here.”

“The best,” Louis murmurs, bringing his fist to Harry’s chest. “I don’t think I’ve shown you my bedroom yet.”

“Nope, you haven’t.”

“Okay, let me show you before I knock out.”

They walk down the tiny hall to Louis’s room. “Stripes,” Harry says upon seeing Louis’s duvet. “Still fond of them?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Louis asks, raising an eyebrow. Harry nervously looks around and smiles bashfully.

“I, uh, I may have been looking through your Facebook photos. Saw you wore lots of stripes,” Harry confess, cheeks becoming scarlet. “Suspenders too. Bit of a sailor theme, eh?”

“Shut up. Never speak of my past fashion choices,” Louis playfully hisses as he climbs into his bed and gets under the duvet. “Help yourself to my weed. Just don’t burn me out or I will cry.” Harry smiles at him before quietly exiting the room.

He goes to Louis’s kitchen and opens the drawer of menus. He gets one for a Chinese restaurant and finds that Louis has little smiley faces next to certain dishes (and even a few frowny ones). It makes it easier to order. And puts a smile on his face.

He cleans up around Louis’s apartment; he dusts his furniture, washes his dishes, throws out expired items in his refrigerator or cabinets, and even gets his mail for him. Once he’s content with how he’s left Louis’s place, he takes a seat on his couch and rings up his mum since he knows she’s been staying up late recently.

“Where are you right now, babe?” She asks just as a buzz fills the room.

“Uh, at Louis’s flat,” Harry answers as he rises from the couch. “I’ve told you about him, yeah?”

“He’s the boy you fancy, right?”

“Mum,” Harry rolls his eyes with a smile. Even though she can’t see him, she knows he’s doing it.

“Put him on the phone, I want to talk to him!”

“No, mum,” Harry giggles as he exits the flat and walks down the hall, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. “He’s asleep right now anyway. And I promised to wake him up only for our food, which is here right now.”

“Fine, but the next time you call me, you two better have a ring on it.”

“You’re crazy.”

She giggles. “I’m only kidding. I’ll leave you boys to your food,” she says, finishing very quietly with, “And other things.”

“Go to sleep, you mad lady,” Harry replies as he opens the door of the building. “It’s nearly morning there.”

“Okay, goodnight, I love you.”

“I love you too,” Harry says before hanging up and putting his phone in his pocket. He smiles at the delivery girl. “Sorry, was just my mum. How much is it again?”

He shuts the door to Louis’s flat with his foot and sets the food down on the coffee table. He spins on his heels and goes to Louis’s room. The smaller man is sleeping soundly, cuddling with his duvet instead of being under it. He smiles before tiptoeing over and pressing a careful hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. “Louis,” Harry coos, dragging out the last syllable. He strokes his face and chuckles, seeing Louis’s face scrunch up. “Wake up.” Louis lazily swats at his hand. “Wake up, baby, food’s here.”

“Two more s-seconds,” Louis mumbles, pressing his face further into his duvet. Harry has never wanted to be a striped duvet so badly.

“Two seconds are up,” Harry says. “C’mon, Louis. I’m not eating without you. Get up before I tickle you.”

Louis’s lazy movements halt and one of his eyes open. Harry has never met someone successfully glare with one eye. “You wouldn’t dare,” he hisses before sitting up. “Carry me?”

“If it gets us to eating food faster,” Harry replies before sliding one hand under Louis’s knees and the other under his arms. Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s neck before he’s lifted into the air. He almost sighs at how strong Harry is.

“Were your muscles acquired through whisking violently and carrying enormous sacks of flour?” Louis asks, only a bit teasingly.

“Yup, it’s the Baker’s Burn workout,” Harry answers as he deposits Louis on the couch. The smaller man giggles but cuts himself short.

“Did you clean my house?” He’s a bit stunned that Harry would do that. The green-eyed man nods. “Th-thanks… Food?”

Harry scrambles to get everything out as Louis looks through TV channels. Louis settles on some trashy reality TV show as Harry hands him a takeout box. “How’d you sleep?” Harry asks as he leans back into the couch, putting his chopsticks into his box.

“Pretty good. I feel better,” Louis answers as he puts his back into the corner of the arm rest, placing his legs on Harry’s lap. “What did you do while I slept? Hide bombs under my floorboards? Replace my weed with dried kale?”

Harry giggles. “Nope. Just cleaned, called my mum after,” Harry says honestly. “Didn’t touch your weed at all.”

“Is your mum nice? Nicer than you at least?”

“Excuse me, Louis?” Harry blinks but he’s smiling. He shrugs. “Yeah. She’s my best friend. I think since I only see her a few times out of the year, we’re even closer in a way.”

“That’s wonderful,” Louis says before piling food into his mouth.

“What about you?”

“What?”

“Is your mum nice?” Harry asks. He can feel the atmosphere change as soon as he finishes. He looks to Louis with concern. “Sorry, I shouldn’t h—”

“Nah, it’s fine,” Louis assures him, swallowing the last of his chewed up food loudly. “She and I, we get on pretty okay. But that’s only because we don’t really talk about things, ya know? When we’re together, we have several elephants in the room. Too many. You feel like you can’t breathe.”

“I’m sorry,” Harry mumbles. “I’ll be your mum then.”

Louis smiles. “Kinky,” he says. “It’s okay though. I wasn’t ever really close with her. I have a ton of siblings and I’m the oldest so…”

“Well, it’s still important to have like… a mother figure in your life,” Harry replies.

“Then Zayn is my mother figure,” Louis says. “He’s quite feminine enough too. His eyelashes are extremely long and beautiful.”

“Yours are nice too,” Harry murmurs as he puts his takeout box down on the table to take a break from eating. “Probably one of the first things I noticed about you.”

“My eyelashes?”

“Just… everything about your eyes really. Very blue.”

Louis doesn’t respond to his compliment. Instead he asks, “Do you have work tomorrow?”

“I do, in the afternoon. Why?”

“You should stay over,” Louis says, eyes bulging after it leaves his lips. He tries to save himself. “I’m not trying anything, I just kind of… want you here.”

“It’s okay, Lou,” Harry chuckles kindly, placing a warm hand on Louis’s thigh. “I’ll stay over. Do you have a toothbrush I could borrow though?” Louis nods.

After their leftovers are placed in the fridge, rubbish is thrown away, and bottles of beer are set on the table, Louis goes to his bathroom to quickly wash out his hair and replaces his jeans with soft sweatshorts. When he returns to the couch with a towel around his shoulders, he brings his Macbook into his lap. He opens up Tumblr and scrolls. Harry leans over and rests his head against Louis’s bicep, watching the screen. Louis feels his face go hot when porn GIFs begin to appear but Harry barely shows any response to them. “Usually my dash isn’t filled with this many dicks,” Louis says apologetically.

Harry snorts. “It’s okay, I like dick,” he replies.

“This is one of my least favorite questions but I’m going to ask it because we’re… friends, yeah?” Harry nods. “When did you find out you were gay?”

“I used to identify as bisexual until I was seventeen because I knew I liked guys, but I hadn’t been with one yet and I didn’t want to like… give up girls yet, ya know? But I went to a party,” Harry chuckles, feeling his cheeks warm up, “and got a bit drunk. And I woke up the next morning in bed with a guy and just remembered liking it almost too much. It was kind of it. I never really wanted to be with a girl after that.”

Louis chuckles. “So inspiring,” He comments as he reblogs a picture of torsos of two males kissing in a shower.

“Thank you. When did you figure it out?”

Louis presses his tongue into the side of his cheek and thinks. “I always knew. But… I finally like gave into it when I was eighteen. I came out to my mum like a week before I moved to New York with Zayn when I was twenty-four,” Louis answers. He grabs his beer off the coffee table and gulps down what’s left of it.

“You were in the closet that long?”

Louis nods. “I think she knew it too though. So it wasn’t like shocking. I just didn’t really feel the need to tell her until that day,” Louis adds.

“Can you pass me my beer?” Harry asks. Louis nods before he brings it to him. He drinks at it while his other hand sneaks under Louis’s back. “What… What changed that day? What made you come out?”

Louis smiles, not a hint of happiness in it, and he pops open another beer before taking a swig. “Um, I had been dating a guy since I was nineteen and he had proposed to me. I loved him, I did, but I just… didn’t see our future, you know? I didn’t see us being happy the entire time of our relationship. So I guess I didn’t love him enough because I didn’t even want to try. I said no. And he got really upset. I tried to calm him down but I couldn’t so I just left. Zayn wasn’t available to be my shoulder to like… cry on. So I went to my mum, told her about all about my relationship and how guilty I felt about saying no. She just… stayed silent and stared at me so I went upstairs and just slept,” Louis recounts. “The next day, Zayn finally called me and we talked. Then we got together, got a bit drunk, and talked some more. And we came up with the idea to leave everything behind. To move to New York and model there. We spent the next week scraping all the money we could. As soon as we had enough, we flew away.”

“Jesus.”

“Yeah,” Louis chuckles. “It was fucking hard too. We lived in our friend’s living room and we dealt weed for income. Then we rented a studio together and we’d switch off between the bed and couch. Sometimes we just slept together. But once we got our shit together and finally went out to casting calls, we were able to find our own places. We love each other but not enough to share a single toilet.”

Harry giggles into his skin. “I’m glad it all worked out,” he says.

“Me too.”

—

Louis wakes up the next morning and tries to stretch his upper body but he can’t while weighed down by something heavy. He looks down and sees brown hair tied into a bun. He realizes he isn’t even in his bed but on his couch and Harry is laying on top of him, arms wrapped around his waist. He sighs, knowing he’s going to have to wait for Harry to wake.

He reaches over to the coffee table and picks up his phone. The battery is at 23%. Louis can’t help himself from taking a picture of their legs. He snaps it quickly before he notices Harry’s eyelids showing activity. “Good morning, Blue-y,” He murmurs against his chest. Louis raises his eyebrow at the amusing nickname as he pockets his phone.

“Morning.” He watches Harry lick across his chapped lips before smacking them, grimacing right after. “What’s wrong?”

“My mouth tastes rank. Probably smells rank too,” Harry replies. “I didn’t brush my teeth last night. Ugh.”

Louis chuckles before patting his shoulder. “Up then. I forgot too,” Louis says. He and Harry go to his en suite to brush their teeth. He opens up bathroom drawer and pulls out a green toothbrush, still in its box. “Green, like your eyes.”

Louis’s mouth is already full of foam by the time Harry squeezes toothpaste onto his brush. Harry bumps his hip into Louis’s and Louis steps aside, giving him better access to the sink. He hums a little tune as he brushes and Louis bops his head a little ridiculously to it. Harry giggles, white starting to spill from his lips and trickle down his chin. Louis pulls out his phone and takes several pictures of Harry in the mirror. Harry spits in the sink before whining, “Hey!”

Louis washes out his mouth as he looks at the photos. He sees Harry still pouting at him. “C’mon. You’re a model. You’re suppose to enjoy every camera coming your way.”

“I do! You just didn’t let me pose,” Harry replies before putting his hands over his head and leaning back, curving his body. Louis takes a picture of the funny pose. Harry then turns around, his face still to the mirror, and places his hand on his bum. Louis chuckles as he takes more pictures.

“I think the chin dribble really makes it,” Louis says, looking over the images. His eyes go back to Harry, and fuck. He watches Harry brushing his tongue, his toothbrush going deep in his mouth. He knows if he did that, he’d be crying and gagging everywhere. “F-fuck. No reflex?”

Harry looks at him in the mirror, eyes wide and innocent looking. He spits into the sink again as he puts his brush under the running water. “Uh, yeah. Another one of my God-given gifts that point to me being born to enjoy cock,” Harry giggles.

Louis faintly chuckles, the new knowledge bringing him into a tizzy. “What are the others?” He asks as casually as he can, leaning against the wall. Harry straightens out his back and turns to Louis, placing his palms on the sink behind him. He smirks.

“You’re just going to have to find out,” He says cooly.

“Don’t you have work to get to?” Louis asks, squinting at him.

Harry smiles at his evasion. “Not till later, Blue-y,” he uses his index finger to prod Louis’s stomach and Louis swats at his hand. “You’re stuck with me until then.”

“Or until I call the police,” Louis challenges, crossing his arms.

“You’re such a grump. You’re Grumpy of the seven dwarves. Even share the same height,” Harry says fondly.

“Sod off,” Louis hisses.

Harry steps towards Louis and pulls him into his arms. “Grumpy needs a morning hug.” Louis involuntarily embraces Harry back, molding to his body. Harry rakes his fingers through Louis’s product-free hair and sways him side to side. “Even when you’re being bratty, I like being around you,” Harry whispers into his shoulder.

Louis shudders, pressing himself into Harry more. “I’ve been posting pictures of you on my Tumblr,” Louis confesses.

“Really?” Louis nods into his shoulder. “… Were you making fun of my hair or large nose on it?”

“God, no,” Louis says, chuckling. He swallows thickly, now very nervous about what he’s going to say. “I’ve been telling everyone about how pretty you are. How nice you are to me and everyone really. How much… I like you. And they all keep encouraging me to tell you so I can finally fucking kiss you because I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long now. It’s felt like a lifetime.”

Harry pulls back but keeps his arms around Louis’s waist. “Well, we just finished brushing our teeth. Now would be a really good time to… get to that,” Harry replies. “Fuck, I’d kiss you even before we brushed, morning breath and all.”

“That’s so much lovelier in theory,” Louis giggles while shaking his head. He puts his hands on both side of Harry’s jaw and brings him down to his height, pressing their lips together. He and Harry both part their lips at the same time and go exploring with their tongues, licking into each other’s mouths.

Harry pushes Louis back against the wall and brings a hand behind his thigh, raising it to his hip. “Oh, fuck, H-Harry,” Louis groans against his lips, feeling Harry’s thigh in between his legs rubbing against his swelling cock. He brings his hands to Harry’s arse and speeds up the movements. Harry latches his mouth onto Louis’s neck and sucks hard, breaking tiny blood vessels in his skin. Louis tilts his head back, giving Harry more access to his neck, and drags his fingers over Harry’s scalp.

Harry detaches his mouth from Louis neck and breathes hotly against it. He smirks. “Definitely not like a virgin, eh?” He says before bringing his lips back to Louis’s mouth. “I really love rubbing against you, but I can do so much better with my hands.” Louis mewls as Harry’s large hand trails down to palm him through his shorts. Louis wraps both of his hands around Harry’s arm and does his best to guide his hand under the waistband of his shorts and pants. Harry nibbles at his bottom lip before following his silent command, wrapping his hand around Louis’s shaft and squeezing it gently. Louis moans into his mouth as Harry’s dry hand goes to the end of his cock, thumbing over the slit and using the precome for lubrication. He strokes Louis furiously and watches his face screw up in pleasure. “F-fuck, I’ve wanted to make you come for so long. I swear, I was close to getting on my hands and knees there in that Whole Foods and sucking you dry. I’ve never had anyone make me so crazy in such little time. I’ve never had anyone make me feel this way at all. Fuck, Louis, you’re so pretty when you’re about to come. You’re always pretty.”

Louis swallows the saliva pooling in the back of his mouth and thrusts his hips into Harry’s hand. “Harry, I-I’m gonna come soon,” He pants. He feels Harry’s lips on his before he hears him drop to his knees. He looks down just as Harry yanks down his shorts and sucks on Louis’s tip. He pulls Harry’s hair out of his face and the green-eyed man looks up at him with a mouth full of cock. “Gonna show me what that mouth can do?” Harry nods the best he can. “Better be fast because I’m close, Harry. God.”

Harry pulls off and pumps him a few more times as he goes lower and sucks one of Louis’s balls into his mouth. Louis’s saves himself before his knees buckle. “We’ll have more opportunities to go through everything. You can have my mouth whenever you want,” He says before inserting Louis’s cock back in his mouth, slowly bringing it all the way to the back of his throat.

Louis’s moans rise in pitch the longer Harry bobs on his dick. Harry hitches up his shirt and slides his hand underneath it, running his firm hand across Louis’s skin before settling near his right nipple and taking it between his thumb and index finger. Louis body reacts on its own accord and he bucks his hips. “S-sorry,” He says and tries to still himself.

Harry takes Louis out of his mouth and shakes his head. “Fuck my mouth,” He demands, out of breath.

“Fuck, you’re so awesome,” Louis says before grabbing the base of his cock and guiding it in between Harry’s smiling lips.

Tears flow from Harry’s eyes but he takes it all. He pulls out to give Harry time to breathe before going back in at his same brutal pace. Harry uses one of his hands to massage Louis’s balls, receiving a throaty groan from him. “I’m going to come, Harry. Oh, oh, fuck!” Louis cries out. Harry feels Louis shoot his load in his mouth and he swallows his come graciously. Louis grabs the neck of his shirt to lift him up to his feet and kiss him, tasting himself on his tongue. Louis’s face scrunches up. “I should eat more fruit,” He says against Harry’s lips.

Harry giggles. “Definitely wouldn’t kill you,” He agrees before kissing Louis again.

“Did you come?” Louis asks as his hand goes to find out. Harry’s soft.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Got myself off while you fucked my mouth,” Harry says, lifting his hand to show Louis the white still on it. Louis smiles, delighted, before taking a single digit in his mouth, licking away the come on it, then moving onto the next one. “God, you’re so dirty and I love it so much.”

Louis smirks around his finger, cheeks hallowed out. He pops off of his last finger and snorts. “Speaking of being dirty, I think I’m going to shower,” Louis says.

“Can I join?” Harry asks, wiggling his eyebrows.

Louis kisses his lips before smugly responding, “No.” Harry pouts at him, confused. “My ass is a treasure. I’ll let you see it when I consider you worthy.”

“…I think my cock twitched,” Harry whispers, eliciting laughter from Louis.

—

If you’ve cut your hair, understand that you have cut me too.

Haha. I figured that would’ve been your reaction. I’ll grow it out once I stop modeling. Feels strange, too light.

I bet you still look nice though. Just wish I still had something to pull on during sex.

It’s long enough…

Louis smirks before setting his phone down on the couch. “You texting Harry?” Zayn asks as he rolls a joint for Louis. Louis nods as he tucks his feet under his thighs. “How long have you been dating now?”

Louis takes the joint from Zayn and grabs his lighter off the coffee table. “Um, I don’t know. I don’t even know if we are dating,” Louis replies as he lights up.

“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?” Zayn chuckles as he takes the lighter from Louis and lights his own. “Of course, you two are dating. Everyone can see it.”

“Yeah, well, he knows I like him but neither of us asked each other if we wanted a relationship. One day we just started playing with each other’s cocks. And I’ve never called him my boyfriend and he’s never called me his either,” Louis adds. Zayn lets smoke curl out from his mouth before he replies.

“Do you want to be his boyfriend though?”

“Yes,” Louis answers without any thought. He’s wanted to eat Harry’s cock ever since he laid eyes on him, and now that he’s found that Harry is just as beautiful on the inside, he wants to eat Harry’s cock for the rest of his life.

“Then what’s holding you back? Fucking ask him, you prick,” Zayn says with a chuckle, flicking Louis on the forehead.

“Okay, fine. After I get stoned.”

Hey! ! come to zayns ye ah?

You’re high, aren’t you?

Little bit

I lied, a lot aa bit

Louis jumps off the couch, shoving Zayn back into his seat, as soon as there is a knock at the door. He nearly tears it off its hinges. “Hi, Lou—”

“You’re so fucking pretty,” Louis says, holding tightly on Harry’s face. He moves his thumbs around, making certain areas of skin taut. Harry chuckles through his nose as he runs a hand down Louis’s side. “So fucking pretty even with your hair short. Did you rise from foam too?”

“Sorry, he got into my case of beers too,” Zayn calls out from the couch. Harry glances at him for a second but his attention is only for the faded boy in front of him. “Louis, don’t you have something to tell Harry?”

“Oh, oh, yeah,” Louis lets go of Harry’s face and takes one of his hands. “We need to talk. In Zayn’s room.”

“Stay off my bed,” Zayn points at them as they walk passed him. So what Louis does is sit Harry down on his bed immediately.

“What’s up, Blue-y?” He asks, looking up at the man standing in the V of his legs.

“Blue-y, that’s so cute. You’re so cute,” Louis says through his teeth. He takes both of Harry’s hands and falls to his knees. “I like you and your cock. And I only want you and your cock for however long you’ll have me. God, you’re beautiful. I want to be your boyfriend. Not your mate, lad, pal, or bro. Your boyfriend.”

Harry beams as he leans down to kiss Louis’s lips. Louis huffs a little because it’s not a Yes or No.

“You must be so behind or I must be so confused because I thought we’ve been dating for nearly two months now,” Harry murmurs against his lips. He kisses him once more. “But at least it’s official now.”

“Two months?…God, I want you to fuck me on this bed.”

“We probably shouldn’t. Zayn might have our heads.”

“Even more reason for you to take me right here.”

They exit Zayn’s room and enter the living area, shirts crooked, lips bitten, and hair mussed up. Zayn smiles and rolls his eyes. “Hope my bed is still free of sin,” He says.

“You wish. No one could save that bed from the things you and Liam get up to,” Louis retorts as Harry sits down on the couch and pulls him into his lap. “It’s damned to hell.” Harry shares a look with Zayn as Louis goes on about the bed. He shuts him up by kissing him, starting in the corner of his mouth and moving towards the center as his speech begins to taper off. Louis pushes Harry back. “Love, I’m going to need you to stop doing that or, so help me, I will ride you right here in front of Zayn.”

“Oh, god,” Zayn chokes.

“Um, we need to go. Thanks for… having us, Zayn,” Harry says as he gets Louis and himself to their feet.

“Oh, fuck,” Louis whines before biting into Harry’s pillow, already slightly wet from biting it moments earlier. He arches his back and spreads his legs even more for Harry to tongue his sensitive hole better. His thighs tremble as Harry grazes his teeth on the edge of his rim. Then all sensations there are gone. Harry kisses his right cheek and releases his grip on Louis’s hips. He lays himself down beside the panting boy and smiles at his blissed out face. “Thank you for the orgasm,” Louis says politely. Harry reaches over and cards his fingers through Louis’s sweaty fringe.

“No need to thank me. Hearing and feeling you orgasm is thanks enough,” He replies smoothly, no obvious signs that he had came minutes before save for the sweat curling the ends of his hair and subtle blush on his face and chest. And Louis is still trying to figure out how his legs work and how to breathe normally again. He doesn’t know how Harry recovers so fast.

Louis manages to roll onto his back, his shoulder ending on top of Harry’s. “So we’ve been dating for two months?” Louis asks, finally less embarrassingly out of breath.

“That’s what I thought,” Harry chuckles. “But I guess I was wrong.”

“No, I just didn’t know we were like… official. You never called me your boyfriend and stuff,” Louis explains. “Sorry, I’m stupid. I just thought we were like fooling around.”

“I thought that you didn’t like labels or something. I should’ve probably asked too,” Harry says before taking Louis’s hand and bringing it up to his mouth to press a gentle kiss to his knuckles. “I told my mum we were together the day I got your dick in my mouth, hope that’s okay and not too fast for you.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s okay,” Louis replies. It’s more than okay. He feels he’s flying through the clouds. “C-can I take a picture of you right now?”

Harry snorts, “You’re asking now?” He places his arms behind his head. “You can take pictures of me whenever.”

Louis reaches over and grabs his phone from where he set it on the floor. He faces Harry again and takes several pictures. The way the sunlight washes over his skin makes Louis want to mark it up. “Fuck, I’m going to make everyone jealous with how beautiful my boyfriend is,” Louis hisses to himself. Harry’s heart flutters at his title and he bites his lip.

“C’mere,”  Harry mumbles before reaching out and taking Louis’s face in his hands. Louis continues to thumb at the picture button as Harry stretches over to kiss him on the lips. Harry takes his phone from him and raises it into the air. “How about a selfie? I’d like a picture of both of us.”

“Okay, but I want something very ‘Posh and Becks,’” Louis says before tangling his fingers in Harry’s hair and hiding half of his face in his neck. Harry tries to fit what he wants by smoldering. He gets two pictures before he starts to giggle and Louis does too. “Useless, useless model.”

Harry checks the photos. “I like the ones where you’re smiling,” He turns his head and kisses Louis’s forehead. He sends the pictures to himself and gives the phone back to Louis. He wraps his arms around Louis’s waist and kisses his shoulder. He watches Louis load two pictures up on his Tumblr and chuckles. “The caption should mention that we just finished shagging. But something subtle.”

we just finished having sex.

Harry giggles into his skin and nods before Louis hits Post. Louis puts his phone down and gets onto his side to properly get Harry into his arms. “I guess we need to take each other on proper first dates before fashion week,” Louis says.

Harry huffs, “So our nights in with take out meant nothing?”

Louis snickers before kissing his lips. “They meant something, definitely, but I want you to pick me up at my flat, hold your hand in public, share the same spaghetti noodle, the whole shebang,” Louis adds.

“Oh, so like we’re in one of those boring, straight romance movies?” Harry teases him with his own exact words. Louis smacks him on his bicep.

“Don’t be fucking rude,” Louis replies with a smile. “But yeah. Like those romance movies,” he begins to whisper, “And after, you take me back to your flat and you take my virginity.” Louis nips the skin just under his ear, making Harry’s breath hitch, and watches it bloom with red. He licks over the irritated skin.

Harry cups his cheek and kisses him. “Get in the shower with me,” he says. He smacks Louis’s bum before rolling out of bed.

Louis pats his face dry and makes sure all his hair is in the proper place before it air dries. The water shuts off and Harry steps out of the shower, body shining and hair dripping with water. Louis smiles at him through the mirror as he runs his towel down his neck. “You’re so wet,” Louis says.

“Only for you,” Harry replies, wrapping himself around Louis and eliminates the work he’d already done to dry himself. He kisses Louis’s cheek before he goes to find a towel.

Louis exits the bathroom sans a towel around his waist and finds Harry in front of his vanity, moisturizing his face. Louis leans against the doorframe. “I like a man who takes care of himself,” He states before strutting over and hugging Harry from behind, just like he had done to him moments before. He kisses Harry spine before he lets go and lays down on his mattress, phone held above his face. “A lot of people find us fucking cute.”

“Like really cute? Or they find us having sex cute?” Harry asks as he holds tweezers up to his face.

“Uh, both, maybe,” Louis replies. “‘Holy fuck, Lou. You two are definitely the hottest couple to ever walk this earth.’”

Harry flicks away any hair that’s landed on his cheeks and puts down his tweezers to view his cleaner eyebrows. Louis puts down his phone and just watches Harry, his tongue licking over his chapped lips, the skin on his back tightens over the muscle, the downy hair that starts lightly at his navel being revealed more with every movement shifting his towel lower. Harry catches him spectating and blushes to himself. “You watching me?” Harry says shyly before cleaning up his vanity.

“I think I love you,” Louis admits. He feels like it should be monumental, fireworks and cheering, but it isn’t. Somehow he likes that much more, it’s just nice and easy. And the way Harry grins makes him want to say it a thousand more times, until he’s out of breath and dies.

“Louis, we just started dating today,” Harry replies with a chuckle. He rocks on his heels, biting his lip. “I think I love you too.”

“Cool,” Louis says, smile starting to make his cheeks ache.

Louis lets go of Harry’s hand to open the door for him. Harry quickly kisses his cheek as he steps into the pet store. Louis enters after him. “So where is this lovely girl I should be jealous of?” Harry asks. Louis guides him to the center cage and squats. He looks up at Harry and waits for him to come down to his level.

Once Harry is next to him, Louis points a finger at the calico kitten that’s grown since the first time he saw her. “That’s her,” Louis mumbles. She eyes Louis for a moment from where she’s laying down before getting onto her feet and slowly walking over.

“Does she recognize you?” Harry questions, slightly in awe at both Louis and the cat. Louis shrugs as an answer. “How often do you come here to see her?”

“Whenever I can,” Louis replies as he strokes behind her ear. “I’m surprised no one’s adopted her yet. Such a shame, she deserves a home and I can’t afford her.”

“One day, maybe,” Harry kisses his temple and straightens himself out. Louis looks up and finds Harry with his mobile pointed at him. “Say cheese.”

“Fuck off,” Louis chuckles.

Louis puts bills in the donation jar and takes Harry’s hand. They step out onto the sidewalk and start walking with no destination in mind. “I want to use Tumblr now, just to see your pictures and put up my own,” Harry mentions.

“You want to stalk me?”

Harry nods as he presses his cheek against Louis’s. “Yep. Need to keep my boyfriend in line.”

“God, yeah. Talk dirty to me.”

—

Louis straddles Harry’s hips as his phone plays the on-hold tune of his credit card company. He traces the single bird on the right side of Harry’s chest with his finger. “Still on hold?” Harry asks.

“It’s been nearly five minutes,” Louis adds. “And I’m sick of this fucking song.”

Harry snorts before reaching up and taking the phone from Louis’s hand, placing it down on his bed. “I’ll entertain you for a moment,” Harry says as he slides his palms under Louis’s ass and lifts him up onto his knees, allowing him to slide his briefs down his thighs. Louis lets out a shaky breath as Harry’s large hand touches the center of his chest and runs down to the base of his slowly growing cock. Harry grabs Louis’s hips and makes him shuffle up his chest until he’s sitting on his ribs.

Harry lifts his head and stretches his neck forward to get his lips around the tip of Louis’s semi. Louis gently scratches at Harry’s scalp while he sucks on his head. Harry pops his lips off of Louis’s head loudly and spits on it before wrapping his hand around his cock, smoothing his saliva down his shaft. Louis feels like his head is going to start spinning around as Harry’s pumping his cock and flicking his tongue across his barely leaking slit. He licks just at the base before nosing down under more and sucking on one of his balls.

He glances over at his phone and sees he’s been on the call for only six minutes. Hopefully, he isn’t taken off hold until after he comes. They’d probably cancel his credit card if they heard him being sucked off by his boyfriend.

“Oh, baby,” Louis moans as he bites his bottom lip, smiling. Eyes shut, he throws his head back as he feels his pleasure becoming tight like a stretched rubber band. Behind him, he can hear the wet sound of Harry’s hand dragging up and down his own cock.

Harry’s mouth returns to Louis’s cock and he groans deliciously around him, making his ecstasy spike with the vibrations. He pulls off of it again and just pumps vigorously. “Fuck, Louis,” He growls lowly. “You gonna come?”

Louis nods before whining out, “Y-yeah, I’m gonna come. O-oh my fucking god, H-Harry.” He runs his fingers over one of his nipples, finding that it’s already hard.

“Come on me, baby,” Harry moans. “God, I love you so much.”

Louis’s entire body quakes as he lets out a broken cry, shooting his come all over Harry’s collarbones and chin. He doesn’t realize Harry’s come all over his lower back until he’s finally coming down from his orgasm and feels some of it drip into his crack. He chuckles breathily before sitting his arse down on Harry’s chest and trying to slow down his heart rate, grabbing Harry’s phone from his nightstand. He taps his own phone screen and sees that it’s still on the call before he takes a picture of the mess he made on Harry’s chest, the frame cutting right under eyes. Harry smiles and licks at whatever come he can reach on his chin.

“You got a dirty mouth,” Louis says before bending down and kissing Harry deeply. He blindly puts Harry’s phone back on the nightstand.

“Taste yourself?” Louis hums in reply. “Notice you’ve been tasting better since the first time.”

“More fruit. Just for you,” Louis says, his words being swallowed by Harry’s mouth. “Thought you would appreciate that.”

Harry’s about to reply when they both hear a low voice coming from Louis’s phone. Harry chuckles as Louis picks up his mobile and rolls off of him, cringing when the drying come on his back hits his sheets. He goes about his business as Harry picks up his own phone and slides out of Louis’s bed to make a call.

Louis hangs up the phone and sighs, placing his hands on his tummy and poking at it. Harry steps out of the en suite once he’s finished his chat and smiles at Louis. “We should hop in the shower before our night on the town,” Harry says as he tosses his phone onto the bed. “I’ll start warming it up for you.”

The shampoo bottle squirts loudly onto Louis’s head, eliciting a giggle from Harry before he massages it into his hair. “So mature,” Louis mutters. Harry kisses him, his foamy hands on both sides of Louis’s face. He keeps his nose touching Louis’s even when the kiss ends. “If we reach a year, I’m forcing you to adopt a cat with me.”

“‘If’? Baby, that’s not an ‘if,’” Harry says before bringing their lips together again. “Do you want a calico kitty like that other one?”

Louis pulls his sweaty fringe away from his forehead as he grinds back into Harry’s groin. His DKNY clothing is sticking to his body uncomfortably but he’s buzzing with alcohol and really feeling the music. He takes his phone out of his pocket and takes a quick picture of him and Harry. “Having fun, baby?” Harry asks, tugging on Louis’s slick hair to kiss his neck.

“So much,” Louis answers, panting. He turns around so he and Harry can kiss on the lips, sloppy and wet. Harry grips Louis’s firm bum with his large hands as he licks into his mouth. There’s bright lights going off and Louis can see them through his eyelids. He pulls away from Harry’s mouth and finds that they’re getting their picture taken. He smirks at Harry before bringing him back in for another kiss.

They stumble away to the couches seating other models less or equally as drunk as them. Louis pulls Harry into his lap and noses at the skin behind his ear. He pulls back and sees Harry biting his lip while gently digging the heel of his palm into his groin. Louis raises an eyebrow, smirking. “Sorry,” Harry says, barely heard over the music. “Thinking about the paychecks we’re going to get after fashion week.”

Louis throws his head back with a laugh. He pats Harry’s thigh before stretching his neck to gently bite his lower lip. “I love you,” He presses his lips against Harry’s. “I love you, I love you.” He repeats it several times with kisses in between, the alcohol starting to make him feel a bit emotional. He should calm himself down before he starts sobbing and serenading Harry with love songs.

Zayn lands in the spot next to them, panting. “Liam is being a bastard and won’t keep himself off me so I need to take him home,” Zayn says, yelling in surprise as Liam tackles him into the seat and kisses his neck. “Not here, Li. I’m not an exhibitionist!”

They get to Liam’s car, Zayn having to swat away his grabby hands. Louis curls himself into Harry’s side as they sit in the backseat and watch Liam determinedly try to get into Zayn’s lap time after time. “C’mon,” he whines, pawing at Zayn’s denim jeans. “Just road head, babe.”

“No, Liam. Not yet. Louis and Harry are in the backseat,” Zayn hisses.

“They are?” Liam confusedly whips his head around to see the two boys cuddling in the backseat. Louis smiles and waves a hand at him. It takes a while for Liam’s expression to change into a soft grin. “Hi, Louis. Hi, Henry.”

Harry smiles at Liam before turning to look at Louis, who’s pressing his face into his chest and letting out little high-pitched giggles.

After Zayn parks in the lot, he and Liam start rushing. Harry and Louis barely get out of the car as Zayn and Liam are running up the steps.

Harry and Louis plant themselves on Liam’s couch as music pours out of his bedroom. Louis tucks his feet under his arse and rests his head against Harry’s shoulder. “I love you,” Louis says for probably the tenth time that night. Harry strokes his face and kisses his lips softly. “And I’m not proposing but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Is that crazy to say?”

Harry grins. “Yes but I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Harry replies. “I like your crazy and I’m always gonna like your crazy.”

He pulls Louis in for a deep kiss. He draws back to giggle when one of Zayn’s moans makes it through the music. Louis’s soft hand runs down Harry’s bicep, lovingly touching the ship inked in his skin. “I want to get tattoos but I’m scared.”

“Of what? Needles?”

“No. I’m not sure what I’m scared of. Maybe that they’re forever.”

—

Louis picks his heavy head off the floor, feeling his brain throb painfully inside his skull. He rolls onto his side and plants a hand down on the floor. His palm immediately begins to slide across the wooden flooring. He lies back down on the floor, this time on his stomach, and waits for his eyes to adjust to the light. Finally, he realizes he’s just lying in a mess of money. He turns his neck in all directions and finds Harry’s still booted feet sticking out from around the corner of the sofa. He gets onto his back and carefully sits up, feeling like all the weight in his head is finally becoming centered. He groans and runs a hand through his sticky hair.

“Louis?” He hears Harry’s gravelly voice call out, sounding nearly ill. “Are you awake?”

Louis clears his throat before responding, “Yeah. How are you feeling?”

“Like a million bucks,” Harry says before coughing. Harry’s feet disappear before his head appears over the back of the couch, hair sticking out in all directions. He’s oily looking and his eyes look tired and unfocused. Louis has never seen someone so beautiful. He’d kiss Harry if his mouth didn’t taste so bad and he didn’t feel so close to puking all over himself. “Last night was wild,” Harry adds, voice slow and hazy but dripping with gold. Harry takes a deep breath before throwing himself over the back of the sofa and landing on the cushions. Louis’s own sensitive stomach turns at the action.

Louis crawls over dollar bills to his coffee table where his Macbook is sitting wide open, screen black. “Fuck, did I take pictures of us?” Louis groans as he circles the trackpad with his finger and waits for the screen to come alive. Harry starts giggling behind him. He snaps his neck towards him and squints. “What?” Harry’s giggles just grow in volume and he puts his face

in his hands.

The screen lights up to show that Tumblr’s open from last night. Louis sighs, knowing he’s probably fucked up at least a little. He goes to his posts and finds a photoset and a video he can’t recall taking with nearly a hundred notes. “Is there something?” Harry asks, sounding way too excited. He gets onto the floor and kneels beside Louis. His eyes light up seeing that there’s a video. “Play, play, play.”

Louis stares at him indignantly before clicking play. He immediately feels embarrassed as Harry begins to laugh and pull him into his arms.

Louis’s bent and stretched over the coffee table, face close to the camera, as he gently rolls his body to the beat of the music. The song happens to be the WBC’s hateful version of Kesha’s We R Who We R, which Louis does find hilarious but he looks like an absolute twat on the camera. His cheeks feel like there are holes burning into them when Harry’s hips come into the frame and his hands take hold of his waist, pulling his bum back into his groin, and they both giggle. Harry presses his chest to Louis’s back and tugs on his hair, pulling his head back and kissing his neck. He looks at the camera before stopping the video.

Harry still hasn’t stopped giggling. “Please don’t delete that, Louis,” He begs, nosing at Louis’s neck.

“Well, it’s been seen by one hundred twenty people already,” Louis replies. “And I guess, it’s kind of hot.”

“Really hot. God, if I ever need you and you’re busy, I’ll just watch that,” Harry whispers. Louis frowns.

“I would never let you wank over something like that,” He says, “When we could just film ourselves actually having sex.” Harry giggles before bringing his lips to Louis, giving him a hasty kiss because they both still haven’t brushed their teeth. Louis smiles at him before looking back on the screen and going over the pictures. Most of them are just Louis and Harry posing with their stacks of money or them having their hands and mouth all over each other. He thinks they look stupid posing with money, but according to the notes on it, not everyone feels the same.

Harry is curious about what people have said about the video and pictures so Louis reads the comments out to him. Harry never loses his cheeky grin. Once Louis finished going through all the replies, he sits back with his weight propped on his arms. He sighs, “First order of business, picking up all this money.”

“What’s after that?”

“Fucking me in the shower.”

Louis smiles at Harry and the white shirt stretching around his frame. “Are you sure it isn’t too tight?” Louis asks as he straightens it out. Harry kisses his lips.

“When have I ever been against things being tight?” He replies suggestively, running a hand down Louis’s lower back. “Huh, Bluey?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Louis says, voice warm. Harry chuckles as he’s shoved away. “Get out of my flat.”

Harry pulls him in and chases after Louis’s lips as he dodges him. He finally captures his lips and bites on the lower one. “I love you,” He beams before pulling away. “I’ll show myself out.”

Louis shouts, “I love you too!” when Harry steps into the small hallway. Harry’s head pops back into the room before he winks and disappears again. Louis hates him.

A minute after the door shuts, Louis’s phone vibrates.

One flat would be better than two. x

He really hates Harry though the size of his smile would say otherwise.

I think our cat would like not being sent back and forth like a child of divorce too.

He puts down his phone because he’s furious. Just furious. He doesn’t giggle picturing waking up to their calico cat sitting on Harry’s face or catching Harry curiously staring at the canned cat food. He picks his phone back up and opens up Tumblr.

everyone ! go tell harry he’s the cutest frog you’ve ever seen !!!

Louis tears out pieces of grass and throws it into Zayn’s lap as he smokes. The sun is lowering behind the skyline and the colors are imitating how Louis feels inside. “You’ve been very smiley and not all that talky,” Zayn asks as he flicks ash off his cigarette. “What’d Harry do to make you all sunshiny? Did he try a new position?”

“Harry always pitches new positions but that’s not it. I’m really in love, Zayn,” He replies, nodding as he does. “And it’s exciting. Does it always feel like this?”

Zayn blows smoke in his face. “It’s different for everyone, I think. Liam and I have settled down and we still have our crazy days but we’re more reserved now than we were at first… I think it sort of ages with you,” He answers. “But that’s us. You and Harry might be out there forever and that’s okay too.”

“I… I kind of like it like that. It’s new,” Louis says. Zayn understands and wraps an arm around his shoulders. “He basically said he wanted to move in together earlier.”

Zayn eyes widen in delight. “Really?” Louis nods. “Christ. That’s pretty fast. You’ve been together for three months?”

“Well, we’re not going to do it next week, Zaynie. But the idea is there, the plan is there. It’s going to happen eventually.”

“I’m glad. I’m really glad, buddy,” Zayn says warmly.

Are you at your flat, babe? x

No , at yours

Harry steps into his flat and finds that it’s dead silent. He puts his bag down on the floor and pulls of his boots. “Lou?” He calls out as he begins to make his way to his bedroom. He can feel Louis’s presence in there and know something’s wrong before he even steps in. “Louis, baby?” He slowly pushes the ajar door and finds Louis curled up in his bed, fist tight around his flowery duvet. He lowers himself into the spot beside him and finds him staring blankly at one of the flowers. He reaches a careful hand over to his face and strokes it. “You alright, love? What’s wrong?”

“Just feeling like shit because I went to the pet store after hanging out with Zayn and my kitten wasn’t there anymore,” Louis huffs out sadly. “Like I know I shouldn’t be such a dickhead about it because she has a home now, but I just… I wanted her to be mine. Ours. Which was pretty fucking stupid to think because I was taking so long. Sorry for being pissy.”

Harry smiles softly and kisses his forehead. “It’s okay to be upset over it,” He reassures Louis as he plays with his hair. He entwines his legs with Louis and pulls him closer.

“Nearly started bloody crying on my way here,” he chuckles halfheartedly. “So pathetic, I am.”

“Hey, shut up,” Harry kisses his eyelids. “I shed a tear over burnt muffins this morning. We’re pathetic together.”

Louis nods with a small smile on his face. He sniffles before he says, “I love you.” He’s said it so many times but he still hasn’t lost that little thrill that sparks in his chest.

“I love you too,” Harry replies easily. “I’ve never clicked with anyone as quickly as I did with you. Knew I was done for the second I saw you at that casting call.”

“You didn’t even notice me sitting next to you,” Louis snaps playfully.

“But then I did and all I could think about was you after,” Harry chuckles. “I genuinely thought I was going mad because no one’s ever like… imprinted on me that fast. You’re magical, Louis, you know?… I’m sorry about the cat. But we’ll get one soon, calico and small just like you. And it’ll love you just the same.”

Harry kisses his forehead again and squeezes him tight. They both fall asleep.

“Harry!” They both startle awake. “My man! Harry Styles! I brought food!” Louis looks over and finds Harry clutching his heart but smiling. Niall pops into the room and his bright smile drops. “Shit, did I interrupt?” Niall asks as Louis fixes his bedhead.

“Nah, we were just having a kip,” Harry assures him with a chuckle.

“Oh, sorry for waking you up then. But I have food and a lot so we can all eat,” he adds. “Hi, Louis.” Louis shoots him a tired smile, crinkles around his eyes set in a little deeper, and waves. He then exits.

Harry turns to Louis. “Want to eat?”

“Fuck yeah. I’m starving.”

Louis pokes Harry’s cheek with the end of his breadstick and giggles when he snaps his teeth on it. Niall watches with disgust on his face as Louis takes hold of the other end. “I swear to God, if you two attempt the Lady and the Tramp with a breadstick, I will never speak to either of you again,” he deadpans. Louis groans at him before biting off his piece. “Thank you, I wanted to keep my food down. You guys can share food and spit when you live together. When is that going to happen by the way?”

“Uhhh,” Harry looks to Louis and then back at Niall.

“We haven’t put that much thought into it. Maybe in three to six months. Does that seem reasonable, Harry?” Louis asks as he tucks a strand of Harry’s hair behind his ear.

“Shit, I’d move in tomorrow if I could,” Harry replies before kissing Louis’s lips quickly.

“Okay, cool. Because my friend, Ed, wants to come over and stay here for a good year to write and produce music. I figured you two would have moved in by the time he wants to come,” Niall informs them. “So everything works out!”

—

“How are you feeling, Mr. Twenty-Six?” Harry asks as soon as Louis answers the door with nothing on but a pair of boxer briefs. Louis makes his way back to the couch and Harry follows.

“Um, my mum called me,” Louis says as soon as they’ve both sat. Harry’s eyes widen. “Yeah.”

“What… What’d she say?”

“She just did the usual Happy Birthday thing where she lets all the girls sing into the phone and she asked me if I was planning on spending any of my holiday with them,” Louis runs a hand through his hair. “And I told her that I wasn’t and it was a really awkward two minutes before she had to go. And I feel like shit even though it happened an hour ago,” Harry puts his hand on top of Louis’s, “Because I never visit them. I’ve only visited them once in the past two years.”

“I’m sorry, Bluey.”

Louis sighs. “I’ve gotten that out. So how about you? Has your mum landed yet?” Louis asks.

“Not yet,” Harry replies. He pulls Louis into his lap and kisses his temple. “She’s excited to meet you. Probably has been long before we even started dating.”

Louis tilts his head and raises an eyebrow. “She’s known about me that long?” Harry blushes. “Not going to answer? Fine, I’ll ask her myself.”

“Are you not even the tiniest bit nervous to meet her?” Harry asks, pouting. “I was hoping to see you on your toes, trying to impress my mum and stuff. I feel so betrayed.”

Louis laughs and kisses him. But the truth is he is nervous. He’s always nervous when meeting parents except it’s different with Harry and not as severe. He had two boyfriends before Harry, and he remembers nearly excusing himself to the toilet to puke out his stomach when he met their parents. He was afraid of questions he didn’t want to answer, most of them surrounding his family but his mum most of all. He didn’t want them to know he wasn’t out. He didn’t want them to think he was ashamed of himself or their son. And with the parents now knowing his face, he was scared of running into them in public with his mum and being outed in the middle of a grocery store. He was always on edge back then.

But Harry soothes him, and the fact he’s across the ocean from his mum aids him in that too. He’s not ashamed and he’s not hiding Harry, she just doesn’t need to know. As soon as Louis moved away, his life was his own and only his.

He’s nervous but not panicking. Harry’s lovely and surely someone just as, if not more, lovely had to raise him to be that way. If Harry loves him, Anne will probably adore him too. And if she doesn’t, he thinks Harry wouldn’t let that change how he feels. He knows Harry loves him; he swallowed for him the first time they got heated and Louis didn’t even taste too great.

“Do you know when your mum is going to land? Have an estimate, maybe?” Louis asks as he brings his thighs to both sides of Harry’s waist and squeezes his biceps. Louis kisses his lips before he gives him an answer.

“Don’t know. Probably an hour or two?” Harry guesses.

“Better make use of those hours before we have to put chastity belts on for a week. M’gonna suck you off so good,” Louis says before sliding down his body and sinking in between his legs.

“So well,” Harry corrects him.

“Harry,” Louis scowls, hand not moving as he pinches the zipper of his jeans. “If you want to do roleplay as a teacher, you can find someone else.”

Harry breaks out into a smile and hunches over to kiss Louis’s forehead. “I love you,” He whispers.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t even apologize,” Louis rolls his eyes before he happily goes to unzip Harry’s jeans. “Jesus, you’re already halfway there,” Louis notes as he palms Harry’s clothed cock.

“Um, yeah. When you— If we did roleplay, you’d be the teacher and I’d be the bad student who needs to be reprimanded,” Harry says, cheeks tinted pink. It takes Louis a moment before it dawns on him what he’s actually saying. He smiles before getting Harry’s briefs down his thighs.

“Unwrapping my first gift of the day,” Louis says smugly before taking Harry in his hand and then into his mouth.

Harry and Louis shower, get dressed, and fix up Louis’s flat. They fix the fairy lights they had put around the living room a week before and centered the tiny tree they got that was more branch and trunk than needles on the coffee table. It was cheap and Harry loved it because he knew, with a single red bauble, it would remind him of Charlie Brown.

Harry’s mum tells him that she’d landed but that she’s going to make a stop at her hotel to check in and clean up before she heads over. Louis low-key wishes they had known that before, he would’ve fucked himself on Harry’s cock instead of blowing him. But he has time to do that later now that they know that Anne had booked a hotel.

The smell of the baking cake fills the kitchen and seeps into the living room. The flat is lit up with different colors, gold in one corner, soft red in the other, green around the front door. Harry has lit some candles and placed them on various pieces of furniture. Everything feels like it’s glowing and warm. Louis has never felt so at home in his flat.

Having Harry’s mum over, Louis really wishes he had a dinner table. But he’s not worried about it. Harry’s reassured him that his mum would find it adorable if they all just sat around the coffee table. So he pushed the couch away and set down some pillows.

Louis finishes cleaning up by spraying an ample amount of air freshener to mask what the candles don’t. He’s about to step into the kitchen area when Harry shoos him away. “You’re not seeing the cake until it’s frosted,” Harry hisses. Louis puts his hands up in surrender and turns on his heels to go straighten out his curtains or pictures hanging on his wall. He finds that the newest picture added to his wall is the only one hanging lower on one side. He smiles, seeing him and Harry sitting at a park with their hair sprayed blue and pink, bent leg in between bent legs. Louis is bringing a grape to Harry’s patient but expecting mouth in the picture. It was a large picnic get-together thing that Zayn had put together just to make sure that the new friends he made during fashion week would stick around. Zayn was taking pictures of everybody because, hey, most of the people they hang out with like having their pictures taken. So now Louis has this.

“Have you finished the cake yet, babe?” Louis calls out as he still keeps his eyes on the photo, trying to memorize every detail. He can hear Harry about to answer before they’re cut off by a buzzing noise. Louis freezes.

The sink runs quickly before Harry stepping into the living room and hurrying over to Louis to give him a hard, ardent kiss before exiting the flat to retrieve his mother at the building’s front door. Louis plays with his hands as he goes over the possible things to be in the middle of when Anne walks in. Should he pick up a book and pretend to be reading? Should he be staring out the window wistfully? Either way, it’s too late because the door opens. Harry is pressed against the door as his mum walks passed him and lands her eyes on Louis. She lights up.

“Hi!” She says as she begins to cross the living room. Louis doesn’t want to let her put in all the effort so he strides towards her too, meeting in the middle. She immediately pulls him into a hug and kisses his cheeks. “Happy birthday!” She pulls back so they’re both eye to eye but still have their arms around each other. “You’re so gorgeous. I knew you were a model like Harry, but Christ, you’re beautiful.”

He chuckles, slight blush on his cheeks. “And you’re not a model but you could definitely pass for one, love,” He replies as coolly as he can. He glances over at Harry, who’s standing behind her and looks ready to burst. Finally they both reel back in but stay inside their bubble that Louis doesn’t find the least bit suffocating. He sees a lot of Harry, it makes it easier. “It’s great to meet you. Harry’s said a lot about you so I was looking forward to this a lot. Hope the flight wasn’t too bad.”

“All worth it. Harry’s said tonnes about you too.”

“About that… When did Harry first mention me to you?” Louis asks, smirking at Harry. He throws his hands up in the air silently before walking back to the kitchen, defeated.

Anne laughs. “Hmm. He called me a few months ago, told me that he went to a model casting. He said, ‘Mum, a really cute guy sat next to me, super cute. His name was Louis and he talked to me and everything,’” She starts, trying to imitate Harry’s deep voice and slow drawl. Louis giggles at it. “‘But I didn’t get his number. I am your failure son.’ And then he called me a few days later saying he found this cute boy again and redeemed himself by finally obtaining his number.”

“Thank you for exposing yourself as the worst confidant, mother!” Harry calls out from the kitchen, making Anne and Louis both snicker. But he’s smiling, cheeks nearly splitting, as he walks back into the living area with a cake in his hands. It’s mostly soft blues. The main color is a pale blue. The Happy Birthday, Bluey! frosted on it and the ribbon of frosting on the edges are cerulean. Large white snowflakes circle the writing playfully. It’s a really pretty cake.

Harry sets the cake down on the coffee table and walks over to his mum and boyfriend, easily slipping his arm around his waist. “Like it?” He asks, smiling almost shyly now.

Louis looks at him lovingly before saying, “No. I want a new one.” Harry’s face drops for a half second before he remembers who Louis is. He noses at his jaw and chuckles. “I love it. Thank you,” Louis mumbles.

“Aw, you two,” Anne says before pinching both of their blushing cheeks.

Louis smiles to himself as he drags his fork through the excess frosting that he didn’t eat as Harry and Anne finish up talking about his stepdad, Robin. He wanted to come but he was feeling under the weather. “Is it present time now?” Anne asks, looking between Harry and Louis.

“Mum, we’re… we’re grown men. We didn’t—”

“Hush. I brought Louis a present,” Anne says as she pulls her bag into her lap and pulls out a neatly wrapped rectangle. Louis is actually surprised and maybe his eyes feel like they might get a little wet as she hands it to him. He doesn’t actually remember the last time he got a birthday present. He hasn’t spent holiday with anyone like this. The last times he would be drinking his loneliness away at a club bar because Zayn would go see his family.

He does his best not to choke up and Harry seems to notice that he’s struggling a bit. He puts a hand on Louis’s thigh and squeezes it comfortingly. Louis discreetly takes a deep breath before tearing at the metallic red wrapping paper.

He’s sure that there are tears lining his eyes but not enough to where he can’t just play it off as irritation. A smile plasters on his face and he lets out a laugh. “This is incredible,” Louis squeals. He shows Harry the framed photo and the smile on Harry’s face turns to embarrassment. It’s a picture of Harry when he was a toddler and proper blond. Louis turns back to Anne, sniffling only slightly as he places a hand on hers. “Thank you.”

When Harry and Anne quickly pick up, Louis goes to his room and places the framed photo on his nightstand. He stands back to admire his baby boy and wipes any tears that finally come rolling out. It’s… extraordinary, really. Louis has always considered himself happy. But he never knew just how happy he could be. He didn’t know that there was even more beyond his previous level of happiness. So much that he starts sobbing in his bedroom.

He regains his composure after a minute and goes to his en suite to check if the fact that he’s just finished crying is evident. He pats his face with wet hands and then dries off. He steps back into the hall and walks to the living room, finding Anne and Harry just breaking a hug. “Leaving already?” Louis asks, trying not to panic that his voice was definitely just on the right side of croaky. But Anne doesn’t notice. Harry, however…

“Oh, yeah. I’m not young like the two of you. I need sleep to keep my engine going,” She replies as she goes in for a hug. Louis smiles as they embrace. “So lovely finally meeting you.”

“You too. Thank you for the present,” He says, rubbing a circle into her back.

Once she’s gotten into a taxi and Harry returns to the flat, he pulls Louis into his arms. “You okay, Blue?” He asks, voice gentle. “Was it too much?”

“No, I’m just really happy you’re in my life.”

Later when Louis’s riding Harry, he cries a little and tries to keep his lips against Harry’s at all times though his bouncing makes that difficult. He’s so in love that it makes him shake to think about it. He’s sure that the overwhelming feeling will be gone after sleeping so he doesn’t worry about coming across as crazy to Harry. He’s sure that Harry gets it. He knows he does when Harry’s thumbs come to the top of his cheeks and wipe away the tears. He says, “I love you.” And Louis comes all over his chest.

—

Louis didn’t expect it to be so fun. Really, he had expected a good fraction of himself to wish Anne wasn’t around so he wouldn’t be so edgy and could have Harry fuck away any of his nerves. But he didn’t feel horribly nervous around her. All of it completely gone by the second time he saw her. She came around Harry’s flat for Christmas and they ate at an actual dinner table. It was the nicest Christmas Louis’s had in a while.

Now it’s day four and Louis is in curled into Anne’s side under a plush throw as they watch Love Actually, one of Harry’s favorites. Harry is in Louis’s kitchen preparing popcorn. Louis and Anne both said they’d be fine with buttered or salted popcorn but Harry wasn’t having it. He comes and sits down next to Louis with a bowl of chocolate covered popcorn. Louis is glad Harry didn’t let them settle. “Love me some Colin Firth,” Anne mumbles to herself but Louis hears and chuckles.

“I think I’m more of a Hugh Grant guy meself,” Louis says. He nudges Harry with his foot. “What about you, H?”

“Alan Rickman,” Harry deadpans. Anne’s laughing and shaking her head. “Fine, Liam Neeson.”

“Loved Liam Neeson, this one,” Anne says as she reaches over and scratches at his head. “Said he wanted him to be his dad.”

Louis laughs. “Have a thing for daddies then, Harry?”

“Shut up,” Harry says as he brings a hand full of popcorn to Louis’s mouth.

“Messy boys,” Anne mutters beside them but she’s still smiling warmly.

When she leaves to go out to a bar to catch up with old friends, Louis holds her a bit longer and feels a little sad that she’ll be leaving tomorrow. Harry walks her out, leaving Louis standing by the door just pondering life. He’s disgusted to even think it but he wonders if his relationship with his mum would’ve been different had he been straight. He tries to convince himself that the reason they aren’t close isn’t because of how he was born but that he just fucked up by not letting her know. Maybe he made her feel unimportant and instead of talking about it, they ignored it.

Louis’s good at ignoring problems, just like his mother. He makes his problems seem smaller than they are, and they are small until they’re not. Until he starts to think too much about them and his problems are parting his rib cage in half. It’s better for him to pack his issues away in a dark corner of his mind and never go through the boxes.

After spending time with Harry and Anne though, he wishes he could give the same joy to Harry. He isn’t naive though. He can’t see he and his mum reconciling any time soon. Or ever. He’s never going to be able to go back and change what he did, change that he was scared. He’s always going to be gay.

Louis kisses Harry hard when he steps back in. “Can we go out?” Louis asks.  

Harry tucks the end of Louis’s fringe behind his ear. “Where do you want to go, Bluey?”

Louis yanks his jean leg to uncover his ankle and sits back in the chair. Harry comfortingly strokes Louis’s fringe out of his face and smiles warmly at him. The tattoo artist sits down on his stool and glides over to Louis to set things down on the table beside him. His name is Brad or Kyle, Louis can’t remember. He’s going with Brad.

Brad finally peels back the paper and reveals the triangle blueprint on his ankle. “Right there?” He asks. Louis nods and looks to Harry, who’s smiling at the blue shape. Harry’s eyes come back to his face and he kisses Louis’s forehead. “So, Harry tells me that you’re a virgin,” Brad says. Louis whips his neck around to face him and raises an eyebrow. “A tattoo virgin, that is,” He clarifies with a chuckle. Louis’s cheeks burn with embarrassment as he nods. Harry chuckles and drags the tip of his nose along his jaw.

Louis shudders as the tattoo gun comes to life, vibrating loudly. Harry squeezes his shoulder. “You’ll be fine, Louis,” He coos. “It’ll hurt a little but it’ll be okay.”

“Easy for you to say because you have a thing for pain,” Louis hisses. Brad chuckles to himself.

“Okay, I’m going to start now,” Brad warns before he holds down Louis’s foot and brings his gun to his skin. Louis tenses up as the needle hits his skin.

“Relax, babe,” Harry advises. Louis takes a deep breath and does so.

“So how long have you two been together?” Brad asks, trying to make conversation.

Harry snorts. “Well, this one didn’t know we were dating until two months after we started,” Harry starts, making Brad’s eyebrow arch as he works. “We’re at five months right now. Right, Lou?”

“Um, yes,” Louis replies.

“Were you even listening?”

“Harry, it’s hard for me to focus with a needle going in me skin hundreds of times,” Louis grumbles. Harry chuckles and kisses his forehead again. “How much longer?”

“Five minutes. Just need to clean up the lines a bit more,” Brad replies. Louis sighs in relief. It’s not the worst feeling but Louis just can’t handle sitting still with a mild discomfort much longer. “And it’s actually three needles.”

“Thanks for doing this by the way, ya know, since we didn’t schedule it,” Harry says. “It was pretty last minute.”

Brad chuckles. “It’s cool. I love being the first person to tattoo someone, even if it’s something small,” he says. A few minutes later, the tattoo gun stops buzzing and he cleans the freshly inked skin. “We’re done.”

After he’s bandaged and given aftercare tips, Harry pays for his service. “Harold,” Louis rolls his eyes. “I can pay for it.” But Harry insists and so Louis is slightly pouty their way back to Louis’s flat. Harry kisses it away eventually.

Back in his apartment, Louis removes the bandage and kicks his leg up onto the counter. “What are you doing, Blue?” Harry asks as he steps into the kitchen.

“Cleaning it,” Louis answers. Harry shakes his head, smiling, as he makes his way over and places a hand on Louis’s thigh. He pulls Louis’s shoe off and helps him bring his ankle under the faucet. Louis starts hopping on his other foot and shouts, “Oi! Slow down, will ya?”

Harry kisses him to shut him up and looks for a safe soap to use. It’s a bit more romantic than it should be, Harry washing his ankle. He turns off the water and brings Louis’s wet foot to the floor so he can trap him against the counter and kiss him. He pulls away, breathless and mouth raw. He strokes Louis cheek. “I have to go now,” Harry says. “I’m scared that Niall’s drunk arse is going to put silverware in the microwave again.”

Louis captures his lips one more time. “We need one flat. I don’t want to do this anymore,” Louis says.

“Soon, Bluey,” Harry assures him. “After I teach Niall not to come home drunk off of free drinks.” He squeezes him once more before they both walk to Louis’s door. Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s neck and kisses him, their noses nudging against each other until they tilt their heads. The kisses are desperate and needy but they break away.

Once Harry steps into his flat, his phone buzzes in his pocket.

Don’t think I’m afraid of forever anymore.

—

Harry moves in shortly after his twenty-fourth birthday. He and Louis video-chatted with Anne because she had called to say Happy Birthday and let her in on the news. They were both glad and relieved that she was ecstatic about it instead of trying to psych them out of it by reminding them they’d only been together seven months.

Louis replaces his stripped duvet with Harry’s flowered one. They move Louis’s bed to a corner of the room to fit in Harry’s vanity. He was willing to leave it behind for Ed but Louis would never forgive himself if he let Harry do that and ruin his dream of waking up to find Harry looking in it, all beautiful and glowing.

Harry puts his collection of boots in the shelves of Louis’s tiny walk-in closet, right next to Louis’s Vans. He finally gave up on having them boxed up and stacked in his living room.

A very high Louis is sprawled on the couch as Harry is finishing up making mac n’ cheese in the kitchen, giggling at the noise it makes as he stirs in the cheese. He’s evidently under the same influence as Louis.

Louis sits up as Harry walks to the couch with two servings of mac n’ cheese. He gives a bowl to Louis before grabbing his legs, lifting them so he can sit down and place them on his lap. “What time is it, Blue?” Harry asks.

“It’s six o’clock, my love,” Louis answers as he spoons cheesy macaroni into his mouth. “I need to start working out or something. The food you make has got me gaining a bit of weight. It’s like marriage weight gain. We’re not even married yet.”

“We’re quite close though,” Harry giggles before going to peck Louis’s lips. “We don’t need no piece of paper from the city hall.”

“Your music taste is obscure and I love it,” Louis groans. “I love you, dammit.”

“I love you too,” Harry throws back, raising an eyebrow at the slight frustration in Louis’s voice. He sits back and listens to the sounds of them eating.

“Next step, get to one year and get a cat,” Louis tells him. Harry places his empty bowl on the coffee table and smiles at him. Louis bends his knee to poke Harry’s face with his big toe, giggling when Harry tries to swat it away.

“Get your feet away from me,” Harry snaps.

“Don’t act like you don’t like it.”

“I don’t have a foot fetish, Louis!” Harry yells, laughing as he holds down both of Louis’s legs and hovers over him to press their lips together. Louis traces his tongue in the crease of Harry’s lips before he parts them and dips in further. He blindly puts his bowl on the coffee table and pulls Harry closer. Harry pulls away and starts to move in on his neck but retreats with a growl. “Just remembered I can’t mark you up.”

“Nope, I have a shoot tomorrow,” Louis replies, a little smug though he really wouldn’t mind having his neck sucked and bitten. Louis brings him back to his mouth. Breathlessly, Louis asks, “How many children do you want me to bear you? I was thinking two or three.”

Harry snorts, stroking Louis’s face and clearing it of any strands of hair. “How much thought have you put into that?” Harry asks.

“Too much.”

He hums happily before softly kissing Louis’s jaw. “I love children so three,” Harry answers finally. Louis smiles and shuts his eyes as Harry’s gentle lips go down to his neck.

“No marking,” He reminds him.

“I’m not,” Harry murmurs against his skin. “But they’re not going to see anything beneath your neck, are they?” Louis ponders this but Harry’s already working to take his shirt off. He gladly raises his arms to simplify the removal of his shirt. Harry’s mouth immediately goes to the skin just above his right nipple, so teasingly close that Louis considers just nudging him to get his mouth right on it. But Harry relents and pulls away entirely. “We’ve been together seven months and I have yet to have you inside of me,” Harry says, voice low and immediately sending blood to Louis’s cock. “Unless you don’t enjoy being the top. But I wanted to let you know I enjoy being the bottom too.”

Louis licks over his dry top lip, letting out a heavy breath. “No, I like being on top too,” Louis confirms. “Just didn’t know if you wanted to…”

“Well, now we know and should be doing something about it,” Harry adds and kisses his lips, biting down on his lower one before getting off the couch and skipping to the bedroom. Louis takes a deep breath, still amazed (and afraid) at how much Harry can turn him on in such little time that it nearly incapacitates him. He puts his game face on and stands from the sofa, hurrying to the room. He can hear Harry’s labored breathing before his eyes land on him. Louis becomes winded at the sight.

Harry’s ass is presented to him as he’s on his knees with his face pressed into the bed, two fingers sliding in and out of his lubed up hole. His respiratory system is faltering until he reminds himself that he still hasn’t fucked Harry and he certainly won’t die until he does.

“Thought you were going to leave me here to do it myself,” Harry says as soon as a naked Louis climbs onto the bed behind him.

“You clearly don’t know me enough,” Louis replies as he presses his lips to Harry’s cheek. “Open yourself up enough, baby?”

“I like the burn.”

Louis grabs the base of his cock and slaps it against the skin of Harry’s arse, making sure he’s hard enough before he circles his head around Harry’s pink rim. Harry barely moves his arse back and Louis squeezes his hip hard, possibly leaving fingertip-sized bruises behind. “Don’t move,” He commands as he brings the tip of his cock back to Harry’s hole, teasing him with tiny dips inside until he starts to move in at a consistent pace. Harry’s drawn out groan grows louder with every inch entering him. His bum is snugly fitted against Louis and they’re still for a few seconds.

“Move, Louis, move now,” Harry hisses as he flattens his forearms on the bed, his upper body in a plank position. He shudders as Louis’s pulls out completely, leaving him empty and clenching around nothing. He bites his bottom lip as he anticipates the next moment, yelping when it comes. Louis rams himself back inside and thrusts into him at an animalistic speed, the sounds of the creaking bed, moans, and skin slapping against skin filling the entire flat, maybe the entire building. Who gives a fuck about a noise complaint? Not them.

Louis uses the hand not on Harry’s hip to push one of his cheeks further from the other one. He gets a better look at himself stretching Harry and moans a little louder. “Oh, fuck, Harry. Taking my cock so well,” Louis gasps as he slows down to lean over and kiss Harry’s spine. “H-How close are you, darling?”

“Pretty close,” Harry whines, voice high and filthy.

“Turn around. I want to see you,” Louis says as he presses another kiss to Harry’s back. He straightens himself out as Harry begins to roll over, not wanting Louis to leave him for a second. “God, you’re beautiful. So fucking beautiful.” He peppers Harry’s blotchy face with kisses as he hooks his arms around the backs of Harry’s knees and starts to roll his hips into him.

Harry keens vehemently when Louis nails his prostate, arching his back off the mattress. “I’m gonna come,” Harry warns as his hands fly up to his head and tangle his fingers into his hair, pleasure beginning to make him feel on the brink of insanity. “I’m gonna come,” He repeats, frantic. His heat tightens around Louis as arches one more time and shoots hot ribbons of white on his collarbone and chin. Louis wraps his hand around his cock and gets Harry to release a few blurts of come that land on his navel as well.

“Fucking hell. I’m gonna come, where do you want it?” Louis asks, his breathing erratic. Harry only has to drop his jaw and stick out his landing pad of a tongue for Louis to know. Louis pulls out and begins to furiously pump his cock as he shuffles onto Harry’s chest. Harry locks eyes with him as he quickly licks his lips and keeps his mouth open for Louis’s load. Louis trembles violently as his orgasm takes him, creating a pool of white in Harry’s mouth.

Harry swallows and smiles at Louis before reaching for him. Louis lowers himself to kiss Harry’s lips. “I love you,” Harry says, still sounding fucked out. “Fuck, I can’t believe I went seven months without that.”

“Me too,” Louis replies before he falls onto his back beside Harry. “Let’s be open about everything. I don’t want us to miss out on things like that any longer.”

Harry wraps an arm around Louis’s waist and kisses his shoulder before nodding. “I know we just finished boning and all but it’s only seven,” Harry points out. “We should go do something.”

“Think your arse can handle it?”

“Don’t underestimate my arse, Lou. It’s rude.”

Louis interrupts the tying of his skates to pull Harry’s beanie down to cover his right ear better. He smiles before kissing Louis’s cheek. “Now I’ve never skated anything besides a board a day in me life so I might fall on my arse a few times. And if you laugh, I’m breaking up with you,” Louis threatens. Harry tightens his laces with a giggle before putting his large hand on the back of Louis’s neck and pulling him close to kiss his lips.

“I would never,” He replies with faux innocence. Louis goes into his coat to pinch his side.

Louis hands are held tightly around Harry’s, so tight the skin around his fingers is white. Harry pulls away one of his hands and Louis panics as he tries to reach for it again. “Hey, it’ll be alright, love. I got you,” Harry says as he slides over to Louis’s side, kissing his cheek before he starts to move, pulling Louis along. “I’m doing this with an achy bum, I think you can do it.”

“You wanted an achy bum, shut up,” Louis scoffs.

“I will let you go.”

“Please don’t.”

Harry smiles. “Yeah, I’m kidding,” he assures him. “C’mon.”

Louis relieves the tension in his body after a few laps around the rink. He hasn’t died yet. And if he does in the next circle, at least there’s less viewers. “Think you can do it by yourself now, babe?” Harry asks.

“Uh, I could give it a try,” Louis replies as he slowly untangles his hand from Harry’s. He stays close as Louis starts to push himself forward.

“Got it?” Harry says. Louis grins as he nods. “Look at you. You’re so good at it.”

“Thank you, baby,” He says as Harry goes to skate in front of him. He’s more graceful on ice skates than he is on his feet, Louis notes. He’s about to say this when he sees Harry’s path leads him right into a little girl and he gasps, “Harry, watch out!”

Harry sees the little girl behind him and slides further to his right. Louis unfortunately didn’t learn how to stop.

Louis groans into Harry’s collarbone as soon as they’ve stilled on the ice. Harry giggles underneath him, his chest pulsing with it. “Get off me, Louis. There are children around,” Harry teases. Louis pinches his side.

“I hate you.”

—

Louis whines in confusion as light spills through the slits of his heavy eyelids. He’s awoken by a strange feeling on his stomach. He rubs his eyes and blinks before his gaze lands on the boy kissing around his navel, the ends of his hair tickling his skin. He smiles softly as he brings his hand to Harry’s hair and cards his fingers through it, fingernails gently scratching against his scalp. “Morning,” Louis says, voice still having hints of sleep in it.

Harry looks up at him through his eyelashes, lips curled at the ends, as he noses at his hipbone. “Good morning, love,” Harry replies. He rests both of his arms on Louis’s stomach and places his chin on them. His lips are now in a pouty, flat line. He tilts his head to one side as he asks, “Do you know what today is?”

Louis hums as he acts out intense contemplation. Harry snorts as he goes back to kissing Louis’s skin. “Yesterday was Thursday so today is Friday,” Louis says as innocently as he can. Harry’s kisses become a little wetter and suck harder before he shakes his head, lips still brushing against him. His skin is already developing a thin layer of sweat because the rising temperature does not help keep his body heat normal when Harry is getting him all worked up.

“You’re a smart boy, but that’s not the answer I was looking for,” Harry says as he kisses up Louis’s chest and finally gets his mouth on his neck. “You know what today is, what today means. Don’t pretend you don’t,” he breathes hotly against Louis’s shoulder. His stern voice sends more blood rushing to Louis’s cock.

“Or what? You’re gonna punish me, Daddy?”

Harry freezes for a moment before goes back to pressing his lips against Louis’s neck then jaw. “If I have to,” Harry replies as his fingers trail up Louis’s ribcage and his thumb and index settle around his nipple. He pinches gently at first but as the seconds pass, his fingers close around it harshly and twist just enough to make him squirm. Harry lets go before dragging his tongue over the abused nipple. He kisses Louis deeply, nibbling on his bottom lip. “What does today mean for us?” He asks again as he shuffles down Louis’s body and settles in between his legs. Louis doesn’t even hear it, too entranced by Harry’s movements as he pulls his boxer briefs down his thighs. He involuntarily lifts his legs so Harry can remove them completely. His cock his laid out, hard and heavy, on his stomach. “What does today mean for us, Louis?” He repeats, hard eyes locked on Louis.

Being called by his name pulls him out of his trance and brings him back. “O-one year,” Louis answers shakily as he looks straight into his eyes. “We’ve been together one year.”

Harry grins as he lifts Louis’s legs and hooks them over his shoulders. His large hands come to cup Louis’s ass and pull him apart. Louis watches for a moment until his head is helplessly thrown back with a sigh as Harry immediately licks his rim expertly.  

Louis moans loudly as Harry begins to prod at his hole, shallowly breaching the ring of muscle. “Fuck, Harry,” He mewls as his legs wrap around Harry’s upper body and pushes his face in deeper. More whines are coaxed out of his lips as Harry only works him better. His hips are raised to give Harry’s neck more of a break.

Louis swirls his finger through the precome that runs up his body and towards his chest. He sees swirls of color whenever he shuts his eyes, contrasting greatly against the darkness of his eyelids. Eventually the colorful ribbons are there even with his eyes open. His building orgasm heats up his entire body and he feels moisture everywhere. Louis doesn’t know how Harry powers through an aching jaw so well but he makes sure he knows that he isn’t ungrateful.

His breaths are short and hot as his orgasm comes closer. Maybe it should be a bit embarrassing that Louis can come just like this, moaning happily as he gets tongued by his boyfriend, but he can’t bother himself with that emotion since he knows Harry loves it. It makes a sore jaw worth it for him when he can make Louis come untouched.

Harry’s teeth scratch against his rim before his licks and prods in quick succession. Louis’s entire body tightens as he releases with a vehement groan, painting his stomach and chest with creamy stripes.

Harry sets his hips down onto the bed carefully and smiles at him before he licks his top lip and wiggles around his jaw. He plants his hands on both sides of Louis as he comes down to kiss his lips. “How’s your jaw?” Louis asks, lightly panting. Harry shrugs as he kisses him again.

“I’d eat you out until my jaw fell off,” Harry says before he presses several pecks to Louis’s lips. “It’s just as much for me as it is for you. I love doing it. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Louis giggles. “Damn, one whole year of fucking.”

“And many, many more to come,” Harry replies confidently, “until we have back and hip problems.” He smiles as he pokes at a hickey he gave Louis at the start of their session. “We can have a proper shag later but let’s go get ourselves a kitten.”

Before he can jump from the bed, Louis grabs him and gets him onto his back. “—After I blow you,” he adds. He kisses Harry’s lips before scrambling down and getting to work.

Louis doesn’t get the calico kitten of his dreams, but he gets one better.

They’re walking through a rescue shelter because Harry thought it’d be better than going to a pet shop that possibly has a puppy and kitten mills behind them. There’s cats meowing in every direction in the confines of their cages. Louis wants to take them all home. But one takes his heart.

“So calico right?” Harry asks before one of the bracelets on his wrist is caught against a cage. The opposite pull and his unbalanced weight bring him down to his back. Louis turns around, horrified as he squats beside him.

“You okay?” He questions.

“Y—” Harry is cut off before he can answer by the sound of a kitten letting out short meows that sound like laughs. Louis whips his head to the cage closest to them and spots the one-eyed, brown tabby kitten.

Louis snorts before he’s laughing too. “You’re getting laughed at by a fucking kitten, Harold. This is the roast of the century,” Louis gasps as he puts a hand to his stomach, falling from his squat and onto his ass.

“Two kittens, more like,” Harry mutters as he sits up. He turns his head to look at the tabby, who’s now pawing at the bars and eyeing Harry. He looks at their sewn up eye and sighs sympathetically. “Who treated you poorly, sweetheart?”

Louis stops heaving and finally brings his attention back to the kitten and his boyfriend. “Only one eye, eh?” Louis says, placing his arms on his knees. “Guess that means we should take them home. Not many people go for the ‘incomplete’ ones.”

“So this is the one then?” Harry asks as he grabs Louis’s arm and drags him closer. He brings an arm around his shoulders and kisses his temple.

“This is the one,” Louis answers softly as the tabby cat looks between them with one eye.

Harry pays the taxi driver as Louis carefully walks up the steps with the travel cage handle held tightly in his fist. He’s grateful when Harry hurries up the stairs and gets to the door, unlocking it and letting Louis in.

Once they get to their flat, Louis steps into the living room and settles the cage down on the wooden floor cautiously. He pulls at the latch and opens the cage. The kitten doesn’t stir for a moment  and they hold their breaths as they wait.

They see the first tiny paw sticking out from where they’re stood behind the cage. Then the next paw. And then the head. The tabby turns its head and looks up at Louis. It turns the other way and looks at Harry. “Louis?” Harry whispers like any loud noise will scare the kitten back into the cage.

“Hm?”

“What are we gonna name her?” He asks.

“I was hoping Cat Damon,” Louis replies as he goes to stroke in between her ears with a tender finger. Harry snorts before Louis starts listing more names, “Catalie Portman, Colin Furth, Leonardo DiCatrio.”

“Okay, stop. They’re getting worse as you go.”

Louis chuckles and looks up at Harry, cheeks blushy and eyes soft as he bites on his thumb. “Well, do you have any ideas, genius?” Louis asks as the kitten moves into his touch for a moment before leaving it entirely to go explore.

“How about Muno?”

“The one-eyed prickly dildo-looking Yo Gabba Gabba! character?” Louis huffs.

“Hey, he looks more like a red cactus than a dildo. But he’s one-eyed,” He replies. “And it’s better than Sauron or… Mike Wazowski.”

Louis giggles, his indignant expression falling, and he nods. “Fine, Muno. I liked it, just need to take the piss,” Louis says as he stands up straight. He watches the kitten as he steps over to Harry and kisses him quickly, “You know I love ribbing you.” Harry loops his arm under Louis’s and places his hand on his hip.

“I love you,” Harry whispers as they watch the kitten curiously sniff up at the table before launching off her back legs and onto the top.

“I love you too.”

Harry fills Muno’s new bowls with food and water while Louis has her in his lap. Her single eye shuts slowly every time Louis pets her fur. Harry sets the bowls near the front door before joining Louis and Muno on the couch.

Louis’s phone buzzes on the table and he groans lightly. “Will you answer that for me?” Louis asks. Harry nods as he grabs it and answers without checking the ID.

“Hello,” Harry greets as he sits back in the couch and watches Louis.

“H— Who is this? Where is Louis?”

“Oh, I’m Harry. I’m answering ‘cause Louis is busy right now. Sorry about that.”

“Okay… Just tell him his mum called.” The line goes dead. Harry’s eyes widen as he pulls the phone from his ear and stares at the blinking time.

“Who was it?” Louis asks as Muno starts to crawl up his chest.

“Um, your mother,” Harry answers.

“My mother?” Louis squawks as he tears the phone from Harry’s hand. He places Muno in Harry’s lap and stands from the couch as he goes through his recent calls. His phone rings as he goes to the bedroom. Once it stops ringing, Louis squeaks out, “Mum?”

“Who was that, Louis?” She asks immediately. Louis feels his stomach drop.

“Harry,” He breathes. “He’s my… friend.”

“Okay. What have you been up to today?”

Louis sits on the edge of his bed. “Nothing really. Well, I finally got a kitten. We just brought her home. She has one eye and we named her Muno after a children’s show character,” Louis says. “You know the one. Yo Gabba Gabba?”

“Yeah. I know the one. Did… did Harry come up with the name?”

“No,” He lies. “I-I did.”

“Oh, it’s just ‘cause you said ‘we’. I didn’t know you could afford to look after a cat on your own now,” She adds. Louis can hear in the cold sarcasm that lines her voice that she’s unconvinced. He’s never been too well lying to her.

“…Why… Why are you talking to me like that?” Louis whispers, voice shaking.

“Because you take me for an idiot, Louis.”

“So what? You want the truth?” He asks. His speech is still uneven but it’s laced with spite. “What have I been up to today? I woke up next to my boyfriend in our shared flat and we celebrated our first anniversary by adopting a kitten together. There! Are you content, mother? Hope that didn’t give you shock.”

She laughs bitterly. “There’s no surprise here. You moved to New York, Louis. Everyone knows homosexuality and disease is rife there,” She says.

“I’m hanging up now because it’s my anniversary and I don’t need to be dealing with your shit. Bye,” Louis says before he hangs up and clenches his fist around his mobile. He puts his elbow on his thigh and puts his face into his palm as he tries to calm himself down. Tears prick the corners of his eyes and he presses his fingertips into them when there’s a knock on the wall, right in the doorway. He looks up to see Harry standing there with a soft expression and Muno held between his chest and hand. The word family crosses in front of his eyes and his bottom lip trembles before he bites it.

Harry takes careful steps towards him and kneels down to put Muno in his lap. “Hi, Bluey,” He coos as he cups Louis’s cheek and wipes away a single tear with his thumb. “Muno and I were worried. She started meowing like a maniac. I almost joined her.” Louis chuckles halfheartedly. “Do you want to talk about it?”

They rarely talk about his mother. They’ve talked about her a total of five times over the course of their relationship. Louis pouts and shakes his head. “You’d probably hate me,” Louis sighs.

Harry’s furrows his brow as he takes a seat next to him and places his large hand on his thigh, squeezing gently. “Why? Because you haven’t told her about me?” Harry asks. Louis tenses at his words, expecting the next ones to be angry. But they aren’t. Harry’s fingers come to his jaw, guiding him closer so Harry can kiss his temple and sigh into his hair. “Babe, I know you didn’t tell her. I never cared if you told her or not. You can tell whoever you feel comfortable telling. I love you, okay?”

His arms come around Louis’s shoulders, his head against the small of his back. Muno meows up at Louis as Harry pecks Louis neck. “I’m going to make lunch… unless you want to go out?” Harry says as he slithers his arms away from Louis and stands. Louis shakes his head as he wipes his tears.

“No, I think Zayn is coming around to see Muno,” Louis informs him.

“Cheers,” Harry mumbles before giving Louis another kiss and exiting the room. Muno meows to shatter the silence. Louis chuckles and falls onto his back, letting her roam his chest before settling down with her head on his collarbone.

Louis pulls back the little curtains they stapled to the edges of Harry’s vanity and shows Muno her litter box. “This is your toilet. I hope you use it and Daddy and I never come home to your shit in our bed,” Louis says sweetly as he places her in it and digs at the litter to encourage her to follow. “C’mon, Muno. Don’t want you shitting on Daddy’s pretty, flowered duvet.”

He hears a giggle behind him and turns to see Harry standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest and blushing with adoration. “Can’t believe you’re starting potty training without me,” Harry giggles as he shakes his head, his long curls bouncing around. He’s going to have to cut his hair again soon and Louis doesn’t think he’ll have the strength for it again.

“Don’t divorce me,” Louis replies with wide eyes. Harry continues to giggle, dimples deep in his cheeks.

“I won’t. But Zayn is in the living room with our lunch,” He says. “So try to finish the potty training soon, yeah?”

Louis turns back around to Muno and gasps happily. “Already done.”

After dinner, Zayn leaves and Louis feels his limbs sag with fatigue. He and Harry go to their bedroom. Harry sets Muno down on her little bed and she snuggles into it easily, having played with Zayn for hours while he was there. They strip down before getting into bed. They lay on their backs, hands around each other’s dicks, lazily pumping.

Louis turns his head and kisses Harry’s lips sloppily before he lets go of Harry’s shaft. He whines for a moment at the loss contact until Louis gets onto his hands and knees to crawl over to Harry’s chest. Louis gets his mouth around Harry’s tip as Harry gets his hand around Louis’s cock again and guides it in between his lips.

He moans as he bobs on Harry’s cock. He pulls off to catch his breath and swallow the saliva accumulating in the back of his throat. As he’s gently slapping Harry’s head against his lips, he catches Muno watching him and cringes. “Harry, stop,” He says, voice rough with pleasure.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… Just scoot further onto my side of the bed, yeah?”

“Why?”

“Because fucking Muno is watching me and it’s weird. I don’t like it.” Harry throws his head back with a laugh before he flips them over, careful not to knee Louis in the face. “Thank you,” Louis mumbles as he gets Harry back into his mouth.

Harry’s giggling again instead of sucking his cock. Louis lifts his knee just enough to nudge Harry’s head. “Sorry, sorry, I’ll get to it,” Harry says around his snickering before kissing Louis’s inner thigh. “I love you.”

—

Louis is rushing up the steps to his building, his worry clawing at his throat and making his fingers go stupid when he finally gets to his door and has to unlock the door. The door swings open and almost makes a dent in the adjacent wall with the knob. “Harry?” He calls out as he shuts the door. He comes around the corner to the living room and finds Harry laying on the couch, head propped on the armrest as he strokes the sleeping cat on his chest. His cheeks are blotchy and covered in tear tracks. Louis drops his keys on the floor as he hurries over and kneels beside the couch. “Baby.”

Harry’s neutral face contorts into pain as tears come rushing out of his eyes again. He pulls himself up until he’s sitting with his back against the armrest and wipes at his eyes. Muno startles awake and scurries off of the couch. Louis picks up Harry’s legs and takes a seat before placing them on his lap, pulling him close. “Baby, I’m sorry,” Louis coos as he kisses his face.

He sniffles loudly as he hides his face in Louis’s neck. Louis comfortingly rakes his fingers through the hair that stops at the back of Harry’s neck and lets him cry it out.

Louis was at a shoot and taking a quick break when he saw the several missed calls from Harry. He called back and was answered by his crying boyfriend saying that his nan had a heart attack and he had been sent home by his boss because he couldn’t control his tears. Louis was panicked throughout the rest of the photoshoot, itching to get home and hold Harry.

Once Harry’s sobbing has subsided to just tiny hiccups and sniffles, he wipes under his nose with the back of his hand and locks eyes with Louis. His sad, red-rimmed eyes hold his gaze tightly as Louis kisses his salty tasting lips quickly and sweetly. “M-my mum is with her right now,” Harry murmurs as he sniffles again. “She’s pretty weak, Lou. And I’m so scared.”

“Harry,” Louis starts, “You should… You should go see her.”

He shakes his head. “No point. If I-I go and c-come back, I’ll just have to go back for her fu-funeral,” He bites back a sob.

Louis kisses his forehead. “No. You should be with her for whatever time she has left,” Louis clarifies. “It’s the worst feeling… not being there until they’re gone.”

Harry looks back up at him with shock and confusion written on his face. “But… But I don’t know how long that will be.”

“I don’t care if you’re gone for a year, Harry. Well, I would care a lot. But you should be there for your nan and your family,” Louis replies, “the whole way through. It’s up to you in the end but I want you to consider it. I love you.”

For the rest of the day, Harry never goes more than a few minutes without a hug or kiss with Louis.

—

Harry wakes up in his childhood bed. Even after two weeks, he’s still not used to waking up alone and not having someone to share kisses that taste like morning breath. The springs squeaking loudly underneath him as he turns onto his side and reaches over to his aged nightstand for his mobile.

He frowns as he sees a picture message from Louis.

We’re missing you tonnes ! Love you !! xxxxx

He saves the photo of Louis and Muno attached to it. He gets onto his back and stares at the ceiling as he sighs. He loves his family, loves his mum, stepdad, and nan. But they can’t fill the hole of his other family that consists of Louis and Muno.

“Come in,” Harry calls out, voice still rough with sleep, when there’s a knock at the door. His mum steps in, wearing comfortable clothing under a plush robe and a cuppa in her hands. “Hi, mum.”

Anne smiles sympathetically as she walks over. “Missing Louis, huh?” She asks. “I can read it on your face.”

Harry smiles a little. “Is that for me?” He questions, completely ignoring hers. She giggles with a nod as she hands it over to him. He blows at the steam and takes a sip. “Is nan awake yet?”

“Uh, yeah. She woke up a few minutes ago. I was hoping you’d take her out for a light walk in a bit. Is that okay?” Harry nods. “Okay, thank you, darling.”

He drinks his tea once she leaves and takes a picture of himself before sending it to Louis.

Miss you too, Bluey. Video chat me when you’re awake please. Need to hear your voice and see your face. Muno too! Love you. x

Louis wakes up, instinctively rolling around the bed to find Harry’s warm body. But just like the past two weeks, he’s not there. He sits up with a groan as he looks around, still hoping to discover Harry hiding away but again, nothing. He drops back down and grabs his phone, smiling softly at the message from Harry.

Louis smiles, crinkles forming around his tired eyes, when Harry answers the video chat. “Hi, baby. Good morning,” Harry says brightly before blowing a kiss at the screen. He’s shutting the door of his bedroom behind him and making his way to his mattress. “Just woke up?”

Louis nods with his cheek pressed against his pillow. “Miss you,” He croaks out. “What have you been up to?”

“I went for a walk with my nan and I just finished eating. How—” He’s cut off and grins in delight as he adjusts the pillow at the bottom of his spine. “Was that Muno?”

Louis feels a tug at his heart seeing Harry light up. “Yeah, it was,” he replies. Louis pats the edge of the bed and smacks his lips in Muno’s direction to catch her attention. “Muno! Come up here. Say Hi to Daddy,” He calls out. Muno jumps onto the bed and pokes at Louis’s arm with her head. He lifts his arm and she slides underneath it until she’s pressed up against his chest, face against Louis’s neck. Harry seems to be in awe and coos.

“She’s gotten so big already,” Harry says, pouting. “I feel like I’m missing out on my child’s life.”

Louis snickers. “Well when we get real children, you’ll get another chance to be around more,” Louis assures him casually. He and Harry have discussed kids plenty of times, usually at night under the influence of something, giggling and prodding at each other with their fingers.

Somehow Harry still can’t stop the flowers from blooming in his chest whenever he imagines it. A bigger flat, maybe a house. Muno is a lot bigger, a bit slower. Louis is finally done with modeling and doing something he really loves. Harry is probably still a baker but maybe has his own bakery. He works good hours and comes home to Louis chasing two or three children around the house, their laughter bouncing off the walls. He’ll put down his bag and join the chaos.

Harry huffs. “Jesus, I miss you. And I miss you in several different ways.”

Louis mostly understands this, he figures he feels the same way but he doesn’t pay attention to it too much. As soon as his skin is aching for Harry’s touch and his eyes are craving the sight of Harry, he calls Zayn and they smoke by the window. He distracts himself when he feels himself begin to drift into an intense hunger for Harry. He’d go crazy if he didn’t. “What do you mean?” Louis asks, wanting to find out if it’s the same on his side.

“Some days… I just feel incomplete, kind of in a daze, and it isn’t too bad. And some days I just feel so utterly wrong and need you, and I’m sobbing and throwing up everywhere,” he exaggerates as he pulls on an upset frog face, making Louis giggle though there is some truth to it. He smiles at Louis. “And then I get frustrated because there are moments that I wish I could have shared with you. Being in different time zones, I can’t call you all the time because you’re sleeping. And you’d probably kill me if I woke you up just to listen to the way the sink handle sounds like you moaning when it’s twisted.”

“God, Harry. I would. I would definitely fly to England just to murder you if you did that to me,” Louis deadpans.

“You wouldn’t though because you’re disgustingly in love with me. It’s embarrassing,” Harry quips, fluttering his eyelashes at Louis.

“Reconsidering my stance on how I feel about you right now actually,” He replies. “Just kidding. Always in my heart, Styles, even when you’re thousands of miles away.”

—

Louis feels himself start to go crazy. And he expresses it very vocally to everyone but Harry himself, not wanting to make him feel guilty. He’s finished video chatting with Harry hours ago and there’s just a heavy ache in his chest. He opens Tumblr.

i miss my boyfriend so badly :(

He hits Post and shuts his laptop before going back under the flowery duvet that no longer carries any scent of Harry. The fact that it doesn’t smell like him makes it feel more suffocating.

When his head pops back out from the covers, he finds Muno sitting on the pillow next to his head, judging him with her one eye. “Shut up,” He says with an eye roll. “You don’t understand, Muno. Just wait until you fall madly in love with a cat man… Or woman. I don’t know.” He then goes off on a tangent about how Cat Woman was probably the only person that convinced him that he might’ve been straight for a while. “Because the tight suit is hot and shit, you know?… No, of course, you don’t. I’m talking to my fucking cat!”

He buries his face in his pillow and groans loudly. He should call Zayn but he doesn’t. He knows the longer he goes without human contact, he’ll probably do something stupid. Killing himself is definitely out of the question because Harry will come back eventually and he has a cat to look after. (And he will not let her eat his corpse. He won’t be anything but pretty at his open casket funeral.) But alcohol definitely isn’t restricted.

He has a pretty depressing shower, just standing under the water and letting his wet hair curtain in front of his eyes. It’s grown pretty long since he hasn’t gotten a haircut in months. But the thought of scheduling an appointment and going to a salon seems like such a tedious task that he’d rather groan about it and nap instead. What’s the point of a haircut if Harry won’t be there in the flesh to see it and run his fingers through it and surely mess up the way it was styled while they have sex? There is none.

He shaves, nicking himself too many times for someone who’s not a beginner, and then gets dressed though he really doesn’t have anywhere to go. So he lays down and stares at the ceiling.

But Zayn comes to his rescue.  

He grumbles as he answers his phone, “What?”

“Good evening to you too, princess,” Zayn quips. “We’re going out tonight.”

“What? Why?” Louis groans as he rolls onto his stomach.

“What have you done today?” Zayn asks. When Louis doesn’t reply, he chuckles. “Proving my point. You need to do something, Lou.”

“Oh, fuck off and let me be sad,” Louis replies.

“Liam and I are picking you up in ten minutes,” He then hangs up immediately after. Louis groans again before rolling off of his bed and looking for his black Vans.

He lies down in the backseat of Liam’s car after he sets his skateboard in the boot and continues to groan. He only brought it in case he wants to go home sooner. “Hi, babe,” Zayn greets as he turns in his seat and pokes Louis’s side. He swats at Zayn’s hand. “How’s Harry?”

“Good, beautiful, and five thousand miles away from me,” He replies apathetically. “Where are we going?”

“A party.”

Louis is drunk. He’s doesn’t know if he’s already puked, everything’s too fuzzy to really be sure. But he’s still drinking and there are three Liam’s sitting beside him. His skin feels like it’s melting off but it’s pleasant enough.

His stomach is bubbling with alcohol and helps him find solace. He’s smiling again but christ, his heart misses Harry so much. He loves Zayn and Liam but he’d rather be home with Muno, so he can be alone and not pretend that he isn’t feeling a bit troubled. It’s been over two months, nothing can efficiently distract him from the hand yanking at his heart anymore.

He pulls out his phone and checks the time. Seeing that it’s 3AM, he knows Harry’s going to be awake soon if he isn’t already. So he texts him.

Miss you, baaaaby m dr unk out of my mind and not see ing right . all Im sure of is that i love you so so much and i will love yu until im frail nd senile and we cant have hot sex like we used to in our younger days :((( i lo ve yppp

Christ, Louis. Are you okay? Are you with Zayn? I love you too x

mFine with zayn nd loam we ve been clubbing for hourss i just miss you and love you :(((

I miss you too, Bluey. Video chat me when you’re not under any influence, yeah? Aha. xxxx

I’m always under teh influents of yur love

Okay. x Me too. I love you. Don’t do anything stupid.

Im gonn a do something st upid.

Louis is still sufficiently pumped full of alcohol when he leaves Zayn’s flat but he finds that he can still skateboard as he would sober. It’s 9AM and the wind is biting at his face. It’s a decision that he could possibly regret but he’s drunk enough not to stop himself.

With one hand, he pushes open the door and places his skateboard right next to the fake bamboo tree. “Yo, Louis, right?” Brad hoots as he swaggers over and shakes Louis’s hand. “How have you been? Coming in to get inked again?”

Louis smiles, hoping that the fogginess in his eyes isn’t too obvious. “I’m good. And yeah, just wanted to get something else. Something small again,” Louis replies with a nervous chuckle.

“Alright,” he says as he puts a hand on Louis’s shoulder and walks him over to the chair. “What are you thinking of getting?”

“Don’t judge me,” Louis prefaces as he gets himself into the seat. “But… I was hoping to get a H.”

When he looks up at Brad’s face, he’s smiling. “Where do you want it?”

So Louis is sat back in the chair, shirt in his lap and a blue stencil of a pretty cursive H where his heart beat is focused. “Is that good?” Brad asks as he hands Louis a mirror. Louis beams and nods. “Now I don’t mean to offend, but what would you do if things just didn’t work out?” He chuckles to keep it light.

“Don’t know. I’ll say I’m a fucking pisces or something,” Louis laughs, alcohol still running through him but significantly less. “Kidding. Even if… we’re not together in the end and we have to divvy up our time with our cat, he’s still made quite an impact on me life, you know? He’s left his mark and he’s always going to be permanent somehow. So you know, might as well have a physical way of showing it. Sorry, I’m talking some shit, aren’t I?”

“No, it’s alright. I’ve heard sappier,” He snorts. “But that’s nice. Does he know you’re getting this?”

“I sent some vague messages. He’s in England right now, you know? And I miss him. Maybe that’s another reason I’m getting it,” Louis adds. But he’s not fooling himself. He knows that’s what ignited the fire. “I’m sure it won’t freak him out anyway. I’ve seen the google searches he left behind on my laptop. Couple tattoos and stuff.”

After he’s finished and paid, he takes a selfie with Brad and sends it to Harry.

Something stupid has just been accomplished. Love you.

Loouiiiis. Tell me you didn’t tattoo my face on your bum.

That would’ve been a good idea. But I’d rather have you be the only person acquainted with my arse. Brad and I are platonic.

Good to know. :)

A short notice tattoo might’ve been reckless. I have a shoot today.

Are you going to get naked?

No. But they’re going to judge me for this tattoo.

What is it!!!!!

;)

He lounges around at home with Muno, shirt off and the bandages on his chest annoyingly peeling off his skin. He checks the time and decides it’s okay for him to remove them and clean his tattoo. As he stands at the kitchen sink, he thinks about Harry. But he realizes, with a sigh, that he’s never not thinking about Harry.

He fills Muno’s food and water bowls, noticing he needs to stop at the store to pick up another bag of cat food. He steps over to the couch, supporting his weight on the cushion as he leans down to kiss Muno’s head. “Be back later, pal,” He murmurs into her soft fur.

In his changing room, he strips down to his boxers and decides that Harry should wake up to an answer. He gets his phone out of his jeans and takes a selfie, low enough to show off the H on his pec. He sends it and bites his bottom lip. Whether Harry loves it or is disturbed by it, there’s not much Louis can do now. But realistically, he knows that Harry will be touched by it. He puts his mobile away and starts getting into the nice suit hung on the clothing rack.

—

Harry can’t believe what he’s seeing.

Don’t be messing with me.

Is that real?

You’re not joking with me right? That isn’t just sharpie? Is it real?

Louis, I’m going to wank myself off to this right now. Right now.

God, I love you so much.

Harry puts his phone down and places his hands on his face as he grins, nearly splitting his cheeks. His mum immediately notices the skip in his step when he enters the kitchen. “Hm, who proposed to you this morning?” She asks as she shuts off the stove. Harry blushes as he leans against the breakfast bar.

—

“Nan, this is Louis,” Harry sniffles as he leans in closer to her hospital bed.

A gentle smile comes onto her face as she zeros in on Harry’s phone, displaying Louis’s face in real time. “Hello,” Louis coos with a little wave. “How are you, darling?”

“I’ve seen… I’ve seen better days,” She answers, voice soft and airy. “But seeing your lovely face… helps.” Harry places his chin on his arm and stares at his grandma, hoping to memorize everything about her so he never forgets anything. “How’s my Harry treating you?”

“Treats me very well. I always feel like I’m floating with him,” Louis replies. Harry smiles into his skin.

“But is he… does he satisfy you?”

“Nan!” Harry gasps. Louis laughs and Harry’s nan gently giggles.

“What?” She says innocently. “Let’s discuss coitus, Harry. We’re all… adults here.”

Louis’s still chuckling as Harry groans, “You didn’t just say coitus.”

Harry doesn’t let Louis give his nan the details on their sex life. But he does let Louis tell the story of how they met and how they fell in love while his nan mentally checks if the story Harry told her matches up. They talk about Muno when she climbs onto the bed, coming into the frame just behind Louis. “The cat is just like you, Harry,” his nan comments when Muno starts rubbing her face against Louis’s, asking for his attention. Harry blushes before excusing himself to get water.

He stops before his nan spots him in the threshold. He keeps his ear close and stands by the doorway as he eavesdrops. “Yeah. I promise. I wouldn’t do anything but take care of him,” He hears Louis say, his words are gentle and earnest.

“Good, good,” His grandma replies. “He’s a beautiful boy. Has a big heart. Loves his family… Have you two discussed children?”

Louis chuckles wetly. “A few times, yeah.”

“I wish I could be around to see them. But I know… you two will have wonderful, wonderful children.”

Harry wipes his eyes before he rounds the corner and steps into the room. He returns to his seat beside his grandma and sees Louis dragging a finger under his lash line. Harry doesn’t ask.

—

She passes away four days later. Harry calls Louis when the sun still hasn’t made an appearance in New York. Before Louis can even get out a groggy word, Harry cries out, “I w-wouldn’t wake you up in the middle of the night if it wasn’t important. Sh-she passed, Louis.”

Louis stays on the phone until the sun goes down for Harry.

—

Louis wakes to the sound of a key jiggling in the front door’s lock. At first, he thinks intruder and gets ready to grab Muno, jump out the window, and run. But he remembers it’s Harry. He smiles to himself and rolls onto his back. He rubs at his eye with his fist and tries to fix his mussed up hair.

He’s combing his fringe with his fingers when Harry steps into the room. Louis feels his body trying to get to Harry’s. Like magnets, he thinks. Jesus, he missed him so much. Harry grins a little shyly before letting his bag fall to the floor and diving onto the bed, crawling until he’s hovering above Louis. “Fuck, have I missed you,” Harry says before kissing Louis’s morning breath tasting mouth.

“Haven’t brushed my teeth yet, sorry,” Louis apologizes with a giggle.

“S’okay,” Harry affirms while their noses brush against each other. “It’s like… Organic Louis.”

Louis laughs, digging his fingers deeper into Harry’s hips. “That’s fucking weird,” he says.

“I know. Now shut up and kiss me,” Harry replies before attacking Louis’s lips with his own. Their mouths are heated and wet, desperate to make up for all the time apart. Harry kisses and nips at his jaw before sucking on his neck, leaving faint marks behind as he goes down. “I love you. I love you so much,” Harry breathes as he stares at the black H on his pec. He kisses a circle around it before pressing his lips right on top. “Can’t believe I survived three months away from you.”

He wraps his arms around Louis’s waist and places his head in the center of his chest, keeping his eyes glued to the permanent ink on his skin. His heavy weight on Louis’s lower body finally makes him feel grounded for the first time in months.

Muno hops onto the bed and meowing as she walks up Harry’s thighs to lay herself down on his lower back. Harry turns his head to the best he can to see her and smiles. “The family’s all here then,” He mumbles before pressing another kiss to Louis’s chest. And even though she’s grown, Harry can still pick her up in one of his massive hands. “I’m going to go shower. Then we’re going to go eat breakfast somewhere.”

Louis props himself up on his elbows and smiles. “Why not just eat breakfast here?” Louis asks.

Harry chuckles, “I’ve been gone for so long that I missed those big ass rats in the street too. Need to go say Hi.”

He giggles to himself as Harry steps into the bathroom, not bothering to shut the door. Louis grabs his phone and opens Tumblr.

baby’s finally homeeeee :) happy days

When the water shuts off, Louis readies himself to take a picture of Harry, wet and naked. He takes the picture and freezes, nearly choking on air. “Y-your chest,” Louis breathes as he lowers his phone and looks at the actual thing. Harry’s eyes move down to his chest and he smiles as he remembers. “You didn’t have two the entire time we were dating right?”

“No,” Harry answers as he pats the ink on his skin dry. “I got it two days after Nan… well.”

“C’mere,” Louis says as he gets to his knees and reaches out for Harry’s skin. Harry climbs onto the bed and kisses Louis before he lets him trace the new, smaller bird under his collarbones. “Look at us, crazy enough to get tattoos for each other.”

“Crazy in love,” Harry kisses him again, sucking on his bottom lip. He throws his head back and loudly sings, “Got me looking so crazy in love!” Louis giggles before knotting his fingers in Harry’s wet hair and pulling him into another kiss.

“You’re here and I still miss you,” Louis mumbles. “I feel like I still miss you.”

“You won’t ever miss me again. Never leaving you,” Harry says hotly against his lips. “Taking you everywhere with me.”

—

A week before their second Valentine’s Day together, they have a photoshoot with OUT magazine. And it’s a very intimate one since the shoot is taking place in their small flat, which is more empty than usual.

Their regular bedsheets were traded in for some that resembled their skin tone and they lay in it with their limbs tangled together, wearing nothing but their black briefs. Their photographer gets pictures of Harry and Louis kissing, Louis straddling Harry, and Harry with his face on Louis’s chest, staring at the H on his chest.

The shoot is then moved out of the bedroom and into the living room. They get photos taken of them next to the open blinds of their window, tiny panels of sunlight curving on their skin as Harry kisses Louis’s nape. They have pictures of them kissing on the couch and one with Louis laying on Harry’s lap, Muno on his chest. Most of the pictures are generally serious since they’re fashion models who hardly smile, it’s natural. But then Harry cracks a little joke or Muno does something cute, and they both smile wide. Those are their favorite pictures.

—

The photos go out on Valentine’s Day while they’re moving furniture around their house, making sure Muno isn’t in danger as they do. Harry puts their new, larger couch in place and sits down on the wooden floor, wiping away the sweat accumulating on his forehead. Louis tiptoes over and plops down in the V of his legs, resting his head on his shoulder. “Fizzy sent me the link to our photoshoot. Said she was outraged that you were so good-looking,” Louis whispers into his neck.

Harry hums happily. “You’re texting your sisters?” He asks. Louis nods. It’s nice that they’re grown enough to understand why he isn’t around and talk to him like he’s never left. It’s nice to feel like he still has some part of his family. “That’s good, Lou.”

Louis kisses him on the lips. “Anyway. Now that we have the couch in place, it’s only right for you to fuck me on it,” Louis says.

Harry groans but smiles. “Okay, get a towel or two laid down on it though. I don’t want jizz stains on it already,” Harry replies, kissing him again. Louis is quick to stand up but not quick enough to avoid the hand that smacks his arse. He yelps as he runs towards the boxes that hold their towels.

After Harry fucks him on the couch, he has to slide the couch back into it’s proper place before he walks into the kitchen, where Louis is pulling out his favorite mug from a box labeled Fragile. And it’s so fucking perfect. He walks over and pulls the mug from Louis’s hands before wrapping his arms around him, their bare bodies pressed together again. “Not to sound super in love you or anything, but I want to be married to you,” Harry says. Louis snorts before nodding and pulling him in for another kiss as Muno circles their ankles.

Louis Tomlinson, Model

We met at a casting. Harry was wearing a cute sweater that made me question the possibility of him being heterosexual and gave me the courage to talk to him. So I talked to him and then thought I would never see him again after that. But the city kept bringing us together as if the relationship between us was all part of its plan.

The first night we properly hung out, it was at a friend’s party where we just happened to run into each other. We slept in the living room together and I had to listen to him talk in his sleep. To this day, I still give him shit for sleep talking but truthfully, I’d be so saddened if it ever stopped.

I got Harry’s first initial tattooed on my chest after we’d been together for about a year. He was away in England, and I lost it. I was drunk and skating home and decided that if my tattoo artist didn’t figure out I was under the influence, I’d get the tattoo. So he didn’t, or maybe he did, figure it out and I got it.  

Harry Styles, Model

When Louis sent me a picture of his H tattoo, I was horrified but then quickly in love with it and somehow more in love with him. To show him that I was just as serious as he was, I got another bird tattooed on my chest that’s supposed to represent him .

He was intimidating at first because he can come off as quite a blunt, bad boy sometimes. But I saw in the way he laughs and smiles that he was a sweetheart. After our first night together on his friend’s couches, we were hanging out nearly everyday afterward. We fell in love quickly and it felt so natural. I felt like I fell into a different world with him.

I moved in with him after a few months, it was really romantic. And soon we’ll be moving into a house. I’ve always wanted to have children and Louis does too. I’ll finally start living the life of changing diapers and pushing around a stroller. Louis and I get to do that together. I love it.