Tempest || l.s. ✓

Chapter 13

"Ah, afternoon! I see you're awake." Louis smiled as Harry trudged into the kitchen, a hand rubbing his face.

"It does appear so, doesn't it?" Harry replied, behind cut off by a yawn halfway through.

"Do you want breakfast? Lunch, even? Brunch I suppose. Nah, it's after 1. I dunno what counts as brunch."

Harry shook his head, a small amused smile tugging at his lips. "I can get it."

"Ah ah, you're the guest."

"Don't you have other stuff to be doing?"

"No. Well I do, but I don't wanna go back out there."

"Why not?"

"This girl keeps flirting with me. She's like 20. And did I mention she's a girl? She and her friends have invited me to go clubbing with them in two days time. There aren't any clubs on the island, they're going to kidnap me, I swear! Please don't make me go back out there."

"You do realise you own this inn. You're the only one who works here. You can't just hide." Harry laughed, beginning to walk towards the door to the pub.

"What are you doing?"

"I'll keep you company for a while, just go and serve your customers."

Louis huffed, but followed Harry anyway. Harry sat down behind the bar, taking out a book which sat on a shelf beneath the bar surface.

He turned it to the front page, beginning to read but getting distracted at the loud giggles from one of the tables. Louis stood there awkwardly, looking- to be frank- like he was about to shrivel up.

As a girl stood up, her hand on his back beginning to slide down, Harry decided to intervene, taking a deep breath. He placed the book back, walking over quickly, "hey babe, sorry to interrupt but do you know where my jumper is? You know, the blue and white knitted one."

"The one you stole from me?" Louis tilted his, playing along.

"Yeah. I can't find it anywhere and you know it's my favourite." Harry pouted, taking Louis's hands in his, and the girl slowly removed her hand from Louis's back as though nobody would notice it was there in the first place.

"I'll come and help you look, hold on darling." He gave a small, awkward wave to the girls before following after Harry back into his house.

"You are a literal lifesaver! Thank you so much." Louis grinned, hugging Harry tightly.

Harry tensed up a bit, but quickly relaxed when he focused on the fact that it was Louis and not anyone else. "You're welcome. I'm pretty sure she was about to touch your arse."

Louis pulled away, making a face along with a fake gag. "Do you have a white and blue knitted jumper? Because I think now would be the time to dig it out and put it on."

"I don't." Harry winced.

"Well it's a good thing I do."

"You do?" Harry asked in surprise, "were you planning this?"

"I can't say I was. But I'll go and fetch it." Louis chuckled. "You don't have to keep it on long if you don't wanna, but just a little while so those girls leave me alone."

"Okay." Harry agreed easily, it probably sounded weird but Louis's house- and him obviously- smelled wonderful, so he wasn't really complaining about having to be surrounded by the comforting smell.

Louis went upstairs, rummaging through his drawers before finding the jumper and handing it to Harry.

"I think it will fit."