Tempest || l.s. ✓

Chapter 16

Soft music filled the kitchen as Harry entered, seeing Louis dishing up the food.

Harry sat down at the kitchen table, looking up as Louis padded across the kitchen with a bowl in either hand. Louis was singing along quietly, and Harry smiled fondly.

It was incredibly stormy out, the rain pattering against the windows and the sky dark. The kitchen however, contrasted greatly. The lights were warm and the windows were a little steamed up.

"Bon appetit." He smiled, placing the bowls of spaghetti down.

"Thank you." Harry ran a hand through his curls, "smells good."

"It's my mum's recipe." Louis beamed proudly. "Me and my siblings always loved it when we were younger."

"What are your siblings called?"

"Well, there's Lottie, then Fizzy, then Daisy and Phoebe who are twins, and then the youngest twins- Doris and Ernest."

"You've got a whole army there."

"Yeah." Louis chuckled, "it's incredibly busy when I visit. Never a moment of peace. I wouldn't have it any other way though."

"Yeah, it seems nice to have a big family." Harry twisted the spaghetti around his fork. "You know, I'm yet to encounter Mr French and I won't be here much longer. I might've dodged a bullet with that one."

"How long will you be here?"

"Not very long." Harry bit his lip. "Maybe around a week."

"Only a week?" Louis frowned, "but what will I do when you're gone?"

"Whatever you did before I arrived." Harry said simply, "come on, I'm not that interesting."

"You are. You're nice to talk to. I'm going to be so bored."

"You'll find someone better." Harry chuckled dryly. "I can assure you of that."

"No I won't. Don't be silly."

"Okay...um, how long are Jamie and Ella staying again?'

"I think 2 more nights after tonight."

"Oh. Okay."

"I want them gone too. They're too much of a happy couple."

The corners of Harry's lips lifted, "you can't say you want your guests gone."

"I absolutely can. I've been in about 4  relationships in my life. One of them was a girl before I knew I was gay, and the other two were at uni. They're just rubbing it in now."

"If it makes you feel any better, I've only had 1 relationship. And never again."

"You're never going to have a relationship again?" Louis raised his eyebrows.

"Nope, never."

"Come on, you're 27."

Harry just shook his head, "I don't want to."

"That bad?"

"Yeah. He was a fucking prick. He just used me and hurt me and then it was all a joke to him and his friends anyway." Harry looked back down, eyes flitting around.

Louis's heart clenched a little, Harry had been through so, so much pain, and he wasn't even sure if he knew everything. "I'm so sorry."

"It's what I deserved." Harry mumbled, shaking his head.

"What?" Louis wasn't sure if he had heard Harry right.

"I deserved it."

"What?" Louis repeated louder, "what do you mean?"