You like to preach with a vodka in your mug

Chapter fourteen

Harry tucks his shirt back in for the sixth time today. It's not Louis' fault that Harry picked a sheer shirt to wear and the trousers he has on are beautiful. His waistband is simply too inviting and Louis' fingertips keep finding their way into it. He gets a little embarrassed when his mum asks them for a photo and his hand is clearly on Harry's bum but, hey, it's a wedding, what is Louis meant to be doing besides being unabashedly flirty?

"I shouldn't have worn a sheer shirt," Harry whispers as everyone gathers around the entranceway. The wedding is outside and they were told they'd be led over to where it's taking place shortly. Neither the bride or groom have arrived yet, though.

"You absolutely should have."

"I'm boiling and I feel a bit too skimpy if I take my jacket off," Harry groans as he flaps his lapels to try and get some airflow. He made a good call with his hair – Jay had tucked it up for him to keep it off his neck a little – but there's not much Louis can suggest besides simply take the jacket off. Harry rolls his eyes. "Maybe I'll treat you this evening but I've got to try and look classy for the ceremony."

Louis pinches Harry's bum and whispers, "real classy," when Harry squeaks indignantly. Before Harry can even glare, the wedding coordinator is leading everyone over a small bridge to the ceremony set up, which overlooks a large pond. As Louis points out the masses of lily pads to Harry, he gets cut off by both Lottie and Fizzy demanding help with walking across the bridge with their heels on. They don't find it funny when Louis tells them the stiletto of their shoes would fit down the cracks between the wooden planks quite nicely.

It ends up that Doris and Ernest are in a foul mood, having to have woken up early to get ready and arrive on time. This results in Louis having to constantly stop Doris from tugging at his shirt and undoing the buttons the whole way through the ceremony. Harry thinks it's hilarious; Louis reckons he'll get his revenge when he ends up next to them at dinner whilst Louis gets to sit next to Daisy.

As waiters come around with wine, offering red or white to everyone, Louis gets a thick lump form in his throat, which only worsens when Harry graciously accepts. Louis slides his hand across Harry's knee and squeezes gently but the moment the waiter is gone, Harry slides the glass across the table to sit happily in front of Jay.

"No point in everyone having free wine and not taking it," he beams as Jay rolls her eyes and gathers her wine around her in a small semi-circle. She already had a glass of prosecco from the arrival drinks table – Louis had ensured that Harry steered clear of that as he's obviously still shaky on his feet – and now she has her two, rather generous glasses of wine.

Dessert is beautiful: whoever the pastry chef is, they've outdone themselves and Louis is almost finished with his by the time Harry is done taking pictures.

Harry pouts and begins shovelling food into his mouth when Louis rolls his eyes at him. He complains that he'll explode if he even looks at more food, which Louis can understand: only his sheer stubbornness to not leave food on his plate got him through dessert. As soon as the truffles come out alongside tea and coffee, however, both of them are all over it.

Harry is midway complaint about how full he feels when Louis notices his mum decline a glass of prosecco. The world must being turning upside down and Louis points this out to his mum, who gives him a testing look as she gestures to the glass of wine and half the prosecco she still has leftover.

"If I have another prosecco, you can look after these lot."

Louis falls quiet, prompting the question of, "what's wrong with looking after us?" from Phoebe and Daisy. Louis graciously bows out of the conversation before he can dig himself a hole with his sisters that'll get them to irritate him even further.