Silently the Senses Abandon Their Defenses (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 2

Louis scrunched his face as he heard some muffled commotion, the noise successfully waking him from his much-needed sleep. Even with his eyes barely open, he knew Harry was still in bed, the younger man's arm draped over Louis' stomach and legs tangled together. And in his tired haze, it took a second to figure out why he was hearing footsteps.

"Lou?!"

His eyes went wide, the yell and two sets of feet pattering around waking him up. And as he shot out of bed, he woke Harry in the process.

"Fuck, fuck," Louis muttered as he jogged to his dresser for shorts and a shirt.

Harry groaned as he rolled around on the bed, sleepily seeing Louis move in a craze, and it quickly woke him up. "Please tell me it's before noon?"

"Louis?! This place is a mess, geez!"

"One second!" Louis yelled back to Lottie, only to glance at Harry and see him slightly panicked. "My niece is here, so that means it's 9, and I slept through my alarm," he was anxious himself, not knowing what to do with the curly-haired man.

"Lou c'mon, I gotta go to-"

Louis spun around as he saw the bedroom door opening, his pulse spiking as he couldn't reach it before Lottie stepped in.

"Whoa, whoa, Kinsley, no, stay in the hallway," she made the 3-year-old stop in her tracks as she saw a random guy in her brother's bed.

"I want guncle Lou Lou!"

"Well guncle Lou and I need to talk first," Lottie said before her eyes set on Louis. "Living room, now."

The older man rubbed a hand over his face as she walked out, hating when he peeked at Harry, he saw him close to scared. "I'll be right back," he said quietly.

Harry bit his lip as he nodded, this not necessarily being the start to the day he wanted, and he couldn't hide his nerves.

Louis sent him his best reassuring smile before leaving the room, mentally preparing himself for his sister's choice of words.

"Guncle Lou! You sleep in?!" Kinsely squealed as soon as he walked into the living room.

"Hey peanut," Louis grinned before kneeling to her height for a hug and kiss. "I did. Guncle Lou had a late night."

"Louis," Lottie eyed him slightly.

The blue-eyed man let out a deep breath, giving his niece one more squeeze before letting go. "Love, go in the fridge and make sure I have your favorite juice," he told Kinsely, knowing Lottie wanted to talk to him alone.

The 3-year-old was too happy at the task, giddily scurrying away and off into the other room.

"Louis, you know on Sundays we come in the morning. Why the hell is there a random guy in your bed right now?" She couldn't hide her frustration.

"Listen, he's not- well, he's not random," Louis stumbled over himself, not knowing how to explain Harry without his sister thinking he was crazy.

Lottie raised her eyebrows at him. "So you've been talking to someone and didn't say anything?"

Louis groaned into his hands, still fully not operational, and his head was spinning. "No, like... We met each other last night, but he's different."

"So still a stranger you brought home, and now Kinsley is here," Lottie's tone was slightly cold. "She doesn't need to see some guy leaving her uncle's flat in the morning."

"Lottie, stop," now Louis' own irritation was showing. "You know me. You know I don't sleep around like that. And no, he's not a stranger or a one-night stand."