Bound by Pages | larry

thirteen

Harry stepped out his front door ready for a night with Louis. He didn't immediately see the smaller boy once taking in the surrounding night atmosphere. A glimpse of movement trained Harry's eyes to a little figure standing at the end of his long driveway. Louis didn't seem to see the front door open.

Louis' body language was always so obvious to Harry. The downward gaze of his eyes paired with furrowed eyebrows and a gently bitten lip showed great contemplation in something. His black jeans and dark jacket didn't seem to help Harry find him, but the bright eyes that accompanied did.

"Hey," Harry reached out to touch his shoulder, but stopped midway, not wanting to scare his date. Louis still jumped slightly, surprised by the sudden voice in the quiet neighbourhood.

"Hey, Harry," Louis replied softly and smiled even softer.

"Got anything planned?" Harry had nothing planned. It only occurred to him at this moment that he probably should have thought of things they could do. Honestly, he was hoping so hard that Louis had ideas.

"Kind of, I guess." The shorter boy shrugged. "We could walk somewhere if you'd like."

"Good enough for me." Harry smiled. "You look gorgeous by the way. Just like usual."

It was dark outside, and Louis tilted his face away but Harry didn't miss the redness that crept up on his cheeks. He didn't respond, but Harry was okay with that. The blush was enough evidence that the compliment was well received. He grabbed Louis' hand and tugged him forward, gently pulling the other boy down the quiet street.

"I don't actually know where we're going." Harry stopped suddenly and looked back. Louis let a small chuckle escape, which echoed through the empty air. There was absolutely no way that wasn't the most gorgeous sound in the world.

Louis quickly grabbed both of Harry's shoulders and turned him around 180 degrees. He started walking back the other way, heading back the direction of Harry's house.

"You mean I was going the wrong way and you didn't tell me?" He groaned dramatically and pouted, sticking his bottom lip out as far as he possibly could, using puppy dog eyes to try to coax out another angelic laugh but only got a smile. Louis turned and kept walking with Harry only taking a few long steps to catch up. The benefits of having freakishly long legs.

The pair walked without conversing for a little while, with only steady footsteps and steady breaths breaking the silence of the fall air. Well, that was until Harry let out a slight giggle.

"What?" Louis looked up concerned.

"You know I only met you last week?" Harry only met the quiet boy in his English class last Monday. It was crazy when he thought about it that way. He's had takeout in his fridge last longer than that.

"It's felt like so much longer..."His voice trailed off, carried by the wind. Louis smiled slightly, Harry wasn't even sure he saw it. Maybe he made it up, he'll never know. It was evident from Louis' facial expression that he was thinking hard about something.

"You know, it feels like I've known you forever." Harry sighed into the air. Liam was an amazing friend and all, but sometimes Harry got so afraid of when people think of him. With Louis, he finds himself blurting out words he couldn't even imagine himself saying to anyone else. "You make me feel so comfortable, you know that?"

A sharp intake of breath and Harry was scared. Had he said the wrong thing? He looked over to see Louis biting his bottom lip nervously. "I wouldn't put too much trust in me."

"And why do you say that?"

"Like, just in case I'm not the kind of person you like." It was painful how much he sounded like he was speaking from experience. "Just in case I'm not the person you think I am."