Tattoos Together || Larry Stylinson

Chapter 12

"Love-birds." A slim girl with interesting, brightly coloured hair stood leaning against the wall and watched us with crossed arms and a happy smile on her lips.

"What's the name of the stranger who makes my little brother so happy?"

From the fact that she called Harry her brother, I deduced that the girl, who was apparently as cheerful as her mother, was Gemma.

"My name's Louis." I introduced myself and liked Harry's big sister from the first moment.

She bit her cheek from the inside on both sides and cocked her head, the smile still constant.

"Gemma."

She looked briefly in Harry's direction.

"I'm the one who goes on a date with a stranger today because my brother likes to take advantage of my good nature."

Harry interrupted her indignantly. "You said that it's okay."

"It is H. You would be way too perfect if you understood irony, Boo."

"However, Liam is a good lad." I got into the conversation, which ended immediately afterwards when two children ran excitedly through the door, followed by Anne who carried Trinity in her arms.

"Harry, will you take Trin on your lap for a moment? Then I'll get the food in here."

"Sure." He nodded and let his curls bounce up and down, holding the little girl's body just like a proud father... at least big brother.

I could have melted away at the sight, but was interrupted by a sad, devastating thought, which I tried to push aside as quick as possible.

"You okay Louis?" Anne asked, carefully laying a hand on my arm after placing the baking dish on the table.

"Yeah, sorry. -Just drowned in thoughts." I joked to make her think everything was alright, looked down my own arm and tried to slide the sleeve, which I had rolled up a bit earlier, back down as inconspicuously as possible. -After all, I didn't know what Anne's attitude was towards tattoos and I didn't want to mess up the first impression under any circumstances.

"Well, Louis. I would love to hear more about you." Anne said as she shovelled a well-intentioned portion of lasagne onto my plate.

"So... there isn't much of interest. I'm very average." I stammered, probably blushing a lot.

"You could tell what's going on between you guys." Gemma threw in with a friendly smile and I wasn't sure whether her request was addressed to me or Harry, who she was gently kicking in the side with her elbow.

"Um..." Harry's gaze met mine. Uncertainly he looked into my face.

While I would have said in the morning that we were at the beginning of a normal bro-zone-friendship among boys, the tide had turned to a certain extent now. And although it was not possible to suppress the present memories of the kiss and with it the indisputable feelings, I did not want to admit to myself that I found someone who was same-sex with me attractive. In addition, I didn't want to enter into a relationship, knowing full well that it would end in disaster.

"We are friends... simple friends, actually still in a kind of getting to know phase... yes, getting to know phase." I nodded stupidly to give more credibility to my own statement.

I felt Harry's foot resting on mine under the table to get my attention and suppressed the grin.

When I finally gave him an inconspicuous look, I caught the thankful expression on his face. Apparently, he hadn't wanted to tell his family about such a short-term relationship himself.

The rest of lunch was pretty relaxed. We talked about irrelevant and less irrelevant things and I learned more about Harry's childhood, his father and stepfather. I have also praised how good the food was several times because it was super delicious for real.

The only thing that confused me was the look from Trinity, which was on me the whole time and seemed somehow disturbed.

"Anne?" I asked when I was sure everyone was done. "May I take your son out tonight? I'll take good care of him; we'll meet some friends and tomorrow morning he'll be on time and well rested at school, I promise."

Harry's mother nodded her head excitedly and closed me in a blissful hug. She seemed thrilled that her son had found a friend and she obviously liked me.

"Of course, Louis. But please make sure that there is no alcohol." This time I was the one who nodded, even if I already knew that I could hardly keep this promise.

We helped clear the table when I caught a few snippets of talking from a conversation between Trin and Gemma.

"...and then he pushed Harry back and tried to bite him, but Harry didn't fight back and it looked like he went along, but that can't be good, can it? Is he going to bite us all? What if he eats people?"

The little girl reported dead serious and deeply shocked.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, after all, Harry's big sister now knew about the kiss, on the other hand it was also incredibly funny how wrong the little girl had interpreted it. But maybe she couldn't have known any better. She had probably never seen a really passionate kiss before.

"Trin, I'm very sure that Louis doesn't want to eat us up. I think rather that he and Harry are very fond of each other." Gemma explained and visibly had to hold back from laughing.

"That is disgusting." The child said and grimaced and ran past me out the door without looking at me.

"What does she have?" Asked Harry, who hadn't heard the conversation and suddenly stood behind me.

Gemma took over the answer by pushing us both onto the balcony and closing the glass door so that the three of us stood outside.

"So, you two have just been getting to know each other. And you are normal friends, yes?" She laughed and I couldn't blame her.

"And then you let a little child catch you kissing?" She had absolutely no hold anymore and snorted with laughter.

"We're not together, really. We just wanted to give it a try." I tried to explain.

"Please don't tell mom." Harry begged.

"I beg you little brother, you know very well that I won't say anything to mom. If so, that's your job. I just want you to be honest with me. And as for you, Louis. Don't hurt him, will you?"