Hands of Fate (l.s. soulmate AU)

Chapter 5: Double Vision In A Rose Blush

When a group of people belonging to different cultures and ethnicities came together, there were admittedly a vast array of stories and ideas and ideologies to be shared, customs to be exchanged, beliefs to be voiced. It was all the more pleasurable when everyone heard to the others’ views openly and without judgement.

To say the circle Harry had found himself in was lacking in such conversation would be a lie. The people around him were appreciative of each other, neither trying to one up the other. It showed that despite how many people were in Alessandro’s house, neither was there by a fluke. The man had been honest in his description of intimate, he knew each person like one knew their family, everyone here had gained their place by somehow proving their worth.

Harry felt honoured to be invited into such a home and hearth.

But he would be a dishonest man if he said his attention did not drift; searching every now and again for a glimpse of a smooth sea green fabric, scanning the heads to catch a pair of electric blue eyes. Not that he was successful in the subtlety of his wandering gaze. Whenever Harry assumed he had managed to garner Louis’ attention, he would simply walk away after excusing himself, leaving Harry staring after him.

It was uncalled for, this jealousy that roared through him whenever he saw someone engaging Louis with their words. It was unnatural, this feeling of damnation when Louis’ date for the evening stood by him, wrapped an arm around him, whispered to him and made Louis blush. It was utterly devastating to watch Louis be so comfortable in that man’s presence, leaning into him as he hung on to everything Louis said.

Harry relented after the third time someone tried to follow his gaze, knowing Niall was close to calling him out for the look he wore on his face. He stuck to mingling and actually found himself quickly gaining interest in the conversation. During dinner, he sat by the same group, enjoying the innumerable courses and staying his hand from drinking too much wine.

“I saw him heading out to the balcony,” Niall told him after dinner was done and people had started wandering to more comfortable spaces in the house.

“What?” He refused to meet his friend’s eye.

Niall snorted a laugh and handed him a glass of champagne off of the server’s tray, “You’ve been staring at him all night. I’ve got no idea what's going on between you two, but I've never seen that look on your face."

“There’s no look on my face,” Harry argued.

“Sure,” Niall rolled his eyes, “I’m gonna go talk to Shawn, find me when you're done.”

And that was the issue, wasn’t it? Louis wouldn’t talk to him, refused to even look at him. Before Harry could say any of that, Niall sauntered away, finding his way quickly where Shawn was commanding a conversation.

He did move towards the balcony, albeit slowly, taking his time introducing himself to people he hadn’t had the chance to talk to before dinner, giving a wide berth to Louis’ date, a little satisfied that the man wasn’t out on the balcony with Louis.

Harry tried and failed to come up with an excuse when he slid the glass door open and stepped into the cool night air. What would he say when asked why he was out there?

Louis chanced a look over his shoulder, unfettered upon seeing who had disturbed the quiet  but Harry did not mistake it for an invitation. He waited and let Louis scrutinise him.

“You’re a contradicting man, Mr. Styles,” Louis said at length, turning back to gaze out over the railing, dress shifting along with his movements. “You ask to go separate ways, yet, here you are.”

“What are humans if not a product of infinite contradictions?” Harry found himself asking.

“I sought some quiet when I stepped away from the party, not a lecture on philosophy.”