scarred wings (l.s.)

twenty-two

I walk out of uni with a smile on my face, excited to spend more time with Harry today. The place around the exit is a little bit crowded but I spot Harry nevertheless, standing in a corner, hands buried in jeans he stole from me and a shirt that’s a little tight on him so I can’t help but stare at his arms that look pretty good under the fabric.

“Hi, Harry”, I say with a smile.

“Hi, Louis. How was your day?”

I touch his arm to lead him into the right direction a little bit and it already brings the feelings back.

“Good. Don’t have too much to do right now. How was work?”

“Pretty good. I think Casey likes me better than you already.”

He laughs quietly and I bump my shoulder into his softly. “Idiot.”

We keep walking in silence, smiles on both our lips, hands brushing sometimes until we arrive at my favourite cheap restaurant in the whole city.

We sit down across from each other and his legs are so long his knees touch mine beneath the table. I kick his leg with my foot softly and he giggles. Giggles, ever so beautiful.

“Can I pay?”, he asks quietly after we’ve looked at the menus for a while, “I’d really like to. I know it doesn’t equal all the things you did for me but still.”

I shrug. I know he’ll feel better if I let him do it but then again, he just started earning money and I’d like him to save a bit for himself. He already pays a part of the food we get for our flat when grocery shopping, so I don’t want him to spend too much money.

“Harry, how about we stop with the you wanting to pay me back? From now on, everyone pays for their own shit and you forget about those two or three fucking croissants I bought you from my dad’s money.”

For a moment I think that I might have formulated it a little too harsh but then Harry chuckles quietly and nods, pressing the side of his boot into my van that looks so small next to his shoe.

I smile at him, lifting my lips carefully, staring at his mouth as if that could bring him to smile. He does smile a little when I bump my foot into his and I don’t know what I’m thinking when I reach out my hand and poke his dimple with my finger softly.

He raises an eyebrow with a smile. “What?”

I try not to blush and shrug. “I don’t know. Was very tempting not to. Your dimple is a little cute, you know?”

He giggles quietly, giggles lightly and softly and blushes just a little so his smooth cheeks turn a little pink and all I can think about while staring at him, is not wanting to poke but to kiss that dimple carefully.

I don’t exactly know how long we stare at each other but when the waiter appears next to our table, clearing his throat quietly, I blush deeply and finally tear my gaze away from Harry.

“I’ll have the cheeseburger”, I say.

“The veggie burger for me”, Harry mumbles.

And when the waiter is gone again, it’s a little bit awkward because I’m certain my cheeks still are red and Harry keeps tugging on one of his curls while I try to come up with something to say.

“So, what do you plan on buying today, then?”

I know that it’s probably the worst start to a conversation ever and Harry bits his lip a little, trying not to grin at my poor attempt.

“Um”, he says, starting to laugh quietly, “Clothes.”

And then I laugh as well, I don’t know if it’s the tension leaving or his foot still pressed against mine under the small table or if it’s just Harry. Harry making me happier than anyone else