nothing // larry stylinson au

Chapter Eleven

Affection was something Harry was never used to receiving until he met Louis. Louis showed him all of the love in the world and more. At first it all seemed nice and innocent, as a brother would treat a younger sibling, casual kisses on the cheeks here and there and a cuddle in the afternoon. Then, a dramatic shift was taken in their lives- a dramatic shift that changed the way they looked at each other forever.

In silence, Harry sits, staring at the brick wall of the bar straight ahead of him. He moved to the passenger seat early that morning, abandoning the man in the back seat to rest. He told him "I love you." He said it. His two drunk lips produced those words. Harry knows he was drunk, sloppy drunk, falling over and slurring his words. He couldn't help but feel warm inside after those words, though, even if they weren't genuine. He could always hope that they were true. So he did.

He looks back at Louis' serene, sleeping face. The light of the morning sun peered through the window, shining down on his face. Harry enjoys admiring Louis, especially when the man doesn't notice. He admires his tan skin, blue eyes, and even his fringe that falls in his face. The man often makes him wonder.

Why does he stay with Eleanor if she treats him like shit? Why not fall for someone who will treat him with the respect he deserves? What is he thinking?

He wondered that most of all, what he was thinking when he looked into the young boy's green eyes or held him to his chest. It seemed he gave the boy more affection than he did his wife. Harry doesn't know why, especially after the night before, the several lustful kisses exchanged and those three words. Those words may be consuming Harry's every thought.

In the backseat, Louis begins to move around, rubbing his eyes before stretching his arms out from his body. A long yawn, he released. His blurry eyes start to focus on his surroundings. When he spots Harry in the passenger seat watching him attentively, he grins. The kid always puts a smile on his face. He sits up a little too quickly, an excruciating pain stabbing him in the head. His hands rub his temples.

Harry eyes him with concern. "How do you feel?" He recalls his uncle always complaining the next day about drinking too much. Those days were his crankiest. Louis didn't seem too cranky, just discomforted. "Should we get home so you can rest?"

Not yet does the teenager want to mention the night before. If anything, he'd wait to see if Louis remembered.

Louis nods, slowly making his way out of the back door and then entering the driver's side. Harry can't meet the man's eyes as he gets in. It feels tense to him, the air thick, so thick that he is finding it difficult to breathe. To the man, however, it's just another morning after a crazy night at the bar. Unaware, he is, of the mistake he has made.

"I can't remember much," Louis whispers, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I really should have stopped after two."

'Kisses or drinks?' Harry thinks to himself, fiddling with his fingers awkwardly.

Louis starts the engine, turning his head to Harry. "Why so quiet? Usually you would be talking my ear off right about now." The boy shrugs, but Louis knows something is up. "Did I say something last night? Oh shit, I forgot to text Eleanor, didn't I?"

'That isn't what I was concerned about, but yeah.' Harry looks out the window uncomfortably as the car moves. Louis is so worried about what Eleanor may say that he barely acknowledges Harry's uneasiness anymore. But he still reaches over and takes the boy's hand. He knew it would comfort the boy a bit, whatever may be bothering him. A little part of Harry was glad Louis took his hand. He always felt so clingy when it came to Louis. When Louis expressed love towards him, it made him feel very special.

Now if only he knew if last night was Louis truly expressing his love or just a drunk slip. If it wasn't a drunk mistake, then why wasn't he saying anything about it? Harry didn't want it to be a drunk mistake, but he was slowly losing faith.