This is the New Year (Larry Mpreg)

Thirteen

"The food is really great," Louis says, praising every god that anyone's ever believed in that his morning sickness isn't acting up today.

Harry nods. "The chef's absolutely amazing. Have you ever been here before?" he asks.

Louis shakes his head. "Never. My mum always talked about wanting to go, but I never got the chance to take her."

"Why not?" Harry asks, furrowing his eyebrows.

"She actually, um, passed away in December," Louis replies awkwardly. "Leukemia."

Harry's eyes become sad and regretful for asking. "I'm so sorry, Louis," he says, reaching across the table and taking Louis's hand in his.

Louis immediately gets butterflies in his stomach when Harry touches his hand. "Let's not talk about that right now, yeah? Dessert?" Louis asks, changing the subject.

Harry smiles. "Get whatever you want. Although, I must say, the raspberry cheesecake is absolutely amazing."

"Perfect," Louis grins. 'I am completely fucked.'

They finish their dessert about 15 minutes after it arrives at their table and Harry somehow makes Louis laugh more than he's laughed in one sitting in awhile. He doesn't even know why he finds Harry so funny. All he's done is make puns and tell him knock-knock jokes, but Louis can't seem to get enough of it.

"Can we have the check, please?" Harry asks their waiter between laughs. The waiter nods and Harry thanks him.

When the check comes, Louis automatically reaches for it.

"No, no, no, I'm paying," Harry says, removing the check from Louis's grasp.

"Harry, you're an unpaid intern and a student," Louis reasons. "I can get it."

"I asked you out, therefore it's my treat," Harry smiles, inserting his card into the slot and handing it back to the waiter.

"You're impossible," Louis laughs.

"You like it."

Louis shrugs. "Maybe."

By the time they're done with dinner, it's almost 10.

"Did you walk here?" Harry asks as they exit the restaurant.

Louis nods. "Yeah."

"Can I take you home?" Harry asks. "I won't stay if you don't want me to, but I don't want you to walk home all alone in the dark."

"Sure, Harry," Louis smiles, trusting Harry more than he probably should for someone he's known for a total of probably, like, 3 1/2 hours.

Harry grins and opens up his passenger seat door, waving his arm to signal Louis to get into his car . He closes the door once Louis is in and skips over to the driver's side with a huge smile on his face.

"Will you direct me?" Harry asks, putting his car into drive.

Louis nods. "Turn left at the end of the street."

It only takes about 5 or so minutes to get to Louis's flat. "Y'know, I only live like 2 or 3 blocks away."

"Really?" Louis asks, surprised.

Harry nods, taking his seat belt off. "Small world," he smiles. He hops out of his car and runs over to Louis's side, opening the door for him once again.

"What a gentleman," Louis jokes.

"I try," he shrugs.

Harry walks Louis to his front door, 'accidentally' brushing their hands together on their way up the stairs, making Louis blush.