Elf Bites ❄ l.s. AU

34: Calamities and Cookies

Her door was open, as they were expected. Louis let Harry in first, feeling weirdly nervous all of a sudden. To be fair, he's only just met Harry's family yesterday, and though he and Gemma got on quite well, he's only spent a little time with Anne.

Not that he really had to worry about that, he realized upon entering, considering the first thing out of her mouth upon seeing her son and his boyfriend was, "Louis," accompanied by the strongest smile they've seen on her so far.

Harry threw his hands up and snorted. "Hey, Mum. It's me, your son. Good to see you."

Before Louis could make it far, Gemma appeared from where she'd been sitting in the room and intercepted the stew. While she began situating everything for lunch and he was certain she wouldn't need his assistance, Louis returned Anne's smile and found a spot next to Harry.

"How did you sleep?" Anne asked him, ignoring Harry entirely.

Louis' poker face hasn't failed him once over the last several years, and he hoped it wouldn't fail him now in this dire time of need. He peeked at Harry as stealthily as he could and saw that his much calmer counterpart exhibited zero indication that they'd had a squabble of sorts last night. And though it admittedly ended in the two of them pressed together on a small sofa and sound sleep, at least on Louis' end, he worried he'd somehow give them away. There was no point in discussing a row any further if they've resolved it, and he and Harry have. Resolved it, that is. Maybe.

So he offered Anne the most assured smile-nod combo he could muster and said, "Like a baby. Your home is lovely, by the way."

Sufficiently charmed, Anne reached for his hands to squeeze them – he wondered faintly if she did this a lot, even outside of a hospital bed – and began telling stories about a younger Harry.

It was Louis' turn to be charmed, then. This must be a thing in their genetics, he thought. How can one family be so goddamn charming? Anne spoke similarly to Harry when she was feeling up to it, a slow drawl paired with wide eyes. Louis could have listened to her talk for hours, the same way he would always wish he could hear Harry drone on and on. Something about it was magnetizing, and for the first time he even wondered if that was a genetic thing or if that was an elf thing. He'd enjoyed listening to Ed speak too, albeit not to this degree. So perhaps a genetic thing. He hoped it was a genetic thing.

For some reason he couldn't explain, he wanted it to be special to Harry and Anne and Gemma. And he wanted to know them, to be a part of their lives so that he could listen to all of them all the time.

God.

After a couple stories about Harry's school days, Gemma disappeared and returned moments later with bowls, spoons, and a now familiar ginger.

Ed paused by Anne's bedside on his way to the back counter where Gemma was beginning to serve the stew in order to lean over and peck her on the forehead. When he pulled away, she was narrowing her eyes.

"Edward Sheeran, why aren't you in the kitchens?" she asked.

Ed simply waved a hand. "I'm busy."

Louis felt Harry's body stiffen suddenly, and when he looked to see why, he saw pure elation spreading across the lad's face.

"Louis and I will do it," he said.

"You and Louis will do what?" Louis asked, his brow furrowing. Had he missed something? Why was Ed supposed to be in the kitchens? What kitchens?