Dream Writer » Larry AU

14: REENACT

A/N: Thank you all for being patient. We're getting closer and closer to Louis' realisation.

Louis, May 20th

It was Monday when Liam had gone to work and Harry had discovered exactly how to make my day a better one.

This he accomplished by calling me up in the afternoon and asking if I wanted to join him on a bike ride. To say the least, I was surprised by the choice of activity, and concerned by the fact that I didn't own a bike, but Harry told me I could borrow one that belonged to Niall.

The spring weather was kicking along when my feet ran across the concrete. I was running, because it was the first time I would ever be prepared to see him, which also meant that I had time to release nerves as well as allow myself to get excited to see his face again.

To some extent, each time I did that (see his face) I felt more comfortable in his presence, which was helpful.

Due to this excitement and its ability to bring me into a hectic hurry, I must've scuffed up the undersides of my brand-spanking new sneakers by the time I reached Harry's flat building.

The bloke was already outside, perched against his bike and letting his fingers scrolling over the screen to his phone. He wore bandana-looking headband around his floppily curly head, which was bobbing melodically, hence the single headphone plugged into his ear. And once my steps were within his eyesight and earshot, his head quickly snapped upward, his fingers plopping the plug out to greet me.

There was a moment where he examined my choice of clothing, and a slow smirk began to carve into his skin. "Did you dress up for this?"

At that, I instantly began fidgeting and felt my cheeks beginning to blaze with red.

Sure, I wasn't wearing sportswear like Harry was, but jeans and a t-shirt weren't much too formal, were they?

...Tight jeans and a fitted t-shirt that was way more expensive than it looked?

Maybe it was.

Maybe wasting more than ten minutes on trying to pick an outfit was considered dressing up. Maybe I was totally pathetic for not wearing polyester like him.

"This?" I pinched the tee between my thumb and index finger, fake scoffing to add the dramatic effect. "I-I just threw something on."

Harry laughed while tucking his phone into his pocket of his track pants. "I wish I could throw something on like you do," he mumbled.

I was awaiting an awkward silence, but Harry saved the situation after his gaze had wavered to the bike next to him.

"Niall's one is rather shitty, so I apologise in advance. The chain might slip on the way but I'll be sure to help you in case that happens."

I laughed subtly, approaching it and clenching my fists around the handles. "Right. I'll take it easy." I looked up at him again, squinting my eyes from the sunbeams striking into my eyes. "Where are we going, anyway?"

"Wherever you wanna go," he suggested, shrugging his shoulders.

We ended up riding down the furthest hill on Harry's street, leading down to where the wind was much stiller. The leaves on the twigs above us were subtly whistling as our frames cut through the air, the wheels to our bikes running in the speed of my thumping heart.

Biking for the first time in years was much more frightening than I had expected, and that I realised the moment I heard something creak in one of the wheels below me, allowing me to jump in surprise on the dense leather saddle. As an outcome, I spotted Harry in the corner of my eye, examining the act only to seconds later glance away.