it makes me wonder ~ larry stylinson [book 1]

twenty (epilogue)

He's wearing a blazer/collared shirt combo, forgoing a tie completely in favor of a patterned black and white scarf draped around his neck. He's also got this ridiculously large hat on his head, with a wide brim, and Louis has to hold back a laugh, because of course Harry would. 

Louis makes his way over to Harry, momentarily forgetting that their mothers are standing there, and flicks Harry's hat as Harry's wrapping a hand around Louis's waist. "Prom night is hardly the time to conduct fashion experiments, Haz."

Harry just bites his lip, amusement swimming in the depths of his green eyes. "Are you telling me that you don't like my outfit?" he says, jokingly upset.

Louis laughs. "It's horrendous, darling." 

Jay clears her throat from behind them. "This coupley bickering is torturous, you're killing us all you two. Also, you're not even going to say hi, Lou?" she says playfully, and Louis and Harry blush. "Sorry mom. Hi Anne!" Louis says quickly, and Jay and Anne both smile at the two of them, amused. "You look great darling," Jay says to Louis, reaching up to fix a stray hair or two. Louis rolls his eyes but doesn't protest, knowing that arguing with his mother is futile. Harry just looks amused, but honestly, when does he not?

"I need to get some photos of you two," Anne says then, "and then we need to get some group shots. Did Niall and Liam tell you when they'd be arriving with their dates?"

Then, as if on cue, the doorbell rings. Harry's smile stiffens ever-so-slightly, but Louis places a soothing hand on his arm, which relaxes him a bit. 

"It's open," Jay calls as she walks toward the door, and then Liam and Danielle are stepping inside. "Hey everyone!" Liam says happily, waving to everyone and then going to greet everyone individually while Danielle does the same. Right behind them is Demi, and then behind her is Niall, but the two of them simply greet Jay before heading straight over to Louis and Harry. 

Demi hugs them both first, saying hello and everything customary. It's all still feeling very deja vu to Louis. Niall hugs Louis next, and then turns to Harry. 

Niall still has got a bit of a grudge, despite the Nick incident having been over a year ago. He has, however, been surprisingly kind to Harry -- and Louis, Niall, Harry, and Demi have actually been on multiple double dates that didn't end in disaster, so Louis's going to count all of this as a success. 

There's some lingering tension between the two, though, and right now, it makes Louis especially nervous.

But then Niall holds his arms out to Harry, giving him an impish grin, and Harry grins right back, stepping into Niall's embrace.

"How ya doin, man?" Niall says, patting Harry on the back.

"Great, thanks, and you?" Harry says happily as they pull away, and the two start having a full-on conversation as Louis looks on with hearts in his eyes. 

He tunes out of whatever they're saying after a few moments, though, his eyes searching through the small group of friends and parents gathered in his living room for Zayn. He spots him and Tom near the front of the room, talking to each other shyly, and Louis thinks he sees the start of something beautiful in their eyes. It's wonderful, really, because Zayn deserves it, deserves nothing but the best. 

Something protective surges in Louis's chest; at this point, he honestly just hopes he won't have to end up punching Tom, or anyone else, for Zayn in the near future. 

Liam and Danielle walk over then, and Louis steps away slightly from where he and Harry are pressed into each others' sides to give them each a hug. Before they even have the chance to make conversation, though, Louis's mom is calling his and Harry's names. "Will you two stand over here please? I really need pictures, you both look too handsome!"