My Step Brothers Keeper (Larry Stylinson AU)

Chapter 30

"I promise to take care of you, hold you, help you, defend you, protect you, and just be there for you every time when you need me to."

"I know, I believe you."

Louis smiled and pressed his lips against Harry's.

"You're mines to keep, blue."

"I'm yours to keep, Hazza."

"Forever?"

"Always."

********

The air around the two boys after Monday afternoon finally untensed, and in Louis and Harry's mental calendar, May 17th would be a day well remembered.

Despite Anne's disappointed speech on how neither of them would he excused on their act of ditching school, the boys were happy and agreed to do as many chores as given as punishment.

The following days were filled with tedious tasks of mowing the lawn, cleaning the restroom, kitchen, living room, taking out the trash, or simple vacuuming or sweeping. Despite the work, neither boys complained since they did it together and rewarded each other in other ways when they were done that sometimes required a re cleaning of the restroom or closet, but....that was none of Anne's business.

School wise, Louis rescheduled another meeting with Niall to discuss where they stood and agreed to remain friends, despite the bloody nose given to the blonde haired boy the second He began to talk by Harry, which he justified by "This is for making him cry, arsehole."

Although Louis was friends with Niall,

Niall hated Harry.

and

Harry hated Niall.

Louis tried desperately to make a truce but neither boy complied and decided it would be better if they weren't in each others company and that was that.

Harry tried to convince Louis to sit with him at lunch but the younger boy refused the offer because he wanted to keep things as they were, and not overreact for something that he had equally fault in. Additionally, he stated his notice of Harry's ex girlfriend mean mugging him in class and would rather not sit somewhere where she was welcomed.

When Louis returned to school the next days, his friends attacked him with questions and like rehearsed with Niall, answered they were never really going out and it was just a act to piss off his brother which worked and needed no more attention to it because he and his brother had finally made peace. His friends were disappointed with the news, thinking Niall and Louis made a perfect couple but let it go, and rewarding them for such a good play.

However, Louis and Niall knew not everyone in the table fell for it, the curly haired, brown boy at the end glaring at them, a harder cookie to crack. Niall told Liam the truth about his cheating and the taller boy was disappointed, which made Niall feel like shit because his best friend was the last one he'd ever want to disappoint. He forgave him and warned him not to ever do it again and in between the three, they kept it a secret.

Louis and Niall were a little tense at first but a couple of jokes and food exchanging later, all seem at ease.

Louis, however, did not tell them about his recent decision with his step brother, the one where it included being in a relationship with his 3 year older "sibling". It was a command from Harry who thought id be best if they kept it a secret because although Harry knew Liam knew they weren't real brothers and Louis knew niall didnt know they were real brothers, in every one elses eyes, what they were doing was an inhumane act and disgusting.

They stuck to sneaky kisses in the hallways before classes and stalls in restroom instead to relieve some of their desperation for each other and it was manageable.