where lou and harry meet after months at a wedding after breaking up
It's not that Louis is surprised to see Harry here. Not at all, really, taking as it is his sister's wedding after all. The problem lies somewhere more towards the ways he's here; how he looks and moves across the room, the way his eyes glaze over the crowd of people before they stop on Louis and Louis think he might be waving but it's hard to tell as he swiftly turns his back at the boy.
It's become a thing – more than anything, really –, trying to avoid Harry at all cost despite the large number of occasions that both their families have been invited to. And Louis would say he's done pretty well, up until now. Time after time that his there had even been the slightest chance of running into Harry, Louis has been able to come up with some sort of excuse to avoid the situation at a whole. He suspected his mother knew what he was doing, but she never said anything. And his father – well, Louis' not sure his father is even aware of the fact that his son is gay, much less that he used to be dating Harry, the boy that he knows of merely of as Des Styles' darling child.
He had been so close to getting out of this as well. Had it just not been for his mother stomping into his room just as he was about to sneak out the window and spend the night at Zayn's place – pizza, old movies and a whole lot of nostalgia for when times were easier – he would've been able to avoid this big mess of a reunion he was obviously facing.
Now, standing in this small, cozy church, people running around them with ribbons and flowers, Louis wishes even more he didn't have to be here. There's just something about weddings that makes him want to puke a little. Whether it's the cringe worthy way people make such a big deal about other people's relationship or the fact the he has to dress up in a ridiculous suit that is way too tight around his bum is hard to decide.
His mother nudges his side with her elbow and looks at him sternly, as if by saying "lose the grudge, Louis."
Louis widens his eyes at her and flexes his jaw. "What?" he asks, annoyed, under his breath and his mother turns to him with a defeated expression.
"Louis", she says and reaches out to straighten up his bowtie, "we're her for Gemma today, alright? I know you and Harry have your problems, but you're just going to have to push them aside for this one night. Okay?"
Louis stares back at her and blinks slowly. He then shrugs, "Whatever."
"No", his mother corrects him, "it's not whatever. Wipe away the frown now, will you please?"
Louis rolls his eyes, but tries his best to smoothen out the dent that's been taking shape between his eyebrows. His mother gives him a meaning look and brushes off his shoulder once before turning away and immediately stepping right into a heated conversation with some old friends of hers.
Louis looks around the room again – up and down the still empty rows of chair and down to the end of the isle where Gemma is soon going to be stood, all dressed up in white and exchanging rings with that husband of hers. Louis pouts for a moment and glances over at the main entrance, trying to estimate his chances of getting out of here without anyone noticing. Zayn still seems like a good option in contrast to this bittersweet occasion. Plus, delivery pizza takes less than half an hour...
He is just about to turn around and start toward the doors as gracefully and intangibly as possible when a voice, too close and too familiar, startles his thoughts and has him jump a little.
"Fancy seeing you here today", Harry says softly and suddenly Louis is looking up at him, only inches away from his face, so close he can feel the warmth streaming out from his body, for the first time in over three months.
