Clean Criminal // l.s.

vi.

[I must say, I'm really liking where this story is heading. I hope you enjoy Larry's date night! :) -M]

Louis sat across from Harry at a table in a very nice restaurant (one that was quite clean, Louis might add). He smiled slightly when Harry looked up from his menu and let his eyes fall back to look at his fingers in his lap. He had never been to this place, but decided to order what he would normally have on a Saturday night: salmon with lemon with a salad on the side. He waited for Harry to choose what he wanted to eat and fiddled with his fingers as his leg bounced up and down. He should be cleaning right now, not out on a date.

"I think I'll either get the Alfredo or the walnut shrimp. What do you think, Louis?" Harry asked, glancing up to see Louis' eyes staring at his lap, "Lou?" Harry questioned, gaining the other's attention, "what do you think: Alfredo or shrimp?"

Louis thought for a while, taking the matter seriously. Harry patiently waiting with a small smile on his face. He loved the way Louis thought things over, it was absolutely adorable. "Shrimp," Louis finally answered, "so we're both having seafood," he said with a small chuckle. It was as if Harry thought Louis couldn't get any cuter and there he goes giggling at himself.

"You're adorable," Harry said, although he didn't really mean to. Louis blushed, trying to look away, but Harry continued to ramble, "I mean, you're like attractive when you...well, when you laugh or do anything really. This isn't coming out the way I thought it would. I guess, what I meant it that you're just...amazing, incredible really."

Louis felt like his cheeks were getting even redder and his blush was creeping down his neck, "okay," he said quietly, not knowing what else to say.

Dinners with Zayn were never this awkward. Zayn always knew the right things to say and the right compliments, but they never made Louis blush so hard. Maybe Harry was different in that sense. Harry was more special than Zayn because he made Louis feel like he wasn't a clock. He made Louis feel like his mind didn't need to constantly tick, tick, tick, tick; that his mind could be free.

"Refill, sir?" a waitress asked. Louis nodded in reply and mumbled a thank you to the young lady. It was strange not sitting across from Zayn for once. Zayn always ordered for Louis since he always knew what Louis wanted. He'd say that Louis looked pretty and Louis would just smile, kindly take the compliment and tell Zayn that he was gorgeous.

"Well, if I'm gorgeous, then you're drop dead gorgeous," Zayn would always say. Even though Zayn said that a lot, it always felt like the first time so Louis would giggle and cover his mouth with his hand.

Louis was slowly beginning to miss his best friend. He honestly don't know what he's going to do without the guy that always kept him together.

"Here you go, sir," the waitress interrupted, sitting Louis' sweet tea in front of him. She took out a note pad from her apron, "have you both decided on what you'd like to order?"

Harry nodded, "he'd like the salmon with lemon and a side salad and I'd like the honey walnut shrimp with the garden vegetables," Harry ordered, taking Louis' menu to hand to the waitress. She said that their meals would be out as quickly as they could and then walked off.

Louis played with the straw in his glass, surprised his hands weren't shaking that much for once. His leg continued to bounce up and down and his mind racked with so many questions for Harry.

"What are you thinking about in that pretty little head of yours?" Harry questioned, taking a sip of his Coke.

Louis shrugged, "everything. You, mainly. You're...you're overwhelming." Harry titled his head to the side as Louis continued to explain, "it's just that, well, I don't normally do this. I don't usually go out on dates with people I hardly know. In fact, I've only gone on dates with Zayn and Zayn always said that they were just friendly get togethers were we could chat about our day."

For a split second, Harry was jealous of Zayn for being able to know Louis for so long. He wondered if Louis ever fell in love with Zayn, if they were ever a couple. But he shook the thought out of his head and tried to focus on the beautiful human being sitting in front of him.

"Well, you're doing a great job so far," Harry assured, "you're good at this whole date-night thing."

Louis giggled again, "I'm glad you think so."

There was a long silence and Louis wasn't sure if he said something wrong or if Harry was just getting really awkward. He continued to play with his straw, watching the ice tea spin around to form a small tornado then settle out again before another hit. He was so easily distracted that he hadn't even noticed Harry speaking to him. "Sorry," Louis apologized, "what were you saying?"

Harry cleared his throat, "would you maybe like to go see a movie after this?"

Louis frowned slightly, thinking of the way Zayn would take him out on movie dates so Louis would take a break from cleaning. They'd go every other Saturday and tonight was supposed to be their bonding time.

"Yeah, sure thing," Louis answered, taking a chance that he probably won't take ever again.

Louis couldn't help but smile when Harry grinned, as though he had made a small victory and was silently celebrating. Harry's smile was contagious and everyone could agree with that.

"Dinner and a movie it is!" Harry exclaimed, relief washing over him. He had no idea why he got this way with Louis; why he always seemed to stumble over his words and ramble on for ages. Louis was just so intimidating.

"He's smart," Harry had told his close friend Ed one night, "he's real smart and pretty. God, Teddy, you should see his eyes! I swear that I could fall into them."

Ed had smirked at the time, "you're getting so poetic on me, Styles. Better wipe off that fond on your face otherwise someone might think you actually like the kid."

Harry had shrugged, "I wouldn't mind falling for him. It's just that he's part of my job and I shouldn't get to know him on such a personal level."

"'Sounds to me like you already have, Mr. I'll-Just-Ask-Him-Out-To-Dinner," Ed teased, which Harry didn't mind because this was how they operated; this is how they've always worked.

Harry smiled at the pleasant memory and focused on the waitress that was coming towards their table with their food. Louis kindly thanked the waitress again and proceeded to clean off his silverware as if it weren't ever cleaned to begin with. Harry thought Louis' habits were cute, even if they were a little too much. He didn't mind that Louis needed things to be clean, or that Louis always tried to look away from Harry whenever he received a compliment. He just thought that Louis was adorable and special in every single way.

Harry was surprised when Louis striked up conversation, "how's the shrimp?" he asked softly. 

"Quite alright. I've never had this specific meal, but it's something I'll probably have again," Harry answered, "how's your salmon?"

Louis played with his fork and tried to hold back his grin, "good," he said, simply smiling anyways, "it's made the way I like it."

"Do you cook often?" Harry questioned, interested in what Louis does in his free time.

The smaller nodded and looked up from his plate, "a little, yeah. I make most my meals. I can't exactly trust anywhere else, but Emilie's Diner since I've been going so long. They've all remembered my name and specific orders."

"You don't like changing things up then?"

Louis shrugged, "it's not really my thing. This whole date thing is definitely throwing me off my memorized clock." 

Harry cocked his head to the side, "what would you be doing right now?" 

Louis took a look at his watch, "well, it's nearly eight, so I'd still be watching FRIENDS on Netflix. Decent show, I must say." 

"One of my favorites," Harry added with a laugh, "Phoebe is the best."

"Ah, yes, the Phoebe. I'd have to disagree with you kind sir, Monica is the best," Louis peacefully disagreed.

"We will just have to watch the season together and then have a nice debate about who is better and why," Harry suggested.

Louis shook his head softly and looked down at his plate, a cute grin upon his lips, "whatever you say."