'And all I do is sit and think about you
If I knew what you'd do
Collapse my veins, wearing beautiful shoes
It's not living, if it's not with you'
It's Not Living (If Its Not With You) - The 1975
Pulling his black Adidas cap further down to prevent the wind from messing up his fringe, Louis let out a cold huff before he opened the door to Crash Records. Despite having a coffee to fight of his looming hangover, the sound of the bell felt too loud and the alt indie music that played made the pounding in his head even worse. He squinted his eyes at the fluorescent lighting, which shone too brightly compared to the grey sky outside - it's crazy how the weather can flip like a switch
He should've called in sick so he didn't have to work an early morning shift. The blue eyed boy could of stayed in bed, nursing his hangover with a cup of tea. Maybe he would've put on a film and let his dog snuggle up by his side, but there was one thing about coming to work that out competes all those temptations, Harry.
Eager to seek out the boy, Louis followed the sound of faint singing coming from the back room. Making sure not to make him aware of his presence, Louis watched Harry happily hum along to a Wolf Alice song as he stuck sale stickers on unpopular vinyls. When the song was coming to an end, Louis quietly walked over, wrapped his arms around the boy's waist and rested his chin on Harry's shoulder.
"Hi, Lou," Harry softly greeted and basked in the embrace. He didn't turn to look at him, only tilted his head back to gently bump it against Louis'.
"How did you know it was me?" Louis asked.
"Because I highly doubt Paul would hug me. He likes me, but not this much. Plus, I heard your trainers squeak on the floor," Harry chuckled and turned round in the ring that Louis' arms made, so that they could face each other. He looked down at the older boy's black and white Vans and then at his own white vans (calling them white may be far fetched, they could really do with a wash.) The front were all scuffed and the laces frayed. "I think I need some new shoes."
Sniggering at the state of them, Louis smiled in amusement, "Yeah, you probably do." He gently bumped his forehead against Harry's before looking back up, into each others eyes, "And this cardigan, it's very..."
"Colourful?"
"I was going to say it's very you, but yes it is very colourful and cozy," he said as he removed his hands from around Harry's waist just to put them back, but closer as he slipped his hands inside the cardigan.
"I made it myself, well with the help of some old lady in the cafe. I saw her knitting and asked if she could teach me."
"I'm glad she taught you because I'm really cold and you're really warm," Louis said as he somehow managed to get even closer. "You would think it's winter outside."
After Harry reluctantly coaxed Louis off him, the two went back to work. The younger boy finished placing the sale stickers as Louis went to go turn the closed sign around (he has got a lot better at remembering to do that.) Once all the stickers had gone, Harry carried the box of vinyls into the shop front only to see Louis attempting to organise. It wasn't going well, as he kept dropping CDs due to his sweater paws. Harry was going to comment on it, so the boy's problems would be fixed, but the sight of Louis using the sleeves of his black and white jacket to warm up his hands was way to adorable.
After working five enjoyable hours in the shop, dealing with customers, taking alternate breaks, dancing together to the songs that blared through the speakers, they found themselves only having half an hour left until someone came to take over their shift. When there time was up, Louis informed Harry by placing a small disposable camera in his hands.
"What's this for?" Harry asked, whilst inspecting the camera by flipping it over and looking through the eyepiece.
"Mikey is in the alley having a quick smoke, once he's done we can leave."
Harry nodded down to the camera, urging Louis to explain, but he didn't so once again, Harry asked another question, "What's with the camera?"
"We are going sightseeing!" Louis beamed.
"Sightseeing?"
"Yep," he walked over and took Harry by his hand, pulling him out off the shop when he heard the back door open, meaning Micheal had finished his cig.
"What are we going to see?"
Grinning, Louis replied, "My things, I'm going to show you around the town in my point of view. It's long overdue really, seen as though you have already been here three weeks, maybe a bit longer, but I thought you deserve to know the town and know me better," he smiled and unzipped his jacket revealing a black t-shirt that hung low showing off his collar bone. "It's turned out quite a nice day," he said, looking up at the now clear sky.
Hand in hand, they walked down the high street as Louis pointed out shops that he loves, that his mum loves, that he avoids (because the owners are twats) and ones that aren't to his liking. At a building connected to a small florist, called Flo's Flowers, he stoped in front and pressed his face against the window.
"This is the tiny art shop that Zayn's mum owns," Louis informed the green eyed boy then pushed him closer to the glass. "See that one there, the one almost graffiti like?"
"Yeah."
"Zaynie boy made that," Louis beamed proudly at his friend's achievement.
Squeezing Louis' hand, Harry smiled and said. "He should make something for Crash Records. There's that one wall that's too empty."
"Paul's doesn't like him though," Louis rolled his eyes in annoyance. Paul really angers him sometimes. "Zayn was chilling with me in the storages room and we were smoking joint-"
"Inside?"
The blue eyed boy laughed at Harry's unimpressed face, before explaining his behaviour, "Yep, it was fucking snowing outside! I wasn't going to freeze my balls off. Anyway, long story short I set the fire alarm off and Paul came in and I blamed Zayn."
"You're a shit friend," Harry chuckled in amusement, only because he knows Zayn probably didn't mind taking the fall, he's too relaxed to care.
"Mmm maybe, but you know what I'm not shit at?" Louis smirked as he walked closer to the younger boy and cupped his jaw. "Kissing," he murmured before he leant in to him Harry..
Locking lips with Louis, is a feeling Harry will never get use too. He's never actually kissed anyone else before, but he just knows that this is how it's supposed to feel. Feeling like your breath is caught in your lungs, that your heart is beating so hard your afraid that your veins may collapse. Harry always wants to feel that way, in private. When out of the corner of his eye, he saw two men walk down the other side of the road, he pulled away.
"Um..." he awkwardly cleared his throat, "Are we going in?"
Still wearing a perplexed expression, Louis eyed the boy curiously before shrugging his shoulders, "Nope. I'm banned for a bit. Mrs Malik loves me, but Zayn's dad saw a seven year old me wipe a bogie on his most expensive piece of art and has had a grudge against me ever since," Louis laughed at his own childish antics.
Hearing Louis' bright laugh instantly made the sudden tenses feeling Harry had, ease away. "That's so unfair!" He chuckled, "Where else were you meant to put it?"
"Exactly!" Louis grinned as he shook his head. "Right, enough about my snot. A small bit away is a place I think you'll really like."
Letting his selves fall over his hands, Harry made sweater paws with his knitted cardigan so that his hands can hide from Louis'. Most of him so desperately wants to hold the older boy's hand, but there is that anxiety looming over him that people are judging.
When they stopped walking, Harry looked into the shop window. "A charity shop?"
"Yeah but when I call it that my sister corrects me and says it's a vintage shop. Felicity volunteers here during the summer," Louis explained.
"That's cool. I bet she finds some right good stuff."
"She does, that's why we are here," Louis said as he looked at the taller boys confused expression. "Just trust me."
With out asking, Louis took Harry's hand in his own and pulled him into the shop making a bell ding and Harry to almost trip as he stumbled in. The shop, although no where near as old as Crash Records, was dusty and a bit messy in places. Some clothes had fallen off the hanger and most of the shoes on display were only one half of the pair, but it held some charm to it. Harry thought the vase of sunflowers was a nice touch to try and brighten up the shop.
In the midst of the older boy dragging him towards the till Harry reached out and grabbed a flyer that was pinned on a cork board. The flyer was a fundraiser for the charity 'Cat protection' which the charity shop supports. Harry pocketed it instantly - he has always had a love for cats.
"Louis!" A young cheery voiced greeted, as the pair arrived at the counter, "I'm guessing this is the boy you don't shut up about?" She asked, turning to smile at Harry.
He instantly knew the two must of been related, for one Louis did mention how is sister volunteered here, but also because they share such a similar smile. It was even more confirmed that they were sibling when Louis introduced her, "Harry, this is my sister Felicity-"
"Fizz," she corrected him.
"And Fizz this is Harry my... erm-" he paused in awkward silence because what exactly is Harry to him? He knows what he wants him to be, but just has to ensure that Harry is comfortable with it.
Rolling her blue eyes, felicity brushed her long brown hair off her shoulder and held out her hand, "It's nice to meet you Harry!" Harry shook her hand back. "I'm glad you're taking up my brothers time, means there is less time for him to annoy me."
"Oh shush," Scoffed Louis, "Now can I do what I planned or not?"
"I guess so," she sarcastically sighed, being sassy was a common denominator in the Tomlinson family. "Juts don't be too long, my boss comes back in an hour."
"We won't!" Louis smiled as he began to walk away, Harry following, until Felicity noticeably cleared her throat then held out her hand. "Bitch," the blue eyed boy muttered as he placed a tenner in her hand.
After watching his sister smile smugly, Louis guided Harry into the back room which was packed with racks of clothes. He walked over to a curtain and pulled it back revealing a tall mirror with light bulbs around it. A few of the bulbs had blown, but the ones that worked illuminated the room.
"Woah," Harry whispered as he stepped onto the little velvet runway, that was raised a bit of the ground, and looked at his reflection.
"The place use to be a wedding dress shop, hence the grandeur of all this," Louis explained as he stepped behind Harry and rested his chin on his shoulder. "I thought you would like it."
"I do."
Louis chuckled and kissed him on the cheek, "Save that for our wedding day."
Instantly, Harry blushed the same colour as the rose pink carpet. His mouth went dry at the thought. Louis was just messing around right? Surely, he must have been.
Clearly unbothered by what he just said, Louis carried on talking normally, "do you still have that camera I gave you?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because I feel like we need to capture this moment," he chuckled as he spun around to the rack of clothes, pulling out the most ridiculous, red, sequin rain coat. He quickly turned back around, displaying the coat with a smirk, "What do you think? You strike me as the type who likes to play dress up?"
"Why because I'm gay?" Harry laughed, but automatically clamped his lips shut when he realised what he said. He's never stated his sexuality so openly, so freely, so naturally, before.
Shaking his head side to side with a large smile, because he just can't get over how adorable Harry is, he walked towards the boy, cupped the side of his face and gave him an over the top kiss. The true definition of MWAH!
"Yes," he said as he pulled away, "And because you dress so cool."
"Not cool," the green eyed boy murmured.
"Shush! Now figure out how to work the camera whilst I put this monstrosity on," Louis said happily as he took the coat off the hanger.
After rummaging through some boxes he found the most ridiculous pair of shorts (knee lengthen, white denim, with rhinestones pockets) and pair of rainbow suspenders. He didn't make Harry look away, as he changed into the ridiculous outfit, but the younger boy still blushed and turned around. True, he's seen and even had his lips wrapped around what he was avoiding seeing, but he felt like getting changed was a private moment. He had never seen Louis shirtless until now.
On the little platform, back to the mirror, Louis stood in the mismatching outfit, with faint abs and curves exposed, as the coat was not zipped. Harry didn't even look at the braces that lined his torso, he just let his eyes fallow Louis' stomachs muscles down to his faint happy trail.
"No need to stare, love. Take a picture, it will last longer" Louis winked, leaving harry breathless. How did Louis look so good in those clothes? "No seriously use the camera, take a picture. I'm not wearing this dreadful get up for nothing," the boy chuckled.
Not wanting to be caught staring anymore, Harry let his lungs work overtime to regulate his breathing as he lifted the disposable camera up to his eye. Through the lens, he finally took notice of the shorts that clung to Louis thighs. God, Louis' thighs. Instantly, he lifted the camera higher to get him all in.
"Pose," he whispered, but Louis already had a hand on his waist, popping the side of his hip outwards.
"Will this do?"
Harry laughed and took a few picture's, "It's prefect."
"Right then, curly. You're turn," Louis grinned and rubbed his hands together mischievously as he pulled a black fur coat off the rack.
Harry had way to much fun picking his outfit. Mainly because of Louis' silly suggestions making him loudly cackle. He's always felt self conscious of his laugh, but Louis always murmurs 'cute' after he does it, so it doesn't bother him anymore.
After lost of consideration and quick try on of accessories, Harry settled on an outfit. He didn't allow Louis to watch him as he got undressed, he figured that should be saved for the first time they...
Anyway! When Harry was ready, the blue eyed boy turned around and let his mouth hang open. Harry didn't just look good in the clothes, he made the clothes look good - which is extremely impressive seen as thought the clothes are an eclectic taste.
He wore a white vest, cropped with I ❤️ NY printed on the front. The larger black fur coat that reached the top of the pink candy cane striped trousers, that were a little on the short side revealing loafers with a rainbow across the front.
"You look good," Louis said in awe, "How do you look so good?"
Harry just shrugged, "I don't know, but I quite like the shoes, they're nice," he said as he clicked his heals together like Dorothy.
"Beautiful, beautiful shoes because someone beautiful is wearing them."
If that was anyone else who said that Harry would've cringed, but he's so enchanted by louis that he could say anything and it would sound absolutely perfect.
"Take a picture?"
At the boy's request, louis picked up the camera and started frantically acting like paparazzi, bending down at odd angles, to make the boy laugh because he knew his laughing face would make for the best picture. Harry has dimples, don't blame Louis for wanting to make them appear.
Roping Felicity in to help out, they had pictures take of them together in their crazy outfits. In one they had sunglasses, the type cyclists wear, perched on the ends of their noses. In another they pulled funny faces. In the last one, Louis reached for a feather boa, hooked it around Harry's neck and used it to pull him in for a kiss. Everything was perfect, including Harry's smile as they walked out of the shop: Louis' hand in his left and a carrier bag containing the rainbow loafers in the other.
Louis only had one place left to take Harry, as he promised he would get him back in time before his mum would start to question where he was. The place he took Harry next wasn't anything special, they have been there together before.
"Your house?" Harry asked curiously.
"Technically no, it's my back garden," Louis corrected him whilst guiding him on to the wooden decking and showing him the porch swing.
Trying to figure it out, Harry asked, "What are we doing here."
"Well here is where I sit and think about you," he smiled timidly, which Louis never normally does. He doesn't get shy, but this time a blush crept onto his face making Harry's heart melt at the cuteness.
They both sat down on the white painted swing, and held hands as they used there legs to gently rock themselves back and forth.
"I was sat here, this morning," Louis started, "I wasn't just thinking about you, I was thinking about us... and what we are."
"Oh..."
"I don't really know what goes on in your head sometimes, but I at least somewhat know what goes on in mine and I was thinking that maybe-"
"I-I've not," Harry cut him off, but paused when he heard himself stutter. He's panicking, which is something he hasn't done in Louis presence in a while. "I've- I'm not... I-"
"Shh, it's okay," Louis calmed him with his soft voice and by brushing the pad of his thumb over Harry's knuckles, "Just forget about what I was going to say, let's change the subject, yeah?"
Taking a deep breath, Harry turned to look him in the eye, "I'm not out yet, is what I was trying to say," he exhaled shakily, "My mum doesn't know, only you and your friends I guess..."
"That's fine, you don't have to tell anyone you don't want to."
Silently, comfortable but still somewhat highly strung, the two sat and just admired the view of the sun starting to set. They listened to each other breath as they felt the sky turn to an burnt orange shade. Orange is one of Harry's favourite colours, hardly anyone knows that because no one has ever cared enough to ask, apart from Louis. Louis knows a lot of things about Harry, because he cares enough to ask.
Louis cares.
Louis cares about me.
"Can you finish what you were going to say, before I stopped you?" Harry asked and tentatively looked at him.
"Are you sure?"
He nodded.
"Okay, where was I?" nervously chuckled, the older boy "I think about you a lot, like a lot, a lot. You're just always on my mind, like when I hear a new song i automatically wonder wether you would like it and I find my self basing my clothes for the day on you. If it's cold I purposely wear thin jackets just so I have an excuse to be closer to you, to hug you."
"I-I like hugging you," Harry shyly added, making Louis' nerves ease.
"So do I," Louis smiled, then let it falter for a moment, "Last night, which I'm sorry about and I regret so much, not the um... blowjob part, no that was perfect, really good, I definitely don't regret that. I regret the arguing part. I've never really been jealous before, that's not how I am. I know you weren't flirting with Ashton. It's just that, like I said, I like you a lot and I don't want to picture you with anyone else in a non-friend way, because I see you in a non-friend way... do you get me?"
Harry shook his head.
"I'm doing a terrible job at explaining this so I'm just going to be brave and ask..." he looked Harry directly in the eyes, losing himself for a moment as he marvelled at the green colour, before taking a deep breath. "Will you be my boyfriend?"
Will Harry say yes or no?????
Anywaysss I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated, but at least I've finally done it woohoo!
It's been so long that you have no idea that I have tickets to Louis' tour!!!!
Also if you're a swifty, opinion on midnights? I love it so much <3