Louis was intriguing, more so than any other person that Harry had ever encountered in his nineteen years long life. He was kind, funny, and so pretty it made Harry's stomach twist in the most wonderful way. His eyes lit up when he spoke about things he enjoyed, and his lips would purse slightly as he concentrated on the things Harry told him.
Harry had to keep reminding himself that the boy was most likely straight as a pole. And not the fun stripper kind. Not that Harry had ever tried.
Yet Harry still couldn't help but feel drawn to the man. He had ever since their first meeting. And if Louis wanted to be at least a friend of his, Harry would embrace it. He wouldn't try and push for anything more, even though Niall insisted that Louis had been flirting a bit with him. Harry didn't know, and he didn't even know how to approach matters like this. So he had decided to just let it be as it was, an aspiring friendship, and if he happened to have a small crush on Louis, then it wouldn't affect anyone.
Except it did affect him when he accidentally stumbled into Louis in the hallway of the university, making Louis spill all his coffee over himself.
"Shit!" Harry cursed. He had yet to realise it was Louis he had stumbled into in his hurry to reach his lecture in time. Flustered, he tried to dry Louis' clothes with his scarf, and then he heard chuckling. He looked up, seeing Louis' face, and turned even more red. "God, Louis, I'm so, so sorry."
Louis began laughing even more, picking up his coffee cup. It was from Starbucks. Flashbacks from their first meeting rushed to the front of Harry's mind.
"Don't worry, love, it's iced."
Harry swallowed. "But you're soaked through—"
Louis shrugged, grinning. "I have extra clothes in my bag." He hoisted up the rucksack on his shoulder. "I'm always cold."
"Still, sorry." Harry was still red all over.
Louis smiled softly. "No bother. It's nice running into you again." Then with a slight pout, "You didn't text me."
Harry turned even more crimson. "I didn't know what to text."
Louis chuckled. "It's fine. Do you have a lecture now?"
Harry shook his head. "No, just got back from Author's Class. Was on my way home."
"You busy?" Louis asked. "You could walk a bit with me? We could talk." There was a hopeful glint in his eyes.
"You need to redress first," Harry said, eyeing Louis' soaked-through clothes. "You might get sick."
"Then let's do that first," Louis said, his eyes mischievous. "To the nearest broom closet!"
Harry followed Louis, Louis talking about an assignment he had gotten for photography. "I have to take pictures of animals in nature. Their 'natural habitat' as my teacher said."
"Ah," Harry said. "Sounds interesting. When will you begin?"
"I was planning to go to the park right after here," Louis said. "See if I could capture some birds and shit."
"Want company?" Harry found himself asking just as they stopped in front of a broom closet.
"In the closet or in the park?" Louis quirked an eyebrow.
"The park!" Harry rushed out.
Louis chuckled, a soft smile forming on his face. "If you really want to."
Harry shrugged, butterflies basking in his stomach. "I wouldn't mind."
"Neither would I."
And maybe, having a crush on Louis Tomlinson would affect Harry slightly more than he first had thought.
* * *
The park they visited wasn't that big, but Louis claimed it was big on animal life.
At first, they just walked down the path. Louis was holding his camera in his hands, fingerless gloves covering his hands. He was wearing a beanie on top of his hair. His denim jacket was covering his upper body, and a pair of clean sweatpants, that were slightly rolled up, were covering his legs.
He was absolutely gorgeous, and Harry was having a hard time focusing on the words escaping Louis' mouth.
"Harry, did you hear what I said?" Louis asked, quirking an amused eyebrow.
"I—What?"
Louis giggled. "I asked if you wanted to sit." He pointed to a bench.
"Yeah, sure," Harry said, nodding. They sat.
Louis fingered his camera, making sure the lens was clean. "Maybe we could go to the lake after this? There are usually swans and ducks."
"Sounds great," Harry said.
They sat in silence for some time, but Harry found no awkwardness in it. He felt content.
"How are you liking the school?" Louis asked, bumping his shoulders against Harry's slightly.
"It's a lot different from what I'm used to," Harry said. "I have never lived away from home before."
"Where do you come from?" Louis asked.
"I grew up in London," Harry said. "With my mom, stepdad, and sister."
"That sounds really lovely," Louis said.
"What about you? Where do you come from?"
"Doncaster," grinned Louis.
"Ah, explains your accent."
"Oi."
"It suits you."
Louis' cheeks tinted red. "Thank you."
Butterflies took a flight in Harry's stomach. "Do you have siblings?"
"Oh, so many," laughed Louis. "Want me to list them?"
"Sure," smiled Harry.
"Alright, so there is Fizzy, Lottie, the twins, Pheobe and Daisy. And Mom wants more kids as well." A smile gleamed in his voice.
"You like kids?" Harry asked.
"Very much, yes," nodded Louis. His smile was big.
"Your family sounds lovely," Harry said. "Do you visit them a lot?"
"Whenever I can," spoke Louis. "Mostly in school breaks. I will visit them next time at Christmas. It's quite some time, but... it will be lovely. And I get to celebrate my birthday with them."
"You a December baby?" Harry asked.
"Not just that, a Christmas baby," Louis said. "When I was little, I thought all the Christmas lights were up for me, and only me."
Harry giggled at that. "Really?"
Louis shrugged, smirking. "Yup."
"God, you're—" Harry stopped himself. He had been close to saying adorable. He sealed his lips shut.
"When is your birthday, then?" asked Louis.
"February first," Harry said, glad that Louis had changed the subject.
Louis hummed. "How old are you turning next time?"
"Twenty. What about you?"
"Twenty-two."
Harry grinned. "You don't act like an oldie."
"Hey!" Louis whacked his shoulder. "Rude!"
"Sorry, sorry." Harry held up his arms in defence.
Louis huffed. "That's what I thought." His frown smoothed into a smile. "Wanna head for the lake?" He gestured to his camera. "Better use this before it gets too dark." The sky was stille blue, but Harry got what he meant.
"Yeah, just two sec." Harry fished his phone out of his pocket. Niall had texted him. He pressed onto it.
Niall: Haz, why are you not home? Your lecture ended an hour ago.
That text had been sent half an hour prior. Harry hadn't even noticed how the time had passed. And he found that he didn't mind. He quickly typed a reply.
Harry: Out with Louis :)) Dw
He pocketed his phone, returning his attention to Louis. "I'm ready."
"Excellent." Louis stood up, waiting for Harry to do the same.
Harry did, and they began walking toward where Louis claimed there to be a lake.
"Why photography?" Harry asked as they went. The gravel crunched beneath their feet, Louis kicking one.
A new glint formed in Louis' eye. "I have always been fond of photos. Like, how they capture moments in time and save them forever. An everlasting memory. They help us remember things that might fade away, and I love the idea that I can help people save their memories in time, and..." His cheeks tinted red. "I'm sorry. I tend to ramble."
"Ey, no being sorry," Harry said, placing a light hand on Louis' wrist. "I enjoy listening to it. To you." Harry could feel his own cheeks flare at his words. "I mean—"
"Thank you," Louis rushed out. "People usually find me annoying when I get like that."
"Well, I don't think you are," Harry said as they continued to walk. "I think it's sweet."
"Alright." Louis chuckled slightly. "Oh! The lake is right over there." He pointed and Harry let his eyes follow the direction his finger was directed.
There was a small lake, surrounded by trees. A small bridge was crossing over where the lake was at its narrowest, a few people standing on it and throwing breadcrumbs out to the fish. Harry also spotted swans and ducks.
"Time for work," Louis excitedly said, turning his camera on. A frown formed on his face. "I hadn't realised how boring this bit would be for you, sorry. I will try not to spend too much time."
Harry shrugged, smiling an easy smile. "No problem. I'm just gonna go over to the bench over there. I'm in the midst of reading a book, might as well continue."
"If you're sure you don't mind," Louis cautiously said. "Is your home far from here? I can walk you there after."
Harry tried to bite back his smile but didn't quite manage. "No, it's not, and... I wouldn't mind that."
Louis let out a small, relieved, breathless laugh. "Alright, then."
Harry moved to the bench, pulling his book out of his bag, but he didn't begin reading. Instead, he found himself captured by watching Louis in his element.
Louis moved as close to the water as he dared, taking pictures of the swans there. He switched between standing and crouching constantly. He seemed to also take some pictures of birds. Once, he looked in Harry's direction, and Harry quickly turned his gaze to the words in front of him, his cheeks heating. He had just been caught red-handed gawking at Louis. Harry couldn't help the fact Louis' arse looked so good when he was crouching down.
Louis spent ten more minutes taking pictures of the animal life and then returned to Harry's side. "I think have what I need for now." Then with a smirk, "Enjoying the book?"
"What? Oh. Yeah, I am. Very good book indeed." He was on page eight.
Louis hummed, eyes glinting. "Let me walk you home."
"If you insist," Harry said lowly, standing up. He put his book back in his bag.
They began walking back the way they had come, and rain slowly began drizzling down.
"You've got to be shitting my dick," Louis cursed, pulling his jacket tighter around himself.
"No, I'm not," Harry smirked.
Louis wiggled his eyebrows, drawing a startled laugh out of Harry.
The rain quickly got worse, to the point where they got soaked, and Louis and Harry found themselves running through the park toward the nearest place they could stand in cover from the rain. That turned out to the underneath a balcony at the apartment building on the opposite street of the park.
Harry panted, resting his hands on his knees. Before he moved to Manchester he had used to go on runs often, but weeks without it was catching onto him.
Louis laughed, resting his back against the wall. His chest was rising and falling quickly, a water droplet travelling down the bridge of his nose. His cheeks were rosy, his lips parted. He was beautiful.
"That came out of nowhere," Harry chuckled, eyeing his soaked jacket.
"Just like me," smirked Louis.
Harry rolled his eyes playfully, looking out at the street. "It's a fifteen-minute walk from here. Shall we risk it?"
"Let's wait a bit," Louis said. "See if it stops."
"Alright," Harry said, nodding. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, a message from Niall awaiting him.
Naill: *GASP* Are you on a date and you didn't tell me!?
Harry chuckled, shaking his head. He quickly typed a reply.
Harry: No date, but I'll tell you about it once I make it home
"What's so funny?" asked Louis, quirking an amused eyebrow.
"What? Oh." Harry shook his head. "Nothing."
"Texting your girlfriend?" Louis asked, wiggling his eyebrows. His arms were crossed over his chest.
Harry snorted. "No girlfriend here."
"Well, boyfriend, then?"
"Don't have one of those, either," Harry said, his cheeks turning slightly red.
"Ah, alright." Louis looked away from Harry, but it didn't stop Harry from noticing the grin on Louis' face. His belly fluttered. It was nothing.
"It was just Niall," clarified Harry. "He was asking when I was coming home." An easy lie, and not that far from the truth considering his earlier message.
"Ohhh, yes," Louis said. "He's is nice."
"He is, yeah," Harry grinned. He put his phone back in his pocket. "He has been my best friend since... forever."
"How lovely you got to move in together," Louis said. A soft smile was playing on his lips.
"Same with you, Zayn, and Liam."
"Yeah." Louis scrunched his nose. "Gotta love my dads."
Harry cackled, looking out to the street. The rain had stopped slightly. "Wanna get out there? It's getting late. Your parents might worry."
Louis scoffed, pushing his shoulder against Harry's playfully. "Ha. Ha." There was an amused glint in his eyes. "But yes, I would love to. I'm freezing."
They walked out into the street, heading for Harry's building. They didn't talk much, Harry finding comfort with Louis' presence next to him.
They reached Harry's building, and Harry stepped up onto the front step. He knew Louis only lived twenty minutes away by bike, but he didn't want him to walk home while it was still raining, though not much, so he asked, "Wanna come inside?"
"I would love to," Louis said, "but I should probably get going. I need to begin editing the photos."
"Oh. Okay. But... it's raining, and you're cold. It's a long walk."
Louis shrugged. "I'll call a taxi."
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
"Yeah." Louis was smiling. "Promise to text me this time?"
Harry's cheeks reddened. "I don't know what to talk about."
"Wait." Louis pulled his phone out of his pocket, typing quickly. "Look at your phone."
Harry raised a questioning eyebrow but did as he was told.
Handsome guy: Heeeeeeeeeeeeeey
Harry looked confused at Louis. "Hi?"
Louis giggled. "I have now initiated a conversation, doy. We'll figure the rest out."
"Oh." Harry tried to bite back a smile. "Well, in that case..." He pulled out his phone, quickly typing Hi back. He pressed send. Louis checked his phone, grinning. "And also text me once you have made it home, Lou." The nickname slipped out before Harry got a chance to stop it, but with the way Louis' face lit up, he couldn't find it in himself to regret it.
"Alright, then. I better get going. Now. Or else I will freeze to death."
Harry watched Louis' retreating figure as walked away, and realised that maybe, just maybe, having a crush on Louis was going to be the death of him.