"You need to stop kissing me or else we'll miss the train," panted Louis, fingers tangled in Harry's hair. He was pressed against the wall in Harry's apartment, Harry towering over him. Caging him in.
"Why?" Harry whined, pushing his thigh between Louis'.
Louis chuckled. "Because the train leaves soon, and I would like to be there on time."
"But the walls in my house are so thin, Lou," Harry complained. "You can hear everything. I need my kissing time."
Louis raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh yeah? I'm sure we'll find time."
"Nuh-uh," Harry said. "My mom is gonna wanna be with us all the time, I'm telling ya. Also, did I mention the thin walls?"
"Baby, it's not like we are gonna be doing more than kissing," Louis said, "not even if the walls were thick. Not at your mom's house." He scrunched his nose. "Good God no."
"I know." Harry leaned back. "Sorry. I'm just nervous. My family can be... a lot. I'm just afraid that they'll be too much."
"Love," Louis softly said, cupping Harry's face in his hands, "I have four sisters, I know what it's like. And I can't wait to meet your sister, mom, and stepdad. I'm so excited, okay? Don't worry about it being too much for me or anything, and don't stress yourself about it either. It will be perfect."
"I feel silly about it," Harry groaned. "Why are you so perfect?"
"Don't feel silly," Louis said. "God knows I was shitting my pants when you were gonna meet my family. My sisters could have been at their worst. I was terrified."
"I thought you were pretty calm," Harry softly spoke.
"So you wouldn't spiral more," Louis said.
One more thing added to the list of why Harry was in love with Louis.
"Are you not nervous at all?" Harry asked.
"Well, yes, I am, but I also know that it must be absolutely incredible people I'm gonna meet because they are the ones who raised you, so I really don't have much to worry about, do I?"
Harry wet his lips. "No, you don't."
"Good." Louis placed a kiss on the tip of Harry's nose. "Now we really need to get going, Baby. The clock is ticking."
Harry pursed his lips. "One more kiss? Please?"
Louis rolled his eyes fondly, pulling Harry in by his shirt. "How could I ever say no?" He kissed Harry's lips. Warm and soft. "Let's go, yeah?"
They took a cab to the train station. Louis' hand was a warm constant in Harry's on the way. They made it for the train just in time, finding good spots. Harry took out his laptop to write.
"Gonna write on the story?" Louis grinned.
"Yup, the next chapter is soon ready for you," Harry replied.
"Take your time," Louis said. Then with a wink, "But also not, I'm really excited. Where are they gonna travel now?"
Harry smirked. "Wait and see."
The train started moving.
"Fine," Louis said. "But I'm just saying, they should to Japan at some point."
"Planning on that," Harry said.
Louis smiled softly. "Alright." Then, "So, um, what are the plans for this weekend? Just so I'm prepared."
"Well, since I was a kid we have gone to a restaurant for dinner on my birthdays, so we are going to do that tonight. Tomorrow... probably just a calm day inside. Sunday we'll take the train back around noon."
Louis wet his lips, nodding. "Sounds great. Can't wait."
"Oh, and I forgot to tell you," Harry smirked, "we have a cat."
Louis let out a gasp. "Harry!"
Harry giggled. "She's nice, I swear."
Louis pursed his lips. "You've made me like cats."
Yep. Harry was definitely head over heels in love with the boy before him.
* * *
They stepped off the train at Kings Cross Station, and the first thing Louis said was, "So where is Platform 9 ¾ ?"
Harry kissed him.
"That's not an answer," Louis grinned.
Harry wet his lips, smiling softly at him. "No, but I just really like you." Understatement. "And we don't have time to see that now, love, my parents are waiting by the parking lot."
"I know, I know," Louis chuckled. He slipped his hand into Harry's, their fingers intertwining. He squeezed. Harry squeezed back.
They began the walk toward the parking lot, and the nervousness that had settled into Harry's bones all day ebbed away. It would go fine because Louis was Louis, and Louis was the most amazing person Harry had ever encountered.
Louis though, seemed to only grow more skittish. He had his bottom lip sucked into his mouth, his free hand playing with his backpack's straps.
"Hey, it'll be alright," Harry said. "Remember? You said so yourself."
"Yeah, well, I'm a liar," Louis said. "Well, about this. What if they hate me, Harry?"
Harry rolled his eyes fondly. "I don't think anyone could hate you, love."
"Oliver does."
"Well, are you planning on hitting my family in their faces?"
"No."
"Then you'll be good," Harry assured. "Trust me. They already adore you."
Louis exhaled. "Thank you."
"Still nervous?" Harry asked, smirking.
"God, you know me so well. Yes."
Harry kissed Louis' temple. "I'm lucky to know you, yeah."
They neared the parking lot, and Harry almost immediately spotted his family's car, because outside it were all of them. With... balloons, and a speaker playing "Happy Birthday" loudly. Harry's cheeks turned red, all the way down to his neck, and he stopped dead in his tracks. "You've got to be shitting me."
"What?" Louis asked, looking over the parking lot. "Is something wrong? What—Oh, is that... them?" A small giggle escaped Louis' lips. "That's so cute, oh my God."
"No it's not cute," hissed Harry. "What the fuck is that?"
"Baby, it's adorable," Louis said, trying to stifle his laugh. "Now come on. They'll notice us soon."
"Now look who is in such a hurry," Harry said, pouting slightly.
Louis shrugged. "I think this is very amusing."
"God—"
"There they are!" called Harry's mom, having finally noticed them. "Hazza, my darling, welcome home."
Harry's face had never before been that red. Anne walked over to them, two balloons trailing after her. Gemma and Robin stayed by the car. By the looks of it both of them were having a hard time containing their laughter.
Anna stopped in front of them, placing her hands on Harry's shoulders. "There's my birthday boy, all grown up."
"Mom, I swear to God—"
"And you must be Louis," Anne said, swiftly turning to Louis.
Louis tried to look professional, but he still ended up laughing as he spoke. "Yeah, that's... that's me, yeah."
Anne pulled him into a hug. "Sorry for the embarrassment, but it's a tradition whenever one of my kids gets a partner."
Oh.
Right.
Harry had completely forgotten about that. Every time Gemma had brought home a boyfriend, they had planned something slightly embarrassing, just to welcome him into the family. Harry had found it very amusing at the time because as much as the pranks made the boyfriend uncomfortable, it was directed at making Gemma turn into a tomato.
Harry was the tomato now.
But Louis didn't seem to mind one bit.
"I think it's fun," Louis said, chuckling. "Hazza here? Not so much."
"Why is the music still playing?" Harry asked, running his hands through his hair. "Oh, my lord. Gemma, turn it the fuck down! People are looking!"
Gemma flipped him off from afar.
"You guys are so embarrassing, God," Harry groaned. "Louis, I'm sorry about this."
"It's amusing," chuckled Louis. His hand found Harry's once again. "Really."
"I don't think it's very funny," mumbled Harry.
Anne just waved him off. "Sweetheart, you know the boyfriend drill."
"I had forgotten," Harry mumbled, hoisting up in his backpack. "Gemma, you prick! Now!"
Gemma stopped the music.
Anne rolled her eyes. "Those two. Do you have siblings, Louis?"
"Yeah, quite a few, actually," Louis cheerfully said. "Four."
"That's a delight," Anne said. "Are you the oldest?"
"Yep," Louis grinned. "And only boy."
"Louis' an amazing brother to his siblings," Harry chimed in.
"Maybe you should take notes," Anne said, raising an eyebrow. "You and Gemma could sure use it."
"Hey."
Louis snickered, resting his head against Harry's shoulder.
"Let's go meet the others, yeah?" Anne said. "Then home. I set the tea to boil before we left. And tonight we are gonna go out for dinner wherever you want, Harry."
"Thanks, Mom," Harry said, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Except for this balloon and music thing. That was more embarrassing than my third-grade play where you cheered loudly."
Anne shrugged and walked away grinning.
"You were in a play?" Louis adoringly asked.
"Yep," Harry said. "I'm quite an actor." Then on an exhale, "I'm sorry about this. I don't know what went through their heads."
"I think it's funny," Louis said. "Truly. It shows character."
"It does?" Harry asked as they began walking to the car.
Louis nodded. "It really does, yeah. Like, your family doesn't seem to mind what the people around them think of them. At all. I admire that."
"Oh." Harry could feel his cheeks heating. "I guess that's true. In some way."
"Yeah—"
"Harry Edward Styles!" Gemma's voice boomed as they neared. "How I've waited for the day it would be my turn to embarrass your boyfriend. Did it work?"
"It was mostly Harry," Louis said, placing a hand on Harry's lower back. "I found it very funny."
"Ah well, guess you can't have everything in this world," Gemma said. She held her hand out for Louis to shake. "I'm Gemma. Harry's sister."
"The one who made Niall threaten me?" Louis asked, lips tilted up. He shook her hand.
"The same one," Gemma said. "I had to, Harry's my baby brother after all."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Gem."
"It's true," Gemma said. "Can't believe you're already twenty, and you finally have a bo—"
"Why don't you go wait in the car with Mom?" Harry asked, pursing his lips.
Gemma grinned, ruffling Harry's hair. "Sure."
Robin stepped over to them, chuckling. "I had no part in this whatsoever, just so you know."
Harry smiled warmly at his stepdad, stepping in for a hug. "Sure thing, old man."
Robin laughed, patting Harry's back. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Harry softly said.
Robin turned to Louis. "And this must be the famous Louis Harry can't stop rambling about."'
Louis' cheeks tinted red. "Yep, that's... that's me, yeah."
"A pleasure to meet you."
"I can only say the same."
* * *
From there, everything went great. Harry's family appeared to adore Louis right off the bat. The car ride was a success, and when in the house Anne prepared tea and cookies while Harry and Gemma showed Louis around. Later, they returned to the car, setting the course for a restaurant of Harry's choice.
Harry had chosen an Italian restaurant, one of his favourites, and the drive there wasn't long. They parked the car out front, and Louis and Harry intertwined their fingers as they stepped in together.
A waiter led them to their table, and they sat down by it. The view overlooked the street outside, and Louis' hand found Harry's thigh underneath the table.
"This place is lovely," Louis said. "Do you come here a lot?"
"It's Harry's favourite eating spot," Robin said, reading over the menu options.
Louis smiled softly at Harry. "Can you recommend anything?"
"Number sixty-nine. Full of meat, just like you like it," Harry said.
Louis snorted. "Damn, alright, Haz."
Anne looked between the two. "Have you always had your mind in the gutter, Harry? Jesus." She rolled her eyes fondly.
Harry shrugged. "I suppose."
Gemma grinned. "I like this side of you." She turned to Louis. "Harry has always been so reserved and innocent. Making adult jokes when he was eighteen was scandalising for him."
"Was not!" Harry said.
"It kinda was," Robin chimed in.
Harry pursed his lips, crossing his arms over his chest. "Alright. Whatever."
Louis leaned over to kiss his cheek. "You're adorable when you act like you're upset."
Harry's cheeks tinted red. Gemma gagged. Anne looked between the two with stars in her eyes. Robin gave a small nod at Harry, his smile warm. Butterflies swarmed in Harry's stomach.
Later, after he had consumed half a pizza, Harry excused himself and went to the restrooms. There he did his business, but as he washed his hands, a familiar face stepped into the room. And not one that brought kind memories.
In his years of going to school, Harry had had a handful of bullies. One of them was Frank Johnson, a big, bulky guy who liked to kick Harry when he showed up to school wearing nail polish.
It was Frank who had stepped into the bathroom, still big and bulky, and a familiar fear Harry had experienced each time he had gone to school overtook his body. He adverted his eyes to the sink in the hopes that Frank wouldn't recognise him.
"Harry Styles?"
Oh well. Shit.
Harry straightened his back, turning to the man. "Oh! Frank," he said, trying to muster a happy tone. "Long time no see."
Frank looked down at him. "Didn't expect to see you here. Didn't you move to Manchester in the summer?"
"Well, my family still lives here," Harry said, taking a step to the side. "Whom I need to return to. If you'll excuse me—"
Frank grabbed his arm. "Hey, Harry, I was actually hoping I would get the chance to run into you."
Harry's whole body stiffened. "Can't say the same."
"I wanted to apologise," Frank said, letting go of Harry's arm. "The way I treated you back in the day was not okay, at all. I was an insecure little boy who wished I could be like you, and for that I hated you. Since I moved away from home I have realised a few things about myself, and who I want to become, and I don't want to be a bully anymore. So... I'm sorry."
Harry tightened his jaw. "Please let go of me."
"Oh, right, sorry." Frank immediately loosened his grip.
Harry rubbed his hand over where Frank had touched him, eyeing the man mischievously. "I'm glad you realised the way you treated me wasn't okay, but an apology helps my shit now."
Frank looked down. "I know. I'm sorry."
Harry nodded curtly at him. "Alright, I know. I'll return to my family now. Goodbye."
He scurried out of the bathroom, his eyes searching for Louis and his family. He found them, warmth spreading in his chest. Louis was laughing with Gemma about something, the crinkles around his eyes forming.
Harry might not have had the happiest years before, but he was blessed to be where he was. Some people would always hate him for who he was, some would realise they didn't have reason to, but Harry could not care less, because he was in love. He was happy.
With a smile, he set course for their table.