After re reading this I would like to say the blonde girl is NOT Mother. Mother is not in this fic even though I love her to the point it's unhealthy she does not make an appearance. Sorry :)
**
"Do you think it'll be true love?" Harry asks the cat laying in the grass by his feet as he swings on the tire swing he and Louis put in his back yard under a tall tree. "Like, some kind of soulmate shit, you know?" The cat glanced up at him with lazy eyes.
It's summer now. The summer of Harry being fifteen. Yes, he has out-listened Fifteen by Taylor Swift, and yes he does dream about Louis when he listens to it. He smiles up at the blue sky through the tree branches, life can be really pretty when it wants to be.
Maybe life isn't so bad after all. I have Louis, I have my mum and my sister, I have a good life.
He sighed and swung up high into the air, "I do hope it's true. Or perhaps it'll be unrequited love. That's the second best thing, and possibly even more romantic." He swung back down and then flew up again. "I wish to have the most tragical love story." The cat meowed.
"What did you say?" Louis' voice asks from across the yard. Harry turns to quickly, in such a panic, that he pulls the swing to the side and is forced to fall onto the grass below. The tire swings above his head aggressively.
"Louis!" Harry sits up, "What are you doing here?"
Louis walks over, football under his arm. He drops it and hold out his hand. Harry takes it and his skin burns with invisible fire under Louis' touch. It's been doing that for a while now.
"Jeez, don't sound so upset. I was passing by on my way to training and I thought I'd ask if you want to come with." Louis grins, "It's my first training session with the older boys so," He exhales and laugh, "I'm a bit anxious is all. You usually calm me down."
Damn butterflies caused a fucking mosh pit in his stomach.
"Oh," Harry's cheeks flush red. He can't help it if the way Louis' hair falls across his forehead and curls at the bottom of his neck makes Harry want to curl his fingers through it and crash their lips together until Louis makes Harry beg. Wait. What. "Um," Harry blinked, their conversation coming back to him.
He rests his hand on Louis' shoulder, "You're going to be amazing, you're the best in the school." Harry laughs, "Maybe even the world."
"No, dumbass, that's Ronaldo."
(Fun fact, I know shit about football ((or soccer if you're an Aussie like me)) I was just going off what was said in Unbelievers if this is controversial don't come at me.)
Harry blinks, "I don't know who that is."
Louis smiles so big his eyes crinkle, Harry love it when he does that. He chuckles, "That's why I love you mate," Mate. "Thanks."
Harry can feel the blush on his neck. Fuck.
"So, do you want to come with?" Louis asks, tilting his head.
Louis. Sweating. Running. Sweating while running. Sports shorts. Sweating will running in sports shorts. Louis sweating will running in sports shorts.
"Um," Harry swallows, "I don't know, I have homework."
Louis frowns, "No you don't."
"Yeah... it's for... math?"
Louis smirks, "Sounds like you're asking me, Haz." He pouts, "Come on! Please! I'll never ask again."
Harry bites his lip. He must admit it would be good wanking materiel.
"Okay," He sighs, "Fine."
"Yes!" Louis cheers, he picks up his football and walks towards the back door, he glances back and with a heart stopping, playful wink he says something that makes Harry almost faint. "You are so wearing one of my jerseys."
Harry went as red as a tomato.
**
The bleachers were damp and the sky was clouding over again, autumn looming like some kind of storm Harry couldn't avoid. Harry put his coat on his seat and watched the training begin. A group of girls had crowded at the edge of the oval and were leaning against the railing like cats ready to pounce. Harry swallowed and watched Louis run laps. Jesus, why did he even go again?
Harry watches Louis from afar, the way his hair is soon slicked back, his shorts stick to his ass, his mouth open as he pants from the exercise. And when he speaks to the girls.
He leans over the railing and smirks. He has to know he's hot. He has to. The girls are all blushing or prodding their friends and giggling. Louis talks about something with a blonde girl for a moment before smirking and turning away. He looks up at the top of the bleachers and grins when he meets Harry's eyes. He waves enthusiastically. Harry smiles and waves back but Louis' already beckoning for him to come closer.
No. Harry thinks. If I do all the molecules in my body will surely combust. Not when you look like that.
But he walks down. Of course he does. He'll do anything Louis asks him too. Louis jogs up to the railing and meets Harry there.
"Hey," He smiles, his skin glistening with sweat. Harry wants to lick it off. What. "What are you doing so far back?"
"Um," Harry glances at the girls. Because if I was any closer I wouldn't be able to cope seeing you like this. "I didn't want to talk to those girls."
Louis frowns at him and then laughs, "Mate, you can't be scared to talk to girls, they all love you. Lottie says you're super hot apparently."
Apparently.
"Oh," Harry blushes and tries to avoid Louis' eyes. "Okay. Next time."
Louis' eyes light up, "You'll come and watch again?" Harry nods, his cheeks flushed. Louis grins, "Training's over, wait a minute so I can grab my things from the changing room and we can go." Harry smiles and watches Louis jog over to the changing rooms, walking out a moment later with his bag slung over his shoulder.
He beckons for Harry and Harry jumps the railing, walking over to meet Louis.
"Hey," A female voice says behind him, "Are you friends with Louis?" Harry turns and sees the blonde girl that Louis was talking to standing behind him.
"Um, yeah?" He frowns and she blushes.
"Oh. Awesome, can I ask you to do something?" Harry nods slowly, "Could you give me Louis' number?" She holds out her phone and Harry bites his tongue so hard he can taste blood. He glances over at Louis who's talking to someone in his team. Harry thinks his name is Ed.
"I don't know..." Harry looks back at the girl.
"Please? I was going to ask him but I got nervous." Her eyes were a pretty brown. Harry wanted to poke them out. She looked lovelorn and Harry wondered if that's how he looked and Louis was just blind. Harry swallowed. Maybe this would help him get over Louis.
"Okay." He sighed and took her phone, typing in Louis' number that he may have memorized. When he hands it back to her she looks so happy it makes Harry's heart hurt. She thanks him and rushes back over to her friends.
"Harry!" Louis calls and Harry turns. Could Louis just say his name all the time? Forever? "Let's go mate, you've been standing there for like, two minutes." Harry's heart beat harder in his chest and his face felt hot as he trudged over to Louis. "What did that girl say to you?" Louis wiggled his eyebrows and they walked out of the pitch into the car park. "Did you give her your number?"
"No." Harry swallowed, "Actually, I gave her yours." Louis frowned.
"What? Why?" Harry shrugged.
"She asked for it. Said she was going to ask you but got nervous." Louis smiles and Harry chews on the inside of his cheek. "She's pretty."
Louis' face turns pink, "She is, isn't she?" His eyes look sad. A sprinkle of rain splatters on Harry's coat.
"Are you gonna, um, date her?" Louis shrugged and stared at the asphalt as the rain started to cover it. Harry nodded and looked the other way. Louis' footsteps stopped and Harry looked over at him. He was frowning, eye trained on the ground. "What's wrong?" Harry whispered, rain getting in his eyes.
Louis shook his head, "Do you ever feel like you're not what people want you to be?"
What do you mean? Harry wanted to say. You're perfect.
Harry thinks for a moment, then steps forward and gently puts his hand on Louis' arm, his fingers tingling. "I don't care what you are, you're always going to be my best friend." Louis looks at him, his eyes red, "But, yeah. I do."
Louis stares at him for a moment before wrapping his arms around Harry so tightly he might have crushed Harry's ribs. Harry didn't care though. He hugged Louis back and his heart broke by way Louis was shaking into his shoulder.
"Hey," Harry whispered. Don't cry. Please. Don't. "It's alright. Did something happen?"
Louis sniffs, "No," Louis nuzzled his head in Harry's shoulder, "I just feel sad sometimes but it's so... hard to express how you're feeling when you don't know what your feeling. Sorry. It sounds dumb."
"No. It doesn't." Harry chewed on his bottom lip, "It actually makes so much sense." Harry pulls back and wants to kiss away every single one of Louis' tears. "You know you can tell me everything right?"
Louis looks away and blinks, "Yeah. I know." He tries to smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Somethings I'm still working out though."
Harry smiled at him, "That's okay too." Louis chuckles and looks up at the sky, rain falling into his beautiful eyes. Harry wanted to hide Louis away from everyone who ever hurt him and love him forever like he deserved. "And... if you want to... we can be sad together sometimes. I'm cool with that."
"Well," Louis muttered, "We're just a couple of sad boys I guess."
I'll be your sad boy if you want me to. I'll be anything.
"Yeah." Harry watched a drop of rain trickle down Louis' jaw and fall onto the wet ground. "I guess we are."
Louis looked at Harry, his hair soaked, "I'd like to be sad together sometimes." Harry grinned.
"Sounds like a plan."
Louis slung his arm over Harry's shoulder, "Let's get out of the rain, if you come to mine I'll make you cookies?"
"You mean I'll make the cookies." Harry laughed but walked with him anyway, "You'll sit on the counter and watch."
"Exactly." Louis said and continued talking about random things. Harry smiled and nodded, their footprints where they were standing patches of dry asphalt that would soon look the same as the rest.
**
"She's hot." Louis kicked the football in the air, Harry glances up through his sunglasses and restrained an eyeroll.
"Yeah," He muttered, "I guess." Louis ignored him and kicked the ball up into the grey sky. Beach waves crashed against the rocks and some bird squawked overhead. Harry flipped the page of his book.
"Duh," Louis kept going, "But like, I don't know if I like like her or if-" Harry groaned and lay on his back against the sand, his sunglasses falling onto his curls. Louis glared at him. "What?"
"We've been talking about her for hours can we do something else?" Louis glanced around at the grey beach. It was completely empty apart from a few fishermen, but Harry and Louis were shielded by rocks. Louis looked at Harry and shrugged.
His hair was dried and slightly wavy, due to the salty water from when they went swimming, he was shirtless, which basically made Harry drool, and his eyes were reflecting the sky, which made Harry want to write a million poems. Harry was making them up in his head when Louis smirked and walked over, leaving the football in the sand. He lay down beside Harry and looked up at the sky. Then he rolled over and stared at Harry.
"How do birds have sex?" He asked whilst staring into Harry's soul. Harry was taken aback.
"What?" Louis laughed and Harry wished he'd never stop.
"You said you wanted to talk about something else."
"Yeah," Harry blushed, "But not, like, birds reproducing." Louis stuck his tongue out at Harry and hid his face in his shoulder.
"I don't know then."
"Is that all you got?" Harry snorted, "Great conversation material Lou." Louis narrowed his eyes and pounced on Harry, tackling him into the sand. Harry yelped and tried to push him away but Louis was stronger. Harry was taller but as Louis kept reminding him, I run everyday Harold, and I play football all the time.
Stop thinking about Louis playing football when he's on top of you idiot.
"Fight back Harry," Louis grinned and grabbed Harry's hand that was trying to push him away. Harry dropped it like Louis had burnt him. Louis frowned, "You okay?"
Not when you look like that.
Harry used Louis' moment of weakness to his advantage and rolled them over, Harry pushed Louis down and smiled triumphantly. Louis looked up at him and noticed his hands her on Harry's sides, he took them away and brushed the sand away.
"I think you win." He smiles and Harry blushes, realising he's straddling Louis' hips.
"Um," He scrambles off onto the sand next to them, "Yeah." His face is a deep crimson and he hopes Louis is looking the other way so he doesn't notice.
"Yeah." Louis echoes and Harry hears him swallow beside him. After a moment he speaks again. "I know you don't want to talk about it but-"
"I like her." Harry blurts out and Louis sits up so fast Harry jumps.
"What?!" Louis squeaks, "But I thought..." He stares at Harry for a moment before looking away, "Never mind. That's great mate, do you want to..." He shrugs, "Ask her out?"
Harry's throat feels dry and his tongue heavy. For fucks sake, could he not lie for once?
"Um, I don't know. Maybe." Louis side eyes him for a moment before standing, sand flying out from in between his toes. He holds out his hand, the sun streaming through the clouds behind him and Harry swears this boy is an angel sent from the heavens.
"C'mon." Louis beckons for him, "Let's go for a swim before we go in."
Harry takes his hand and Louis pulls him up. Louis' hand in his feels like a piece of glass cutting deep into his palm. Harry snatches it away and Louis doesn't seem to notice. He punches Harry on the arm and says race you, before running down into the grey-green sea.
"Hey!" Harry calls, "That's not fair!" He yells and races after Louis, jumping onto his back and they both tumble into the waves.
**
"Well have you ever kissed a girl?" Gemma stabs her fork into her steak and Harry glances around the restaurant, blushing.
"No."
"Have you ever kissed a boy?"
"What?! No!" Harry squawks, wanting to bury himself into the floor and cease to exist. Gemma shrugs.
"Just asking, calm down Curly."
"Fuck off." Harry mutters and Gemma grins at him.
"You're sensitive tonight." Her eyes fall on a waiter walking by. Her jaw drops slightly, "Would you look at the ass on him?"
"Would you keep quiet?" Harry murmurs and Gemma glares.
"Just because you're repressed and mum thinks you're a goddamn angel doesn't mean I am." Harry has to laugh at that as he twirls his fork in the pasta. Gemma smiles. "It's good to see you Harry. And happy, as well."
I'm anything but.
"Yeah." Harry responds. "Yeah, every things good right now."
"School? Home?" She smirks, "Louis?"
"Fucks sake." Harry grumbles. "Don't even." Gemma looks at him in pity and sips her drink. As if she knew what he was going through. Harry sighs, "Anyway," He smiles at her with as much joy as he could muster, "How's the wedding plans coming along?"
Gemma beams, "Well, I actually need your help with a dress." Harry nods and listens to her for a long time.
Maybe if he doesn't talk about his problems they'll go away.
**
The morning is damp with rain and Harry can't believe he's actually agreed to this.
"Hurry up Haz," Louis calls and Harry groans, running faster. Maybe if he gets into shape Louis will like him more. He catches up with the shorter boy, who's barely sweating whilst Harry's shirt is practically soaked through. Louis looks at him for a moment before looking up into Harry's eyes, "Looking good curly. We should stop now or you'll have a heart attack probably."
Harry is too exhausted to say anything but he's pretty sure he nods and follows Louis into the football locker rooms. It's after school, after practice is over, and the coach let Louis lock up because Harry lost a bet with Louis and he had to run five laps.
"You okay there?" Louis whacked Harry on the back and laughed when he stumbled, "You look like you're going to pass out." Harry breathed in heavily and exhaled. He nods and sits on the bench in between the two rows on red lockers.
"Fuck," He mutters, "How do you do twice that, every day?"
Louis shrugs and takes off his shirt, shoving it in his bag and taking out his towel. "Been doing it since I was nine, I'm used to it." Harry swallows and tries to avoid staring at his muscles. "You going to have a shower?" Louis asks and chuckles, "You need one mate." Mate.
"Um," Naked. In the shower. With Louis. "I don't know." Do you think it would be weird if I showered with clothes on and looked the other way? "Okay."
Louis smiles thinly and opens one of the lockers, which Harry assumes is his, "Spare towel," He chucks it to Harry, "Have one in case one of the lads forget." He watches Louis take off his shoes and socks, grabbing his bag and heading towards the showers.
Fucking hell Harry, Harry thinks to himself, if you get a boner I swear to fuck.
"Harry what the fuck are you doing out there? Having a wank? Hurry up!" Louis yells and turns on the showers. Harry sighs and takes off his shirt. No, idiot. He wanted to say. That's later.
"I'm here, I'm here." He muttered and tried to avoid looking at Louis while he got undressed and stepped under the shower. The sweat ran off his body and he avoided looking at Louis. Louis showered with guys everyday, why was Harry being so weird. Be normal. He glanced over at Louis and his neck felt hot. Louis looked briefly at him before looking away. Fuck this was awkward.
He looked away and heard Louis turn off the shower, Louis wrapped the towel around his waist and took out his phone, "Christ," He grumbled, "Look at the time. We should go. Now."
"O-okay." Harry stuttered and turned off his shower, grabbing the towel. They got changed as soon as possible and Louis didn't even look at him when they said goodbye.
**
A/N
Feeling sad here's another chapter. Hope you liked , it's a bit of a filler chapter but who cares :)
Why do you think Louis' acting so weird?
Next chapter half written already cos I have a bad habit of writing chapters that are halfway through the book even though I don't need to. (The epilogue is already down and I had to force myself to write this instead of another chapter.)
ITS MY BIRTHDAY ON THE 26TH HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME WOOHOOOO IM TURNING FIFTEEN YALLL YOU BETTER WISH ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY OR ILL HAUNT YOUR DREAMS.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO MUCH FOR READING THIS AND BEING SO KIND IT MEANS SM.
KEEP BEING AMAZING XXX