Chapter Six: The One Where He Wasn't Gay.
"Okay, since when do you call guys you just met pretty?" Zayn asked over dinner that night. They were spending the night over at Louis' childhood friend, Niall's, place, giving the blond a little visit. They hadn't talked since he travelled and they were in desperate need to catch up.
Louis only agreed because Zayn offered to cook.
"Since when do you call any guy pretty?"
"Woah. How many episodes had I missed? I went back home for a week, guys, not a lifetime." Niall said when he walked into the kitchen, trying to sneakily take some of the food Zayn was cooking but had his hand smacked away.
"Louis started talking to this lad I thought he hated," Zayn said this matter-of-factly. "And today we found out he wore mascara." Zayn explained, Niall nodding for him to go on.
"Okay? Then?" The Irish lad said, asking for more explanation as Zayn stared at him.
" 'Then', what?" Zayn's frown deepened. He was baffled that Niall wasn't as shocked as he was, because he was supposed to be! "Guys shouldn't wear mascara, it's... weird." He mumbled, the end coming out weaker with his back turned to the two.
Louis scoffed. "Since when do you decide what's weird and what's not. He can do whatever he wants." He said, looking over at Niall who just stood there all confused.
The blue eyed man sighed. "I called him pretty, alright. I complimented him and now Zayn's freaking out because 'guys can't be pretty'. He gave me the whole speech on the way here. I was this close to sacrificing my soul to Satan just to get out of there." He shook his head, fishing out a can of beer from the fridge and taking a seat on one of the stools.
"Wow, Zayn. Reinforcing gender stereotypes, aren't ya?" Niall took a beer himself, taking a seat next to Louis and fist bumping the fist he held out.
"I'm not reinforcing anything—Just..." Zayn sighed. "I thought you hated him, and now you're all nice to him? Just doesn't make sense to me." He said to Louis, serving the burgers and fries onto three different plates.
"Okay, for one, hate is a pretty strong word. I didn't hate him."
Both Zayn and Niall gave him a look, making him raise his hands in mid air. "Alright, fuck. God, can't I change my mind? Huh, sexist-Zayn?" Louis asked, laughing softly at Zayn's irritated face.
The dark haired lad groaned, whipping around to look at his two friends. "I'm not-! You know what? Screw you. If you want to shag your new boyfriend that wears make up, then go ahead."
"I am, in fact, straight." Louis defended, taking a gulp of his cool beer. Both the boys in the room tried to hold in their scoff, but did a completely shit job. Louis frowned.
"Hey, I can call another guy pretty without wanting to suck their dick, okay."
"That's what they all say until you catch them one drunken night sucking off their best friend." Niall replied.
*
The next day, Louis was walking out the shop, locking up the door as he was the last to leave. It was the end of the day, which meant he was just about ready to sleep on the ground with how exhausted he was.
The man ran a hand through his chestnut-colored hair, tugging at his lip ring as he shoved the keys in his pocket.
As he turned around, Louis saw Harry sitting on the bench across the street. From what he could see, he was wiping at his eyes slowly.
Louis quickly averted his eyes.
Don't look and you wont be tempted, don't look and you won't be tempted, Louis chanted to himself in his head, pupils down on the pavement as his limbs made to take a few steps forward.
The chant worked, only for a minute. All Louis needed to do was look back before he was already walking across the street, phone in his hand and a small, sheepish smile on his face as their eyes met. Damn this boy.
The closer he got, the more Louis' heart got heavier. He noticed Harry's red eyes, him sniffling softly and quickly wiping at his face.
"Hey, bub." He started in a soft voice, wanting to test the waters first. "Why're you crying?" Louis asked as soon as he was stood in front of him, a frown on his eyebrows.
Harry looked up at him and he seemed so sad, Louis never wanted to see that sight again.
"It's... No, nothing. It's stupid." Harry shook his head, Louis taking a seat next to him because he definitely wasn't going to leave it at that.
"No, tell me. I'm your friend, right?" Louis asked, not stuttering one bit.
Harry nodded hesitantly, but he still nodded. "And friends tell each other things, don't they?"
"Well, I..." Harry rubbed his one eye once more. "Yeah."
"So, what happened?"
Harry sighed softly, his eyebrows contorting to a frown as he moved his body to rest his elbows on his knees, his chin resting on one of the palms of his hands.
"I accidentally left my money here on the bench and got up to buy flowers but came back to it stolen. Now... I don't have any way of getting home because it was also my bus fee." He pouted cutely, playing with the loose thread of his bright pink sweater even though it was the beginning of July.
"That's alright, I can take you." Louis offered, not even hesitating.
He was tired, yes, but he was also doing a good deed at the moment and Lord knew he needed all he could get. And it was fucking Harry. He couldn't just leave him here. Especially when he was crying.
"No, you don't-"
"I want to." He was firm. "Now, get your butt up before I change my mind." As if he really would.
Louis pulled Harry up from his hand and sighed quietly at how soft they were. Everything about this boy was soft.
He took him to his car—opening the door up for him because he was a gentleman like that—and then got in himself.
*
The drive was awkward at first. Nothing was to be heard except for the faint hum of the car's engine, and Harry telling him which street to turn to. But then, Louis turned the radio on and No Control was blarring through the speakers. Even though he hated the boy band, never had been a fan of pop, he still sang along to the lyrics quietly, hearing Harry hum too.
Right down to the chorus, the two sang to the words loudly in the car, being as dramatic as they wanted to be. They may have gotten stares from other people in other cars, but who gave a damn?
Louis stopped in front of a large house, looking up at it then at Harry. "Here we are."
Harry nodded and unbuckled his belt. "Thank you, Louis." He smiled, his dimples popping. Louis resisted the urge to reach over and poke them.
"Ooh. Who's this for?" Harry smiled, picking up a flower crown that was at the foot of his shoes, something he just noticed.
"Oh, yeah. That's my cousin's. She probably left it here, but I personally think she should throw it away, it looks like shit now." Louis snorted. He watched as Harry put the flower crown, with the petals almost falling out, onto his head and watched as he smiled at Louis widely.
He looked absolutely adorable, the pink and purple looking perfect, mixing atop of his brown mop of hair. Louis smiled softly.
"I'd let you keep it, but it's kinda old." Louis told him softly, Harry taking off the flower crown and placing it on the dashboard.
Louis watched the boy step out the car and walk up to the door as he waved at Louis.
He thought about how he actually could get used to this.
And for some weird reason, that thought felt calming.
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comment and/or vote for the fluff and how fond louis is of harry.