Harry and Louis are sitting across from each other at the dinning room table in Harry's home, trying their best not to snicker at the fact that they were playing footsie under the table. Well - They were more violently kicking each other than playing but it's all in good fun. Louis and his mum were over Harry's house, having a Friday night dinner with Anne and her son. Johanna and Anne were chatting more than they were eating their dinner, not paying their sons much attention. It was as if they're been friends for years.
Louis and Harry weren't complaining though. If they were to look over they would see the dumb smiles on the both of their faces. Louis would just use the fact that they were on Christmas holiday as an excuse though. Seemed plausible enough. The rest of the week at school was uneventful considering Nick had been suspended for starting the fight.
Louis was put on the spot when his mother saw his eye for the first time, attacking him with a million questions about who did this to her 'baby'. Louis reminded her that he's eighteen before reluctantly telling her the truth; that Nick was indirectly bullying Harry and he couldn't help it. Johanna wasn't upset surprisingly enough. She actually thought it was heroic of Louis. The eye began healing more quickly than Louis had expected. It was still swollen but he could see out of it again and it wasn't a sickly colour anymore, just a light black and blue.
Harry kicked Louis a little too hard almost earning a yelp from the older lad but he kept it in for the sake of not having their parents question them. Anne and Johanna already knew there was something between their sons considering the two of them never stop talking about the other but Harry and Louis would prefer to not hear the snickers of their cute foot battles.
"I think I'm all done." Harry said once he wasn't able to feel anymore food on his plate. "You are." Anne said, "Want some more sweetie?" "Sweetie." Louis repeated with a small cackle earning another kick from Harry. "No I'm okay mum." Anne went to stand up to take care of Harry's plate but Louis stood up as well. "I'll get it Anne-" "No you won't." She snapped jokingly, "You've done quite enough for me and Harry now sit." Louis chuckled at her attempt at a stern manner. "Yes ma'am."
Harry stood up as their mums cleared the table. Louis immediately stood up too after Harry. "Want to go outside Lou?" "Anywhere you're going I'll go." Louis nearly rolled his eyes at such a cheesy answer. It made Harry's cheeks go pink though. With a few thanks you's to their mums Louis took a hold of Harry's arm and guided him outside.
"Louis I'm blind, not paralyzed." Harry joked as he pulled his arm out of Louis' far too tight grip. "Sorry. I just worry about you is all." Harry doesn't respond and sits in the grass, laying down soon after that. Louis followed suit, trying to get as close to Harry as possible for warmth. Why they decided to go outside in the middle of the night in December is beyond Louis. Harry knew why though, he wanted to be under the stars with Louis.
Harry takes a hold of Louis' hand who happily grips it back. "So tell me why we came out here in the freezing cold?" Louis asks after a moment of staring at the stars. Harry doesn't answer for a moment and Louis thinks he hadn't heard him but he eventually speaks, "I um, I kind of wanted you to describe the stars for me." Louis smiled brightly at the young lad before returning his gaze to the stars.
"Okay," He moves closer to Harry, "They look like little specks of glowing white light. You said you have an idea of what white is." Harry nods. "Well that's the closest colour they are. They're just glowing in the sky, illuminating the grass. And there's millions of them Hazz. You couldn't even begin to count them." Harry smiles up at the sky but Louis is grinning at him. "They're also glowing on you Harry." Harry looks over at him, the stars illuminating the left side of his face only. "You really are beautiful Harry." Harry can't help himself and leans in to kiss Louis. He misses obviously making the two laugh loudly.
Louis soon helps him and does the kissing for him. They keep their foreheads touching and even though Harry can't see him he's quite enjoying being so close. After a moment he reaches up to touch Louis' face and Louis doesn't think much about it. His eyes go wide when he remembers the black eye though. "Harry wait." He tries to grab Harry's hand to stop him but he's not quick enough. Harry feels the warm, swollen skin around his eye.
"What the hell?" Louis sits up and Harry follows quickly, reaching for the side of his face again. "What was that?" Louis grabs his hand to stop him. "It's nothing don't worry about it." He spits out quickly. "That didn't feel like nothing. It feels like your eye is swollen Louis." "It's not love." "Then let me feel it." Louis sighs and grips Harry hand more, "Please don't." Harry pulls his hands out of Louis' and reaches up to his left eye. Louis lets him because there's no use in stopping him. He already knows.
Harry touches his fingertips to Louis' eye, immediately feeling the warm skin. He gasps slightly at the significantly swollen area. "Louis." He said softly, voice full of worry, "What happened? Who did this to you?" "N-No one. I walked into a door." "Louis." He sighs again before pulling Harry's hand from his eye. He knew it was only upsetting him. "I um, I kind of got into a fight with Nick." "What?!" "I know it doesn't feel like it but I won." "I don't care who won all I care about is the fact that he hit you. Why would he do this? And when?"
Louis struggles to come up with something that won't hurt him. Harry seems to read his mind, manly because he can feel Louis' hesitation. "Please don't lie. It'll upset me more if I find out you lied." Louis nods even though Harry can't see him, "I um, he was just giving me shit about... about you again. He was saying some disgusting things about you, then he tried to hit Niall and yeah..." Louis trails off, the black eye finishing his story for him. Harry takes all of this in. "And when did it happen?" "A few days ago." "Louis why didn't you tell me?" "Because I didn't want you to think it was your fault. I tried to ignore him but he hit me first so I hit back."
"Louis, I don't need you to stick up for me. I love that you did and I appreciate it but I don't want you to get hurt over me. I'm used to bullying. I'll get over it but-" "Harry that's bullshit. You shouldn't have to get over it. No one should talk about you the way Nick did. I care about you way too much to just sit and let it happen. And now it won't happen anymore." Harry feels his eye again. "Did it hurt?" "Only for a little. If it makes you feel better it wasn't just for you. I did it for Ni too."
Harry sighs. "I guess that makes it better. Just please, no matter what Nick says again please don't do anything. I don't want you getting hurt again. Please." Louis is saddened but the fact that Harry said please three times. "I promise I won't do it again. I'm sorry Harry. I never wanted to hurt you." Harry manages to kiss him this time. "You didn't hurt me. I just don't like the idea of someone hitting you." Louis chuckles slightly. "I'm tough Hazz. He barely left a scratch." "Yeah the swollen eye backs that up." Harry says sarcastically.
"I'm okay love. I promise. Come on, let's lay back down." Harry agrees and let's Louis guide him back into the grass. He put his head on his chest as Louis looked up to the sky, thankful that Harry wasn't upset with him. That could've gone a lot worse he supposes. He's even more glad that Harry isn't upset with himself.
"Louis?" Harry says after a few minutes of silence as he looks to the sky again. "What love?" Louis pulls him in closer. "Do you think love exists?" Louis furrows his eyebrows at such a random question. "I um, I've never really thought about love before honestly." "But do you think it's out there?" "Well... honestly Hazz I don't think so." Now Harry is the confused one. "Why not?" "I mean, I think it's out there. That came out wrong it's just, I suppose since I've never really been in love before I'm kind of bias at the idea of it."
"I think it is out there. Why else would people get married?" "Maybe because that's what's sociably acceptable nowadays." Louis explains, "If you're not married and have at least one baby by the time you're thirty-five then people look at you as if you're weird. Maybe people don't get married for love, maybe they get married in fear of being judged."
Harry shakes his head, "I don't think so." "Don't get me wrong I don't think that's the case for every marriage but I wouldn't be surprised if it happened. I dunno, I just find it hard to believe in love when I can't even believe that someone could love me." Harry shakes his head again, this time in awe, "Why would you think that?" Louis shrugs, "I just don't see what's so great about me." "You've got to be kidding. Louis you're smart, athletic, the nicest person I've ever met, and not to mention you seem to be pretty good look according to all of the girls in my maths class."
Louis snorts, "Lovely. And I didn't mean it like that Harry. It's not a confidence thing it's just a timing thing. I don't see anyone loving me any time soon." Harry smirks to himself but doesn't say anything else. He just snuggles next to Louis more, hearing the beat of his heart and trying his best to ignore the chills running down his spine. He doesn't care as long as he's with his Louis.
*
Louis stays the night on Harry's request but he's more than happy to spend a night with his favourite person. Anne offers him a spare bedroom to which Louis agrees but soon finds his way back into Harry's room. He doesn't want to be disrespectful toward Anne but he can't go a whole night knowing Harry's right in the next room. What if he wakes in the middle of the night needing something?
Louis wakes the next morning to the smell of cooking breakfast and looks down to see Harry is cuddled against his chest, an act that wasn't too uncommon by now. Louis smiles when he sees that his head is moving up and down with Louis' breaths, knowing the sound of his heart was filling Harry's eardrums. He pulls him in closer, resting his cheek on the top of Harry's head and sighing happily. Louis felt at home right now honestly, as if having Harry right next to him was the way it was supposed to be.
He feels Harry stir a little while later and looks down at him again with a goofy smile even though he can't be seen. Harry's slightly clouded eyes flutter open and he smiles up at Louis. "Still asleep huh?" He whispers in a raspy voice. Louis doesn't correct him, just struggles to hold in his laughter as he tries his best to pretend he's asleep. He doesn't even have to close his eyes though. "And you always make fun of me for sleeping late."
Louis wants to tease him that he does always sleep later then him but he keep silent, curious as to what else Harry would say and how long it would take him to realize he was awake. "I'm glad you stayed the night Louis. This feels almost... right. That and I slept the best I ever had with you." He chuckles softly. There's another pause as Harry snuggles next to him more. He sighs happily and Louis is about to speak, but the next words out of Harry's mouth makes him freeze completely. "I love you Louis."
His breathing quickens and so does his heart rate. He's worried Harry will sense his sudden change but thankfully he doesn't feel that Louis is frozen with wide eyes. It takes some time, but eventually Louis shifts again making Harry perk up. "Lou? Are you awake?" Louis puts on his best tired voice, "Y-Yeah. Just woke up. Good morning." Harry leans down and manages to find Louis' lips. Regardless of Louis' shock over Harry's confession he doesn't pass up an opportunity to kiss Harry passionately.
Louis pulls away first though, "Um, we should go downstairs. I think your mum has made breakfast." "Oh, okay." Louis slides out from under Harry. "Are you okay?" He asks as he sits up too. Louis sighs before cupping the sides of Harry's face. "I spent the night with you. Of course I'm okay." Harry smiled up at him before another kiss is placed on his lips. "Come on love." Louis says as he helps Harry up. Harry did nothing wrong so Louis doesn't want to treat him like he did. He didn't know Louis was awake. He was just speaking his mind.
He's not acting so weird because he's happy though. Louis doesn't know how he feels about the words that have left Harry's mouth moments before mainly because; Louis doesn't know if he feels the same. He did know though that he had to think.