Harry woke up grumpy. That's what Thursdays did to him. He knew he could finally talk to Louis today, and the thought pushed him out of bed. Louis was his greatest motivation, but the boy himself had no idea.
The faint voice of his father could be heard as Harry stepped into the carpeted hallway. His bare feet felt the little bristles of the woven fabric as they did every morning. Harry frowned when he heard his father. The man always had to go and ruin his day.
On this morning in particular, Harry took an unusually long time to get ready. He wasn't running late for school or anything, Harry just enjoyed getting there early. Also, the soccer list was supposed to be posted today. He made a mental note to look for that paper when he got to school.
Harry's hurried run down the stairs was going pretty smoothly until the bottom step rudely tripped him. His body flung forwards with his feet not far behind. His hands desperately gripped onto the glass table while his feet slid from under him, leaving him in a kind of pathetic plank-like position.
"Ow," Harry's strained his voice and pouted at himself. He walked his feet back to where they belonged, and let go of the table. He noticed his smudged fingermarks on the pristine glass surface, four smeared lines serving as evidence of his almost falling over.
"Did I hear you, Harry?" A loud, deep voice echoed through the empty corridor. Harry could imagine his father sitting at the end of the marble table, waiting for his son to show up just to get him down. No thank you.
"Nope!" Harry shouted back. The next thing his father heard was probably the door being slammed.
~
It was getting colder outside as it approached November. It was evident to Harry on his walk to school. His face was cold and numb. The colour red littered his cheeks with the air that hit them. His hoodie sleeves hardly covered his hands, leaving his fingertips exposed and freezing. Harry shivered as he brushed his hair back with the little icicles he called his fingers.
The warm air was a relief to Harry's face when he walked into the heated school. He liked cold weather and such, but he also enjoyed not freezing to death.
Harry frowned when he saw that the soccer list had not been posted. He didn't really have anything to do at the moment, seeing that it was extremely early. He had actually planned to grab something to eat before he left, but his father was in the way.
The door creaked behind him causing Harry to quickly turn around to investigate the noise. Walking through the door was Louis with his head down and his headphones in. The small boy was wearing a large black hoodie that fit so poorly on the boy, it was adorable. Of course, he also had a grey beanie sitting atop his head to protect his precious ears from the chilly weather.
Harry walked behind Louis for a few seconds, stopping by Louis' locker without him realizing. Harry just stood behind Louis with a huge goofy smile on his face, hoping the other boy would turn around and realize.
"Harry." Louis sighed out, clearly not impressed.
"What?" Harry frowned. Louis hadn't even turned around. He was hoping his stupid smile would at least force a smile out of the younger one.
"What are you doing?" Harry was suddenly facing him as he turned around rapidly.
"Nothing." He couldn't hide his guilty smile, but there was no way he could ignore the distance between them... or the lack thereof.
"Are you sure?"
"Yea."
"I hate you." Louis turned back around to sort out his books and bag, but Harry didn't mind.
"No you don't" Harry smiled.
"I don't?" His words once again forced Louis to stop what he was doing. He turned his head around to raise an eyebrow at the tall boy, but still stayed in his crouched position to reach the bottom of his locker.
"Nope!" Harry smiled cheekily. He had an odd bit of confidence. "You love me."
"I do?"
"Yep," Harry wiggled his eyebrows.
"I don't think so." Louis frowned. "Must be a different Louis you're thinking about."
"If I was a girl you would totally date me."
Harry thought he might have taken it a little bit too far. Instant regret filled his mind when Louis didn't respond immediately. He started going through what he had just said, looking for any little part that potentially caused offence. Harry worried until Louis finally chuckled.
"No thanks Harriet, I'm gay."
"Damn it, the cute ones always are!" Harry said in a high pitched girly voice. The two boys laughed at the horrible impression.
They walked to English in a comfortable silence until Harry broke it again.
"If I was a boy would you date me?" Harry played it off with a big smile, but he was actually genuinely curious.
"Harry, you are a boy." Louis stopped walking.
"Exactly."
"Are you asking me on a date?" It was Louis' turn to smirk. Harry cursed at his cheeks for flushing in embarrassment.
"No?" Harry tried convincing the both of them, but it definitely was not a confident tone.
"Okay, but just so you know," Louis looked Harry in the eye. It was adorable how the short boy had to tilt his head upwards just to do that. "I would totally say yes."
"Maybe this situation isn't so hypothetical after all," Harry suggested, looking hopefully at the boy standing next to him.
"You know my answer" Harry watched Louis as his blue eyes sparkled. Harry loved eyes. Excpecially when they caught the light at just the right angle and everything just looked so perfect. Just one look and Harry was obsessed.
Harry was also obsessed with the fact that Louis' fidgety fingers always like to play with something. He noticed the corners pages of his notebook being curled up and played with by the anxious thumbs of his partner. Currently, they were picking and the long sleeves of his sweater, following the patterns weaving in and out.
"Are you free tonight?" Harry wondered out loud, but the question slipped out of his mouth.
"That was quick." Louis laughed, though Harry noticed a bit of restraint in the chuckle.
"Are you?"
"Yea." Louis breathed out quietly. Even though the empty hallway was quickly filling up, Harry heard the breathy answer.
"Where do you want to meet?"
"I know where you live so..." Louis shrugged.
"Okay." Harry agreed and quickly added on, "Not creepy at all."
~
"If you're scheduled to go tomorrow, there should be no excuses." Mr Wikards walked through the rows of desks in his classroom. He was handing out a sheet that explained what was going to be happening.
The teacher flashed a smile at the pair of Harry and Louis. The younger boy was now sitting next to Harry, being kicked out of his seat by some jock who wanted to sit next to a hot girl.
"I expect you to all be ready!" Mr Wikards said one last message to his class, then sat back at his desk and pulled up some papers.
Harry approached Mr Wikards and just stood there. He didn't want to say anything to interrupt his teacher, so he was left to awkwardly stand there until the teacher noticed him. It felt like minutes had passed. It was only twenty seconds, but Harry was feeling like a fool. He cleared his throat hoping Wikards would notice him, but he did not.
"Uh, sir?" Harry scratched the back of his neck, not knowing what to do with his hands in this situation.
"Ah, Harry! I didn't notice you there." The teacher put down his pen. "Too many rock concerts you know? My ears aren't the best."
Harry smiled for a very short amount of time. Mr Wikards was a young teacher but sometimes acted like he was elderly.
"Do you happen to know who we're debating against?" Harry looked at his teacher who furrowed his eyebrows, causing wrinkles between his eyes.
"I believe it's Conner and his partner, but I can't recall."
"Okay, thanks." Harry walked back to his seat. That didn't alp him whatsoever.
Honestly, there was probably no way that they were going to lose their debate. Harry had done so much research about mental health, and Louis was just naturally gifted. Speaking of the younger boy, Louis knew so many things, Harry just had to make sure he participated and actually had the confidence to share his work.
Louis was drawing little butterflies around their note paper. Harry watched his hand rhythmically move to produce another beautiful insect. The body first, then wings. Always right, then left. Last, he would add both antennas together. He drew a little 'V' with the flick of a wrist. Harry's favourite part was the smile that came across his thin lips after every creation.
"Harry?" Harry looked up at the creator of the butterflies to see him looking up.
"Hm?"
"What did you ask Wikards?" Louis asked in a curious voice.
"Oh, I was just wondering who we were debating against." He spoke, then shrugged.
"Did you manage to find out?"
"Some guy named Conner. Do you know him?"
Louis shrugged. "Doesn't ring a bell."
Harry spent the rest of the class staring at Louis' fingers. It sounds like an odd, and of course, boring, thing to do, but watching the active digits were surprisingly calming. Louis often sat with his cheek resting on his palm, fingers drumming on his forehead. Other times, Louis would be reading something, but his fingers had a mind of their own. They would look for little bits of material like scavengers, just to have something to touch, to handle.
Needless to say, the English class went by pretty fast. Harry was glazed with adoration the entire time.
~
"So are you coming to the party tomorrow?" Liam set down his lunch tray on the table and took a seat in the adjacent chair.
"No," Harry answered immediately. He had told Liam that he would think about it, but there was no consideration necessary.
"Why not?" Liam pouted.
"Don't want to."
"It'll be fun! Come on Harry."
"For you maybe." Harry scoffed. This happened every time. Liam always managed to convince him to go to parties he definitely did not want to. Harry wasn't going to let him this time.
"Fine, but do you want to at least hang out tonight?" Liam sighed, obviously realizing that Harry wasn't going to agree.
"Sure- wait. Can't sorry." Harry was so used to agreeing. He actually had something to do tonight. Something very important. A giant smile plagued his lips just by thinking about Louis.
"Why Harry. I'm sad now." Liam dragged out his words exaggerating his upset. He was half-joking, but the other half was actually sad they didn't get to hang out.
"Sorry!" Harry shrugged unapologetically. "I've got a date."
"Wait. What?" His head snapped up. "With who?"
"Louis. Harry smiled. Even his name made him happy. Lou-is. L-o-u-i-s. Such a nice name.
"What's going on with you two anyway?" Liam frowned.
Harry didn't say anything.
"Seriously Harry I thought you guys were just English partners. Are you sure he's not just using you?" The best friend seemed concerned about his friend.
"We were- or are partners- uh, I'll tell you everything later okay? After things work out." He knew he had made that promise multiple times, but he would keep up his end of it.
"And what if it doesn't?" Liam looked him straight in the eyes, not afraid to ask the keystone question.
"It will."
~
Harry was hopping around his room on one foot after receiving a text from Louis. He was trying to get his pants on but was having a large amount of trouble. The pants were very tight especially since Harry's legs were so buff and muscular. He laughed at his own joke again but immediately went to grab his coat after realizing he was out of time.
His parents didn't seem to be home, so Harry was all clear to leave to see Louis. He carefully trekked downstairs. He slowly opened his front door to reveal a beautiful blue-eyed boy all bundled up and ready to go.
Happy Holidays!
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