Home? This is most definitely not my home. Louis is pushing my buttons and he knows it. He knows I fucking hate this idea of living with him. Or more specifically living with the titles that we hold towards one another.
"Oh don't be like that. Don't be all pouty and defensive. I'm not holding you here any longer than you have to. But tonight is guys night and tomorrow is the day we go over some rules, so you better enjoy this peaceful time before then. So c'mon" Louis doesn't wait for me to answer as he's already headed up the front steps and opening one of the large double doors.
This place looks like it was ripped out of a fucking magazine. There's no way a man lives here by himself. Unless he has some sort of OCD I seriously doubt the place is even his.
"I'm locking this door once I close it so either you can stay out there all night or come inside for a drink!" Even with the distance between us I can tell Louis is rolling his eyes. Probably at the fact I haven't moved from my spot on the driveway.
I adjust the bag on my shoulder so it stops sliding down my arm and I walk up to the porch.
"Glad you made your decision." He beams.
I scoff, "Hardly, it just looks like it's gonna rain."
I brush past him and step into his house. Wow. And I thought the outside was breathtaking.
Past the doormat there was sparkling white tile that fit perfectly with the pale yellow walls of the hall. To the far left corner there is a staircase leading upstairs as well as spiralling downstairs. The hall was very welcoming with paintings of fields and oceans on the walls. I could see the living room or what I presume is a living room because with a house like this there's bound to be multiple.
"You a rich kid or something?" I ask in bafflement. Louis wasn't exactly the type I'd classify as a snob, he was way too relaxed and social for that.
"My parents are doctors. I said I needed a house close to campus and they said I wasn't to settle for anything less than extraordinary. So what do you think? Does this suffice?" A smirk graces his lips as he shimmies out of his jacket and hangs it in the closet.
"I don't know you'll have to show me all of it before I can say." I already have my answer, this is clearly an amazing place and he sure did not settle for anything less.
"I'll uh... Hm." He picks up a couple of my bags from the floor and toes off his shoes, leaving them at the door "I'll show you to your room."
I follow his lead by removing my shoes and I trail behind him going up the stairs. My pillow and a bag is slipping from right under my arm so I squeeze it as hard as I can to my side ensuring it won't fall.
Louis opens one of the first doors on the right and holy shit thank god because one more minute and everything would've for sure fallen out of my grasp.
I stumble into the room and almost topple over my own bags that I dropped onto the floor.
"Excited?" Louis laughs.
"Ecstatic." I stand up straight and pull down the hem of my jacket as I look around the room. Very plain. Very guest room. I suppose I am a guest though. But really? Baby blue and brown is the colour scheme.
"I know it's not much but it's a start and I didn't know exactly what you liked so I just figured its a pretty universal look."
"Yeah whatever a room is a room."
"Glad you think that. Just leave your things here we should go downstairs I need your help in the kitchen."
I follow him back downstairs and into the kitchen. Just as you'd expect, stainless steel appliances with dark wood cabinets and granite countertops. I'm thinking I might have to stay here a little longer just to enjoy a house like this.
Nah, get me the fuck back home. Where's Dorothy when you need her?
"Harry you can order the pizza, phones right there and the number is on the board."
My stomach growls at the mere mention of pizza. It's been to long since I've indulged.
"What am I ordering?" I ask picking up the phone and dialling the number.
"Two larges, one with half cheese and half pepperoni, then the other is vegetarian. You like those right?"
"Pepperoni is fine."
"Hello this is Regino's pizza delivery, can I take your order?" A hurried tone spoke through the phone.
"Um yeah, two large pizzas, one vegetarian and the other half cheese half pepperoni."
"Any dipping sauce?"
I place my hand over the receiver as I ask Louis.
"May as well get a couple ranch, and whatever you want."
I remove my hand to finish placing the order, "Ranch."
"What's the address?"
"Address?" I speak to Louis.
"On the board." He points.
I inform the man Louis' address.
"It'll be delivered in an hour."
And with that he hung up the call and I replaced the phone back on its hook.
"An hour for pizza?"
"It's Thursday night, which around here is practically a Friday night." He shuffles around the kitchen, opening and closing the fridge to grab things.
"Why?"
"Because Friday is Gala night."
Oh. That shitty thing from school.
"Is there one tomorrow?"
"No, not for first years. Make yourself useful and you can start making the salad."
"Salad and pizza? Really?" I raise my eyebrows at the weird combination.
"Don't ask. It's a Liam thing." He laughs.
I ignore the fact Liam has some pretty strange cravings and I get to work on the salad. From the fixings Louis has pulled out I've started making a garden salad. We work silently, moving around the kitchen to get our work done.
He seems to be working on a chip dip of sorts. He's grated cheese and now he's working on something with cream cheese.
I focus on slicing and dicing different vegetables before mixing them all into the bowl.
"Done." I smile at the final product of the salad.
"Perfect. Thank you Harry." Louis beams up at me once he looked down at my work.
"You game right?" He asks.
"Yeah sorta."
"Sorta? You're a teenage boy. Isn't that all you do?" Louis laughs
"Not exactly." While most teenage boys run around playing football I didn't exactly have the most... Traditional? Upbringing. I didn't need video games to have fun. I didn't need sports to have fun.
"Well you're lucky you'll have such an amazing teacher, aka me." He grins, jerking his thumb to point at his chest. "I'll make sure you're the second best don't worry."
I sit on one of the bar stools he had at the island and watched as he sprinkled the cheese across a large dish which was layered with the cream cheese mix and salsa. He opened up the bag of plain nacho chips and he scooped himself a serving from the platter. His eyes closed and he let out a grunt of happiness that it turned out the way he wanted.
"So good." He mumbled with a mouth full of food.
I grabbed a chip from the bag and tried the dip. The moment it hit my mouth I had to hold back a moan. The way the chilled salsa mixed with the thick cream cheese, and how the chip added the extra crunch. Everything flowed perfectly together, it was heaven in my mouth.
"It's good right?" Louis opens his arms, asking the rhetorical question. Obviously this shit was damn good!
"I've never heard of it before." I help myself to another chip.
"My mum said it was a family recipe but as I got older I noticed we weren't the only family with the recipe." He chuckled softly. "Alright enough of this until the lads get here. C'mon help me bring it into the living room. Bring the dip."
Louis grabs the two "family size" bags of nachos. "Family size" pssh, more like my size. Those bags never last as long as they claim to. Terrible for you I know but damn.
"Just place it on the table that's fine."
I put the dip tray onto the glass table that was in the middle of the furniture. There was a large black sofa that was facing the tv directly, with a two seater to one side and a recliner chair to the other. I could see the multiple gaming consoles tucked away into the cabinet underneath the tv.
"We could play some MW3 until they get here. Can't have you being a total newbie when they show up." Louis crouches and opens up the small glass door. He throws a controller my way and he's lucky I was watching him because I've naturally got terrible hand eye coordination. But I caught it, out of luck I'm guessing. I take a seat on the reclining chair that was tilted to face the tv comfortingly.
Louis soon takes a seat on one of the couches and crosses his legs up underneath him. He set up the game and said we were just going to play with the computers for a bit.
He didn't give me any instructions as to how the play the game and I saw the countdown on the screen.
3
2
1
My hearts racing, I have no fucking clue what I'm doing. How does he expect this to be a fair game if he doesn't tell me how to play! I randomly start clicking the buttons and move the joystick part of it. I was looking up to a blue sky and couldn't figure out how the hell to move back. Then the bright blue soon turned to a deep red.
I've been killed?!
"Louis that's not fair! You didn't tell me any of the fucking controls!" I shout throwing my arms up as my screen replays my kill.
"You didn't ask." His shoulders raise and slump in a shrug.
"You knew it was my first time! You should've told me!"
"You need to learn to ask for things. Never expect anything from me. Big rule. That's a big rule."
I hadn't even moved from the spot where I spawned but soon enough my screen was flooded with the red again. I groan are you kidding? It was obvious he was trying to hold back a smirk but I caught a glimpse of it.
This time I try move out of the spawn zone. I was getting awkward camera angles when I was trying to run into a warehouse looking place. I think I did. Wait what the fuck red again?!
"That wasn't me this time." Louis laughs.
My bottom lip was tugged between my teeth as I concentrated on which controls were doing what. I think I found the moving one. Once I figured out which joystick made me run I decided not to touch that bloody camera one. Keep it normal.
Louis was still fifteen kills up on me, it'd be worse if I didn't have some computers on my team.
The doorbell rang and I'm guessing that's the lads, it's too early for the pizza.
"Harry could ya grab that. I'm about to win anyways." I rolled my eyes but it was a lost cause to argue because he was right. He only had three kills left to get and he's win the game.
I stand up from the chair and toss the controller onto it.
Walking to the front door I could see three figures in the glass panes. I open it and I see Liam and Niall but there was an unfamiliar face amongst them.
"Hey Harry!" Liam greets patting me on the shoulder before walking through the door. I scoot back a bit and open the door wider to allow them to come in. Immediately my muscles, my brain, and my heart all seem to have relaxed when Niall pulls me in his arms.
He whispers a "Y'alright?" So only I could hear him ask. I wrap my arms around his torso and nod into his neck. He pats me on my back as if saying good mate. I pull away from and muster up as good a smile I can.
"Harry this is Zayn. Zayn, Harry." Liam states gesturing to the dark haired boy. He had his gaze focused to the ground until Liam put his hand on top of his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.
At that touch Zayn looked up to meet my eye contact. Dark haired, dark eyed, and olive skin. What is a guy like this doing at a gay school? Any girl in the world would tear off their panties in a heartbeat for him. And thats talking from a heterosexual male. But then again, he could've ended up here like how I am. By force.
"Pleasure to meet you." Zayn nodded his head in my direction with a small smile.
I let out a heavy breath. "Yup."
"Liam!" Louis shouts walking into the hall. Liam turns around to greet him with a hug.
Louis quickly pulls off of Liam and then turns his attention to Zayn.
"Zayn! How are ya mate!? Been too long. This old wanker keeping you to himself lately or what?" Louis pulls Zayn into his chest and Zayn breaks out into a smile.
"I'm okay. Better now that schools back. Y'know. Same old." He admits timidly, as if he's in the process of becoming more open with his feelings.
"That's great to hear. I hope Liam's taking proper care of you because if he isn't then I will." Louis throws a wink in Liam's direction as he conversed with the raven haired boy.
"'Course he is. Don't know any different."
"I know I know. Only teasing. So you met Harry?" Louis asks, sparing a look in my direction.
"Yeah Master just introduced."
Master oh my. How can he just openly say that? So casually? How can he willingly let someone control his life? Becoming too much. I need to leave.
I ignore the looks they gave me and Zayns quiet "What did I say?" and I walk up the stairs to where Louis has appointed my room. I close the door and go to lock it but discover there isn't one. Great. Let's just hope they have some decency and respect my privacy.
Ohp no they don't. I instantly think once Louis opens the door and says "What the hell was that Harry?"
I sit on my bed and shrug my shoulders.
"Harry. Words." This takes me back to when we first met and we went for a walk. Him telling me I needed to use my words.
"I don't know." There, I hope that sufficed. Words.
Louis stands in between the exit and the bed.
"Harry, you can tell me if something was bothering you. Does Zayn frighten you? I swear he's harmless, even though he looks-"
"It's not him."
"Then what? Liam?"
"No Louis just leave it."
"No Harry I can't just leave it. You are mine and I want to make sure you're alright."
"Would you fucking stop that! Just... Just leave me alone for a goddamn minute."
"No Harry! Not until you tell me what made you leave!" The rage in his voice almost made up for his lack of physical ferocity.
There was a small quiet knock on the door but in the deadly silence it was noticed easily. Louis moved out of the way to see who was standing there and it let me see my blonde, Irish friend.
"I'm sorry to interfere Sir, I know it's incredibly wrong of me but I was wondering if I could talk to Harry for a moment. Alone." He adds at the end.
Louis looks from Niall and me then sighs and says "No more than five minutes or you're both going to get it."
And Louis walks past Niall, leaving Niall to enter the room and close the door.
"It doesn't lock." I mutter, referring to the door.
"Presumable seeing as they want access and don't want you to close yourself off. Like you were about to." Niall walks over to the bed slowly and he takes a seat at the end.
"It's too much y'know. Everything seems to be happening so fast sometimes I need to remind myself to breathe. This isn't who I am Niall. You've got to know that by now."
He nods his head in understanding, waiting a moment before replying.
"I don't think this is who any of us are. But I do think that we were here for a reason. That we were put in our rooms for a reason. That we were paired with them for a reason. What are the odds we'd become friends only to have them being best friends too? So even though you may not think this is who you are, I believe fate has a funny way of working."
I sigh. I can't form a coherent thought, everything is bouncing around in my brain. Part of me just wants to sleep and just shut out the world.
"What set you off? Was it Zayn calling Liam Master?"
I nod. Yep that'd be it.
"I only just met the lad but he seems pretty nice. I haven't heard him call Liam anything but Master, I think it's just something comforting for him. He's just fragile I think."
"Niall it just, it's... It's hard to explain."
"Go for it mate."
"That's the thing. I really can't explain it. One minute I'm perfectly fine being around Louis and the next I'm hating absolutely everything in my path. Am I bipolar or something? I've been thinking about it recently and I mean I could be. Should I go to the doctors or something? Do you even go to the doctors for that?" I ramble on, saying the things that come to my mind.
"Harry. Breathe." He places his hands on my shoulders, looking me straight in the eye making sure I'm taking his advice to breathe. "Take a breath. I don't think you're bipolar you're probably just confused, which in all honestly is perfectly fine, hell I'm even confused as fuck."
I laugh lightly with him.
"Ugh Niall stop with the serious talk. I don't like seeing you serious." I try laughing off the situation. Which I'm pretty sure Niall saw right through but he didn't say anything. He only nodded his head and patted my knee.
"We should go downstairs because I know for a fact Zayn is beating himself up about this." Niall stands up from the bed.
"He didn't do anything though."
"He doesn't know that. You left right after he spoke. He's an assumer."
"Oh, I see."
We both head towards the door, going back downstairs, but before we could leave my room Niall puts a hand on my chest to stop me for a moment.
"We're going to be fine y'know. Me and you. We'll help each other."
I smile and pull him in for a hug. "I don't know what I'd do without you Niall. Thanks."
"No need for thanks I swear. I couldn't handle this without you either. Do you know how surprised I was I didn't get a panic attack on the first day?" He laughs loudly, "Harry when I was little I used to get panic attacks when my favorite show wasn't on when I sat down to watch tele."
I chuckle at the picture in my head of baby Niall sitting on the sofa, getting upset because a tv programme won't start.
We walk down the stairs and into the living room where Louis and I were before the trio came over.
Liam had Zayn pulled onto his lap on the two-seater couch and Zayn had his head tucked under Liam's chin. Louis sat at the edge of other couch, watching the pair, looking worried for them. When we enter the room Louis immediately stands up and looks to each of us in any hopes of progress.
Liam looks up as well causing Zayn to shuffle. When Zayn had noticed we were standing there, completely unsure of what to do I might add, he stands up and scurries to stand in front of me.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you I swear of it."
I'm speechless when I notice the tear tracks running down his cheeks. He was crying over the possibility of upsetting me? Me.
"It's fine. I promise."
"No really. I'm not good with meeting new people and I-"
"Zayn." Liam says sternly, causing Zayn to immediately shut his trap. "C'mere."
Zayn obliges and goes to Liam. The timid boy bending his knees in front of Liam until he reached the floor. Zayn showing no embarrassment that he is kneeling for one man in front of three others.
"None of that. C'mon." Liam pats the spot on the sofa right underneath where his arm rested over the top.
Zayn keeps his head down but he curls up into Liam's side.
I feel a hand sneak it's way onto my lower back and shoot my gaze over to where Niall's giving me an assuring look.
"So we've got video games or we could watch a movie." Louis suggests from his spot on the couch. I know the movie idea was only thrown in for an option to calm us all.
Niall jumps at the opportunity to suggest FIFA. Louis says he was the ultimate king of that game and then Niall argued for him to prove it.
Louis merely handed Niall a joystick as Niall plopped himself on the other end of Louis' couch. I moved silently to sit on the recliner. I'll watch them. I'm fine with watching. I don't care too much for that game anyway.
Louis walked to where the console was and switched the gaming disc from MW3 to FIFA.
"Mmph," Niall groaned. "Where is this from?" I had half a nacho in his hand and he had his eyes closed, blissfully munching on his snack.
"Made it myself." Louis cheers. "Great isn't it." Louis then helps himself to some of the snack as Niall goes back for seconds.
"It's delicious. Thank you."
"It's not a problem really."
I sat in the chair, gently rocking as the time passed. Louis and Niall would banter over unfair advantages, I lost track over who was actually winning.
Liam and Zayn remained entwined, and they too helped themselves to some snacks.
The doorbell rang and this time I knew it was the pizza guy.
"Harry could you go grab the door."
"Is this how it's gonna be?" I mutter under my breath, not caring about the reaction. I stand up from the chair and start to head towards the door but Louis had something to say.
"Excuse me." Louis stands up, ignoring the game he was previously so enamoured with.
"Never mind. Do you have the money for the pizza guy or who's paying?" I look around the room. Of course they all looked to scared to talk, well not all. Liam looked amused at the situation but he remained silent, rubbing his fingers up and down Zayn's arm.
"Who do you think you're speaking to?" Louis roared. His hands placed on his hips.
"The pizza guy is gonna leave." I disregard the question.
"We'll get it." Liam stands up, taking Zayn's hand in his as they leave the room. Niall follows as well to leave Louis and I alone.
"Harry." Louis warns, "I don't know who you think you are, but when you are here, living under my roof, you will treat me with respect. This has nothing to do with being a "Dominant" or being a "submissive". It is common courtesy."
"Why am I answering the door? I'm not some petty housemaid who does personal chores for you." My eyebrows clinch together because how could he think I'm the disrespectful one.
"Damn Harry y'know," Louis leans back, shaking off his aggressive demeanour. "I just figured you wouldn't mind because Niall and I were playing a game and Zayn is still pretty shooken up over earlier. I just thought that it wouldn't be a big deal to answer a door seeing as you weren't doing anything."
Oh. Well. That kinda makes sense. Dammit.
"What happened earlier wasn't my fault." I state.
"No one said it was." He says softly, the corner of his lips tugging up for a mere second. "Hell Zayn thinks it's his fault."
"Okay whatever."
I look back to the tv to see the game was still on, the computer players running around the immobile characters of Louis and Niall.
That is until I hear a soft break of silence, Louis giggling but trying to hold it back.
"What's so funny?" I glare at him, only making him giggle once again.
"You were wrong but you won't admit it and now you're gonna play it cool." He breathes out. "It's fine Harry, we all make mistakes. I don't like your attitude but I'd imagine most people don't. If you're going to say something Harry say it. I don't want the mumbling or the secrecy. Just say it. Better deal with it as it occurs than deal with a hundred different problems you bottled up."
Yeah well after 18 years, my bottle is pretty full.
"Alright?" Louis steps closer to me, close enough that he reaches out to touch my elbows.
I shake my arms away from his touch but I nod my head.
"Words."
"Yes." I say louder than average, making sure to get the damned point across.
"Good. Now let's go get pizza."
I follow Louis into the kitchen where the pizza boxes were placed in the middle of the table, along with the salad bowl.
The three were already enjoying their slices of pizza.
Liam gave Louis a nod of the head which the latter reciprocated.
"Take a seat Harry, help yourself."
I would've done that anyway. Thanks.
Louis pulls out his chair at the head of the table. Liam was at the other end with Niall and Zayn on his left and right.
Louis opens a pizza box and pulls three slices. I grab myself three slices as well, two pepperoni and one cheese, and I sit myself beside Niall.
It was awfully silent and I hate it. But I ate until my plate was empty.
"Anyone up for some drinks?" Louis offers. I nod. Hell I could use a beer right about now. I need that buzz, I need to momentarily forget what's going on around me.
"Niall and I will take some, thanks." Liam spoke as Louis went to the fridge.
"Do you not drink?" I ask looking at Zayn. He looked at me and his lips parted, then closed. He looked to Liam as he was not sure what to say.
I too look at Liam and he's looking to Zayn. But he turns to me to say "Zayn isn't allowed to drink."
"Did the doctors say something?"
"No, I said something." Liam vocalized.
"Oh." Alright? So Liam controls what goes into his body? Damn.
Louis came back with four cans of beer and sat back at his end of the table.
I couldn't have opened mine fast enough. My mouth has been lusting after this for a week now. I gulp down the cool liquid and I can feel it going all the way down my throat. I clear my throat quietly and set the drink down on the table.
This is gonna be a long couple of hours.
oOoOo
Click that star button if you're not looking forward to the school year;)