i fell in love in 1914 ~ l.s

⚽️ 8 ⚽️

~ Harry ~

"I can sleep when I'm dead and I can eat when I don't have anything better to do." Louis doesn't want to eat.

It's around lunch time and most men are eating but Louis insisted on playing football with me first. I said we should eat, and then play football. But Louis is like a toddler: very stubborn and whiny when he doesn't get his way.

"If you don't eat, you won't be able to play football." I'm trying to talk common sense into him.

"Watch me." He says, stomping towards the field.

"You're having a four year old tantrum." I scold him.

He turns around, hands on his hips: "I am twenty three."

"Then start acting like it!" God, I sound like I'm his dad.

I could swear I saw hurt flashing through his eyes but he composes himself quickly. "I can act the way I want, and you don't get to tell me otherwise!"

When did we start screaming at each other?

"Just eat." I didn't even notice my voice went an octave lower.

"Make me." He mocks me by using the same tone.

He's lucky I don't get angry easily. I just know that if I continue with treating him like a child, he will continue acting like one. So I decide to go for another tactic.

"But I'm really hungry.. I don't want to eat alone. Join me, please?" I pout.

He scoffs, knowing I'm just trying to get him to eat, but I can see that I made him doubt. It looks like he is choosing between listening to me, or holding on to his case.

"Why do you want me to eat so badly?" He asks curiously.

"Because..." I try to explain.

"Because?" He tilts his head.

"Because I.." too fast, Harry, you are not supposed to scare him away with the fact that you already care about him like you've known him for years.

"Because I'm hungry." I say, still pouting a little.

He laughs and the sounds warms my ears and make my pout disappear immediately.

"Well that changes everything, if you would've told me sooner we would already be done eating, but of course you chose the difficult way." He rolls his eyes.

He does have a habit of pretending like it's my fault when he realizes he doesn't get his way.

I would stand up for myself, but then we would argue about that and I find the way he always wants to have the last word quite adorable.

✩

Louis is playing football and I can't take my eyes of him. When they just started playing, Louis insisted that I should play too, but I don't want to embarrass myself. I'd rather wacht him anyway.

We just ate some bread and I couldn't help but notice the fact that he tends to take really small bites. He chews with his mouth closed, but the bread in his mouth does not stop him from talking.

Louis is loud and he talks quite fast when he is telling a exciting story. He told me he always wanted to be in drama class because he likes acting and he is a good liar. He said he never went because his school didn't have a drama club and he couldn't afford theatre school.

He laughs in between telling a story and he smiles while telling something funny. He switches octaves for fun and impersonates people while telling a dialogue.

He talks careless and he is a compulsive hand-talker. His British accent just adds to the list of why he is fun listening to. His posture is much better then mine, where I am stiff and military, he is comfortable and energetic.

He seems to love making eye contact a little more than most people. His preferred curse word is 'Fuck' and he has a German catchphrase: 'vertrau mir' which means 'trust me'. He'd say things like: "Vertrau mir, it was the craziest thing ever, even though it was an almost death experience, I'm so happy I was there!"

He usually laughs at his own jokes or when I'm "adorable" or "silly". He's either honesty always happy, or he is hiding his real emotions. He is very good in reading me and says that I'm an open book. I feel like I could be able to read him quite well, but he makes it really difficult.

He called me "schnucki" and when I asked what it meant he said that it doesn't have an English translation but it's a nickname Germans use. I asked him if that would be my new nickname and he said: "absolutely not! We need to be original, Harold." It made me laugh and I don't think I ever laughed so much on one day.

Then suddenly Louis stands in front of me. I look up and he sends me a warm smile. "Folge mir." He whispers. "Follow me?" I ask. He nods but says: "no, you need to follow me, not te other way around!" I laugh and stand up to follow him.

As always he takes my hand as if to make sure I stay close to him. I know that people are looking at us, but I can't bring myself to care.

He leads me to the German trenches and instead of using the ladders he just lets go of my hand and jumps into the trench. I miss his hand immediately.

"I wonder men dare trust themselves with men" He says out of nowhere.

I wonder men dare trust themselves with men.

"It's a quote" I hear Louis say.

I wonder men dare trust themselves with men.

"It's Shakespeare, you know." He tells me.

I wonder men dare trust themselves with men.

"I like the quote." I simply say, as if it hasn't repeatedly ran through my thoughts.

"I'd be concerned if you didn't." He says. "Now, jump."

I look down, it is like 6 or 7 feet deep and i just know I'll either break my ankles or my knees.

"You'll survive, Harold." He smiles.

I decide to slowly lower myself instead of taking the ladder, not wanting to disappoint him. I'm pretty tall so I dont have to lower myself much, but i'm going really slow so it takes longer than it should.

I abruptly stop when i feel his hands on my waist, securing me.

Breathe, Harry.

He makes sure I don't fall as my feet touch the ground. I feel his breath in my neck and he still has his hands on my waist. I slowly turn around in his grip until I'm right in front of him.

My hands rest lightly in the crook of his elbows en we make direct eye contact. I'm certain that he can hear my heartbeat.

His fingers press slowly into my waist before grabbing my hands. Our fingers intertwine and I breath out slowly.

"I want to show you something." He whispers.