Winter Fic Exchange || Larry

move with the snowdrifts

For BookByBook.

Okay so I combined two of the prompts in a roundabout way, the prompts chosen being (1: all of the lads get stuck in school due to an unexpected blizzard; harry's nerdy and louis is a popular footie player and they're both clearly infatuated with one another.) Also you mentioned A Christmas Carol in another prompt and I got super excited until I realized that the fill I made for it really sucked, so I slid in a few mentions of A Christmas Carol anyways because it's my favorite. Please don't hate this.

A/N: I apologize sincerely for the length and the awful puns. Thanks to A and B for the help. Thanks to everyone for participating in this fic exchange. Thanks to T for helping me with this exchange, nothing would've happened if it wasn't for her! Please, enjoy.

summary: harry is the world's best wingman. louis is sunshine. (feat. an impromptu blizzard and a christmas carol).

word count: 25718

move with the snowdrifts:

It's nearly four o'clock and Harry is in a state of crisis.

The door to the amphitheater is large and domineering, standing ornately in front of him in a stand-offish sort of way. Does he really want to do this? No is the obvious answer. But Niall asked him to show up, and he's - admittedly - one of Harry's only friends, so it's probably best to not disappoint him. And he won't, he just has to open the door. To certain doom. Alright.

A hand shoots out in front of him, pushing the door open swiftly and shouldering past Harry like he wasn't even there in the first place. Which, isn't such an unusual concept. Harry has accepted the fact that he's at the social equivalent as gum under someone's shoe a long time ago. That's just how the social ladder of sixth form goes; either be out there or be nowhere. He's alright with it.

Harry breathes in and hoists his satchel higher over his shoulder before stepping into the metaphorical catacombs of the school's backstage. It's a whirlwind already, even though open auditions aren't supposed to start for another quarter of an hour. Girls toting makeup bags are flitting about and fast-talking boys perusing clipboards are directing stage hands to and fro. It's the type of controlled chaos that makes Harry feel tetchy, like his skin is being pulled too tightly over his own bones, and the lone person that it's all orbiting around is none other than one Liam Payne.

Liam's alright, for a star rugby player who wouldn't be able to get a passing grade without autocorrect. He doesn't live into the stereotypical format of bashing in the nerds' heads and making bad, objectifying jokes about everything anyone says. He actually is able to hold (somewhat) intelligent conversation, is the stage director for the drama club, and it also helps that he is the actual human embodiment of a puppy.

"Alright everyone," Liam Payne announces in a raised voice, struggling to be heard over the din of the crowd. They all actually quiet down, surprisingly. "If you're a newcomer, listen up. Auditioning actors will be following Perrie to the left wing to retrieve your numbers and to also brief you on how we will be judging your auditions." Liam points to Perrie, who is already standing on top of a folding chair and waving wildly for all of the actors to follow her along. "Now for the techies. Anyone into lighting or sound control, follow Josh to the control room. And anyone interested in make up, set construction, costume design, etcetera, follow me." Liam punctuates his spiel with a solid clap of his meaty hands, and the working mass quickly disperses, following after Perrie and Josh like dutiful ducklings.

Harry doesn't realize that he's been kind of just standing in the middle of everyone's way in his own world until someone bumps into his arm and jostles him forward. Harry catches Liam smiling kindly at his group while Josh and Perrie walk briskly with their mouths set to their destinations for their meetings. That decides that, then. Harry walks towards Liam's slightly less-terrifying mass of people and slots himself between two kids that he's seen around but has never caught the names of.