Gods & Monsters

Chapter 11 (Part 4)

"Well. I best leave you, I suppose," Louis yawns, stretching a hand over his mouth as he looks up at the faded stars above them. They're hard to see amongst all the streetlamps. There are a few, though.

They've just closed up shop, their feet heavier than they were thirty minutes ago when Louis'd begun to help Harry study. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But, shit. Science is hard. Even with all the answers in front of him, Louis' brain sort of hurts. His mouth hurts, too—probably because he hasn't smiled this much the entire week.

God. Since when does he need to smile? He's becoming so fucking soft.

"Hm," Harry hums noncommittally as they stand on the street facing each other, nobody else in sight. "Uhm. I don't suppose you'd actually want to go on a walk first, though? Maybe? If you're not too tired?"

God, he sounds so hopeful. Louis could be sleep deprived for a week and have a freshly amputated leg and he'd probably still agree to go for this bullshit. Fucking Harry. Fucking endearing little bastard.

"No, I'm not tired at all," Louis lies. And he genuinely shouldn't be, though, is the thing. Since his entire life consists of night shifts at the pub and partying, this isn't even all that late for him. What is it, like ten o'clock? Definitely going soft.

Harry's face lights up. "Brilliant," he smiles, and Louis' ribs feel settled. "Uhm, shall we?" He gestures forward, smile crooked and hair haloed in the streetlights.

"We shall," Louis smirks, beginning to walk.

They remain silent for a bit, Louis too tired to think up conversation, the night too cool and peaceful for much else but footsteps and exchanged sleepy smiles. It's wonderful, though, purely relaxing. Maybe Harry is one of those people that Louis doesn't have to talk to all the time. Maybe he's like Zayn—he can just sort of 'be' and do nothing with him and it's not weird. Maybe he'll be able to do everything and nothing with Harry.

Wouldn't that be nice.

"I'm, um, really glad I saw you today," Harry says suddenly, voice soft.

Louis turns to look at him, sees his half-shadowed face smiling back. The night light is soaking into his skin and he looks distorted and orangish but Louis kind of likes it, likes it because he knows it's still Harry and the world could never change that.

Shit, maybe he is overtired; he's waxing philosophical.

"I am, too," he agrees, leaves rustling beneath his feet. He stifles another yawn. "I am sorry for being a twat, though. For being absent so long and not really warning you about it."

"No, it's okay," Harry shrugs. "I think I get it."

Hm. Doubt that.

"Well, in any case," Louis continues. "I am sorry. But I am happy to, you know. Hang out with you again. And I don't plan on changing that any time soon, so don't think you can get rid of me that easily."

At the words, Harry smiles and everything suddenly looks softer. "I was hoping you'd say that."

"Good, because I said it."

With a roll of the eyes, Harry chuckles, bumping Louis' elbow purposefully with his own. "Arse," he mutters under his breath.

"Yeah," Louis mutters in the same tone before sliding a hand to his bum and rubbing it. "It is a good one, isn't it?"

In the dead silence of the night, Harry guffaws like a caveman.

"Shush, shush you!" Louis nearly giggles (he will never admit that later, thank you) as he tries to muffle Harry's hideous noises with his palm, halting to a stop and taking Harry with him. "Shush, you'll wake the entire world with that sea urchin noise! It wasn't even funny, for fuck's sake!"