Love?

4

Everything was quiet when he came home. He tiptoed to Harry's room, knowing that their mums had settled in at his room. He hesitated when he opened the door. Harry was laying with his back against him but from his breathing, he knew that he was awake.

He climbed into bed after he had undressed and hugged Harry from behind.
"I'm sorry."

Harry sighed.
"It's okay." He whispered and turned around to face Louis.

They looked at each other in silence for a while before Louis spoke up.
"I know it was a friend's night out but he was cute and you know, don't you wanna find someone Haz?"

"You think you'll find someone at a bar?" Harry snorted.

"No, probably not." Louis chuckled and then he added "but there's no harm in trying. We're nineteen Haz. I wanna fall in love and I wanna have sex again. Not to make it weird but that first time was pretty fucking awesome."

Harry blushed. They had never really discussed that night. He hadn't known that Louis apparently remembers it, the sex. He hadn't been able to forget about it for sure.
"Yeah."

"You should date too, you know?" Louis continued like there weren't just talking about the two of them having sex.

"I don't know. I'm not ready yet. My body isn't exactly what it used to be. I need to hit the gym." Harry answered.

Louis stared at him like he had lost his mind.
"What are you talking about? You look great Haz. You always look great."

"Says the one without stretch marks." Harry muttered even if Louis's compliment made him feel good.

Louis brushed a finger on Harry's lower stomach, making him flinch a little. It tickled.
"You mean these? You can hardly see them and if some idiot would ever negatively comment on them I would beat them. They're a reminder of something wonderful and anyone who gets to be with you should fucking worship them."

"Thanks, Lou. How do you always manage to make me feel better?" Harry beamed.

Louis grinned and shrugged his shoulders.
"That's what best friends do. We should try to get some sleep. Rory wakes up early."

Harry wasn't feeling so great anymore all of a sudden.
"You're right. Goodnight Lou."

He turned around and Louis immediately spooned him and wrapped an arm around him.
"Goodnight Hazza."

They spent the next day out in a park with their mums before they had to return home.

A week after that Louis had a date again. Harry helped him to pick out an outfit as the best friend should. Louis went to dinner with a guy named Trent and Harry waited at home restlessly. When Louis finally came home he told Harry all about his evening.
"He's nice but I don't know. There wasn't a spark there." Louis informed him and Harry let out a breath of relief.

"So you're not gonna see him again?" Harry asked.

"We're going out again on Thursday." Louis answered.

"Why? If there wasn't a spark..." Harry questioned.

"I have to give him a chance. It's not like you meet someone and immediately like them. That only happens in rom-coms." Louis chuckled.

"We did." Harry said quietly and immediately regretted it.

"We were five!" Louis laughed.

"Right." Harry replied and tried to smile.

They went to work on Monday, came home, ate dinner together, and played with Rory. She had started to crawl and they spent most of their time on the floor with her.
"I bet she'll walk soon." Louis said proudly.

"She's only nine-month-old." Harry giggled.

"Well, she's soon ten months old and she's a smart baby." Louis grinned before he focused on their daughter and played peek-a-boo with her until she laughed.

They celebrated her turning ten months just like they had celebrated every month. The boys came over. They were getting used to this by now.
"So will this be a regular thing until she turns eighteen? Just so I can clear my schedule for the 28th for an eternity." Niall teased.

"Very funny." Louis chuckled.

Rory was sitting in her chair in the kitchen. Niall walked up to her with a smile.
"Hi, Rory." He said and waved.

Rory giggled and waved back.
"Oh my God, guys! She waved at me!" He shouted excited.

Harry and Louis came running, followed closely by Liam and Zayn. They all started to wave frantically but Rory just looked away.
"You do it, Niall!" Louis said.

Niall got situated in front of Rory again.
"Hi, Rory." He said once more and waved at her.

She giggled again and waves back. They all cheered loudly. Louis picked her up and Harry immediately hugged them both. They kissed her head at the same time.
"Good girl, waving at uncle Niall like that." Harry said lovingly.

"This is what I call a party!" Niall grinned.

They spent the next hour on the floor and soon she was waving at all of them.
"I want one of those one day." Liam smiled.

"Yeah me too, when I'm a bit older." Zayn agreed.

"Me three but by then these two will have a whole bunch of kids." Niall chuckled and immediately wanted to bite his tongue.

Louis gave him an odd look.
"Very funny Ni."

Niall met Harry's eyes. He didn't look pleased.
"Alright, we're better get going." Liam said.

"And I have to get ready for my date." Louis said after checking the time.

"Your date?" Niall asked dumb-founded.

"Yeah, why so surprised?" Louis smiled.

"Ehm, no reason. I didn't know you started dating someone, that's all." Niall answered.

"We just met. This is our third date." Louis replied.

"Getting serious?" Zayn asked and everyone but Louis saw how Harry flinched.

"Not really. He's a nice guy and all but I don't know. It doesn't feel right, you know? But I'm giving it one last go." Louis answered carefreely.

"Good luck on your date then." Liam said awkwardly. They were all looking at Harry worriedly but Louis had his back turned against Harry so he didn't notice.

Louis hugged them and thanked them for showing up before he went to take a shower. As soon as he had left the room they were eyeing Harry in concern.
"Harry..." Niall started but Harry cut him off.

"It's okay guys. Really. No worries."

They didn't look convinced but they dropped the subject.