relief next to me (by dolce_piccante on ao3)

21

"Holy fuck. Does mum know?"

"Yes, in fact, she does," Harry said, giving each word a slight stress. "We Skype with her at least once a week together. His mum, too." He sipped his mojito through a straw. "We wouldn't spring something like that on either of them. It's a big change."

Gemma's head recoiled on her neck, her open mouth screwed up in a frown.

"Excuse me." She gently kicked Harrys shin under the table. "Why was I not included on your Skype schedule? Do I have to enroll somewhere online? Is there a waiting list?"

"Excuse me," Harry drawled over her, tilting his head and grinning, "but you're usually jetsetting around the globe, bringing your gift of fashion to the world. Not exactly the best for Skype times."

"That's such bullshit."

The scrunching of her eyebrows caused a laugh to bubble out of Harry's mouth, Gemma's matte red lips falling open.

"Stop laughing!" she said, chuckling despite her plea. "We Facetime all the time!"

"So?"

"So," she pointed her champagne flute at him, "why haven't I gotten to see this perfect boyfriend of yours yet? Even Papa and Nan have met him."

Harry swallowed a gulp and said, "Not face to face," with ice crunching in the back of his teeth.

"Met in the," she swirled the glass dangling between her long, narrow fingers, "virtual sense."

Harry dabbed the back of his hand over his lips.

"He only met them because we Skyped mum on her birthday when she was in Paris with them and Robin."

"So? Still doesn't explain his reticence to meet me. In the virtual sense."

"Louis works a normal person schedule. You and I Facetime because I'm always up and about at crazy early hours or getting out of the bakery in the middle of the work day. Besides," a touch of mischief lit his face, "I've talked about you so much I think he's kind of petrified of you. More than he was to meet mum."

Gemma squawked a laugh, her eyes wide.

"What!?"

"Which is making this all so amusing for me," Harry said, touching the centre of his chest. "He's usually calm and collected, while you're usually the," he swayed his head slightly, "cool rockstar of the Styles family. Yet here you are," he started to grin wider, "getting all huffy because you've never met my boyfriend."

"Okay, fuck you," Gemma said, back to her normal lazy drawl. Harry started to laugh, his eyes crinkling and his head tilting back. "I'm still the rockstar in the family."

"I dunno. Dad posted a picture of himself in leather trousers on his Instagram the other day. He's giving you a run for your money."

Her brows inched inwards.

"Dad has an Instagram?"

"I like that you're more shocked he has an Instagram versus leather trousers."

"Leather trousers are coming back in," she said, shrugging and sipping her champagne. Her long, dusky blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder. "They'll be everywhere next year."

"Good to know."

They both sipped their drinks, a waiter stopping by to refill their water glasses.

"Is this..." She squinted at Harry, wrapping a strand of hair around her index finger. "Soon?" She pressed her lips together for a beat, tugging on her own hair. "Fast? Living together? Isn't that a big thing?"