larry smut

a new buzz

https://archiveofourown.org/works/972129?view_adult=true

~✰~

Louis has grown accustomed to Harry leading him down unfamiliar cobbled streets in search of out-of-the-way thrift shops, the 'real' thrift shops as Harry likes to say, the ones that are mostly still a secret unless you know where they are. He's used to just trusting him blindly, knowing that he'll probably get a quirky shirt out of it or at least the enjoyment of watching Harry's eyebrows pull downward as he hunts for vintage Levi's in his size. If Louis were to be honest with himself, he'd probably follow Harry anywhere. It's only when he finds himself standing outside of a shop with blinds drawn over the windows and a sign saying 'Over 18s Only' on the door that he begins to re-evaluate the way he makes decisions.

'The fuck is this.' It's more of a statement than a question because he knows exactly what it is.

'You know exactly what it is,' Harry says cheekily, one hand already on the push panel of the door.

Louis shakes his head vigorously, backing away. 'No. No way. Sorry, mate.'

Harry pouts at him and it's ridiculous because some of his curls are actually ringlets today, making him look so innocent despite standing in front of a sex shop. 'Please, Lou. You said you'd come shopping with me.'

'Yeah, but I didn't know that you'd be shopping here.' He shudders dramatically. 'It's dirty.'

'Don't be a prude, sex is a part of everyday life,' Harry replies loftily, with a trace of a smirk.

Louis scoffs. 'Don't give me that. And you're only seventeen, you're not even going to get served. How do you expect to buy...' He trails off as Harry bats his eyelashes at him and he groans. 'Oh, for fuck's sake, Harry.'

Harry's just smiling at him like he can coerce him with his dimples. He probably can.

'So when you said you wanted to spend some time with me, you just meant you wanted me to buy you porn?' he asks, feeling a little exasperated and a little prickled.

Harry's already got his foot in the door by now. 'Not porn, no.'

Louis raises an eyebrow. 'Then what?'

And that's when Louis sees it. The shadow of fear and doubt that has been hiding just beneath the surface for a couple weeks now, gone whenever Louis looks twice but still there in the crease of Harry's forehead and in the way he tugs on his lip.

Louis moves closer so they're both standing on the shop's doorstep. 'Harry?'

Harry clears his throat. 'I was kind of hoping that doing it this way would make it easier.'

'Make what easier?'

'I'm kind of, I don't know... coming out, I guess?' Harry mumbles, looking down at his feet.

Louis stares at him, feeling hot all of a sudden. 'Coming out?'

Harry nods and pulls his foot away to let the door close. 'Yeah.' He looks up, anxiously forlorn. 'Do you hate me?'

His question is like a slap in the face and Louis surges forward to pull him into a fiercely reassuring hug, glad to feel Harry turn his face into his hair.

'Of course I don't hate you!' he says firmly. 'Christ, you know how much I love you, mate.'

Harry's arms loop lightly around his waist. 'Thank fuck for that.'

Louis pulls away to look him in the face. 'You didn't really think that I would, did you?' he asks seriously.

Harry shrugs, cheeks faintly pink. 'I don't know.'