Don't be Happier

Chapter four

Louis doesn't remember the campus of Lithon High being so small, but he sure does remember each second he spent there. When he steps into the doors he's welcomed with a wave of memories and a little movie plays inside his mind. He remembers being only fifteen and feeling insecure on his first day there. Remembers how full the halls were, how small he felt.

Nothing looks different. That's what kind of bothers him. Everything looks just the same, the same way he and Harry left. Louis can't help but feel his heart ache when the corners of his eyes catch a glimpse of Harry watching him curiously. When he notices he's being watched, he bites his lips and looks away.

They walk through the halls and reach the bathroom. "You can go ahead, lads," he says, "just gonna use the bathroom," and opens the door.

Once again, the memories play in his head. When he looks at the mirror he remembers the time he and Harry met there before class began. The younger boy was so excited showing him the new eyeliner he bought.

"Look, Lou," he showed him, jumping of excitement. "I bought it yesterday at the pharmacy," he handed to the older one.

Louis took the object in his hands and read black eyeliner. He couldn't help but feel his heart warm and his team shorts tighten a little at the thought of his Harry wearing eyeliner and maybe even a pretty light pink gloss. He handed it back to Harry. "Nice, Hazza," he smiled.

"Could you-" The smaller one bit the inside of his cheek, feeling a little antsy. "Maybe you could put it on me?" He asked, looking unsure.

Louis didn't even hold back the huge smile that showed on his lips, rolling his eyes. "That would be an honour, love."

He remembers how happy Harry looked when he said that, also remembered him shaking from how nervous he was about the possibility of messing it up. Remembers finishing, closing it and looking at a very cute, beautiful Harry looking into the mirror and thanking him with a wet kiss on the cheek. Louis remembers feeling the urge to turn his head a little and kiss him on the lips.

His thoughts are shaken off when he listens to the door opening.

It's Harry.

"Remember when you put eyeliner on me?" He asks him smiling.

Louis is pretty sure the younger man really reads minds like he played once.

"I do," he tells him then licks his lips, looking up at him.

He's wearing the naughtiest shirt Louis' ever seen. It reads safe sex and has a drawing of two men jerking each other off. Over it, there's black jacket with a few pins. He looks kind of beautiful, if Louis may admit. There's no make up on today, though.

It takes Louis a second to realise what's happening before he's being handed something. He reaches for it and sees it. An eyeliner.

"I was thinking maybe you could..." He bites his lips and God, he looks just as nervous as he did nine years ago.

Louis stays still, eyeliner in his right hand and kind of in shock. He didn't see this coming, didn't even think the taller man would remember about that. He gulps and looks up, meeting his eyes. Blue meets green. He kind of wants to kiss him right now.

"Sure," is what he says before he can even think too much. He really just wants to get his hands on Harry, even if it's just to put make up on him.

He desperately wants to touch him.

The dimples are there a second after. It's like he can't believe Louis would actually say yes to that offer. He doesn't even say thank you, just leans his back on the counter and closes his eyes, waiting.

The long haired man takes a deep breath in and walks closer, until they're so goddamn close they can feel each other's exhales on their faces. Louis gets on his tiptoes and approaches his hands from Harry's face.

"Stay still or I might fuck this up," he warns him and Harry nods, "stay still, Harry."

When the cold eyeliner hits Harry's skin along with Louis' thumb pulling at the side of his eyes, the younger man shudders, fighting the urge to just reach for his old friend's hips and hold him there. Louis is delicate and a little more steady than he was when he first did that, yet he still feels way more nervous than he did back in time.

He finishes, but doesn't step back. Instead, he closes the eyeliner, disposing it on the counter and starts tracing Harry's cheek with his fingertip. Before he even realises, his urge to touch him only grows and he reaches for the man's pink lips. It's only then that he realises Harry is wearing a very, very faint pink lipstick.

It kind of gets to him.

They both stay quiet as Louis touches him. Harry, of course, stays very still, afraid he might ruin the moment if he moves. Afraid Louis might get angry again and runaway. He wants to appreciate this moment and it's only then that Harry realises his heart might be beating a little too fast, his stomach might be moving a little too much and his mind might be thinking about the first time he felt the need to kiss him.

Before he can think anymore, Harry whispers, "please," in between Louis's fingertips.

"Harry," the shorter man murmurs underneath his breath.

Harry, taking this as permission, finally touches Louis' arm. He can feel the way the man shivers at the feeling of warmth that hits him. Harry's fingertips trace his arm until he's reaching for his, the same one that's still warmly tracing his structure.

When the younger man opens his eyes, Louis is staring at his lips with a clenched jaw.

"Please," Harry pleads him again, heart racing faster and faster inside his chest. If he was a little older he'd easily say he's about to have a heart attack.

Except.

Except Louis' touch fades and he's stepping back, breathing a little fastened. For a second, Harry worries he might have a panic attack, but he doesn't even have time to think before Louis' turning away and walking out the door. Leaving a beautifully confused Harry in the bathroom.