Love is like this; not a heartbeat, but a moan

9

Louis ignores Harry the entire night at the reception.

Full-out ignores him.

Even after demanding Harry attend. Talk about rude.

Harry tries not to let it bother him. He downs a few drinks, thankful for the open bar (the best part about weddings) and then rushes to the dance floor, immediately joining the group of people who appear to be having the most fun. They're Lottie's friends, dancing in a big circle and laughing so hard they're nearly falling over. Harry fits in easily and has a great time.

Well, except for the alarm going off in his mind telling him to find Louis immediately, and, well, the rest is a bit R-rated.

The worst part is, Harry can scent him, even in the crowd of people. Perks of being in love with Louis for so long, he thinks sadly. He can pick out Louis' scent even in a crowd of hundreds. It's kind of pathetic.

When Harry has to piss because of the mass amounts of alcohol he has been consuming nonstop for hours now, he ducks out of the dance party and hightails it through the reception hall and down a maze of corridors until he finds the loo.

He opens the door. And, well. Just his luck, because the man who has been on his mind for ages now is there, with his back turned to him, washing his hands.

Harry doesn't know what to say or even if he should say anything at all, so he just heads over to a urinal and does his business because he really does have to go.

Then he zips up and turns around, and finds Louis still standing there. Leaning against the sink, hands braced on its edges, blatantly staring at Harry.

"Having fun?" He asks with a smirk, making a show of looking Harry up and down. Harry is certain he's glowing with sweat, certain his cheeks are tinged pink. He blames both the alcohol and the dancing.

"Yeah," he responds nonchalantly, not willing to give Louis the satisfaction of appearing affected by him. Even though he is. Deeply affected by him, that is. If Louis wants Harry, he'll do something about it. This time, it won't be Harry to make the move.

He's done chasing. Finished pursuing. Sick and tired of it, in fact, after doing it for so long. More than eight years. All his life.

Yes, it seems Harry has loved Louis for all his life. Which is just. Great. Considering Louis is unresponsive and, frankly, hates him.

Louis' smirk twists slightly into a grimace when he sees Harry is done playing. He looks sad for a moment, or something (Harry isn't quite sure) and then his features morph into a softer, more natural smile.

"We need to talk," he says quietly, standing up from where he was leaning against the sink.

Harry approaches him and begins to wash his hands, eyeing himself in the mirror. He looks like a right mess, but not a bad mess. He looks happy, which is good. If not a bit tired.

"Talk about what?"

Louis shakes his head minutely, tapping his fingers on the edge of the sink. "Just... stuff."

"What stuff?" Clearly Harry is purposefully playing dumb. Although he's not entirely certain Louis is getting at what he thinks Louis is getting at.

Louis narrows his eyes and then looks away. "About us. About what we are."

If Harry were brave, like he likes to think he is, he would take this opportunity to say something snarky like we aren't anything or something to that effect. If Harry were malicious like he hopes he isn't he would twist the knife in a little deeper so Louis would have to suffer just as Harry has for all these years. If Harry were truly a knothead he would make Louis spell everything out clearly just to watch him squirm.

But Harry isn't brave and he isn't malicious and he tries his hardest not to be a knothead even though it literally is his alpha-nature.

Instead, he smiles reassuringly at Louis. "Sure. Wanna talk now or..?"

Louis hesitates, again looking nervous. "Um, tomorrow. Like, we can go out for breakfast?"

Internally, Harry sighs. This is a very nice change from cold Louis, acerbic Louis. The Louis Harry always gets because Louis hates alphas and Harry is an alpha. Spending his heat with him was only a short vacation from real life and Harry wholeheartedly expected nothing to change after they got back, even though in a way everything changed.

"Sure!" Harry tries not to sound too ecstatic, but he's sure he probably failed. He isn't too bothered, though, because it sounds like Louis is asking him out on a sort-of date. Which is exactly what Harry has been waiting for since he was, like, five years old.

"Umm, okay... That cafe by yours? Is that okay? We can meet there at ten."

Louis is referring to the very same café he found Harry in just two weeks prior, where he had asked Harry to spend his heat with him.

"Lovely," Harry comments cheerfully, feeling his drunk heart swell with excitement. "See you tomorrow, then!" And with that he rushes out of the bathroom quickly, afraid if he stays in there any longer he'll do something he'll regret.

It doesn't matter. Harry spends the rest of the party in a very good mood, feeling light as a balloon.