Itstilliswhatitis

The Bet

After another early morning run, Harry made breakfast and knocked on Louis' bedroom door. This was turning into a routine. It was difficult to figure out boundaries between them, because they never had any in the past. But they were getting a hang of it, this only friends thing.
"Wake up sleepy head!"

"Have you ever heard of sleeping in?" Louis muttered with his face buried in the pillow.

"Don't be grumpy. Look, I made you tea." Harry said.

Louis turned around and rubbed his face. He sat up and Harry brought the tray and joined him. They ate in silence for a moment and it was starting to become uncomfortable.
"I found another fic based on a movie, or two actually, combined. Ten things I hate about you and losing a guy in ten days." Louis said, to break the awkward silence.

"Let's hear it then." Harry said and took a bite of his toast.

Louis reached for the computer and giggled suddenly.
"Imagine if anyone asks us how we spent quarantine?"

"With your ex reading stories about yourself?" Harry answered amused.

"Yeah." Louis chuckled. He found the fic and started reading.

"So you broke up with Tom?" Niall asked and shoved a handful of fries in his mouth. 

"Yeah, I wasn't in love with him." Louis sighed and put the straw to his milkshake in his mouth.

"No surprise there." Liam chuckled.

"Great, I'm a player." Louis snorted.

"Just wait, you will meet one fabulous Harry Styles. Wait, how old are we here?" Harry giggled.

"I don't know. I guess we'll find out soon." Louis replied and continued to read.

"That dude is crazy! Haven't you heard that he sold his liver on the black market to afford that motorcycle of his?" Louis protested.

"Yeah, he's scary as hell. At least he's bi so I'm sure he'll date you at least once so he can try and get in your pants." Liam chuckled.

"So I'm the asshole this time? Not cool!" Harry huffed.

"At least you drive a motorcycle." Louis teased.

He continued to read.
"Okay, so you have to make me date you for two weeks and then have you break up with me, and I have to make you date me for a month? That's such a bad bet." Harry said.

"I think we're gonna fall in love." Louis grinned and wiggled his eyebrows.

He started the next chapter.
"I'm a virgin? How young are we?"

"High school?" Harry suggested.

"Aaaw, baby Hazza." Louis cooed.

"Don't be creepy." Harry snorted and Louis burst out laughing.

He continued the story as soon as he had calmed down.

Louis blushed. Oh.
"You work at a bakery?" He couldn't believe it.

"Not the fucking bakery!" Louis huffed.

"This author knows what she's doing." Harry grinned.

Louis just rolled his eyes at him and continued the story.
"Aaaw, that's a cute first date."

"I clearly know how to seduce someone with my cupcake-making skills." Harry grinned.

Louis laughed and continued to read. A couple of chapters later he put the computer away.
"This is adorable but my ass starts to feel numb."

"Yeah, mine too, and now I kind of feel like making cupcakes." Harry smiled.

"Knock yourself out. I'm gonna give my manager a ring." Louis replied.

Harry spent the next hour making cupcakes. Louis strolled into the kitchen when they were done.
"Perfect timing as always." Harry teased.

"I will never understand why anyone would bake for fun but I volunteer to eat them."

They sat down by the kitchen table with a plate full of cupcakes.
"So how are your siblings doing?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, they're okay. Mum's and Fizzy's deaths have been hard on us all but they're doing alright." Louis said.

"I'm glad to hear that." Harry replied.

"How's Gemma?" Louis asked.

"She's great. She's starting her own fashion brand of sunglasses. I'm really excited for her." Harry smiled.

"That's great." Louis said with a genuine smile.

"Wanna finish this fic? I have some calls to make later." Louis said.

Harry smiled and nodded his head before he got up to put the cupcakes away. When he returned to the living room Louis had fetched the computer and they finished reading the story.
"That was cute." Louis smiled.

"Yeah. I'm gonna make a longer call to my mum. I have just checked in briefly in the last couple of days." Harry said.

"Of course. Send her my love." Louis smiled.

He hadn't exactly told her that he had moved in with Louis but he guessed it was time to tell her. He didn't know how she would take it. She had been devastated when they broke up, and so worried about him. It had taken him a long time to get over him and he had been absolutely heartbroken. He went to his room and closed the door before he picked up his phone and called her.
"Hi sweetie, are you staying healthy?" His mum immediately asked.

"Yes, how about you?" Harry replied.

"Yes. It's a bit boring to be here by myself but I have started to fix the garden. I will have the most flowers in the neighborhood if I continue like this." His mum laughed.

"You have found something that keeps you occupied, that you enjoy and you get to be outside. That's great mum." Harry smiled.

"Yes. So how are you holding up? Do you feel lonely in that big house of yours?" Anne asked sounding worried.

"Uhm, I'm not at home. I'm at a friend's house." Harry said.

"That's great! Someone I know?" Anne asked curiously.

"Very well. I'm with Louis." Harry replied.

His mum got quiet on the other end of the line.
"Mum?"

"Oh. How's that going?" Anne finally asked.

"Good. We're trying to be friends now." Harry replied.

"Oh sweetie, that would be great but aren't you a little naive now?" Anne sighed.

"It's not like before mum. We can be friends. Only friends." Harry replied, not knowing if he even believed that himself.