The Balloon Man (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter 9

"Lou?"

The older man hummed at hearing Harry's voice, keeping his eyes on his computer and letting his fingers run across the keyboard.

"Are you almost done in here?" he asked as he walked fully into the office, "Liam and Niall will be here soon."

Louis felt himself still as he glanced at the time in the corner of his screen, "fuck," he muttered, pulling his glasses off and throwing them on the desk, "babe why didn't you get me sooner, I have to get everything re-"

"Everythings all set, don't worry," Harry tried to get him to relax, "I just wanted to give you as much time in here as possible."

Louis let out a deep breath, secretly grateful since he's been locked in his office at home and work for the past week with the hospital fire. With so much going on he couldn't afford the Hamptons this weekend, but Harry still convinced him to take a little time to have some fun.

"Is Bells okay? She behaving?" he asked as he pushed himself out of his chair.

"As best she can," Harry chuckled, "was being a little funny when I was getting snacks out for the guys."

Louis rolled his eyes fondly as he heard that, his daughter never liking to share her snacks, "you didn't get drinks out did you?"

"No, I figured you would want to go through your way too expensive stash."

Louis bit his lip to hide his sheepish smile, shrugging as he made his way towards the door, "you figured right."

Harry hummed as he followed him out of the office and down the stairs, "how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Louis let out a small breath, the curly haired man checking in every few hours with what's been going on with work, "more nervous about the guys coming over than anything else right now," he said quietly as he got to his bedroom.

"It'll be fun babe, we'll just drink and chill out," Harry offered him a small grin.

Louis nodded back at him, it probably being obvious he was a little on edge. He hasn't had a night like this in too many years, or even had people over to his house since he built it. But he liked Niall and Liam, he didn't need to stress about how the night would go with those two.

"What uhm... What do I wear?" Louis asked as he peered into his closet.

"It's your house Lou, you can wear whatever you want," Harry teased him, but he walked to the closet anyway to help him, "you want comfy clothes?"

If it was an option then the answer is always yes to comfy clothes. And when Harry passed him his favorite pair of sweatpants and sent him a wink Louis couldn't help his laugh as he pulled them on.

"Does Niall like Kingfish?" Louis asked, a thought popping into his head as he went over to his band shirts.

"I don't know what that is."

"Blues rock musician," Louis chuckled as he sifted through them and found the one he wanted, "like it?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he will too," Harry smiled at him as his boyfriend held the shirt up proudly.

Louis tried not to bounce on his heels as he pulled it over his head, hoping the blonde haired man would recognize him.

As soon as he was dressed they made their way downstairs, Louis letting out deep breaths the closer it got to the time they should be coming.

"Daddy those my snacks," Arabella pointed to the counter as she saw the two come into the kitchen.

"Sweetheart, we never run out of snacks. I don't know why you think I would ever starve you," Louis huffed, not wanting to have the conversation he's had a million times before.