Tolerate It || l.s ✓

Chapter 7

"It's your birthday."

"Mhm." Harry replied, grimacing.

"It's your birthday!" Louis tried again.

"Yay!" Harry grinned sarcastically before adding a curious "how did you know?"

"Lucky guess." Louis shrugged, "joking, it's written on the staff room calendar."

"Oh." Harry frowned. "How many people have seen it?"

"Well, I don't know. But I'm sure a few people have. Though the staff room won't be too busy until break."

Harry walked past Louis, heading straight to the staff room.

"Happy birthday?" Louis tried.

"Thank you." Harry muttered. He reached the calendar inside, taking the pen and immediately scribbling over the scrawled Harry's birthday.

Louis watched from the doorway, confusion etched across his face. "What's wrong?"

"I don't really want all the attention." He explained feebly. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay. Don't apologise. That's fair enough."

"How did someone even know it's my birthday today?" Harry groaned.

"Same way they know all of our birthdays. The headmaster has our information. What a scary world we live in."

"Scary." Harry agreed.

//

"Need a lift?" Louis shouted out the window as he slowed down next to the pavement.

Harry turned around and Louis beckoned him over. He climbed into the car with a quiet greeting.

"This is becoming quite the ritual isn't it?" Louis chuckled.

"It seems so."

"Do you want a lift anywhere?"

"I'm not really going anywhere. Just walking." Harry shrugged, keeping his eyes on his lap.

"And you're not meeting anyone?"

"Nope. Just walking and wallowing in self pity." Harry forced a smile.

"That not very birthday of you. What's up?" Louis frowned, taking in Harry's demeanor.

Harry shrugged again.

"Well, if you're not doing anything fun would you like to come back to mine? You can't spend the rest of your birthday alone."

"Um, maybe can we go back to mine instead? I just, like-" He cut himself off. "You're welcome to join me, I'd just rather be at home right now."

"Of course, that's fine. Are you alright with me making a quick stop on the way?"

"Of course, yeah."

Louis started to drive, Harry staring out of the window as he lazily scratched at his wrist.

Glancing at Harry every now and again, Louis began to hum. He pulled into the carpark. "I'll only be a minute." 

"Okay, that's okay." Harry didn't break his gaze from the sky.

Louis jumped out of the car, doing a little half walk half run into the shop. He scanned the shelves, quickly finding what he was looking for. He chose a chocolate cake alongside a packet of pink candles. Quickly he payed, hiding the items in a bag and returning to the car.

//

Harry pushed his door open, kicking off his shoes and hanging up his coat. Louis followed his lead, following him into the kitchen.