Ready to Run

Chapter 42

Considering today is Anne and Gemma's last day in New York, they decide to spend it all together. First, they go to Central Park after lunch, then they go back home and play Time's up.

For the teams, Harry immediately chooses his mum, claiming Gemma is bad at guessing and Louis, well, he does not know how bad Louis is so he does not want to take the risk. Because Harry cannot bear to lose at Time's up, apparently. That leaves Louis with Gemma, but he does not mind the slightest, it promises to be fun.

It is a wise decision, though, to not team up with Louis if what Harry wants is a win. Louis is bad at that game. It is probably the only game which does not bring out his competitive side. Because he is bad and he knows it.

Throughout the game, Louis and Gemma laugh a lot at how bad they are, at times guessing things that are so far from what it actually is that they cackle until their time is over. And it pisses Harry off a lot. He keeps complaining about how annoying they are and whining at the fact that they do not make any effort. And, excuse him, but Louis is doing his very best.

Unsurprisingly, Anne and Harry win. After that, Harry's family has to finish packing because they leave tonight.

They do so pretty quickly, but Harry still has time to make a cake. Louis helps, by the way. He weighs the ingredients and gives them to Harry, then he washes the dishes.

So, for the last few hours they have together, they talk around a piece of vegan chocolate cake. Harry insisted on it being vegan because it tastes just as good, and Louis agreed because he does not know anything about baking.

Unfortunately, the time comes for them to leave. Harry and his sister hug for a long time, and Anne hugs him for way more. Then, Anne embraces Louis, which does not surprise him since she did when they first met. What surprises him, though, is when Gemma opens her arms and wraps them around Louis' shoulders.

"Take care of him, or I'll end you." She whispers and steps back with a smile. Louis' lips quirk in return and they wave goodbye at them.

The next thing is that they step into the lift and Harry closes the door of his flat with a sigh.

"I'm gonna miss them. I miss them already." His gaze is still on the door, a sad downturn of his lips. It disappears, though, when he turns to Louis. Instead, it is replaced by one of these beams Louis will never get enough of. "But at least I've got you to myself now." He raises an eyebrow and cocks his head. "You know what that means?"

"Means we're getting ice cream and watching heartstopper on the couch." Louis nods and Harry's beam widens, his eyes twinkling.

"Exactly."

In a second, Harry brushes past Louis and into the kitchen to grab two bowls, two spoons and the ice cream.

"I'm gonna change quickly." Louis tells Harry who simply nods, putting the ice cream back in the freezer after having served them.

Louis goes to the bedroom and grabs a pair of black sweatpants along with a beige jumper before undressing and changing into them.

When he is about to leave the room, Harry calls, "Darling can you bring me a jumper?"

Louis smiles at the pet name and goes back to his suitcase, knowing that when Harry says a jumper he means one of Louis'.

Once he has it, he goes back to the living room and finds their two bowls of ice cream on the table and trouser-less Harry curled up on the couch. He turns to face Louis when he hears him and makes grabby hands for the jumper.

Louis throws it in his face, chuckling when Harry groans. He sits next to his boyfriend while this one is taking off his blouse and putting the jumper on instead.