In Too Deep (Dancing With The Shadows)

four

The smell of herbs and spices waft into the air, the sizzling of a pan drowning the mellow tunes coming from the radio on the side beside the sink.

Louis sits on the dining table inside the kitchen, instead of the seat that his knee bashes into lightly whenever he's swinging his feet, hands under his thighs. He watches Mabel move back and forth from the pantry to the counter by the sink, then to the cooker.

"You know, you could help," Mabel says, her tone light with no bit of annoyance inside it.

Louis shrugs a shoulder. "Well, do you want the place to burn down?"

She shakes her head, stirring something into a pot. "May I ask why you're just sitting there watching me cook Harry's dinner?"

Louis shrugs again, but looks down to his feet, feeling heat creep up his neck. "No reason," he mumbles.

She snorts, brushing a bit of her umber hair from her face and tucking it behind her big ears. "You're wanting to give it to him, aren't you," she states.

Louis huffs. "Fine yes, I want to deliver him his food," he snaps a little, shaking his head.

Mabel continues to smile, wiping her hands on the floral apron wrapped around her curved waist. She pours the contents of the dinner into a tub, clicking the lid closed and handing it over to Louis.

"You need to stop with these crushes," she jokes.

Louis scoffs, brows creased and he cannot help the twang in his heart and roll of a stomach. He hasn't come out to anyone and he doesn't want to, not yet, anyway.

"I do not have a crush on a guy," he argues, taking the tub from Mabel and sliding off the table.

She hums accusatingly. "Tell that to the dough eyes you get," she replies, slapping his bum, making him yelp. "I know you, Louis Tomlinson, and I am not blind. Your dad might be, but I can see right through you. You don't have to hide from me." Her smile is genuine and soft, her wink encouraging.

Louis' stomach feels heavy and he swallows thickly. "Don't spread falls rumours, Mabel, it doesn't give anyone any good," he replies, ears burning much like his cheeks. He's sure the surface of the sun is cooler than his face right now.

"And Louis," Mabel calls for him when he walks into the hallway. "Put a top on before Peter beats your arse!"

"Make me!" he yells back with a grin.

Him and Mabel have always had a good relationship. He sees her as more of an auntie. She's twenty years older than him, but she still has a fun side that he hopes stays with him when he grows up.

He shoves his feet into some sliders, walking to the door, knocking a few times with the brass lion knocker. He looks up to the sky that swirls in dark oranges and golds, mixing in with the darkening blue from where the sun is beginning to set.

Though it's still light out, even if it is almost eight in the evening. The heat has subsided a lot since the afternoon, but the sticky air still clings on.

The door opens and Louis swivels around, smile on his face. His heart flip flops when he sees the hair on Harry's head flop into his eyes, curls damp.

Louis holds out the tub of food. "Your dinner, sir," he mocks posh, pointing his nose in the air. "Paprika chicken with a side of stir fry veggies. Something light as it's so fucking hot out here."

Harry smiles gently, eyes looking tired. He rubs at his left eye with the hand that's not still holding the door open. "Thanks, Louis." He grabs it with one hand. "Um... I'll see you tomorrow, probably."