This Is What It Takes - Larry Stylinson

Chapter One

This story is be posted to archiveofourown.org .. You can probably get updates there faster. This idea came to me from of a couple of songs. I'll post them at the end of the story. Thanks. Feedback if more than welcome!

　　He was running late. Of course he was running late for the biggest final of his entire UNI career. Harry faced failing his geography class if he didn't pass this final and it's honestly been eating at him for over a week. He struggled with geography his entire life, despite his many failed attempts with tutoring. He had accepted years back that geography wasn't his thing and had hoped he'd never have to take it at UNI since he was, after all, going into Journalism. However, his hopes were in vain and he found himself stuck in a geography class his second year with a very snooty professor. Naturally, Professor Snow loved him, everyone does, but even that couldn't help him with her dreadful class. She was a  tough one, but she let Harry slack off as much as her dignity would allow. So maybe he turned on his charm and occasionally spent time after class chatting away with her over things he couldn't care less about, but who cares? Not really anyone, he certainly didn't. It got him extra help on his assignments and she even gave him an exact copy of the final to study with.

　　Speaking of which, that's what got him into this running late business. Liam insisted that they stay up to study since Harry was "so overly stressed about failing." Liam wasn't wrong, but going to bed at a reasonable hour would've meant Harry would've woken up to his alarm this morning, he would've eaten breakfast, and he wouldn't be running through the buildings like a chicken with it's head chopped off. Liam meant well, he supposed, but he really wouldn't have been surprised if Liam used it as an excuse to get away from Niall. Harry met Liam and Niall through his parents when they were all around seventeen. Naturally, they all hit it off and became best mates. From that point forward, they spent every second of free time they had together. Usually, they all crashed at Harry's on the weekend, every weekend. They even took joint family vacations, which were hectic but always a blast. When it came time to start UNI, they all agreed to go to the same place. In fact, Liam suggested they all three share a flat.

　　Harry loved Liam and Niall more than anything else in the world, but he liked his privacy, so he politely declined. Niall's poor, little Irish heart shattered and he immediately felt bad, which led to him finding a place where they could buy two flats that are side by side. This way, they were close but not close enough to invade Harry's privacy constantly. So Niall and Liam moved in together and things were just fine for a really long time. They got together as often as they could, hung out, drank, laughed just like they used to, but suddenly Barbara came into the picture. Barbara and Niall met at a party and of course, Niall fell head over heels for Barbara's charm. They began dating about a month after they met and truly, it ruined everything.

　　Harry liked Barbara, he really did, but she ruined their threesome. Instead of it just being the three of them hanging out, there was suddenly Niall's arm wrapped around a skinny blonde everywhere they went. Things changed and they continued to change as things got extremely tense between Liam and Niall. They were constantly arguing and being obnoxiously rude to the other. Harry knew because he could hear it through his living room wall. Harry tried to intervene once but all that got him was a shoe thrown at his head. He didn't understand why Barbara caused such a change in their relationship, in Liam, and he probably never would since Liam refused to speak about it. At this point, if Harry wasn't around, Niall and Liam stayed clear of each other. This was probably for the best, but it often led to Liam overstaying his welcome in Harry's flat. He loved Liam, but sometimes he was a little too much.

　　"Ah! Mr. Styles, it's about time you got here." Professor Snow stared daggers at Harry as he waltzed in and took a seat at the nearest empty desk. Typically this would make him nervous, but he could see her trying to refrain from smiling at him as she spoke. He hated the affect he had on people, especially women. Women were more likely to throw themselves at him, and as sexist as that sounds, it was true. He didn't even like women, he swung the entire other direction. Something about a vagina and boobs thoroughly crept him out. Men were nice to look at, however, and Harry definitely did his share of looking.

　　Not like it mattered, though. Harry wasn't the relationship type, never was. Of course, he'd tried it and he'd experimented in every way he could with several guys, even a couple of girls, but none of them were worth hanging onto. After a while, he lost all emotional connection he had with them, like someone had flipped a switch. He'd just call it off after that point, usually giving zero explanation. Did that make him a bad person? Probably, but he couldn't ever explain himself. He was a nice person though. He held doors open for little old ladies, fed stray animals, even fed the homeless quite a few times. Regardless of these nice things he did, Harry always felt guilty for the things he had done wrong in his relationships. Except technically, he had never had a proper relationship. It had bothered him at one time, but it doesn't anymore. If someone is meant to be with him, then it will happen. Until then, he's perfectly content with his current lifestyle. He didn't have anyone to tie him down and he liked that, very much so.

　　"You've got thirty-five minutes left." Professor Snow announced, making Harry feel extremely nauseous. He had yet to touch his test and he just stared at it blankly. It wasn't that large of a test, but it required time for thinking, so if he really wanted to do good, he needed to get off his ass and work. After all, he hadn't stayed up all night with Liam for nothing. Besides, if he passed this test, his semester would be over. That meant no more worries for a while. He could go out with Liam and Niall to celebrate if he passed. He'd know his score about an hour after he took it. If he passes, he'd obviously call up Liam, who will congratulate him until his face turned blue. They'd go out to a pub, just the three of them, no Barbara. They'd be happy and wasted, and he'd be care free for a while. So, with a determined look on his face, Harry picked up his pencil and finally started his test.