always you (i should have known)

chapter one: drink after drink

April 9th, Sunday, 7:34pm

The living room that was once lively was somewhat hushed to small conversations now as Harry's back hugged against the kitchen wall, a breathy sigh escaping his parted lips that were dry from too much whispering. He licked them and pressed them together into a tight line. This wasn't unusual for him, the spit from the man in front of him escaping and hitting his cheeks with every word as their friends listened from the other room. He half listened himself as he was scolded for things he probably couldn't even recall, all he knew was he was having a good night with his best friends in the other room. Now he was feeling the heat of his boyfriend, Jason, one arm above Harry and planted against the wall, as he muttered his annoyance with him.

"Why can't you just act normal? You act like a child, Harry," his words, though attempted to be hushed, the apartment was small. Harry could feel the tension from the other room without even seeing it.

"I'm not acting like a child, I'm acting like myself."

"Well, act differently. You're embarrassing me."

"In front of who?" Heat in his chest started to rise, a tingle in the back of his throat started to form. "These are practically all my friends who don't give a fuck how I act."

"But I do, I give a fuck, you always do this Harry."

"Do what? Be myself?" Harry stood himself upright coming in at eye level, his crossed arms now pressing against his boyfriend's broad chest, pushing him backwards. "If you don't like it, leave."

Harry brushed past him, their shoulders colliding and knocking them both aside a tad as he stomped back to the living room. The chatter of the group of friends died down as people turned their eyes towards his direction. He ignored them knowing they all were mostly looks of concern (he started to get really good at pretending everything was fine) and plopped his body down on the leather couch next to his two best friends, grabbing a glass of cheap wine out of his friend Kate's right hand and started downing the contents swiftly.

"I could have gotten you your own you know," Kate, her voice soft, rolled her eyes but gave him a smile in the following moment.

Kate had been his friend since high school. Endless sleepovers, school dances, and gossip sessions under their belt, the two were a definite pair. When Harry came out Sophomore year of highschool she was right at his side every day, taking the brunt of most of the ridicule or snide comments, he was lucky to have someone he could fully be himself with.
She looked just like the typical beautiful girl next door, too, which made for really hilarious yet awkward conversations when they had to tell their parents Harry was definitely, 100% gay and also definitely not interested in her when they had suspicions of their sleepovers. Blonde hair, blue eyes, absolutely tanned to the gods and a heart of pure gold. They had the friendship dynamic that if they were both single by 40 they'd marry each other for the benefits. Harry started to think that might be his best option at this point.

"Careful, Harry," a voice with an accent you can't forget spoke up from the corner of the room. "Wouldn't want you pulling a 'spring break 2022' on us."

Harry, without sparing him a single glance in response, put his lips to the rim of the glass and took the last sip and swirled the Rosé with his mouth like mouthwash before swallowing hard. He lifted his hand, flashing his middle finger behind him in his general direction. "Fuck off, Louis."

Louis Tomlinson. Where do you start with someone like him?

Louis was brought into their tight knit group of about fourteen back at the beginning of their freshman years here at uni, and since then he's been like an itch that won't go away for Harry. They had gotten along for about 5 minutes, then never again after. Some of his good friends absolutely adore Louis, for reasons he never really cared to dive into, so he never complained about him joining along on all their things, but it always bothered him.
They've always had little spats, the two of them couldn't handle being alone in a room together for more than a moment without one of them getting annoyed and pissing the other one off. Louis was usually the one to start things with Harry anyway, he constantly made little jabs at him and teased him relentlessly. And Harry hated the fact Louis couldn't stand his boyfriend, especially because Louis was the most chronically single person in the group. Who was he of all people to judge the two of them? Call it jealousy, a bad personality, or whatever, Harry couldn't stand whatever it was about Louis Tomlinson.