Some things change. | l.s.

36

Harry didn't take notice of his surroundings when he left the bathroom after getting ready for work, but he stopped abruptly when he lifted his head and saw Louis standing in front of the bed with his bare back turned to him, red scratch marks littering his skin. But that wasn't what made him stop in his tracks. It were his arms.

"Wow, you have tattoos, I didn't know." He whistled impressed, but frowned when Louis spun around with terror in his eyes and snatched the duvet, almost stumbling over his feet in the movement and held it in front of himself.

Harry stared at him baffled at his reaction, not able to make out why he looked so shocked and panicked and most importantly why he was shielding himself, but then as if he got hit it dawned him.

"Hang on." He said with big eyes and pointed at him questioningly. "You have tattoos." He muttered. "And I didn't know. How did I not know?"

"I-" Louis started, but nothing else came out of his mouth.

"How the fuck did I not know half of your body is covered in tattoos?" Harry exclaimed.

That couldn't be. He thought he was going insane for never noticing this. His brain was working on high speed trying to find a solution, but there was nothing. How could that be possible? How could he see him naked, but never noticed it?...

Then it shattered down on him like a huge explosion that dragged everything into the depth of a dark hole. He never saw Louis naked before.

"What the fuck?" He choked out staring at his boyfriend in bewilderment who was still frozen. "I never saw you naked." He muttered, more to himself than to Louis staring at a spot in front of him as if he was in trance not getting around how he never noticed.

Since they were in a relationship they had sex three times, the first time it was pitch black in the room so he didn't see him and if he thought back to that day he realised how Louis kept him from touching him as well. The second time was after they were out and drank too much, barely making it to Harry's room and Louis was still wearing his button up, that was also the first time he slept over. Needless to say he fell asleep wearing that long sleeved shirt. And last night when Harry slept over he was wearing a long sleeved shirt as well, catching Harry by surprise when he woke him up in the middle of the night so he didn't even have the chance to wake up properly. He didn't think about it until now, but throughout their act he pulled it off Louis, he must've put it on again after. The only other situation where he could've seen him naked was their very first time, but back then he was wearing his suit and only let his pants down.

"Why-..." Harry swallowed thickly when he focused back on Louis who was staring at him with plain fear in his features. "Why did I never see you naked before?"

"Please...don't..." Louis croaked out and pulled the duvet even higher so it reached his chin. "Don't look at me..."

"What?" Harry pressed out and balled his hands into fists uncomprehendingly and he was slowly getting angry when he didn't understand anything anymore and felt like he was in a bad comedy movie. "Answer me!" He shouted.

"Please don't!" Louis whispered and his breathing quickened rapidly.

His hands started to tremble so he could barely hold onto the duvet which panicked him even more and he felt like his throat tightened so he couldn't breathe anymore. He knew the signs of a panic attack, but he couldn't let that happen now. He couldn't expose himself in front of Harry, this has always been his biggest fear and he knew it was inevitable at some point, but he didn't want that to happen now. Not like this.

"Leave me alone! Please, go!" He pleaded.

"No!" Harry shook his head harshly feeling messed with. "You tell me what the fuck is going on, Louis! What game are you playing here?"