True Colours

Gays are great

The doorbell ringing and something made of plastic sticking to his cheek is the first thing he realises before he opens his eyes. With a jump he sits up on the sofa where he probably fell asleep last night. Way too fast, because he immediately feels dizzy and his stomach doesn't particularly like the sudden movement either, just as quickly as he feels sick.

The doorbell rings again and Harry panics. That must be Louis. His gaze slides over the many empty packages around him and images from his binge eating last night flashes through his mind.

"I'll be right there. Just a moment!” Harry calls loudly towards the door and hopes that it gets through to Louis.

Then he quickly grabs the empty packaging, collects everything that is proof of how fucked up Harry really is and, after a sprint to the kitchen, throws everything away in the bin.

It's rude to make Louis wait any longer and so he doesn't have time to take another quick detour to the bathroom. Harry doesn't even want to know what he must look like after last night. But after all, he doesn't have to look beautiful in front of Louis. He’s just a mate or at least on the way there and Harry convinces himself on the way to the front door that it doesn't matter how destroyed he looks. With one last deep breath, he finally pulls the door open and finds a grinning Louis in front of him, happily wiggling a bag next to his face.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he chirps, pushing past Harry, who just stares stupidly because how can Louis look so fresh in the early morning while he feels like he's been hit by a bus.

And so he can hardly defend himself against the very question that bubbles out of him.

“Why are you so fit early in the morning? You were probably in the club longer yesterday, right?”

He quietly closes the door again because, in addition to his nausea, he also has a headache coming.

“Have you ever looked at the clock? It's more like lunchtime and actually it's too late for breakfast," Louis simply replies and takes off his shoes, which he leaves standing in the middle of the hallway and unbothered steps into Harry's living room.

Frowning, Harry takes Louis' shoes and places them neatly next to his as he then hurries to follow Louis into the living room. Hopefully he has just put all the packaging away and hasn't forgotten anything.

But when he comes to Louis he exhales with a quick glance over his neat sofa. At first he doesn't even notice how the other man is staring at him, but when Harry’s gaze slides over to him, he finally sees Louis's intense but amused expression.

"You should take a shower darling," Louis finally grins, making Harry blush.

“I know… sorry to greet you like that. You woke me up and I, uhm, yeah… I'm sorry. I know it's rude to open the door to guests like that -“

Louis steps closer to Harry and places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently and stopping him with a slight shake of his head. “Hey, stop. All is well. I basically forced myself on you last night. Take a shower and freshen up in peace. If it’s okay with you, I’ll prepare breakfast in the meantime?”

Louis' eyes and his posture radiate such calm that Harry immediately relaxes and he internally wonders whether Louis has some kind of magical superpowers.

"Okay. Thank you,” Harry murmurs quietly and then quickly turns away from Louis.

As he rounds the corner into the hallway and towards his bedroom, he can't help but put a hand on his own shoulder, where Louis' was just now. Warm and smaller than his own. Harry has to close his eyes briefly to store the feeling it caused in him without knowing why. Or maybe he does - Louis has the potential to become his best friend. It can't be otherwise if just a touch gives him the security that he doesn't have to worry and Louis doesn't judge him because of his miserable appearance or seemingly in general.