The New Sitter

Part 3

Title: The New Sitter

Pairing(s): Harry/Louis (Larry/Lourry)

Rating: PG

Word Count: 6,364

Summary: Harry's mother has always been overly protective of her son, but when she accidentally hires Harry's crush from high school to be his new baby sitter, Harry realizes his one-sided crush from high school may not be as hopeless and one-sided as he thought. 

Disclaimers: Some mild angst, then some heavier angst, but some goodness to balance it all out.

~~~~~

Harry's mother paced the kitchen. She figured that she must be overreacting, surely. She paced as she tried to figure out how to breach the subject to Harry. She wanted to talk about the issue, but also wanted to be delicate with the subject. She had trouble in the past when she approached a topic too aggressively. In the past, Harry became indignant and defensive quickly which usually left whatever the initial problem was unresolved. She wanted to avoid a repetition of the past -- especially with such a sensitive subject. She knew Harry was still awake, but reasoned that it may be too late to talk to him. She focused herself, though, and decided that it was now or never.

"Harry, dear, would you come down here?"

Harry thunked his way down the stairwell. He expected to see his mother in a set of exuberant heels and a flashy dress, but instead found her in her night robe with slippers in the kitchen. She sat in the dim light of the overhead light on the stove with a cup of tea in her hand. She looked very tired. When he entered the kitchen, he checked the clock on the oven's display. It glowed a bright green 12:15 am.

"Yeah, mum?" He advanced further into the dimly lit kitchen cautiously as one would with a situation where they are not sure of what exactly is about to occur.

"Sit down, dear, we need to talk." His mother indicated a stool near the island in the middle of the kitchen. Harry slowly approached the stool and perched himself on it. His mother sighed and rubbed her hand across her forehead, then down the side of her face. She rested her chin into her palm and looked at Harry in silence for a moment.

In the silence, Harry's heart pounded. The situation with his mother felt like an inquisition. He frantically tried to piece together the last night Louis had stayed over. He remembered their kiss, remembered sleeping on the couch together, and he remembered being woken up by his mother nudging Louis. Louis slept so closely to Harry that the nudge caused both of them to wake, but his mother's reaction had been normal. She did not seem disturbed or confused. She just thanked him, paid him, and walked him out. Surely, she had not figured out they kissed?

"Harry, I'm seeing someone," his mother quickly blurted out. The words startled Harry, but his mother looked equally as shocked. It seemed, to Harry, like his mother was not even sure of what words she was looking for before they came out of her mouth.

"What do you mean?" Harry knew his mother had signed up for a dating service, but so far she'd never mentioned anyone by name. His mother always used the phrase "I'm meeting up with someone." Harry never thought it was always someone different, but he also never thought it was someone new -- he simply did not think about it. His lack of attention made this news startling even though it wasn't unexpected.

"The past handful of times I've gone out, I've been seeing the same person. His name is Richard and I really think you'd like him, Hazza." Harry's mother smiled weakly at her son. She sighed again as she approached the difficult part of her disclosure to her son. "And..." Her voice trailed off. She took a sip of tea as she prepared herself.