Dignified Minds, Tempted Hearts

8 - the morning after

Harry wakes up to the familiar sound of birds chirping. Ever since he moved into the small town Bibury, every morning he is greeted with the sounds of nature and small streaks of sunlight fighting their way through his blinds.

He loves the feeling, he has to admit. It's the perfect way to start his day.

One thing that is different, however, is the body pressed against his back and the arms wrapped around his waist, securing him into once place. Harry stiffens once he realizes who that certain person is and he panics, considering Louis' clear request to not touch him or get near him.

Well, technically Louis got near him and started hugging him, the pillow that Harry placed between them probably fallen onto the floor, but still, Harry feels like he broke a major promise and went against Louis' wishes.

So, he is about to quickly scramble out of bed and pretend like this never happened. Maybe he would tell Louis about it one day. The day that Louis would hate him less and wouldn't punch him once he told him, if that day ever came...

But just as he is about to wiggle his way out of Louis' strong hold, he can feel movement behind him and a string of curse words being muttered dangerously close to his ear.

Louis moves his face backward and the curse words become a little more muffled for him to hear, and soon he can feel the body move away from the bed and seconds after he hears the door of his room being closed.

Harry groans and rolls to lay down on his back, his hands covering his eyes as he replays the events that just happened and thinks back to the things that happened the night before.

He is utterly fucked.

Louis hated him already and now it would be so much worse.

And Harry isn't fond of the older man either, he isn't going to sugar coat his feelings towards him, but yesterday, seeing him that vulnerable... It was difficult to still hate him as much as he did before after that, knowing that deep down, there is a man with feelings and probably some trauma.

So, he makes the promise to himself to go a little bit more easy on Louis from now on, but to still stand his ground. He can only imagine Louis not being the kind of fellow that appreciates pity, so he doesn't want to make it obvious that he feels any form of sympathy toward the man.

With that thought in mind, he walks down the stairs, following Louis' tracks. There is already some conversation downstairs, Harry's ears perceive, and his curiosity makes him slow down his steps and try to catch some words.

Sadly, he can't make out any of the words being communicated, so he decides that's his queue to just enter the room and to get on with it.

Three pairs of eyes meet his as he walks into the living room and he gives the guys a small wave as a yawn escapes from his lips. "Morning."

Niall seems frozen, his eyes wide and his mouth hung open. Slowly, he lifts his right hand and moves it upward to point at Harry. "Is that fucking Harry Styles?"

"Mate, how much did you drink yesterday?" Zayn mutters as his hangover state tries to recharge after their night with a coffee that he seemed to have made in the kitchen, steam escaping one of Harry's cat mugs.

"I thought it was a fucking dream!" Niall exclaims, standing up and walking toward Harry, making sure his eyes aren't deceiving him. "He has the tattoos and he looks way better than the Madame Tussauds version."

"Harry Styles is actually here and can hear you talk about him, you know." Zayn yells from the kitchen, probably helping himself to something to eat too.