Led By Your Beating Heart [L.S AU]

11

Things don't really change, after that.

They still hang out in each other's houses, but this time, instead of spending a lot of their time watching movies and starting food fights, they spend a lot of their time snogging while watching movies and starting food fights that end in fucking. They also start cuddling a lot, because Harry had discovered how tactile Louis was after they had sex for the first time, and he wants to use it to his advantage. Louis likes to cuddle things aggressively, and Harry likes to be cuddled aggressively, so it all works out fine.

Liam, Niall and Zayn tease him--if they were horrible before, they're merciless now, making fun of him whenever Louis texts. They even poke fun at his 'Louis' face', a face which, apparently Harry makes without fail, whenever he thinks of Louis.

"I don't make that face," Harry says, rolling his eyes, as Liam and Zayn try to replicate it, while waiting for their second rebrand meeting to start.

Niall studies them. "You're right," he says. "Yours is like, a hundred times worse."

Even Sara starts teasing him the handful of times they go out.

"You're smitten," she teases gently, laughing as they walk stroll through the park, pretending to be unaware of the paparazzi trailing them from behind. "You're a smitten kitten."

Harry shakes his head, trying not to smile too wide. "I'm not," he says. "He's just so..."

"Wonderful?" She supplies. "Amazing? Fantastic?"

Harry blushes. "All three."

"You are so gone," she laughs. She trots forward a bit, Harry walking quickly to keep up with her long strides. Apparently she really likes the park. "But seriously though, you seem so much happier, compared to that first time we had coffee."

"He makes me happy," Harry says, in a rare moment of honesty. He thinks for a bit. "Do you think it's strange that I'm basing my happiness off another person?"

She pauses for a moment. She tilts her head, deep in thought, before turning to him. "I think it's wonderful that you have someone who makes you this happy," she says, her brown eyes kind. She looks young, impossibly young in the sunlight, and Harry's painfully reminded that she's only two years older than him. "I think it's nice that you have someone who'll make you smile, despite all the hard times." She smiles at him, before pointing to a small flower stall. "Come on, let's go buy your boy a flower."

. . .

"Hey," says Harry, a few weeks later, while he and Louis are lying in Harry's bed, sweat still cooling on their skin. He reaches out, blindly searching for Louis' hand, before tangling their fingers together. "Lou."

"Mmm?" He hears Louis answer, muffled by his pillow. He always gets adorably sleepy after he orgasms. "Whassit?"

"Niall's having a barbeque on Saturday, after the meeting. " Harry says. He tugs at Louis' hand.

Louis kicks him. "Stop," he mumbles into his pillow, but he doesn't pull his hand away. It's nice.

Harry uses his thumb to trace the ridges of Louis' knuckles, to feel the skin between his thumb and index finger. He wonders what it would be like, to be able to hold Louis' hand freely, in public. What would it be like to kiss Louis in the middle of the street, without having to worry about who will see them or whether or not they'll have their photos plastered tomorrow morning? What would it feel like, to be able to take Louis out on proper dates, to be able to actually go to places other than Louis' apartment or Harry's house?

Which reminds him. He tugs at Louis' hand again. "Lou."

Louis grumbles. "What, Harry?" he asks, annoyed. Harry has to bite on his lower lip to tamp down his smile.

"Niall's having a barbeque on Saturday," he repeats.

Louis sighs. "So you've said."

There's a pause. Harry waits for Louis to say something.

Finally, he does. "You know, I'm not going to answer if you don't ask me properly," Louis says, long-suffering. Harry can feel him rolling his eyes, even in the dark.

"Do you want to come with me?" Harry asks, trying not to sound too amused with everything. He tugs Louis' hand once more, before lifting it and placing it around his shoulders. Louis grumbles but he moves closer to Harry, beginning to cuddle him.

"What am I gonna do there?" Louis asks.

"Eat," Harry says. He buries his face into Louis' neck. "Meet my band mates?" He presses a kiss on the side of Louis' neck. "Kiss me a little bit, maybe."

"Is 'leave you for Zayn Malik' an option there?" Louis asks, and Harry pouts into Louis' skin.

"You wouldn't."

"I wouldn't," Louis agrees, and then yawns. Harry thinks his heart grows a hundred sizes larger. He can't seem to get over how cute Louis truly is.

"So? Do you want to come?"

Louis hums in thought. "Of course, babe," he says, squeezing Harry tighter. "I'd love to go and meet your friends."

It's not a public date, not yet, but it's something.