Call or Delete

three.

"what're you up to?" harry asks, leaning back in the spinning chair.

louis smiles, leaning back in his desk chair, "i'm at work," he tells him, "wait, one second-" his voice cuts off as he pulls the phone away from his face. the student standing at his desk pretends she doesn't see the name "harry styles💕". because she knows that louis was on the xfactor the same time as one direction. she watched the whole thing. so she tried keeping calm when asking him about the script.

harry can faintly hear louis explain it to her, and he sends her off before going back to the phone call. "harry, you do know that i'm in the middle of class, right?" he asks.

harry blushes, "yeah," he mumbles, "i just... i wanted to see if you wanted to go out for a late lunch or something after you get off," he offers, and how can louis say no.

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when louis gets out of the building, he stops in his tracks. because harry is sitting in his car in the parking lot whilst students crowd from a distance. some are going up to him and getting pictures.

and louis doesn't question it. until he realizes that they're not at his house. which harry went to once when he visited him while they were on holiday break from the show, when louis was still on. this is different, though. this is his work. his job. a place he went to high school and a place harry had never even passed before. so it was a true wonder as to how he found him.

"jesus christ," he sighs with a smile. louis makes his way over to harry, squeezing through people. "mind if i get a picture too?" he asks.

harry grins, "course, but you've got to go out with me for it," he winks with a chuckle, "c'mon, get in. we're going out, my treat," he insists, leaning over and opening the other door.

louis smiles and walks in front of the car to the other side. he slides into the seat, and harry has to just look at him for a second, because it's been so so long and he still isn't used to how different but the same he looks.

"you are truly beautiful, you know," harry tells him, causing him to blush and look away.

he rolls down his window, "i'll reschedule your test on thursday if you all move away from the car!" he shouts to the students, who all move to the side after hearing what he said.

harry grins as he drives off onto the now clear road, "where do you fancy going?" he asks louis, who bites his lip in response.

"uh, not sure. but im guessing you haven't been in donny for years so we need to go to paserello's," he tells him.

harry cuts him off before he goes on, "didn't you bring something from there when you came back from visiting your family?" he points out.

louis' face softens, "when we were on the xfactor."

"yeah, and i took a bite of your weird croissant thing and you let me finish it because i liked the cream inside," he laughs, glancing over at louis, who nods absentmindedly.

"how'd you remember that?" he asks.

harry shrugs, "couldn't forget. it was a week before you left," his voice got a bit quiet, not knowing if it was a soft spot for the other man.

"it's fine, harry. i'm fine that i didn't make it. i like how my life turned out," he shrugs.

"even with me coming back in it?" harry asks.

"yeah, even with you coming back in," louis' voice is soft, and he smiles at harry. even if his eyes are on the road instead, where louis can only hope they stay.

he snaps back into reality, leaning his elbow on the console, "how'd you know where i work? you've never been there before and i didn't even have a job when we left off," he wondered.

harry's cheeks went to a light shade of pink, and Louis pretends he never saw it. "i looked you up. you told me you were a teacher and i know you live in doncaster since your instagram has 'donny boy' in it. also because i always look at your account when you post something new," he glances at louis, "i really never got over you, so it was easy to keep up with you," a smile spread on his face, as well as louis'.

❊ ❊ ❊ ❊

paserello's had been updated in 2013. harry didn't care for the big change since he had never been there, and louis was fine with it as well since he helped out with the demolition progress. but he can't help but wonder what the situation would be like if he had taken younger harry there and then have all their memories be gone with this new design.

he pouts at the idea, sure that they'd just make new ones. but then he shakes his head, because he shouldn't be getting ahead of himself.

"what's the best thing to get here?" harry asks, looking to the side at louis.

the older man looks at him, tearing his eyes from the menu. "uh," he starts, "you'd like the strawberry tart," he says, watching harry's eyes skim over the foods in the glass case until he finds what louis told him.

the treat looks delicious, and harry smiles, because yeah, he does think he'll like that one. it looks sweet and flaky yet gooey with that frosting that lays on it. it reminds him of strawberry shortcake, the show he watched for about three years. the movie that he still has because of the way they made the case of it smell of strawberries (i actually own it lmao). he'd never tell anyone that, though. it's kept at his mums house.

he pushes aside the thought, and goes up to the counter, "can i have a strawberry tart, and," he looks to louis, "what do you want, love?" he asks.

louis shakes his head, "no, i'll pay for mine separate," he tells harry.

the younger only shakes his head, "no, you won't. what'd you want?" he smiles.

louis blushes, "the apple crumble muffin," he says. the woman working the counter nods, and takes the order down.

"no, you take that," she says. louis looks up from his shoes, watching martha refuse the money from harry, who keeps insisting to give it to her. "it's on the house, for you two. about time i saw louis happy with a nice man like you," she says, which makes louis scrunch up his nose.

"martha," he whines.

harry looks back at him, beaming. in his eyes they seem like they've known each other forever, and maybe they have. but he doesn't know and doesn't bother asking. "fine," he sighs, "take tip, then," he says, stuffing the money he was going to use to pay into the tip jar instead. the woman drops her jaw at him, then purses her lips with a sincere look in her eyes. she's seen nice men but people like harry only come once in a lifetime.

harry grabs the food, and turns to louis, guiding him to a table near the window. they sit down, and louis just suddenly chuckles as he takes his muffin. "you are unbelievable," he shakes his head, a fond smile playing on his lips.

harry grins, "thanks," he nods, "you're not too shabby yourself," he says, making louis smile so big he has to hide himself in his hands, sighing loudly before looking back up.

"what on earth did i do to loose someone like you, harry styles," he fonds at the boy.

and harry fonds right back.

-

I'm sorry this chapter is really useless lmao but whatever I just wanted to get SOMETHING up for you all and this is what happened.