There's More to the Picture Than Meets the Eye (Larry Stylinson AU)

Chapter Three

Happy Reading!

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CHAPTER THREE

The only thing keeping Louis' spirit up the next day is that when he gets home, he can weigh himself. He knows he shouldn't care, but nevertheless, he does care.

He thought that today Harry would show up at the coffee shop, like he said he would. But he didn't come. And now Louis just wants to get the hell out of the coffee shop and to his small flat.

When work ends he rushes to his home, kicking off his shoes and making his way to the scale. He steps upon it gingerly, watching the numbers rush around trying to find his weight. It comes up as the same weight as last time. To the tee, exactly the same as a month ago. Louis isn't exactly sure how to feel about that.

As he continues staring at the metal beneath his feet, he hears a knock at the door. He sighs, stepping away from the machine and slipping his shoes back on. He walks to the front of the flat and opens his door, revealing none other than Liam and Niall, as usual.

"Been meaning to ask you, how did you enjoy your birthday? Had enough fun? We weren't bringing you down too much?" Niall immediately yammers off, walking past Louis and into the flat.

"Sure, just come on in," says Louis sarcastically. Liam walks in and heads to the kitchen. "And no, lads, I had a great time. Actually, I, er, talked to that guy again yesterday," Louis adds awkwardly.

"The one that was like three heads taller than you?" asks Niall. Louis smacks him upside the head.

"Maybe." He can't help the faint blush that creeps out.

"Cute," says Liam, shaking his head and taking a sip of a beer he stole from Louis' fridge.

"Well, he showed up at the coffee shop, and we ended up hanging out after."

"A date?" asks Niall.

"I don't even know."

"Going to see him again?" Liam inquires.

"He said he would stop by the shop again today," says Louis. "But, erm, he didn't. So I dunno."

"Does he have your number?"

"Yes."

"Do you have his?"

"Yes."

"Shoot him a quick text or something, no harm. Ask the sucker why he didn't show up today," Niall suggests.

Louis retrieves his phone from his back pocket and finds Harry's number, typing out a quick text.

Where were you today? Work was boring 

That's all it says. Louis hopes it doesn't sound too desperate, and he sends it off.

Not a minute later, he gets a reply.

Sorry, I had already eaten when I remembered. Tomorrow?

Louis bites his lip to contain his smile.

Sure

He replies simply.

"What're you smilin' at, mate?" Niall slurs, bread from Louis' cupboard stuffed into his mouth.

"It's the cute boy, Ni. Just like when we were fifteen, he's all blushy!" Liam teases.

"Shut your traps," Louis retorts, but laughs all the same.

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Louis wakes up early for work the next day, which is a very surprising feat indeed. He gets ready quickly and practically has to force a small breakfast and pills down his throat.

He rushes off to work and gets there thirty minutes early.

"Why the hell are you here now?" Jennette asks, a bemused look on her face. "You don't have to arrive for another half hour!"

"Excuse me for taking pride in my work," Louis smirks. Jennette just rolls her eyes and doesn't question his unnaturally good mood.

A few hours into the job, a familiar brown set of curls emerges through the door of the café.

"Morning!" he calls, as if he is already a regular.

"Morning," Louis replies, struggling to keep his face normal. Harry smiles broadly at him, the puffs under his eyes protruding as he does so. Louis can't help but smile back at how perfectly adorable this Harry character really is. How after a few days of knowing him, he is already the highlight of Louis' day.

"Hey! Lovebirds!" a grouchy, short old man Louis didn't notice in line squawks. "Can I get my coffee in the next three years!?" he sarcastically complains.

"Er, uh," Louis stutters on his words again.

Harry quickly orders himself a coffee and moves out of the way for the disgruntled man to order. Even after he has received his coffee, he waits for the man to leave.

"Some guy, eh," Harry comments.

Louis shrugs. "I get that all the time." He can't help but blush a little when he thinks of what the man said. Lovebirds.

"Yeah, customers can be low lives, can't they? They think that just because you make less money than them and they're the ones ordering from you, that they can be twats to you. I get it all the time as a waiter. People are full of themselves." Louis stares at him a bit, realizing just how much he can relate.

"Exactly," he says. "Wow, I think that all the time."

"Yeah, and they know that there's nothing you can do about it, so they continue being jerks," Harry points out. Louis shakes his head. "People," he states. He's been really bad with words lately. Or at least, around Harry.

Harry smiles and lifts his coffee a bit in a waving sort of gesture. "Well, I've got to get to work now. See you tomorrow, Lou?" he asks. Lou.

Louis shakes his head. "Saturday, not coming in tomorrow. I only work weekdays." Harry nods, "Me too."

Louis notices the butterflies that flutter around his stomach at the thought that Harry is willing to take the time out of his day and come here, even when he doesn't have work.

"Maybe I could stop by your place?" Louis asks. "I dropped you off the other night, I remember where you live."

"Alright," Harry smiles. He grabs a pen off of the counter and takes Louis' hand. Louis gets a remarkable sense of déjà vu as Harry carefully pushes up Louis' sleeve. His eyebrows are furrowed cutely, as if he is looking for something on Louis' bare arm. He writes a few numbers on the skin.

"My address. Second floor. Come over at three," says Harry, setting the pen down.

"Bye!" Louis calls, feeling giddy. Harry returns the goodbye as he leaves the coffee shop. Louis turns around to be met with a pair of hazel eyes.

"Hm, don't remember the last time you had a date," his co-worker of nine months says, raising her eyebrows.

"I think that would be never," says Louis, chuckling a bit.

"Well, you'll have to tell me how it goes," she replies, smiling lazily. He wonders why they aren't better friends, after working together so long. Then again, Louis has always been the quiet type. Well, not always. But certainly for the past few years.

He's made it hard for anyone to become friends with him. Still, he likes to think he's more open now. Maybe Jennette can be more than a co-worker. And maybe Harry can be more than....whatever he is now.