Dark || larry

5.4

Nick's POV

"I'm telling you this as a friend. You're a soppy idiot."

I played with my beer bottle, noticing the liquid that sloshed around inside had begun to dwindle. The hope that Niall would have retrieved another one for me was scarce. He was in full on charm mode as he tried and failed to chat up the girls perched on the wall to our right.

"Why?" Harry laughed.

"Have you seen yourself lately? You've changed."

"I don't see that as a bad thing though," he replied, "I quite like it."

He'd softened up and it was because of him. Little doe-eyed Louis.

"You're turning a bit wet, mate. No-one is going to take you seriously if you carry on."

"I'm not a push over," he almost snarled in defence.

I cracked a smile as a solid fist thumped my shoulder. My hand clutched the bottle, determined to save the little remaining alcohol. The old Harry was still there, perhaps buried beneath a few squishy, pink hearts and god-awful flowers. But I don't think he could ever really put that behind him, not with that much raw emotion. I knew what was going on in that house when we were younger. You couldn't just bury all those memories, no matter how big the hole or the shovel.

"I haven't miraculously lost the ability to smash your face in," Harry continued to bite back.

I'd forgotten how easy it was to wind him up. He was a laid-back guy to get along with, but god forbid you insult his aptitude to throw a punch and you'd be laid out on the floor in a second. It took a lot longer for them to get up. I'd seen it happen.

"I don't doubt that," I lightly laughed.

He refused the beer I offered to get him. And when I made my way back, all be it slightly distracted and swaying, I could tell he was looking at him. I hung back a little, observing the unreserved attention given to the male that carefully tottered around the edge of the pool. He laughed as Hayley called up to him from the water, occasional splashes being exchanged in teasing play.

It surprised me when Louis' small stumble had Harry flinch in his seat, almost as if he was ready to jump up at a seconds notice. Louis regained his balance (or lack of it), falling back into her tip-toeing pattern. Louis must have sensed his concern upon him, because a small smile confirmed he was fine.

"What was that?"

"What?" Harry glanced up, following me as I took my seat beside him once more.

I nodded in the direction of Louis.

"Oh, Louis' not a very strong swimmer. I don't.. I just don't want him falling in." He glanced at him once more. "We're going to swim together later."

My thought processes were interrupted.

"Oi, Haz!" A guy shouted down from the house. "Nialler!"

The jeering prompted Niall in the diversion of his entertaining conversation with his newly found lady friends. He tipped two fingers from his forehead in a confirmed salute before bidding farewell and joining Harry in the journey up to the house.

I'd been told to keep an eye on Louis. So when he wandered back over to the seating I was going to take the opportunity to question him on his plans for the future, where he saw himself in five years time and his intentions concerning young Harry. Politely, of course.

"So, you and Harry?" I began.

He had chosen the seat opposite mine and to the left, picking up the drink he'd left on the small garden table in the middle.