He Noticed || Larry au

1.7

Junior year

"Lou I don't want to." Harry whines as he stays put in the booth him and Louis chose. Louis sighs, pushing Harry's legs open and squatting between them.

"You don't have to say anything okay? I'll answer all the questions you just stand there and look pretty." Louis says and pinches Harry's cheek. Harry smiles, dimples indenting his cheeks as he finally gives in and takes ahold of Louis' hand.

Louis knew Harry has social anxiety, but he honestly didn't know it was to the point where he even hates being in any area where people could look at him or possibly judge him.

So Louis decided that he was going to help Harry break that anxiety, because Harry is beautiful and his voice is deep, maybe he talks a bit slow but Harry deserves to be heard. Louis just had to ease him into enjoying being heard.

"What do you want?" Louis asks as they stand in line. Harry shifts uncomfortably, tucking himself under Louis' arm and speaking into his shoulder.

"White chocolate mocha." Harry says. He wraps his arms around Louis' waist loosely, burrowing his head deep into Louis' neck and shoulder.

"Whip cream?" Louis asks. Harry nods, looking up at Louis as Louis looked down on him. After a few moments of just staring at one another Louis grins, chuckling softly and kissing Harry's forehead.

"What?" Harry laughs as he locked his fingers together on Louis' waist. Louis softly rubs his arm, still smiling.

"You're just so cute." Louis says. Harry blushes, tucking his face back into Louis' neck.

What Louis has noticed that he sees as an improvement, it when he compliments Harry he doesn't get a sarcastic snort, or a 'stop lying to me' anymore. He now gets a response over Harry blushing or giggling and it makes him happy because his compliments make Harry bashful. Instead of immediately being quipped with a negative remark Louis gets bashfulness, and if that's not progress Louis doesn't know what is.

Louis orders for them, Harry even manages to give the barista a smile when she looks at him. He blushes as her eyes flicked from Louis to him, it's only then Harry realizes he's clinging to Louis like a koala. But he doesn't back off, just snuggling more into him.

When they go sit down and are waiting for their drinks to be called the pair play footsie under the table, Harry using Louis' hands to squish his face up.

"Louis and Harry?" The barista calls out. Harry doesn't budge, expecting Louis to go get the drinks.

"Harry, will you go get the drinks?" Louis says. Harry freezes, looking over to where the drinks were.

"What if I trip?" Harry says and Louis chuckles.

"You may be a human Bambi but in sure you can manage love. Come on, it's not that far." Louis softly coaxed. Harry nods, getting up and retrieving the drinks, even going over to the little stand and grabbing two straws.

He places Louis' iced tea in front of him and Louis thanks him, smiling proudly as Harry also beams at him.

Progress, they're making progress.