Social Casualty

ten

Louis grins when seeing Harry at the door, "Hi gorgeous," he winks, then giggles and pulls him past the door to kiss him.

Harry pulls away from it, "My sister is here," he mumbles, jerking his head to the side. The shorter girl stands awkwardly talking to Boozer.

"Oh- Booze! Mind your fuckin manners," he swats him away. "Sorry bout him. I'm Louis, it's so nice to meet you," she lets him go in for a hug.

"You too. Heard bout you and Harry. Didn't know if you're trustworthy enough for him here though, so I came to check things out," she rocks back on her heels.

Louis' face lights up, "You're moving in?!" he grins, hand subtly on the boy's hip.

Harry can feel his neck flush, but nods, "Yeah," he suppresses his smile, but Louis just lets his all out.

"Sick. You have all your things with you?" Harry nods, and Louis goes to the car with him.

"How long has your sister known?" he asks a bit quieter.

Harry glances at the girl from where he can see her, "Last night. she kinda tricked me into telling her. She's real nervous for me, so she decided to meet you to make sure I'm in good hands," he rolls his eyes. "She says if she doesn't like you then I can't move in, but I don't think she'll actually stick to that if she ends up not liking you."

Louis throws a bag around his shoulder, and carries the rest of his share in his arms. Harry carries the leftover belongings and follows him up to his room.

"You'll be sharing a room?" Gemma asks hesitantly.

Harry doesn't think anything of it. He gives her a look. "I'm dating him, Gem," he mumbles, a bit embarrassed.

She shrugs, "What'll you do if Mum ever came to see you?"

He scrunches his nose, "I don't think I'd give her the address. S'weird."

"But still, Harry. She'd notice that your room isn't entirely your own," she crosses her arms.

He purses his lips, and looks to Louis, "Should we be worrying about this? She might have a point," he chews on his lip.

Instead of assuring him, Louis just smirks, "Harr, does your mum go into your room now?" he asks.

He goes to speak, but stops, "No."

Louis raises his eyebrows, "That's what I thought," he knocks the box with his knuckle. "We can unload later. Gemma, I'll introduce you to the lads? Probably should know who you are considering they'll be living with your brother," he leads her and Harry out of the room and back down to the kitchen.

All of the boys except for Randall and Dean are gathered on the couches and floor; Bobcat being the only one doing schoolwork. "Why don't you do your work at the table?" Louis jerks his thumb behind him. He gives a small shrug in return.

Louis turns back to Harry and Gemma, "Alright, well, that's Bobcat- also known as Robert-"

"No one calls me that!"

Louis smiles, "Him and Randall are both the youngest. Last year in secondary school. Randall will probably work with his uncle but Bobcat is going to get further schooling and be an English professor," Gemma raises her eyebrows at that.

"M'not doin that. Not smart enough," he grumbles, but Dean kicks his foot.

"Yes you are, you know you are."

"Uh, which one is Randall?"

Harry jumps in, "He's not here. Lives with his aunt and uncle, they keep him on a tight leash sometimes."

"I'm Dallas," he raises an arm up. "I don't live here but my love and appreciation keeps me in the club," Louis rolls his eyes at his remark.

"Anyway, that's Stanley," he's sat on the carpet leaning back against the couch. They're all watching mickey mouse on the telly. "He's movin in soon. Works at a corner store," he flicks Boozer's head. "You've met Boozer. He can be an arsehole but we love him," he notices Harry practically murdering his lip with how nervous he is for his sister to like these boys.

Dean comes in and tosses his jean jacket on a chair at the kitchen table, "Who's this?"

Harry turns, "My older sister."

"Harry's moving in!" Louis beams at his friend, who doesn't look surprised in the least.

"Wicked. Good timing cause I'll be moving out with Dana soon," he wiggles his eyebrows.

Louis gasps, Bobcat lets out a laugh. The rest of the group have all their attention on Dean. "You getting hitched?"

Dean shoves his hands in his jean pockets, "Maybe, if she wants to."

"Make sure I'm front and center, mate!" Bobcat winks jokingly at him.

Dean doesn't look impressed, "You realize you'd be my best man, kitty-cat," he smirks. Bobcat doesn't even comment on the name. It's only Dean that ever calls him that, after all.

The boy shoots up, "You serious?!"

"Course, dimwit, you's the little brother I never wanted," he laughs as his friend practically jumps on him.

"I... that's Dean," Louis shakes his head with a fond smile. "Very eventful day, I guess."

Harry laughs, then covers his mouth. Gemma snorts. It's evident in the moment that they're related.

By the time Gemma is set to leave, Harry still doesn't know what she thinks of it all. "So?" he puts his seat belt on to drive her home.

"What?" she picks at her nails.

"Do you like them? And Louis? Do you like Louis? Cause he's kind of the most important part of it all. If you haven't noticed I'm in some ways risking my life to be with him," he rambles, and forces the urge to gnaw on his lip.

Gemma scowls, "Harry, if I didn't like them we wouldn't have left your things there."

He glances at her every few seconds, "Are you serious?"

"Yup," she leans her head against the window.

"What."

"Nothing."

"Gemma," he warns.

She giggles, "Nothing! That Boozer kid was cute, is all," she crosses her arms.

Harry grimaces, "You are not doing anything with him," she only waves him off.

"Oh shush, I wasn't planning on it," they let it get quiet for a moment, but she eventually speaks up again. "Harr... you know that if anything were to happen and you needed help or support or anything, you come right to me, okay? Marley too. Let her in about you and Louis so she knows. They've all always been okay with... you know. Guys and guys."

"Gay?" he quirks a smile at her. "Not a bad word," her face gets all red.

"I'm new at this, let me live."

He drops Gemma off, and after a long hug goes back to Louis' place. Which he supposes is now his place too. The boy is sat on the counter with his legs dangling off, what's left of his sandwich in one hand and a comic book in the other.

"Whose is that?" Harry's leans back against the ledge in between his legs.

Louis, taking the last bite, uses his now free hand to slide it blindly through Harry's hair, "Stanley's," his voice is muffled by food. He looks up, a tiny pout left on his lips. "Always forget you've got short hair now."

Harry scoffs, "Don't remind me," his head falls back lazily on Louis' shoulder.

"Hey, never said it wasn't hot," Louis offers.

Harry giggles. He pinches his boyfriend's knee and blows air in his face when he leans down for a kiss. "I'm offended," Louis states.

"That's unfortunate."

"You two, are disgusting," Dallas fake chokes.

Harry only laughs, and Louis throws his arms around his neck from behind, grinning fondly into his shoulder.