Timeless - A Larry Stylinson FanFiction

Chapter 17

Louis’ frame was black in the darkness, the windows lighting his haunting silhouette in a glowing gray as he now only stood at the base of the steps in full view.

“Louis Tomlinson,” Harry said, so low it was only a whisper, dropping his spoon with fear. “I... I stopped by to leave some treatsfor you, as well as ask if you might have noticed the pin you gave me around here somewhere, for I have misplaced it the last time I was here.”

“The previous time you were here,” Louis said, voice gruff as his bare feet moved along the wood floor with a certain grace like no other. “Was intended to be the last time.”

Harry felt a lump deep in the back of his throat rise to the point just beyond his tongue, as true fear of being scolded for his actions set in.

“I-I am aware of that sir,” Harry stuttered. “I was just stopping by to see if you might have noticed where I might have dropped it, is all, and you’re uhm, tea kettle, you know, the one that’s uhm, the one that was on the stove, your stove, here in the kitchen, yeah that one, it uhm, it went off, so I thought it best to uhm, remove it, and pour it, it’s right here if you want it before it gets cold, Bushells is always best when it’s hot and steami-”

“I thought we talked about this,” Louis interrupted sternly, quickening his pace and picking up the spoon at Harry’s feet.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, voice thick with trepidation.

“I thought I told you way back when that you were to call me by my name,” Louis said, letting the spoon fall into the sink basin with a loud clatter. “And not sir.”

“M-my apologies,” Harry said, stopping himself before calling Louis sir once more.

A silence weaved roughly with informal butterflies passed the pair by, their wings clipped after a single minute by Louis’ heavy voice.

“Well you’re here,” Louis began a fresh sentence with a seemingly new attitude, the annoyance still lingering as but a mist amongst a cocky grin. “Might as well put sugar in that drink, yeah?” he said, words flowing calmly from his lips.

Harry pulled his bottom lip softly into his mouth with his front teeth, giving Louis a sheepish nod.

“That wasn’t an answer,” Louis blinked twice, easing his eyebrows upward.

“That wasn’t a question,” Harry said in reply without nothing more of a second thought. He, however, gulped under the pressure of Louis’s blue-eyed gaze. That was surely a snarky remark, not fit for a war hero and charming gentleman like Louis Tomlinson.

“Hmm,” Louis pressed his thin lips together as one, the peachy pink color fading in an instant. “This is how it’s going to be then, I see,” he stepped forward, one foot placed tentatively in front of the other, dodging the debris of a shattered plate.

“I-” Harry slid his tongue quickly between his drying lips. “I didn’t mean to come across so-”

“Cheeky?” Louis couldn’t help but manage a weak laugh at his word choice. He watched Harry’s adam’s apple, just peeking through his neck, twitch as he swallowed.

“No, not-”

“Brazen, then,” Louis gave a playful nod, sensing Harry growing nervous. It wouldn’t do much harm having a little fun with it. “Y’know, bold... with such attitude. Brash, for say. Brassy. I could go on all day, Harold.”

“It wasn’t intended to sound so-”

“Domineering,” Louis chuckled, stopping the boy’s speech. “Alright, I’ve surrendered the fun and games,” he blew out a slow breath. “Don’t be so tense.” He spun whimsically on his heels, facing the counter now.