courage // larry au // COMPLETED

08

Harry and Liam lived off campus, but they were thinking about moving into the dorms like Louis because it was cheaper and it was quicker to get to classes. Needless to say Liam and Harry were always late.

Louis didn't own a car himself, since he broke his most recent one. A frog was crossing the street in front of his car, he panicked and ended up crashing into the nearest tree. He was too ashamed to admit this story though, so if anyone asked, he crashed into a tree because he was drunk.

For the time being, he had permission to use his roommate's. They got into the car and Louis started the engine with a sigh.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. "We could stop at McDonald's or Taco Bell. I know you love Taco Bell."

Harry shook his head, quietly saying, "No, I'm good, thank you."

Louis looked over at him. He seemed really tense. Did I do something wrong? This was unusual for Harry, sure. Being brought home by someone he had previously slept with, as opposed to leaving while they're still sleeping.

But Louis could sense something else was wrong. "You alright?" he asked.

Harry gave him an evidently forced smile and placed his hand over the small one on the gearshift lever. "I'm okay. Don't worry."

Louis was so torn. On the one hand, Harry Styles was a player who clearly separated every single emotion from any kind of intimacy and he had obviously been avoiding being too intimate with him in the past hours, which he usually had not cared about at all.

But on the other hand, every now and again he had been so gentle and soft towards him that Louis felt like he wasn't just playing around. But that was Harry for you, a sweetheart.

It took them a bit longer than Louis had hoped to get to Harry and Liam's house because Louis didn't want to crash the car again by driving too fast in the rain and slipping.

"We don't need the umbrella." Harry said as Louis pulled his sister's pink "Rihanna" umbrella out from under the backseat as it was still raining cats and dogs.

"Yes, we do," Louis retorted. "Otherwise I wouldn't have driven you here, because you would get just as wet and still catch a cold."

Louis opened the umbrella and they hurried through the front garden to Harry's front door. He pulled out his keys and opened the door, throwing his bag into the corner of the corridor.

"Okay.." Louis said unnecessarily slowly to fill up the silence as he didn't know what to say, taking a step back. "So, goodbye, then.. I guess, I'll see you on Monday."

"Yeah," Harry said, just as careful and slow as the boy in front of him had. "Bye."

Louis turned on his heel and rushed back to the car.

Maybe- he could have- what if he had given him a kiss goodbye?

Harry closed the door, hesitating for a second. "I should've kissed him goodbye.." he mumbled, immediately regretting not having done it. He didn't even wonder why he wanted to, it just felt natural.

He heard the car door shut and sighed. It was too late now anyway. Seconds later someone knocked on the door and he opened, wondering who it could be so quickly after Louis's depart, a flicker of hope sparking in him.

Louis stood in front of him again, slightly out of breath, his shirt soaking wet, his brown hair sticking to his face like leeches. "Forgot something," he mumbled, pulling the dry boy closer towards him and lightly pecked him on the lips. "Bye." he said and sprinted back to his car.

Harry stared after him, taken by surprise, as he rolled out of the driveway and disappeared. A smile crept onto his lips and he shut the door, a pleasant warmth filling his body. And then salty tears filled his eyes and blurred his vision.

"Where have you been?" Liam mumbled when he entered the kitchen, his mouth full of toast.

"At Louis's." Harry hoped desperately for him not to notice him crying.

The eating boy smiled slightly, very focused on the art of eating his toast. "Good. I had almost thought you had still been with Allison - that would've gotten me worried. How is he, then?"

"Fine, I guess." His voice broke while speaking and Liam's warm eyes shot up to him in concern.

He immediately got up and walked towards the upset boy, taking his hand and pulling him to the couch. "Oh God, Harry. What happened?"

He couldn't talk. The tears streamed down his cheeks like waterfalls and his body felt really weak all of a sudden.

Liam gently patted his back, patiently waiting for him to calm down. Harry let his head fall against his chest and hooked his fingers into his shirt.

"What's wrong?" he said quietly, a few minutes after the curly haired lad had stopped sobbing and had enough time to collect himself.

He took a long, deep breath before speaking, "I went to Allison's Friday night. Next morning, I went to Louis' home and we spent the day together but something was weird.." he paused.

"Was it something he did?" Liam asked, rubbing his back.

"No. Yes. Kind of-" Harry shook his head. "We.. had sex last night."

Liam's eyes widened. "What? I didn't think of Louis as someone who would have a one night stand with his friends."

"He isn't. That's just it. It wasn't a one night stand. I stayed. I didn't want it to be a one night stand."

Harry could tell Liam was trying to contain his happiness about the possibility of him and Louis getting together but at the same time he knew what Harry was going to say next.

"I think- I think I really like, him Liam." he said, the tears coming up again. "I think I am falling for him. I am so scared I'm falling for him."

"Harry, you know Louis. He wouldn't-"

"I don't care. I don't care!" He buried his face in the palms of his hands. "I am so scared, Liam."