Dare To Love

30 - Lucky

☆ Warning: Mature content. This is your smut warning! ☆ 

. . . . .

Louis' brows furrowed in his sleep as the distinct feeling that he was being watched trickled in through the haze of dreaming and brought him to the surface. He'd gotten a few hours of sleep, but that was ruined-not by his own thoughts, but by something heavy dropping on top of him and startling him awake. His eyes flew open, and then yelped as he came face to face with the wide blue eyes hovering over his face, close enough to make him cross-eyed before he felt tiny hands press at his cheeks.

"Hi!" Ernest shouted in his face, their faces so close that their noses brushed.

"What the fuck!" Louis exclaimed, clapping a hand over his mouth in realization.

Ernest tilted his head in confusion for a moment, brows furrowing in confusion. He narrowed his eyes at Louis, his mouth moving wordlessly, as if he was working it all out before speaking. "Fuck!"

"Don't say that!" Louis exclaimed, looking around the room in panic, but a smile pulled at the corners of his lips.

He sat back against the headboard, the memories of the previous night flooded back to him in a rushing wave. He was in his childhood home, in his old bed with his younger brother sprawled out next to him and smiling so big that it looked like it had to hurt. And most importantly, coming out to his mum hadn't been another dream.

Well, that was awkward, he thought.

"Why?"

"Because if mum hears," Louis explained, pointing a finger to the small boy than to himself. "I'm gonna get in big trouble."

"Why?"

"Because little kids can't say that word."

"Why?"

"Uh," Louis mulled that one over for a moment. "It's a bad word."

"Why?" Ernest's goofy grin made it clear that he was enjoying their little game.

"Enough questions buddy," he said and ruffled his hair. "Where did you come from?"

"My room, silly!" Ernest kicked his legs up and down on the mattress as he lay on his belly next to Louis. "What you doing?"

"I was sleeping," Louis grumbled, rubbing at his tired eyes.

"Oh," he replied, drawing out the word. "Time to open presents!"

"Presents?" Louis asked, brows furrowing even though he already knew the answer.

"Yeah!" He leaned on his elbows. "Santa came!"

"Wow," Louis said, wincing as his brother screamed and doing his best to sound excited even though he was beyond tired and hungover. He wanted nothing more than to pull the covers over his head. "What did you ask for Christmas?"

The little boy's face scrunched up in thought. "Oh, um," he then shrugged. "I don't know."

"I see," Louis chuckled, the sound still a bit raspy from having just woken up.

"Good morning!" A voice cooed as Johannah slipped into the room, dressed in a robe. She smiled apologetically at her oldest son before catching Ernest as he jumped to his feet, hopping on the bed twice, and then leaping at his mother. She swung him around before setting him on his feet on the floor and patting his bottom. "Ernest, why don't you go play dinosaurs while Louis gets dressed?"

"Presents?" Ernest asked, jutting out his bottom lip.

"After Louis gets dressed," she promised, raising a brow. "Okay?"