waves || larry stylinson

III

Louis avoided the pool a few days after that. It wasn't because he was afraid it'd be awkward. Duh. Louis Tomlinson's not afraid of anything. He just wasn't all too keen on learning how to swim anymore. And I mean, it wasn't even that hot. When the twins practically begged Louis to take them back to the pool a couple days later because "it's so bloody hot" and "people's shoes are sticking to the pavement", Louis finally cracked.

When he saw Harry sitting in a pool chair and sadder than he'd ever seen him, Louis' heart fucking convulsed and he swore right then he'd never do that to him again.

Louis headed over to where he saw Harry sitting and plopped into the pool chair beside him. Harry glanced up at him and a small smile flitted across his face.

It was quiet for a while until Louis couldn't stand the silence anymore and asked, "Heard people's flip flops were sticking to the sidewalk."

It wasn't until after the words had come out of his mouth that he realized he'd said it in an American accent. And an actual good one too. Well - okayish - but what his mother doesn't know won't kill her.

Harry raised an eyebrow and retorted in a British accent, "'Tis a bloody hot day, isn't it?"

Louis snorted. "C-. Gotta work on your 'innits' though."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the dimple making its way into Harry's cheek and he thought, yeah, we're gonna be alright.

➵

Ever since then, they tried not to bring it up. Everyone does gay stuff sometimes, he kept telling himself, platonic or not (but this was like, completely platonic in every way, shape, and form).

Like tonight, the last night before school starts and Louis was having a total anxiety attack. He vaguely considered calling Harry simply because misery likes company, when he heard a rapping on his window. Jumping out of his skin, he considered the consequences of opening the window to see who it was. So far, Louis was sure it was either 1. A murderer or 2. A zombie that feasts on terrified 17 year old's that are on their final year of high school (see, he is getting better with American lingo).

Deciding to take his chances because it could be Harry answering his telepathic S.O.S. (but taking a bat just in case it wasn't), he head towards the window. Taking a deep breath, he threw open the window and held up the bat in a threatening position.

The voice outside the window shrieked and Louis leaned his head outside to see the face behind the womanly shriek, coming face to face with a pair of big green doe eyes and a huge dimpled smile.

"Hiii."

Louis laughed. "Why are you here? And how'd you even get up here? Shimmy up the drainpipe?"

Grinning, Harry rested his arms against the windowsill.

"It was pretty easy, actually," Harry said, pouting. "And I'm here because it's our last night of freedom."

"Fair enough. Are you coming inside or...?"

Harry leaned back and glanced up at the sky. "I think you should come outside, actually."

Louis sighed and glanced out his door. If his mum or sisters wake up...

"Please." Harry pouted.

"Fine," he groaned. "One second."

"What are you-"

"Patience child." Louis said, heading over to his bed to grab the blankets and pillows.

When he turned back to Harry, he was pouting again. "I'm only a couple years younger than you."

Louis stepped through his windowsill and put both feet on the balcony. "But you're still my baby," he said, patting Harry's dimpled cheek.

Harry grinned and walked over to the edge of the balcony, humming Look After You by The Fray.

Smiling and shaking his head, Louis laid the pillows and sheets out over the deck and laid on them. Harry turned around and smiled when he saw Louis.

"Don't just stand there, smiling at me dumbly. Get over here."

Harry laughed and laid down next to Louis, the both of them staring up at the stars in a comfortable silence.

"Crazy, huh? How the stars seem so close but they're so far away."

Louis hummed in response. After a beat, Louis said, "It felt like that with school at the beginning of summer."

Harry giggled softly and nodded. "It feels like that with a lot of things."

Louis saw Harry sneak glances at him out of the corner of his eye but he didn't say anything. After a while, Harry sighed and turned his entire body to Louis.

"I don't wanna go to school tomorrow."

Louis chuckled. "You sound like my sisters."

Harry buried his head in Louis' shoulder and groaned loudly and Louis barked a laugh. "Shh! You'll wake everyone up," he said.

"Can't we just stay out here and admire the stars forever?"

"Depends on how long your definition of forever is."

"As long as the school year goes for," Harry said, in-between yawns.

"That's not very long, Haz."

Harry frowned and after a beat of silence he said, "Then as long as you're willing to put up with me."

"That could be a long time."

They both fell asleep with a smile on their lips.

And if his mum found them both outside, fast asleep in the morning, then so be it.