Hamburgers and Summer Time

Chapter 8

When Louis arrived to work that morning, everything almost felt like nothing changed.

He entered the small breakroom to find Liam sitting at the small table, eyes drifting on a page of the book he’d been reading for a while. On his side, there was Zayn with his pale boytoy perched on his lap, lips locked, tan hands steady on Niall’s hips. Liam looked up at Louis’ just when he entered and gave him a simple nod with his head, no doubt trying to ignore the couple’s affection on his other side. Louis had no idea for how long Liam had endured them but from the look on his face, it had already been far too long.

Louis moved to his locker, trying to hide his deception that Harry hadn’t arrived yet. It didn’t mean Harry wasn’t going to come that day, he was always the last one, but Louis couldn’t help but worry something happened.

“Hey Lou, did you find a way to Narnia or something ?”

“Niall, Narnia is in a closet not a locker.” Liam replied, eyes never leaving his page so Niall’s pout went unnoticed by the brown haired boy.

Louis took his head out of his tiny locker and turned around to face the Irish boy.

“I thought I dropped something, but apparently I didn’t.” he lied easily as the other boy bought it.

“Boys!” Mr. P’s voice echoed in the small room. “Are you all ready ?” Louis’ eyes darted quickly around the room but he still couldn’t find the younger boy.

“Where’s the curly ? Late again ? He already missed yesterday, he better have a really good reason.”

“I do.” came the husky voice Louis couldn’t get enough behind the old man.

Mr. P turned around to face the latter and raised his eyebrows in surprise. Louis’ eyes met Harry’s for a second and the older lad couldn’t hide the wide grin spreading on his face, missing the knowing look on both Liam and Zayn’s face and Niall’s puzzled one.

“Mr.Payne, you’ll take Blondie’s place at the Drive-In window, we don’t want to spread his sickness through the headset to the other employees now, do we ?” Liam shook his head and the boss smiles creepily to his best employee and turned his heels to walk through the door.

“I don’t get why he can’t just call me by my name!” Niall cried as he climbed off Zayn’s laps, the tan boy catching his boyfriend’s lips with his own one more time, while Louis’ gaze was stuck on Harry’s face. He remembered the way Harry’s lips felt. They kissesd a few times but nothing official. Louis just wished he could call the curly lad his, grab his hands and cover him in sweet kisses, and be there by his side when things would get stressful for him, reminding him that everything would be okay. Because with a little time, everything would end up right.

~

“There’s the cheeseburgers, two hot-dogs and medium size fries you ordered, have an excellent day.” Harry and Louis could here the distinct accent of Niall’s voice but it was nothing but a background noise for the two cooks.

They were at the end of their shifts, just past the rush, and it was just a matter of minutes until the clock would ring and they could all get out of that greasy, hot hell and ugly trousers to go back home. Louis didn’t want to though even if the morning in the kitchen could’ve been qualified as awkward. The two boys shuffled around each other, doing their things until one would catch the other staring and they would break eye contact as soon as it was made. But Louis didn’t like that. He liked when they would both be cooking and somehow, their hands would end up brushing and sent little sparks down his spine, wondering if Harry felt it too. He liked the sound of Harry’s laugh when Louis would mess up with his cooking and Harry would help him get it right.

“So, um, Harry ?” Green eyes left the stove where the boy was cleaning to turn around and meet his collegue one.

“Yes co-captain ?” Louis smiled so much it hurt but he didn’t if it was because of the familiar nickname or because of the gorgeous dimples on the younger boy’s face. Anyway, Louis liked it.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go back to my place ? I need to babysit my sisters tonight so, maybe we could go by your house, you change, we grab Brit and tonight I’ll drop you back ?” he asked with his best smile, even though it probably wasn’t half as good as Harry’s.

“I don’t know, Lou.. I’m not sure if Brit will like it..” Louis tried his best to hide his deception.

“How could she not though ? She’ll be surrounded by four other girls, I bet she’ll love it.” There was a moment of silence where Harry was obviously thinking but Louis was hoping and praying he could just get that moment with the boy he’d grown to like a lot.

“Alright, let’s do this.” Harry smiled and Louis smiled like he couldn’t just understand. “We’ll come.” and Louis jumped from excitement and grabbed Harry in a hug that even surprised Louis himself but not as much as the quick kiss he planted on Harry’s mouth before he knew it.

When he pulled away after less than a second, he wondered if he messed everything up, if it was the end right now, but Harry simply smiled, that smile and leaned in to sooth Louis in another kiss, except longer and better than Louis’.

“Oh, and I forgot to tell you, it’s totally a date.” Louis managed to say in between kisses when he gathered enough confidence and Harry smiled again, and Louis realised he couldn’t and probably wouldn’t ever get enough of that smile.