The unstoppable buzzing of his phone woke Harry up. It was Eleanor calling him. He rubbed his eyelids, blinded by the sun and, his eyes still closed, was looking for his phone on his nightstand. When he reached it, he pressed it to his ear :
« Hello ? he heard her greet.
- El, he said back his sleepy voice betraying him.
- Were you still sleeping ? It's almost noon !
- Shut up, he chuckled. Is everything alright ?
- Yes, I mean I'll tell you all about it when we get home.
- Sure.
- Look, Harry, I was wondering ...
- What ? he cut her off cheekily.
- Would you mind if we delayed our flight back ? I know we said we would celebrate New Years Eve all of us together but Perrie isn't coming back 'till the fourth and ...
- It's alright, El. I don't mind.
- You're sure ?
- Yes, love. »
He heard her sigh and tell something to someone next to her which he could not quite distinguish. He smiled and they talked for a few minutes. When he hung up, he was now fully awake, and felt like going out. He wanted to do something. What, he had no idea, but he wanted to get out. He called Niall who always had great ideas about these sort of things and they decided to go out to a Christmas fair a few miles out of town. Harry dressed up warmly, suggested Gemma would come along given Paul had gone back home, and was about to leave when he almost walked on one of Louis' pictures. He grabbed it from the floor to place it back in his drawer when he realized he had not noticed that they were all in his bin. He then thought back of the loud slam he had heard after leaving the bedroom and realized Louis had thrown them away. He dialed Niall's number and waited for his friend to answer :
« Hey, H. You're ready to go ?
- Yeah, about that ..., he began.
- Don't cancel on me, Niall warned. I'm craving churros.
- I'm not, Harry laughed. Would you mind asking Louis to come ?
- Hmm, sure I can do that but, why ?
- Because we were friends and I don't want him not being able to do things because I'm here. Go on and ask him. »
Niall agreed and hung up. Just a few minutes later, Harry and Gemma were hopping in the car and driving down to Niall's where Louis was supposed to meet him. The two guys climbed in the backseat and an awkward tension filled the car which Gemma and Niall tried their best to break. It was nothing like anger, sadness or anything. It was just pure miss and love that was left unsaid but which everyone was aware of. As the car ride went on, Gemma turned the music on which helped relieve the tension and Niall tried to learn more about Paul and Gemma. All happy, she began explaining to him their history and, whenever she would be overly excited, Louis and Harry would both exchange a furtive look in the mirror. Then, they would each turn away, Louis towards the window and Harry back on the road, and giggle fondly.
When Harry parked, they all climbed out of the car and walked towards the entrance. Niall immediately wanted them to go get food and Harry and Louis both laughed lightly, their eyes locked together.
« May I remember you, Niall, the time when you threw everything up because you had eaten too much ? Same place but a different time, Harry laughed.
- Shut up, I've grown up.
- Whatever pleases you, Ni, Louis added cheekily. »
They walked along the alleys. Everything felt homely and warm even though it was freezing. The scent of baking coming from a bakery stand amidst the teeming alleys filled their nostrils and got Niall even more hungry than he already was. At the center, there was a Christmas tree and a man, dressed as Santa, was taking pictures with ecstatic kids. Harry and Gemma walked over there with gleaming eyes, remembering how their mother used to bring them here when they were younger. Louis was following by close and all he could see was Harry, wrapped inside his coat, with shiny green eyes on which the Christmas tree's lights were reflecting. He smiled fondly at that sight, biting his lower lip, drowned and overwhelmed by regret.
« You love him, don't you ? he heard Gemma ask out of the blue. »
He turned around to face her. She really looked like Harry. They had the same expressive eyes, those dimples at the corner of their lips and that smile that made you feel home. Louis simply nodded and she intertwined their arms, dragging him along the alleys while the two other friends were following behind. They walked towards the game stands because Niall was determined to win a bear he wanted to give his little sister for Christmas, as he had forgotten her present and had to fake an excuse.
« I wanna play this one, Niall screamed like a child and pointing at a stand where they had to throw a ball and make all of the cans fall. »
The others nodded and Niall began playing until he realized how much he had spent and how lame he actually was. In eight turns, he had not won a thing. They all mocked him before Louis and Harry both said :
« Let me try. »
They smiled, feeling the heat raise to their cheeks, and stood next to each other to play. They both paid for their turns and began throwing balls while Niall and Gemma, both amused, decided to walk away to let the two long lost lovers play together. Harry kept on missing the cans and couldn't help groan loudly as he was paying other turns.
« You're fucking lame, Louis mocked, forgetting everything that had ever happened between them.
- Shut up, Lou. I'm going to win this one. »
Usually, Louis would have come up with a sarcastic comment but the use of his old nickname by Harry made him froze in place. He turned around, taken aback, only to see Harry sticking his tongue out like he would always do when he was focus, trying to aim at the center of the pyramid of cans. The worst in it was that the curly one had not even realized a thing, or maybe he did and did not care. But Louis' heart was beating so fast he just could not take his eyes off him. By the time he did not have any balls to throw, Harry turned around to Louis with a pout face, sticking his bottom lip out.
« I didn't win anything. Shouldn't have mocked Niall, Harry chuckled.
- I did, Louis showed him the gigantic teddy bear he had won.
- Niall is going to be so glad he has something to go back home with.
- Or you could take it ? Louis suggested nervously. »
Harry did not even have time to answer that Niall and Gemma were coming back. Niall threw himself at Louis and took the bear out of his hands.
« Thank you so much ! I owe you one, Niall winked, completely oblivious of what was going on. »
Harry and Louis both exchanged an awkward smile and a look that said "never mind" and chuckled under Niall's and Gemma's curious eyes. They played a few other games and, each time, Louis and Harry would get a little closer, laugh a little louder and smile harder. It almost felt like they had been dragged two years back when all they did was laugh and tease without a care in the world.
« You're cheating ! Harry complained.
- Of course I'm not, Louis chuckled, always being defensive.
- Yes you, Harry stopped as Louis pushed him a bit so he would miss his throw. You can't fucking do that ! he yelled. »
Louis could not stop laughing at Harry's angry face. He had that same frowning one where his jaw would be clenched so hard, his veins were popping out. Louis' laugh would only irritate Harry but, at the same time, he could not stop thinking about how much he had missed hearing it. At some point, all of the anger he felt towards Louis' attitude faded away, and he just stood there, watching him fondly. Louis had not even noticed. He was folded in two, his arms wrapped around his own stomach, laughing like crazy. Harry chuckled, giggled even, and, just like that, he had fallen all over again.
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Perfect now (Larry Stylinson AU)
Fanfiction« Tell me I should stay, Lou. Tell me you want me to stay. » « You know I can't. » « But I - I love you. » Louis turned his gaze away and shut his eyes. Harry had said it. He had turned everything upside down, just like always since he walked into L...
