Loving You Is Free (by littlelouishiccups)

Naamloos deel 4

The next week passed by quickly. Louis was busier at work than he'd been in a while, as the label finished up Ed's album and worked with Fifth Harmony's management to create the press tour for their first album, which was dropping in a month. He took Harry out again, and Harry slept over again, and they texted each other every now and then. Harry had figured out who Louis' acts were, and when Fifth Harmony or 5 Seconds of Summer came on the radio, he'd text Louis. It was clear that he took the time to send Louis things that he would be interested in, or that would brighten his day.

He found himself wanting to know more and more about Harry, felt like they were a bit on uneven ground there. All Louis knew about him was that he had a sister, was studying Political Science, and that Niall was fucking head over heels in love with his roommate. Harry knew much more about Louis, but Louis didn't know exactly where the line was drawn with these things. He figured Harry was playing it smart by being so secretive. There were a lot of creepy fucks in the world. But Louis couldn't help it, he wanted to know everything about Harry. He was falling fast.

The night before their flight to Los Angeles, Louis started sorting through various sugar daddy and baby blogs again, wondering if arrangements that turned into something more ever existed. Unfortunately, while it did seem to happen occasionally, it was very rare. While Harry seemed into Louis, it was also part of his job to seem into him, so Louis told himself to get a grip as he finished packing and readied himself for bed. If worst came to worst, he'd get his heart broken again. He was a veteran pro when it came to heartbreak: he'd learned how to handle it. And this time, he'd just blame it all on Niall and Liam.

A small voice in his head told him that Harry was supposed to help relieve stress, not cause more, but he was already in too deep. He'd rather keep things the way they were, and try to learn more about Harry, than stop the arrangement all together. And truthfully, he didn't know Harry's financial situation. Sure, he wore flashy clothes and had great taste, but that could all be part of the image. Louis didn't want to abandon him if he really needed the money, especially if he was using it put himself through school.

Louis' phone lit up as he slid into bed a little while later. A text from Harry.

Can't wait to see you tomorrow. x

Louis sighed and locked his phone without answering and turned over in bed, anticipating a restless night's sleep.

Which is exactly what he got. He felt like death when his car pulled up to the airport. His eyes felt heavy and he had a massive headache. And Eleanor didn't help matters when he met up with her at security.

"You look like shit," she told him sweetly, looking stunning as usual in black skinny jeans and a leather jacket- the looming international flight doing nothing to daunt her style.

"Cheers darling," Louis replied, rolling his eyes, but he looked down at his sweats and thought about the circles under his eyes and couldn't disagree.

"Where's Harry?" Eleanor asked as she leaned down to take off her shoes, getting ready to walk through security.

"Meeting us at the gate," Louis told her, toeing off this shoes as well. He'd asked Harry if he wanted a ride to the airport the night before, but Harry politely declined, saying he was staying the night at his sister's and she'd bring him. Louis wondered what his sister thought about him- about Harry's lifestyle. He'd never tell Lottie. She'd never let him live it down.

When Louis and Eleanor finally reached the gate, it appeared they'd arrived before Harry. They still had plenty of time before boarding, so Louis tried to hide a yawn as he pulled out his phone to thumb through emails before he had to go into airplane mode.