i sleep naked ➸ larry stylinson

fifty two

"i don't know what i'm supposed to get him," harry said sadly into the phone, running his fingers across the fabric of all the different colour shirts. "whenever i ask him he tells me not to get him anything."

"what'd you get him last year?" zayn asked, and harry must've looked like a fool, the way he was blushing in the middle of american eagle.

"i don't remember," he lied, his voice quiet and nervous.

the other end was silent for a moment, before zayn let out a quiet, "oh. 

"anyway," harry said, embarrassed, "if it was your birthday, what would you want? i mean, i guess i have time, his birthday's in three weeks, but i'm not going to have much time away from him starting tonight."

zayn started listing off suggestions that harry knew were all too expensive, and he walked out of american eagle and started to stroll through the mall, holding his phone against his ear and avoiding brushing anybody's arms. he didn't know his way around this mall, as it was about two hours away from where he lived and he usually shopped at the local mall. 

"..maybe cologne or something. i don't know. do you want it to be, like, personalized or something? i don't know like, something that reminds him of you, like since you're always away, you know?"

harry sighed deeply and sat down at an empty chair in the food court, crossing his ankles and playing with some of the rings on his fingers. he actually kind of missed the way his hair tickled the back of his neck, but niall had insisted it looked ridiculous and dragged him to the hairdresser. it was now in a curly fringe across his forehead, the ends at his ears. 

"hey, i gotta go, but i'll keep thinking, yeah? i'll call you if i think of anything good."

"okay," harry said quietly.

zayn murmured something else that harry couldn't understand before he hung up. now, he was alone, alone with his thoughts and himself and wow this mall really smelled too much like pizza.

he drummed his fingers on the small table he was sitting next to before shaking out his curls and standing up. his boots squeaked whenever he moved them against the shiny tile floor. a few girls were at a table a couple feet away, and harry could feel them staring at him. he avoided eye contact with any of them, scurrying away, flustered.

"what would louis want, what would louis want," he repeated to himself, glancing into every store and hoping something would stick out to him. he was tempted to text the boy and ask him, but he knew louis would never respond, or at least he wouldn't tell him.

he didn't want to rush, no; whenever he rushed he did stupid things. but louis was meeting him here in less than an hour and he hadn't a clue what he was going to get him. 

he decided he would sit here and wait, hoping something would come to mind, anything.

and that's when he remembered that he had left his polaroid camera in the car.

and he also remembered that day, about two years ago, when louis found it under his bed, and his face just lit up and he told harry that he loved polaroid cameras. and harry could remember making a mental note in his mind to give it to louis one day. it was a present from his aunt, who had died when he was about twelve.

he smiled to himself, glad he finally had a path in mind. now all he needed was a box and some wrapping paper. he could wrap it at louis' flat when he was showering or something.

now all he needed was to wait. 

***

harry thought that waiting for louis was a good plan, but soon he grew restless and he really needed to go the restroom.