Pleatorial - Larry Stylinson AU

Chapter Four

Louis was certainly off kilter all day, his mind annoyingly wandering even more than usual, fingers obsessively tapping on his desk. 

He was chewing on his lip and staring at the computer screen, thinking back to the androids focused face, pink cheeks and furrowed brow. His stomach lurched, at how badly this was affecting him. He let out a low sigh, leaning back into his seat, rubbing his face. 

He needed to get Harry out of his apartment or he was going to slowly go insane. 

But another part of him scolded him for such a thought, and was greedily hanging onto the idea of keeping the android. 

He was still immersed fully into thought when someone cleared their throat to get his attention. He looked up disheveled, expecting to see Liam, but instead, it was someone he wasn’t too keen on seeing. 

Her name was Eleanor and she seemed to be blatantly unaware of the fact Louis was gay. She had had her eyes set on him sense she first saw him and occasionally prodded and poked at him to go out for coffee. 

Today, she was poking her head over the grey wall that divided the cubicles, her eyebrows arched up in inquiry. 

“Hey Lou!” She chimed when she had his eye-contact. He cringed, really hating it when she called him that. He had to bite back an annoyed groan, rolling his chair to face her as she wound around to stand in the opening of the cubicle, propping her hand on her hip. 

“Hi Eleanor.” Louis plastered a fake smile onto his lips. She twirled her pale finger in her hair, blinking.

“Call me, El.” She simpered, smiling suggestively and Louis shifted uncomfortably in his seat. How long was it going to take for her to realize that he was gay?

“Okay.” He cleared his throat, rolling his eyes inwardly. “Whatcha need?” He crossed his legs, drumming his fingers on his knee. 

“Just curious if you wanted to go get coffee after work today with me.” She threw a playful grin onto her lips and Louis half felt bad for her being so oblivious, but also it made him nauseated. 

“Euh.” He coughed, momentarily biting his lip. “I’ve been setting the date of cleaning my apartment off for too long, and planned on today.” He threw out at random, deciding that sounded real enough- and in fact he really did need to clean his apartment. 

Her face fell, and she shrugged, cocking an eyebrow and letting out a disappointed sigh. “Okay, well… hopefully soon, Lou.” A weak smile painted her lips before she waved half-heartedly and disappeared around the corner.

Louis leaned back, sighing out loudly, shaking his head. 

He was thankful to be off work, but when the memory that Harry was still in his apartment, he instantly was trying to think of ways to get out of this predicament. After sitting in his car for 15 minutes, he came to the realization there really was no way he was getting out of this and just decided to face it. 

Then there he was, already in the glass elevator, rising to his floor,  staring out at the brightly lit London beneath. A sick feeling still swirling in the pit of his stomach.

You’re probably wondering- why exactly is Louis so nervous and sickly about this whole predicament? Well, you would be too if you were slowly realizing you were developing unusual and confusing feelings for something that can’t even return the feeling. 

Louis walked extra slow down the carpeted hall, holding his breath as he slid his card into the reader, the lock clicking open and he hesitantly pushed the door open.

He didn’t necessarily know what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t to be embraced as soon as he walked into the door. He even let out a startled yelp, going rigid as he felt Harry eagerly wrap his arms around him and bury his face into the crook of his neck.

“You’re home!” The android cried out, muffled against Louis’ skin. “I missed you!”

That definitely caught Louis off guard again, and a stupid smile tugged at the edges of his lips. For a moment, he leaned his head against the bots shoulder, inhaling slowly, taking note of how nice it was to come home to something that actually appreciated his existence. 

But then that sickly and terrible realization that he was still a robot made him step away, his smile faltering. “How was your day, Harry?” He said quite rushed, pinching the skin of his palm to keep from pulling him into another embrace. His eyes were wide and glassy, a youthful dimpled grin on his perfect face, a look of genuine care that was pushing Louis further into this mess. 

“Good! Good, cleaned. I hope that’s okay, Louis.” He stepped aside, shrugging bashfully as though he would get reprimanded for cleaning. And sure enough, the living area was spotless, free of chinos and ties. Louis eyes widened before blinking, letting out an appreciative breath. 

“O-oh.. wow, thank you. That was very nice of you.” He commented, nodding, smiling up at Harry, who’s smile grew with the appreciation. Louis toed off his shoes and shrugged off his blazer, hanging it by the door. 

He had been so distracted with Harry that he hadn’t taken notice to the delectable scent hanging in the air, that made his stumble rumble excitedly. 

“I made dinner as well, I hope you like Italian!” Harry chimed, walking into the kitchen to the buffet of expertly cooked foods from spaghetti to manicotti and other delicious looking foods. 

Louis shook his head over and over, wondering if even being married to a house mom is this luxurious. He decided that it probably wasn’t. 

He sat at the breakfast bar again, watching in awe as Harry placed a slur of food on a plate, setting it in front of him. Louis began eagerly eating, pausing as he realized Harry was just standing there watching him happily. So he gestured for him to sit beside him, and he obeyed politely. 

Mid-chew, Louis glanced over at the android, who was looking at him with this certain look that made him nearly inhale his food on accident. He spluttered embarrassingly  taking a sip of water to clear his throat before diverting his eyes and shifting in his seat.

“So, uh.” He cleared his throat again, “Why.. exactly did Andrea.. leave you again?” He cursed himself for asking such a random question, but he was desperate to get the spotlight off of him choking like an idiot. 

Harry straightened up, diverting his eyes momentarily. “Because I refused to pleasure her.” He shrugged, looking back at Louis, who finished his final bite, gulping loudly. 

Silence filled the room as Louis tried to process this. Pleatorial never had defected androids, they were held in high respect because of their happy customers. They always obeyed commands and acted as an android should. Louis again gulped, biting his bottom lip. 

“Why..?” He asked slowly, leaning back into the chair, holding his breath. A look crossed Harry’s face and he looked down into his lap. 

“I realized I didn’t like her kind.” He said simply, and Louis’ breath hitched. That -definitely- was not supposed to happen with an android. He ran his hands down his thighs, trying to gather his thoughts. 

“What changed your mind?” He worded the question carefully and slowly, chancing a glance at the bot, who very slowly raised his eyes to look at him, his cheeks a subtle shade of pink. 

“You.”