Call Me Baby: Chapter 7
Chapter Seven!!!!!! :)
“Great! Yeah, no, I can’t wait! Yeah, I’ll see you soon, mate. Alright. Bye,” Harry hung up the phone with a little grin. Louis looked up from where he was reading on the couch. Harry dropped into the seat next to him, slinging his arm across the back of the sofa as an invitation. Louis shifted into his side, sighing contentedly as Harry’s arm wrapped itself around his waist.
“Who was that?” he asked him. Harry sank further into the couch, drawing Louis down a bit further.
“My friend, Niall. We went to school together, but he moved back to Ireland for work-his parents moved here from Ireland when he was twelve. But he’s got work in Manchester next week, so I told him he could stay at my house, rather than book a hotel. My house is empty now, anyways, since I’m staying here,” Harry explained, “I hope it’s okay, I invited him for Saturday night dinner.” Louis hummed in acknowledgment.
“Yep, that’s fine,” he agreed, “Who’s doing the cooking?”
“I think my mum wanted to,” Harry answered thoughtfully, “She likes cooking for people, and she doesn’t get to a lot, now that my sister and I have moved out.”
“You’d best confirm that, yeah? I don’t want any mix up,” he told his friend, glancing up from his book again to peer at him over his glasses. Harry nodded, plucking the book out of Louis’ hands, ignoring his protests.
“What’re you reading?” Harry chuckled. Louis glared at him, turning slightly to reach for his book, his hand braced on the couch-dangerously close to Harry’s groin.
“Nothing, give it back!” Louis demanded. Harry snickered, leaning away from Louis as best he could, turning the book over to see what it was. Louis yelped and smacked the inside of Harry’s elbow, causing his arm to collapse before Harry could get a good look at the title. Harry yelled, shuffling away from Louis, ending up on his back on the couch when Louis threw himself at him. “Give it back! Don’t look at it!”
Harry laughed as Louis climbed up his torso, reaching for the book that Harry held just out of reach. Louis made his way up, straddling Harry’s chest and leaning forward to grab the book. Harry’s brain stopped working when he received a faceful of Louis’ crotch. Louis’ bulge came dangerously close to Harry’s nose, and he stopped breathing, his fingers going slack. Louis’ shriek of triumph sounded above him, as the book was pulled from his grasp. Louis settled back against Harry’s chest, clutching the black book to his own. Harry’s arms came down to rest on Louis’ thighs, still on either side of his chest.
“Come on, Louis! What’s the book?” Harry whined, a little breathlessly. Louis shook his head, poking his tongue out petulantly, and made to get up. As soon as his feet hit the ground, Harry’s arm was around his hips, slinging him back onto the couch. Harry hovered over him, his arms braced on either side of Louis shoulders, his knees on either side of Louis’ hips. He gently removed Louis’ fingers from where they curled around the book, obscuring the title. Louis gazed up at him dazedly, still unsure as to how he ended up in this position. When Harry had peeled back enough fingers, he laughed out loud. “Breaking Dawn?”
“I just wanted to see what the hype was about!” Louis replied indignantly, the glazed look slowly receding from his eyes. Harry laughed hard at that, sitting back so that he sat across Louis’ hips.
“’Seeing what the hype was’ would have been reading the first book,” Harry told him through his laughter, “I think you like them, Lou! Go on, admit it!”
“Alright! Fine, I rather enjoyed them,” he said dejectedly, “I mostly just read them to see if Edward and Jacob would end up screwing in Bella’s bed to get rid of the stifling sexual tension, but I don’t think that’ll happen, now, because Jacob’s gone and imprinted on Bella and Edward’s kid.” Harry looked surprised for a moment, before he burst into another fit of laughter.
“Only you, Louis,” he chuckled affectionately. A dainty cough startled them out of their bubble, both boys looking up to see Flick standing in the doorway, a smirk on her face.
“Am I interrupting?” the eight year old asked slyly. Harry and Louis both shook their heads.
“What’d you need, love?” Harry asked. Flick held up what was probably homework.
“I need help with my maths homework,” she told them. Louis looked at Harry pleadingly.
“Can you help her? I’m rubbish with numbers,” Louis pouted. Harry rolled his eyes, swinging off Louis’ lap and following Flick into the kitchen, where they sat at the breakfast bar. Flick pulled a pencil out of the cup on the counter, and brandished her homework at Harry.
“We’re doing long division,” she told him, “but I don’t understand how to do it if the numbers don’t go in evenly.” Harry took the pencil out of her hand, writing as he explained what he was doing.
“So what you wanna do is start small. With 121/6, you wanna see how many times six goes into twelve, which is two,” he wrote a two over the two in twelve, “then you write what two times six is under the twelve, then subtract. You have zero, then you bring down the one. How many times does six go into one?”
“Zero?” Flick answered nervously.
“Right,” Harry nodded encouragingly, “So you write zero next to the two. Six times zero is zero, right? So you write zero under the one, and subtract. Your answer is twenty remainder one. Do the next one on your own.” He watched as she did the next one by herself, correcting her once, but over all just letting her figure it out. He watched as she proudly wrote the answer at the top of the problem.
“There, see? Not so hard, is it?” She shook her head happily, continuing with the next ones. When she was finished, he checked her work. He handed her back her paper with a proud smile, and she hugged him, whispering “thanks, dad” into his shirt. He patted her head, and sent her off to do the rest of her work. He wandered back into the living room, where Louis was still on his back on the couch, book open.
“They have sex yet?” Harry called as he made his way over. Louis looked up, chuckling.
“No,” he told him, “They’re discussing Bella’s power. Now be quiet so I can read.”
Harry lifted Louis’ feet, sitting down and cradling them in his lap. He sat, tapping out a beat on Louis’ shins, looking around the room with a bored expression. Louis peered at him from around his book, exhaling exasperatedly, before tugging Harry down onto his chest. Harry grinned, shifting slightly into a more comfortable position, and curled his arm around Louis’ waist. Louis’ heart thudded under Harry’s ear, and he sighed contentedly, his eyes drifting shut. He was glad Louis was such a cuddly person-it allowed Harry to be close to him without making things awkward. Harry pinched Louis’ side, smirking as he yelped.
“Read to me,” he commanded, his eyes still closed. Louis chuckled, but began reading nonetheless. Harry felt himself getting sleepier, lulled by the beat of Louis’ heart beneath him and the hum of Louis’ voice above him.
“Falling asleep on me, Haz?” Louis asked, amusement tickling his words. Harry nodded, unable to form words with his mouth glued shut by sleep. Louis chuckled, but continued to read. The story was shit, but Louis’ voice was sweet and lovely, and it rumbled under Harry’s cheek. That was fine, Harry thought. He wouldn’t mind falling asleep to Louis’ voice for the rest of his life.
*~*~*~*
By the time Saturday evening rolled around, Harry was bouncing off the walls. It’d been close to a year since he’d seen Niall, and he missed his friend. He’d gotten in Friday evening, and had gone straight to Harry’s house. He’d be arriving at the Tomlinson household around six, with everyone else. Harry paced by the door, waiting eagerly for his friend. His mum and Louis were in the kitchen, finishing up the meal, and the girls were off playing in the living room. Harry started when the door bell rang, flinging the door open excitedly.
“Hey Harry,” an Irish lilt met his ears, and Harry grinned, launching himself at his blonde friend, meeting him in a hug half way.
“Niall! It’s so good to see you!” he yelped happily, tugging him inside. “Come meet the girls!” Niall watched as Harry lead him through to the living room. His friend had an enormous smile on his face, his eyes alight with joy. Harry looked happier than Niall had ever seen him. Niall felt himself smiling in response to his friend’s infectious joy.
“Girls,” Harry called, once they’d reached the living room. They looked up from what they were doing. “This is Niall, my friend from school. Niall, that’s Flick, Lottie, Georgia, Daisy, and Phoebe.” He pointed to each girl in turn as he said their names. Niall waved, greeting them with a jovial hello.
“Is he here, Harry?” Anne called from the kitchen, “Bring him in here!” Harry chuckled, excusing them from the girls and tugging Niall into the kitchen. Louis and Anne looked up as they walked in, Anne laughing delightedly and rushing over to give Niall a hug. Louis saw Harry’s hand on Niall’s wrist, and instantly felt something hot and uncomfortable well up in his stomach. He didn’t like it. Wandering over, he reached in and wrapped his arms around Harry’s torso, delighting in the way Harry dropped Niall’s wrist automatically, his own arms wrapping themselves around Louis’ shoulders. Louis felt Harry’s chuckle rumble in his chest.
“Alright, Lou?” he asked. Louis pulled back a bit, sticking his tongue out at him.
“Introduce me to your friend, loser,” Louis commanded, rolling his eyes playfully. Harry pinched his side, laughing as Louis yelped.
“Niall,” Harry said, drawing Niall’s attention to him and Louis, “this is Louis. Louis, meet Niall.” The two young men shook hands, Louis’ grip on Harry’s waist tightening slightly.
“Pleasure,” Louis said, overly sweetly. Harry frowned, and Anne hid her giggles behind her hand. Harry gently pulled Louis closer to him, not liking the unhappy feeling emanating off his friend. He cleared his throat.
“Right, well, now that everyone’s met each other, Louis and I are going to go set the table,” Harry said awkwardly, tugging Louis out of the room by his waist.
Once the were in the living room, and out of earshot of everyone else, Harry rounded on Louis, looking less angry than concerned.
“Are you alright?” he asked slowly, his hands falling to grip Louis’ hips. Louis nodded, shooting him a bemused look.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” His voice held nothing but genuine confusion, his hands going up to play with the lapels of Harry’s blazer.
“You seemed upset, in there,” Harry answered, “Your voice was off, when you greeted Niall.” Louis’ hands tightened on Harry’s lapels, his heart burning at the name. Some of his anger must have shown on his face, because Harry’s own turned startled. “What, do you not like Niall, or something? You just met him!”
“I know,” Louis sighed frustratedly, “But he just makes my blood boil. You walked in holding his wrist, and it made me angry.”
“Aw, is little Louis jealous?” Harry teased, trying to alleviate some of the tension.
“Yes,” Louis burst out, “Because you’re my best friend-I don’t want him coming in here and ruining everything!” Harry looked slightly startled, before his face softened, and he brought a hand up to smooth along Louis’ cheek bone.
“He’s not going to ruin anything, Louis,” he assured him, “Because while I love Niall to pieces, you’re my best friend.” Louis seemed to relax slightly at this.
“I don’t want you to leave,” he confessed. Harry looked confusedly at him.
“Where am I going?” he chuckled slightly.
“Home,” Louis answered, “When I’m better, and this is all over. I don’t want you to leave. Stay with me.” Harry’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“You… You want me to move in with you?” He asked slowly, like he couldn’t quite believe it. Louis nodded, biting his lip, and focusing his eyes on Harry’s lapels. Harry forced a heavy breath through his lips. “You don’t think it’d be weird? The girls might not like it.” Louis laughed.
“If that’s your reason for saying no, then you really need to rethink your relationship with them,” he giggled, “They call you ‘daddy’, Haz. They’d be ecstatic if you moved in here permanently.” Harry laughed along with him, pushing his hands from their positions on Louis’ cheeks, into his friend’s hair.
“Alright, loony. I’ll move in with you,” he rumbled.
*~*~*~*
Zayn and Liam arrived about ten minutes later, entering with jovial “honey, we’re home”s shouted throughout the house. Georgia immediately ran towards Liam, flinging herself into his arms and chattering excitedly about her week. Flick was more subtle in her excitement, coming over and giving Zayn a hug, letting him guide her over to the couch.
“Where’s Lou?” Zayn asked the room at large, looking up when Louis’ voice sounded from the doorway.
“Over here, Harry and I were just setting the table,” he told them, Harry’s arm not moving from its place on his shoulder.
“Where’s the cast, Lou?” Liam asked. Louis grinned, holding up his arm where a glowing orange cast rested, littered with signatures from the girls. Liam nodded in approval.
“Orange-to match your carrots, yeah?” he joked. Louis chuckled.
“’Course, Lili!” Louis replied. Anne popped her head in, telling them that dinner was ready. Everyone piled into the dining room, Harry and Louis taking their places next to each of the twins, so they could cut up their food.
The evening passed by in a blur, full of happy chatter and warm food and smiling faces. Louis found that he actually got along quite well with Niall, now that he knew Harry was staying with him. He felt silly, having felt so threatened by him-this innocuous little Irishman, with a boisterous laugh and a happy face. Niall’s laugh, he found, was infectious, and the Irishman laughed at everything. Part of the way through dinner, when he and Niall were laughing over something the other boy had said, Louis had looked up through his tears to see Harry smirking at him, his eyes twinkling with mirth.
After dinner they gathered in the living room, Harry curling up in the corner of the couch with his feet in Louis’ lap. They talked for about three hours, the girls playing around them. Sometime during the third hour, Phoebe climbed up onto Harry’s lap, curing into his arms and sucking her thumb. She’d fallen asleep by the fourth hour, and at that point Harry had decided it was time for all the girls to go to bed, as Daisy and Georgia were fighting sleep as well, and Flick’s eyelids were drooping. He stood up with Phoebe in his arms, calling the girls after him. They followed him like ducklings, the youngest not even bothering to protest. Louis stood up, as well, following them out.
“Alright, can someone please tell me if Harry and Louis are together, because I just got here and I’m really confused,” Niall stated bluntly. Liam and Zayn burst out laughing, and even Anne chuckled a bit.
“Not as far as we know, mate,” Liam told him, “But we’re glad you noticed the odd dynamic between the two of them.”
“When Louis first met Harry, I honestly thought he’d met a girl, or had gotten laid, or something,” Zayn added, “He was so happy. And so eager to impress, too.”
“Remember the first time Harry came for Saturday night dinner?” Liam chuckled, “Louis was so distraught over what Harry would think of this place, that he lay face down on the floor until Harry actually arrived.”
“If I remember correctly,” Zayn said, “Harry actually walked in and found him on the floor, face down.”
“That’s right,” Liam laughed, “He did! And he just chuckled and gave him a hug. He’s a good guy, Harry is.”
“Thanks, mate,” Harry chuckled, as he and Louis reentered the room.
“What are we talking about?” Louis asked, as he and Harry repositioned themselves on the couch, Louis curled into Harry’s side, Harry’s fingers dancing along his hip subconsciously.
“Nothing,” Liam stated, “Nothing at all.”