fic; where you lead (i will follow) 3/4

[mozarts_piano]

on monday morning louis graciously offers to drive harry to his school, forgoing the usual bus option.

"come on, louis!" harry shouts up at him from the bottom floor. louis' trying to see which button-up looks better in his bathroom mirror, holding them up and peering at them. "school starts at eight you know."

"yeah, yeah," louis slides his glasses on, then off, then back on. he always tries to look his nicest on mondays, and the way everything is just facing off against him is just not working. "give me a minute."

he hears something that sounds a lot like "you're impossible", but ignores it in favour of buttoning up his white shirt, sliding his black jacket over his shoulders. he looks nice but there's something missing.

"glasses or no glasses?" he asks, walking out into the hallway so he can lean over the banister and see harry. he's standing near the door, arms crossed and face upset like a little kitten. "what do you think?"

"glasses. now hurry up, please," harry whines.

"i don't think these trousers fit me," louis says while feeling up his own bottom, mostly just to annoy harry. "are they supposed to be this baggy in the leg?"

"you're a grown man louis," louis watches over the banister as harry stomps his feet a little bit. "you're not supposed to wear skinny jeans in the first place."

"i am a sprightly youth."

"you are a self obsessed-"

"i resent that."

"-twat and we need to get going. please."

"yes, yes," louis sighs, skipping down the stairs. he follows a huffing and puffing harry into the front hall to get their shoes on. "jesus, you'll have a heart attack before you're eighteen at the rate you're going."

harry gives him another disgruntled kitten look before opening the door with a whiny noise from the back of his throat. louis sighs again.

"we can't - louis don't you dare stop for coffee, i'm already late!"

"harry, my love," louis turns their stereo up (it's rihanna's diamonds which is louis' fucking jam) and parks into the spot just off of nick's. "scone or donut?"

"i need to - i promised george i would get to school early so we could - " harry looks rather helpless. louis watches on, intrigued. "i don't - i need to -"

"scone?"

"please."

"be back in a second," louis says, cheerfully, patting harry on the knee before checking for oncoming traffic and heading out.

nick's is relatively busy. there's a nice buzz through the air and louis even stops to have a quick chat with eleanor from the flower shop. well, until he sees harry staring at him through the window, his big doe eyes narrowed.

"must run, love," louis tells her, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek. "we'll have to have another one of those boggle nights again though, you and i. that was fun last time."

"of course!" she says, all sunny and bright.

and, speaking of sunny and bright-

"the hell are you doing here, tomlinson?" the ever energetic and charming nick says as he brushes by. his hair's a right mess and his face looks all pale, freckles standing out all the more for it.

"lovely to see you as well, nicholas."

"you know what i mean."

"do you have any fresh scones?" louis asks as he wanders behind nick to the counter. "i don't want any if they're day old. or from a couple of hours ago."

"they're scones," nick's voice is all sandpaper rough, like a cat's tongue. "they're supposed to be hard. just dunk it into your coffee and you'll be living the dream."

louis grins, impishly.

"you're hung over," he says with glee, placing his elbows on the counter so he can rest his chin in his hands.

"i hate you," nick whispers, closing his eyes briefly. when he opens them again louis can see a tired haze mixed in with the blue. "seriously. it's hatred."

"mhm," he grins, reaching over to grab a spoon off the counter, knocking it loudly on the sugar dish. "your supposed hatred does not, in any way, dismiss the fact that you are hung over as fuck right now."

"if a cliff appeared out of nowhere and you were dangling off it, i would wait a really long time before i saved you."

"but you'd still save me."

"can i tell you a secret?" nick leans in and louis mirrors him, their faces inches apart. "sometimes only the thought of your bum in those black jeans you have can get me out of bed in the morning."

"cheeky."

"exactly."

louis laughs, delighted, and leans back. "and my sparkling personality, of course."

"of course," nick grins.

"so anyways," louis says, shaking his head a little. "why did you get pissed on a sunday night in the first place?"

"annie and i were watching that beyonce documentary again," nick runs a hand through his own hair and gives louis a very pointed look. "don't tell me you've never gotten drunk on a sunday."

"not the point, darling," louis smiles his very brightest and nick winks. "now. some scones, please?"

"of course," nick slides a couple of scones from the glass plate just next to them into a takeaway bag. "you know, you don't look half bad in those glasses of yours."

"why, nicholas! that was almost a compliment," louis narrows his eyes in jest, ignoring the little flutter in his stomach-kidney-liver area. "you'll have me swooning if you keep this up."

"wouldn't want you swooning in here," nick says dryly as he passes over two cups of coffee. "you'd probably fall and break a table or something."

"i'm as graceful as a swan," louis says sniffing daintily. "now if you'll excuse me, mr grimshaw-"

a loud honk from outside interrupts him, and he turns to see harry leaning across the open window of their car, face furious.

"-and that's my little hell spawn," louis sighs, turning back around to grab all his things. "i'll see you later, i guess."

"see you," nick calls in farewell before turning around and heading back to the kitchen, grabbing a dish towel off a rack as he goes.

harry goes out with mark one night, a bright smile on his face, and then his curfew comes and he's not home.

and then an hour passes and he's still not home.

and then another hour passes.

by one o'clock louis' got the phone in his hands, ready to call the cops or nick or brian or fucking anyone who could tell him where his kid is - and that's when harry opens the door and walks into the house.

there's a second of silence. the calm before the storm. and then-

"where the hell have you been?" louis asks, trying to control the absolute fury that rolls inside him.

"louis i-" harry rubs a hand over his hair and a finger over his chapped, red (too red, too chapped) lips. "i didn't mean to - i'm so sorry-"

"tell me where you were right now, harry," his eyes are probably flashing but he doesn't really care.

"it's-"

"harry."

"we fell asleep," harry says quietly, but it's too quiet and his shirt's buttoned wrong and his lips are too chapped and his shirt's buttoned wrong.

louis closes his eyes.

"how could you be so st-" he cuts himself off because he always promised to never say that word to him, to never make harry feel like he's not worth everything the world can give him. "harry, i'm - i can't - harry, you're seventeen and you've been dating this boy for a month-"

"i know," but his voice is small and his shoulders slump and louis' never seen him like this before. "we didn't - i never-"

"harry," his voice comes out softer than he thought it would.

louis' mad, oh god, louis' fucking pissed. he wants to murder mark while hiding harry away from society for the rest of his life. he wants to blow up buildings and kick over posts and just strangle that kid for coming within a foot of his harry.

"i didn't-" god he can hear the tears in the back of harry's throat. "i didn't mean to, i just-"

"oh darling," and then he's got his arms around harry, harry who's seventeen and growing up way too fast and when did louis let him grow up? he didn't sign up for this.

"i'm sorry," harry whispers into his shoulder and louis just shushes him, because he doesn't know the details, he doesn't even want to know the details, and right now taking care of harry is more important than yelling at some kid.

"just don't scare me like that again, okay?"

"i promise."

"i don't care about what you did or didn't do, it's just that i was worried. don't miss your curfew, alright?"

"i won't, i promise."

"and if you do, please call me, love. the telephone was invented for a reason."

"i will - i - i promise."

"i'd like to not have a heart attack before i'm fifty."

"sorry."

they stand silent for awhile in their badly lit kitchen, before harry pipes up, voice still thick.

"we didn't go all the way," he says carefully, face still stuck in louis' neck. "i just. i just, i wanted to try, like-"

he can't even say it out loud.

"sweetheart, i get it," louis brushes a hand through his thick, curly hair and tries not to cry a bit. "i just want you to be safe, okay? i want you to be safe and healthy and happy and home on time. and i want you to be ready to do something like that. because if you're ready then go for it. hell, i'd be a hypocrite to say otherwise. but if you're not then don't, okay? simple as that."

"okay," harry sniffles.

"okay," louis agrees, pulling back from the hug so he can wipe his thumb over harry's tears. "now how about i make some tea and we'll watch yesterday's x factor? that sound good?"

harry nods and then smiles, and yep, there's louis' beautiful boy.

they're in the market, weighed down by a good couple pounds of liquorice and cheesy snacks, when brian pops up from behind the tower of beans with a giant smile.

"hello, townspeople!" he calls, frightening harry into jumping a foot in the air, eyes wide and scared.

"jesus brian, warn a person," louis says, petting harry's head as he hides behind him. "those comparisons between you and the grim reaper are starting to add up, you know."

"pardon?"

"don't worry about it," he waves him off, turning to look harry in the eye to make sure he's okay. he's really bad with surprise attacks, gets jumpy and scattered like a squirrel when things get thrown at him or louis tickles him unsuspectingly or someone yells close by; really when anything happens.

"you okay?" he asks softly, and harry pouts back, eyes wide. "aw, brian, you fucked up my kid."

"louis," brian gasps, disgusted, turning his head one way, the next, and then pointing at louis chest with a finger. "there are children in this establishment, young man."

"yeah and what's worse brian, some swearing or a crazy man who terrifies people?" harry's arms come around his waist, little face peeking into his neck. louis sticks his hand backwards and pats harry's hip fondly.

"why are you both so touchy-feely? it's off putting," brian says, looking vaguely scandalized.

"we've always been this way," louis says, putting on a pout to match harry's. "that's just how we are, i don't know."

"yah," harry echoes.

"now i think we need to go, um, feed the cat or something, brian, sorry," he angles his head down to be able to see harry, burrowed under his armpit and looking up all innocently. if he keeps this up and they play their cards right they could get out of here with no favours indebted to their souls. "harry's got to wash his hair. those curls don't just happen you know."

"they take work," harry says solemnly

"so," brian says, commanding back the attention. "there's a town meeting tonight. an important town meeting. i expect you two will both be there."

louis puts on his biggest, brightest smile. "wouldn't miss it."

"good, good," brian hands them both pamphlets with huge smileys on the front, the word's town meeting! in comic sans along the top. "the directions to the community centre are on the back."

"brian, harry had football games in there when he was four," louis drawls, an unimpressed look on his face. "it's also a block away from everything else in town, why do we need a map?"

"well, i don't know, you could have forgotten," brian says loudly, flapping his hands around, as if they were being the nuisances. "or we could have moved the meeting's location."

"to where? andrew's backyard?"

"you never know."

"actually-"

"we'll be there!" harry interjects, big grin on his face.

"great!" brian says back, delighted, before taking off to the other side of the market, presumably to go scare people and hand out more flyers.

louis reaches behind him to twist one of harry's nippes.

"ow!" harry says as he shifts away, still wrapped around louis' back like a little baby panda bear. "what was that for?"

"felt like it."

"child abuse."

"are you quite finished?" louis asks, peering into their basket. he hums. "this meeting is going to majorly derail our harry potter marathon."

"that's a shame," harry lets go of louis, still pouting more than a little bit. "should we go get some burgers? we could eat them there."

"jesus you're like a landfill or something."

"maybe," harry says, shrugging, and then his little eyes light up. "hey, mark's here!"

"your mark?"

"louis, you know we don't know another mark."

"mhm," louis' eyes narrow playfully, and then he reaches out to pat harry's cheek. "go ahead and say hi, i'll go check out."

"you're the best!" harry says, patting his face back, before he skips over to where mark is stacking a bunch of canned green beans, leaning over to plant a kiss on his cheek.

louis shakes his head and narrows his eyes, but he can trust harry, he knows that. they had a three hour talk about being ready just this morning, and harry said - no, promised - that he would think and wait before he did anything else with mark.

or louis will kill him.

mark, that is, not harry.

it's a good thing they pick up burgers because the meeting is as dull as they always are.

"did you get mine? this has onions in it," harry complains as soon as they take their seats; just close enough to the back that no one can look at them directly and but far enough from the back so they don't look like one of those, the people that get late and get glared at, the ones brian calls hoodlums.

"oh gross, onions. did i order onions?"

"you always order onions," harry says, pouting as he swaps their burgers.

"no i don't, onions are gross."

"you have them all the time, what are you talking about?"

"i do not. why would i order onions? i don't like onions. no one likes onions."

"i like onions!" niall calls from behind them, shuffling into the empty spot on their left, liam following after him.

"you like everything, darling," liam tells him kindly, patting him fondly on the head as they both sit. "don't worry though, it's part of your charm."

"i appreciate that, thank you," niall says, grabbing liam's arm and pulling it over his own shoulder, cuddling into it. "did we miss anything?"

"hasn't started yet," louis says through a mouthful of burger, tomato, and onion. he pushes the item in question at niall's face. "do you want a bite?"

"do i ever," niall leans forward eagerly, swallowing half of it in one bite. he looks happy, glowing.

"you look happy," harry tells him, because louis and harry share a brain sometimes.

"you do look happy, what's with that?"

niall looks affronted. "i'm always happy."

"that is true," liam leans over to grab some french fries from the open container on louis' lap, stuffing them into his mouth in a shockingly dignified way. "niall is always happy."

"the two of you are more sickening than usual," louis says, wrinkling his nose because he's eternally happy his best friend met strong, sweet, dependable liam, but they could be a little less cutesie all the time. for his benefit at least. "did something happen?"

"nothing happened," niall says, smiling as he turns in to rest his face in liam's neck. "you two are just being nosy."

"oh my god what is it?"

"it's nothing, louis."

"oh don't give me that, payne, i don't believe it for a second-"

niall reaches over to grab his hand and then smiles brightly, "we'll tell you after the meeting, okay?"

"you better.

"we will!"

"uh huh, sure."

"hey!" harry calls from his right, looking over one shoulder with a smile. "you came."

louis turns around to see nick wandering in, hair mused and eyes tired, with aiden behind him. they both look out of place; nick with his leather jacket and scowl, aiden with his cool hipster shirt and scruffy jaw.

"fucking hate town meetings," nick mutters under his breath, shuffling into the seat directly behind louis. "nothing but shallow problems and brian with a gavel."

"who pissed in your coffee?" louis asks, seeing harry grin bright at aiden out of the corner of his eye.

"society, louis, that's who," nick narrows his eyes and squints at the people filling past him to get into their seats. "they all sit blindly like - like a bunch of sheep or something."

"honey, what did i tell you about reading 1984 before bed?" louis sighs, trying to not let his fondness show. "hello aiden, how're you doing?"

"i'm fine mr styles i - i mean," aiden wrinkles his nose up, realizing his mistake. "i meant -"

"it's fine!" louis waves it off. "you can just call me louis."

"louis, right," aiden looks up at harry and then his big eyes flit to louis. "i'm doing just fine."

"well that's good," louis says, patting him on the head a bit. aiden looks bewildered. "is this your first town meeting?"

aiden nods. harry makes a sympathetic noise at the back of his throat.

"they're actually pretty fun," harry says, eyes alight and smile bright. aiden looks slightly blinded. "brian always ends the meeting with a rant about how the soviet union had it's faults, but their parks were always spotless. it's very entertaining."

nick shuffles his chin onto louis' shoulder while aiden laughs at harry. "can i have a chip?"

louis turns his head a bit, enough that nick's face is a blur of eyelashes and freckles. "what's the magic word?"

"please," nick drawls out dramatically, and louis pops one in his open mouth, laughing a bit. nick blows cool air on the back of louis' neck before slumping back into his seat, chewing on the chip nosily.

louis slides one legs up on his chair to get more comfortable and catches liam eyeing him oddly.

"what is it, mate?" he asks, touching his face self consciously. "do i have something…?"

"no," liam's brow furrows a bit. he casts a look backwards, to where nick has joined harry and aiden's discussion on 90's house music, and then back to louis. "it's nothing."

louis feels a slight blush spread across his cheek, which he promptly ignores, and faces the front diligently.

"…which is why putting in a new gazebo in the town's square is at the top of this year's budget plan-"

"hold on," nick says from behind louis, who is almost on his way to sleep. he startles awake, elbowing harry's side accidentally as he sits up. harry makes a wounded gazelle noise and glares at him.

"wait one second," nick is saying, voice agitated. "a new gazebo? what's wrong with the old one?"

"i'm sorry?" brian is saying loudly from up on his podium, gavel in one hand while the other gestures about. "who said that? please remember to announce yourself before the council before any speaking occurs!"

"for fuck-" nick mutters and louis grins, delighted. he looks over his shoulder to see nick heaving himself into a standing position, aiden sat bored next to him. "nick grimshaw. you've known me since i was seven?"

"ah, yes," brian looks so happy up on his little podium. louis hopes he trips off it one day. "proceed."

"i was under the impression that we were more worried about the bridge to the highway?" nick says, voice just nearing snarky. "so i ask again: what exactly is wrong with the old gazebo?"

"well," brian starts off, looking around for inspiration. "it's hazardous first of all."

"what?" nick's face is brilliant. "the only person that's ever gotten hurt in there is you, brian."

"and my ankle was twisted for an entire month, you'll know."

"oh jesus."

"and," brian says pointing his finger. "the paint is peeling off the walls. it's awful."

"um," says a purple head near the front. louis pokes harry in the knee cap.

"is that zayn's bird?"

"sh," harry says, sternly, but he nods with a smile on his lips.

"-someone could paint it?" she's saying, looking around the room with big, pretty eyes. "wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"i'm sorry, miss, but what is your name-"

"zayn could paint it," harry says, voice loud and delighted from next to louis. "zayn's a brilliant painter."

zayn, who is sitting by his mother in the second row, looks like he's attempting to melt into the floor. louis tries as hard not to laugh as he can.

"we could make it a whole project," harry's saying, looking around himself with a grin. everyone's looking back at harry like he's the second coming of christ, which isn't anything new for louis. "me and zayn and perrie? and aiden-" he turns then, to look back at aiden whose eyes are wide- "do you want to help too?"

"um-" aiden says before brian's cutting him off.

"well i suppose then," brian says, rolling his eyes and fixing his grey cardigan. "as long as the paint isn't toxic or some shocking colour…"

harry grins, bright. nick ambles back into his seat, grumbling as he goes. louis takes another bite out of his burger.

the meeting lets out at a quarter past eight.

"he's absolutely insufferable," nick says, zipping his jacket up as they head outside.

"makes for a fun time though," louis says, bumping shoulders with him. niall and liam are talking to theo about something, god knows what, and aiden and harry are trailing behind them, being cute teenagers.

nick grumbles. louis smiles.

"you had fun," louis says, grabbing on to nick's wrist with his hand. nick grumbles some more. "you did. you had fun, just admit it."

"maybe a little," nick says, his eyes kind of sparkly, and louis grins.

"good," he says, and then lets go of nick's wrist.

liam insists on their going out for ice cream, and no one can quite say no, especially when harry's eyes light up. they go to florence's shop, because it's the only place in town where they serve proper waffle cones.

liam and niall go up first, holding hands and giggling into each other's necks because they're that cute. as louis shuffles his feet in the queue, next to a bored looking nick who is definitely playing candy crush, liam leans in to kiss niall's temple. twice.

"god they're cute," nick says, still engrossed in his game.

"i know," louis says, heart soaring. "i don't know how i made it through the entire wedding. had to stand up at the front and everything, but my legs almost gave out from all the sweetness."

"what?" nick looks up, eyes confused. "wha- no, i don't mean niall and liam. i meant-" he jerks his head forward.

louis follows his movement to where harry is smiling at aiden. aiden's talking about some band and harry's just staring at him with a lovely, soft little smile. louis' heart aches a bit more.

"oh," louis says. he bites his lip. "you know h is with someone, right?"

nick hums. louis rolls his eyes.

niall and liam eventually meander over to a booth in the corner, giggling like teenagers. harry immediately steps up to the glass pane and puts his hands out over it, peering into the different choices. as if he won't just get strawberry like he does every single time they go here.

aiden asks for bubble gum and harry (after a minute long ponder) eventually caves for the strawberry but then-

"oh damn it," harry says, reaching into his coat pocket with a furrow in his brow. "i forgot to grab my wallet."

"don't worry," aiden says before louis can even get a hand in his own pocket for some change. "i've got it."

"no, aiden," harry says, turning a peculiar colour pink. "you don't have to-"

"it's fine," aiden says, handing over a couple coins and turning back to harry with a shrug. he looks like he's trying very hard to appear cool and collected. it's almost working.

"thank you," harry says, looking down at his ice cream cone. he smiles, small, and then looks back up at aiden, all wide eyes. "i'll pay you back."

"don't worry about it," aiden says.

they stare at each other, harry's eyelashes fluttering and aiden's ears steadily turning red, before louis can't handle it anymore. he clears his throat.

"right," he says, loudly, which stirs both harry and aiden into blushing and stuttering away to sit with niall and liam. "you'll be paying for me as well then, nicholas?"

nick rolls his eyes, but gets out his wallet nonetheless. "what do you want, you heathen?"

louis smiles as bright as he can.

they wander their way to the table within the next minute, both clutching cones of double chocolate brownie (louis) and french vanilla (nick, the posh twat). niall and liam are splitting a banana split and harry's sending aiden these little flirty looks every once and awhile and nick. nick pulls out louis' chair for him, smiling like he almost never does. louis tries to school his face back into neutrality, but he can't help a small smile of his own.

"so," he says a little while later, when everyone is into their ice cream. liam and niall are still acting weird. like, more in love than usual. "what did you two want to tell us?"

niall looks at liam, who nods and smiles and then does a weird thing with his nose.

"come on lou," niall says, standing up. he grins, bright. "i think you need a spoon. from over there. i'll go with you."

"subtle," louis says, following him.

niall leads him over to where the bathrooms are, buzzing a little. his smile is too bright; it hurts to look at.

"what is it?" louis asks, smiling a bit. niall only grins wider. "god, you nut. what's this all about?"

"well," niall says, eyes sparkling. "you know how i've always wanted kids?"

louis' mouth drops open. "no."

niall's smile gets, if it's possible, wider.

"no way," louis' mind is completely blank. "you're kidding me."

"louis."

"niall james horan, are you serious?" louis puts his hands on either side of niall's face and looks deep into his eyes. niall nods.

"oh my god," louis says. he can feel a smile blossom across his own face, and it feels like it's too much. "oh my god. you're going to be a dad."

"i know," niall says, voice pitched high, and then louis' holding him round the neck and trying to jump as little as possible.

niall's arms go tight around him as they both squeal in each other's ears, unable to hold it all in. "i mean, i mean we don't know yet. we just applied for adoption, and it could take months or years, but-"

"but it's happening," louis says in niall's ear, and he feels him nod back.

"it's happening," niall says, voice mystified. louis squeezes him tighter.

"you're going to be the best parent in the world, niall," louis says, pulling back a little so he can see niall's eyes. they're a little wet, but louis doesn't say anything.

"well," niall winks. "the second best at least."

louis smiles and then niall smiles.

"oh hey," niall says, thumbing at louis' rib. "i know you're probably vying for the godfather spot and all."

"naturally."

"but li and i were thinking," niall looks down at his shoes. "well, harry will probably be eighteen by the time we get a baby. if we get one at all."

louis' heart beats louder than it ever has.

"do you think he'd be up for it?" niall asks, a glimmer in his eye.

louis nods, trying to hold it all together.

they bid farewell outside florence's. niall and liam are holding hands with a near reverent kind of determination. aiden is being entirely unsubtle with his constant looks at harry, and harry is being stupidly enamoured every time aiden looks at him. and nick.

nick's eyes are kind, and soft, and stupidly lovely.

"well," he says, voice deep and wonderful in the chilly stillness of the night. "good night, then."

"good night, nick," louis says, staring at nick's mouth for a second. it's pink and lovely. "it's been fun."

"it has."

"good night, nick!" harry says, cheerfully. he slips his arm through louis', looking entirely too sweet. aiden skulks up to nick and they all stand together in their weird little foursome for a minute.

"well," louis says, smiling as bright as he can. "i guess we'll see you both tomorrow morning."

"i guess you will," nick says, eyes glinting.

aiden waves oddly with one hand and then drops his head down.

"right," nick says, with an eye roll. "that's our cue then."

he turns to leave, aiden at his side, and then falters. nick turns back with a strange set to his shoulders and then, deliberately, leans in to kiss louis' cheek.

louis freezes.

nick pulls away. louis blinks once.

"good night," nick grins. then he turns once more and walks away.

it takes a second for louis to bring himself back into the moment, and when he does harry is looking at him all smug.

"oh, shut up."

"you like him."

"shut up."

"he kissed you."

"shut up."

"you're blushing."

"shut up."

louis comes out of the market one night with two boxes of couscous and a bag of carrots, because harry and him are trying their hand at making dinner tonight. he's humming that weird two door cinema club song nick had played this morning in the diner, and when he looks up to tell harry about it he notices that harry's not on the footpath where he last left him.

instead harry's out in the middle of the town square with mark and as louis approaches, hesitant smile on his face (he's still not big on mr. bland), he sees harry reach out to grab mark's arm, only to have it pulled away quickly.

he stops, watching as harry takes a step towards mark and mark takes one back, saying something that makes harry put an arm around himself and look down.

it isn't until mark leaves, stomping away and rolling his eyes, that louis comes closer, putting a hand out gently to run over harry's tense shoulder.

"hey, love," louis says, eyes narrowing a bit at the retreating back of mark. "what was that about?"

"nothing," harry says tightly, biting his lip so hard it turns white.

"harry, you're talking to the king of fights here," louis says, knocking his hip lightly into harry's so that maybe he'll stop having that awful look on his face. "i know the symptoms. did something happen between you two?"

"i-" harry runs a hand through his hair. "apparently yesterday mark saw me and aiden at the record store shopping and he just flipped."

"oh," louis nods because god how could he have missed this? "so he's jealous."

"i don't know why," harry says angrily, little puppy frown on his face. "it's not like we were doing anything. we just hang out sometimes as friends, it's not a big deal."

"well it obviously is to mark," louis says not unkindly, wrapping an arm around harry's waist. "it's not ridiculous that he'd be jealous of some good looking boy that you get along with."

"but it's stupid," harry says, irritated, pinching the bridge of his nose. "we're just friends, everyone knows that. aiden doesn't like me like that."

"i wouldn't go that far," louis mutters.

"what?"

"nothing."

"he doesn't!" harry breaks away, turning to louis and looking determined. "he would have told me if he did. he would have said something. there's no way that aiden grimshaw thinks of me as anything more than a friend. that's it. that's all there is between us."

"i believe you."

"well you should."

"well i do," louis says gently, reaching out to pat harry's cheek. "so let's go get some take away and we’ll forget that ever happened, alright?"

"okay," harry says, quietly. "but i thought we were cooking tonight."

"oh honey, that was never going to happen," louis says, slinging an arm around harry's shoulders and steering him to the pizza place on birch avenue. "be realistic."

harry laughs and they walk silently for a bit, enjoying the peaceful hustle and bustle of their town.

"i'm sorry about that," harry says just as they're passing nick's. "you shouldn't have to be involved in all of my shitty drama."

"harry, love, i will never complain about having to deal with your drama," louis promises, smiling a bit. "it's been a long while since i was in a proper lover's spat myself. it was nice to go back."

"you were in jealous lover spats?"

"all the time," louis says, eyes all wide and innocent. "on my very first day of uni i was asked out by this bloke in my contemporary critical theory class. and i said yes because i didn't know anyone yet and he was pretty cute but then at the restaurant we went to there was this hot waiter, and he started flirting with me and …jeremy? i think it was jeremy. anyways, he got all jealous even though i didn't even know his last name. and then they got into this spat when we tried to pay and i ended up going home by myself and watching golden girls with anne- your mum instead. pretty insane."

"sounds it," harry says, grinning.

"so yes, young harold," louis says, straightening his shoulders. "i am no stranger to the envious behaviour of young men."

"i don't know," harry says, biting his lip again. "i don't like it. i mean, i get that he just wants me to be his boyfriend, but at the same time i just - i'm not property. and i'm certainly not his property."

"stop it right now or i'll cry," louis says honestly, because he gets emotional when harry shows how much of a well rounded individual he is.

"because, like, a little jealousy is fine, it's great," harry explains, walking a bit slower. "but i don't want it to turn into a thing."

"i get that," louis smiles, knocking his hip into harry's.

harry silent for a second and then - "he's just so frustrating. it drives me crazy."

"who, mark?"

"yeah," harry rubs over his lip. "and aiden too. they're both so hard to read. i don't know."

"look at you, my little romeo," louis says, laughing just a little bit, shucking harry under his chin to lighten the mood. "don't worry about them, okay? they're both dumb teenage boys who know you're a complete catch."

harry rolls his eyes but louis continues, "and heaven knows he isn't my favourite person, but mark's allowed to be a little jealous. you're something he wants to hold on to. i just think you need to be careful about his feelings. and aiden's too. make sure you know what you're doing. okay?"

"okay," harry sighs.

"good," louis smiles, pulling them left around the next corner. "now let's go get some food, alright? i'm starving."

six days later it's the annual all-town movie night. harry and louis wait for this day every year with baited breath, eyes wide to think that maybe this year will be the one that brian chooses something other than matilda to watch.

"it's not that i don't love matilda," harry says as they make their way to the town square. they've both got shopping bags full of blankets in each hand and harry's backpack is piled with sweets. "i love matilda. i just wish we could watch something new for a change."

"like brokeback," louis says with sly eyebrows.

"no, not like brokeback," harry says, swatting him away. "something cute and nice. no heartbreak-y bits. maybe a rom-com."

"love a good rom-com."

"who doesn't?" harry asks. "can you imagine watching sleepless in seattle with the whole town? that'd be a riot."

"glorious," louis says, just as they descend onto the wet grass of the square. it's getting dark, and a couple eager beavers have already set up their spots close to the projector screen. niall and liam are snogging on one near the back already, which harry and louis avoid stealthily.

they settle in on a nice patch of grass in the ideal location - close enough to the screen to see, but far enough away to be able to stand up for food without getting yelled at - and snuggle into their blankets.

it's kind of weird, because he sees him every day, but louis misses harry. he works so hard to be at his private school, and he's constantly doing homework; if he's not hitting the books he's out with mark or zayn or aiden. it's a lot to keep track of.

"i missed you this week," louis tells him and harry smiles back, bright.

"i missed you too," he says, flopping over so he's closer to louis on their little nest of blankets. "how's the inn?"

"eh," louis shrugs, more interested in harry. "how's school? did that friend of yours end up getting suspended?"

"who, jade?" harry asks, as if there's more than one. "no, she got off. her parents just donated some money to build a new wing of the library."

"must be nice to be rich."

"i know."

"so that's the price for punching some guy in the face?" louis asks, wanting to clarify. harry nods slowly. "jesus."

"well, no one's tried to look up her skirt since, so," harry says, and then yawns. he looks like a little koala bear. or a frog. a little helpless frog. "so lesson - lesson learned."

"aw, is someone tired?"

"shut up," harry says, giggling a little. "i was helping zayn on some math homework last night and it took longer than i expected."

"look at you, my little genius."

"shush," harry says, covering louis' hand with his mouth. "no more words out of you."

louis rolls his eyes. harry laughs and removes his hand.

"hey h?" louis says sometime later, as they wait for the sky to get darker. people are setting up around them.

"yeah?" harry says, rolling his head to the side so they can make eye contact.

"you're my best friend, you know." louis just doesn't say it enough.

harry's smile breaks his face in half. "i know. you're mine too."

zayn finds them during the iconic cake scene. harry and louis are, naturally, cheering bruce! bruce! bruce! when he stumbles up to them.

"matilda again?" he says as a greeting, plopping down next to harry on their blankets. harry's made himself into a little cocoon, so he gently rolls himself across to rest his head on zayn's lap with a smile. louis rolls his eyes at the pair of them, overly fond.

"mhm," harry says. zayn pets his hair back and louis only feels a teensy bit left out. "when did you get here?"

"my mum made me hand out sandwiches with her," zayn says, voice dull. "but only before the movie started. she hates movies, especially this one. she thinks that matilda is a witch and that you're all going to hell."

"oh, naturally," harry says, grinning at louis. louis smiles back. "you're mum's the best."

zayn snorts and shifts back more comfortably on their blankets. mrs. trunchbull is yelling on the screen but louis doesn't really care.

"so, zayn," he says instead, wiggling his eyebrows a bit. "any developments made on she who must not be named?"

zayn's face turns a deep red, something visible even in the darkness of the night, and harry laughs.

"don't you have other people to bother?" zayn asks, voice all tight and squeaky. louis loves embarrassing him more than anything (except maybe embarrassing harry). "you're a grown man for pete's sake."

"you take that back," louis says, narrowing his eyes.

a group behind them shushes loudly. they ignore them.

"aiden told me that you two were talking awfully close to one another in the library yesterday," harry says, a smirk across his face. he wriggles in his little blanket cocoon while zayn glares at him.

"why the heck is grimshaw stalking me in the first place?"

"he wasn't stalking, he just noticed," harry says, rolling his eyes, and louis looks back to the screen. they argue for a bit, back and forth, about perrie and aiden and the painting of the gazebo.

"…and she said she really likes my sketches," zayn says, voice low. louis glances over to see that harry's left his cocoon, sitting next to zayn cross-legged instead. "i don't know."

"that's awesome, zayn," harry says, gently, like he's talking to a woodland creature. "it seems like she likes you."

"i don't know," zayn shrugs. "it's whatever."

harry rolls his eyes but doesn't comment. louis smiles at them fondly, before a loud buzzing interrupts his thoughts. he pulls his phone out of the bag of snacks next to him and checks the caller id: unknown.

"hey," he says to harry, who is munching on some pretzels with extreme dedication. "i'm going to go get this, okay?"

harry nods and louis shifts himself into a standing position, crouching until he gets away from the viewing area, before pressing answer.

"hello?" he asks, idling near the popcorn cart. he's never been a big fan on popcorn (the kernels get stuck in his teeth) but he takes a couple when the man behind the cart offers, smiling.

"louis?" comes a voice that is distinctly his mother's, and louis freezes.

"mum," he says, walking a bit away from the stand. his skin feels weird. "hi."

"hello," his mother says, shortly. louis slips a kernel into his mouth and chews slowly, letting his saliva melt it a bit. he swallows audibly. "how are you?"

"good."

"and harry?"

"he's great, mum," louis says, eating another kernel. it's been a couple months.

"good, that's nice to hear," she clears her throat and louis holds back a sigh. there's always a reason for a call from his mother. always. "now, you may have forgotten, but dan and i are going to switzerland on wednesday and i wanted to make sure you knew."

louis nods and then, feeling foolish, blurts out, "yes, of course."

every time his mother goes on a trip she calls louis, to make sure he has an updated copy of her will, and to make sure he still remembers all the proper passwords and forms to access things. his mother is nothing if not thorough. she was never wealthy when louis was growing up but her husband is now. they take their twins to ski resorts and splurge on christmas presents.

"and everything is accounted for…?"

"yeah, mum," louis clears his throat. the popcorn is drying his throat out and making him feel weird. "everything should be fine."

"hm," she takes a pause. "it was lovely to see you at christmas."

"you too."

"harry's gotten so tall," she says and louis can feel himself twitch, just a little bit. "you must send us new pictures of him to put on the fridge."

"sure."

"he's such a handsome boy," she says and louis looks over to harry himself, laughing with zayn about something. "and so smart. well, what could you expect from anne's son."

"yeah," louis says. he's waiting.

"oh, and remind him that he's welcome here anytime. i know things have been a bit rocky over the last couple of years but-"

"pardon?" louis says. this is it then, this is what's going to set him off (there's always something that does, it's just anticipating it that's the problem). "a bit rocky?"

louis' mother sighs.

"mum, you told me when i took him in that i was ruining my life," louis lets the rest of his popcorn fall to the ground. his blood feels hot under his skin. "you told me that i would never amount to anything, that i was throwing everything i had ever worked for away."

"please don't be so dramatic, louis."

"dramatic?" louis has had this argument too many times.

"yes, louis, dramatic," she sounds all huffed and angry like she always got when he used to fall off trees as a kid. "don't make me out to be the evil witch here, just because i was being logical. when you were eighteen, did i think it was crazy that you took in some infant? yes. it was stupid-"

"it was harry, i didn't have a choice."

"you did have a choice, louis," she snaps back, and wow, this really isn't what he needs tonight. "you had the choice to let harry stay with his family-"

"those posh twats?" louis says, feeling like he's eighteen again, tired and sore and sad all the time. "i couldn't. they made anne's life a living hell, i wasn't about to-"

"i'm not having this discussion again," she says, her voice a note of finality. "call me if you need anything before wednesday, and please don't forget lottie's birthday. okay?"

louis bites his lip. his heart is accelerated, his tongue poised to attack, all for nothing. "okay."

"good night, louis."

"night."

he hangs up. he hangs his head, takes two steadying breaths, and tries not cry from frustration.

"hey, hey," suddenly there's a warm, familiar hand on his waist, under his jacket, and a finger tilting his chin up. nick is standing next to him, face unreadable. louis takes another shuttering breath.

"nick?" he starts, feeling like he's being attacked for a second. "what are you - did you hear that?"

"just the very end of it," nick says, hesitant. "are you okay?"

"of course i am," louis says, shaking his head a bit. "don't be silly."

"you just look a little off, that's all," nick says, peering into his eyes all weird.

"nope," louis says, trying to muster up his energy. "fit as a fiddle, me. when did you get here?"

"oh," nick looks down at his brown chelsea boots (louis will never forgive him for influencing harry so much with fashion). "i was just tossing out some garbage across the way." he nods to where the diner is, the lights dimmed on the inside. "when i saw you i figured i'd pop by. um."

"cool," louis says. he looks over to where harry is on the grass and is surprised to see that aiden's joined him. zayn's making eyes at perrie, who appears to be braiding jesy nelson's (who was harry's first kiss from primary school) hair.

nick nods. then his mouth screws up to one side and he smiles with his eyes. "who was it? on the phone. "

"my mum," louis says, trying not to pout. he's feeling a strange mesh of emotions right now.

"it didn't sound too friendly," nick's eyes are wide and easy, giving louis the option of an out if he wants one. louis doesn't find he needs one. he just smiles and waves his hand a bit, brushing the whole thing off.

"let's just say we're both really good at holding grudges," nick nods. he looks back to where the lights are still on at his diner.

"i should…" he says and louis nods. twice.

"you should get going," louis says. he looks at the freckles on nick's cheek for a second before he mentally smacks himself. "and i should get going."

"right," nick says, like he wants to laugh. his eyes really are too pretty. "i'm going to go then."

"me too."

they turn at the same time. louis bites back a smile.

"not yet," harry is saying as louis wanders back to their area, about to sit back down with them. "not yet, not - now, now, now!"

zayn is off like a rocket just as louis takes his seat. he watches as zayn zigzags through the crowd until he reaches the other end, to where perrie's just got up for some drinks.

"young love?" louis asks and harry smiles in response.

"mhm," he says, and then he drops his head onto aiden's shoulder. aiden looks far too pleased. louis gives him a look and watches as aiden's ears turn red. "boy, i'm tired."

"you're like a little baby," louis coos and harry swats him away.

"i'll be fine," harry says, grumbling.

four minutes later, harry is snoring softly on aiden's shoulder. aiden doesn't stop smiling for awhile.

harry wakes up as the credits are rolling.

he yawns hugely, snuffling into aiden's shoulder. as louis watches, aiden's face goes carefully blank, like he's afraid of making any kind of reaction. harry blinks his eyes awake.

"oh no," he says, voice gravelly. "did i fall asleep?"

louis hums, reaching out to push harry's hair out of his eyes. harry looks like a disgruntled, tired little cat.

"aw, man," he says, and then looks up. his face turns pink. "oh. sorry, aiden. i didn't mean to. yeah."

"it's fine," aiden says hurriedly. louis rolls his eyes as they apologize back and forth. they're ridiculous. completely ridiculous.

everyone around them is starting to pack up, stuffing blankets into bags and folding lawn chairs. louis is just about to suggest the same when a voice cuts across him.

"harry."

louis looks up to see mark standing next to their little nest. he looks confused and agitated and louis carefully looks back to his toes.

"mark," harry says, scrambling to stand up. his face is open and delighted. "i didn't know you were coming."

"obviously," mark says, his face hard.

harry blinks a bit and then smiles, a bit more hesitant. louis looks determined at the projector screen in front of him, trying to ignore their hushed voices and aiden's stiff body next to him. he reads every stunt person's name. it's a surprisingly long list.

"how was work?"

"oh, like you give a shit," mark says, and okay, that's something that piques louis' interest. he tries his hardest not to move because this is harry's battle. "too busy over there with what's his fucking face-"

"mark," harry says, voice hinting at frustration. "it's just aiden. you know there's nothing there. why are you being like this?"

next to him on the blanket, aiden's hand clenches. louis makes a quick decision.

"hey, aiden?" he asks, softly. aiden still startles. "i'm absolutely exhausted. do you think you could help me fold up all these blankets?"

they make quick work together, folding and stuffing all of their fluffy shit into the plastic bags. by the time they're done, mark's face is a lighter red than before and harry looks tired.

"hey love," louis says, curling his hand around harry's waist. he'd never quite understand teen angst. "you alright?"

"yep," harry says brightly, but louis can see what he really means. harry's eyes aren't saying i want to hang out with my boyfriend tonight! they're saying can we get out of here? now?

"well, we best get going then," louis says, making his tone as regretful as possible. he looks up at mark, whose face is very clearly ticked off. "got to get up early for mabel's vet appointment."

"right," harry says, nodding along. "sorry, mark. i could call you?"

"don't worry about it," he says.

"oh," harry says, biting his lip. louis wills his mouth shut; it's not your fight it's not your fight it's not your fight. "i'll just talk to you later then."

mark leans over and presses his lips to harry's, one hand cupping harry's face and tilting his head back. louis coughs after a second, smiling dangerously at mark when he pulls back.

"say good night to mark, harry," louis says, biting his tongue so he doesn't say anything more. he watches as harry does exactly that and mark wanders off, apron from the market tossed over one shoulder.

"you seriously okay?" louis asks, touching harry's elbow and harry looks up at him with wet eyes.

"not really," he says, voice turning breathy at the end. louis wraps an arm round him, about to lead him home when-

"hey, harry," aiden says, holding one of their bags of blankets. his eyes are bright and his face is eager. "are you okay?"

"yep," harry says, nodding a bit. he clutches onto louis' side a bit more but still keeps up the charade (and if there's one thing that louis taught him, it's how to master that). "we're just going home."

"oh, let me walk you." aiden looks so happy and excited, just to be standing next to harry. it makes louis' stomach twist.

"look-" louis begins, but harry cuts him off.

"that's okay," he says, looking down at the ground. "i'd really rather you didn't. sorry. that sounds shit. it's not you, i'm just tired."

"oh," aiden says. "of course."

"i'll text you tomorrow, okay?" harry asks, always looking for approval, and when aiden nods he smiles wide. "awesome. i'll see you later, aiden."

louis leads them off, arm still tight around harry's shoulders. he waits until they're past nick's (where he can just see nick wiping down tables and jamming out to some booming house track) before he pounces.

"what was that about?"

harry sniffs once and then laughs at himself. "nothing. it's stupid. he just saw me with aiden and got all jealous. i don't know. i don't really want to talk about it."

"fair enough," louis says, hip checking harry and then smiling. "we should talk about more important things anyway. like me. aren't i great?"

harry's laughter rings out through the empty street and louis smiles so wide his face hurts.

it only takes a week.

when louis gets home on friday night harry's on the front porch swing alone. he's looking down at his hands and sitting there so quietly, calmly, that louis is immediately on his guard.

"hey, you okay?" he calls as he makes his way across the front lawn.

"yeah," harry says, hoarsely.

"harry?" he walks up the steps now, coming to stop right in front of harry. "what's got you so down in the dumps?"

harry looks up then, and his eyes are considerable wetter and redder than louis would like.

"have you been crying?" he asks immediately, sitting down next to him on the swing and quickly getting a hand to push up harry's chin.

"i'm fine," harry croaks out, but his voice breaks on the last word. one big, pale hand works itself up to wipe at his eyes and louis' heart breaks. "i swear, i'm fine."

"harry don't lie to me," louis will kick the ever living shit out of whoever did this to him. "was it zayn? did zayn and you get into a fight?"

he bites his lip but shakes his head, so louis keeps guessing.

"aiden? did ai-"

"it wasn't aiden."

"mark then? was it that asshole mark?"

"he's not-" and that was all the answer louis needed.

"i'll kill him."

"he's not an asshole, louis, you're-"

"what did he do to you?" louis' been hurt before, loads before, but there's no worse pain in this world than watching harry cry. "and don't you dare lie, harry; i want to know now."

"he didn't-" harry's eyes are darting around and his little teeth are biting so hard into his lip it must be painful. "he didn't do anything- it was just-"

"did he pressure you into-"

"no, louis, i told you'd i'd-"

"did he hurt you? in any way, it doesn't have to be physical-"

"no- no he just-"

"harry."

"he broke up with me," harry says.

when harry finally falls asleep that night it's three, and the ice cream pot is completely melted.

there are tear tracks down his cheeks and he's curled up within himself on the couch, swathed in the giant lion king blanket they bought together years ago. he looks small, tiny and vulnerable and young, and louis' heart feels like it's breaking when he turns off the television and goes to shut the drapes over the main window.

he pushes harry's curls back off his forehead and leans down carefully to press his lips against it, dragging the end of the blanket so it reaches over his shoulders.

"good night, darling," louis whispers, shuffling over to the rocking chair in the corner to settle down for the night.

he doesn't get any sleep, but he never really expected to.

by noon louis is reeling.

he takes a lunch break. he needs a lunch break.

"what the hell are you doing here?" nick asks as soon as he pushes through the door, hair curly, a pair of glasses on his nose.

"i come here every day," louis says back, shifting his bum onto the bar stools by the counter.

"at breakfast maybe," nick says, already pulling out a mug for his tea. "but at lunch you don't come here. you have a job."

"i do, indeed," louis smiles bright. "you're really on top of things, nick."

"no but seriously," nick licks the side of his mouth which should be weirder than it is, but louis' seen it happen every day for a number of years and by this point it's just sort of mildly endearing. "what are you doing here?"

louis sighs, "it's been a long day."

"i can sympathize with that."

"the inn is crazy and niall's trying out this new kind of ratatouille on the guests and i think there might be a spider colony living in my house," he smiles a bit when nick laughs, but then frowns. "oh hey, do you have any of those big chocolate chip muffins?"

"no," nick says. "i can whip up a batch if you want though."

"that'd be incredible," louis sighs, rubbing a hand across his temple.

"any special occasion?"

"well, you know," louis waves his hand around giving nick a significant look. "you know."

"what?"

"you know."

"what do i know?" nick's looking at him like he's mad.

"nicholas," if louis could reach him from over the counter he'd hit him upside the head. "that mark and harry called it quits; i was up half the night making sure he was alright."

"harry finally dumped that loser?" nick leans over the counter casually, not so subtly checking out louis' collarbones as he goes.

"no, apparently mark broke it off."

nick straightens up. "he what?"

"keep it down!" louis hisses, checking over both shoulders. "he doesn't want to whole town coddling him."

"the whole town coddles him anyway," nick says easily and louis shrugs in agreement. "i can't believe that asshole."

"i'm sure he's not an asshole," at nick's incredulous look louis continues. "i mean, a jerk faced pretty boy who's never going to have anyone better, yes, but i'm sure he's not an asshole. per se. he's seventeen."

"still stupid."

"yeah."

"like he's going to find someone better than harry in this town."

"in the country!"

"exactly."

"exactly."

"hm. well he won't be allowed here anymore," nick says, squinting his eyes to peer through the windows on the far end, like mark's going to be wandering around town on a friday at noon. "you can be sure of that."

"you don't have to do that-"

"believe me when i tell you louis, that i take great pleasure in banning that little - that worm from here."

louis tries not to smile. "you really care about him."

"hm?"

"harry."

"oh, well," nick shrugs, bringing a hand up to wipe some sleep or something from his eye. "he's a good kid."

"the best."

"yeah," nick does the tongue thing again and louis probably shouldn't be this turned on in the middle of a diner. "you want the soup?"

louis nods, says, "of course!" and tries not to let the little gnawing in the pit of his stomach spread.

4/4