Thank you so much for the comments on the last chapter :)

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Harry was sitting on the grass right by the water, smoking, when Louis approached him. He was freezing but he'd never admit it or make an effort to go back. He wanted Harry to keep him warm.

Louis sat down next to him and didn't say anything for a few minutes, just stared ahead at the dark water.

"You're freezing." Harry said and Louis looked at him.

"Just a bit."

"Hold this."

Louis took the offered cigarette and watched Harry as he took off his jean jacket, before handing it to him.

"Take this."

"Uh...you sure?"

"Yeah."

Harry took the cigarette back as Louis dressed up with the jacket and buttoned it all the way up to his neck. He hugged his knees to his chest and stared at Harry as he smoked.

"So do you feel any different now that you're twenty?" he tried to make conversation.

"Same old shit but a different age."

"I just...why don't you think your birthday is important? You should be happy."

"Happy that twenty years ago I was born into an abusive home with two parents that didn't even give a shit? You want to know why I don't really care about birthdays?"

Louis nodded, unsure.

"I used to like birthdays when I was little. My mother would bake me a cake and then I'd wish for an even bigger cake the next year. But when I turned ten my mother wasn't home so I thought I'd celebrate it with my father. I went downstairs, obviously excited that I was turning ten and had made it through a decade. I told my father that it was my birthday and that I was turning ten, obviously excited about it. I still remember the look of indifference on his face when he shrugged and said 'so what'. It's stupid...but I remember that look on every single one of my birthdays."

He paused a moment before continuing.

"Then on my eleventh birthday they both forgot, and on my twelfth birthday my father said they didn't even plan on having me, they only wanted my older sister and that I was an accident. He was joking around, but that stuck in my head. They never celebrated my birthday after that, never got me any cake and didn't even bother wishing me a happy birthday. So yeah, I don't think it's a big deal."

Louis' heart hurt. It literally hurt from how much he wanted to just hug Harry and stroke his hair and tell him that he's happy that he was born.

"You know that there is a house full of people that came here to celebrate your birthday right?" Louis asked eventually and Harry shook his head.

"They're here for the free alcohol. People only care if they get something out of it."

"That's n-"

"Take my mother for example, she doesn't give a shit about me because she has nothing to gain from it. If I had a job she'd be kissing my ass. No one cares just because they do."

"I care." Louis said and Harry turned to look him in the eyes.

"I'm still trying to figure you out. You pretend to care because you don't want me telling people you're gay." Harry spoke and took a drag out of his cigarette.

Louis ignored his comment.

"Why do you always expect the worst in people?"

"Why don't you?"

"Because I like to think people are nice."

"Nobody is nice just because."

"You are."

"Since when?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"I saw you give that little boy money a few days ago."

"Because I know what it's like to have nothing. Those who have less usually give more."

"You're actually good but you don't like people thinking that."

"You should be a psychologist, honestly."

"And then you use sarcasm to cover up your feelings." Louis added.

Harry shifted a bit forwards and away from Louis so he could throw the cigarette in the lake.

"I've learned to control my feelings." Harry said leaning against his palms.

"That's stupid."

"Because if you do actually express them, you end up getting hurt."

"Didn't your parents ever tell you they love you? Or anyone for that matter?" Louis asked, staring at the back of Harry's neck.

"Oh my dad sure did as he beat the shit out of me, and my mom as she fucked the next door neighbor."

Louis' mouth opened and he felt his heart narrowing in his chest. He remembered the exact words he'd told Harry that night when they were in his bed:

"I was just expecting for the story to be a bit more interesting. Like, you were abused as a child or your mom had an affair gone wrong or something."

He felt so bad, he was about to explode.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Louis said and shook his head.

"You don't-"

Louis got up on his knees and wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, pressing his cheek against his. He didn't even care that he was probably getting his jeans dirty.

"You don't have to feel sorry for me Louis." Harry said, secretly overwhelmed by Louis' actions.

"I don't feel sorry for you, I'm just sad that all this happened to you. You don't deserve that. No one does."

Harry leaned back into Louis' embrace and sighed.

"Aren't you sleepy?" Louis asked, yawning.

"No. You?"

"A bit."

"You can go back you know."

"I'd rather stay with you." Louis said and let go of Harry, sitting down next to him.

"Can I sleep with my head in your lap?" he asked.

Harry shrugged and once again leaned back on his palms, so Louis could curl up into a ball and settle his head in his lap.

Louis opened his eyes two hours later, just as the sun was rising. He looked up at Harry, who was still awake, eyes red like he hadn't slept in days. He looked tired and worn out.

"Did I snore?" Louis asked once he sat up straight and cracked his back.

Harry shook his head and looked up at the sky for a moment.

"I always wanted to catch the sunrise." Louis told him and pulled his phone out to take a picture.

He felt a foul taste in his mouth so he searched through the pockets of his jacket for some gum. He knew Harry must have gum because he was always chewing on something.

He found a small pack and they each took one, before they settled in a long, comfortable silence. He noticed that Harry had his bracelets back on.

"Happy birthday."

"You said that before."

"I just want you to know that um...I'm glad you were born."

Harry turned to look at him and Louis smiled, raising his eyebrows. Harry leaned over to press their lips together before he sucked on his bottom lip and nibbled on it.

"We should get back before anyone wakes up." Louis suggested and Harry nodded, standing up and brushing the dirt off his jeans.

"You have some dirt on the back of your jeans."

"Get it off." Louis said but then realized that it was probably just an excuse for Harry to touch his bum repeatedly.

It was eight when they got back to the house and people were still sleeping. Louis knew they had to clear the house by twelve, so he asked Harry to wake everyone up while he cleaned up.

So by half past eleven almost everyone was gone. People seemed to have had fun because they actually thanked Louis and wished Harry a happy birthday once again.

He took a quick shower to wash out the smell of smoke before locking up the house.

"Can I come over for lunch?" Eleanor asked and Louis looked up at her as he unlocked his car.

He threw a quick look in Harry's direction, who was just getting in the car with Zayn.

"Um...you're not going to church today?"

"Neither are you."

"Oh...okay then. We can-we can get something at Ramsay's if you want?" Louis suggested and Eleanor nodded excitedly.

One hour later they were sat down at a table in the corner with the food already in front of them.

"So who's idea was it to throw this party for Harry?" Eleanor asked as she cut her chicken.

"Um, Barbara's. I just offered the house. Why?"

"Just wondering. I didn't really think you were that close with him."

Louis frowned.

"I'm not close with him. Niall needed a place to throw the party and I offered. No big deal."

"I don't mind." She said defensively. "Harry's kind of nice."

"Nice?" he questioned confused.

"And good looking."

Louis inhaled sharply and stuffed his mouth with some cooked vegetables so he wouldn't have to say anything.

"Also, I didn't really see Liam last night. He was there, right?"

"Um...yeah. He felt a bit under the weather."

"I think Zayn likes him."

Okay, she had to stop if she didn't want Louis to choke on his food and die in a restaurant.

"Why do you think that?"

"Because he kept pestering him! I think that's why Liam hid away in a room, so he wouldn't have to face Zayn. And when Zayn disappeared, I wanted to tell Liam that he could come out but I couldn't find him!"

Louis tried to force down a smile because she was so incredibly oblivious as to why they both had disappeared, and she also made a pun.

"Don't you um-don't you think it's gross? Or like, don't you have anything against the fact that Zayn's...gay?" Louis asked, fearing the answer.

"Well...I definitely think he's made the wrong choice but as long as he doesn't kiss a boy in front of me I won't bother him."

It's not a choice, Louis thought.

"You know Harry's gay too, right?"

"He's bisexual, he's just confused."

Louis wanted to yell at her because being gay WASN'T a damn choice and Harry WASN'T confused. God, he hated her perspective of the world right now. She was so slow-witted and stupid, Louis was going to explode.

And the thought that he might have to spend the rest of his life with someone who discriminated people based on their sexuality made him want to throw up.

If he thought about it, a few months ago he would've said the same things as her. That homosexuality was a sin and that people with less money that him are irrelevant, but something's changed him.

And he knew that that 'something' was actually Harry. Harry, with all of his tattoos, the scars on his wrist and fucked up life.

It scared him that a person, Harry of all people, had influenced him so much in such a short period of time.

"I'm not really in the mood for desert to be honest. Can you drive me home?" she asked once they finished their meal.

"Sure." He answered, even though he was still kind of hungry.

Louis drove her to her house and she thanked him for the party and the meal, before pecking his lips and getting out of the car.

He drove around town for a bit, and somehow (it was a coincidence, honestly, it was) he ended up in front of Harry's house.

He saw a small Opel Astra parked on the sidewalk in front of the house and he assumed it was Harry's mother's car. He parked the Lamborghini behind it and pulled out his phone to text Harry.

But he didn't have time to do so, because there was someone knocking on his window, startling him. He sighed relieved when he saw Harry looking at him with a confused expression.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked once Louis rolled down the window.

"Um...I was coming-can I like. I don't know. I don't want to go home right now."

"Do you want to come in?"

"How did you know I was coming?"

"I could hear your car from three blocks away." Harry said and Louis was a bit disappointed that Harry didn't make a sexual innuendo out of it.

Louis turned the engine off before he pulled the keys out of the ignition and got out of the car.

"Your mom's home?" he asked as Harry opened the door, but he got his answer when he saw her at the small kitchen table for two with a beer bottle in one hand and some papers in the other.

She looked up at them, not even seeming surprised that Harry had brought someone in. Louis would have had to ask his mother two days in advance if he could bring someone over.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Styles." Louis said and she shook her head.

"It's Ms. Cox."

Louis nodded and apologized, before Harry sighed walked towards the stairs.

"Doesn't she mind that you brought someone over without asking?"

"She'd have to give a shit to actually mind." Harry answered and Louis watched him as he sat down by his desk.

Louis scrunched his nose up because Harry's room smelled like excessive smoke and cologne.

"Were you smoking?" he asked and Harry pointed to the filled ashtray on his desk.

"And wanking. Just finished actually."

"You were jerking off." Louis stated disbelievingly and went to open the window to let some fresh air in the room.

"Mhm." Harry confirmed.

"Just like that? Your mother's right downstairs! And your laptop isn't even on."

"I was thinking of you." Harry said nonchalantly and fished another cigarette out of his pack.

"Me? D-doing what?" Louis stuttered, eyes blown wide.

"Bending you over and taking you from behind."

"Oh."

Harry looked for his lighter, but Louis had other things in mind now that Harry had made him think of sex. He honestly had no idea what came over him, but he just lifted his right leg to straddle Harry on his chair.

Harry looked at him surprised but didn't protest; he chose to grip into Louis' hips instead. Their lips met halfway and Louis cupped Harry's face so he could deepen the kiss.

A few minutes later Harry had started to get impatient and reached a hand down into Louis' jeans to find him already hard.

"Can we-to the bed." Louis breathed when Harry cupped his clothed cock over his briefs.

Harry didn't waste any time to grip into Louis' arsecheeks and lift them both up, and then do the step needed over to the bed.

"What do you want me to do to you?" Harry asked him as he kissed down his neck.

"The-with your tongue please."

Harry licked his lips and straddled Louis's hips so he could take the black polo off. Normally Louis would've made a remark when Harry carelessly threw his shirt on the floor, but all he wanted right now was Harry's mouth on him.

"Won't your mom walk in?" he asked breathlessly as Harry shuffled further down his body so he could take his pants off too.

"No."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Harry unzipped his jeans and pulled them off, letting them fall on the floor next to his shirt.

"Take your clothes off too." Louis practically ordered and Harry did as asked.

After he'd stripped down to his briefs he pulled Louis' boxers off too, letting his red swollen cock spring free.

"Get on your belly and don't touch yourself." Harry spoke and Louis quickly turned around at Harry's demand, whimpering when his cock got wedged between his own stomach and the sheets.

Harry licked his lips and spread Louis' cheeks wide, revealing his tight pink hole, just like last time he'd seen it.

He ran a finger along the rim, teasing Louis for a bit. Harry absolutely loved the way he impatiently shifted against the sheets, trying to create some kind of friction.

"Please Harry."

Harry gulped at the plead and leaned down to lick a long stripe from Louis' balls all the way up, and then repeated the action three more times.

He circled Louis' rim a few times before he actually stuck his tongue in, past the ring of muscle, causing Louis to moan loudly and grip into the sheets.

"Put your fingers in." Louis breathed out and Harry looked up at him to see him looking back with glassy eyes and a determined look on his face. "Two of them."

"Okay. Fuck. Okay." Harry said, overwhelmed and reached over Louis to pull the bottle of lube from under one of the pillows.

"Seriously?" Louis asked incredulously.

"Useful though, innit?"

Louis shook his head and was about to say something else, but he felt Harry's middle finger nudge at his hole, then finally entering him.

He tried creating friction by grinding down on the sheets and backing up into Harry's finger.

"One more, please."

"Louis-"

"Do it. Feels so good, please."

"Fuck, I love it when you beg for me." Harry muttered in a low voice as he tried pushing his index finger in too.

Harry couldn't believe how amazing it felt to have his fingers inside Louis' tight hole, and he couldn't help but imagine how his cock would one day.

"Harry." Louis whimpered into the sheets, gripping so hard his knuckles turned white.

"You close baby, you gonna cum for me?" Harry asked and reached his free hand into his pants to quickly jerk himself off too.

"Yes yes yes." Louis moaned and pushed back against Harry's fingers. "Right there, please."

Harry scissored his fingers so they could tease his prostate, and that had Louis coming with a small shout all over the sheets.

Harry came right after into his hand and took a few seconds to come down from his high. He got up from the bed and went over to the bathroom quickly to wash his hands. When he came back Louis was rolled over on his back, blushing because he'd made a mess out of Harry's sheets.

"Sorry about...the sheets." He said looking down guiltily.

"It's fine, I got clean ones. Get up so I can change them."

Louis got up from the bed and dressed up as Harry replaced the sheets.

"So um...I should go now?"

"So this was sort of a booty call?" Harry asked while he pulled on his jeans.

"Uh...um."

"I'm going out to get some Subway, you want to come?"

"You're going to-what? How can you get a subway? What for? Do you even have money for a subway?"

Harry laughed and rolled his eyes.

"It's a sandwich shop called Subway. With sandwiches."

"Is it like a...pizza thing? Or a hamburger?"

"Tastes just as good."

"Okay. Uh, I guess so? Is it far from here?"

"It's two blocks down."

"Okay. Let's go."

So after they washed their hands once again and Louis grabbed his wallet from the car, they made their way to that Subway shop.

Louis liked it when Harry introduced him to new things like food and shops because they were cheap and actually really good. To his surprise, the place was actually packed and there were a lot of people waiting in line.

"So is this some sort of 'make it yourself' kind of thing?"

"Sure, or you can pick things that are already on the menu."

"What do you usually get?"

"The bacon one."

"Is it good?"

"Well since I always get it." Harry said sarcastically.

"No, I mean do you think I'll like it?"

"I don't think there's anything in this shop that would reach your level of expectations from meals princess. You can try though."

"Fine." Louis muttered, secretly smiling to himself at Harry's nickname.

Was it even a nickname?

"So do you want a six inch one or a foot long?"

"A what?" Louis asked confused, thinking that this might be Harry trying to make sexual jokes in public.

"You can get a foot long sandwich or a six inch one."

"A foot...as in thirty centimeters?"

"Yes."

"Is that what you're getting?"

"Well, I'm actually getting the six inch one because then I won't have enough money for a drink."

It was Louis' turn to roll his eyes.

"I can pay for you, stop playing the victim here."

"I don't want to look like I'm taking advantage of you."

"You're not, come on. Get what you want, I can pay."

"Louis-"

"Harold. I got money coming out of my ass and you know my ass is kind of big."

Harry laughed, like, genuinely laughed, all bright eyes and crinkly smile at Louis, and Louis knew right then and there that he wanted to make Harry laugh more.

So when they got their turn, Harry ordered two one-foot long bacon sandwiches with two cokes and two muffins.

"You're purposely trying to get me fat." Louis said when they sat down in a booth.

"You caught me."

And Louis enjoyed this, eating loads of food without having to worry about someone pointing out to him that he would have to do some kind of exercise afterwards, and joking around with Harry.

"So um...like, have you ever had sex?" Louis asked.

Harry snorted, almost choking on his sandwich.

"What do you think?"

"No I mean...with a boy. I mean...you know, when you were um, when the other guy was the one doing the job."

"So you're asking me if I ever bottomed?"

Louis nodded, blushing as he took a bite out of his sandwich.

"Once. When I was sixteen and it was the first guy I've ever had sex with. It was awful so the second time I did it with a guy I was the one fucking him. I'm just not made for taking things up my ass. Some people can do it both, I can't. But why the sudden interest?"

"Just asking." Louis shrugged.

"Okay then." Harry smiled and took another large bite out of his sandwich.

"And how did your parents react when you um, told them? That you were gay I mean."

"I never came out to them. Well, I sort of did when they walked in on me fucking my gym teacher into the couch."

"What?" Louis' mouth fell open. "What did they say?"

Louis was so intrigued by everything about Harry; it was crazy.

"Well my dad punched the guy and my mom reported it to the school so he got fired. But they didn't really react to me being gay. Bisexual, actually, because they also walked in while I had girls riding my cock."

"So your romantic preference is also biromantic?" Louis asked, trying to seem nonchalant at Harry's use of words.

"My romantic preference is aromantic." Harry answered and Louis frowned.

"What?"

"It means that I'm not romantically attracted to anyone."

"But you can't-how can you if you're sexually-"

"Because I don't see myself having a boyfriend or a girlfriend. I don't think I'd treat them properly."

Louis chose not to add anything to that, mainly because he had no idea what to say.

They finished their sandwiches five minutes later and Harry still hadn't said a word. Louis was starting to feel like he should say or do something.

"So if your mom has a car, why do you always need Zayn to drive you?"

Harry looked down at him surprised, and Louis wondered if he'd just asked a really rude question. But to his defense, Harry always asked him inappropriate questions and Louis just wanted to make conversation.

"Because I don't have a drivers license."

"But you told me you have one."

"Yeah, for motorcycles."

"Motorcycles?" Louis asked surprised.

"I was eighteen and my mother promised to get me one for my birthday but all she did was throw up over my shirt because she got too drunk."

"Oh. So you don't want a car? Or-"

"Do I look like someone who has the possibility to buy a car? I can't even afford a damn taxi ride."

"Well no, but you could save up for one. And why did your mom promise you one for your birthday even though she didn't have money?"

"My mother had a decent job back then, my dad did too. She made the promise when I was thirteen, thinking that I'd forget. So when things got really bad financially she used my allowance to pay the bills and I didn't have a job. But thanks, that's a great idea." Harry answered sarcastically.

"Hey you don't need to be rude." Louis muttered and they stopped because they'd arrived in front of Harry's house.

"So you going home or?" Harry asked as he unlocked the door.

"Um...I think-well, I don't really want to go home right now."

"Why not?"

"Because I like spending time with you."

"You like spending time with me? A lower class peasant?"

"Stop acting like I'm some rich snob Harry."

Harry rolled his eyes and Louis followed him inside, knowing that it was just Harry's defense mechanism speaking. He didn't like to show he had a soft side because he feared that people would consider him weak.

His mother wasn't home and Louis didn't ask about her because he saw that Harry didn't care.

As soon as they entered Harry's room, the older boy took off his shoes and collapsed on the bed.

"I'm tired." He said. "You can let yourself out when you please but I'm going to take a nap."

Louis didn't answer; he stared at Harry's back for a couple of minutes, wondering what it'd be like if his parents didn't care about him. He couldn't (and didn't really want to) imagine it.

He felt so sorry (it wasn't a pity kind of sorry) for Harry, and didn't want to do anything but wrap his arms around him and hold him so tight until all his pieces stuck back together.

So he didn't really think it through when he suddenly toed his shoes off and got on the bed behind Harry. He felt Harry tense against his chest as Louis draped his left arm over his waist, the other one coming under his own head.

To Louis' surprise, Harry didn't push him away; he actually leaned back into Louis' touch and relaxed into his arms.

If felt a lot more different spooning Harry than with Eleanor, probably because Harry was bigger and smelled better and...Louis didn't have butterflies in his stomach when he spooned with her.

He eventually fell asleep, his breaths in sync with Harry's.

When he woke up it was pitch black outside and Harry wasn't in his arms anymore. He started panicking and stood up immediately, calling out Harry's name.

He got a reply from downstairs, so he quickly put his shoes on and proceeded to walk out of the room.

Louis found Harry downstairs, leaning against the wall by the opened window and smoking. He checked his wrist to find out that he had forgotten to take his Rolex with him yesterday.

"It's half past nine."

"Oh fuck!" Louis exclaimed. "I need to be back home in... seven hours ago!"

Harry laughed and threw his finished cigarette out the window.

"I'm gonna go now."

"Okay."

Harry walked him to the door.

"Well um, happy birthday again." Louis awkwardly said and turned around to walk to his car. But then he quickly changed his mind. Turning around again, he cupped Harry's face and pressed their lips together.

Louis pulled back right after, expecting it to be some sort of goodbye kiss, but Harry had other plans in mind. He pulled Louis against him and kissed him open mouthed, causing their tongues to tangle together in a dirty, sloppy kiss.

"I should...I should really go now." Louis breathed against Harry's lips when they pulled away a few minutes later.

"You should."

Harry let go of him and ran a hand through his hair, watching Louis as he turned around and walked to his car.

He checked his phone that he accidentally left in his car (it was so weird, the fact that he'd completely forgot about his phone while being with Harry), and his heart started beating faster as soon as he saw the missed calls and messages from his parents.

He was so fucked.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" his mother yelled at him as soon as he stepped through the door.

"Um...I went out for dinner with Liam."

"That's a lie! I've called all of your friends and you weren't with them." His mother argued, propping a hand on her hip.

Shit

"So where were you?" his dad finally spoke up.

"I don't-I was out."

"Out where?"

"I'm eighteen! I have the right to go out!" Louis found himself exclaiming, and watched his parents' expressions change.

"Okay, you're grounded for a week. You're coming straight from school and you're not allowed to go anywhere!"

"I was already doing that!" Louis yelled and stomped away from them, walking up the stairs.

"Fine! Then you won't notice the difference if I give you two weeks!"

"FINE!" he yelled back at his mother.

When he got to his room, he threw himself on the bed, feeling like he could cry because he was so angry with his parents. When would they stop treating him like a child?

He groaned and rolled over on his back, closing his eyes and convincing himself that crying over a simple fight (the first fight!) with his parents was childish. And he was definitely not a child anymore.

---

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