Let me know what you think of it throughout the story and make sure you read the end notes !

Happy reading :D

---

"Wow, they're really going at it aren't they?" Louis asks Harry, nodding over at Barbara and Niall.

"Well, that's like twelve years of pent up sexual frustration so I'm not really surprised. I'm just glad I'm not third-wheeling anymore."

Louis takes the joint to his lips and takes two long drags before holding them in. He releases the smoke in Harry's face.

"Want some?"

"Nah, 'm good."

"Hey, about earlier...sorry about calling you kid."

Harry shakes his head. "You already apologized, it's fine."

"Maybe I just want you to pout again so I can have a reason to wipe it off your face."

Harry's eyes widen. "That's not-you're not subtle at all."

"I don't want to be subtle." he says, and Harry suddenly finds himself with a lapful of Louis.

His thighs are straddling Harry's, and his arms are now wrapped around his shoulders. Harry's hands come down to grip into Louis' hips before he leans in.

Their lips brush for a few seconds before they finally clash together. It's more frantic this time; all messy tongue movements and heavy breaths, but Harry loves it.

He tries to pull Louis as close as he can into his chest because he wants moremoremore.

Harry's not sure how or when it happens, but all he knows is that Louis is now grinding down on him and letting out shaky breaths into his mouth while cupping his face with both hands.

"Louis..." he breathes when Louis pulls away from his lips so he can kiss down his neck.

"Mm?"

"You just-I think you should stop if you don't want this to um-continue."

Louis pulls his face back and looks down at Harry's lap, where he's sporting quite a generous erection.

"Alright. If that's what you want."

"Fuck it's not-it's not what I want. Definitely not. Just not...here."

Louis smiles and stands up, stretching.

"We should head home."

Harry turns his head to look at Niall and Barbara who have-surprisingly-stopped making out and are just watching them now.

"Alright."

"Can I sleep over?" Niall asks.

Harry shrugs. "Of course."

Barbara doesn't ask if she can, so Harry doesn't bother being polite this time. It's just one less person he needs to worry about hearing him jerking off as soon as they get inside.

"I'll drop you off on the way with my taxi." Louis assures her so she won't have to be on her own at night.

"I don't think I'm in your way." She responds when Harry picks up the empty bottle and lets the remains of the joint fall in there.

"Where do you live?"

"Fallowfield."

"It's fine."

Barbara smiles, and it's obvious judging by the way she walks in front of them that she's a bit drunk.

"Thanks for taking her home mate." Niall tells Louis when two taxis finally arrive. Barbara kisses him on the cheek and then climbs into one of them.

"Of course."

They shake hands, and Niall walks over to the other taxi.

Louis turns to Harry with a smile. "See you on Monday k-Harry."

Harry dumbly nods and watches Louis get into the taxi before he can finally turn around to join Niall.

As soon as they get into Harry's room, Niall jumps on the bed and Harry walks into the bathroom, locking the door behind himself.

"Mate, I don't even want to know what you did in there." Niall tells Harry when he finally comes out, with a sleepy smile on his face and a towel around his waist.

"I had a wank."

Niall buries his face in the pillows. "Uugh. Tmi bro."

"Don't call me bro. I hate that word."

Harry changes into a pair of briefs before he gets into the bed on Niall's other side, and pulls the covers up to his chest.

"Night."

"Goodnight." Niall mumbles, and it doesn't take long for him to start snoring like a tractor.

Harry moves on his side and puts a pillow over his ear, trying to tune out Niall's sounds, eventually managing to fall asleep.

-

Niall leaves on Sunday afternoon when the two of them wake up, so Harry spends it up in his room with his laptop over his thighs. He's online shopping for some basic Uni supplies when there's a knock on his door.

Harry frowns, because his father never comes to his room. The only reason he sets foot on the second floor is if he has some work in his office, but that's really rare since he's usually on business trips.

"Uh...come in?"

The door opens and Zayn enters with a hesitant look on his face. Harry frowns, closing his laptop to give him his full attention.

"Is everything okay? Did something happen?"

"Yes." Zayn says and sits down on Harry's side of the bed by his feet. "Yesterday happened."

Harry's smile fades. "Oh."

"Look...you and Louis-I get it. I mean, I get that you're attracted to him and what not, but just...don't take anything seriously."

"What do you mean?"

"I know Lou. I've known him for more than half of his life. He's not the relationship type."

"I don't want a relationship with him." Harry snorts.

"Let me rephrase that; he's not one to make commitments. He just like flirting with people and making them feel important, even though it doesn't mean anything."

"So he just goes around kissing people whenever he feels like it?"

Zayn nods. "Yes. Louis is the type of person who likes having fun without any consequences."

"Why are you telling me this? Do you think that just because I'm eighteen that I'm going to fall in love with him after a kiss?"

"No man. I just don't want you to have any expectation from him."

"I don't."

"Alright then, I'm glad we settled this. I better get back to work."

Harry waits for him to leave the room and shut the door until he gets back to his online shopping. He tries not to look too much into what Zayn just told him, and he succeeds.

For the most part.

-

Everything goes as usual until Wednesday for Harry; Louis picks him up every morning to drive them both to the training center, flirts with him (at least Harry thinks he does when Louis bends over in front of him to tie his shoelaces and envelops the bottle neck with his lips like he's blowing someone) throughout practice, and then drives him back to his house.

"My family is coming to Manchester tomorrow." Louis says as soon as he stops the car in front of Harry's house.

When Louis drops him off they usually just say their goodbyes, so Harry turns his head to look at him, waiting for Louis to continue.

"And I have to take care of the twins while the girls and Dan go shopping."

"How does this concern me?" Harry asks, confused.

"You mentioned that you like kids, right?"

"Yeah, I used to babysit for my neighbors."

"How would you feel if I paid you to babysit them tomorrow and the day after that?"

"You really want to pay someone to watch your two siblings that you haven't seen in a long time while you do God knows what?"

"Wait-no no no. I'll be there too, but I don't think I can handle two one and a half year olds on my own."

"Oh, I think you can manage."

"So you don't want twenty pounds an hour to take care of some cute little kids?"

"No, but I-wait, twenty quid an hour? How much trouble are these kids causing?"

Louis smiles. "You'd be surprised. So you in?"

"I'll need more details."

"They're going to arrive tomorrow around noon, and I'll be responsible for the twins after we have lunch...so from three until about ten when they get back from the mall."

"If you're willing to pay me a hundred pounds to watch two small children while you're also there?"

Louis shrugs, tapping his thumbs over the steering wheel. "You are saving up for a car, aren't you?"

"I am."

"How much do you have so far?"

Harry looks down at his lap, ashamed. "Forty pounds."

Louis is about to say something when there's a sudden tap on their window, which startles them both. Zayn is staring at them so Harry just tells Louis that he'll see him tomorrow before he gets out of the car to let Zayn in.

"So I finally decided what I want to do for my birthday on Saturday." Barbara says later that night when Niall, her, and Harry are having a joint Skype conversation.

"What?" Niall asks, and it comes out as a muffled 'hua' because he's currently shoving Ramen noodles into his mouth.

"I was thinking about taking a few friends out to the club and standing everyone to a treat."

"You really want to pay for everyone's drinks at the club?" Harry asks disbelievingly as he stares at himself on the screen.

"Mum told me she'd pay for everything because I got into Uni."

"Well I'm not complaining." Niall laughs and wipes his face.

"Who are you planning on inviting then?"

"No more than ten people. You guys, obviously. Then Kylie, Taylor, and Jade. I'm thinking also Sophia and Liam?"

"Sophia and Liam?" Harry asks, surprised.

"Yeah. Turns out, she works at Top Shop right across from me and we get along really well. Also Zayn?"

"Do you even have his number?"

"I do." She says matter-of-factly. "Then there's this guy Kylie's been seeing-Josh. And maybe Louis? If you want to."

"You want to invite Louis?" Harry asks disbelievingly.

"Hell yeah invite him!" Niall exclaims.

"So do you want me to invite him or not?"

"Am I supposed to ask him?"

"Yeah. Or Niall can just text him."

"How do you have his phone number? What is going on?"

Niall waves his hand dismissively.

"Doesn't matter. I'll text him right now."

"Wait don't-"

Niall pauses and looks up from his phone. "What?"

"Don't tell him it's because of me. Tell him Barbara wants him to come."

"Alright." Niall laughs and types something on his phone.

Two minutes later his phone beeps and he looks down. "He said of course mate."

"Great! I'll call the club tomorrow and make a reservation for ten people then."

"Is it going to be on Saturday or Sunday?"

"Saturday because we both got work in the morning." She tells Harry. "Actually, I'll call them now."

They listen to her make a reservation under her name before they agree to go to sleep.

-

The following day Louis drives them both over to his house to wait for his family to arrive. He's not sure why he feels nervous because it's not like he's meeting his boyfriend's parents or something, so there's no reason to feel like he should make an impression on them. Still, he's wearing a button up and his blue jeans that he never pulls out of the closet unless he has to take drastic measures. This morning he wasn't ever sure whether they'd still fit since he hasn't worn them in months when all his black skinnies were somehow in the wash. Harry thinks that choosing to wear a button up to work might have not been such a great idea since he's all sweaty now.

"You okay?" Louis asks after he shoots him a quick look as he drives.

"Yeah just...it's really hot in here."

Harry pulls at his collar and rolls down the window.

"Who forced you to wear a button up to practice today?"

"I just wanted to...look good. Professional."

"For who?"

"Uh...your family? I guess."

"Why would you do that?" Louis laughs, shaking his head.

"Well, I am going to watch the twins today so I want to make a good impression."

"Suuure."

Louis parks the car in his garage a few minutes later, and by the time they enter his house Harry is already out of his mind.

"Okay I have to change. I can't take this anymore."

"You don't have a change of clothes with you."

"Do you have like...a small shirt? Or whatever."

Louis rolls his eyes. "You don't think my normal clothes fit you?"

"We're different sizes Louis." Harry states as he follows Louis up the stairs.

"No we're not. What shirt size are you?"

"L."

"That's not possible. You're skinny."

"Yeah but I'm tall and sometimes the M sizes don't fit me."

"You'll manage." Louis mumbles and opens the door that leads to his walk-in closet.

It looks like he finally got around to cleaning up and getting everything in order, because the closet is now organized and actually clean.

"You did this yourself?" Harry asks while Louis walks over to the shirt racks and looks through them.

"No. Sophia helped me two days ago with organizing my closet, but the house is all me. And you."

Louis picks a plain white shirt and hands it to Harry.

"Where should I um, change?"

"Just take your shirt off Harold."

Harry makes a face but obliges nonetheless. When he pulls Louis' shirt over his head, he's not really surprised that it doesn't fit.

"It's to small."

"What do you mean? It's fits perfectly."

"Louis. My nipples are pushing for air and I can't breathe. Also, my belly button is showing."

Harry turns to look at himself in the mirror. "I look fuckin' ridiculous."

"Oh stop being so dramatic."

"I'm going to suffocate. What size is this?"

"It doesn't matter." Louis says but Harry takes off the shirt anyway to look at the size.

"Is it-oh my God, it's size small."

"Can you just give it to me?"

Harry laughs as Louis puts the shirt back and pulls out another.

"Is this small? Or extra small?" Harry laughs out loud.

"Fuck you."

"I'm just joking, don't take it too seriously."

Harry pulls a black Vans shirt over his head, then turns to look in the mirror.

"This is better. Biggest shirt you own?"

"Not really. Just had to get this size because of my pecks and my biceps."

Harry snorts. "I'm sure."

The doorbell rings at the same time Harry shakes his hair out to move it to the side.

"Shit, they're already here. What time is it?"

Harry checks the clock on his phone. "Half past one."

"We have a lunch at two."

"Wha-are you serious? What am I supposed to do while you have lunch with your family?"

"What do you mean? You can come with us, they don't bite. Actually-Ernest might bite."

Harry runs his hands through his hair. "I didn't sign up for this. I don't really think I should attend a family lunch."

"Okay then." Louis sighs. "Will you wait for me here? I won't be long. One and a half hour tops."

"I'll wait for you here."

Louis nods and quickly changes into a pair of jeans and a band shirt before looking at himself in the mirror to fix his hair. He sprays a ridiculous amount of cologne on himself after that, which makes Harry cough.

"Alright I'm off now. Promise not to sniff through my underwear drawer!" is the last thing Louis says before he's out the door and down the stairs.

While Louis' gone, Harry makes himself busy with cleaning up the place. He washes the empty cereal bowl that was left on the coffee table in the living room this morning; he does a round of laundry, and then takes out the already overflowing trash from under the kitchen sink.

Harry checks the time after he's done everything to keep himself busy and finally sits down on the couch, only to see that only forty minutes have gone by.

He turns on the TV and leaves it on Nickelodeon, not as surprised as he should be when he realizes that Louis was watching that this morning.

During commercial break, he logs on Tumblr to aimlessly reblog some posts to let his 600 followers (that probably don't care) that he's still alive. He stops as soon as he sees a set of four pictures dated 9/07. There are four paparazzi pictures posted by fuckyeahtomlinson of Louis with his family out for lunch at some fancy terrace.

He likes the post and scrolls further, but curiosity gets the better of him so he goes back to the pictures to look at them closer. Louis is sitting between who Harry assumes are his mother and his stepfather, laughing at something one of his sisters just said. There are four snapshots of the moment from the same angle, so Harry finally moves on.

Louis comes home an hour later, carrying two children in each arm. The boy is pulling at his hair and the girl is laughing about it, which makes a perfect sight for Harry.

"Need help?" Harry asks and walks over, glad that he doesn't have to sit on the couch anymore.

"Yeah. Can you take Ernest please? He's killing me hair."

Harry nods and takes the boy from Louis' arm, holding him to his chest with one arm under his bum.

"So what do you want to do today?" Louis asks when they set the twins down in the living room.

"Ice cream!" Doris shouts and clings to his legs.

"Ernie?"

Harry smiles at the nickname.

"Ice cream!"

"Your mother told me not to give you ice cream." Louis says, walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Harry calls after him.

"To put my shoes back on. We're taking them out for froyo."

"But you just said-"

"It's not ice cream, is it?" Louis smirks. "Come on, my treat."

Harry sighs and picks up Doris, and then takes Ernie by the hand as they follow Louis out of the house. He ends up sitting in the back with the twins, since Louis doesn't own any car seats for children.

"I was about to buy some car seats for them but then I remembered that they're going to be here for two days before they jet off to Paris."

"How come they're going to Paris?"

"Well I haven't sold my house yet and the documents are still processing so I thought it would be nice to fly them out to France since they're never been there."

"That's nice of you." Harry smiles as he pulls Ernie's hand away from the door handle.

"Yeah. I'm a perfect son."

The frozen yoghurt parlor is three minutes by car from Louis' house, and as soon as Louis parks across the street, the twins are already eager to get out.

"I saw a few pictures of you with your family out for lunch today." Harry tells Louis as they wait in line. Doris has already started to like Harry (even more than she likes Louis maybe), and is now clinging to his pinky finger.

"On Tumblr?"

"Yeah."

"Maybe I should make one, just to see what everyone is saying about me."

"The people I follow mostly talk about your ankles and your arse." Harry tells him and finally lifts Doris up in his arms.

"Are you one of them?"

"No." Harry frowns. "Well, they're not exactly talking about those body parts, they mostly do like, appreciation posts."

"You have to show me one when we sit down."

When it's finally their turn to order, Louis gets a cup of yoghurt with every single topping on it, which doesn't surprise Harry in the slightest.

"Cheat day." Louis tells him once they finally sit down.

Harry ordered a cup of yoghurt with cut up strawberries, and the twins both got yoghurt with rainbow colored sprinkles.

"What's that?"

"We have this strict diet we have to follow during the League season when we're not allowed to eat junk food or anything else that isn't included in our nutrition sheet, but we can have one day where we like, eat all those things."

"And today is the day?"

"Seems like it. So we're probably going to stop at McDonald's when I drive you home tonight."

Harry nods as Doris climbs into his lap and continues eating her portion.

"So show me those appreciation posts or whatever they are."

"Right."

Harry takes out his phone and clicks on the Tumblr icon, before he types 'louis Tomlinson appreciation post' in the search bar.

The first thing that pops up is 'Louis Tomlinson biceps masterpost', and Harry places the phone on the table so Louis can see it too.

"So these are like videos-"

"Gifs. They're called gifs."

"Okay. So these are gifs taken from interviews and games and behind the scenes footage praising my biceps?" Louis grins.

"Yeah."

"Can you share the post? Or how does it work on this site so all your friends can see?"

"We have followers, and you have to reblog so the post will appear on your dashboard and blog."

"So reblog it. And like it."

Harry scrolls a bit further down until he reaches the reblog button, and his cheeks heat up when he sees that he's already reblogged the post and even liked it.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I've already liked the post."

Louis smirks at him. "Can you make me a blog?"

"What for?"

"Well why do you have one?"

Harry holds his hand out for Louis' phone, and then proceeds to download the Tumblr app.

"Okay so you have to put your email and a password first." He says and hands the phone back to Louis.

While Louis types, Harry busies himself with cleaning Doris' mouth, who has somehow managed to get yoghurt even in her hair.

"Alright, done."

"Good. Now think of an url."

"Louistomlinson."

"It doesn't work."

"What do you mean it doesn't work?"

"I mean someone already took that username."

"Ugh, fine. Try louiswtomlinson."

"Also taken."

Louis exhales. "Lwtomlinson?"

"It works."

"Finally." Louis smiles.

"Now you have to find your interests and follow five blogs. What do you like?"

"I like pizza. And football."

"Alright?" Harry says confused, following a bunch of random photography blogs.

"Oh, and follow your blog too."

"You don't want me to-"

"Yeah I do."

"I don't post anything interesting-"

"Just follow your damn blog."

"Lou said a bad word!" Doris exclaims and points at Louis with her spoon.

"Damn isn't a bad word. Fuck is a bad word."

"Louis!" Harry says, covering her ears.

"What? They're going to learn those words at some point anyway."

"You'd be the worst parent ever."

"Kids love me." Louis protests and takes his phone back from Harry's hands.

"Only because you sometimes act like a three year old."

"Said the eighteen year old manchild."

"Heyyy."

"Did you know that you look like a frog when you say that?"

"Hey-no." Harry pouts, stabbing his yoghurt with his spoon.

"Don't pout now. You know what happens when you start pouting."

"What?" Harry asks, his heart rate picking up.

"Don't make me show you in front of the children."

Harry smiles down at his frozen yoghurt, and doesn't get to say anything else because Doris turns around and digs her sticky fingers in his hair.

-

The twins fall asleep on Harry at ten minutes past eight, so he has a bit of trouble sitting up from the couch to greet Louis' family when they come bustling through the door later that evening. Their sleeping session is cut short when someone yells at someone else, then there's a commotion, and people are arguing just as a woman enters the living room.

"Oh look at them!" Louis' mum gushes when he sees them in the living room, watching FRIENDS.

Louis gets up from the couch to help them with their shopping bags.

"Who is this?" An older sister with blonde hair and flawless makeup asks when she eyes Harry on the couch.

"I'm Harry. Uh...Louis' friend."

"Friend?" she asks, crossing her arms over her chest and stepping closer. "Just friend?"

"Lottie!" Louis' voice comes from the hallway.

"I'm Lottie by the way."

Harry holds out his hand to shake hers with a smile.

"I'm Jay, Louis' mum. Let me just get these two out of your hair." His mother smiles and bends down to take Doris into her arms.

Lottie takes Ernie from Harry's chest so he can finally stand up and stretch.

"Are you leaving?" he asks them when he sees the door open and another set of blonde twins following a tall brunette out.

"We're sleeping at a hotel until tomorrow since Louis doesn't have enough space here." Jay explains before she exits the house. Harry leans against the doorframe as he watches them pile into two taxis, and wonders if it was rude of him not to introduce himself to everyone.

When the cabs finally turn the corner, Louis exhales and turns to face him with his hands on his hips.

"Jesus. They're a handful."

"More like two handfuls. You've got a big family. Seven kids, wow."

"All this chaos made me hungry. Come on, I'll drive you home and we can stop at a drive thru on the way."

Harry nods and walks back inside to put his shoes on.

It's ten minutes to nine when they stop at a McDonald's drive thru and order two cheeseburgers, one hamburger, two large portions of fries, and two large cokes.

Louis parks in a parking lot across from McDonald's, and they eat in the car with the windows down since it's really hot and Louis claims he doesn't want the fast food smell getting into his leather seats. Which doesn't really make sense since he's been smoking in the car every time Harry's been with him so far.

"So what's going on this Saturday with your friends? I didn't really get it when Niall asked me."

"Oh. Barbara is turning nineteen on Sunday and she wants to take a few friends out to a club."

"Does she consider me a friend?" Louis asks with his mouth full of fries.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I consider you a friend, so she considers you a friend. And she also gets along really well with Sophia-"

"It's fine. You probably need a chaperone there." Louis teases.

"Heyyy. We're adults."

"Oh, I meant just you. Remember last time we went out to a bar and you got fuckin' mortal?"

Harry looks away from Louis' face. "Yeah."

"I don't want that happening again. Hangovers suck."

Harry downs the last remains of his coke and then crumples his trash in a ball before he tries to throw it in the rubbish bin outside their car.

"Score." Louis smiles when the trash falls in the bin. "Do mine now."

"Wh-what?"

"I said, throw my trash out. Not do me." Louis snorts and hands Harry his own paper bag.

Harry also hits the bin this time, and after a small smoke break in the car, Louis finally decides to drive him home since it's 'probably past Harry's bed time anyway' – as he put it.

"If you do one more age joke I'm never going to speak to you again I swear." Harry finds himself saying as soon as the bed time joke leaves Louis' mouth.

"I'm sorry, I'm an asshole. But usually with the people I feel comfortable with. If you don't know me, I'm a really nice guy."

"In a weird way, what you just said actually made sense."

"Of course it did Harold."

Harry rolls his eyes and looks out the window as Louis finally takes a turn on his street. He stops the car in front of the mechanic gate as usual, and waits for Harry to get inside like a proper gentleman before he drives off.

-

"Do we even have reservations?" Harry asks two days later as they wait in line to get into Tiger Tiger, one of their favorite clubs. It was the first club Harry ever got into when he was sixteen, and also the first club he ever got drunk in. He usually knew most of the people inside from other schools.

In fact, he's already recognized about fifteen people in line who used to be in his year.

"Yeah, she made reservations two days ago. Jesus, it's like the whole school is here." Niall says and looks around after getting on his tiptoes.

Now that Barbara is with her girlfriends, and Liam, Zayn and Sophia haven't arrived yet, Niall is paying much more attention to Harry than usual.

Jade, one of Barbara's friends - also a girl who Harry would sometimes talk to at parties - is eyeing him insistently, so he tries to look as little as possible in that direction.

There are two more groups in front of them before they finally get their turn, so Harry pulls his phone out to text Louis.

Harry: where r u? we're up in 5 mins

The reply comes merely a few seconds later.

Louis: in the cab. B there in 3 :)

Surprisingly, Louis is true to his word because a taxi pulls up right next to their group and Liam, Zayn, Sophia, and Louis himself climb out of it.

Harry can see a few girls behind them already starting to whisper and eye Louis, probably recognizing him, but he doesn't pay them much attention. Instead, he's too focused on the incredible way Louis looks tonight; with a white graphic t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and a pair of black Vans, not to mention how his hair is swooped to the right.

He's got droopy eyes, which either means that he's already sleepy or that they smoked a spliff before they came here. Judging by the way Zayn is laughing into his neck, the second option seems like the ideal one.

While they wait in line, Harry gathers some photos from his camera roll with Barbara and him to make them into a nice collage, so he can post them at 12am sharp for her birthday.

"Reservation for ten people under Palvin?"

"Barbara?" the bouncer asks, checking his list.

"Yes. From eleven to four."

"Alright, let me see some ID's."

The man apparently only wanted ID's from the people in Harry's year, not Liam, Sophia, or Zayn.

"Oh, Mr. Tomlinson. What a pleasure to meet you." He says just as Louis wants to walk past him.

"Hi." Louis smiles and shakes his hand. The man also asks for an autograph on the top of the list, and once they're done he wishes all of them a good night.

"Jesus, you're like a celebrity." Harry shakes his head as they make they way inside.

"Jealous?" Louis yells because the music is starting to get too loud, and the lighting too dim.

"Not in the slightest. What if you get too drunk and do something you'll regret and then tomorrow it will be all over the news?"

"I'm not an A list celebrity. Maybe C. Give it up to a week."

Harry rolls his eyes, and tries his hardest not to lose Liam in the crowd. They eventually find their booth in a corner, and he ends up sitting between Louis and Niall, across from Jade. How pleasant.

"If you have a reservation you have to order at least a bottle, so what are we ordering?" Barbara yells, opening the menu.

"Vodka and RedBull!" Niall yells, and Louis agrees.

"Rum and coke?" Harry suggests, because it's milder and he really isn't planning on getting drunk again so soon.

"Yeah, that works for starters. Then we can have the Vodka bottle." Barbara nods, closing the menu just as a waitress comes over to their table to ask what they would like to drink.

Once the two bottles arrive in two different buckets filled with ice and can of cokes, they divide the drinks equally and then pass the glasses around the table.

Niall and Louis are the first ones to down their glasses in record time, and Harry hasn't even had two sips.

"Baby steps?" Louis asks into his ear a few minutes later when Harry's glass is still three quarters full.

Harry turns his head so he can respond into Louis' ear as well. It turns out to be a bit harder than he'd initially thought, because Louis smells absolutely amazing. "Again with the age jokes?"

"I swear to God I didn't even think of that!"

Harry shakes his head and Louis bumps their shoulders playfully against each other to show him that he's only joking.

Half an hour later, when it's finally 12am, they loudly (and drunkenly) sing happy birthday to Barbara, and then Harry posts the picture after he kisses her on the cheek.

harrystyles: happy 19th birthday @brbrplvn !!!

He feels like getting a cocktail, because the rum came and went, and just as he's about to turn towards the bar, there's an arm on his shoulder.

Harry turns his head and then lowers it so Louis can say something.

"Do you want to come outside with me for a smoke?"

He finds himself nodding, before he leans towards Louis' ear. "I want to get another drink first!"

"Alright, I'll wait on the stairs!"

Harry nods again, and then walks towards the bar. There's a really good-looking guy bartending tonight (Harry's never seen him before or he would have remembered him for sure), so he decides to be extra flirty because he can allow himself to do so now.

He smiles at the guy – Lucas, based on his nametag -, and asks for a Mojito.

"A what?" Lucas yells, bringing his cheek closer.

"Mojito!"

Lucas nods and pulls away with a flirty grin (Harry assumes that that's what it is), when he suddenly feels a hand on his back, dangerously low to his ass. He turns his head to see a guy way past his forties eyeing him up and down, obviously either drunk or high (or both) judging by the look on his face.

Harry politely smiles and steps further away, trying to pay him no attention.

"What's your name?" the guy asks and Harry turns his head to look towards the stairs to make sure Louis is still there. He tries to find him, but he can't really see anything because of the bad lighting and the mass of people.

When he turns his head, the Mojito has already been placed in front of him and it's still sizzling, probably from the ice and the mint.

Harry doesn't even get to take two sips, because the creepy guy next to him is suddenly falling backwards on the floor with blood oozing from his lip and nose.

When Harry turns his head, he's shocked to see Louis standing there rubbing his knuckle with an angry expression on his face.

The creepy guy stands up quickly, but Louis is faster as he yells at him the loudest Harry's ever heard him.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU PUT IN HIS DRINK YOU FUCKING LOSER!"

---

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! Next update will be on September 6th, 5pm UK time !
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xoxo,

Ronnie