Harry and Louis both decide against drinks with Liam and Zayn, exhausted after the stress of the day they've had. Liam and Zayn tell them they understand, not prying to know about their results.

Liam gets a text three days later from Louis. He's flicking through twitter with the news on in the background, up early so he could say goodbye to Zayn as he left for a photo shoot this morning. He stares down at the message.

I'm a sub.

Liam holds his breath as he reads it and reads it again, blowing it out as he lies back on the couch. He considers calling Louis, but he knows Louis texted him so he doesn't have to say it out loud.

Okay, cool. Me and Zayn had great sex this morning.

Louis can't help the laugh that escapes him. He loves his friends. Now he feels kind of stupid about making such a big deal about it.

Tell me about it over breakfast?

Liam grins down at his phone.

I'll pick you up xx

They make small talk as they wait for their breakfast to be brought to the table, finally getting down to the good stuff when they're left alone by all staff.

"So?" Louis smirks, wriggling his eyebrows. Liam laughs, flicking the wrapper from his straw at Louis who squawks indignantly.
"I felt more dominant today, so he let me order him how to fuck me - like every detail. He just did everything I said and it was so good and he's such a good boyfriend. But, obviously, he's not a sub, so he made me wait to come. It was amazing," Liam rambles, sighing happily as he finishes his story, resting his chin on his fist.

Louis grins, happy for his friends.
"God, I remember how nervous you were about your classifications together. Zayn's a good dom, and you are a good sub for him and a good dom when you feel that way," Louis praises, shrugging when Liam coos and reaches over to pinch his cheek.

"So... speaking of doms. I'm assuming Harry is one?" Liam segues, smiling apologetically when Louis glares at him. Louis wants to talk about it, but he doesn't want to talk about it.
"Yeah," Louis sighs, staring down at his stack of pancakes and pushing them around with his fork.
"And what does he have to say about that?" Liam asks, eyeing Louis carefully.

Louis mulls the question over as he chews his food.
"We haven't really spoken about it, just that we're going to try and make it work. We've both said that we need to talk about it, communication is key and all that. We are going to that new dessert place on Ball Road on Saturday."
"So you still have three days to think everything over. Need to ask any questions? I know I'm a switch, not sub, and my classification hasn't suddenly changed, but I could help with some stuff," Liam offers.

It hangs in the air, a comfortable silence falling as they continue to eat their food.

"Is it hard to be good? Well behaved when you sub?" Louis asks before sipping his drink. Liam's mouth twists as he interprets his thoughts well enough to answer.
"It can be, if you want it to be," Liam shrugs, but Louis just seems even more confused. "Some people enjoy it when their dom intentionally makes it difficult for their sub to meet their expectations. I don't. I enjoy pleasing Zayn, so being good isn't difficult. Doing as I'm told or doing what he wants is what I want to do."

Louis seems satisfied by this and he sips his tea some more.
"Don't you get punished if you're bad though? That must suck," Louis pouts. Liam internally coos. Harry is lucky to have Louis as a sub, even if he isn't fully accepting of the term.
"Well, if I slip up it doesn't mean I am bad, it means I was badly behaved or made a bad decision. When I'm subbing, it's for my own good that Zayn punishes me when I've been bad. I'll beat myself up until I drop if I don't get punished," Liam tells him, no embarrassment in his eyes as he explains his answer. He and Louis really do tell each other everything.

"What's your favourite thing about being a sub?" Louis asks, fingers rubbing over his wrist where they rest on the table. Liam smiles and licks his phone after responding to Zayn's text.
"I feel fulfilled when I'm making Zayn happy. He allows me to let go and I trust him to do that. I really like being praised as well," Liam smiles, knowing that the praise kink stands even when he wants to dom. Just this morning, as he was chasing his orgasm, Zayn told him how good and strong a dom he is and Liam nearly came just at his words.

"I don't think I fully get it, but I suppose it's something you have to experience. I haven't even had the feeling of needing to please, or I suppose I have, I've just repressed it, so it's hard to imagine my life being revolved around pleasing someone," Louis mumbles as he rips his napkin to shreds, letting the flakes of white drift down to his plate.

"It'll all make sense if you go back to the beginning. Most of us know what we like from our wet dreams or wank fantasies when we were younger. Yours would've been influenced by the fact your dad was breathing down your neck about needing to be manly and domly. Start there, watch some porn, ask Harry questions, try some light stuff with Harry. Just take it at your own pace and everything will fall into place."

Louis hugs him tightly when they part ways, turning the music loud in his car to avoid his thoughts as he drives home. His eyebrows furrow when he spots another - Harry's? - car in his driveway.

He gulps down his fear and goes over to knock on the driver's window. Harry jumps at the sudden noise, flushing as he looks up at Louis.

Louis sighs, handing Harry a cup of tea as they slouch into the couch.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Louis mumbles around the lip of the mug.
"I'm sorry about just showing up. I've just felt really bad, not knowing how you are, not being involved enough," Harry admits shyly, a hand dragging through his hair.
"That sounds like dom drop to me," Louis says carefully, watching for Harry's reaction. Harry sighs and puts his cup on the coffee table as he nods his head.
"Yeah."

It's silent for a few moments, Harry nervous and Louis brainstorming to figure out what he can do to help. He reaches out for Harry's hand, squeezing when Harry takes a shaky breath.
"I'm okay. You have made me feel safe because you have given me time and you aren't forcing me to do anything. You're being a really good dom already. Thank you."

Harry seems to relax a bit and Louis tugs him by the hand so he can rest his head on his shoulder. Louis sighs contently, eyes closing as Harry leans his head on top of his.

"Already? Does that mean you're letting me be your dom?" Harry asks when he has his wits properly about him, sitting up so abruptly that Louis nearly falls off the couch.
"I want to try. But not straight away. I need to figure out myself as a sub before I try subbing for you," Louis says quietly, pulling at the thread hanging from his jeans.
"You are still you even if you are a sub, Lou," Harry says softly, squeezing Louis' hand.
"But I'm bossy and loud and-"
"And amazing," Harry interrupts, grinning when Louis looks up at him, "I don't care if you're loud and bossy and sarcastic. You can sub for me and be all of those things. You don't need to change who you are in order to have that classification."

Louis laughs self-deprecatingly as he hurriedly wipes at his eyes, blinking away his tears. Harry smiles softly and wipes a stray tear from Louis' cheek.

"I still need to figure out what I like sexually as a sub. I've never really thought about it because I've always been told I was a dom," Louis sighs, pulling a pillow into his lap.
"Never? I have, when we were young and all lovey-dovey, I imagined what it would be like to be your sub. It didn't feel right though," Harry confesses, shrugging easily when Louis gapes at him.
"Actually- oh god, I have thought about it!" Louis exclaims, startling a laugh out of Harry. Louis giggles along with him, cheeks pink as he recalls just how active his imagination had been as a teenager.

"So what did you think about?" Harry asks. He pauses when Louis stares incredulously at him. "Don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Louis shrugs, deciding that it might help him accept it some more.
"I thought of -" he glances up at Harry, feels his pants grow tight just at the thought, and closes his eyes - "being naked while a dom," he pauses, "you, were clothed, probably in one of your stupid, expensive Gucci suits, kneeling wherever you choose, while you do what you want, before you decided you wanted me to blow you."

Harry groans, watching Louis through half-lidded eyes, wondering how far Louis' blush goes as it disappears under his shirt. Louis takes a deep breath.

"Fancy a drink?" Louis asks, still too scared to open his eyes, but knowing that if this conversation is going to continue he may need some liquid courage. Harry stays silent long enough that Louis can't not look, so he peaks one eye open, squeezing them closed again when Harry just stares at him, making no effort to hide the bulge in his pants.

Harry rolls his eyes fondly, taking the pillow from Louis' lap to throw it at his head. Louis squeaks indignantly, feeling exposed now that his shield has been stolen. He narrows his eyes playfully at Harry, both of them ignoring the obvious arousal in their trousers, and throws the pillow back at him.

"We aren't having any of these conversations drunk," Harry denies, and tucks the pillow under his arm. Louis pouts, willing himself to keep his eyes above Harry's belt.
"Well... I've told you something I have thought of. Your turn," Louis demands and raises a challenging eyebrow at Harry as he takes a sip of tea.

Harry smirks, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Louis rolls his eyes, stretching out on the couch to nudge Harry's thigh with his foot.
"There's just so many," Harry says wistfully, laughing when Louis mumbles a 'perv' under his breath. "I have always been interested in rope bondage. You'd look amazing with some dark rope, tied in patterns yet still keeping you where I want you. I'd have your hands behind your back so you can't touch, have you face down in the bed so I could just do what I want with you," Harry says, shrugging innocently when Louis looks up at him. "With your permission of course," he mumbles.

Louis feels his lips turn up into a small smile as Harry forces a cheesy grin.
"We uhm - can discuss permission for actually doing stuff later in the relationship," Louis says awkwardly; he doesn't want Harry to think that he is going to submit straight away now, that he is going to find this easy. He is too confused with his own feelings over submitting to act on them right now.

Harry shuffles over, accepting that their conversation is over. He moves slowly, as if Louis is a frightened animal, reaching out to cup Louis' cheek. Louis' breath hitches as Harry leans in before he realises what's about to happen.

He startles, jumping off of the couch, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot.
"I uh- I think you should leave now," Louis mumbles, not daring to look up at Harry as his eyes fill up with tears.

Harry wants to stay, to argue and demand that Louis tells him what to do, but he knows that Louis is banking on him respecting his boundaries and letting him take his time.

"Okay, Lou. Text me," Harry says softly before he exits the house.

Louis squeezes his eyes closed tight, grunting angrily as he rubs roughly at his eyes.

"Stupid fucking sub feelings," he mutters bitterly, glaring at everything in his path. "Stupid fucking dad messing with my results. Stupid fucking Harry for being so nice. Stupid fucking me for being so fucking stupid."

As Harry drives home he calls Zayn, knows that Louis will at least talk to him. He explains the situation briefly, asks Zayn if he or Liam can check up on Louis, his stomach lurching at the thought of a distressed Louis. Zayn soothes him, easily agreeing and asking if Harry needs anyone right now. Harry waves it off, thanking him before hanging up.

He groans and let's himself fall face forward onto his bed.

This is going to be harder than they thought.