~L~

Even though it was a summer night, the air was cool. The ceiling fan rotating with a low swishing sound. It was calm and the village was under a stupor of sleep. The open window was letting in the breeze which carried a fragrance of the trees and flowers. It was quite possibly a night at which Louis would either be reading or writing something himself, but instead he was laying awake on his back.

The calm surroundings were itching along his skin. His eyes would every so often gaze out the window to the house opposite theirs, wondering what the man might be doing; would he be asleep, or doing some of his work.

He was curious to find out.

He had been wearing the pendant ever since Harry gave it to him two days ago, practically glowing at the knowledge. It stayed hidden underneath the t-shirt in the morning while at night Louis would lay naked in his bed, admiring the silver anchor against his skin.

Once again as he looked at his chest and saw the pendant, he couldn't help the blush that rose on his cheeks. It also reminded him how he had been practically ignoring Harry since that evening.

The light to Harry's study was on. He felt like a stalker; watching the man's house like some creep, but he was simply intrigued by this person, not that he would ever let anyone know.

Finally, when the curiosity increased too much to be ignored, he jumped out of his bed and tugged on his t-shirt and shorts. He was not aloof to the concept of sneaking out at night, had done it several times to go over at Mia's house. Mia was his best friend, the only person he could tolerate other than his family, and now Harry as well. She was visiting her grandparents and Louis couldn't wait for her to be back, to vent his frustration about the ridiculously charming man that he wanted to hate.

He climbed down his window and landed safely in the garden. He walked across the road and second guessed himself before knocking at the door.

There was no sound for a while before he heard approaching footsteps. The door opened to Harry pointing a gun at him, but instead of focusing on that, Louis' eyes remained fixed on the naked chest of the man, sweatpants hanging loosely around his hips.

"Fuck! Louis!" Harry whisper-shouted, tugging him in by his arm and closing the door before bolting it again. The man crossed his arms, feet shoulder width apart, standing in an authoritative stance. "What are you doing here past midnight?" Harry asked in a normal tone but with underlying concern and a little anger.

"I couldn't sleep," he mumbled, feeling a little foolish now. Harry raised his eyebrow in question and he explained, "Mum and Dad are asleep, I wanted some company."

"You could have gone to one of your friends," Harry started walking inside so Louis followed after him.

"Yeah, she isn't here or I would have gone to her, not you," he spoke with bite, trying to gain some upper hand, he always had the upper hand in a conversation and his silly feelings wouldn't change that.

"Alright. So why are you here?" The man asked again, a little patiently and stressing his words.

"For your company. Make me tea, talk to me until I feel like I should go to sleep."

"I am not your babysitter."

"No. You are not."

"Why do I even bother arguing?" Harry mumbled under his breath, but Louis heard him clearly.

"I don't know. Maybe because you are foolish."

Harry huffed a breath and Louis followed him to the kitchen. All the while Harry prepared tea, he didn't once look at him.

"Are you ignoring me?" Louis asked and then corrected himself when Harry rolled his eyes, "Why are you ignoring me?"

"Ask yourself, Louis," Harry handed him a cup and started to walk away again.

Louis was hot on his heels, walking behind him like a lost puppy seeking comfort and approval, and... this was so unlike him. He was always confident and sure of himself, or at least pretended to be. But now he felt a little hurt as Harry didn't make him his centre of attention. He basked in the feeling of having all the attention to himself but as of now, Harry was paying him no mind, wordlessly going through some magazine.

He knew why Harry was acting like this, was making Louis taste his own medicine, and it was sour.

He sat beside Harry, their thighs touching and he kept glancing at the man while sipping tea.

"Why were you still awake?" He asked instead of apologising, it was too difficult to apologise when he was still pretending that he hated the man. Although, he was fooling no one, not even himself, he had feelings for this man.

"Was working?"

"On?"

"My book." The way Harry said it made Louis feel as if that was a subject he didn't want to talk about, and Louis would have respected that, but he was all about getting on the man's nerves.

"Which surely would have a name."

"I haven't decided yet."

"That's a bit odd, but whatever," he shrugged, "So, what is it about?"

"Something I find too intriguing, or rather, someone," Harry's reply made an emotion burn in his chest and Louis despised it. Despised feeling jealous.

"And who is this person?"

"I can't say," Harry smirked down at him, as if aware of his jealousy.

"Fine," he huffed out, drinking the last of his tea and placing the cup at the table, "Then tell me, have I read any of your works?"

"I don't know."

"Tell me what you have written, I remember all the books I have read."

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry spoke clearly, looking him dead in the eye and picking his cup to take it to the sink.

He waited at the sofa for the man to return. He clearly pushed his buttons a little far, Harry was not comfortable talking about his work and Louis wondered if there was more to it. What if he hated his own work? It made him feel sad to even think that Harry would hate his own creation. He decided to drop the subject but would definitely ask later, maybe step by step, not overwhelming Harry with his questions.

"Hey," he stood up when Harry walked back in, placing his hand delicately on the man's bare chest, looking into his eyes as he finally apologised, maybe for more than one thing, "I am sorry."

Harry looked at him for a few ticking seconds before placing his palm on top of his hands, his shoulders sagging a little, posture relaxing, "It's alright. I am just not comfortable talking about my work, maybe some other day."

"Okay."

He was caught in a trance, taking in the hard lines on Harry's face, his sharp jaw and perfect lips. He felt his throat parching as Harry looked at him with such raw emotion, saying a thousand things in a single look. And, the next second the moment was gone.

Harry pulled away, running his hand through his hair. "It's getting late, you wanna sleep here tonight?"

"Yeah," he nodded immediately, clearing his throat at his urgency. "I mean, yes, that would be nice."

"I have the guest bedroom ready, I'll ju-"

"I'll sleep in your room, the mattress is much more soft," he cut in with a grin, back to his playful mood.

Harry rolled his eyes but had a smile on his face, "Fine, I'll sleep in the guest room."

"No! It is your bedroom, we can share a bed, I mean it is big enough," he widened his eyes, biting his lip to keep his smile in check.

"Louis. Don't."

"C'mon! Are you scared?" He teased, "I promise I'll stick to my side."

"Drop it, Louis. I am going to the guest room, goodnight."

Louis pouted, sure, but didn't follow Harry this time. He actually wanted to sleep with Harry, and just in his bed, nothing more, really. He just didn't want to sleep alone. He couldn't tell why but he felt emotionally down that night, craved some company, some attention.

He sat back down on the sofa and curled himself into a ball. There was no point in sleeping in Harry's bedroom if the man won't be there himself. These feelings were getting out of hand, it was silly how much they had grown after Harry gifted him that pendant.

He might have fallen asleep sometime after laying on the sofa. When he woke up, it was still dark outside but he was in a much more comfortable position than being cramped like before. He blinked to adjust his vision to the darkness and noticed that he was laying on Harry's bed, thin sheet draped over his body.

What made him smile was that Harry was sleeping beside him, a little distance between them. The man had put on a t-shirt and Louis had an instinct telling him that Harry preferred sleeping with minimum clothing but did that for Louis' sake. It warmed his heart to know that the man carried him to bed when he found him sleeping on the uncomfortable sofa.

He didn't give much thought before shifting around and curling to Harry's side, laying his head on the man's chest. He just didn't want to think for once, wanted to let his heart rule his mind. Just this once.

~

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Louis coming over past midnight to Harry's house? Getting a feeling about what Harry felt towards his work? Harry carrying Louis to bed? Louis listening to his heart?

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