This was requested by belltommo28 I hope it's okay.

It's a longgggggg one. Grab some snacks and get comfy. Enjoy :)

3rd person P.O.V

Louis sat down in the chair opposite Max Briar, the manager of his record label. He was called to his office very early on March 5th and was only told it was to discuss his album that was coming out in just over three months. "How are you doing, Louis?" Max greeted warmly, his hands clasped on the top of the desk.

"I'm good." Louis replied, he had been in Max's label for almost two years and he had only spoken to him when needed but he seemed like a really genuine and nice guy, which made a change from all the old managers he used to have to deal with.

"So, I wanted to talk to you about the publicity we need to get before your album is released. This should have already have been explained to you." Max started. "And I have been thinking about what we could do to maximise the amount of people we could reach. Your album is great, I've heard it. I want others to be able to know who you are and check out your music." He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. "Look, you're one of the higher artists in my label, but your music is only reaching a specific group of people, I know you could go further if people just discovered who you were."

Louis nodded, wondering where this conversation was going, he knew that he'd have to do publicity before the album dropped but he didn't quite know what.

"So I've been talking to a few other managers lately and we've come up with a plan." Max carried on. "There's another big artist here who's album is dropping only a few days after yours. We figured that if we could merge your publicity with his it would be easier and may actually gain more attention. Now, the plan is for you to have a fake relationship, only for a few months give or take. You're already out so there's no need to have to handle any of that."

"Hang on." Louis tried to get his head around what he was told. "You want me to fake date some guy I don't know for publicity for our albums?" He clarified.

"Yes. You're both some of the most popular pop singers at the moment and doing this, would gain attention from media outlets all over the world, people who have never heard your name before will see articles about you. It's the perfect option for getting the attention we need for you album before it drops." Max sat forward again. "All you've got to do is go out on dates, get your picture taken, maybe a Instagram post here and there and that's it. You don't have to like the guy you just need to look in love when there's a camera. You'll stay together until around two months after the album releases so it doesn't look suspicious. We'll just say that it didn't work out and you're going to stay friends." He noticed Louis' hesitation. "Look I know this sounds like a lot but it's the best option. And it happens all the time in the music industry."

"Who's the guy?" Louis asked, voicing his first worry, he really hoped it wasn't someone who he despised.

"Harry Styles."

Louis had heard of him before, he'd never met him, not officially anyway. They'd bumped into each other a year ago, it was clear that both boys weren't having a great day and they had a little heated conversation before walking away. They hadn't really interacted much since then.

"Do I even have a choice?" Louis asked.

"Not this time." Max sighed. "Look it won't be that bad. Maybe you'll become friends." He grabbed a piece of paper that was sat on the edge of the desk. "It's only for five or six months at most. I'll call you when you need to meet with him and where the paparazzi will be and for how long."

"Alright." Louis mumbled. "Is anyone able to know?"

"Not really, I'm not going to stop you from telling your family or close friends but keep it to the bare minimum. We don't need it getting out before you've even met the guy. Speaking of, I need you back here tomorrow morning at 9am. Harry will be here too, you'll have a chance to talk and ask questions before you sign the contract."

"Contract?"

"It's not major, it only runs until the end of July as by then both albums will be released. It just states what you can and can't say or do during the months you'll be 'dating'." Max explained. "You'll read it all over tomorrow and you can ask to change anything you don't like."

Louis nodded and stood up from his seat, Max went over a few brief things before telling Louis he could go.

~

Louis was late.

Like almost thirty minutes late.

He was supposed to meet at Max's office at 9am this morning to go over the contract and meet Harry, but it was 9:28 and he was still not even at the building. His car had broken down last night and he hadn't managed to call anyone to fix it and his mum needed his help so he had to take his brother Ernie late last night and he had to drop him off at school this morning.

Hence him being late. He had no car. And had to go to the other side of the town to get his brother to primary school.

When he finally arrived at the office at 9:32 he was led into the room by a secretary and he immediately saw a tall, brunette haired man slouched in a chair having a mumbled conversation with Max.

"I am so sorry I'm late, it was- family stuff." Louis sighed out, his chest heaving as he took a seat in the vacant chair next to Harry.

"It's no problem." Max smiled at him before reaching forward on his desk and sliding a pile of papers over to him. "Harry and I have almost gone through everything in his so you can read through yours and then we'll talk before we discuss your first stunt."

Louis nodded and went to reach for a pen when he felt like someone was burning holes into the side of his head. He looked to his left and saw Harry glaring at him with an unimpressed expression before the man rolled his eyes and looked away.

Louis just scoffed quietly and turned back to the papers. He read through them quickly, decided that almost everything was fine apart from one thing he wanted changed, and then they were finally organising the first stunt and having their introductions.

"So Harry, Louis, contracts are signed. You're officially a couple until July 31st." Max smiled moving the stack of papers to the side. "I've heard you've met before."

Louis went to answer when a deep voice was cutting him off.

"Briefly."

His eyes widened as he looked over at Harry who's eyes were locked on Max, his posture relaxed but also his expression looked slightly irritated.

"Great. That will do." Their boss looked over to his computer. "Okay so the first stunt is in two days time. March eighth. You will meet at a location I will send you that morning. It will more than likely be a cafe so no need to dress up. The paparazzi will get their pictures of you entering the cafe and having lunch, looking smiley and then pictures of you leaving." He looked back to the two men in front of him. "Keep the PDA to a minimum for now, we want to build this up not throw you in the deep end. It'll look staged." Louis held back his retort of that it was staged and instead stayed silent. "Right, can you do that?"

Two nods in response.

"I'm assuming you don't need me to explain not to look into the camera?" Max asked with slight amusement, when he received the negative he smiled and dismissed the two.

Louis grabbed his bag and turned to face Harry, hoping to speak with him a bit but when he looked to his left the man was already walking out the office door. "Okay, then." He mumbled before leaving as well.

~

Louis had been stressed for the last 48hours.

He had never really been a good liar, whenever he tried to someone always called him out on it. He didn't think he was that obvious but apparently he was. And now he was supposed to fool the entire world that he was in a relationship with a guy who he didn't even know what his middle name was.

So to say he was anxious would be an understatement. It also didn't help that he was late. Again. He had to help his mum before she left for work again, meaning he had to drive to her house and then drive back to his and now he was late.

Last time he was late Harry didn't seem impressed -at all. He was supposed to meet Harry at this cafe at 10am, it is now quarter past. That wouldn't seem bad to many but he had to be there on time because Max was very clear that he wanted them to be photographed walking in together.

But unless Harry was late, then they would be walking in separately. But Louis had hope that neither Harry or Max would mind as the paparazzi would still have pictures of them sitting together and then leaving.

He finally reached the cafe and already saw four guys with cameras, two were stood by the entrance, the others were stood by the window where he already knew Harry was sat. It felt weird to him that these guys would be watching the entire thing and be taking photos of them, but he'd have to get used to it.

As he walked into the brightly coloured building the guys took pictures of him and he just kept his head down and kept moving. He looked up once he was through the door and saw Harry immediately.

He was rather tall and broad so you could spot him amongst a crowd, so quickly Louis walked over and sat down with a smile knowing now the cameras were taking pictures of them both.

"I'm really sorry I'm late." Louis breathed out in a whisper so no one else picked up on it.

"It seems to be a continuous theme of yours." Harry replied, not looking very impressed but not mad either. "Should I always expect you to turn up late? Or will you stick to a schedule at some point in these next five months?"

"I would say this is the last time I'll be late but it probably won't." Louis ran a hand through his hair, hoping it didn't look too rushed and messy.

"Great." Harry mumbled, voice holding no emotion at all.

Louis had barely known the guy that long but was already getting bored of his annoyed attitude, he didn't want to be here either but at least he was trying. Sighing, he spoke up, "Listen mate, I don't want to do this either, much less with someone who can't be bothered to put in effort." He leaned in closer, trying hard to make sure it didn't look like he was mad. "But you know what Max will say if we don't manage to pull this off. This is supposed to help both of us so don't just fucking sit there. Smile and pretend that you like me. Just for an hour. Then you go home and wallow alone. Okay?"

Harry's eyes widened a fraction in shock and almost a hint of amusement. "Okay." He replied, forcing a small smile as Louis nodded and propped his arm up on the seat behind them.

For the next twenty minutes they made useless conversation talking about what's on the menu and what they think the article will say but Louis didn't care as at least Harry was smiling now and he didn't seem so pissed off anymore.

When they reached the thirty minute marker Harry propped his head up on his hand and looked at Louis. "I know nothing about you and yet I'm dating you. So how about we get to know each other because all I know so far is that you're late a lot." He seemed to be joking so Louis smiled and nodded.

He never really liked sharing parts of himself and his life with people unless he trusted them and knew them first.

He'd had an issue with someone he'd met before when they had met and starting getting along and then five months later the guy had leaked Louis' phone number, his address, his families address and everything he had shared with him about himself and his family. Louis had felt like everything had been stripped away from him and he was left bare in front of the world.

He and his family both had to move houses, he had to get a new phone and now whenever he met someone he kept private. He prefers it that way.

Harry noticed his hesitance and questioned him. "I'm not a spy. You don't have to worry about me ratting out your bad habits to anyone. I'm just saying if we get questioned about each other we should probably know stuff." He still saw Louis' reluctance and sighed. "You don't have to tell me anything if you really don't want to. I'll tell you stuff about me and I'll have to guess about you."

Louis thought for a minute before saying, "I'll give you three questions. You can ask any three questions and I'll promise to answer them honestly." He picked up the fork off the plate of chocolate cake they'd ordered and took some, he saw Harry's eyes tracking the movements before looking to his eyes.

"Deal." Harry nodded, sitting up with a smile that seemed not so forced anymore.

It was strange in a way, thirty minutes ago the curly haired lad seemed more excited to get run over than sit and talk with Louis yet somewhere between ordering cake and playing a game of snap with the packet sauces on the table Harry had changed his demeanour and actually didn't seem to hate him.

But Louis figured he couldn't be too sure yet, it could just be the cake he ate making him happy. Harry thought for a moment before speaking. "What's your favourite colour?"

Louis almost burst out laughing as he put the fork down again. "I give you three questions to ask me and you choose that?" He said with a smile as he  reached to his lighter that he'd put on the table, twisting it in his hand as he moved it to his pocket.

Harry shrugged with this own big smile, "Someone's favourite colour says a lot about them."

Louis hummed with a slow nod. "Alright," he said quietly, eyes locked on the wooden table before flicking to Harry's green ones. "I'm gonna have to say mine is red. What does that say about me?"

Harry paused for a moment before bringing up his phone making Louis let out a loud laugh as Harry typed something. He kicked Louis' shin to get him to stop when he'd found what he was looking for. "Okay, so you're determined, and you prefer risk-taking behaviours. You're outgoing and and prone to impulsive actions." Harry continued reading from his phone as Louis nodded with a smug smile, trying to hold back his laugh. "You feel deep sympathy for humans and have a strong sex drive-" his eyes widened and he looked up from his phone. "I'm
Just reading what it says." He rushed out causing Louis to burst out laughing all over again.

Before, Louis had thought Harry seemed stuck up, too serious and boring but the guy he was sat with now wasn't any of those things and he was glad Harry opened up quickly because he knew this would be easier for them both if they were friends. "Okay what else does it say about me?"

Harry cleared his throat and looked back down to his phone. "It says you exude powerful energy, you're a born leader, you don't hesitate to say exactly how you feel or why."

"That's not always a good thing for me." Louis interrupted. "It'll get me in trouble one day."

Harry nodded with a smirk. "I see. So this is correct then?"

Louis shrugged. "I guess you'll work that out as you get to know me. Now hurry up we have twenty minutes left and you still have two questions."

"Cant I save them for another time?"

"What am I? A genie?"

Harry let out a loud laugh and shook his head. "No, I just can't think of what else I should ask you. Maybe I'll have a good question later on."

"I'll let you hold onto one question." Louis decided. "Ask me one more and then you get one question to ask at another time. I don't want you ambushing me in the future if you have too many questions. You'll get one shot."

Harry studied him for a minute before leaning forward and slowly raising his hand to Louis' face. A second later Harry was gentle pressing his fingertips to the skin above Louis' right eyebrow. "How'd you get that?"

Before Louis could open his mouth Harry withdrew his fingers from where they were touching. It was a scar that he'd gotten when he was younger, it had been a deep enough cut to still show almost eleven years later - But it was small and Louis was surprised Harry had even noticed it. "It's not an interesting story." Louis shrugged. "I wish I could lie and say I got attacked by a bear and managed to fight it off but that's a lie and I said I'd answer honestly."

"Tell me then." Harry said impatiently as he sat higher. "I just wanna know what stupid thing you did to get it."

"Ah I see, so you want to know so you can tease me. I get it."

Harry grabbed Louis arm and shook it gently. "You have to tell me. You gave me three questions. You have to tell me."

"You're gonna regret asking it, it's a really boring story."

"Somehow I think I'll find humour in it." Harry said smugly as he let go of Louis arm and leaned his back against the window of the cafe.

"Alright, so I was fifteen and I went to a beach with my friends and we were all skating down the boardwalk." Louis laughed slightly before he continued. "And baring in mind I wasn't good at it, I had got the skateboard about a week before but I was trying to impress some girls that were there and I ended up nearly skating into an old lady and her chihuahua." Louis looked up to see Harry start to laugh as he listened. "I managed to avoid them but lost my balance and fell face first onto the ground. The whole right side of my face was cut but the scar was from a piece of glass that I had fallen onto and it happened to go deep. I got stitches and didn't go on the skateboard for months after that. Luckily the other cuts healed without any scars."

"Wow. So you got stitches instead of getting the girl you were trying to impress." Harry ran a hand through his hair and Louis noticed two rings on his fingers that he somehow hadn't seen before. "Are you gonna face plant the ground to impress me too?"

"I don't need to, darling." Louis smirked, subtly pointing in the direction to the cameras. "As far as anyones concerned I've already wooed you."

"But surely we should make sure they think it's real and how will they ever think that if you haven't fallen off your skateboard for me?" Harry's expression was amused and Louis couldn't help but smile.

"You're right. I still have the board at my house. Perhaps I'll have to bring it on one of our dates and woo you with my amazing skills." Louis said making Harry laugh more.

"We'll just have to clear the area of old women with chihuahuas."

Louis flipped Harry off with a smile causing him to laugh louder and more people to look over as Harry batted his hand away.

The rest of the 'date' passed quickly and soon enough the were leaving the cafe together, not holding hands as Max had wanted to ease people into it slowly. So the cameras took their photos as Harry and Louis walked to the car park.

When they got there the cameramen had stopped taking their photos and were leaving to go send the pictures off and Harry and Louis were left alone.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be." Harry admitted as he stopped by his car. "And I'm kinda glad that Im doing this with someone like you, so I can joke around and not instantly want to leave. So thanks."

"No problem. I'm just glad you're not as serious as I thought you were going to be. That would have been torture." Louis groaned making Harry gently kick him.

"Don't forget I still have that one question I can ask you." Harry said as he opened his car door and went to get inside.

"It'll be the bane of my nightmares." Louis replied watching as Harry smiled, waved goodbye and got into the car. He waved before heading to his own car and getting inside, letting out a deep breath he realised that these next five months won't be so bad if he and Harry can continue the unlikely friendship they managed to form rather quickly.

~

PopNews

PopNews: Music artists Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were spotted 'hanging out' in a cafe early this morning. The pictures taken show Styles (24) laughing with Tomlinson (26) and sitting rather close to eachother.

Tomlinson arrived after Styles got there and joined him at a table before the pair then sat for an hour, chatting. They then left at half past eleven. More pictures were taken throughout their time at the cafe and then of them leaving. (See pictures below)

Is this a new friendship or is there something more? Both singers have already come out to the public, and support for the boys flooded the internet immediately.

So is there more to this that we don't know? Or was this just a meet up between two new friends? We'll keep you updated about the new pair that fans are now calling #LarryStylinson

~

It was 8am on the eleventh of March, three days after the last date, that Louis woke up to a call from Max saying that at 7pm he would drive Harry to a restaurant, they would have dinner, go for a walk and then Louis would walk Harry home. The paps would take pictures up until they reached Harry's house (for obvious privacy reasons).

He had mumbled a sleepy response, agreeing to the stunt and then hung up before falling asleep again. His friend had come over last night and hadn't left until early in the morning and no way was Louis getting up before 11am.

Around midday after Louis had showered and changed, he started to think that he should have asked for Harry's number because even though Max had sent his address the two had no way to communicate if they needed to.

He figured he could ask Harry later tonight.

Max wanted them to go to a rather fancy restaurant for their 'date' and upon leaving the restaurant he had been instructed that they were to hold hands as they began their walk to the beach as he wanted the articles to start pushing the relationship narrative but they weren't going to confirm anything yet.
(A\N: again we're going to pretend there's a beach in London :))

So for the rest of the day Louis cleaned his house, called his family and checked in on them, he finished up the last few details for his album and then got his outfit ready to pick up Harry.

He had to wear something 'nice' but he wasn't exactly sure how posh or fancy it had to be so after almost half an hour of picking out random clothes he decided that it didn't really matter as this was all pretended anyway. So he chose a plain white shirt with some coal black suit trousers and a belt, he tucked the shirt into the trousers and grabbed a black suit jacket on his way out the door.

He drove to the address Max sent him and stopped outside of what he assumed was Harry's house, he was rather surprised to find out they didn't live that far from each other, only about fifteen minutes. He got out the car and walked up to the black gate.

Louis went to knock but the gate was already opening and his eyes widened slightly before he walked through and up the driveway to the door. He knocked on the front door and only a few seconds later it was opening and Harry was smiling. "Sorry, just give me a second." Then he was rushing away from the door and further into the hallway, grabbing some things off the shelf before going back to the door and grabbing his coat and shoes.

Harry was wearing a white button shirt with thin blue stripes on it and it was tucked into black trousers. The shirt had the top few buttons undone and Louis could see a hint of his tanned skin and blank ink peeking out from the sides.

Louis cleared his throat after very obviously staring and smiled at Harry who was turning back around after locking his door. "Okay, I'm ready." He breathed out with a small smile. For a moment it looked like his eyes scanned over Louis' outfit but he said nothing and it happened so fast Louis wasn't sure.

They walked down his driveway, and out of the gate in silence before Louis opened the door for Harry in true gentleman style, closing it carefully behind him. He got in the drivers side and turned on the radio before driving to the other address he'd been sent.

It was mostly silence during the ride but it didn't matter as the radio filled the car with chatter so it wasn't awkward and Harry seemed busy looking out the window at the city as they drove. "I'm assuming Max told you what we're doing tonight." Louis spoke once they reached their destination.

Harry looked away from the window and nodded. "He called me this morning and said you would be picking me up. I guess he wanted pictures of us walking in together too." He shrugged and looked out the front windshield at the road.

Louis nodded and suddenly a thought was coming into his head. "Harry, I wanted to make sure you were fine with holding hands when we leave. If you don't feel comfortable then we don't have to. We can deal with Max."

The corner of Harry's lips tipped up as he looked down at his hands. "It's fine." He said quietly before looking over to Louis who had just pulled into the parking lot but had yet to stop the car. "Are you comfortable with it?"

Louis nodded with shrug, "It's only for the pictures." He took the key out of the ignition and went to get out the car. "Don't get out the car, I can't be caught slacking at being a gentlemen." He smirked and got out, making his way to Harry's side before opening the door.

Harry thanked him as he got out the car and looked briefly to the guys who were already taking their picture. He leaned in close to Louis and said, "You look very respectful. Very gentlemanly." A small smile was on his lips as he leaned back and Louis couldn't help but laugh quietly as they walked towards the entrance.

"I couldn't be seen not opening your door, what would they think of me?" He said in a sarcastic voice. "It would ruin my reputation."

"Oh, absolutely." Harry agreed with a firm nod. "There would be a riot. 'Louis Tomlinson caught not opening the car door for Harry Styles.' It would be everywhere." He dramatically added as they ignored the flashing cameras.

Louis laughed and opened the door to the restaurant, allowing Harry to enter first before following behind. They were lead to their table rather soon, it was near the back of the restaurant in a slightly more secluded area but still seen by the other tables.

There had been a few people who had seen them walk past and had started whispering but the two boys ignored it and followed the waitress who was now handing them menus.

They looked through the menus in silence before ordering and then once the waitress left the two were left alone. "This feels a lot different to the cafe." Harry said as he looked around the room, it definitely seemed like a posh place, it was expensive too.

Louis nodded in agreement looking to the multitude of forks he had next to his arm, eyeing them with a weird look. "Who needs that many forks?"

Harry looked to the table and noticed it too. "I think they're all for different meals. And different foods."

"But they've only given me one knife. I should demand for another." Louis looked up from the cutlery to see Harry watching him with an amused expression.

"You should, it's outrageous. How can you possibly eat your main meal with the same knife you'll use for the starter that you didn't order." Harry waved his hand in the air. "Unbelievable."

They talked about their work (it was mainly Harry talking about how he went to other countries to get inspiration) before their food arrived and then two mainly ate in silence but occasionally made small conversation.

They decided not to get dessert and instead asked for the bill, Harry suggested they split it but Louis said he'd pay and after five minutes of arguing they decided Louis pay this time and Harry would pay for the next date.

They picked up their things from the table and Harry paused when they went to walk. Louis noticed and turned around with a frown. "Are you okay?"

Harry nodded with a thoughtful expression. "How do we do this?" He said quietly. For a moment Louis was confused but then he understood, he walked back so he was stood next to Harry.

"We just...try to act natural. Take my hand now instead of right as we're walking out." He said holding his left hand out, his palm facing up.

Harry looked at it for a second before letting his right hand come down on top and their fingers interlocked. They dropped their joined hands to their side and began walking out the restaurant.

The cameras began taking pictures the minute they walked out of the building but there was more than before. When they first walked in there was only the two paid men stood with their cameras but now there was at least nine men.

Someone must have tipped them off and after that last article Louis figured that they'd have paparazzi showing up with the other camera guys as things got more public. They just kept their heads down, their hands connected and headed in the direction of the beach that was nearby.

The paps were calling their names but the two boys ignored it and kept walking.

By the time they got to the beach, most of the men had just turned and left -not bothering to continue following them. Now there was only around four men, and two were the assigned cameramen.

Neither Louis or Harry had spoken since they left the restaurant, they didn't know what to say so they just kept their mouths closed and listened to the sound of the sea against the sand and the wind hitting the water. It was rather dark now and the sun had set long ago.

Louis only spoke when he noticed Harry shivering. "Are you cold?"

"I left my jacket in the car." Harry laughed slightly as they stopped walking.

"Well..." Louis glanced back at the paps who were not too far behind but still keeping their distance, "I guess I should continue my gentleman duties and offer my jacket." He noticed Harry going to speak so he separated their hands and took his jacket off before he could say anything. "Here." He held it out but Harry didn't take it.

"But then you'll get cold."

"I'll be fine. Im not even that cold, you're the one who's shivering."

Harry shook his head. "It's fine, we're only going to be out here for a lit-"

"Take the damn jacket." Louis cut him off with a sharp tone. Harry took the jacket from his outstretched hand.

"Thanks." He put his arms through the sleeves and let out a deep breath when he finally had it on. "Let me know if you get cold, I'll give it back."

Louis nodded but had no intention of doing any such thing.

They ended up taking off their shoes and going onto the sand, there was no one around possibly because of the fact it was March and also that it was half past eight.

They had sat down on the sand with their hands no longer linked, instead they were just sitting next to each other, not close enough to touch but close enough their feel the others presence.

"I wonder how cold the water is." Louis said after a few minutes of quiet.

"Near freezing is my guess." Harry replied, he had his knees bent and his arms resting crossed on top as he looked at the reflection of the moon on the sea.

Suddenly Louis stood up and Harry was turning to look at him. "What are you doing?" He asked but received no reply as Louis kept walking in the direction of the water. "Louis, don't even think about it. It's freezing."

"We don't know that."

"We will when you have hypothermia!" Harry stood up and watched as Louis walked along the half-wall that ran from the path, down the sand and into the water. "Louis. Don't."

Louis however just turned back to Harry with a smile before he was taking off his socks, then his shirt, and finally his trousers so he was left standing in his boxers.

Harry went to talk just as Louis then stepped off the wall and into the water below it, luckily it wasn't very deep where the wall stopped so it didn't reach his chest but it submerged from his stomach down.

"It's not that bad!" He yelled back to Harry who was shaking his head.

"We don't even have towels!" He called back in response.

Louis carefully waded through the water until he reached the sand again and was walking back up to Harry, his body was dripping with water as he ran a hand through his hair.

"I see the impulsive actions now." Harry mumbled grabbing Louis' clothes he'd chucked on the sand and handing them to him, it was too dark to see much but he could see the outline of his body.

Louis laughed remembering what Harry googled a few days ago. "I guess it was all true then." He took his clothes and then realised what he'd done. "I guess we'll have to stay here longer then."

Harry just laughed and sat back down on the sand as Louis slipped his shirt on back over his damp skin, it was drying fairly quickly because the air was so cold. So he waited a moment longer before stepping into his trousers again, then sitting down next to Harry again.

"Are you sure you're not too cold?" Harry asked getting ready to give Louis his jacket back but Louis stopped him.

"It won't look very good on my gentleman report if you give me back the jacket."

"It won't look good on my gentleman report if you die of frostbite!" Harry realised Louis wasn't budging and sighed pulling the jacket further around his body. "If you get sick I'm not helping you."

Louis just let out a small breathy chuckle before noticing that the cameramen weren't even paying attention to them anymore. He laid back on the sand, his legs stretched out as he placed a hand behind his head and looked up at the stars.

Harry did the same and laid down on the sand next to him but he kept his hands resting on his stomach.

Louis turned his head to the side and spoke, "Y'know I think you know more about me than I know about you. I didn't get to ask questions last time." He said, his voice low.

Harry turned his head as well, meeting Louis' eyes. "Ask away."

"Do I have a limit?"

"Nope. Ask as many as you'd like."

Louis turned his head back to the sky as he thought before he was moving to lay on his side, propping his head on his hand as he looked down at Harry. "What's your middle name?"

Harry started laughing. "You were questioning my reasoning for asking your favourite colour and now you're asking my middle name?"

"Yes. Because at least it's something informative. What would my favourite colour tell you?"

"That you're impulsive." Harry tried to stop from laughing but failed when Louis frowned before shaking his head making all the water still caught in his hair to go all over them both. Harry pushed at him in an attempt to move away making Louis grab his arm and pull him closer. "You're horrid." Harry breathed out as he glared at the older boy in the darkness.

"What's your middle name?" Louis asked with a sweet smile, ignoring Harry's comment as he let his arm go and laid back in the position he was in.

Harry let out a breath of air and answered, "Edward."

"Like from twilight?" Louis smiled when Harry let out a groan and covered his eyes with his arm but the blue eyed man reached out and pulled his arm away. "It's a good thing I was always team Edward then."

Harry raised his eyebrows with amusement in his eyes. "Really?"

"What? My sisters watched it all the time, I got roped into watching it with them." Louis explained as Harry listened close, wanting to get every detail out of him before he went back to saying nothing about his life.

"It's okay, you can tell me you liked watching it. I won't tell anyone." Harry said with fake seriousness.

"Shut up." Louis mumbled before noticing the ink on Harry's chest again. "What's your tattoo?" He asked, motioning towards the ink hiding behind his shirt.

Harry looked down and moved his shirt to the side slightly to show two birds. "They're swallows."

"Why'd you get them?" Louis asked after admiring them for a bit.

Harry shrugged, letting his shirt fall back to how it was. "I just liked them."

Louis hummed. "They're nice. It's good to hear someone getting a tattoo just because they like it." He was quiet for a moment. "Do you have anymore?"

"Yeah, I have a ship, a rose and a heart on my left arm, an Eagle on my right. A butterfly on my stomach, my sisters name in Hebrew, the dates my parents were born in the dip of my shoulders and a birdcage on my ribs." Harry listed them as Louis' eyes widened.

"Wow, you have a lot more than I thought you did."

"I want to get more." Harry sat up and looked at Louis' tattoos on his arms. "Do you have more?"

"Is that your third and final question?" Louis asked with a smug smile making Harry shake his head but to his surprise Louis answered anyway. "I have the words 'it is what is is' on my chest, with the number 78 below," he hesitated for a moment before carrying on, "it was my grandparents house number and they meant a lot to me."

Harry nodded, fully and totally listening to every word, every sound that came out of Louis' mouth as he already knew that Louis had made it clear he didn't like to share things about himself.

"I have the words 'far away' on my bicep, I have the compass, the bird, a naughts and crosses game, an arrow, a stag and I have a stick figure riding a skateboard." He finished just as Harry let out a loud laugh remembering then story he was told.

They spent thirty minutes just laying on the sand talking, Louis kept asking questions and Harry kept answering and Louis loved learning about Harry's past, what his family was like. He loved hearing the endearment in Harry's voice when he told Louis all about his family. He learnt about what Harry was like in school, how he came to be a singer and other dreams he had.

Eventually they got up and began walking back to the car, it seems that the paps had given up waiting for them to go home and they all had left sometime between Louis jumping in the sea and them laying on the sand.

Louis drove Harry home and remembered to ask for his number so they could talk about the stunts they needed to do, Harry agreed and put Louis' number in his phone before he was getting out the car and heading to his door.

They waved goodbye and then Louis drove home. It was only when he got through the door of his house that he noticed he had two text messages from an unknown number.

Unknown: Hey, I've still got your jacket ;)
I guess it's mine now. -H

Unknown: Kidding. I'll give it back to you soon. -H

Louis changed the contact name and plugged his phone in by his bed with a smile on his face.

~

PopNews

PopNews: Singers Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were spotted leaving a restaurant late last night hand in hand. There was confusion after their last outing together about wether or not the two were friends or not but it seems clear now.

Tomlinson arrived with Styles in his car and was seen opening Styles' door for him before they both headed into the restaurant.

After having dinner they walked down towards the beach before staying down there for over an hour.

Fans of both singers have been going wild over these new photos and have already began conjuring stories of how this romance started.

So far we still have no comment from Styles, Tomlinson or their managers.

~

12th March, 11:36am
Harry: Did Max call to tell you that we don't have another stunt for a while? He said to me that he wants to wait before we go out again to avoid it looking suspicious.

12th March, 1:22pm
Louis: Yeah he called me this morning. I bet you're glad to not have to see me for a while.

12th March, 1:45pm
Harry: I'm overjoyed.
Harry: Too bad it's only nine days apart.

12th March, 2:12pm
Louis: I'm hurt. I thought we were becoming friends :( I thought we were bonding over our tattoos?

12th March, 2:29
Harry: It was all a ruse. I'm a great actor.

12th March, 4:56pm
Louis: I cannot believe you, Styles. Now I'm glad I don't see you for nine days.

15th March, 6:32pm
Louis: My sisters just made me rewatch twilight with them. And I don't understand anyone who is team Jacob. The dudes weird. He's always shirtless when he doesn't need to be.

15 March, 6:43pm
Harry: I'm currently shirtless...
Harry: Does that make me weird?

15th March, 6:45pm
Louis: Did you randomly strip it off in front of everyone for no reason? If not then I'll say no for now.
Louis: But if you start offering to help stop my tiny graze by taking off your entire shirt to use as a bandage I may have to ask Max to back out of this.

15th March, 6:51pm
Harry: I thought that moment was quite sweet.

15th March, 7:03pm
Louis: Are you blind? He's just extra, there was no need to take off his entire shirt for that.

15th March, 7:11pm
Harry: Are you blind? With a body like his why not take your shirt off. Flaunt what you got.

15th March, 7:20pm
Louis: Fair. But that doesn't mean you can start 'flaunting' when we're out somewhere. I will walk away from you.

15th March, 7:38pm
Harry: Fineeeeeeee

17th March, 2:21pm
Louis: Do you like Pineapple on pizza?

17th March, 2:28pm
Harry: What?
Harry: I don't mind it. But I don't normally order it, why?

17th March, 2:35pm
Louis: It would have been a dealbreaker if you loved it.

17th March, 2:40pm
Harry: Oh really?
Harry: So if we went to a restaurant and I ordered it what would you do?

17th March, 2:48pm
Louis: Leave.

17th March, 2:54pm
Harry: I'm starting to learn that you're dramatic. But it's okay, it's very entertaining.

17th March, 3:01pm
Louis: And I'm starting to learn that this fake relationship wouldn't last anyway. Our opinions don't match.

17th March, 3:05pm
Harry: Shouldn't that be a good thing?
Harry: It means that we challenge each other, it would get boring otherwise.
Harry: Although now I'm thinking about it I'm not sure being with you would ever be boring, you are far too dramatic for that to happen.

17th March, 3:11pm
Louis: I'm choosing not to take offence to that, Styles.

Missed call from Harry at 6:04am.
18th March, 6:05am
Louis: What the hell are you calling me for at ass o'clock in the morning?

18th March, 6:09am
Harry: sorry, accident. Meant to call someone else, hope I didn't wake you up.

18th March, 6:16am
Louis: Don't worry. I Need to get up anyway.

18th March, 6:23am
Harry: How come? Is it work stuff?

18th March, 6:28am
Louis: Yeah, I have some meetings to go to but I should be done by noon.

18th March, 6:32am
Harry: That sucks, I don't have to go into work until later.

18th March, 6:35am
Louis: Why the bloody hell are you up now then?!
Louis: For fun?

18th March, 6:39am
Harry: I'm about to go on a run, thats why Lewis.

18th March, 6:40am
Louis: I can't believe you run this early. No. This conversation is over.

18th March, 8:45pm
Harry: I just saw a squirrel that looked like you

18th March, 8:47pm
Louis: Are you saying I look like a squirrel?

18th March, 8:49pm
Harry: No.
Harry: I'm saying the squirrel looked like you

18th March, 8:50pm
Louis: I thought we were keeping this number for serious, job related things, Harold?

18th March, 8:52pm
Harry: you're the one who text me about twilight the other day. So maybe I should be asking you that.
Harry: And just admit it, you like texting me.

18th March, 8:55pm
Louis: Nope. I'll prove it.

18th March, 8:57pm
Harry: How can you possibly do that?
9:45pm
Harry: Louis?
10:17pm
Harry: Okay. Haha. Very funny.
10:56pm
Harry: Okay you've made you're point you can answer me now.
11:38pm
Harry: I hate you.
00:26am
Harry: You're a dick. If I knew you're middle name I'd so use it right now.

19th March 8:34am
Harry: Are you done ignoring me now?
9:10am
Harry: Seriously?
Harry: I really hate you.
Harry: Like mega hate you. You're annoying.
9:56am
Harry: You're not even gonna fight me on that?
10:34am
Harry: I'm starting to think you're dead somewhere. What flowers would you like at your funeral?
Harry: Never mind. I'll decide.
11:23am
Harry: Answer me, Lewis. You made you're point ten messages ago.
Harry: Okay then, you leave me no choice.

Louis listened to the incessant beep of his phone all morning until it stopped around half past eleven. He wasn't going to break and text Harry back, he's too stubborn for that. Plus he saw Harry tomorrow so whatever the man wants to say to get him to text back he can do then.

He was in the middle of watching Rush Hour 2 when there was a knock at his front door, he got up without question as Zayn was supposed to be coming over today.

However when he opened the door Zayn wasn't the one stood there.

It was Harry, with his arms crossed over his chest and wearing grey sweatpants, a black hoodie that Louis was pretty sure was Harry's own merch, and white vans. He looked like he'd just woken up especially as his hair wasn't styled.

"Harry?" Was the only thing he seemed able to say at that point. His eyes scanned over the man again, wondering if he was seeing things. "How the hell did you know where I live?"

"I had to ask Max for it. Said I needed to drop something off at yours and needed you're address." Harry replied with a smug smile. "Stop ignoring my texts. I know you're reading them and it's hurting my feelings so you have to answer."

Louis couldn't help smiling. "But I don't like texting you."

Harry just let out a annoyed breath of air. "Okay, so you've said. I believe you. Now answer my texts when I send them."

"Are you feeling lonely?" Louis asked with a fake sad expression as he leaned against the door. "Did you miss me?"

Harry didn't say anything, he just crossed his arms tighter over his chest, glaring at Louis.

"I'm sorry, Harold, I'll answer you from now on. Is that better?" Louis watched as Harry's chest rose and fell before the man was dropping his arms and nodding.

"Next time you do it, I'll block you and never speak to you again. See how you like it."

Louis knew Harry wasn't actually mad at him, he would be able to tell on his face. He glanced back into the living room before looking back to Harry. "Well you're here now so... do you want to come in?"

Harry only hesitated for a moment before saying a quiet, "sure," and following Louis into the house.

It was weird. They'd only known each other for just over a week and yet Louis felt like he'd known Harry for years. It was the way he was able to relax in his presence that made him feel like Harry wasn't just some guy he'd met recently.

Harry's eyes were scanning over everything in Louis' house, like he was taking all the information in in hopes to learn about Louis more. He sat down when Louis motioned to the couch and then Louis was sitting down near him.

Louis went to grab the tv remote when Harry noticed a picture on his coffee table, it was a framed picture of Louis with what looked like his family. He really wanted to pick it up and get a closer look but he didn't want to intrude as he knew Louis liked to be private.

But then Louis' voice was breaking the silence, "You can look at it. I'm not gonna yell at you." He laughed a little making Harry smile at the sound before carefully reaching forward and picking it up.

Closer he could see that Louis looked younger, maybe only a couple of years but he was surround by five girls -ranging in age- , a woman Harry assumed was his mother, and a young boy holding Louis' leg.

Louis moved closer to Harry and pointed to the taller woman in the picture by Louis' side, "That's my mum."

"You have her smile." Harry said quietly, looking intently at the picture. "She's beautiful."

"She'd love to hear you say that." Louis laughed a little before pointing to the boy on his leg. "That's Ernest, my youngest and only brother." He then went on to name all the girls in the picture and how old they were.

"Wow, you grew up in a big family, surrounded by girls too. I bet you had fun." Harry smiled, putting the picture back down on the table.

"I actually did." Louis' eyes stayed on the photo for a moment longer before turning to Harry. "They were annoying at times, like all siblings, but we all cared about each other and it was fun getting to mess with them. And I can now braid hair so they've given me skills."

"I used to have long hair that I'd have to braid sometimes to keep it out my way. I never knew how to do it before so my sister had to teach me. I mainly just put it in a bun." Harry shrugged, settling back into the couch as Louis brought his feet up.

"You had long hair?" He asked, slightly shocked. But Harry nodded and brought up a picture on his phone of a few years before. "Woah." Louis breathed out, looking closer at the image. "Y'know I was hoping it was gonna look bad but... damn, Styles, you pulled it off."

Harry laughed and pocketed his phone. "I kept it for a year before I cut it." He reached a hand up to his hair and threaded his fingers through the front. "Now it's like this."

"Still suits you. It's rather annoying you can pull off both looks." Louis said making Harry smile.

They spent the next two hours, watching movies and talking about haircuts they've had that weren't so good and Louis was happy to hear about Harry straightening his curly hair when he was a teenager, even more happy to see the picture which made him spit his drink out.

Harry ended up leaving just before 2pm saying that he should get home and finish what he was supposed to be doing today. He said goodbye to Louis and after agreeing on where to meet for tomorrows 'date' he left.

~

When Louis got a call from Max early in the morning he was confused, Max had already told him what he needed to do with Harry today so he wasn't sure why he was calling.

He answered the phone in the middle of making his breakfast and placed it on speaker on the counter. "Louis, there's been a change of plans." Max's voice flowed out of the phone.

"What kind of change?" Louis asked, moving to grab a bowl and mug.

"We were originally planning to have a picture of you and Harry kissing released early April but after speaking with some of the PR managers we've decided that today will be better and then on the 24th of March you will both post on Instagram, confirming your relationship."

Louis paused what he was going for a moment, honestly he had forgotten that he'd have to kiss Harry during this stunt, and now hearing it he didn't know what to do.

"So...I'm supposed to kiss Harry today? While we're out?" Louis questioned, stepping closer to the phone and placing his palms on the counter.

"Yes. The paparazzi will get your picture when you do it and it will be used in the article to push you're relationship." Max paused for a second. "There's not a problem is there?"

Yes. "No. I just-" Louis ran a hand over his face, "What happened to taking it slow so it doesn't look suspicious."

"We checked the publics view on what they know already and no one seems to be speculating anything, so we figured it's time to push it to the next step, we need to get it confirmed soon. Giving us enough time to keep the charade up until your albums releases."

Louis picked up his phone, took it off speaker and pressed it to his ear. "Okay." He breathed out, "Okay. That's fine. We'll do it."

"Good, I'll talk to you soon."

With that Max hung up. Louis stared at the wall for some time, it's not that the idea of kissing Harry repulsed him or anything, that's not why he was reluctant to do it. He just felt as though they were still getting used to each other and he didn't want to ruin this friendship they've managed to find.

He wasn't the type of person to go kissing anyone, the people he kissed meant something to him but he figured he'd just have to get used to it. At least he was doing this with Harry and not someone he hated.

Louis finished making his breakfast and ate before getting himself ready to drive and meet Harry, he assumed Max had also called Harry to tell him the change of plans and he just hoped they didn't get awkward around each other now that they had to be more intimate.

Max had also messaged to say look more 'couple-y' today and so Louis was more on edge than normal.

He reached the place he was meeting Harry at and leaned his back against the wall, waiting. It was half past three and he knew Harry would be here soon so he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his Instagram to pass the time.

He saw a couple of accounts posting the pictures of him and Harry from their last time out, but what surprised him was that everyone seemed to love the idea of the two together. Max had said it would be good for publicity but Max is also the person to think any publicity was good. So he was expecting some people to be against it.

But no. Everyone was hoping they were together, saying they looked in love and happy.

"Hey."

Louis was startled by a deep voice and looked up to see Harry stood in front of him with a smile and his hands in a green jacket. "Hi." He pocketed his phone and leaned off the wall.

They were at the Shopping centre Max had told them to go to and they had to be there for a minimum of an hour. "You ready to go in?" Harry asked, removing his hands from his pockets.

"Yeah, let's go." Louis hesitated for a moment before holding out his hand, Harry looked at it for only a second before placing his palm into Louis'. They were aware of the cameras stood around the corner and began walking.

After a few minutes they got into the main part of the shopping centre and continued down the long path they were walking, passing shops. "What do we do if someone sees us and asks if we're together?" Louis asked as they looked around.

"I hadn't thought of that." Harry replied, his hand still in Louis' as their shoulders brushed with each step.

"It only just came to me. Max wants us to confirm it over Instagram in a few days but what do we do if someone asks before then?"

Harry thought for a moment before turning to look at Louis. "I guess we just say that we are. I mean if they tell people it's not as if they have proof, people may not believe them, so technically we'll still be confirming it publicly how Max wants."

Louis nodded with a hum, looking to his left before his eyes lit up and he tugged on Harry's hand. "Look!" He pointed his hand towards the cart set up in the middle of the area they were in. "We are so getting pretzels before we leave here."

Harry laughed at Louis' excitement but agreed too. He wouldn't complain about that.

They walked around for two hours, going into shops and occasionally buying things they liked and then decided to walk the pier that was behind the building.

There was a row of restaurants along the pier and fairy lights hanging off the wooden beams along the sides of the path.

Louis was leaning against the railing, looking out at the river as Harry stood slightly behind and to the right with his arm around Louis' waist. They'd had a group of girls looking at them for a few minutes but they hadn't come over so the two just stayed where they were.

Neither of them had spoken in a few minutes but as Harry glanced around he leaned closer to Louis and spoke up. "I was...wondering if you wanted to have dinner here?"

Max hadn't necessarily said they needed to eat dinner together but he had said to try and spend as long as they could there so Louis agreed and the two stayed leaned over the railing for a little longer before they were heading towards an Italian restaurant not far from an entrance to the shopping centre.

"Did you see those girls taking our photo?" Harry asked as they waited to be seated, they were no longer holding hands instead just stood next to each other, not touching.

"Yeah. It'll probably be over Twitter in seconds." Louis laughed a little as a young male waiter came over and grabbed two menus before walking them to their table.

The two boys sat down and thanked the waiter before opening the menus, they silently looked at the options before ordering a few minutes later. "So how come you're single?" Louis asked once the menus were taken away, Harry looked startled for a moment before laughing a little.

"Wow, you're bold." He reached for his drink that had been brought over a few seconds ago and took a sip.

"All I'm saying is that I've seen no faults so far. So I don't see why someone like you isn't madly in love already." Louis explained, leaning crossing his forearms on the table.

"Why aren't you?" Harry deflected the question making Louis shake his head.

"Nope. I asked first. I'm the one who avoids the questions. You can't steal my role in this fake relationship."

Harry sighed with a small smile before looking down at the floor for a moment. Slowly he rose his head and said, "I guess I always worked so much that I never really gave my all to anyone. It wasn't fair. I couldn't make time for a relationship."

"You seem to make time for me."

"Yeah but this is my work too, you're part of my job." Harry said, not seeing the way Louis froze for a moment, sitting back in his chair.

"Right." Louis cleared his throat and reached for his drink.

"So why aren't you in a real relationship." Harry repeated. Louis just smiled slightly placing his drink back down, not answering the question. "Cmon, Louis. I told you my reason. It's only fair."

Louis sighed, his hands rubbing together like he was uncomfortable. "I...Sometimes being in a relationship sucks." He shrugged.

Harry noticed him becoming more closed off and changed the subject to what his album was like and if he would get to hear it before it got released in two months.

They chatted casually for the rest of dinner and Louis had eased up by the time they were leaving the restaurant. They had just got out the building when Harry and Louis both caught sight of the man with a camera on the other side of the pier.

It was slightly dark now and they both seemed to remember something, glancing to the side they locked eyes and it was almost like they had a silent conversation before Harry's hands were moving out to hold Louis' waist as they leaned closer.

"Are you sure you're fine with doing this?" Harry whispered, their faces still moving closer and closer until he could feel Louis' warm breaths on his face.

"It's just the job." Louis replied as Harry looked down to his lips then back to his eyes.

"That's not an answer."

"It's fine, Harry."

With that answer from Louis Harry moved his head forward, getting rid of the space between them as he pressed his lips against Louis', missing the slight intake of breath from Louis as he reached out to hold Harry back.

It wasn't a peck, but it wasn't a make out either. It was just a simple kiss yet Louis still felt like his body was melting. He told himself that it was just because it'd been a while since he'd kissed someone.

They pulled apart and blue looked into green for a little longer before Louis was stepping back and clearing his throat. "We should go. They've got their picture."

Harry nodded, walking in-step with Louis back to their cars. They said goodbye before going their own way.

Louis turned around just as Harry did and smiled from across the empty parking spaces before raising his hand in a goodbye gesture. Harry returned his smile and they both got into their cars.

~

PopNews

PopNews: Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson have been caught kissing outside a restaurant in London last night. The two had apparently been seen inside the shopping centre holding hands and then walking along the pier.

Fans have gone wild with the photos, claiming that the two singers are definitely dating and are the perfect pair. Both Styles' and Tomlinson's fans have started to merge together due to the two artists new relationship.

There was another picture taken by a fan earlier in the evening of Tomlinson stood in front of Styles who had his arm around Tomlinson.

The pair have yet to say anything about their relationship but fans say it's a matter of time before it's addressed.

~

Louis was sat on his couch waiting for the go ahead from Max. It was the twenty fifth of March, five days after the last fake date.

Max was going to text him soon which will be the green light allowing Louis to post a picture of him and Harry that had been taken a few days ago. The picture and caption would then confirm their relationship especially when Harry then does the same thing not long after.

Louis had looked out the window for only a second and then his phone was beeping.

25th March, 11:25am
Max Briar: You can post it now.

Louis didn't respond, he just opened up Instagram and hit share on the post that had been created and approved by Max earlier.

louist91

Liked by Zayn, LottieTomlinson and 2,345,781 others

louist91: @HarryStyles I guess I kinda like you :))

View 994,567 comments...

Louis put his phone down and let it blow up with messages, and ignoring the new post by Harry. He knew what it was anyway.

HarryStyles

Liked by NiallOfficial, AnneTwist and 3,456,349 others

HarryStyles: You're cute. @louist91

View 1,388,236 comments...

~

By the end of March everyone knew that Louis and Harry were "dating". They received excited and happy comments from the majority of their fans and even Louis was surprised by how much love they were receiving.

Max was just happy no one knew it wasn't real. And that it was getting the publicity they needed. More articles and radio reporters were talking about both of the boys' new albums and the news was going worldwide.

By the time April came it was a blur of more 'dates' and Instagram posts and no one suspected anything else. The month flew by and soon enough their ruse had been going on for two months. Three months left.

It was currently the third of May and by the end of the month their albums would be released. Harry and Louis were doing a stunt walk around the London centre and had been walking around for the last twenty minutes.

After their first kiss Louis had been a little hesitant around Harry because minutes earlier he had said Louis was like his job when the blue eyed man saw Harry as a friend but apparently that wasn't reciprocated.

But as the days went past and they spent more time together Louis got over it and Harry seemed to think of Louis as a friend more than a job. They didn't even have to kiss that much so it wasn't like it got awkward often, they mainly just had to hold hands.

But one thing that kept Louis thinking at night was that Harry still had one question to ask him that he'd have to answer honestly.

Over the last month somehow Harry had managed to get information out of Louis without asking questions, or maybe it was that Louis felt Harry was trustworthy enough to know stuff about him.

There was still things Harry didn't know, and Louis would prefer to keep it that way for now. He didn't even know If they'd be friends once this was all over, he hoped they were but he couldn't be sure.

"What about him?" Louis asked pointing over to a young looking guy sat on a bench by the fountain, a phone in one hand as he looked at it.

Louis had decided that for entertainment he wanted to try and find Harry someone to date once their charade was over his words were: "Cmon Harold, you're young, handsome, and a little lonely. You need someone to keep you company."

Harry had said he was fine but Louis disagreed.

Harry looked to the boy with light blonde hair and shook his head. "No, he looks like a boy that I went to school with who would always steal peoples keys and sniffed everyone's artwork."

Louis looked intrigued for a moment before looking back to the people they passed. "Oh, what about her? She looks nice."

Harry looked to where he pointed and shook his head again. "Nah."

"What's wrong with her?" Louis asked as he and Harry came to a stop, leaning against a wall.

"She's holding a snake in the middle of the street."

Louis merely shrugged at Harry's fear, "It's a conversation starter."

"No thanks. I'm not a fan of snakes."

Louis sighed and let go of Harry's hand. "You're so picky, Styles. How am I supposed to find you a real date like this?"

Harry laughed a little and turned his back to the group of people behind them so he was facing Louis. "Should my fake date be trying to find me a real date, right this minute?"

Louis didn't seemed phased, shrugging again. "No harm. I'll be gone in three months."

"You won't be gone." Harry scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Alright, but I won't be your boyfriend anymore. I'll still be your friend." Louis said making Harry nod a little.

They began walking again and it was around thirty minutes after Louis stopped on Harry's search for a lover that the green eyed man turned his head to the side to talk, gently pulling at their entwined hands.

"I wanted to ask if you wanted to go to this art gallery opening with me? There's a party after and lots of celebrities are going so there won't be many fans. I figured as you're my boyfriend that you should come." Harry said before quickly saying, "But only if you want."

"Sure." Louis smiled, his eyes looking brighter due to the sun shining onto his skin. "Is it fancy and is there going to be lots of paparazzi?"

"Umm I wouldn't say it's too fancy but it is formal wear and there probably will be lots of paps because of how many famous people will go." Harry explained as they started walking along the path that headed back to their cars. "I'll send you all the information later."

Louis nodded and continued walking, the paps following them had left a few minutes ago so they were heading home now. They said their usual goodbyes and separated.

Later when Louis was cleaning up his living room he heard his phone beep and checked it seeing a message from Harry.

Harry: 11th of May, formal wear, 8pm. I'll pick you up.

~

When the eleventh of May arrived Louis was actually finding himself to be excited for the evening. He normally hated big events like this especially if there was going to be big groups of celebrities. He found half of them to be rude and the evening to be boring.

Maybe it was just the fact he was going with a friend.
He figured he could get through the night with Harry.

He had around half an hour before Harry would show up so he was sat on the front steps of his house smoking. He was watching the sun set as it looked better from the front garden instead of the back. The air wasn't too cold so he was rather comfortable just sitting with his back against the steps, breathing in the nicotine.

He pulled the cigarette away from his mouth and watched as the smoke flowed off the end of it into the air. He was too busy watching it to hear the car that pulled up and the footsteps coming closer to him.

"Hey." Harry's deep voice startled Louis and caused him to look up quickly, his eyes widening as he quickly stubbed the cigarette out on the step, putting it out of sight.

"You're early." Louis replied swiftly as he stood up. He looked over Harry's outfit before tearing his eyes away. He was wearing a black button shirt (but by the looks of it half the buttons were undone) and then a light blue suit jacket that matched the trousers. He had done up one button on the suit jacket and looked like something straight out of a magazine.

"I was gonna text you but figured you wouldn't mind if I came over earlier." He noticed Louis' lack of an outfit and added, "I don't mind waiting."

Louis nodded remembering his outfit was laid out on his bed upstairs. "Yeah, umm come in." Louis stepped back and opened the front door, allowing Harry to step inside first. "I'll be down in a second."

Leaving Harry downstairs Louis made his way to his room and spotted the suit, where Harry's was a light blue Louis' sight was a dark royal blue colour.

He got changed in record time, wearing a white shirt underneath the jacket and then going to the bathroom to style his hair to look less... well like a mess.

After fifteen minutes he was heading back down the stairs and spotting Harry immediately, he was stood with his back to the stairs, looking at some pictures on the wall in the hallway.

"Sorry, I'm ready now." Louis spoke, making Harry aware of his presence. Harry turned around and for a moment Louis thought he saw his eyes widen.

"You look..." Harry's eyes quickly trailed over Louis' body so fast that if you blinked you would have missed it, "good." He smiled and ran a hand through his hair before stepping closer to Louis.

"Thanks, Styles." Louis smiled and grabbed his phone off the counter. "You don't look too bad either."

Harry just let out a soft laugh as the two exited the house, they walked down the drive and got into Harry's awaiting car.

"It's only a twenty minute drive. So we'll be there soon." Harry said once he started the engine, Louis nodded and put on his seatbelt.

They had only been driving for barely five minutes when Harry spoke up, "I didn't know you smoked."

Louis opened his mouth to talk then promptly closed it. He'd hoped that Harry hadn't seen the cigarette but now knowing that he had he didn't quite know what to say except, "Yeah."

"How come I've known you for over two months spent the majority of that time with you and didn't see it before?" Harry asked, he didn't sound annoyed with the fact Louis smoked.

"I don't- I don't do it around people that might not like it. I try to limit it to when I'm home or with someone else that smokes." Louis shrugged, turning his head away when Harry glanced over at him.

"How come you started smoking?" He asked, eyes still focused on the road. "How old were you?"

Louis tapped his thigh with his fingers. "Umm, I was probably around twenty-two and work was stressful and tiring and it just happened. I took one and then kept going." He cleared his throat before continuing. "I don't do it as much now. It used to be worse. I tried to hold back for as long as I can."

Harry nodded, taking in the information. But he didn't say anything else. It was only when they were nearing the gallery that Louis said, "It doesn't bother you, right?" He turned to face Harry more, "That I smoke?"

"No." Harry answered straight away. "I'm not one to smoke but if you want to that's your choice and it's not like you smell of smoke or anything like that." He shrugged, lowering his voice as he said, "In fact I think you smell like vanilla." He cleared his throat and parked the car outside a giant white building. "So it's not a problem."

Louis nodded, eyes trained on Harry's face. "Okay." He whispered.

They made their way into the gallery, paparazzi were stood outside taking pictures of all the celebrities walking inside. But they were not allowed inside the venue so once Louis and Harry had made it through the paps it was less noisy and no one was flashing lights in their faces.

There was artwork hung up around the room, some pieces stood on mantels and groups of people were scattered around talking, drinking and admiring. Harry whispered something to Louis about getting a drink before disappearing into the crowd.

Louis looked around the room, glancing at the paintings on the wall next to him as he waited for his date to get back. Most of them were canvases splashed with colours yet looked like something in particular. Others were clear images of gardens or houses or even people.

Harry appeared back at his side a few minutes later and handed him a drink that looked slightly alcoholic, Louis took the glass with a smile and took a sip.

He and Harry spent an hour walking around the gallery, talking to other guests and each other. Surprisingly Louis was actually enjoying himself, even though they weren't doing anything special he was still having a good time.

As the night moved on guests were moved upstairs to where there was a larger bar with tables all around and a dance floor, some people left but most moved to the party upstairs.

Louis bought them both drinks as they moved to sit at a table by themselves, Harry was opposite him as he sipped from his straw.

"I have an interview in a few days. Max wants you to come with me." Louis spoke over the music, reaching for his own drink. "I think he wants me to go to yours too."

Harry nodded, his tongue darting out his mouth to drag across his bottom lip after he drank. "Yeah, he told me yesterday. I think he expects the interviewers to ask something about us."

"I'd be surprised if they didn't." Louis laughed

They talked for another hour, drinks constantly being delivered to their table as they joked and spoke about all things. Harry was starting to go from tipsy to drunk and Louis had switched to water a while ago.

"When was the last time you dated someone?" Harry asked randomly making Louis' eyes widen in surprise at the sudden conversation change. They had been talking about how much they hate seagulls.

Louis faltered for a moment his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Cmon just tell me. I feel like I know nothing about you." Harry added, slurring slightly due to his intake of alcohol throughout the night.

Louis sighed, feeling slightly guilty for not telling Harry much about himself but figured the man probably wouldn't remember in the morning so he said, "About four years ago."

Harry hummed and looked like he was thinking for a moment. "Why'd you break up?" He asked, eyes locking onto Louis' with such a strong gaze that Louis felt like he needed to look away.

"Umm, he wasn't the right guy." Louis answered after a moment.

"Was he an idiot?" Harry asked but it sounded less like a question and more like a statement.

"What?"

"Well he must have been because he broke up with you." He muttered, seemingly talking to himself now.

Louis laughed. "I think you've had too much to drink, Styles."

"Nah." Harry shook his head leaning back against the seat. "Who is the right guy then?"

"Do you always ask so many questions when drunk?" Louis asked, smiling at a squinting Harry.

"Maybe."

Louis shook his head in amusement. "I don't know who's the right guy. I'll know when I find him."

"What if you've already found him? How do you know?"

Louis noticed Harry's serious tone and wondered how drunk he really was. "Are you asking for yourself." He asked making Harry shrug slightly. "I-I don't know. I guess if they make you laugh and if they make you happy then that's a good place to start thinking they're the right one."

Harry nodded as he closed his eyes. Louis watched him, the lights from the dance floor would occasionally stray away and over to the tables as they cast a light across Harry's features.

For a moment Louis let himself look.

He let himself look at Harry's relaxed face and think how beautiful he is. He'd always known he was good looking but he never thought of him as more than a friend, someone to hang out with and laugh with but looking at the man across from him as his stomach swirled he thought about how soft his lips looked.

He had faint freckles peppered all over his cheeks and nose, and his jaw was so defined it looked sharp, his hair was a mess on his head but it looked good anyway, stray pieces fell down into his eyes and it looked so soft.

He looked away, realising that he shouldn't be admiring someone who was forced to hang out with him. Forced to like him.

Harry opened his eyes and went to reach for his drink but realised it was empty and frowned, moving to stand up he tripped and started to fall. He closed his eyes bracing for impact but opened them again when he fell into a strong pair of arms.

He looked up to Louis' face as he was set back on his feet, a feather touch of a hand on his back. "I think we should get you home. Where's your car keys?"

It was obvious that Harry couldn't drive but Louis was sober so he took the keys from Harry once he'd fished them out his pocket and then helped the man walk out the building. He said goodbye to some of the people they'd talked to before unlocking Harry's car and helping the man inside.

The minute Harry touched the seat he melted into it and closed his eyes. Louis reached for his seatbelt when realising Harry wasn't going to do it for himself and clicked it into the buckle.

He closed the door and moved to the drivers side, he chose not to listen to music as he drove and instead listened to the soft breaths leaving Harry's lips as he slept.

He remembered the way to Harry's house and parked, he got out and carefully woke the man up before practically dragging him into the house after finding his house key in the suit pocket.

He took Harry towards what he assumed was his bedroom and laid him down on the bed, Harry just fell onto the sheets and didn't move.

Louis sighed and gently took Harry's shoes off before setting them on the floor and then moving his lanky arms out of his suit jacket, leaving him in a shirt and trousers.

He then pulled a blanket over his sleeping figure and got some paracetamol and a glass of water, leaving it on the bedside table for when Harry woke up.

And after making sure Harry was okay he left his house, calling a cab before heading home himself.

He remembered Max telling him to post something so he sleepily typed out a caption for a picture someone had taken of them during the night and posted it before getting himself changed and going to bed.

Louist91

Liked by Zayn, NiallHoran and 3,849,167 others

Louist91: We look good together.
I had fun tonight, thanks for inviting
me, love. @HarryStyles

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~

May fourteenth came around and Harry and Louis were waiting in a room for Louis' interview to start. Harry wouldn't be in the interview but he was there so people knew that he came too.

Louis was snooping around in the room while Harry was sat watching him with a smirk. "You're like a thief." He mumbled, eyes tracking every move the blue eyed man made.

"Technically, Styles, I'm not as I'm not actually taking anything." Louis turned around holding a bunch of Cd's "I'm merely browsing."

"Yeah, well, your browsing is going to get us in trouble so stop." Harry laughed watching as Louis looked through the collection of music he was holding, blatantly ignoring him.

Harry sighed and stood up before walking over to Louis and reaching around his body. Louis froze for a moment as Harry's chest pressed to his back, his arms winding around him to grab the CDs. Louis let go willingly.

Maybe it was because of the heat of Harry's body so close to his or maybe it was just because whatever the younger man seemed to do caused a reaction.

Over the last few days since the gallery Louis has noticed how many things he likes about Harry. Things he noticed before but now he really sees it. He's trying to ignore it but sometimes the feeling is so strong the only thought in his mind is Harry.

Harry moved away from him and put the CDs back down on the table. "Why are you so jittery today?" He asked, moving back to sit down as if he didn't just unnecessarily touch Louis when he could have grabbed what he was holding without coming that close.

Louis shrugged, ruffling his hair with his hand as he went to sit next to Harry on the couch. "I don't really like interviews. They're normally rude and ask questions I don't like to answer."

Harry was quiet for a moment like he didn't expect that to come out of his mouth. "Oh." He said on a quiet exhale. "I'm sure everything will be fine. And if it's not then I'll be right here when you're done and we can go do whatever your heart desires to forget about it. Cool?"

Louis smiled at Harry with a soft look and nodded. "Cool."

Harry's eyes were locked on Louis' blue and neither of them were pulling away, they were sat in silence with small smiles on their lips as they looked into the serenity of each other's gaze.

Louis noticed that when he was this close that Harry's green eyes had tiny hints of blue in them, almost unrecognisable. The soft colours made him feel so warm when he looked in them, like a fire was crawling over his skin. But he would happily burn in the flames if Harry eyes were the last thing he saw.

Suddenly the door opened and someone walked inside announcing that the interviewer was ready and Louis was ripping his gaze away like it stung and was clearing his throat as he stood up, eager to get out of the awkward feeling that now surrounded them.

If he only he knew that Harry was thinking the same thing about Louis' eyes. About how even though they were an icy, cold blue they made him feel warmth, contrasting how they look at first glance. Sometimes Harry would notice how they looked more of a steel grey but still the most gorgeous colour he'd ever seen. He'd happily paint his house in the shade.

But other days the blue was so bright that it almost didn't look real, it seemed too captivating to not be fake. Harry would happily drown in the peace of the colour.

Just as Louis stood up, shaking off his body he felt a hand touch his wrist, he turned and saw Harry stood behind him with a smile. He gave a small nod to Louis and then the featherlight touch of his fingers was gone.

Louis smiled back and left the room, choosing to ignore the intimacy of the soft press of Harry's fingers, reassuring him that he was there, waiting.

His mind was still trying to collect its thoughts by the time he'd introduced himself to the lady he was now sat in front of. She asked some questions about what he'd been doing lately and then some about his album and a possible tour but everything seemed scrambled.

It was only when she mentioned Harry that his mind seemed to stop spinning. "So obviously we've all heard about you're new relationship with Harry Styles and we're all wondering how it's going?"

Louis smiled and pressed his fingers to his mouth in an attempt to control his smile. "It's good, he's great." He kept his answer short but the interviewer seemed to want to know more.

"When did you meet? We're all aware that you're in the same record company but we're all wanting to know if you saw him and it was love at first sight?"

Louis mentally shivered at the word love, he didn't think that would ever be something he could give to someone. Especially not someone as deserving of everything good like Harry.

For a moment Louis was about to answer "yes" and said it was love at first sight but it seemed wrong. He looked over to the right and saw Harry stood watching with his arms crossed over his chest with a proud smile on his face.

He looked for a second longer before turning back to the interviewer and saying, "No actually." She looked shocked for a moment before he continued. "I first met him a while ago, we bumped into each other at work and I wasn't having a good day and neither was he and it was clear we annoyed the other instantly. And after that it was kind of months of random glares in passing."

He let out a small laugh and shook his head. "I thought he was too serious and he later told me he thought that I wasn't focused and serious enough. But despite thinking that when we actually stopped to talk to each other we realised we weren't so bad together."

The interviewer was nodding along, listening carefully as Louis continued. "So we went out more and got to know each other and it went from there. In a way I liked that we didn't like each other at first because it meant that he still wanted to know me even after thinking of the worst."

The interviewer said something but Louis wasn't listening because he could feel the strong gaze of Harry's eyes looking over his body, trying to talk to him from across the room.

The rest of the interview finished up and after a little while Louis and Harry were leaving the building as paps took their pictures. "Did you mean what you said?" Harry asked once they go into Louis' car. "About liking that we didn't get along at first."

Louis nodded a second later. "Yeah. I'm glad that you thought bad but still gave me a chance to be your friend."

"I'm glad I did give you a chance." Harry whispered. "Because I think you're one of the best people I've got to know."

Louis glanced over at Harry and just smiled. He smiled because words couldn't answer him, but a smile could.

~

PopNews

PopNews: Singers Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were seen leaving the building where Tomlinson had finished an interview regarding his album that releases later this month on May 27th.

Styles was not a participant in the interview so it seemed he just stayed with his boyfriend but out of the cameras view. Fans were hoping the two were doing an interview together but will have to wait before we get a formal interview with both singers still.

You can watch Tomlinson full interview below, where he answers questions about his tour, album and even some about how he met his boyfriend.

~

17th May 1:33pm
Harry: Hurry up, Lou. We need to gooooo
1:35pm
Harry: I'm seriously about to come and drag you out the door. I'm gonna be late for my interview you twat

17th May 1:37pm
Louis: Stop honking your horn, Styles. I'm coming down now
Louis: I never knew how demanding you are.

17th May 1:37pm
Harry: well you're annoying

17th May 1:37pm
Louis: :)))
Louis: You wouldn't have me any other way.

Harry's interview was slightly different to Louis' one 3 days ago, whereas Louis' was just with one lady asking questions Harry actually had a select group of fans to ask questions along with sitting in with the interviewer.

Louis was sat offside so fans could see him but he wasn't in the view of the camera. Harry was waiting to be called into the main section of the room and Max had just told the two to 'be obvious' as where they were stood fans could see.

At first neither man knew what to do but then Louis just sighed, reached up and started sorting out Harry's hair, moving stray pieces out the way. "Are your ready for this?" He asked moving another piece of brown hair as fans watched.

Harry nodded, his hands were holding onto Louis' belt loops on his trousers loosely, something he had done without even realising after Louis pretend to push him over. "Yeah, I think it's cool that fans get to ask questions as well."

Louis hummed in agreement before leaning back slightly and smiling at Harry's now styled hair. "I might just say you look beautiful, Styles."

"Oh please, don't let it get to my head." Harry joked as he looked into Louis' eyes with a smile. "My egos already big enough you'll make it worse."

"But everyone's watching." Louis whispered leaning in, his voice lowered and lips brushing Harry's ear ever so slightly. "I have to flatter you, it's part of my gentlemanly duties."

Harry's skin became covered in goosebumps due to Louis' breath brushing his skin and his lips gently catching on his ear as he spoke. "Well then, carry on." He breathed out, holding tighter onto the belt loops as Louis ran one of his hands down Harry's back, pulling him closer.

"It seems like we have an audience, Styles." Louis said quietly as he glanced back at the fans who were watching them intently. "But I don't mind putting on a show."

Whatever Louis had drunk this morning before he left clearly skyrocketed his confidence or maybe it was the fact that Harry just looked effortlessly alluring today and at least this way he got to touch him and say it's fake.

Harry's breathing hitched slightly, his body relaxing as Louis skimmed his lips down the side of his neck, not kissing just gently pressing them to the skin as he moved down. He stopped at the base of his neck and kissed along it, his hands holding tight onto Harry's body.

He kissed up the column of his neck and then along his jaw before moving his hand to Harry's hair, pulling his head back to look at his face. "Wonder if that was a show enough for them? Get them talking?" He asked, voice still low as Harry slowly turned his head to look at them.

As he looked at them all the eyes watching the couple suddenly darted away, looking at other things in the room. Harry let out a quiet chuckle as he nodded. "Yeah. We should stop before we give them a heart attack."

Louis laughed and pressed one last kiss to Harry's forehead for good measure before he stepped back. He stayed stood by his 'boyfriend' for a little longer before he was getting called away to start the interview.

Max passed by Louis once the questions started and patted him on the back, stopping next to him before saying, "You two were probably the best people to trick the world. You're great at this whole thing, I won't be surprised if we don't have to go until July 31st." He said before patting Louis on the shoulder once and walking away.

Louis froze for a second before mentally cursing himself. This was bad. For a moment he'd forgotten that they had a deadline for this charade they were doing, he'd let himself get caught up in the feeling of someone being there that he'd allowed himself to get too comfortable in playing this game.

He had to remember that he couldn't have a fake boyfriend forever and in just over two months he and Harry would be announcing their break up.

Louis silently watched the interview from the side as he tried to forget about what Max said and listen to Harry answer the questions. But one caught the curly haired man off guard.

"Will you ever propose to Louis?" One of the girls had asked and for a moment Harry faltered and he didn't know what to say.

"Uhh," he looked over to Max who gestured him to say something so quickly Harry regained his composure and said, "Well I can't tell you that. He's right over there it ruins the whole surprise."

The girls laughed but the interviewer cut in and said, "Oh Cmon, we all want to know if one day you'll be married, fans are obsessed with the two of you."

Harry actually looked sad, he felt guilty for making everyone fall in love with their 'love' when it wasn't even real. And in the end the fans would be getting hurt when it's over. "One day..." Harry paused for a second, "I'll ask him. One day."

The fans and interviewer seemed happy with that answer and moved on to other questions about his album and old songs and some more about Louis.

Luckily it ended only fifteen minutes later and Harry said hello to the fans who'd asked him questions before heading away from the bright lights blinding him. He'd seen Louis earlier and noticed the man looked a little off and wanted to see if he was okay.

But when he asked Louis just said he was fine and asked if he was ready to go. The two left and Louis dropped Harry off at home before saying he was going to see his sisters.

~

HLlarry

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HLlarry: I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I MANAGED TO GET THIS PICTURE OF HARRY AND LOUIS BEFORE THE INTERVIEW TODAY! IM IN SHOCK.
THEY WERE SO CUTE TOGETHERRR 😩 #Larrystylinson

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~

Louis had decided he no longer liked May 19th.

He felt like he was coming down with a cold, he had to do a stunt with Harry which would be fine if it wasn't pouring it down with rain, and he was late so Harry was a little annoyed at him because it meant he had to wait in the rain.

Which...okay, he understands that. But he didn't mean to be late.

Did he mention that he'd also tripped earlier and he was pretty sure the paps had a picture of him landing flat on his arse on the ground in a puddle.

After Harry was done laughing at him they decided to warm up by going to a coffee shop, it wasn't on the plan but Louis was saying 'fuck the plan' at this point.

So once they were finally sat in a warm booth, out of the rain, Louis was thinking 'huh, maybe today's not so bad' but then what happened?

He burnt his fucking mouth on the tea.

Safe to say he was sick of May 19th.

But apparently the universe decided to hate Louis from the minute the sun rose until god knows when because when he thought things couldn't go worse anymore guess who walked their butt into the coffee shop.

His fucking ex. The one that almost uprooted his entire life barely four years ago. And yes, he was still bitter but figured he had the right.

"Fuck." Louis muttered as he tilted his head down, seeing the guy with auburn hair walking over to the counter with another guy beside him.

Harry looked at him weirdly before glancing to the counter then back to Louis. Luckily the only good thing about May 19th was that Harry wasn't so mad at him anymore.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, his hands wrapped around his warm mug that was almost empty now.

"No." Louis replied bluntly. "Is that guy still at the counter?"

Harry turned around seeing more than one guy. "Which one? What does he look like?"

"Look for the guy that looks most douche-y." Louis muttered, Harry just gently kicked Louis' shin under the table to get him to look up.

"Who is it?" He asked, eyes curious as Louis glanced up.

"My ex."

"The one one who you broke up with four years ago?" Harry clarified, adding on, "Who wasn't the right one?"

"You remember that?" Louis asked with surprise in his tone, Harry nodded completely shocking Louis who thought he'd been too drunk to remember that. He sighed and said, "Yup, that's the one." As he watched his ex from where he was now paying for two drinks, he made a surprised laugh at he fact he was paying and not the guy he was obviously here with.

Harry seemed to catch on to what guy was Louis' ex due to the way Louis was glaring at him and he noticed the other guy stood close to his side. Harry's lips tipped down as he looked back to Louis with a confused expression. "Do you... do you miss him or something?"

"What?" Louis said, sounding absolutely repulsed. "No. You can't miss someone when there's nothing good to miss. I hate him. He's a-" He cut himself off before he went on a rant about him.

Harry studied his expression like he was trying to figure Louis out, he wanted to know more about his ex but didn't want to push it. Louis already knew about Harry's last relationships and how they'd ended yet Louis had said little to nothing.

"Oh fuck. Fuck." Louis ducked again slightly as the two men started walking away from the counter, heading to the door.

But it's fucking May 19th. So what happened next?

His ex saw him. Instead of just walking past like he should have he looked over and spotted him.

"God when is this day just going to kill me." Louis groaned as he lifted his head and tried to act like he wasn't hiding.

"Louis?" His ex spoke, stepping forward towards their table.

"Ben." Louis spoke through gritted teeth.

Harry looked over to Ben with anything but a polite expression, Ben looked to him and smirked a little. "On a date?"

Before Louis could even open his mouth Harry was already saying, "Yeah. And you're interrupting, feel free to leave." There was a coldness in his voice that Louis hadn't heard before.

Ben just laughed. "Don't worry, mate, just came to say hello to Louis here."

Louis just glared at him not saying anything, too afraid of what would come out if he did.

Clearly Ben took the silence to say something else. "How's the drinking problem, Louis?"

Louis couldn't hear anything anymore. It was like white noise as his heart dropped to his stomach. He could feel Harry looking at him with a confused expression as Ben smirked while Ben's date looked bored.

"Shut up." Louis muttered. He had much more colourful choice of language to say but Ben didn't deserve the satisfaction.

"Oh I'm sorry." Ben said with a smug expression as he looked at Harry. "Did you not tell your boyfriend about that? Wow Louis. Does he know about the drugs too? What about the-"

"Shut your fucking mouth, Ben." Louis was restraining himself from standing up and beating the life out of the guy stood in front of him.

Ben went to step forward, closer to Louis but as he did so Harry stood up and got in front of him. "You should go." When Ben didn't step back Harry pushed his hand against him and lowered his voice, saying, "You need to go before I make sure you don't leave here walking."

Ben glared at Harry before turning away, grabbing his dates arm and walking out the shop. Harry was still breathing heavily when Louis stood up and walked past him, heading for the door.

"Louis," Harry caught his arm but Louis pulled his arm away.

"Don't. Just- I need to go. I'm sorry." Louis mumbled one last apology before he walked out the shop, luckily they hadn't driven anywhere today so Louis could walk home and get some air and think about the shit that just blew up in front of him.

He ran a hand down his face as light raindrops fell down his cheeks, landing on every inch of his body. He was just walking in silence until he felt the presence of someone else and turned around to see Harry walking just behind him with his hands in his pockets.

Louis stopped and sighed, "What are you doing, Styles?"

"I'm walking."

"Why are you walking with me?"

"I'm walking slightly behind you."

Louis could almost laugh. "Just go home, Harry."

Harry looked like he was thinking for a moment before he said, "No."

Louis sighed again and pushed a hand through his damp hair. "I'm sorry for that in there." He mumbled, beginning to walk again but this time with Harry next to him.

"It wasn't your fault." Harry replied, looking down at the water covered path. "Ben seems like...an arse. I'm not going to lie."

"He is."

"How did you date him?"

"He wasn't like that, or I guess he was but he was just playing me." Louis explained, taking a deep breath in as the rain continued to fall around them.

"About what he said-"

"Please don't believe him." Louis cut in, eyes looking straight at Harry with so much worry in his eyes that it shocked Harry to see. "It's not true. I don't have a drinking problem and I haven't done drugs. I swear."

Harry nodded, eyes looking into Louis' with reassurance. "Okay."

They kept walking, no longer looking at each other, the silence fell down on them hard and the air around them felt tight with unanswered questions and Louis knew it was his fault.

"Lou," Harry's voice was soft as he looked back over to the man next to him, "What happened with you two? I just don't understand."

Louis hadn't told anyone about the full story of what happened between him and Ben, the only people who knew were his family, and his manager due to the consequences of what happened.

But Harry was Harry. And Louis could trust Harry. And he deserved to know after what he just heard. "Okay, so I met Ben in a bar when I was twenty two. We hit it off really well and he was nice and charming and everything was fine."

Louis stopped walking and sat down on a bench that was out of the rain and Harry sat with him. "We dated for five months but after the second month things just started to seem off, he was acting weird most days and asking lots of questions and I answered them because I thought he was genuinely interested." Louis laughed sadly as he hung his head low. "I was stupid to think that."

Harry stayed quiet, listening carefully to everything Louis was telling him. "One day, I'd asked if he wanted to come over and he said he was busy, he was busy fucking someone else but I couldn't really care that much because at that point I knew we were on the verge of breaking up."

"I'm sorry." Harry said making Louis shake his head.

"Don't be. If I'm being honest we never should have gone past a second date. If he hadn't cheated and been a dick then I would have only broken up with him a week later because we just weren't right for each other. There was nothing there." Louis took a deep breath before continuing. "Later that night after I knew he was cheating I was just lounging around and then my phone starts blowing up and when I check it it's a bunch of random numbers. Thousands of them."

Harry frowned when he figured out where the story was going and he was really regretting not punching Ben when he had the chance.

"But I had some from my mum too so I rung her and she told me that someone had leaked my number, her number, her address, my address and personal information to the public. And when I looked outside my window I see a group of people forming by the door. I have to call security and get them sent to my house and my mums because there's people literally going to her fucking house." He felt Harry's knee press against his and he realised that small act helped him calm down and ground himself before continuing. "Harry, everything about me was on the internet, secrets I'd told specific people, things I never wanted people to know because it's family matters. But suddenly the entire fucking world knew and I felt so open that It was scary. I was bare to everyone.

"Later I had to change my phone number along with my mum, we both moved houses just to avoid people crowding outside and it was a mess, it turned everything upside down. But the next day I was so mad because my team couldn't figure out who had leaked everything and I had to stay in my apartment because of the amount of people outside. But as night came I managed to get out and just breathe for a minute. But then something happened and Ben had been called to be let known and then next thing I know is that my team are dealing with rumours of me being a drug addict and alcoholic. None of which were true and managed to be proven by police reports. Which made the rumours die down luckily because only a few gossip sights took the news and published it so luckily my career was fine and it didn't ruin me but when I found out who leaked everything including the rumours I wasn't even surprised when it was Ben. It's almost funny to how I just knew it was.

"My team sued him, he paid a hefty fine and I never spoke to him again." Louis finished and turned to look at Harry, "That's why he said that, he was trying to wind me up because I sued him four years ago and he can't get over the fact he did something wrong."

"Louis, I'm so sorry." Harry said immediately, "I really wish I'd punched him now."

Louis actually managed to laugh at Harry's seriousness. "Trust me, he's not worth it. Plus my sister let me know he was back in town a few days ago I just didn't think I'd see him. He's only here for a week apparently." He shrugged and leaned his back against the seat.

"Shit. Your ex is a dickhead." Harry mumbled leaning back with Louis.

"Yup. That's why he's an ex." Louis laughed a little.

"I'm sorry that happened to you and your family." Harry said after a moment.

"It's okay, it's been a while and we've all moved on from it. It just means I don't like sharing things with people until I know them, then it just becomes a habit to say nothing."

Harry nodded slightly, looking to the ground. "I understand why you didn't want to tell me things at first. But I would never do that to you." He emphasised his last sentence by looking up into Louis' eyes as he spoke.

"I know you wouldn't, Styles." Louis smiled and patted Harry's knee before standing up. "Cmon you can walk me home then."

Harry let out a chuckle and stood up, walking next to Louis again.

~

May 22nd 8:46am
Louis: Harry I'm really sorry but I can't do the stunt today. Max said it's fine so I'll just see you later in the week. Sorry. X

May 22nd 8:49am
Harry: Is everything okay?

May 22nd 8:51am
Louis: Debatable :/
Louis: I'm sick so unless you want me throwing up on our 'date' then I should stay home

May 22nd 8:51am
Harry: Ah no thanks. Keep your vomit away from me.

May 22nd 8:52am
Louis: 👍🏻

Louis really wanted to kill whoever was knocking on his door at ten past nine in the morning. He had a headache and his stomach was uncomfortable and he just wanted to fall asleep but the relentless knocks at the door were stopping him from doing so.

"Fucking hell, I'm coming." Louis muttered as he walked towards the door in his sweatpants and loose shirt, when he pulled the door open his heart nearly stopped. "Harry?"

Harry was stood in front of him in casual clothes holding a bag of something and wearing a big grin on his face. "What are you doing here?" Louis asked, stepping aside as Harry walked in, heading to the kitchen.

"You're sick. So I'm going to dote on you and make sure you feel better before we need to go out celebrating." Harry informed him as he placed his bag down on the counter. "So I'm going to make you a soup that my mum always made for me and Gemma when we didn't feel well."

"What about not wanting to be anywhere near my vomit?" Louis couldn't help but smile as he stood in the doorway.

"Oh I can handle that. I have a goddaughter and she throws up on me all the time." Harry shrugged, focusing on what he was doing instead of looking at Louis.

"Thank you, Harry." Louis whispered quietly getting a soft smile in return.

"Now go sit in bed and I'll bring it to you when you're ready." Harry sounded so stern it made Louis want to laugh but his chest hurt so he just smiled more and turned to walk away to the bedroom.

As Louis got back under the duvet on his bed he started to realise how weird it was that Harry was here, in his house, making him soup because he didn't feel well. It felt so domestic that Louis wanted to either smile or cry or maybe both.

Things were getting too complicated recently, the lines between real and fake were starting to blur and he knew that was partly his fault too. The time at Harry's interview when he'd kissed over his neck in front of fans was too far but Harry didn't stop him and Louis didn't want to.

But Harry was confusing too, he'd constantly whisper how Louis looks nice when they went out, he looks at him with so much intensity that it feels like it burns, and he always unnecessarily touches Louis.

Like after Louis had told Harry about Ben and they'd walked home, Harry had his hand on the small of Louis' back, the palm of his hand just grazing his shirt and it drove him mad. Then when Harry dropped him off he kissed Louis' cheek before walking away leaving Louis stunned as he tried to look for fans.

But no one was around and Harry had just kissed him. Well his cheek. But he kissed him nonetheless.

Thinking about it all made Louis' head hurt so he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep and just forget about it. But his body felt like it was on fire, so he pushed the duvet off his body and pulled the bottom of his shirt up slightly allowing the cold air to hit his skin.

He ended up falling asleep like that a few minutes later, listening to the noises of Harry moving around his kitchen.

Harry had finished making Louis' soup and it had been around an hour since he got here, it was still quite early in the morning but he wanted to check to make sure Louis wasn't hungry now and then if he wasn't he'd put the soup in the fridge for later.

He walked through the house, heading for where he knew Louis' bedroom was and carefully pushed the door open seeing Louis' sprawled out figure on the bed, duvet pooled at his feet, shirt pulled up so it was bunched over his chest.

For a moment Harry stopped and admired his peaceful figure, how soft his body looked and how much he wished he could just wake him up with kisses but this wasn't real. He couldn't do that. They were just friends.

He stepped closer when he noticed Louis' glass was empty and reached forward to grab it. But as his hand closed around the glass his eyes drew over to Louis' body as the sun shined light onto his tanned stomach.

It was only when he looked that he noticed a large scar running from under his sweatpants, up his stomach and ribcage stopping just before his pecs. It looked old due to the way it was slightly faded but due to the jagged and deep line it looked like it must have been bad.

Harry tried to think about things Louis had told him that could have caused it and yet the only thing he could think of was when Louis fell off his skateboard and cut his head and the time he fell down the rocks at the beach but Louis had told him he hadn't gotten badly hurt that time.

A small pang of hurt burned in Harry's chest at the thought that Louis still didn't trust him enough to tell him things. He only just found out about Ben and yet there was still things -clearly big things- that Louis wasn't sharing.

Harry turned and walked out the room, he wasn't going to push Louis for answers, as much as he wanted to know he wanted Louis to tell him. He wanted to be trusted.

So he refilled the glass and placed it back on Louis' bedside table before gently reaching his fingers out to pull the bottom of his shirt down so it covered his torso again.

Around midday Harry decided he needed to wake Louis up and make sure he ate something and had something to drink before he got dehydrated so he walked over to the bed and gently placed his hand on Louis arm. "Lou." He kept his voice loud enough to wake him up but not too loud that it would make his headache worse.

He gently shook Louis awake who then opened his eyes and looked up at Harry with a tired smile. "You hungry?" Harry asked, helping Louis sit up with a hand on his back.

Louis shrugged, mumbling something as he spotted the glass on the bedside table and took a sip.

"Do you want something to eat?" Harry removed his hand from Louis' back and moved away from the bed slightly.

"Just something small." Louis said, his voice hoarse as he coughed. Harry was about to leave the room and go get the soup when a quiet voice stopped him, "Wait." Louis croaked out as he slowly pushed himself off the bed. "I'll eat it in the living room."

Harry nodded and waited until Louis was standing before then walking out the room, he watched out the corner of his eye as Louis staggered over to the couch and sat down on it as he grabbed his food.

Louis thanked him when he was handed the bowl and turned on the tv so he had something to watch but as he took the spoon in his hand Harry noticed the slight tremble shaking his body.

He frowned and walked out the room, getting a blanket that was on Louis' bed before and bringing it back to the living room. He hesitated for a mere second before he carefully laid the blanket over Louis who looked up at him with a soft expression before the corner of his lips tipped up in a smile and he mouthed "thank you" before looking back to the bowl he was holding.

Harry smiled and sat down next to him, watching the tv as Louis ate next to him. Their bodies were so close to touching yet it felt like there was miles between them. They both ached to be closer yet neither made the move to do it.

Harry stayed at Louis' house all day, after they had eaten Louis spotted the Jenga box on the floor and told Harry to grab it, so the two ended up playing Jenga on the coffee table that was in front of the couch for a while. But then Louis had dashed up from the couch, knocking the table and tower down as he ran to the bathroom before he threw up.

Harry had ran after him and filled a glass of water before running a gentle hand down Louis' back as he continued to throw up, then handed him the glass once he was done. Louis thanked him and then Harry made sure he was okay before they headed back to the living room where Harry had said he'd won.

Louis tried to say it wasn't fair because he was ill and didn't mean to knock it over but gave up after Harry refused to say he didn't win.

Harry put on a film and Louis got comfortable under the blanket as they turned the lights down and sat close on the couch. Halfway through the film Louis had fallen asleep and his body had leant into Harry so his head was against Harry's shoulder and their legs pressed together.

At first Harry had frozen and didn't know what to do but then he relaxed and propped his arm behind Louis' shoulders allowing him to fall further into him as he slept. They stayed like that for hours, Louis peacefully sleeping against Harry's side as Harry watched whatever movie came on.

When Louis woke up it was to Harry trying to stand up without jostling him too much, Louis had quickly moved away and mumbled a small apology before pulling the blanket further around himself as Harry smiled at him before heading for the bathroom.

He left around 11pm after they'd ordered food, but Louis didn't eat much of it, and talked while watching Netflix. Harry said he'd call Louis in the morning and then left his house.

~

HarryStyles

Liked by AnneTwist, LiamPayne and 4,345,871 others

HarryStyles: lazy days are the best days. Especially with you @louist91

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~

Louis was awoken on May 24th by his sister calling asking if he was still coming to lunch at theirs like he'd planned to.

He had gotten over the last of his cold yesterday as it turned out Harry's soup actually did work wonders. So he had no reason to now not go see his family except for... Harry.

They were supposed to be walking around the park in between their houses today, and he'd already cancelled the pap walk two days to which Max just told Harry to post a picture on Instagram.

But he hadn't seen his family in months. He thought about what to do before he was ringing up Max and then texting Harry.

24th May 11:22am
Louis: Come over.

24th May 11:23am
Harry: Wow. You're bold. But I have to decline I don't hook up on Tuesdays

24th May 11:23am
Louis: Shut up, four nipples.
Louis: Just come over there's been a change of plans.

24th May 11:26am
Harry: Hey! I told you about my four nipples in confidence. Don't be rude

24th May 11:27am
Louis: Whatever, are you and your four nipples on your way yet?

24th May 11:28am
Harry: Calm down darling no need to get feisty yet, I left six minutes ago. I'll be there soon.

When Harry got to Louis' house he knocked once before Louis was opening the door and immediately saying, "We're not doing the stunt today, well we are, but we're not."

Harry blinked. "What?" Louis seemed nervous as he stood in front of him.

"I promised I'd go see my family today and Max said it's fine as long as we post something." Louis looked down to the floor as he took a deep breath in and looked up at Harry. "So you're coming with me."

"To see your family?" Harry clarified, his hands in his pockets. Louis nodded once and Harry had a smug smile take over his face. "Louis Tomlinson, are you nervous for me to see your family?"

"No." Louis answered far too quickly making Harry laugh.

"Why? It's not like I'm actually your boyfriend."

"That's the thing..." Louis paused and looked up at a now confused Harry. "I kinda haven't told them that weren't actually dating."

"Oh." Harry breathed out, his smile dropping a little. "So they think," he gestured between them, "is real?"

Louis nodded. "Yeah." He mumbled running a hand through his hair.

"How come you didn't tell them?" Harry asked. He had told his mum ages ago and she had even met Louis over the phone a few weeks ago when she called Harry and he was with Louis. And he'd told Gemma the minute Max mentioned it to him.

"At first I said I'd call them and tell them but then I got busy and so did they and I forgot to mention it before we went on the first stunt date." Louis started explaining, "And then they saw the article of us and called to ask about it and they seemed so happy for me. Y'know after everything with Ben I never dated after that and they knew why, and they were just so happy that I'd finally found someone who I could share things with and just be with in general. They were worried that I was isolating myself so seeing the article gave them hope that I was opening up again. And I just... I couldn't tell them it wasn't real. They were so happy for me that I didn't want to."

Harry nodded slowly, understanding why he hadn't said anything. "So we're gonna need to act like we're together?"

"Yeah," Louis started, "but we don't have to do anything extra, I just needed you to know that they don't know. We can just act normal."

"Okay then. When are we going?"

Louis looked shocked for a moment, he'd expected Harry to say no but apparently not. "Uhh, now probably? It'll take just over an hour to get there. We're taking the train too."

The two got their stuff and got into Louis' car, starting the drive to the train station. And then for the whole hour there Louis was telling Harry things about his family and Harry had the biggest smile on his face for two reasons.

One was that Louis' family sounded great, and the second was that Louis was telling him all these stories willingly, all things from his childhood and teenage years and Harry actually felt like he knew him better by the time they reached his mums house.

When they knocked on the door a woman Harry remembered from the picture at Louis' house opened the door and smiled wide. "You must be Harry. I'm Lottie."

"Hi." Harry smiled back as Lottie stepped to the side and allowed the two the walk inside. He saw as Lottie pinched Louis' arm and couldn't help but smile at the glare Louis gave her.

"Mums in the kitchen. The older twins are upstairs they probably won't come until lunch. The younger ones are in the kitchen with mum. Fizz is in her room." Lottie said as she walked around the couch and sat down.

Louis nodded and lead Harry through his house and towards the kitchen. When they walked into the room there was a woman with brown hair stirring something over the stove and two young kids sat at the table drawing on pieces of paper.

"Hey, mum." Louis spoke making the brunette haired woman turn around and almost gasp when she saw her son and Harry.

"Harry!" She smiled before walking over and immediately pulling him in for a hug, Harry was shocked for a second before he hugged her back, catching sight of Louis' smile as he did so. "It's wonderful to meet you. Louis only says so much when he calls but he's told us about you. I'm Jay."

"Okay, Mum you can let him go so he can breathe." Louis laughed watching as she pulled back.

"I can't really believe it." She said sounding a little shocked as she went back to the stove when it started to boil. Harry went back to Louis' side, their arms brushing. "Louis, why didn't you bring him over sooner?"

"Maybe because I've only been dating him for three months?" Louis went to say something else when a pair of arms were wrapping around his leg and he looked down to see Ernest and then Doris stood behind her brother. He smiled and picked Ernest up as Doris stood in front of Harry, looking at him.

"Who are you?" She asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Im Harry." He looked over to Louis holding his brother before looking back to Doris. "Louis' boyfriend."

Doris hummed before smiling at him. "Im Doris."

"I know, Louis told me lots about you." Harry smiled, remembering how happy Louis looked talking about his siblings.

"Good things I hope." She glared at Louis before looking back to Harry.

"Only the best."

She nodded happily and grabbed Harry's pointer finger, gently tugging him over to the table. "Come see what I'm drawing."

Harry complied and allowed the five year old to pull him. She the climbed up onto the chair and pointed to the paper, pulling Harry to sit next to her.

Harry started talking to her as Louis watched with a fond smile, still holding Ernest. He'd only brought Ben round once and he wasn't like this, he was polite sure but he never made the effort to try and talk to his siblings or act interested in something that definitely wasn't.

But Harry did it with ease.

Louis and Harry stayed sitting at the table with Doris and Ernest, the twins got the boys to draw with them and the two did so happily. Louis laughed at Harry's drawing while Harry tried to sabotage Louis'.

"No! Harry, get your hands away!" Louis yelled while laughing as he tried to push Harry's hand away from his paper, he was holding a felt tip pen and was trying to ruin his drawing. "Just because yours is bad doesn't mean you can ruin mine!"

"Mines not bad!" Harry defended as Louis continued to push against him. Harry managed to get the pen to touch the paper and make a dark red line across it as Louis gasped and glared at him.

Then in a swift movement Louis picked up a blue felt tip and pressed it to Harry's cheek. Moving it along his skin down to his jaw as Harry stilled.

"You're a child." He muttered in defeat as Louis drew another line on his face.

"Says the one that just drew all over my work." Louis muttered, holding Harry's jaw with one hand as he drew on his forehead and Harry let him.

"It was one line." Harry interjected. "You're doing a whole art piece on my face."

"I'm making you prettier."

"Was I not pretty before?" Harry fake pouted as Louis stopped drawing for a moment.

"Of course you were. I'm just making you even better." Louis said with a smile before laughing when he focused on Harry's face.

The two were so immersed in each other they didn't notice Louis' mum and sister watching from the doorway with smiles.

"Now I look like a kids colouring book." Harry mumbled, "Thanks, Lou."

Louis just smiled before standing up, Harry went to ask where he was going but heard the tap running and then Louis was sat back in front of him again this time holding a wet flannel in his hand. "I'll fix you up."

He gently grabbed Harry's jaw with his hand as his other hand ran the wet cloth over the pen on his face, luckily it came off easily. Louis turned Harry's face to the left as he continued to clean all the pen off.

Once he was done he pulled his hand away and noticed Harry's eyes seemed a darker green than before as he looked at him. "Thanks." Harry said, voice quiet as Louis nodded and went to the put the flannel away.

Just then the rest of the Tomlinson walked into the kitchen and the boys realised that lunch was about to be served. The rest of Louis' sisters greeted Harry happily before taking a seat at the table.

Lunch passed with lots of talking between Harry and Lottie or Harry and Jay, Louis occasionally putting in something to say but mainly watching with a smile.

After the meal Harry offered to help clean up but Jay insisted he go sit with Louis and the younger twins as Ernest and Doris were trying to pull him towards the living room.

Harry had only just sat down when he noticed Doris holding a few coloured pens, staring at his arms. He raised his forearm up and her eyes flew to his. "Can I..." She nodded to his arm waving the pens slightly and Harry smiled.

"Go ahead." He said making Doris' eyes widen with excitement as she moved closer. Harry pulled his sleeve up a little more to reveal more tattoos on his bicep and Doris quickly took the lid of the red pen and started colouring in his tattoos.

Louis walked in with Ernest a second later and froze when he saw his sister holding carefully onto Harry's arm as she coloured in a tattoo. He went to say something but he couldn't, no words would form in his mouth. He could only stare with fond look and a hint of sadness.

He hated that once this was over his siblings would miss Harry just as much as he did, it's part of the reason he never wanted to bring Harry to see his family.

Instead of thinking about that he focused on how sweet Harry was and sat down on his other side as Ernest looked over in interest. And of course when he asked to join, Harry said yes.

After half an hour, all his tattoos had been coloured in and he even had some extra slightly wobbly felt pen ones that Doris had done once she run out of tattoos to colour.

Louis had offered to get the wet cloth to wash it off but Harry stopped him by grabbing his arm and saying it was fine. And Louis swore his body stopped working.

Harry was sat next to him covered in drawings his siblings had drawn and he didn't want to wash it off yet.

Why was Harry so good? He made this whole thing so much harder.

The twins had ran off to go play in the garden with Jay after she came to get them and spoke with Harry for a bit. And then Lottie came in holding a picture book and sat in between Louis and Harry with smug smile.

"Harry, would you like to see some baby photos?" She asked as Louis groaned and leant his head back against the couch.

"I'd be hurt if I left here without seeing one." Harry replied, as Lottie smiled and opened the book immediately pointing to a baby dressed in overalls stood on the grass.

They flicked through the picture book for a while, Harry smiling and laughing at the pictures as they showed Louis getting older. Louis was sat on the other side of Lottie watching them, not saying anything other than occasionally groaning when they laughed at a bad picture of Louis from his teenage years.

"I'm gonna get you back for this, Styles." Louis mumbled as they looked at a picture of him when he was twenty-one in a dress because one of the twins had asked him to wear it. "I'm gonna call Anne and say I need her to send me all childhood pictures of you."

"You wouldn't dare." Harry said as Louis held up is phone.

"You sure about that?" Just as Louis went to press something Lottie grabbed his phone without even looking his way and handed it to Harry who laughed. "Oh Cmon that's not fair." He groaned.

"Promise you won't call my mum." Harry said holding Louis' phone up. "Then you can have it."

"Fine, I won't call her," Louis sighed as Harry smiled and handed his phone back just as Louis said, "today."

Harry's smile dropped and Louis let out a loud laugh before moving his hand to run through the back of Harry's hair for a second before moving it back to his side.

Harry's heart warmed at the gesture and looked back to the photo album as Lottie turned the page once more.

But one picture on the page caught Harry's eye. It was a photo of Louis but he was laying in a hospital bed, his face was bruised, his rib cage was in a bandage and he had a cast on his left leg. Harry's mouth dropped open as Louis looked to the book and quickly grabbed it from Lottie's hand, closing it. "I say that's enough torturing me for today." He said making Lottie look at him weirdly then to Harry before her eyes widened.

"Louis..." She said quietly as Harry looked to the blue eyed man who was stood up. "Did you not tell-"

"No." He answered swiftly, putting the book on the table.

Lottie looked between the two of them before standing up. "I'm gonna go see mum." She said before walking out the room.

Harry stood up and walked closer to Louis who was looking anywhere but him. "That picture. What-"

"It's nothing, Harry. Forget about it." Louis cut him off, making Harry tense his jaw.

"You know this morning when you were telling me about your family I thought for a moment that you actually trusted me. But you don't." Harry mumbled, his eyes showing he was hurt.

"No-Harry, I do." Louis sighed, looking up into green eyes. "I do trust you."

"How? You never tell me anything? I answer any question you give me, I share things with you because that's what friends do. But apparently weren't not good enough friends for that." Harry went to walk past him but Louis grabbed his bicep and stopped him with pleading eyes.

"I do tell you things. It just takes a while sometimes. But I do trust you and of course we're friends." Louis loosened his grip on Harry's arm when he didn't think he'd walk away. "None of my friends know about Ben. Only my family and you. I told you that because I trust you. Okay?"

"Then what happened?" Harry asked, his tone gentle as he looked into Louis' more grey then blue eyes. "I saw the scar on your body when you were sick."

Louis looked to the ground. "Can we go up to my room?" He asked after a moment of silence, Harry hesitated before nodding and then following him up the stairs. "It's not that I don't trust you and that's why I don't want to tell you. But I don't like talking about this. It's..." he sighed and stopped talking as he pushed the door to his childhood bedroom open, it was rather bare now.

It only had a stripped bed, desk and empty wardrobe, there was only one picture still on the wall and it was a family photo from their holiday one year.

Louis stopped in the middle of the room, deciding to not sit down, he only wanted to come in here so he was away from his family. Harry came and stood in front of him, waiting for Louis to speak.

"Do you remember when I was telling you about Ben?" Louis started, looking up as Harry nodded. "And I said that after he leaked everything I was stuck in my apartment, but I managed to get out for a bit." Harry nodded again as Louis took a deep breath. "I was so mad. I just got in my car and drove, I had no place I wanted to go except to just drive and I was an idiot. I shouldn't have been driving when I was that mad because I wasn't paying attention... I wasn't being careful. I was being reckless... dangerous." Louis was talking slowly, like he was picking the right words to say. "I was driving way too fast and it was small road and dark and I was- Fuck I was so stupid to being going that fast. But I came around the corner and I just saw headlights."

Harry's mouth dropped open slightly in shock as he listened, itching to reach out and hold Louis who looked like he was physically holding himself to stop falling apart.

"I couldn't brake. I was going to fast to brake that quick." Louis paused for a moment, looking at the floor. "I just remembered thinking 'fuck' and I twisted the steering wheel as fast as I possibly could to avoid hitting them dead on. And by some fucking miracle I didn't hit them, my car nearly skimmed theirs but I managed not to, but I swerved myself off the road, I flipped it and ended upside in the field next to the road after rolling it. I'd hit my head on the dashboard and my leg was trapped on something and I passed out."

Harry was trying his hardest not to cry as he listened to the words leaving Louis' mouth. "I woke up in the hospital, they did drug tests on me and a breathalyser, both were negative so I didn't get arrested. But I got a three fines for speeding, dangerous driving and careless driving. I'd broken my collarbone, my left leg, three ribs, I had a nasty cut from my stomach to my ribs, bit of face bruising and bruising on my arms. That's why Ben started the rumour of the drugs and alcohol because he'd been called that I'd been in an accident and before I woke up he had sent to the press that I'd crashed due to driving while intoxicated. Obviously I couldn't deny it, I wasn't awake. But we got a hold of the rumours and I stayed in hospital for a while. But I-"

Louis took a deep breath and looked up at Harry. "I'm glad I got hurt. Because I could've- I could've killed them. I would have killed them if I hit them."

Harry could hear his words becoming scratchier like he was about to cry. "I didn't drive for over a year after that, and I had nightmares... for months and it was the same thing. That I had hit them and I'd killed them because I was driving too fast and fuck- I could have killed them, it was so fucking close. I'm not even sure how I didn't even scratch their car but I missed them and I'm glad I was the one hurt. I-I was-"

Harry didn't waste any longer before stepping forward and wrapped his arms around Louis, holding him close to his body as he ran his hands up and down his back as Louis' hands clutched his shirt burying his head into Harry's neck.

They'd only hugged one or twice before but both of those were for pictures, as part of their ruse.

But this hug. This was different. This wasn't fake. This was Harry holding onto Louis to keep him together, in hopes he won't fall apart right here. And Louis was holding him like Harry was the one thing stopping him from cracking.

It was so much more than just a hug.

They stayed there for a moment as Louis kept his face pressed to Harry's neck and Harry's hands kept moving over his body in relaxing patterns as he hummed a song next to Louis' ear.

"You didn't hit them though Louis." Harry said after a few more minutes.

"That's not the point. I could have." Louis mumbled, tightening his grip on Harry's shirt, in fear he'd pull away.

"But you didn't. You managed to avoid it." Harry put one of his hands in Louis' hair and gently carded through it. "Sure you shouldn't have been speeding but you were angry and hurt and you were only twenty-two. You made a mistake that could have been bad but you avoided it."

Louis didn't say anything he just nuzzled his head further into Harry's neck.

Harry didn't know how many minutes passed as they stood there but eventually Louis was pulling away and wiping his sightly damp eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm sorry."

Harry reached his hand out and put his palm to Louis' cheek making the older man's breathing falter slightly. Harry's fingers wiped over the wet skin, drying it from tears before pulling back.

"I don't like talking about it because I regret it and I wish I could change what happened. Even if I was the only one who got hurt, I wish I could change it that I never went out." Louis admitted, finally sitting down on the bed his head hung low.

Harry walked forward and stopped in front of him, he lifted Louis' head up and said, "You can't keep thinking about what could have happened because it didn't. There's no point getting upset or annoyed about the past because you can't change it. You didn't hurt anyone, no one died because of you. You managed to swerve and in doing so it meant they didn't even get a scratch on their car. So don't think about what could have happened because that won't get you anywhere." His words were said with so much intensity that Louis could only nod.

"Y'know," Louis started as Harry let go of his chin and sat down next to him. "When I got out of hospital I found the person I almost hit and I went to her to apologise for giving her the biggest scare of her life and she just laughed and said 'I was just scared I was gonna have to buy a new car' She wasn't even mad at me, she was actually worried about what had happened after she'd seen my car swerve. She thanked me for being quick enough to react and miss hitting her. And that helped me move on but I still couldn't help thinking I should have been more careful."

"Louis," Harry sighed, "if the lady you almost hit isn't even mad at you then you don't need to be mad at yourself. It happened four years ago when you had just had you're entire life laid bare so you were angry, and you weren't thinking. And you got in an accident but you stopped it from being way worse than it was. So let go of the resentment towards yourself, it's no good to hold onto."

Louis nodded and a small smile appeared on his lips as he leant his head to the side to rest on Harry's shoulder. "Thank you."

Harry nodded leaning his head on top of Louis'. They were quiet for a moment before Harry said. "Y'know, I crashed into someone once, I was learning to drive and I just reversed straight into them. Luckily I was going snails pace so I only scratched it a bit."

Louis laughed a little, his body shaking against Harry's as he pictured a seventeen year old Harry trying to drive.

"I wanna ask you something." Harry said making Louis move his head away and look at him. "No more secrets, okay? No more hiding from me. Please. I won't ever judge you for anything you've done. I just want to know you."

"Okay." Louis nodded with a smile.

"So is there anything else I should know?" Harry asked with a laugh and Louis shook his head.

"No, nothing major I'm sure I'll think of something embarrassing I did when I was a teen to tell you later." Louis turned his head to look at Harry properly. "Is there anything I should know about you that you haven't said?"

Harry actually paused for a moment before saying, "My parents are divorced and I didn't take it well when I was a teenager, I was upset and mad and I barely spoke to them. Because everything seemed fine and then one day it wasn't. And they said they were splitting up. I just got mad at everyone. After a while I understood that they weren't fine all the time, they just pretended to be until they told us. So I don't really speak to my dad anymore, he lives far away and he kinda stopped reaching out to me so I stopped reaching out to him."

"I'm sorry." Louis said sadly, reaching over to hold one of Harry's hands for a second.

"It's fine. It's better this way."

Louis nodded and sent Harry a warm smile, waiting until he got one back before standing up, holding his hand out. Harry took it and stood up, then the two walked downstairs instantly seeing Louis' family sat around the tv in the living room.

Jay's smile brightened when she saw the boys holding hands as they walked closer and then gave Louis a secret look before looking back to the tv.

Harry and Louis sat down in the two empty seats and let go of each other's hands as they looked at the film playing.

The rest of the evening passed quickly, Ernest and Doris got Harry and Louis to play catch with them in the garden and then Lottie and Harry spoke in the kitchen, sharing stories about Louis who was busy helping Daisy with her homework.

Then at around 6pm Harry and Louis said goodbye to everyone and left the house, heading to catch one of the last trains back to their side of the city.

It was only when they were on the train that Louis noticed Harry's arms were still covered in pen and he didn't have a jacket on. The drawings weren't exactly the neatest and Harry could have easily washed it off or hid it with a hoodie and yet he didn't. Instead he let his arms be bare proudly showing off what Ernest and Doris had done and it made Louis' heart grow.

Harry would be the death of him.

~

PopNews

PopNews: Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were spotted heading into the train station earlier today. Fans who had spotted them had said they were heading to the other side of the city where Tomlinson'a family lived.

Could Tomlinson have been taking his boyfriend to meet his family?

The pair have been dating for three months and have been spotted together a few times during their relationship. Fans cannot get enough of the couple.

Tomlinsons album releases in three days and Styles' album releases only three days after that. It's safe to the say the end of May is going to be a busy one for these two.

~

On the three days leading up to May 27th Harry and Louis were only able to text each other as they were too busy for stunts and everything was hectic. Louis had been doing a load of interviews and so had Harry.

But finally the wait had come and it was May 27th, Louis was at a bar with Harry and some of his closest friends and managers waiting until it hits 7pm, when his album officially releases.

Yesterday Louis had met Niall and Liam who he found out were good friends with Harry and then Harry met Zayn a few hours ago and the two were now playing a slightly drunk version of pool while Liam watched. And by 'watched' he sneakily moved the balls when they weren't looking.

Louis had been talking to Niall for the past hour about Harry and what he was like when he was younger as Niall had met Harry when he was sixteen.

It was only when it was a few minutes away from Seven that Harry, Liam and Zayn came wandering over to them, grabbing their beers that they'd left on the table.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked over the loud music of the bar, leaning in close to Louis side. "We've got two minutes."

"I'm ready." Louis smiled. "I've been waiting ages for this."

"They're gonna love it." Harry said making Louis laugh.

"You haven't even heard it, Styles."

"But I know they'll love it." Harry leaned in closer and said, "just like I will."

Louis felt his cheeks getting hotter due to Harry being so close and he cleared his throat with a nod. "Thanks."

Harry's hand brushed his before he stepped out the way a little, leaning over to say something to Liam.

Two gulps of beer later their group of people had started counting down from twenty. Everyone was grinning and holding their beers up as they watched the time tick down.

16
15
14

It was when they reached ten seconds that Louis felt Harry's hand reach for his and he looked up at him to see he was already looking at him. His hand was so warm as it held onto Louis' smaller one.

6
5
4

All he could think about was how beautiful Harry looked in the dim light, the light flush to his cheeks made Louis want to kiss him.

Cheering erupted around them and Louis pulled his eyes away from Harry as some of his friends patted him on the back, saying congratulations. But Harry's hand was still on his, gently squeezing it to remind him he's there.

It was only when Zayn came up to hug Louis that the warmth of Harry's hand left and he stepped to the side. Louis hugged Zayn back, saying something to him before looking back to Harry who was smiling.

Then before he could think about it Louis went up on his tiptoes to wrap his arms around Harry's neck, hugging him. But as Harry hugged him back he bent over slightly so Louis' feet were flat on the floor.

The hug lasted no longer than five seconds yet Louis' heart was beating faster and his whole body was on fire from Harry's touch.

"Congrats, Lou. People are gonna love it." Harry whispered as he pulled away and reached for his drink again.

"Thank you." Louis replied, "And thank you for organising this for me. Its great."

Harry shrugged and smiled before saying a quiet "You're welcome."

Louis got dragged away by some of his other friends and Harry went back over to the pool table with Zayn.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of drinks and dancing and yelling and singing and overall it was a really loud but very nice night. Louis was glad he got to spend it with his friends and he had Harry to thank for that. He had called all of Louis' close friends and said to meet at the bar and then took Louis there to surprise him.

But now it was nearing midnight and Niall came wandering over to Louis. "Err mate, are you taking Harry home?"

"Well he drove us here but I said I'd drive back why?" Louis questioned, looking for the lanky, brunette haired man he was friends with.

"So he's half passed out the stairs, he's had way too much to drink tonight."

Louis would have panicked that he was hurt but seeing as Niall was laughing he was fine. "Yeah, I'll drive him home. I think I'm gonna head out anyway, I've been up since arse o'clock."

Niall nodded and then lead Louis over to where Harry was slumped against the stairs, his eyes closed but mouth still moving as he mumbled to Zayn who was holding a water bottle. "I've been sobering him up for a bit, he's probably not so drunk just tired."

Louis crouched down in front of him and patted his knee gently. "H? You ready to go home?"

Harry opened his eyes slowly and smiled when he saw Louis. "Yeah." He breathed out, going to stand up but falling back against the stairs. "Oh."

Louis laughed and Zayn helped pull him up so he was standing and then he and Louis walked Harry out the club and to his car. Louis had taken the keys earlier so he already had them in his pocket, ready to grab.

Zayn helped get him into the car and then said goodbye to Louis before turning back inside the club. Louis strapped Harry in before closing the door and going round the drivers side.

He drove the short distance to Harry's house and parked, then he woke Harry up before leading him to the door. It was surprisingly easy to get Harry into the house and up the stairs.

When he reached the bedroom he laid the man down on the bed and took off his jacket and shoes like he did the last time Harry was drunk. And then just as Louis was pulling the duvet up his chest Harry opened his eyes, smiled again and said, "Thanks Lou. I love you."

Louis dropped the duvet like it stung as he stared at Harry's who was blissfully unaware of the reaction Louis just gave. With shaky hands Louis filled a glass for Harry and placed it on the bedside table before swiftly getting out of his house.

He was drunk. It didn't mean anything. But part of Louis wished it had meant something, but that was quickly shut down.

He wouldn't even remember this in the morning.

~

Zayn

Liked by NiallHoran, LiamPayne and 1,789,476 others

Zayn: Congrats @louist91. The albums sick :)
Also it was impossible to get a picture of Louis without Harry getting in it too, the absolute nutter.

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~

Louis wanted to do something for Harry.

Three days ago Harry had surprised him with all his friends at a club to celebrate his album release but the thing is he doesn't know what to do for Harry.

They had spoken a little since the 27th but they were both still incredibly busy and now Harry's album was coming out tonight and he was going to see him.

And Harry hadn't mentioned the 'I love you' thing when they spoke the day after, so Louis assumed that he forgot about it because he was too drunk which is probably a good thing.

May 30th 1:01pm
Louis: Okay, I've given up. I've been trying to plan something for you for tonight but I don't know what you'd like most.
Louis: So please just help me and tell me what you'd like to do to celebrate tonight.

May 30th 1:03pm
Harry: You don't have to do anything for me, Lou

May 30th 1:03pm
Louis: I'm going to if you tell me something or not. But it'd be easier if you told me otherwise we might end up riding camels at the time your album drops.

May 30th 1:04pm
Harry: Why camels?

May 30th 1:04pm
Louis: Why not?
Louis: And anyway that's besides the point, Styles.

May 30th 1:05pm
Harry: Sorry.
Harry: I'd like to eat pizza and watch movies

May 30th 1:06pm
Louis: Really?

May 30th 1:06pm
Harry: Yeah, I've done enough celebratory drinking for a while. I'd like to just relax.

May 30th 1:07pm
Louis: Okay, that's easy enough for me. Who'd you want to come over?

May 30th 1:08pm
Harry: You.

May 30th 1:12pm
Louis. Me?
Louis: just me?

May 30th 1:13pm
Harry: Just you :)

May 30th 1:13pm
Louis: Okay, Styles. If that's what you want that's what you'll have.

When it got to 4pm Louis was knocking on Harry's door with an extra surprise in store for him, so when the door was open Louis was walking inside and grabbing Harry's coat. "We're on a time schedule, Styles, we need to go."

"Go?" Harry asked, confused.

"Yup, places to be, people to see. All that." Louis picked up Harry's shoes and passed them to him.

"What happened to movies and pizza?" Harry reached down and started putting his shoes on anyway.

"That's later. I have an extra surprise." Louis said as Harry slipped his last shoe on.

"Which is?"

"Do you know what a surprise is, Styles?" Louis grabbed Harry's phone off the counter and turned to walk out the door with a laughing Harry behind him.

Louis began driving them to a cafe not far from Harry's house while Harry looked out the window, seeming fascinated as they drove. "Can you at least tell me where we're going?"

"No."

Harry huffed and Louis flicked his thigh making Harry turn to glare at him before looking back out the window.

They pulled up to the cafe and Harry still had no idea what was going on, but then Louis led him into the building and pointed over to a table in the corner and a wide smile formed on Harry's face.

Looking at them from a table was Anne and Gemma with their own wide smiles on their faces. Harry and Louis began walking over as Louis mumbled, "You said you hadn't seen them in awhile and I thought you would like to see them."

Harry didn't reply at first he just grabbed Louis' hand and squeezed before he whispered, "Thank you."

They sat down with Anne and Gemma and Louis got formally introduced before they began talking and ordering cakes and drinks.

They stayed for almost two hours just talking, Harry hadn't stopped smiling since he walked in and Louis loved to see it, it was so bright and warm.

Gemma and Louis had got along better than anyone expected and Harry couldn't help smiling even when they were ganging up on him because seeing Louis interact with his sister was a sight to see.

But eventually they had to leave and Louis said goodbye to Gemma and Anne before going to leave for the car to wait for Harry so he could say goodbye alone. But before he could walk away Anne gently stopped him and said, "Thank you, Louis. It was lovely seeing him so happy. And thank you for making him that happy, since he started this fake thing with you he's smiled a lot more. So whether or not it's still fake, you make him happy and I hope you continue to."

Louis smiled and nodded, looking to Harry who was hugging Gemma. "I'll try my best. He deserves it." He smiled once more before waiting by the door for Harry, both of them walking to the car once ready.

Harry was talking for the entire car ride home, thanking Louis over and over. They got back to Harry's and they went inside getting the films ready.

Harry's album came out at 8pm so they had around two hours. They picked an hour and a half film and sat down to watch it. They were sat close on the couch, Louis had his legs crossed under him while Harry stretched his out.

They laughed along to the film and not before long the credits were playing at they only had around ten minutes before Harry's album came out.

Louis disappeared into the kitchen and came running back in holding a bottle of champagne with a smile on his face, he had two wine glasses in his other hand and carefully set them down on the table.

He popped open the bottle and then poured some into the glasses before handing it to Harry. "Are you ready? We have seven minutes until you officially have two albums out."

Harry hummed as he took a sip of the champagne. "I'm excited, I can't wait to perform them live."

Louis nodded in agreement, laying his legs out so they laid over Harry's. "Yeah, playing them to an audience is always the best feeling." He went to say something else when suddenly he let out a loud scream, pulling his foot away from Harry. "Oi, I'm ticklish you can't do that."

Harry laughed and placed his champagne down before reaching for Louis' foot, trying to tickle him. "I can't believe you have ticklish feet." He got out between laughs as Louis tried to stop him from tickling him.

"Don't laugh at me. That's mean, Styles." Louis pouted when Harry finally stopped.

"Y'know I love you really." Harry said with a smile making Louis freeze before laughing.

"Yeah, well then stop attacking me." He hoped he sounded fine because his head had sirens blaring at full volume. Harry had said that he loved him again. But this time it was as a joke. Right? He didn't actually mean it?

No, this is all fake. They're not actually dating. They're just friends who sometimes platonically stare into each other's eyes, and platonically touch each other in secret ways and platonically say I love you.

Oh fuck.

He glanced to the clock. "We have four minutes." He picked up his glass and clinked it with Harry's as they started to talk about what they'd like to do at concerts and Louis pushed the 'I love you' to the back of his head yet again.

When they had thirty seconds they stated counting down, holding their glasses and laughing as Louis kicked Harry in the shin to move his legs over.

3
2
1

They both tipped back their glasses as they started the next movie that they'd decided on a couple minutes ago.

"Congratulations, Styles. Your album is officially out." Louis said with a smile as he placed his glass down and moved closer giving Harry another hug. He felt when Harry put his glass down because then his arms were wrapping around him in a tight embrace.

"Thanks Lou, and thanks for tonight." Harry whispered as they pulled apart, looking to the tv.

"It's not over yet. We still have at least three films." Louis smirked, filing his glass up again, then offering some to Harry.

"Good. I don't want it to end yet."

Louis ignored how that made him feel and instead handed Harry his glass before clinking them and the two watched the movie playing with grins on theirs lips.

Louis went home at 3am after he and Harry had accident fallen asleep against each other at some point in the night. When he had woken up the lady and the tramp credits were playing and he was sleeping on Harry's chest, their legs were entwined.

He carefully unwrapped himself from Harry's body and left a note before grabbing his stuff and leaving the house with a lovesick feeling in his chest.

~

louist91

Liked by LiamPayne, AnneTwist and 4,517,890 others

louist91: I'm so proud of you, love. Congratulations on the album. @HarryStyles

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~

May 31st was one of the first relaxed days both Harry and Louis had in a while, they had no interviews until Harry's on June 2nd and no other obligations to attended seeing as their albums just released.

So Harry went to Louis' house at 3pm and the two sat in the living room playing board games and watching the positivity roll in about their albums.

They had a rematch of Jenga which Harry still won and Louis demanded they changed the game to something he could win. There was music playing in the background and it had started to rain a few hours ago so the raindrops were hitting against the window every second as the sky stayed grey.

By 7pm they'd eaten the dinner that Harry had cooked, Louis had tried to help but gave up ten minutes in and instead sat on the counter talking while Harry cooked.

There was a brief moment where Louis thought Harry was going to kiss him. Louis was sat on the counter with his back leaning on the cupboard that Harry needed to get into but Louis refused to move.

So Harry came to stand between his open legs and in a swift moment he had his hand gripping the back of Louis' neck pulling him forward. Their breathing was rapid and their eyes were locked on each other as the heat from Harry's palm melted into Louis' neck. Then Harry's green eyes had flicked down to Louis' lips and back to his eyes and right when he went to lean in he stopped and instead moved Louis to the side so he could open the cupboard.

Lous cussed himself for almost letting it happen. They still had less than two months left and couldn't make this awkward now.

But once the dinner was finished they had both forgotten about the near kiss and had fallen back into their banter-y conversations again.

But now Harry needed to go back home but he had walked earlier when it wasn't raining and Louis didn't have his car because it was getting repaired from when it broke down that morning.

So Harry wouldn't have to walk alone Louis offered to walk with him, which Harry declined and went to walk out the door only to realise Louis was following him.

"Y'know you're going to have to walk home in the rain by yourself, right?" Harry said once they started to near his house.

"Yeah, but I don't mind. It's only light rain." Louis said as Harry looked over at him.

"If you get a cold, I'm not bringing more soup." He said sternly making Louis laugh and nod.

"Okay."

They walked in silence, just listening to the sound of the rain against the pavement. There was no one around. There was no cars, no people talking, no animals rustling things, it was just quiet.

Suddenly Harry stopped and grabbed Louis' arm to stop him. "What?" Louis questioned, looking around for something.

"Did the power just go out?" Harry asked, looking at the houses they were stopped at. Louis studied them for a moment and realised there was not a single glow of light from any of them. The whole street was out.

"It's probably whatever those builders were doing yesterday." Louis shrugged. "They probably hit a wire they shouldn't have."

He went to walk but Harry was still holding his arm. "Look up." Harry whispered, Louis frowned at him for a moment and looked up, blinking against the rain.

"At what?" Louis asked making Harry groan in annoyance.

"The stars, you idiot."

Louis focused more and he noticed what Harry meant. The stars looked so bright in the sky, you could see so many of them blinking against the black abyss they were looking at.

"You wouldn't be able to see that many with all the lights on." Harry mumbled, still staring at the sky seeming mesmerised.

But Louis wasn't staring at the stars in the sky anymore.

He was looking at Harry.

Louis was looking at the line of his jaw, the shine on his face due to the rain, the redness on his nose and cheeks, the pieces of hair sticking to his forehead. He couldn't stop looking at him.

Harry was in awe of the stars and Louis was in awe of him. His eyes refused to stray away from Harry's features. They were looking at every detail with such care it was like his mind was trying to make sure it never forgot what he looked like.

Suddenly Harry was looking away from the sky and directly at Louis who still didn't look away. Harry said nothing. Louis said nothing. They both said nothing.

They were stood a few inches apart as the rain fell around them and neither was saying a thing.

But then Harry was stepping forward, not close enough to touch but just closer. His eyes were locked on Louis' blue ones and his expression was filled with something Louis didn't want to decipher.

"Louis..." Harry whispered into the silence of the night, and Louis knew what he was about to say yet he could do nothing to stop it, "I love you."

Louis closed his eyes and shook his head very slightly, he could feel Harry standing so close to him. Why did he have to keep saying that? Before there was reasons he said it. First he was drunk, second he was making a joke.

But this time there was no reason. He just said it. No, he whispered it with so much emotion Louis couldn't look at his face.

"Why do you keep saying that to me?" Louis asked, stepping back, "This isn't real." He shook his head harder, trying not to cry. "Why are you trying to make it real?"

Harry laughed bitterly and it made Louis open his eyes to look at him. "You can't seriously stand here and say you feel nothing." He waited for Louis to say something but he didn't. "If you can look me in the eye and say this is all fake, just some game we've been playing, then I'll stop. I won't say it again. Once the contract is over we can be strangers again."

Louis bit his lip and shook his head. "I still want to be your friend, Harry."

"But I can't do that." He said with a hint of anger in his tone. "I can't have you but not really have you. That's torture."

"Please, don't." Louis wasn't even sure what he was begging for. For Harry to stop talking? for Harry to not be a stranger again? Something else entirely?

"Say it and I'll stop." Harry repeated, his eyes no longer holding the amount of softness they were before, they were sharp now. "Say this has all been fake. Every look you gave me, every touch, every kiss was all for the cameras. Say it."

"It was all fake." Louis mumbled, eyes on the ground.

"Look at me and say it." Harry demanded.

Louis looked up but the words died in his throat, he knew it wasn't fake but he couldn't say that. But looking at Harry with raindrops falling from his skin he didn't know what to say.

"Louis-"

"I can't." Louis said stepping back. "Just please, stop. I can't." He took more steps back, shaking his head until he turned around and began walking away, ignoring the burning gaze of Harry's eyes on him as he got further and further away.

~

Harry didn't show up to the stunt on June 3rd or June 5th, Louis debated waiting at the meeting spot on June 8th because who knew if Harry would even show up.

Max was getting angry too. He was saying they couldn't be avoiding one another this close to the release of their albums, they needed to go out again yet Harry never showed up.

Louis waited there on June 8th.

Harry didn't show.

Louis walked home wishing he would come, even if they didn't talk he just needed to see him. He had reasons for what he said, but he couldn't explain them if Harry didn't turn up.

~

June 9th 5:46pm
Louis: Harry please just turn up tomorrow.
Louis: I will explain.
Louis: Please.
6:35pm
Louis: I'm sorry if I hurt you.
Louis: It was never my intention.

Louis sighed as he removed the cigarette from between his lips and blew the smoke into the air. He was sat on the stairs outside his house hoping Harry will answer one of his messages.

But so far none.

He placed the cigarette back between his lips and breathed in again. He really needed to put this one down. He'd had too many today but he just kept pulling more out of the pack.

Max was so mad at him. Well and Harry too but Max was more of a 'deal with one at a time' guy. He'd been messaging him all day saying that they needed to do the stunt tomorrow because he'd paid paparazzi to be there.

But Louis had no idea if Harry would show which would equal an annoyed Max yelling at him at 5am again.

Louis leant his head back against the pillar behind him and grabbed another cigarette from the box.

~

June 10th rolled around and Louis wasn't even sure why he was waiting for Harry anymore. He should just go to Max and say he was sorry but he fucked up and now Harry won't even turn up.

Louis closed his eyes and listened the sounds of people scurrying past.

He hated that Harry didn't even want to see him. He'd made one of the best people he knew avoid their job to not see him. He tried to ignore the pain in his chest but it was like a constant ache whenever he thought about the green eyed man.

Louis opened his eyes and scanned the crowd. No Harry. He sighed and stopped leaning on the building and began walking home. He turned the corner and bumped into someone, sending him flying backwards but he didn't hit the floor.

He looked up and saw Harry holding onto his arm before helping him stand and then letting go. "Sorry." Louis mumbled, rubbing his hands on his jeans. "I didn't think you were coming."

"Well I did. So let's just get this done. I have things to do." Harry replied, grabbing Louis' hand in a tight grip that almost hurt as he began walking the route he knew the cameras were waiting.

Louis tried to readjust his hand so it didn't feel like it was pinching in Harry's grip but he couldn't so he sighed and tried keeping up with Harry's quick pace. "Where have you been?" He asked after a few moments of silence.

"Busy." Was all Harry said, ignoring when a flash of a camera went off to their left.

"Look, Harry, about that night I wanted to say the reason I-"

"You don't have to explain yourself, Louis." Harry cut him off making Louis fall silent. "Ive thought about it and I realised I was being stupid. This is our job, it has all been fake you were right about that. I had just wanted to think it was more because I was lonely and you seemed nice. But after I thought about it you're just a friend to me. I don't know why I thought it was real." He kept his steps quick and Louis was really wishing he would just slow down. "It was my bad. I shouldn't have said I loved you when I didn't." 

Now that made Louis stop. Literally stop walking.

Harry turned to look at him with a confused expression.

"But I thought- that night you said that you did. And you were upset that I was trying to say it was fake." Louis didn't like how quiet his voice sounded, he didn't want to be effected by what he was saying. It was one of the reasons he didn't want to say anything that night.

"I know but I wasn't thinking clearly, I was making it up and only realised it the other day during an interview. Sorry for making you think I loved you and scaring you off." He laughed a little but the sound pierced straight through Louis' chest.

He may not have said so on the night but nothing about what he felt was fake. He had so many strong emotions towards Harry, you could say love was one of them but Louis was just too afraid to read into them.

Until the last few days. He had time to think and he'd realised everything he pushed to the back of his mind was how he felt about Harry. How every time their hands touched Louis felt a rush of energy through his body. How every time they spoke Louis was laughing or smiling. How Harry could get a reaction out of Louis by just whispering. How Louis could stare at Harry for hours and never ever get bored.

He'd realised that somewhere along the line of their fake relationship Louis had went and gotten real feelings and that night Harry admited he loved him for the third time Louis wasn't ready to think about it.

But once he did it was obvious. He had loved Harry. He did love him. But now here Harry is saying he didn't mean it. And it was a mistake.

That hurt a lot more than he ever thought possible.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, staring at him with a worried expression.

Louis forced a smile onto his face. "Yeah. We should probably hurry this up. I need to see my mum later."

He didn't but Harry didn't need to know that.

Harry nodded and the two finished the stunt in record time. Normally they spend longer than needed because they actually enjoyed each other's company.

Later that night Louis sat in his garden looking at the stars and thinking that if he'd said something about how he felt earlier maybe things would be different.

As he grabbed another cigarette he decided he hated the whole month of June as much as he hated May 19th.

~

PopNews

PopNews: Popular couple Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson were spotted walking the high street earlier today.

Fans had been worrying that the couple were no longer together after almost two weeks went by with no pictures or posts from the couple. Normally we see the pair out and about twice a week but it was radio silence.

Fans are reassured the couple are doing just fine after seeing them out again.

Both Styles and Tomlinson's albums came out last month and so far they have skyrocketed in the charts, and they only keep climbing higher.

~

The rest of June crawled by and Louis hated it. Whereas Harry now showed up to stunt walks it wasn't the same, they don't say much, they don't laugh they just walk around and occasional ask how the other is doing.

It was like they were barely friends and Louis couldn't deal with that. He didn't want to lose Harry as a friend because of how he felt and now he's losing Harry as a friend because he didn't say how he felt.

On July 2nd after Louis got home from an awkward pap walk with Harry he decided he couldn't do this any longer. He couldn't do this until the end of the month it was horrible and he just needed it over.

So early on July 3rd Louis drove to his record labels offices. Once he got there he quickly made his way inside the building and spoke to the receptionist before getting into the elevator heading to the 14th floor.

He stepped through the doors and into the hallway, remembering his way to Max's office, he walked and clutched at his phone in his pocket.

He knocked on the door at the end of the corridor once. He heard a muffled 'come in' and pushed the door open.

"Ah, Louis." Max smiled, leaning back in his chair. "I hear you wanted to speak to me?"

"Uh yeah." Louis nodded as he sat down opposite Max.

"Go ahead, then."

Louis swallowed and slowly spoke up, "I was wondering if I could end the contract early?"

Max paused for a moment. "What contract?"

"Umm the one that says Harry and I will be together until July 31st?" Louis said as Max sat up in his chair. "I want out now. I figured it's close enough that if it ended now it would look fine."

Max studied Louis' face for a moment, his hands crossed on his desk. "Did you two fall out?"

"No. I just don't think it's necessary to go until the end of July."

"Don't you?" Max questioned, his eyebrow arching up.

"No, sir."

Max breathed in deeply and began looking through files on his desk, he picked up one and began flicking through it.

After about ten minutes of Louis staring out the window while his manager read a file, Max cleared his throat and placed the file down. "If you wish Louis, I can end it sooner. I've looked at the outcome of what you've done and it's very positive. Both your albums are reaching the top in all charts and continue to rise higher than they would normally. The press has done its work. And a breakup article would again keep the press on you, so I am happy to end your contract by sooner."

"Really?" Louis breathed out.

"Yes." Max nodded. "Although the breakup article will be published in a few days just so we leave some time between your last stunt and the article. But you won't have to do anything about that. I'll handle it. July fifth I'll end both contracts about the dating."

"Thank you." Louis said as he stood up from his chair.

"No problem, Louis. I will call Harry later today and let him know he no longer has to attend the stunt walks."

Right. Max will have to tell Harry. Maybe he won't say why?

Louis hoped he didn't say why.

~

When Louis woke up on July fourth there was someone banging at his door, or it was thunder because it was also pouring it down outside. Yawning, Louis pushed the sheets off his bed and got up.

He'd gone to bed earlier last night after he couldn't stop thinking of Harry. He wondered how he reacted to the news. He was probably glad it was over.

But Louis couldn't help but miss him already, but he had to do it. Seeing Harry that often yet they weren't acting like friends was just painful. It was like all the months they'd spent together were suddenly forgotten or brushed aside.

Everything they'd shared. Everything Louis had told him.

He couldn't handle it so he needed to break it off.

He grabbed his phone off the beside table and looked at the time seeing it was 7:38am. He almost groaned and fell back into his bed when he heard the banging again.

That is not thunder.

He had the sudden worry that it was a burglar trying to break in but he'd thought they'd be a bit more discreet about it.

But when he hesitantly opened the door it wasn't a burglar it was Harry. A soaking wet Harry.

Louis' eyes widened and his mouth opened yet no words came out.

"Why did you ask Max to end the contract early?" Harry asked, his face full of confusion as water droplets fell off his hair.

"Because it's not necessary to wait longer." Louis replied, voice quiet as he tried to avoid looking into Harry's eyes.

"But- Why. I thought-" Harry kept stumbling over his words and couldn't seem to get ahold of what he wanted to say.

"I thought that was what you would want? End this and then go back to how it was before."

"I don't want before." Harry said instantly, shaking his head. "Louis I- I don't want to not know you anymore. I don't want to just pretend these last few months haven't happened."

"But you said it was all fake." Louis mumbled, slowly looking up into Harry's eyes that were so green that they almost looked like they were glowing.

"I said that because I told you I loved you and you told me it was fake!" Harry suddenly yelled, running a hand through his wet hair. "You said to me that it wasn't real. So I just went with what you said even if it was the exact opposite for me."

"I told you it was fake because I was scared. I hadn't given myself time to think before you suddenly said it. I hadn't worked everything out. I was panicked. And I needed you to stop saying the things you were." Louis sighed and dragged a hand over his face. "And then I went to explain to you why I said what I did and you turned up and said you didn't mean any of it."

Harry looked down. "I said that because I was hurt, Lou. I didn't want you to bring it up so I just shut you down and said exactly the opposite of what I felt."

"So you... did mean it." Louis asked as Harry took in a deep breath.

"I meant everything I said that night." He stepped further into Louis' house. "I understand if you don't feel the same and I know I said that I couldn't be just friends with you but if that's all we can be then I'll take that because the last month has been horrible because we weren't strangers but we weren't friends. So if I have to be your friend I will be your best friend, I will be the friend you go to when you're sad, the friend you tell you're secrets to, the friend you celebrate with, the friend you play jenga with and maybe one day... the friend you fall in love with." He stepped closer again. "Because I love you. And I don't want to lose you because whenever I'm with you I'm so happy. You make me happy. And these last few months have the best times of my life because I was with you."

Louis hard tears in his eyes as he stood frozen in the hallway. "Harry..."

"I want to use my third question." Harry interrupted making Louis' eyes lock onto his. "And you have to be honest because you let me keep one question that you will answer truthfully. And now I'm using it." He took a deep breath. "Do you love me?" He took a step
closer so their bodies were almost touching. "Do you love me like I love you?"

For a moment Harry didn't think Louis would answer but then a small whisper was falling from the blue eyed man's lips. "Of course I do." A lone tear fell down Louis' cheek. "You're you. There is nothing about you that I don't love. And it took me so long to recognise that it was love because I was so scared, Harry."

Harry's hand reached forward and took Louis' in a gentle grip, Louis looked down at it and smiled a little before looking back up. "I was scared because if it was real. If everything we were doing was suddenly not fake anymore then all the problems become real too. The arguments we'll have will be real. Every feeling good and bad will be real, I can't just say that it's not." He lowered his voice. "And that's scary. I've not been a proper relationship. I had Ben and well... we know how that went."

"Louis," Harry reached out with his other hand and wiped the few more fallen tears, "It's okay to be scared. I'm scared too. But it's fine because I don't mind being scared if I have you. And yeah things become real but fights can be fixed, we'll talk like we are now and sort it all out. And as long as I'm alive I'm going to make sure we sort it out because I've never felt like how I do with you."

"Im sorry for what I said that night you told me." Louis whispered, leaning his head forward to rest against Harry's. "I reacted badly. And I hurt you. Im sorry."

Harry moved his head back and looked into Louis' eyes. "It's okay. And I'm sorry for disappearing and then coming back to say I didn't mean it. I know I hurt you too. And I'm sorry for ever making you doubt how much of my heart you hold."

Louis nodded in acceptance of the apology and brought his hand up to Harry's cheek. "I love you, Styles." He whispered before Harry eagerly brought their lips together in an instant. Like he finally couldn't hold back anymore.

And god this was so much better.

Their kisses before were short, lacking any sort of feeling at all, there would be a small shock of something and then they'd pull away before going further but this... this was full of love and excitement and passion and care. It was everything and more.

Louis threaded his fingers into Harry's hair, pulling it gently as Harry kissed him harder, his fingers holding his hips. "God I love you, Lou. I do. I love you so much." He whispered against his lips, never pulling away to breathe.

Louis just let out a quiet moan and kept kissing him back, their chests pressed together as flames licked across their skin.

They pulled apart breathless and lips tingly. Harry smiled. Then Louis smiled. And they joined their lips once more in a short kiss that still made shivers flow down Louis' spine and goosebumps arise on Harry's skin.

"What do we do now?" Louis whispered, their foreheads touching.

"I love you for as long as I live. That's what happens." Harry replied with a smile as Louis flicked his stomach before stepping back and finally closing the door behind Harry.

"I mean where do we go from here? Technically we started dating months ago? What about now?" He asked as he took Harry's hand and the two walked to the living room.

"We start again. We go on a date. A real one this time. And start a real relationship. Because even though everything we felt was real, the situation we were in wasn't. And I'd like if it was." Harry said as he sat down, pulling Louis next to him.

"Me too." Louis sighed, wrapping his arms around Harry and laying his head on his shoulder.

"Okay then, Louis will you go on a date with me?"

Louis laughed and pressed a kiss to the underside of Harry's jaw. "Yeah. I will." He mumbled against his skin. He placed another kiss there before pulling away. "I'll have to tell my family the truth about everything but they won't mind. They love you already. But what do we do about our fans though? They already think we're dating and Max is about to release that we broke up tomorrow."

Suddenly Louis sat up in a panic and Harry laughed, pulling him back down. "We'll call Max and just tell him what's happened. We'll say not to bother with an article. The fans will just believe that we started dating from the point our feelings started developing. They don't need to know the exact date." Harry laid Louis down in the couch as he hovered over him. He leant down to kiss at his neck, mumbling, "Just that we're madly in love."

Louis went to say something but his words died when Harry sucked on his neck, gently biting too. "Mhm." He mumbled in response as Harry chuckled but continued. "Okay. We'll do that."

Harry kept making love bites against Louis' neck as Louis writhed underneath him, his hands clutching at Harry's hair.

Suddenly Louis was pushing Harry off his body and standing up, and before Harry had time to question him he was being pulled up too. "What are you doing?" Harry asked in a laugh as Louis walked him down the hallway.

"We're going on our date."

"Now?" Harry asked, "Where are we going?" He noticed they were going the opposite way to the door. "And I was supposed to be taking you-"

"We're going on a date to the bedroom." Harry's words died in his throat when Louis said that. Then Louis started kissing along Harry's neck as they walked.

"But I still better get a real date too, Styles. I expect to be wined and dined." Louis said as he moved to lay on the bed, Harry following after him.

"You will. But right now, I think I have more important things to do." Harry said as he began to peel off Louis' shirt, kissing along his scar as it went. "You're so beautiful." He mumbled between kisses.

Louis reached for Harry's shirt and tugged it off hastily just as Harry started to reach for his trousers.

Louis hasn't been on many real dates. But this one was one of the best. Harry kissed over every part of his body and he clutched to him like he was going to fall apart if he didn't.

They kissed and kissed and never stopped kissing even when all the clothes were disregarded on the floor and their bodies were connected and the sweat was lining their bodies as they moved together.

It was the best thing Louis ever felt and Harry could only agree. They collapsed into the sheets together, breathing heavily and Louis was still running his hands all over Harry's body, unable to stop touching him. But Harry didn't want him to either.

It was perfect. And when Louis whispered "I love you" And Harry whispered it back, it became better than perfect.

~

PopNews

PopNews: Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson had their first interview together late last night on November 3rd, the two talked about their relationship, their tour they plan to join together, their families and all about the future.

Fans are going wild over it, it was everything they've been waiting for since March of this year. And they cannot wait to continue to see the couple do more things like this and share new parts of their lives as they get older.

They are truly the couple of the year. Maybe even next year and every year after that.

~

Three years later

louist91

Liked by NiallHoran, Zayn and 6,477,290 others

louist91: Husband sounds nice. @HarryStyles

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HarryStyles

Liked by GemmaStyles, LottieTomlinson and 7,536,891 others

HarryStyles: Honeymoon. <3 @louist91

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I hope that ending was okay! I didn't really know what to do so I did something simple :)

Yknow I think this is one of my favourite oneshots I've ever written, it took ages to write and I think it's longer than 'popstar' but I loved doing it.

Anyway don't forget to eat and drink something today, I love you <333

And good luck to any other people who have exams coming up soon. Everything will be okay.

I'm scared how much I think about you - Unknown

You're not afraid of love, you're just afraid of not being loved - Unknown