"It's only platonic, but you still have my heart."

~~~

Knock, knock.

There was a few banging noises from inside before Ed said, "Who's there?"

"Pizza."

There was a breathed laugh and then a, "Pizza who?"

"Pizza open the door," Harry said in an embarrassingly stupid Italian accent.

The door opened and revealed Ed, sea green eyes blurry with tears and a sad smile on his lips.

"I wish I could hear Gemma tell those stupid jokes again," he whispered and Harry smiled shyly back, rubbing his neck. "But I suppose you're good enough."

Harry shook his head, stepping into the apartment. "I'll never be anything close to Gemma."

Ed shrugged, closing the door and watching Harry sit on the couch. "You put yourself down so much, Harry, but there's so many wonderful things about you."

"Like?" Harry grumbled.

"You just have the ability to make people fall in love."

"Not on purpose," Harry grumbled. "I seduce them into it, which is no fair!"

"You didn't seduce Louis. I can see how in love he is with you, not your body. I mean, I'm sure it's that, too, but you get-"

"I do, Ed. I'm just... I want to show Louis how true- I'm not here for this, Ed. I want to do something I haven't done in a long time."

Ed raised an eyebrow. "Look, mate, I love to hook up but-"

"Shut the hell up and sit down," Harry said with a laugh, making Ed laugh as well, sitting a foot apart from Harry, turning to face him.

"I'm waiting."

"Don't say anything until I've finished speaking."

"Okay," Ed said.

"Alright... I've... I had a nightmare, no surprise, but it wasn't really... It wasn't a nightmare, but it was. I'll explain. I dreamed about the first time you and I had sex-"

"Wow, what a nightmare," Ed sneered.

"I said be quiet, you twat," Harry grumbled. "Anyways," I woke up thinking about it and... It was a nightmare because I finally realized what I did to you, Ed. I'm truly such a fucked up person. I took my dead sister's other half for granted, took your virginity, your innocence, your damned happiness. I could never be sorry for anything more than this. And I'm shit at apologies but I just... I know now, I know what love feels like and I don't know what I'd do if Louis didn't love me back."

Harry took a deep breath, ready to continue, but the words got stuck in his throat, lost in his mind.

"Harry," Ed said softly, and, shit, he was crying, but he was also smiling, and Harry reached over and pulled Ed into a hug.

"I love you, Ed, and it's not the way you want, but I care so much for you," Harry said honestly, feeling his stomach drop when Ed let out a sob.

"Harry..." He whimpered, tightening his grip. "I'm-I'm so happy you just said that to me, I'm... I can't believe it. I love you, too, even if it's just a brotherly way to you."

Harry rubbed Ed's back, knowing it would be to much to kiss Ed's neck lightly, but Louis was honestly the only person he wanted to kiss.

"Do you want to go see a movie?" Harry asked, pulling away. "Maybe grab a pizza? Just, like, hang out?"

Ed laughed loudly, eyes crinkling. "Sure... Why don't we bring Louis? And... And Niall?"

Harry smirked, nudging Ed's shoulder playfully. "That sounds like a great idea."

~~~

It should've been awkward.

That's the thing. It should've.

The dinner date was surprisingly comfortable.

They sat in a booth at Big Al's Pizza Buffet & Arcade, Louis and Harry on one side, Niall and Ed on the other.

Niall didn't even seemed phased, he was glowing with the attention that Ed was giving him, and Harry could tell that Louis regretted ever sleeping with Niall just because he couldn't make Niall this happy.

Ed was getting along just fine with Louis and that made Harry happy because those two, besides Zayn (and maybe Niall and Liam now), were the only two boys that he truly cared about.

Just in very different ways.

Harry was in the middle of eating a slice of spinach and Alfredo pizza when Louis began to get jittery, shaking his knee and fiddling with his fingers.

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked quietly while Ed and Niall were caught up in a talk about guitars.

Louis blushed, eyes trained on something just past Harry's head, so Harry turned his head the other way to see the arcade. Little kids were running in and out, little stuffed bears in their arms and smiles on their pizza sauce-stained faces.

"Do you wanna go play?" Harry asked in all seriousness, brushing his hand on Louis's bouncing thigh.

"Yes, please," Louis replied quietly, causing Harry to smile and slide out the booth, followed by Louis.

"Arcade?" Harry asked, to which Niall practically pushed Ed out of the booth and towards the arcade.

The four ended up playing dozens of rounds of ski ball and overall just having a laugh.

Louis walked out with a stuffed Minion toy and Harry was really just very in love with a child.

~~~

"Inside Out is such a kid's movie!" Harry whined. "It's a cartoon, therefore it's most likely super predictable."

"It's three against one!" Louis said stubbornly, stomping his foot and causing a few people to look over.

"Yeah, it's only fair," Niall added, stepping beside Louis and crossing his arms.

"No," Harry said, but he knew deep down he was going to have to see this fucking movie. In 3D.

"Harry-"

"Please, Lou. I don't want-"

Harry went speechless as Louis climbed onto Harry's shoes, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend.

"Please, Daddy," Louis whispered, causing a shiver to run down Harry's spine.

"Fine," Harry groaned, causing Louis to squeal and pull away, pressing a fleeting kiss to Harry's thin lips before rushing forward to buy the tickets.

Once they retreated snacks and glasses, they went into a crowded theater filled with ten-year-olds.

The four of them sat in the back. Louis, Harry, Ed, and Niall in that order. Louis was beside the only other noticeable over-age-fourteen couple in the entire theater.

They were two boys who contrasted quite differently. One was tall and skinny with short, quiffed hair and creamy skin while the other was short and a little curvy, having long and wild hair and a pretty tan like Louis's.

The one next to Louis, the short one, was giggling and talking about how excited he was. Louis, being a little butterfly, spoke up and said, "Yeah, I'm excited."

The stranger turned and smiled a dimpled smile. "I know! Luke here says it's for babies, but I'm older than he is!"

'Luke' snorted, shaking his head. "Ash, they judge age by maturity now, dear."

Louis fake-gasped. "No! The older is automatically claimed oldest. I'm older than my boyfriend."

"Nah, this guy is right. Maturity is key," Harry spoke up, causing the 'Ash' guy to giggle again.

"Im Ashton, by the way. And this is Lukey-"

"Luke."

"And he thinks he's punk rock because he has a lip piercing."

Louis laughed and several mothers turned to glare because the commercials were ending, meaning the movie was soon to come.

"I'm Louis and this is Harry and those two snogging twats are Ed and Niall."

"S'a gay fest," Luke said with a snort, making Ashton scowl and smack him.

"Shut up, Luke, there's so many people in here."

Luke smiled fondly and wrapped an arm around Ashton.

"Anyways, suppose we better watch this," Louis mumbled.

"Yeah, and it better be good," Harry said.

~~~

It wasn't good.

Like Harry had predicted, he was able to guess what was coming next. Something always seemed to go wrong and it was a tad ridiculous.

But, on the bright side, Louis didn't stop giggling and being cute plus Harry might have made new friends, something he hasn't done in a very long time.

And maybe he could actually enjoy life because, thanks to Louis, he had something to smile about.

~~~

Heeey school is back so updates will be about a week apart but I'll try to update this more since there's only SIX chapters left!

PQOTC: Lashton??

MA: usually I read Muke or Lashton and occasionally Cake if I'm reading 5SOS ships (Luke makes every couple hot)  but I only ship Muke irl

Xx