Chapter Text
Harry smiles at the stranger.
He reflects the smile, crinkles appearing by his eyes.
The beautiful man makes a step forward, probably to close the distance between them, when the crowd shifts and Harry loses sight of him.
It’s time to walk to the concert in unison and everybody is heading for the arena where The Tones will be playing in front of thousands of people tonight.
Harry keeps looking for soft hair and blue eyes in the crowd but he doesn’t spot him.
-
The concert is fun and Harry even found some of his online Friends.
There’s L who co-organised the gathering earlier and is handing out rainbow-coloured notes to all the people who want one. Then there’s Kath, a shy girl with social anxiety whom to hug he had been looking forward since they had talked about figuring out one’s sexual and romantic orientation. She’s handing out nots as well.
Jan is a beautiful redhaired trans-boy who is jumping up and down with his trans-pride flag to a song that is rumoured to be about coming to terms with one’s gender-identity.
Harry has the best time in months and he loves every minute of it.
During a song about feeling alone and unseen by the world – that sort of became the hymn of rainbow tones – Harry notices a caramel-skinned arm in the crowd a few meters left from here he is dancing, but he loses sight the next second and doesn’t see any of it again.
-
When the concert is over Harry, L, Kath and Jay wait outside the gates in hope to find some more friends.
Kath is holding a sign with the title of their groupchat on it but every couple minutes security asks her to take it down; Something that comes with choosing a not quite G-rated title for the group.
It is already quarter past eleven at night when Harry hears a highpitched giggle and turns around.
Green eyes meet blue eyes once again.
The guy from earlier is smirking Harry then at the sign Kath is holding less enthusiastically by now. Or maybe her arms are just tired.
Harry chuckles and moves to meet the stranger before he gets lost anew.
“Hi, I’m Harry” he offers his hand.
The other man looks at the hand as if this gesture was completely unfamiliar to him.
Before Harry knows what is happening, he gets pulled into a hug.
The hug feels like home.
They pull apart.
“I’m Louis” the reply is delivered in company of a strong Yorkshire accent.
Harry’s heart skips a beat.
“Nice to meet you, Louis.” Harry smiles.
Louis is significantly shorter than Harry but still Harry doesn’t feel that difference.
It’s like Louis’ presence is filling out the whole place, the whole city, maybe even the rest of the world as they beam at each other like long-time friends who have found each other after years of separation.
Harry has never felt this way before and he feels very small and vulnerable for it.
He stares at Louis and awkwardly lifts his hand where he is holding his flag.
Louis mirrors the notion, holding up his flag in turn.
They smile at each other.
“Um, Harry?”
Harry is pulled into reality again, hesitantly directing his gaze from Louis to the person who approached them.
It’s Jan.
He looks insecure as if he disturbed a very intimate moment and Harry wonders how they must have looked to witnesses.
“Jan!” he recovers and pulls him closer by his hand.
“This is Louis. Louis, this is Jan.”
“Nice to meet you, Jan” Louis offers his hand and Jan takes it.
“Nice to meet you, too.” Jan says and they shake hands.
Harry’s heart skips another beat. They are only shaking hands.
“Um, we want to go for a pint. You wanna come?” Jan turns to face Harry. “Louis is welcome as well, of course” he adds quickly.
“I’d love me a pint!” Louis says and pulls Harry and Jan to the rest of the group who observed the situation from a safe distance.
They all greet Louis and introduce themselves and the group of now ten people moves in search for a pub.
-
As the night grows older, the group shrinks until it’s only Harry and Louis and Jan, L, and Kath.
They all got along immediately and one pint became two pints and later they were taking shots. Except for L.
“I don’t do alcohol.” They explain and the others make sure to get them juice instead.
It’s way past three in the morning when the three people say their goodbyes. They all exchanged numbers to try and stay in contact and after hugging Harry and Louis goodbye the trio leaves to return to their hotel to catch a few hours of sleep before flying back to Germany where they’re coming from.
“I gotta admit I considered skipping this concert and letting my ticket go to waste.” Louis says out of nowhere. His tongue sounding heavy and his voice a little rusty from sleepiness.
Harry looks up at that unexpected confession.
“Yeah?” he asks, his voice even slower and deeper than usual.
“Yeah, I didn’t feel like seeing this many people tonight and considered staying in and doing my sisters’ hair while watching the GBBO finale.
“I’m glad I didn’t though” he adds and offers a smile. His blue eyes sparkle in the dim light.
“I’m glad you didn’t stay home, too.” Harry admits and is surprised how sincere he is with it.
They sit in silence for a few minutes until they both attempt to say something at the same time but are both interrupted by a yawn making its way to freedom.
They break into laughter. Very loud laughter. Probably supported by alcohol.
“Do you have a place in town?” Louis asks.
“No,” Harry replies sleepily “I intended on returning home after the concert depending on how many friends I would meet tonight and maybe checking into a hostel in case it gets late.”
“You can stay at my place, if you want.” Louis offers.
“Hang on,” Harry says. “You have a place in London? With your sisters?”
“Oh,” Louis blushes. “No, I mean you can stay at the hostel I checked in earlier, if you want.” He chuckles and chugs the rest of his pint.
“Oh, you sure?” Harry wants to stay with Louis tonight.
“I’m sure, Haz.” Louis’ voice gets soft.
Harry’s heart skips more than one beat this time.
“Okay” Harry agrees and hopes Louis can’t see the blush on his face.
-
The hostel room is clean and decorated in light colours.
They managed to sneak in without the host noticing that there are two people entering the room booked for only one person.
Harry decides to leave a tip to make up for the fraud.
Louis turns on the light and takes off his shoes. His feet are bare and enters the bathroom leaving the door open. Harry can hear the shower being turned on and feels like an intruder.
He closes the door and walk over to the window from which one can see the city’s lights. Or the street’s lights at least.
Louis’ head appears in the open space between the bathroom door and doorframe.
“Do you want to take a shower, too?” He asks.
“Um, yes, please.” Harry says, then remembers “Are there enough towels?”
“Yeah,” Louis chuckles “the towels won’t be a problem. He closes the door and a few seconds later, Harry hears him sing in the shower.
He feels goosebumps appear on his arms and neck.
Louis’ voice sounds clear and high like a bell, while he sings the song the band had played earlier when Harry had spotted him in the crowd.
Harry can’t help but join in the singing. He only ever sings to himself but – he partly blames the alcohol and sleepiness – this time he lets go from his insecurity and sings at normal volume.
This is his favourite song after all.
Harry sings it to the very end and doesn’t notice that the singing and she sound of the shower on the other side of the door have stopped. He just sings the song and then continues to sing the refrain to himself a few more times.
When he looks up, Louis is leaning in the doorframe, arms crossed and smiling at him.
“You have a beautiful voice” he says a towel wrapped around his hips, tiny drops of water glistening on his torso.
Harry feels very shy all of a sudden and drops his gaze at his hands.
He usually is very open and has no trouble meeting new people, but this person is making him all fidgety and nervous for some reason.
“Thank you” he says almost whispering.
“I mean it” Louis says and pads over.
“The shower’s all yours by the way.” He gestures into the bathroom’s direction.
Harry looks at him and hopes his eyes display the gratefulness he feels for offering him an escape from this situation.
Although he doesn’t actually feel uncomfortable, he thinks that taking a shower will at least help him sort his thoughts and let him deal with this better.
-
The shower does a great deal of helping him clearing his mind and when he leaves the bathroom wearing his pants and shirt, he feels refreshed but sleepy.
Louis is wearing boxer briefs and a t-shirt as well. He looks very beautiful sitting there on the double bed – thank god it’s a double bed – and reading a newspaper.
He looks up and smiles when his eyes meet Harry’s.
“Are you comfortable with sharing a bed with me? I forgot to ask earlier.” He apologises.
“Yes, I didn’t expect anything else when you offered.” Harry replies.
“Although I am a little relieved it’s not a single bed.” He adds.
Louis chuckles.
“Yeah, it’s way too warm for that.”
“Um, yeah.” Harry is relieved Louis didn’t take that as an offence.
Blue eyes are still looking at him.
Harry looks back at him.
“What are you waiting for?” Louis finally asks and pads the spot next to him. He had claimed the window-side.
Harry walks over and climbs into the sheets.
He feels the sleep tugging at his eyelids as soon as his feet leave the floor.
Louis put his newspaper aside and lies with his back to the window on his left side, facing Harry.
Both his hands are tugged under his left cheek and he watches Harry getting comfortable, mirroring the position.
They look into each other’s’ eyes for a few seconds – minutes even? – and breath in silence.
The lights are still on.
“you good, Haz?” Louis whispers
Haz
“I’m great, Lou.” Harry whispers back.
Lou.
Louis adjusts his position.
Harry adjusts his position.
Their noses are almost touching.
Once again, Harry notices the long and thick eyelashes framing blue eyes.
“You’re beautiful.” Harry whispers almost inaudible.
Louis smiles.
Crinkles appear by his eyes.
He pulls his right hand from under his left cheek and reaches for Harry’s face.
Harry closes his eyes.
Louis tugs a streak of Harry’s long curls behind his left ear.
His fingers linger there for a few split seconds until he redraws his hand and tugs it under his left cheek once more.
Harry opens his eyes.
“You’re the most beautiful person, I’ve ever seen.” Louis whispers back.
He turns the lights off.
They lie in silence.
Blue eyes meeting green eyes.
Green eyes meeting blue eyes.
Drowning in each other.
The first light of day is creeping through the windows casting long shadows to the walls when they finally fall asleep.