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“Harry!” The young boy’s voice could be heard over the entire park as he sprinted over the grass. His short legs moving too quick for the eye to see and shouts of happiness falling form his lips at the swooping feeling in his stomach as he ran as fast as he could.
“Louis!” An equally young voice called back and Louis squealed once more before flinging himself into the arms of the shorter boy. The two stood there, entangled in each other, just absorbing the pure joy of being reunited. A wide smile was stretched across both of their round and innocent faces as they squeezed tightly together once more before letting go.
“Harry? Where’d you run off to, buddy?” Another voice sounded between the trees. A young adult, no more than eighteen, with blonde hair and blue eyes appeared from behind a shrub, the direction Harry had stood when Louis had come running.
“I’m here, Niall! I found Louis!” Harry’s delighted voice answered immediately and waved just in case Niall wouldn’t see them.
“Oh! Hi, Louis!” Niall said, pretending to be surprised, just for the sake of seeing Harry’s face light up at the praise of achieving something before Niall who was, after all, older.
“Niall!” Louis squealed once again and ran to Niall’s open arms. He flung himself into Niall’s arms, perhaps a bit less eager than with Harry, but just as happy. He laughed loudly when Niall lifted him up into his arms and hugged him tight as he twirled once around. Setting Louis down again he felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips at Louis disoriented little face and slight stumble from the sudden twirl. Within a second Harry was at his side, grabbing his hand to steady him. He was frowning slightly as he held tightly onto Louis.
“You ok there, Louis?” Niall asked, still smiling carefully.
“Yes!” Louis replied at once. He had stopped swaying and was smiling at Harry, still holding his hand.
“Where’s your mum, Louis?” Niall asked instead of dwelling on if Louis decided on over-playing his hurt to get a kiss on the cheek from Harry. As much as he loved the two, small boys to death, Niall had to admit that they would do practically anything to achieve a cuddle or a kiss from the other. A distraction was much asked for at times.
“She was behind me.” Louis stated thoughtfully before adding “Mum?” with a yell. Probably just for the sake of yelling.
Harry caught on and joined in with his soft, bright voice, “Ja-ay!” He was nearly more singing that yelling, but Louis seemed grateful for his help nonetheless.
At last they could see Louis’ mum making her way up a grassy hill nearby.
“Hey, mum!” Louis yelled and waved. His mother smiled and waved back. A bag was slung over her shoulder and at the sight of the two boys holding hands she clasped her hands together and smiled warmly at Harry who was waving just as excitedly.
“Hello!” Harry yelled as well. Niall put a hand gently on each of their backs and gently pushed them forwards.
“Why don’t you run say hi?” He said quietly only to them. Harry turned his face and beamed at him over his shoulder before tugging Louis with his as they ran towards Jay. Running hand in hand, Harry stumbled in his own short legs and Louis held him up.
“Hey, boys!” Jay ushered and crouched down to envelop them in a warm hug. The two young boys were together nearly all the time and Jay considered Harry her son nearly as much as Louis. They were like brothers.
"Niall’s already here, mum!" Louis exclaimed to his mother once they had stood up again.
"Yes I can see that, honey. I’ll just head over and talk to him, you can play nicely for a minute, right?" Jay answered. She patted both of the boy’s heads and smiled down at them. Louis immediately shook her hand off, but Harry stood there wantonly, enjoying the contact that ended too soon for his liking.
She doubted they could ‘play nicely’ even for a second, but she said it anyways, just for the sake of acting casual. She would of course keep an eye or two on them the whole time. After they had managed once to climb onto the roof because they were afraid of the land mower they had put on automatic down on the grass by the house, and by doing so ruining the hopes Jay had of making her flowers look nice, she didn’t really trust them alone. But, then again, what would you expect from a five and a six year old.
"Okay!" They both answered immediately.
"Hello, Niall!" Jay smiled, walking over to where Niall was fondly watching the two boys jump up and down holding hands.
"Hi, Jay!" Niall replied.
"Thank you so much for doing this! I’ve just got so much to do and Louis really can be a handful sometimes, well you know." Jay smiled apologetically at Niall. "Did Harry come with you?"
"Yeah, I picked him up at Anne’s. My car’s parked around the corner." Niall pointed vaguely in the direction of his car.
"Are you sure you’ll be fine?" Jay couldn’t help but ask. "I mean, it’s both of them. At the same time.”
Niall shrugged.
"It seems to me like they’re doing just fine."
Harry and Louis had stopped jumping up and down and were now standing hand in hand, just looking at each other. As Niall and Jay stood watching them, Louis suddenly leaned in and pecked Harry once on his lips. Harry seemed momentarily surprised, but blushed furiously and tucked his chin down, looking at the ground while swinging their linked hands.
They were indeed doing just fine.