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Harry knew better. He knew that his tooth was a problem and he needed to get it looked at, but going to the dentist was the literal worst. He hated everything about it—the antiseptic smell and the bright light in his face and the disappointment in himself and the suction thingy that kept his mouth too dry.
But the thing he hated the most was how in love with his dentist he was.
Dr. Tomlinson was kind and funny and never asked questions for Harry to answer as soon as his tools were inside of Harry’s mouth. And he was gorgeous. Well, his eyes were. And his hair too. And the cheekbones that Harry could see beneath Dr. Tomlinson’s mask. He rarely got a really good look at Dr. Tomlinson but the few times he had, it was like the entire world stopped spinning and all he could think about was making Dr. Tomlinson his husband.
So even though Harry was disappointed in himself for letting his tooth get as bad as he imagined it to be, he also hated the thought of disappointing Dr. Tomlinson. If Dr. Tomlinson were to ask Harry why he didn’t come in sooner, Harry was afraid that he’d buckle under pressure and admit the truth: he had a huge crush on his dentist and wanted his dentist to think of him as an A+ patient.
So he put it off a little longer. Until it was clear that he couldn't put it off any longer.
***
The office was empty. The receptionist had said that she’d do what she could to fit Harry into Dr. Tomlinson’s busy schedule, and then called back a few minutes later to offer an appointment that day, after hours. Harry took it immediately, glad he wouldn’t have to wait another semi-sleepless night in pain.
He wasn’t used to being the only one in the office. He was used to the receptionist answering non-stop phone calls and a busy waiting room. He shut the door quietly behind him.
Walking to the empty front desk, Harry froze in place when he heard voices in the back hallway toward the examining rooms. “Niall, what am I going to do?” It was Dr. Tomlinson’s perfect voice.
“You’re going to charm him like you charm all of your patients, but you’re also going to be respectful because he is a patient and you do not want to be sued.”
“I know, but he’s just so handsome.” Dr. Tomlinson sighed, like a dramatic heroine.
Harry’s heart rate picked up. Dr. Tomlinson was into dudes. But the reality hit him just as quickly, he might be into guys, but was into another patient. Harry rang the bell on the counter and took a steading breath. The voices immediately stopped. It was fine if Dr. Tomlinson was crushing on someone else, it’s not like Harry had a claim to him, at all. He could control his feelings. He had been doing it for years, and now he knew that with Dr. Tomlinson was interested in someone, if he were to act on anything, it would definitely cross over from potentially welcoming to definitely not welcome.
“Harry!” Niall, Harry’s favorite dental hygienist, said, as he came around the counter. He looked surprised, though clearly they should’ve been expecting him.
“I have a 6:30 with Dr. Tomlinson?” It definitely sounded like a question. He was going to fall into the floor if he misheard the date of his appointment. Then creeped on their conversation.
“Yeah, of course! We’ll be ready for you in just a moment.” Niall paused, like he wasn’t sure what to do next, then pushed a few buttons on the keyboard and picked up a file.
“Should I…” Harry turned his body towards the empty chairs.
Niall shook his head. “Louis, Harry is here!” Niall shouted, louder than was probably necessary in the quiet office. There was no response. To Harry, Niall said, “Lottie did all your insurance stuff before she left the office tonight, so I think you’re good to come back.”
“You’re sure?” Harry laughed uncomfortably; he felt like he was missing something. Normally Niall made him feel more at ease here than anyone else.
“Yeah, of course,” Niall said with a big smile. That was the Niall Harry remembered. “Lou— Dr. Tomlinson will fix you right up and we’ll get you on your way.”
Niall ushered Harry into an empty room, got him situated on the chair, and fastened the napkin thingy around his neck. A moment later a maskless, cleanly shaven, and gorgeous Dr. Tomlinson walked in.
“What seems to be the problem, Harry?”
***
The procedure to get his temporary crown fitted, until the real one could be made and inserted, was painful. Not due to Dr. Tomlinson’s hands, which were deft and sure as always, (and also thanks to the Novocaine) but due to Dr. Tomlinson’s words.
As Harry sat there, his already too-large mouth held open by those plastic bits, literally showing Dr. Tomlinson his failings as a grown-ass adult, making Dr. Tomlinson fix him, Harry got more and more mortified. He was sure that Dr. Tomlinson had patients with perfect mouths who never got cavities and who were worthy of Dr. Tomlinson’s affections.
Harry had always slid towards avoidance when it came to dealing with his problems, and with a heavy heart, Harry realized that it was probably going to be better moving forward if he didn’t see Dr. Tomlinson again, since he was just going to be extra sad that his love was unrequited.
Dr. Tomlinson was also quieter than normal, by this point Harry knew all about Dr. Tomlinson’s family and Harry missed the proud updates: whether the twins got into the colleges they wanted, what sports his youngest siblings were playing. More than the actual updates, Harry wanted to see the joyous crinkles by Dr. Tomlinson’s eyes and feel like he was being let in on a secret. This appointment was far more perfunctory, with Dr. Tomlinson making a halfhearted comment about how the heatwave will hopefully end any day now and asking if Harry had run into a lot of traffic on his drive over. It was boring, and Harry wanted to smooth away the wrinkle that was forming in the middle of Dr. Tomlinson’s forehead.
He wanted his Dr. Tomlinson back.
At the end of the procedure, Dr. Tomlinson turned his back as he snapped off his gloves. “Lottie’ll give you a call when we’re ready for you to come back.”
“She was finally promoted, huh?” Harry said. After Niall’s comment in the waiting room, Harry had expected to get the news directly from Dr. Tomlinson. She had been doing odd jobs around the office for as long as Harry had been coming there.
“Oh, yeah,” Dr. Tomlinson said to Harry’s chart. “Tabby retired last month, and Lot’s been doing a great job since then.”
“Cool.” Harry was stalling, but he still wanted Dr. Tomlinson to turn around. To say goodbye. To maybe get a handshake or a pat on his back on the way out. “Well, thanks.”
“Bye Harry.” Dr. Tomlinson still hadn’t looked up. Harry hated everything.
Niall followed him out to the waiting room, and there Harry had a moment to ask, quickly, without fully thinking it through, “Could you recommend a different dentist?”
Niall looked shocked. “Um. Is there something wrong?”
“Oh. No. Just… you know…” Harry didn’t even know, so he wasn’t sure what Niall was going to imply by the vague statement.
“Uh. Lou?” Niall said, loudly. “Harry’s looking for a rec for a different dentist. Anyone you went to school with that you’d recommend?”
Dr. Tomlinson’s head shot around the corner. “Niall, can you give us a minute?” he asked as he walked out.
“Sure thing, boss.”
Harry had never wanted the earth to swallow him up the way he did in that moment.
“Harry, I absolutely understand.” Dr. Tomlinson reached out to touch Harry’s arm, then pulled back like he had been burned. “I’ll call around and see who is accepting new patients. I can even send the crown over, if you’d like someone else to place it.”
Harry didn’t. He wanted Dr. Tomlinson to do it. But not if Dr. Tomlinson knew how out of control his crush had gotten, which it must’ve, if he understood why Harry needed to switch.
“And I’m so, so sorry, if I ever made you uncomfortable,” Dr. Tomlinson continued.
“Please don’t sue us,” Niall shouted from a back room.
“What?” Harry could not be more confused. “What are you talking about? What do you have to be sorry about? I’m the sorry one. And what grounds would I possibly have to sue you?”
“Because…” Dr. Tomlinson said very slowly, “I was inappropriately flirting with you?”
“I heard you… when I came in,” Harry said, trying to piece together what Dr. Tomlinson was saying, trying to understand if what Harry thought was happening was really happening.
Dr. Tomlinson cradled his face in his hands. “Oh my god. That’s so embarrassing. I swear I didn’t know you were here yet. Also I don’t talk about most of my patients. But Niall was making fun of me for sweating through my other shirt once I knew you were coming in today.”
“You think I’m handsome?” Harry asked.
“Don’t answer that!” Niall shouted, again. “He might sue you.”
“I— I wouldn’t!” Harry laughed. “I swear. I just… me? I assumed you were talking about someone else.”
“Do you own a mirror, Harry? Of course I was talking about you.”
“Shut up, Louis!” Niall chimed in.
“I… I don’t want another dentist,” Harry said. Dr. Tomlinson had a crush on him! Harry would never be able to figure it out when he said the most embarrassing things like that.
“Okay?” Dr. Tomlinson said, clearly as confused by the conversation as Harry was.
“I mean… I like you. That’s why I thought I’d have to leave. Because you liked another patient. Oh, shit. That makes me sound creepy, or like a weirdo or whatever. No. I meant, you were so off today, quiet and I don’t know… not how you normally are. And I linked it to that. And… I don’t know.” Harry told his brain to stop rambling. “You look happy now, which is… great. And, I like seeing you happy so…”
“So you’re not going to sue me for sexually harassing you?” Dr. Tomlinson said, the crinkles starting to form at his eyes.
“No. You never… I never would’ve known. You were never inappropriate. Too appropriate, I’d say, now, give the situation. And knowing, like, everything I know now.”
“You do talk some shit, Harry Styles,” Dr. Tomlinson said.
“Um. Now what?”
“Ask him out!” shouted Niall.
Dr. Tomlinson opened his mouth, but Harry beat him to it. “Dr. Tomlinson, will you go out, with me, some time?”
He laughed. “First of all, please call me Louis. And yes. And also, we will have to find you a new dentist because I don’t date patients.”
That suited Harry just fine.
***
At their wedding two years later, Louis’ best man, Niall, gave the most embarrassing toast, impersonating the way they stumbled into their relationship, and giving himself credit for helping the happy couple get together.