Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

August 2020

"I don't want you to go," said Harry still lying in the arms of Louis. The night sky hung over them like the roof of a tent, the only sound the chirping of the crickets and the soft rhythmic waves splashing softly against the shore.

"I know. I don't want to leave either. This has been the best weeks of my life!" Louis answered, looking into the stars.

"Can't we just not go home? Endless vacation? Together?". Louis chuckled at that "I wish. But we do have families to go back to and friends and school" he answered trailing off at the end. Now it was Harry's turn to chuckle "Since when do you care about school?". "Oi! Don't be rude!" Louis exclaimed, slapping the other's arm lightly.

"Not rude if it's the truth! The entire time here, you hardly said a word about your school!" Harry said, changing position slightly so that he could look into Louis' striking blue eyes.

Striking blue eyes that rolled after his comment. "Not all of us ace every subject, Haz." He stopped talking for a second before continuing "Besides, thinking about school would mean thinking about a place where I don't have you, where I don't see you again. Where I don't feel this free."

Harry played with the strings of Louis' hoodie and thought about what to say, his glittering nail polish reflecting the light of the moon ever so slightly "I mean, just because we live apart, doesn't mean we have to never see each other again. We're both in Year 13 after that school is finished! We can meet up then or during the half-term breaks. This is England, it's small!"

"I really hope you're right," Louis answered, looking down to meet Harry's eyes. Locked in the embrace, Louis lent in bending his head to meet Harrys soft and red lips and-

"Damn it! Sorry, that's my phone!" Harry sighed, sitting up and taking his phone out of his pocket "Shit!" he exclaimed sitting up straighter.

"What is it, love?" Louis asked sitting up as well.

"It's my mum. We forgot the time, it's almost 11!" Harry said hastily while he got up. He turned around and held a hand down to Louis "Come on!".

Louis however, didn't move. "Louis! I will leave without even a handshake if you don't get up now!". The threat made Louis lookup with one eyebrow lifted " You wouldn't do that!"

"Watch me!" Harry said and started to turn away. "Okay, okay! Wait, don't leave please!" Said Louis behind him scrambling to get up and therefore missing the smug smile on the other boy's face.

Having caught up with Harry, he slid his hand into Harry's and laid his head softly on his shoulder. Now that they were standing, the height difference was more noticeable again.

They kept walking through the warm night until both stopped in front of the house Harry and his family were staying in. After several moments of tearful kisses and goodbyes, the two of them parted with heavy hearts, unknowing of when they would see each other again.

That is until Harry's phone chimed at 4:00 am.

Lou: Meet me at the cabin

Harry: It's 4 am

Lou: Does that mean you're not coming?

Harry: Already on my way

Harry quickly made his way over to the small empty cabin, down at the beach. In the distance, he already saw a small figure waiting for him on the bench in front of it.

"You came!" the figure exclaimed. "I told you I would!" Harry answered. "Any reason for this meeting?" He asked sitting down next to Louis.

"Just wasn't ready for a goodbye."

As an answer, Harry kissed Louis full on the lips, hands clinging to each other, not letting go. A hand slid down Harry's thigh and soon, clothes were shed, both boys hovering in a state of tearful bliss.

One hour later, now in front of Louis' holiday home, promises were made. Promises of seeing each other when they finished school or had a break, promises to stay in contact and promises not to forget.

Despite the sad goodbye, Harry had rarely before felt this happy.

Not knowing that only within the next week, that would change drastically.

Chapter Text

"Harry, darling, can I talk to you?" Anne asked, scaring Harry who hadn't noticed his mother entering the kitchen. He stood up, the soda he got from the fridge still in his hand, trying not to think about the caramel haired boy as he came face to face with his mother. "What's up?" he asked and he felt himself getting nervous at the serious expression on Anne's face.

"Is everything okay? Is it aunt Catherine? Has she gotten worse?" That's always what his mind went to these days. His favourite aunt, his mums little sister sick with cancer, him having to watch over his little cousins, both of them way to young to understand their mum's situation. This holiday had been for aunt Catherine. Getting her out of the house. Harry's anxiety spiked up, like it always did.

"No, honey no. Catherine is, well she's still the same at least. But it also is about this. Kind of", Anne stuttered nervously. That did nothing to calm Harry down "Mum, come to the point! What is it?" he asked, fidgeting nervously.

"Well, aunt Catherine isn't getting worse currently, but she's also not getting better. Uncle Authur is overworked with caring for Tillie and Max at the same time as taking care of Cathy. Robin and I both agreed that it would be a good idea not to go back home, but to go with them to Doncaster. We could help them and be there if anything changes!" Anne said, talking quite fast. "Moving? to Doncaster?" Harry asked startled. He did definitely not expect that. "Yes. I know that it would be difficult. You being in your last year of secondary school, the band, your friends. But it would be so helpful if you could do this!" Anne almost begged.

Harry thought about this. Leaving all of his friends back home, leaving his band, leaving school. Leaving his home. "Can't I just stay home alone? I'm 17! I can do that, it's not long until I turn 18, you guys can leave me money, I'll call everyday!" He suggested, talking fast, stumbling over his words.

Anne raised an eyebrow "Harry, there is no way in hell that I'm going to let you stay on your own.". "So, what you mean is, you asked me but didn't give me a choice?" Harry exclaimed.

"I'm your mother." Anne said simply. Harry sighed, desperately trying to find the bright side to this entire situation. He would be close to aunt Catherine and uncle Author, who he absolutely loved and of course Tillie and Max. And then, the epiphany came: Doncaster! That's where Louis lives! Obviously, Doncaster is big enough that it's not very likely that they'll just see each other, or spend time in the same social circles, but at least they'd be in the same city. They could meet up and go back to where they stopped.

"Alright. I guess I don't have a choice. But: I deserve a later curfew and a raise in my allowance! Deal?" he held out a hand to his mother who eyed him warily at first, then sighed and shook his hand. "Deal!". With that, Harry left the kitchen to go up the stairs and get his phone!

Once he had it, a sinking feeling came up in his chest. He opened the chat with Louis and looked over the messages he had send, all without a reply.

(Yesterday 10:00 am)

Harry: Hey! Can’t believe summer is almost over but thank you for last night. It was amazing!

(Read)

(Yesterday 7:00 pm)

Harry: So, quick question: what was the name of that restaurant we went to on Tuesday? I want to find the recipe to that pasta and never eat anything else ever again!

(delivered)

(Yesterday 11:00 pm)

Harry: Good night <3

(delivered)

(Today 10:00 am)

Harry: Good morning 😊

(delivered)

Harry sighed. He technically told himself to not send any messages anymore, four seemed excessive enough. Harry also tried to find logical solutions for the lack of answers. The first text (the only one read) was just a statement send in the morning, at a time where Louis was most likely in a car with his family. The text didn’t require an actual response.

The second text however, was a question. Something that you would expect to get a response from. But Harry tried to calm himself. Louis had just come back from a 5 week holiday on the opposite of England to where he lived. Maybe he was catching up with his friends. Maybe he was unpacking!

Maybe, maybe he didn’t want to answer Harry. But no! That couldn’t be the case. Louis was the one who said to stay in touch! To text and to chat in hope of meeting sometime! There must be another reason.

Maybe Louis was abducted by Aliens! That would be a very good reason to not look at his phone and if that was the case, of course Harry would forgive him.

Harry looked at the string of texts again. Yes, he did tell himself to not text again before he got a response, but this was important! This would have to get a response! He was moving into the same city as Louis, this was huge! So Harry began to type.

(now)

Harry: Hey, so funny story. I’m kinda moving to Doncaster? We could meet up! I don’t know where about you go to school, but my mum send me the name of my new school. Is Hall Cross Academy anywhere near you?

(delivered)

Now that he had that out of the way, Harry had to tell his friends from his band. This would be hard.

“Okay, this is getting ridiculous!” Harry muttered looking at the string of unanswered, unread texts in his chat with Louis. It’s been a week since he got any response from the other boy! He was starting school tomorrow!

Let’s review: in the past week, Harry had told his friends that he was moving, packed up his holiday house, drove home, packed up his entire childhood house, had milkshakes with his friends at their favourite place, said goodbye to them, drank milkshakes again because Will wasn’t ready to say goodbye, said goodbye again, drove to Doncaster with his mother and step-father (his sister Gemma already of to Uni) and unpacked his entire childhood home into his new house, a block away from his aunt and uncles home.
Meanwhile, Louis Tomlinson had answered not one of his texts.

And now, Harry lay in bed, wondering what was going on and worrying about going to a new school the next day. Great life.

Maybe he really got abducted by aliens, Harry thought before drifting off to sleep, the prospects of a new school and new people in the back of his mind. The image of a tan, blue eyed boy very prominent before his eyes and the question, when he would see him again not leaving his dreams.

Little did he know, it would be sooner than he believed.

Chapter Text

Harry drove through the carpark, desperately looking for a spot. He has been doing that for the last ten minutes! Finally! A free spot. Harry quickly parked the car, already running late. This is great. Late on the first day! He quickly to the keys and turned of the ignition, grabbing his back from the passenger seat and jumping out of the car!

Just to be yanked back by the seatbelt that had caught in his arm, leading him to crash into the side of his car, bounce back and fall onto his knees.

Maybe the universe was nice. Making him late, so that no one would witness his embarrassment. Harry looked up. Or maybe the universe did suck. Because there, on the other side of the carpark, stood a boy, staring at him and looking like he was desperately trying not to laugh.

Harry got up and cleaned up his dusty pants, to walk over to the boy. “Any chance you did not just see that?” Harry asked the blonde boy. But sadly, the boy just shook his head. “That was quite a stunt there, lad!” he said with a slight Irish accent, grinning at him. “Well, this is absolutely mortifying.” Harry mumbled. The boys, again, shook his head “It’s fine. Happens to the best of us. I’m Niall, by the way.” he said, extending his hand.

Harry relaxed. This boy didn’t seem like the kind of person to openly make fun of him, so he extended his hand as well and shook Niall’s “Harry.”

“You’re new, aren’t you?” Niall asked, eyeing the other boy “I think I would have remembered you otherwise!”. Harry looked down on himself. He was wearing a flower-patterned shirt, Chelsea boots, skinny jeans and bright nail polish. He could have misunderstood the question, but it hardly seemed like Niall was flirting with him.

“Yeah, I am. I’m from London.” he said smiling. “Actually, could you help me out? I have no idea where I have to go from here.”

Niall grinned again (did he ever stop) and nodded “Sure! Who’s you’re form tutor?” he asks. “Um, Mr. Birchell, I believe.” Harry answered.

“Oh, great! You’re with me, come on,” Niall stated, turning around and moving towards the school building.

From the inside, it didn’t look to different compared to his old school. Then of course, doesn’t every school look the same? Long, tiled corridors, wooden doors to mark the classrooms. Harry kept looking around until Niall stopped before one of the doors and opened it to a classroom with a middle-aged man in a suit and a bit more than a dozen students sitting in small groups at the tables featured in the room.

“Horan, you are late. Nice to see that some things never change!” The teacher - Mr Birchell - said. Niall smiled “Nice to see you too, sir! And, I have a reason to be late today. I brought our new student with me!” he said, then quickly sat down and began talking to two girls: one tall and slim with long glossy brown hair, the other one shorter with dark skin, black hair and dimples when she smiled at Niall.

“You must be Harry then!” said Mr Birchell, pulling Harry out of his trance and nodded quickly. “Everyone, this is Harry Styles, our new student! You can sit down on the chair next to Mr Horan.” said the teacher pointing to said chair.

Harry quickly went and sat down and immediately, Niall started to whisper to him “Harry, these two beautiful ladies are Kendall,” he pointed to the tall girl “and Lizzo.” The girls waved to Harry, Harry waved back.

Soon after, the teacher started talking but Harry couldn’t seem to focus on the information he most likely had to know. But with everything going on, concentration was harder for Harry. Louis not the only thing on is mind, but also his aunts disease, his little cousins confusion as to why their mother was sick and sad, his move, everything weighed on his mind like a thick and heavy blanket.

He was so deep in his thoughts, he didn’t notice Niall, Lizzo and Kendall sitting around his table. Niall poked him to get his attention and Harry jumped. “Huh?” he asked, looking around confused.

“Sir let us have a bit of catching time.” Kendall said. “Soooo....” Lizzo dragged out “Where are you from?” asked Lizzo leaning onto her hand.

“Um, I’m from London. But I don’t think I’ll live here for long.” Harry said quickly which caused Kendall to raise an Eyebrow “Is that so? That seems unusual”.

“Yeah, I know, we moved here because of my aunt. We spend the holidays with her so mum suggested the move. She’s sick, so we’re helping her out.”

“Oh man, that’s a downer.” Niall exclaimed. Harry gave him an apologetic look, but before he could say anything, Lizzo spoke “You spend your summer here? So, you know Donny already?”.

Harry shook his head “No, we were in Brighton. At the beach.” he clarified. Kendall sat up at that “Uh the beach!” she drew the words out and spoke with a weird sing-song in her voice “A place for romance! Tell us Styles, did you find your summer love?” she finished.

Harry couldn’t help it and started blushing, looking down. The gesture made all the eyes around the table go wide. “Oh my god! You did, didn’t you! Spill! Tell us about her!” Kendall squealed. “Or him,” Lizzo added “it could be a him!”. “Is it a him?” Kendall asked.

Harry investigated the faces around the table. He was out in London. Out to his parents and everyone really. Everyone was cool about it, because it was London. The big, open city that hardly ever slept. But here? He didn’t know the area; he didn’t know anything about the three people in front of him. What if his possibly new friends were terribly homophobic?

He breathed in and out a few times, before he nodded not looking at either of the three “It’s a him.” Kendall smirked “How was he?”. Lizzo hit her arm “Ken!” she said incredulously, but then smiled at Harry. “What’s his name?” she asked.

Harry blushed again before answering quietly “Louis. He actually lives here, in Doncaster. I don’t know where about though. Wait, I have a picture of him!” he said, rummaging through his bag for his phone. With his head bowed, he didn’t notice Lizzo, Kendall and Niall looking at each other with slight shock on their faces.

Harry came up again, showing the others a picture, he took with Louis. “That’s him!” he said.

All three looked at the picture and their eyes widened even further. But before he could say anything, the bell rang. Harry stood up and was led to his class by Niall who stayed quiet. Before they parted, Niall gave Harry his number.

The classes were a blur of introductions, catching up and a lot of new faces. When he entered the cafeteria, he saw Niall waving to him from a table in the corner where Lizzo and Kendall sat already. Harry went and sat down with them.

“Are you coming to the party tonight?” Niall asked as soon as Harry put his tray down. Harry looked at him confused “What party?”. Niall slapped his own forehead “Right, you’re new. Forgot about that. Someone from our year is throwing a party today. We’re all going. Do you want to come as well?” he asked.

Harry thought about that for a moment. On one hand, big social gatherings weren’t entirely his thing. But on the other, missing the first party of his new school could be considered social suicide. If he wanted to get to know people, he would have to go to this party.

Plus, convincing his parents wasn’t going to be hard. Both, his mother but also his stepfather were quite relaxed. Adding to that, he had the “you took me out of my home and uprooted me and now employ me for 24/7 babysitting” guilt trip.

Harry shrugged his shoulders “Sure,” he said, “I’ll come”. Lizzo smiled kindly, Kendall mustered him. She seemed more hesitant around him than she was before for some reasons.

“Great!” Niall exclaimed, clapping his hand “We’ll meet at my house at 7 and then can go to Zayn’s place together.” For the continuation of lunchtime, Lizzo, Kendall, Harry and Niall chatted about this and that. Learning new facts about them. How Lizzo, much like him, loves to sing and so does Niall. How Kendall has 5 siblings, and they have enough family drama to make a reality show out of it.

They kept talking until the bell rang and they all had to go to their classes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Much to how Harry had expected it, his parents had no problem with him going to a party after some excessive guilt tripping, he was allowed to stay till midnight (very Cinderella, he had pointed out) if he always kept his phone with him.

Harry arrived at the address Niall had given him and climbed out of his car. Upon ringing the doorbell, a woman, presumably Niall’s mother, opened the door. “Hello! You must be Harry, come in! I’m sorry for the mess.” she said, the same Irish accent as her son. Harry looked around and noted that absolutely nothing was messy. He knew messy. He had two little cousins who threw tantrums all the time, splashing paint everywhere or that one day where Aunt Catherine had to go to the hospital and Tillie had emptied her entire closet on the floor with all the anger and screaming a six-year-old could muster.

This house, however, was not messy. Not messy at all. In fact, it seemed quite neat. “Niall is upstairs in his room with the girls. Just go up and then it’s the first door on the right.” Niall’s mother said before returning to another room. Harry went to the room she had guided him too and knocked on the door before entering.

Niall lay on the bed, Lizzo in a desk chair whilst Kendall touched up on her makeup. “Harry, you came” Niall exclaimed happily, the expression reminding Harry of that night a week ago where Louis had said the exact same thing to him.

Kendall pushed away from the mirror and went over to a handbag. She bent down and pulled out a bottle of vodka. “Alright who wants a pre-party drink?” she asks, screwing the bottle open and taking a sip herself. Lizzo grabbed the bottle and gave it to Niall. Kendall raised an eyebrow looking at Harry “You want some?”. Harry shook his head “I don’t drink often.” he said meanwhile thinking about how he never drank. In his London hipster group of friends, drinking wasn’t considered ‘cool’.

Kendall scoffed “Of course you’re one of those hipster big-city kids. Should’ve expected that.” Harry sighed. What had happened with her? She was nice to him at first. “Guys, let’s go. It’s time to go to the party!” Lizzo said, standing up. Kendall gave Harry one last glare, then stood up as well and took her jacket off the chair. Harry and Niall followed the girls out of the door, Niall pulling back a little “Don’t mind Kendall. She’s sometimes a bit... icky with new people”. Harry raised an eyebrow at the word ‘icky’ but sighed in acceptance, saying goodbye to Niall’s mother before leaving through the door.

“If you don’t drive, you’ll be able to drive, won’t you Styles?” Kendall asked, smirking. Harry sighed, again, and nodded. Going to the right side of the car and sitting down in the drivers car. Niall got into the passenger seat and grinned at him “Hey, the last time I saw you in a car-”

“Don’t!” harry interrupted, not wanting to relive the embarrassment of the morning.

“Okay, what did we miss? Horan, spill!” Kendall said, climbing into the backseat. Harry groaned, letting his head fall onto the steering wheel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Party was like every party Harry’s ever been to –which, admittedly, have not been many- it was loud, crowded and the piercing stench of alcohol filled his nostrils. “We have to do something real quick!” said Kendall, tugging Lizzo along with her. Harry looked at them, confusion prominent on his face.

Niall snickered “Those two do weird stuff sometimes. Just ignore it.”. Harry shrugged and looked around until the other boy tugged him along as well “Let’s mingle a bit!”. Niall pointed out a few people he might be interested to know. A group of girls, covered in makeup with short dresses. A few almost goth looking kids, dressed in all black. Nothing out of the ordinary, Harry thought.

Niall brought him into the kitchen where he got himself a coke, whilst Niall got a cup of something that smelled like a mixture of alcohol and a lot of sugar. Both having got their drinks, they went back into a room that looked like the living room, but almost all the furniture was pushed back. Harry saw Lizzo in the crowd, talking to someone with caramel hair and wearing a black jacket. She looked like she wanted to talk to the person but they were in a group of people wearing the exact same jackets. Sport team, Harry thought. Harry and Niall approached Lizzo who looked at them with wide eyes.

“Nialler! You made it!” said a boy (fuck that boy is beautiful) with dark eyes and black hair, smiling with only one side of his lip tipped up. The call caused all the others to turn too. Another boy who (Harry didn’t know why) but he gave him serious puppy vibes. A wide, genuine smile, light brown curls and brown eyes.

And lastly, the boy Lizzo was talking to. Feathery, caramel hair, slightly shorter than Harry. And then: blue eyes. Startling blue eyes. Blue eyes that invoked a whole bunch of memories from their holiday. Startling blue eyes that widened in surprise when they fell upon Harry.

“Harry?” Louis asked surprised.