Chapter Text
Was this what the apocalypse feels like? Like, was this what those YA protagonists’ ancestors went through? The apocalypse? Okay, that might be a bit overdramatic but it looked like a literal ghost town outside. Harry and Louis lived in the city, normally there were people walking down busy streets, with drivers acting like loud, obnoxious assholes right below their windows.
Louis was surprisingly okay. It was just some safety precautions that shouldn’t last too long and as long as they stayed home as much as possible they’d be fine. Even though Louis was a very social person, he could live with this for a bit. It’s not ideal, sure, but it’s not the end of the world. Probably.
Harry, on the other hand, was losing his goddamn mind. How could this not be the end of the world? It sure looked like the end of the world. It felt like the end of the world. How was Louis not panicking? Harry wasn’t even as social as Louis, but he was still freaking out. Maybe he’s overreacting and Louis was right. But, maybe he wasn’t.
“Harry, it’s only been like three days. You need to calm down,” Louis told Harry who was staring out the window at the empty, empty street.
“Oh, ‘you need to calm down,’” Harry mocked. “It’s the end of the world-”
“It is not the end of the world.”
“It is literally the end of the world right now and you want me to ‘calm down.’” Harry turned around to look at Louis who was just chilling on the couch, seemingly unbothered by the current state of the world. “How are you not freaking out right now?”
“Because I have hobbies. You need to pick up a fucking hobby,” Louis responded.
“Okay, you know what? I did not come here to be attacked. Also, I do have hobbies!”
“Then why have you spent at least three hours looking out that window every day for the past three days?” Louis shot back.
“It’s just so sad! The streets are dead! It’s actually quiet! It is never quiet here! It’s unsettling.”
Louis took a deep breath before responding, “Well, then tell me about your so-called hobbies so we can figure out something for you to do other than obsess over the empty streets.”
Harry walked over to the couch and sat down next to Louis. “Well, I like to play guitar, but I haven’t had a guitar in a while…”
“Okay, how about a hobby you can actually do, then, right?” Louis retorted, smirking, while Harry glared at him.
“I’ve always loved baking. I even worked in a bakery in high school,” Harry answered.
“See, that’s something we can do! I don’t know shit about baking, so you can tell me what you want to make and also what to do and how to do it,” Louis responded.
“Louis, you and I both know that you are absolutely useless in the kitchen.” Harry stood up from the couch and started to walk over to the kitchen.
Louis followed Harry, saying, “So, are you saying you don’t want my help? I am an absolute joy to be around, regardless of my skills, or lack thereof.”
“Okay, if you want to help so badly you can start by getting out the ingredients for banana bread,” Harry responded.
Louis stood at the edge of the counter for a bit before slowly saying, “Which are what exactly?”
“Oh my fucking God, this is what I was talking about.” Instead of answering Louis’s question, Harry just got out the ingredients on his own, while Louis sat up on the counter.
“So, how long have you been playing the guitar?” Louis asked as Harry started mixing the dry ingredients together.
“I don’t know, maybe ten years?” Harry answered.
“Wow. You any good?” Louis responded, not even trying to help anymore.
“I mean, I obviously don’t have a guitar right now, so it’s been a while, but I guess I’m okay.” Harry started mixing the wet ingredients together before mixing them in with the dry ingredients.
“Why don’t you have a guitar?” Louis asked.
Harry poured the batter into a loaf pan and said, “Because they’re expensive.”
Louis rolled his eyes before responding, “Okay, but you obviously used to have a guitar, so, what happened to it?”
“It broke and I just never replaced it.” Harry put the loaf pan into the oven and turned on the timer. “Well, now all that’s left to do is wait for the banana bread to bake, so if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back to panicking, thank you very much.”
Harry went to leave the kitchen area but Louis hopped off the counter and grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
“I do mind, actually. You can’t just keep panicking over something you have very little control over.”
“It’s just so scary, you know? I can do all the right things to keep myself safe, but there’s almost nothing I can do to help protect my friends and family. I’d like to think they’re all being safe but I just can’t know,” Harry responded.
“I know, love, but you just have to keep yourself and your mind occupied so you don’t obsess over it.”
“I know, I know.”
“You should keep up this baking thing. Maybe some brownies next? I have a really good ingredient you can use,” Louis responded with a mischievous smirk.
“Louis, I am not making weed brownies!” Harry shot back.
“Why not? You could clearly use them,” Louis said. Harry grabbed a towel off the counter and hit Louis over the head with it.
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“Harry, I’m bored,” Louis pouted while laying next to where Harry was sitting on the couch.
“I know, Louis. You’ve told me three times in the past thirty minutes,” Harry responded, not looking up from his knitting.
“And yet, I’m still bored.”
“Am I supposed to do something about that?”
“Yes.”
In the past week, Harry had started knitting as a way to keep his mind occupied. Louis, on the other hand, had not done much but annoy Harry about being bored every chance he got.
“We could try an online workout video I found,” Harry suggested.
“Ew, no,” Louis answered, as Harry had suspected he would.
“Then why don’t you come up with something on your own?” Harry asked, looking down at Louis.
Louis grabbed his phone out of his pocket and opened up the app store. “I’m going to download TikTok.”
“Why?” Harry responded.
“Because I’m bored and someone won’t entertain me. You wanna watch some videos with me?” Louis proposed, looking up at Harry.
“Fine. But only because it’ll get you to shut up.” Harry put down his knitting as Louis sat up and opened TikTok. They scroll through the app for a while, watching dancing videos, comedy sketches, and cooking tutorials that pop up on the For You Page.
“We should try one of these dances,” Harry says, after a while.
“Why?” Louis asked, looking over at Harry.
“Why not? It’s not like we have anything better to do,” Harry answered.
“Yeah, I am not doing that. Have fun though.” Louis smiled sarcastically, causing Harry to pout.
“Fine. Just keep scrolling then,” Harry said. Louis laughed before doing what he was told.
They continued scrolling through the videos before Harry interrupted again, this time saying, “We should make that whipped coffee everybody's making!”
“God, how bored are you?” Louis asked with a laugh.
“Oh, fuck off. I’m making it.” Harry stood up from the couch and went into the kitchen. Louis got up to follow.
“You’re gonna make some for me too, right?” Louis asked.
“Why? You didn’t seem all too interested,” Harry answered.
“Please?” Louis responded with a pout, sitting up on the counter. Harry couldn’t resist that pout.
“Okay, fine.” Harry got out the ingredients and started mixing them together. It took a while, but eventually, it started to get the right consistency and color. Harry took out two small glasses and filled them about halfway with milk before adding in the coffee concoction. Harry then grabbed two straws from the cupboard and put them into the drinks, handing one to Louis, who was still sitting on the counter.
Louis stirred his drink before taking a sip and said, “Okay, this is actually pretty good.”
“You’re welcome, then,” Harry responded, smiling at Louis and taking a drink from his own coffee.
Maybe this wouldn’t be like the apocalypse. Maybe they would be able to get through this okay. As long as they kept busy and positive, it would all turn out just fine for them.