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“Babe, can we please go out tonight? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever?” harry scooted closer to Nick on the couch and kissed his cheek before moving down his neck. He went to climb into his lap, hoping to snog his boyfriend into submission. Just as he was about to go in for Nick’s lips Nick’s cell phone rang causing the older man to in turn push the younger off his lap and answer it, leaving the room.
Harry’s face burned red hot with anger but mostly with humiliation. They had only been together a few months; could Nick already be tired of him? Was he that boring? Did he not turn him on anymore? Harry felt tears well in his eyes. How could he be so dumb? He was just a kid and Nick was this cool older guy, who definitely did not need harry. Harry was lucky that Nick even kept him around.
When Nick came back into the room, a smile on his face, Harry’s hopes shot up for a split second, before Nick opened his mouth. “Harry, Hun, I’m going to a footie game tonight, don’t wait up” he informed, grabbing his jacket and keys.
“Nick, could I maybe come?” Harry’s voice was quieter and less whiny than when he had first asked to spend the night with his boyfriend. Sometimes he forgot how annoying he was and needed a reminder. Nick was good at that.
“Um? I guess? Do you even like football?” Nick looked incredulous before peering at his watch and letting out a huff. Harry didn’t mention to Nick how he watched footie on TV with his dad every Sunday and basically knew the Man U stats by heart when he was twelve. He also didn’t mention to Nick that they had talked about this before. It didn’t hurt Harry’s feelings that he didn’t remember though. It really didn’t. So Harry bit his lip and nodded.
“As long as you’re there babe.” He smiled, trying once again to be flirtatious.
“Ok, whatever, let’s go your making us late.” Nick rolled his eyes and Harry rushed to grab his sweatshirt and head out the door.
The two drove in almost-silence. Harry made a move to turn up the radio and sing along quietly, but stopped when Nick turned the volume back down. He must have had a headache. He told harry that he gives him headaches sometimes. That’s something else harry had to work on.
When they get to the stadium, Nick's friend Josh is already there and Nick sets himself to Josh’s left, immediately diving into some deep conversation. Harry looked around with a smile because this was one of his favorite places and his dad used to take him here as a special treat, so why shouldn’t he be happy? Harry reached to grab his phone out of his pocket to distract himself, so as not to bother Nick, but noticed that he had left Nick’s flat in such a rush that he had forgotten it. It didn’t really matter anyway, his charger was at his own flat and his phone was almost dead. Surely he could find another way to entertain himself.
Just as he began to twiddle his fingers, two boys burst into his section, boisterously. One had blondish hair with brown roots and was cackling like a mad man, while the other took Harry’s breath away. The boy was compact. Shorter than Harry with mischievous blue eyes and a smirk that lead Harry to believe that whatever the blond boy was laughing at was probably caused by this gorgeous guy. Harry shook his head and looked forward, peeling his eyes from the boy. He was here with his boyfriend, for Christ’s sake. Sure, Nick hadn’t really said that they were boyfriends in so many words, but surely it was wrong to ogle at some other guy anyway. Harry was loyal if anything. He prided himself on that.
Harry was brought out of his thoughts with a start when the blond boy dropped himself down next to Harry with a loud cackle.
“Jesus, Niall, now you’ve scared the cute boy sitting by us. Way to go.” The gorgeous boy berated his friend while keeping eye contact with Harry. Harry blushed intensely and looked to Nick, wondering if he’d be upset (and kind of hoping he would be) but the man was absorbed in his friend. “I’m Louis” the brunette stated and reached over the blond, Niall, to shake Harry’s hand. Harry smiled and shook back introducing himself and Nick, to which Nick looked at Harry, raised an eyebrow, shook his head, and turned back around. Louis looked indignant and Harry was embarrassed because now he had annoyed Nick again and offended this ethereal stranger. Way to go Styles.
The two boys, surprisingly, kept up idle chat with Harry, making him feel slightly less ignored. It was an odd feeling, but certainly not unwelcome. When they got up and informed Harry they were getting snacks, Harry smiled softly, hoping that they actually would come back.
They thankfully returned and when Louis somehow ended up in the seat next to Harry, Harry blushed profusely but pretended not to notice. The game was starting and Nick’s attention was torn away from his friend, only to be refocused on the game.
“Nick, I’ve got to use the restroom. Do you want to come get some food with me or something?” Harry asked Nick, hoping not to be too annoying. Nick didn’t look at Harry, just replied.
“Yeah I’ll take a beer, sweet cheeks, and thanks.” Harry smiled at the endearment, but felt like maybe he shouldn’t. When Harry heard something mumbled from his left that sounded like ‘maybe you should get it yourself, sweet cheeks’ his smile felt a little more real. A little.
Harry pushed through the rows and made his way to the bathroom, before heading to the snack bar to get his… Nick a beer. He felt a tap on the shoulder and snapped around, thinking maybe Nick had decided to join him, wait in line with his kind of date and start a conversation with him and maybe actually freaking listen. Harry took a deep breath before turning around. He was being annoying. God, he had to work on that.
When he spun around, he was greeted with a small form with floppy fringe instead of Nick’s tall quiff. When he recognized the boy, he surprisingly wasn’t even disappointed that it wasn’t Nick. Weird.
“Hey, curly.” Louis chirped and Harry smiled and blushed and thought privately that curly was defiantly nicer than sweet cheeks.
“Hey, I could have gotten you something. You should have let me know so you didn’t have to miss the game.” Harry smiled at Louis, trying for polite and not annoying.
“No, no I came out here to chat with you.” Louis grinned and Harry gave him a confused smile.
“Oh, thanks.” Harry felt awkward all of the sudden but not bad awkward like when Nick’s friends were around and were talking about how Harry’s such a cutie and is probably a great shag, and Nick just laughs along. A good awkward like the car ride to your first dance with your first date where your hands somehow keep getting closer to each other. Awkward like that
“Listen, I’m totally risking shoving my giant foot in my mouth here but, is that guy, Nick, is he your boyfriend or…?” Louis faded out and Harry interrupted his thoughts of how Louis feet were decidedly not giant to answer.
“Uh, yeah, I guess kind of,” Harry mumbled because if Nick heard him he’d probably say something like ‘not really, just like having the cute kid around’ and Harry would turn red because he’s just a kid. “Um, not really, actually. It’s complicated”
“Well, and here’s me being very forward again, it’s a curse really, but does he always treat you like shit?” Louis looked upset and Harry’s first thought was what he had done to upset the pretty boy. You are so annoying, Harry. Get. It. Together. But soon realizes that Louis is all but fuming because he thinks Nick was being rude to harry.
“No, no that’s not what it is. I’m just being annoying.” Harry let out a laugh but they both knew it wasn’t a real one.
“Well if my boyfriend ever told me to ‘get him a beer, sweet cheeks’ I’d probably bash his head in. But wow this is none of my business and this is probably why I don’t have a boyfriend. Ok. Sorry, Jesus I don’t think sometimes before I speak, but, just, you’re not annoying, ok Harry?” Louis rambled, his confidence that had stemmed from his apparent anger faded.
Harry was a little speechless because Louis just said he wasn’t annoying and basically said that Nick was annoying which made Harry's stomach hot because he felt like maybe he should be angry and shouldn’t forgive Nick all the freaking time. The heat faded and he smiled at Louis and quickly ordered two bears and reached to pay.
“I’ve got this,” Louis offered, and added “make that three.” Harry smiled thankfully but interrupted.
“No, just two,” the woman at the counter looked somewhat confused but gave them the two cups anyhow. “One for you and one for me.” Harry stated, handing Louis a cup. “Since Nick can’t remember my name apparently, I’m sure he won’t remember his order.” Harry smirked and relished in how good it felt to not let Nick treat him like shit. He could get his own beer.
Louis smiled mischievously and they made their way back to their seats.
“My beer?” Nick raised an eyebrow and it made Harry’s stomach grow a little hotter again.
“Oh sorry, I forgot, sweet cheeks” Harry replied, tacking the last part on quieter. It made him feel good. Bigger and louder and less annoying. Louis just snorted into his cup and shook his head fondly and Harry preened a little.
The game carried on and Nick attention was split evenly between the field and Josh, but Harry found himself minding less because he had Niall, who was outrageously funny and Louis, who was outrageously everything, to talk to.
Soon enough halftime rolled around and a few people got up to mill around while others kept their eyes on the jumbo-tron, absorbing stats and information about the players. Eventually people began to sit back down and half time was almost over and the kiss cam began singling out couples in the stadium.
Nick was bent over Josh’s phone, watching some video, when the cam landed on them. For a second Harry forgot the heat in his stomach that Nick caused and grinned because stuff like this is fun and exciting and Harry lives for it. He tapped Nick’s shoulder, only to be greeted with a finger in the face, telling him to hold on. Harry felt the heat in his stomach again, but tapped him once more, none the less “Nick were on the screen. We’ve gotta kiss” he informed through slightly clenched teeth.
Now the heat in his stomach turned into a flame and the camera was going to leave them and he’d be one of those lame guys who didn’t kiss for the kiss cam and Nick was supposed to be his fucking boyfriend so before he knew it Harry was whipping around to the beautiful boy next to him who didn’t think he was annoying and called him curly and not sweet cheeks. The last thing Harry saw was amazing blues eyes widening slightly before he slammed his mouth into Louis. For a split second, the confidence disappeared and Harry almost moved away, mortified but then Louis started to kiss back. Eagerly.
Soon enough Harry’s tongue was inside Louis mouth and if Harry’s mouth wasn’t busy he’d be laughing his ass off because Nick has said Harry’s name more in the last minute that his mouth has been on Louis’ than he has the rest of the night.
Finally, they broke away and the entire stadium was laughing at Nick's disgruntled face.
“You know, I’m not keen on watching the rest of the game. Would you like to go out for drinks?” Louis smiled and asked, completely ignoring Nick’s angry noise in the background.
“That’d be lovely” Harry giggled, standing up and grabbing his sweatshirt.
“Harry if you go, I’m breaking up with you,” Nick stated, suddenly back to his cool façade as if he was sure that Harry would come crawling back.
“Cant break up with someone who’s not really your boyfriend. Sweet cheeks” Harry smirked and Louis laughed loud and happy and they walked out of their row, with an amused Niall calling out his goodbyes.
Once they were out into the parking lot, Harry spun around and laughed louder than he had in a while because Louis doesn’t think he’s annoying. Louis thinks he’s cute and Nick is an asshole and the moon is really full. So harry laughs and smiles and the two boys race to Louis car and make their way to the nearest pub and they sit there and laugh and Louis doesn’t put his foot in his mouth and harry isn’t annoying so when Louis drops harry at his flat with a smile on his face and a number written on his hand, Harry doesn’t feel like he shouldn’t be smiling. He doesn’t feel hot, hot, and hot in his stomach just warm in his cheeks and his fingertips. And he’s happy.