Work Text:
“Fucking books and their shitty hard covers!” Niall yells after having dropped an atlas on his right foot.
“Niall! No cursing or yelling! How many times do I have to tell you?” Liam says, walking past and softly hitting the back of the boy's head before picking the books up and putting them back on the shelve. Louis chuckles and turns around again.
“Where's Zayn?” Niall asks out loud. Louis grabs the trolley with books and pushes it towards the two boys.
“Probably in the back, sleeping or listening to music. He's a lazy little ass. If Liam wasn't the boss and in love with him, he would have been fired a long time ago,” Louis states, and Liam's cheeks go red.
“I am not- go back to work!” he says, turning around and walking away quickly. Niall and Louis chuckle.
Louis started working in the book store about a year ago – he had needed money desperately and Niall knew a guy, Liam Payne, whose father owned a book store and still needed employees.
Zayn had joined about two months after Louis. Liam fell for him straight away (although he'd never admit it).
A hand taps on Louis' left shoulder. Louis turns around and meets a broad chest. He looks up and finds emerald green eyes and dimples smiling at him.
Oh.
“Hi, um, I was, like, wondering, if you uh, might have a book?” the boy says. Louis notices that he talks unbelievably slow. It's quite endearing.
“Well, yes, we have books. This is a book store. We'd have a bit of a problem if we didn't have any books, wouldn't we?” Louis grins, and the boy chuckles.
“Yeah, I suppose. Um, do you have 'To Kill A Mockingbird'?” the boy asks.
“Sure, follow me,” Louis says, turning around and walking towards the right section. And okay, maybe he does sway his hips a little bit more as he walks, and maybe he sticks his bum out a bit more than usual when he bends down to grab the book, but hey, there's an attractive boy behind him and Louis likes showing off his behind. It's not a big deal, really.
“Here you go,” Louis says. The boy grabs the book and reads the back.
“Yeah, this is the one. Thanks, mate,” he says.
“You're very welcome,” Louis winks. The boy grins – dimples, Louis thinks again – and gives him a small wave before going to the cash register and paying for the book.
The next day, Louis is feeling great. The sun's out, everyone's happy, and his hair looks perfect. He whistles as he puts some books back on the right shelves and shoos Niall away.
“You don't even work here,” Louis tells him, and Niall grins.
“Yeah, but Zayn sneaks me sandwiches from the staff fridge,” he says, and Louis turns around.
“Sandwiches? My sandwiches? I was wondering who was stealing them!”
“Louis, no yelling!” Liam says. Louis rolls his eyes as Niall laughs loudly, holding his belly and throwing his head back.
“Little Irish cunt,” Louis murmurs as he walks away and bumps straight into a broad chest.
I recognize this chest.
“Oh. Hi again,” the boy says sheepishly. Louis gives him a big smile.
“Well hello there. What can I help you with today?” Louis asks, putting a hand on the boy's arm.
“I was wondering if I could return this book,” the boy smirks slightly.
“Return it? Why?”
“Um, well my sister says we already have this one at home? So, like, could I at least switch it for another book instead?” the boy asks sweetly, staring at Louis with big green eyes, looking down at him from under his eyelashes-
woah Louis, stop right there
“Uh- yeah, I'll see what I can do, alright? Come with me,” Louis says. He grabs the boy's sleeve and drags him towards the till, where Liam is just putting the phone down.
“Hey Li, can this guy return his book?” Louis asks.
“My name's Harry,” the boy says slowly.
“Oh. Can Harry return his book, then?” Louis rephrases.
“Um. You know we can't do that Lou. That's against the rules,” Liam frowns.
Louis smiles at Harry. “Why don't you go and sit over there while I talk to Liam?” Harry nods and sits down as Louis drags Liam into the back room.
“He's fit as fuck, Liam, let him return the book. I think we're meant for each other,” Louis whispers.
“You didn't even know his name 'til a few seconds ago!”
“Yes, but I feel chemistry, Payne. I feel it in my uterus.”
“You're a guy, you don't have a uterus.”
“I don't care, just let him return the book!”
Liam sighs. “Fine. Last time, Lou,”
“You're great,” Louis says, giving him a loud, sloppy kiss on the cheek before skipping out and beaming at Harry.
“You can return it and choose another book instead!” Louis tells him happily.
“Oh. Great!,” Harry says, standing up, “what book do you recommend?”
Louis runs a hand through his fringe and scrunches his lips.
“Hmm. Anything from John Green, to be honest. He's brilliant,” he says. Harry nods slowly.
“Alright then. Give me a Jack Green book.”
“John Green, Harry.”
“John Green. Yeah. Okay.”
Louis goes into the back room and grabs a pen. He quickly scrawls his number on the inside of the book, and then goes back out and hands him The Fault In Our Stars.
“Well. Thanks.. Lou, I think Liam said? Is your name Lewis, or-” Harry starts, but gets cut off by Louis' groan.
“No, not Lewis. It's Louis. Louuuu-eeeeeh,” Louis says slowly.
“Oh. Alright then. Thank you, Looouuuu-eeeeh,” Harry smirks.
“Anytime, Harold,” Louis yells as Harry walks through the door.
Louis? .xx
Louis smiles and texts back, that would be me xx
A few seconds later he gets a text back.
Thanks for giving me your number. Liam told me he wasn't allowed to give it to me :( .xx
Louis frowns before quickly texting back, you asked Li for my number?! xx
Yeah while u were in the back writing ur number in this book. He told me it was against rules tho or somethin .xx
Louis pretends he didn't just squeal like a 12 year old and texts back, liam just didn't want to give u my number bcuz he wants to keep me to himself xx
Less than ten seconds later Louis' phone buzzes again, i'd understand that, ur quite a catch .xx
Louis feels the heat rushing to his cheeks. oh? why so? xxx
have you seen ur ass? .xx
Louis laughs and shakes his head. have u been staring at my bum?
...no
Louis giggles again and ignores the butterflies erupting in his stomach.
“What's gotten you so happy?” Zayn asks. Louis grins and shrugs.
“It's a beautiful day, Zayn. If you could tear your eyes from Liam's chest for a minute, you'd notice that the sun is shining, the birds are whistling, and- unf” Louis groans as Zayn whacks the back of his head with a book.
“I-” Zayn starts, but Louis's phone buzzes, making Louis grin and grab his phone quickly. Zayn rolls his eyes and walks away, muttering about how he needs new friends.
Louis opens the new text message and sees it's from Harry.
I need a new book xx
Louis smiles and replies, well you're lucky, I happen to work in a bookstore xx
wow, really? i'm on my way then xx, is the text he gets back a few seconds later.
“What are you grinning at yer phone for?” Niall asks, walking past him with a sandwich.
“Is that my sandwich?” Louis asks back, ignoring the question. Niall looks behind him, and Louis sees Zayn smirking at him. Louis rolls his eyes. “I hate all of you,” he murmurs. Niall laughs.
“So, you never answered my first question,” he then says. Louis looks up and smiles.
“Oh, you know,” Louis shrugs. Niall smirks.
“Oh, look, it's Harry!” he says. Louis whips around and frowns when he doesn't see anybody.
“Harry isn't here..,” he says.
“Looks like someone has a cruuush,” Niall sings. Louis laughs and tells Niall to shut up.
“I do not have a crush, Niall, go away,” Louis chuckles. Niall smirks and shrugs, walking away and taking a big bite of Louis' sandwich.
“Enjoy my lunch, Niall! I'll have to go out and buy a new sandwich, now!” Louis yells after him. Liam pops his head from around the corner and goes 'sshh', but Niall just laughs loudly.
“I'll buy one for you.” A voice from behind Louis says. Louis turns around and sees Harry standing in front of him. “If you let me, of course. We could go out and have lunch together,” he smiles.
“That would be rather nice, actually,” Louis says. Harry grins and Louis looks at the clock. “Oh, it's time for lunch. Give me a second, will you?” he says. Harry nods as Louis turns around and walks to where Liam is putting stickers with prices on them on some new books.
“Liam, you have to let me have an early, extended lunch-break,” he whispers. Liam looks at Louis and shakes his head.
“Nope. You had one last Thursday as well,” Liam says. Louis sighs.
“Pleeeaaase, Li, just this once?” he begs.
“I said no, Louis, we can't just-”
“Liam. If you give me an early, extended lunch-break now I promise to make sure you have a date Saturday night,” Louis says seriously.
“Louis, I don't want a date-”
“With Zayn.”
Liam freezes and looks at Louis sideways.
“Deal.”
“So I'm standing there, Nick's lying in the middle of the road, Josh is trying to calm down the old woman, and Ed is petting some random cat, and I think, 'wow, this would be a brilliant vine',” Harry says. Louis laughs and shakes his head.
“You. Are. Mental,” he says. Harry chuckles.
“Nah. Just a bit weird.”
“I like weird,” Louis says, playing with his straw, “Normal is so boring.”
Harry smiles before looking at his watch and sighing.
“I have to go. Promised Ed I'd be at his by two,” he says as he stands up. The two walk outside and towards the library. When they're there, Harry turns around.
“I had a lovely time,” Harry says honestly. Louis smiles and nods.
“I did too. Thank you for buying me lunch,” he says.
“Couldn't let you starve, could we now?” Harry grins. Louis chuckles and stands on his tiptoes to give Harry a kiss on the cheek.
“I'll text you later!” Louis calls over his shoulder, walking into the library with a wide smile on his face.
what are you doing later haz? xxx
nothing yet.. why? xx
im taking you clubbing with niall, liam and zayn, be at my house at 8 xxx
Louis texts him his address and puts his phone down to look at Liam, who was currently lying on Louis' bed, staring at the ceiling.
“I invited Harry as well,” Louis says. Liam rolls his eyes.
“I thought this would be my date with Zayn,” Liam says.
“Oh, it is, don't worry. You know Niall will be at the bar, or chatting some girl up. And I have my own little plans that involve Harry. You and Zayn will be all alone. At a nightclub. Probably intoxicated. You're welcome,” Louis tells him. Liam smiles fondly and rolls his eyes again.
“They'll be here in an hour, right?” Liam asks. Louis nods and opens his closet again.
“Liiii, what do I wear?” he moans. Liam looks down at his own clothes that Louis had chosen out for him (a tanktop, black skinny jeans and sneakers) and shrugs.
“Um, well, I don't know?” Liam says. Louis rolls his eyes and picks up a pair of black, tight skinny jeans like Liam's and a dark blue v-neck. He raises his eyebrows at Liam, who gives him a thumbs up. He changes into the clothes, ignoring Liam's protests of 'Louis oh my God warn me next time please' and looking at himself in the mirror.
“Does my ass look big in these jeans?” he asks. Liam looks at him and nods. Louis grins. “Good.”
About an hour later Niall and Zayn turn up, Niall slapping Louis' ass as he walks by and Liam and Zayn awkwardly talking about the weather.
“Right, are we ready to go?” Niall asks.
“We have to wait for Harry, I invited him too,” Louis tells him. The doorbell rings and Louis smiles. “That will be him.”
He opens the front door and looks up at a smiling mop of curls. “Hi Louis. You look great,” Harry greets him. Louis' eyes rake down Harry’s body. He was wearing dark grey skinny jeans and a loose, low cut top that showed off the wings of his tattoo's – birds, Louis thought – and very lickable collarbones.
“Not looking too bad yourself, Harold,” Louis says, openly staring at Harry’s other tattoo's before clearing his throat and calling the others. They all greet Harry and walk outside towards the nightclub they were going to.
Luckily it isn't too far away, and they're inside, pushing through sweaty people and drunk couples to get to the bar in a matter of minutes.
They all get a drink and stand around for a few minutes before Niall says, “Oh, Christ, look at her. If ye need me..,” and walks up to a girl talking to her friend.
After another round of drinks Louis stands up and grabs one of Harry’s wrists. He nods towards the dance floor and Harry smiles, standing up and putting a hand on Louis' lower back to guide the way.
They find a bit of space in the middle of the dancefloor and Harry puts both his hands on Louis' waist. Louis pushes back against Harry’s groin and they start grinding slowly. Louis rolls his hips and reaches one hand back to curl into Harry’s hair.
Harry lowers his hands to Louis' hips and grabs them tightly, pulling the older boy against his body. Louis speeds things up a bit and rolls his ass against Harry’s front in a way that makes Harry moan against his neck, his hot breath sending a shiver down Louis' spine. They grind like that for a minute, Louis rolling his hips dirtily to the beat of the music and curling his hands into Harry’s hair, tugging ever so softly.
“Lou,” Harry murmurs, his voice coming out low and rough. Louis just pushes his ass back again, bending over slightly. Harry bucks his hips against Louis and presses a open-mouthed kiss against the side of his neck.
Louis turns around and wraps his arms around Harry’s neck, grinding his front against Harry’s evident hard-on. Harry closes his eyes and parts his mouth slightly, sliding his hands onto Louis' ass and squeezing softly. Louis leans up and captures Harry’s lips. He runs his tongue over Harry’s bottom lip, who opens his mouth for him. They slide their tongues against each other, and Louis thinks Harry tastes like alcohol, sugar and something pure Harry.
They suddenly get ripped apart by Liam, who has a big hickey on his neck and wild eyes.
“Louis! It's Niall, he's gotten into a fight with that girl's boyfriend!” Liam yells over the music, a bit of a slur to his voice. Louis turns around and curses when he sees Niall glaring and screaming at a guy twice his size.
“Fucking shit,” Louis curses, grabbing Harry’s arm and running over to Niall.
“I swear I'll beat the fuck out of you if you touch her again!” the other man – who had definitely had a bit too much to drink – yells.
“Oh, come at me, ye fat cunt!” Niall yells back. The man tries to punch him, but Niall ducks out of the way at the last moment. Zayn, who's standing behind the man, grabs a glass from the table and smashes it against the back of the man's head. The man trips and smacks onto the floor, making a few people at the bar gasp. Zayn and Louis look at each other, before Liam grabs Niall and Louis and drags them away. The five boys run outside and don't stop until they're a fair distance from the club. They lean against a wall and Louis throws his head back.
“Niall. What the fuck?” he pants. Niall shuts his eyes and tries to calm his breathing.
“I thought she was single, okay? Suddenly yer man turns up and starts yelling at me, telling me to feck off,” Niall says with a thick Irish accent, slurring and running a hand through his hair. Then he turns to Zayn. “Ye probably gave him a concussion or something, man,” he says. Zayn just shrugs before Niall grins and gives him a high-five.
“I am never going out clubbing with you guys again. Ever,” Liam says as the five boys start walking home.
“Why? You looked like you had a good time,” Louis mutters, making Liam blush and cover the hickey on his neck.
They walk to Louis' house and stop outside.
“I better go home..,” Harry says. Louis takes a step closer and gives him a hug. Harry hugs him back and smiles as he pulls back. “I'll see you tomorrow, alright?” he says. Louis nods and Harry turns around, saying goodbye to the others and walking away.
“Can I sleep at yours?” Niall asks Louis. Louis rolls his eyes fondly and nods. Liam and Zayn say goodbye to the boys and then walk away together. “Don't wanna know what they'll be doing tonight, I can tell ya,” Niall whispers. Louis chuckles and unlocks the door.
“Liam, I'm dead. My head hurts so much, I barely even drank anything yesterday!” Louis moans. Liam smiles and shrugs. He looks to the counter and grins at Zayn, who grins back and bites his bottom lip.
“You two are gonna make me puke, Jesus Christ,” Niall says. Liam laughs before looking towards the door.
“Oh. Look who's here,” he says. Louis turns around and finds Harry walking in. Liam and Niall back away silently.
“Hi, Haz,” Louis says. Harry smiles.
“Hey, Lou,” he says.
“Listen, I'm, um, sorry about last night, you know, with Niall getting into a fight and stuff..,” Louis says.
“Oh, it's okay. I had fun,” Harry smirks. Louis looks down and tries not to giggle- you're a 21 year old, Tomlinson, get a grip!
“So, um, seeing as you forgot to get a book the other day and took me out to lunch instead, would you like to buy one now?” Louis asks.
Harry tilts his head slightly. “Yeah. Yeah, I would like to buy a new book.”
“Alright, what kind of book?” Louis asks, walking over to the shelves.
“Um... a book about a boy that walks past a bookstore one day and sees a beautiful boy inside, so beautiful he just has to walk in and meet him, which results in him buying a book he already has at home, and then they become friends and go for lunch and out clubbing and then one boy wants to ask the other boy to be his boyfriend, but he doesn't really know how,” Harry says, blushing slightly and biting on his bottom lip.
Louis' jaw drops. He takes two large steps forward and grabs Harry by the back of the neck, pulling him down and connecting their lips. Louis takes Harry’s bottom lip between his and pulls softly as Harry cups Louis' jaw.
Harry pulls back a minute later and licks his lips. “So. Um. Will you be my boyfriend?” he asks hopefully.
Louis chuckles and says, “of course I will, you sap.”