I Do?

Daddy Dearest

Harry's heart skips a beat as his eyes land on her father's Mclaren parked next to the black SUV Louis' rented. Cursing under his breath, he makes a mad dash into the building and takes the stairs instead of waiting on an elevator. As he leaps up two stairs at a time, his thoughts race with a thousand different things that could be going on; worst of all, his father talking to Louis.

Harry takes a moment to arrange himself as he stands in front of his closed door. He takes a deep breath and runs a hand through his hair so he doesn't look like he's as terrified as he is. Gathering as much faux confidence as Harry can muster, he opens the door to his apartment.

The sound of laughter fills the room as Harry walks in. "I'm home," He shouts in an attempt to make his presence known. Carefully, Harry closes the door and takes a step inside.

Harry's worst nightmare comes to life as he looks at the scene in front of him. Sitting on his living room couch is his father. His neatly trimmed hair is cut close to the sides of his head and a little more salt than pepper these days. Growing up, Harry's father taught him the importance of a clean face, but now the man sports a trimmed goatee and mustache. A box of pizza sits on the coffee table in front of him as well.

"Son, I thought you would never join us," His father's voice booms. Harry's stomach drops as his eyes fall on Louis sitting next to him. A smile is etched across Louis' face, and a slice of pizza sits in his hand.

"I had a class," Harry explains simply. Hesitatingly, Harry moves into the living room.

His father's brown eyes give Harry a disappointed once over before he clears his throat, "Well, Son, when were you going to introduce me to this fine man," His father bellows. A blush tints Louis' cheeks as Harry looks between the two of them.

"Y-you two... you two met," Harry stammers. His father shoots him a cold look, and Harry knows what the man wants to say.

"I'm sorry, Louis, I've been trying to get him to stop that stammering of his for years now. I keep telling him nobody will take a stammering doctor seriously," His father jokes pointedly. Harry's stomach twists as his eyes fall to his shoes.

"That's quite alright, Mr. Styles. Actually, my family doctor had a stammer," Louis admits. Louis sends Harry a sly wink as their eyes meet from across the room.

"Really? Well, no Styles man has ever stammered. He gets it from his mother's side." His father's laugh fills the room, echoing loudly. Louis' eyes don't move from Harry's as he lets out a small smile.

"What're you doing here, Dad," Harry asks softly. He has to force his green eyes away from Louis' so he can look into the cold eyes of his father.

"Can't a father come to check on his son? You're my only son after all," His father says, cooly. Harry watches as his father subtly raises an eyebrow, tempting Harry to say something back. Of course, Harry never does, and his father must know that by now.

"I've just come to remind you that our family dinner is coming up on Friday. Your mother would be heartbroken if you didn't show up," His father explains. The coldness his father reserves for Harry drips away as he puts on his mask for Louis.

"You couldn't send me a text," Harry questions.

His father shoots him a gaze, warning Harry to stay quiet and stop embarrassing him in front of Harry's friend. Harry knows the look well enough.

Without answering Harry's question, his father turns to Louis. "A friend of Harry's is a friend of the family's. You're more than welcome to come as well, Louis, if you find yourself without plans," His father offers. Louis glances between Harry and Harry's father. Harry sends Louis a look, pleading that he rejects the offer. His father can't know how much of a mess Harry's made.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude," Louis replies, waving Harry's father's offer away with his hand. Harry takes a breath, thankful that Louis seems to understand the silent conversations that have been going on.

"You'll be no intruder! In fact, I insist. My wife will be thrilled to have a guest," His father pushes. Harry knows what he's doing, and he doesn't like it one bit. Louis seems to have noticed the shift in the man's tone and gives Harry a sympathetic look.

"Alright then, I'll see you this Friday," Louis says. A crooked smile spreads across the man's lips as he stands. Louis stands with him and offers Harry's father a handshake.

Harry watches as his father seems to contemplate their final greeting. He looks Harry up and down with a disappointed scowl before leaning in. His father's lips find their way to Harry's ear as he whispers, "Don't embarrass me again, Boy."

The phrase washes over Harry for a moment. When they pull away, a smile is plastered across his father's lips.

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Tomlinson. I'll be looking forward to seeing you, and my son, on Friday. Have a happy Halloween," His father says as he picks up his coat and exits the apartment without sparing Harry another glance.

As soon as the door shuts behind him, Harry lets out a breath of relief. Louis takes a step towards Harry and rests a hand on his arm. "Are you okay," He asks quietly.

"He's such a dick," Harry spits as he runs a hand through his hair again.

"Well, I wouldn't have been able to tell. The bastard puts on a good face for others, I guess," Louis sighs. Harry can feel his hands shaking as he attempts to catch his breath. "Why don't you sit down? I'll grab ya a glass of water."

Harry nods as he takes a seat at his island. He sets his hands against the cool marble countertop and counts to ten in his head. This was supposed to be his safe place and his father, like always, had to ruin that for him.

Louis sets a glass of water in front of Harry and slides into the chair next to him. "Well, good news, we can get absolutely pissed on Halloween tomorrow if you want," Louis suggests with a grin. Halloween. Fuck.

"One of the frats are throwing a Halloween party. They're doing paired costumes and always have a ton of booze. You wanna come," Harry offers.

"I mean, I don't have a costume... or anyone to do a paired costume with," Louis points out. Harry considers this for a moment.

"We can always go together. We could be like... a sexy firefighter or something. It'll be easy enough," Harry suggests. Louis smirks at Harry.

"Wanna see me as a sexy firefighter, huh," Louis teases. Harry rolls his eyes as he takes a sip of the water.

"Like I said, it's easy... kinda like you actually," Harry teases back. Louis rests a hand against his chest as if he's been shot. 

"Ouch, that one hurt! You dickhead." 

Harry laughs, already feeling the anxiousness of his father's arrival dripping away. 

~_~_~

Hey guys! Merry Christmas, Happy Hannakuh, or Happy Kwanzaa! Hope you guys had a happy holiday. Let me know what you think in the comments. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed ~B