Is this seat taken- lainy122 on Archive of our own

Chapter 9

The day before Harry was set to return to L.A. Louis was wandering around some weird hippy bric-a-brac market that Eleanor had dragged him to, trying to look enthusiastic each time she showed him a different coloured lamp made from a mason jar.

The market itself was trying to be rustic and down-to-earth by having wooden trestle tables and being set up outdoors under the sun, but the tables have been sanded down and treated with a wood stain, and an incredibly expensive looking shade cloth had been spread to cover the whole area. Louis was pretty sure that defeated the purpose of having it outside in the first place. The whole thing was very American Hollywood to Louis' eyes - trying to downplay the expense of something whilst trying its best not to appear cheap at the same time.

Harry would have loved it.

Shaking off his longing, Louis moved away from where Eleanor was inspecting buttons of all things, and found himself drifting down an aisle of tables covered in neatly folded clothes. He stopped at one table filled in bright colours, his eyes automatically locking on a piece of material tucked to the side.

It was a silk shirt, neon yellow with embossed buttons and giant bright red flowers that looked like a weird blend between lotus flowers and hibiscus, surrounded by deep blue leaves. It was, without a doubt, the most hideous piece of clothing Louis had ever seen.

He bought it immediately. As he handed it to the nice elderly woman behind the table to pay for it, he asked if she would mind wrapping it in tissue paper. She was only too happy to do so and even tucked the whole package into a pretty gift bag.

Louis tipped her handsomely for her kindness and also because she reminded him a little bit of his nan.

When Eleanor found him a bit later and spotted the bag in his hand, he didn't even correct her smug grin when she pointed out she knew he secretly loved the market after all.

The next day Louis spent the morning tidying up the last few traces of mess in his house. He had cleared his schedule for the week, begging off any jobs Eleanor had offered to him and ignoring all of her sly insinuations.

Harry's plane was due to land around lunchtime, but he had meetings all afternoon. Afterwards though Louis planned to lock them in his bedroom together for the night and all of tomorrow, leaving only for food, before eventually emerging back into the world in time for their dinner together with Zayn and Liam on Friday. He had stocked up on lube and condoms, snacks as well as actual food that would require cooking, and had even tied a ribbon around the handle of the giftbag he had bought at the markets.

All he was missing was Harry.

By the time his phone vibrated with a text at around four in the afternoon Louis was practically beside himself with impatience. He nearly threw his phone across the room in his haste to read the message, but his heart sank when he did.

Have to work tonight in order to get tomorrow off :( Promise I'm all yours afterwards though! xxx

Louis put his phone back down without replying, heading out to his small backyard for an angry kickabout. It wasn't fair! He vented his disappointment and frustration by knocking his football around for a while until he felt a bit more clear headed.

It wasn't unreasonable for Harry to have to trade in a single night in order to get two full days free, especially when his schedule was so hectic and his promotion was so time dependent. And he had messaged Louis early in the day to make sure he wasn't waiting up for him like last time, plus he was obviously working hard to make sure they had more uninterrupted time to spend together.

But Louis was done with waiting.

He didn't want Harry to be the one putting in all the effort, the one making all the sacrifices. Louis could pull his weight too.

Mind made up, he headed towards the bathroom to shower.