I'm Not Fine At All

Chapter 45

Harry woke up on Saturday morning to the sound of incessant knocking at the front door. Liam had already left for work at the coffee shop, and then he had afternoon summer classes, so he wasn't going to be home until at least seven. The almost seventeen-year-old stood from his bed and went to the front door, opening it to find a bright-eyed Louis. "Hey, baby. How did you sleep?" Harry shrugged and opened the door for the boy to come in. Louis sat at the kitchen table and took a muffin off the plate in the center of the table, taking a bite out of it. "I slept okay. Liam had someone over last night and they were being super loud, so I had a really hard time getting to sleep. His headboard kept banging into the wall and the guy- or girl, I don't even know- was so fucking loud and annoying." Louis chuckled through his mouthful of muffin.

"Their moans were so high-pitched they were like literal screams. If someone who didn't know what was happening heard them they would have thought Liam was killing someone in his room." Harry sighed and sat across from Louis, laying his head on his arms. Louis smiled and reached across the table, running his fingers through the boy's sleep-mussed curls. "That sucks, Hazza. It really does." Harry nodded and sat up, shrugging at the older boy. "Yeah, it does suck. But, I can yell at Liam for it." Louis finished eating the rest of his muffin and then cleared his throat. "Uh, sorry to spring this on you, Haz, but I have some kinda sucky news." The younger boy sighed and waved for him to continue.

Louis bit his lip, trying to think of how best to phrase it. "I, uh, I kind of got you invited over for dinner at my stepdad's house tonight. And my sisters are all going to be there. Plus my sister Lottie's significant other, Stevie." Harry made a pained sound and flopped his head back on the table. "I'm sorry, Haz, I really am. But my dad and I were talking last night and I brought you up and then he said he wanted to meet you and then Lottie said Stevie should meet you and next thing I know I'm helping Lottie plan the menu. I'm really sorry, baby." Harry sighed and sat back up, rubbing his eyes. "Whatever, Lou. It's not like we can get out of it. I'll just try and figure out something to tell Liam so I can get out of going to that movie with him."

Harry got up and got the coffee pot, pouring a cup for himself. Louis followed him and took the pot when the younger boy was done, filling up his own cup. "Do you really wanna do that? I mean, I know Liam's been pissed at both of us recently, I don't know if canceling on him will make those feelings any better." Harry sighed and sat back down, warming his hands with his cup. "I mean, you said we can't get out of it. I'm just trying to be a good boyfriend and go meet your dad for dinner. Is that not what you want me to do?" Louis shook his head and sat next to Louis, laying an arm on the back of his chair. "No, I want you to come meet my family. You will love my sisters. But I don't want yours and Liam's relationship to suffer because you're my boyfriend. I want you two to still be on good terms."

"I am on good terms with him. Just because we don't hang out 24/7 doesn't mean we hate each other. I'm sixteen, I have a life. My whole world doesn't revolve around spending time with my lame older brother." Louis sighed and leaned forward. "I didn't mean it like that Haz. I'm not saying you have to spend all of your time with him, or that you don't have a life. I just like how happy you and Liam are when you hang out with each other. I want both my bro and my ho to be happy." Harry giggled and stood up, plopping himself down onto Louis's lap. "Oh god, Haz, you could give me a warning."

The younger boy gasped in fake hurt and went to stand up, but Louis grabbed his hips, pulling him back down. "Where do you think you're going, baby? Hmm?" Louis nibbled at Harry's neck and then blew air on the fresh bite. "You think I'm fat." Louis frowned and turned the boy around in his lap so that he was straddling him. "Who said you were fat?" He asked, cupping the boy's cheeks. "You...you always comment on how much bigger I'm getting, and just then you said I should have warned you before I sat on you. You think I'm fat." Louis sighed and kissed the boy's lips. "I never said you were fat, baby. I'm talking about your height when I say those things about you getting bigger. I'm talking about how tall you're getting. When we first met, you were so short. You're filling out beautifully.