I'm Not Fine At All

Chapter 52

After the boys all went out to eat, Louis went back to the apartment to get it ready for Harry's surprise while the others went out shopping. Louis told the other boys to drop Harry off at the apartment around six and then Liam and Zayn were supposed to get to their concert. Niall was being dropped back off at Zayn's house because apparently he and Liam were now inseparable and he needed to spend the night with him again. The group wandered around town for a couple of hours and then it was almost six, time for them to drive the younger boy back to the apartment. Liam drove Niall to Zayn's first since it was along the way, and then the three of them arrived outside of Liam and Harry's apartment building. Liam kissed the boy on the cheek, giving him a knowing look as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "Go get 'em, tiger," Zayn said from the backseat, making the younger boy smile before stepping out of the car and onto the pavement. "Bye, boys, I love you," he called before going inside the building.

Harry knocked on the door of the apartment at six on the dot, not knowing whether he should just go in or not. He heard a bit of stomping around, a loud crash, some cursing, and then the door opened to reveal a frazzled-looking Louis dressed in a white button-up, suit jacket, and black trousers. "Well don't you look and smell divine," Harry giggled as he pulled the older boy into a deep kiss. Louis chuckled and grabbed the younger boy's chin with his thumb and forefinger, forcing him to look him right in his eyes. "Are you excited for your birthday present, baby?" Harry nodded numbly, barely able to focus on anything other than the older boy's warm breath on his face and his tight grip on his chin.

"Well, come on inside, darling. Dinner's on the table and it's getting cold." Louis opened the door wider so that the boy could come inside, the boy gasping when he saw what the older lad had done to the place. Christmas lights covered the whole kitchen and the table was set with two full plates, a candle in the middle. "Louis, I love it so much. It's just so...I love you, Lou." Louis smiled and kissed the boy's nose, slowly moving all over his face. "I love you too, baby. Now come on, sit down so we can enjoy the delicious meal I made for us." Harry followed the older boy to the table, sitting down in the chair that he pulled out for him. Louis sat across from him and motioned for him to start eating, taking a bite of his own chicken.

Harry followed suit and took a bite of his chicken, moaning softly at the taste of it. "Wow, Louis, this is amazing. How did you do this? You suck at cooking." Louis chuckled and swiped his thumb over Harry's lip where a bit of sauce had gotten. "I've been taking cooking classes with Lottie. She and Stevie love to cook, so I joined them a few times, and then I started going weekly, and I guess now I'm a world-renowned chef." Harry giggled and dug into his food, finishing the chicken quickly before moving onto his sides. "Wow, I'm glad you like it that much. You devoured that." The younger boy blushed and swallowed his broccoli. "I'm sorry, that was probably really unattractive." Louis shook his head and traced a finger up and down the younger boy's prominent cheekbone.

"No, love, it's not unattractive at all. I find it quite adorable, how much you love my food. Makes me want to eat you up, the same way you did with that chicken." Harry felt his cheeks redden even more, happy that they were in the dark so Louis couldn't see how flushed he was. Louis slowly worked through all of the food on his plate, Harry finishing much faster than he did, and then he pulled out a bottle of something from under the table. "I got this just for this special occasion. I know you don't like wine, so I got you something pink and bubbly, just like you." Louis popped the cork on the bottle of rosé and poured them each a glass, filling Harry's considerably less in case he didn't like it.

Harry picked up the glass of chilled rosé and took a sip, humming as he tasted it. "I don't hate it. I like the bubbles, but it still tastes a little wine-y. Not bad, though, and I will definitely have another glass." Louis smiled and poured a bit more into the boy's glass, setting the bottle in the middle of the table once he was done. "So, any other amazing plans for the evening? I could really use a foot massage, my new shoes are killing me." Both boys laughed and Louis shook his head, amazed at how charmed he could be by just one curly boy. "No, none of that, but I do have a surprise in the living room for when we're all done in here." Harry nodded and took another sip. "What's for dessert? Are you gonna be basic and pull out a bowl of strawberries with some whipped cream from the fridge and say that it's a romantic dessert?" Louis sucked in a breath and snapped his fingers.