love me until i love myself / l.s

38

''Hi, baby. No...mhm...No, Haz, I'm sorry I don't think I will make it for dinner in time. You can just go ahead without me...Don't you work today, either? That's weird. You haven't been to work for more than two months by now, is everything alright?...Oh, next week? Maybe I will come and see you...'' Louis smirked having the phone between his ear and his shoulder, as he typed away on his computer.

''No, it's just a small set. I'll be home soon, anyways. The point is that I don't work tonight, so I can wait for you to have dinner together.'' Harry offered, as he paced around in the kitchen.

''I mean, you can if you want but it's not necessary. I might come back around 10PM, so that's pretty late. But do whatever you want, I don't mind.'' Louis said and Harry hummed over the phone, as he stirred the pot.

''Well, I will be waiting for you, just so you know.'' Harry smiled, hearing background voices on the other side of the phone call. He immediately understood that Louis had to go back to work and frowned a bit. He was having fun talking to Louis.

''Haz, sorry babe, they are calling me, but I will see you at dinner. Love you, bye.'' Louis said.

''Love you too, bye.'' Harry smiled, before hanging up and he went back to preparing the dinner. He started humming to himself a fun tune, while thinking about an appropriate song, but then his mind recalled his last words Louis told him a few minutes ago and what he answered back.

What the fuck?

*

When Louis got back home, he found Harry in the dining room, setting the table. He was still wearing an apron, tightly wrapped around his waist. He turned his face to the sound Louis made and immediately his eyes lit up, walking towards the older man.

''Oh, Lou, I've missed you.'' he beamed, wrapping his arms around Louis' neck and hugged him tightly. The older man placed his hands against the small of Harry's back, chuckling against his neck.

''You saw me in the morning.'' he clarified.

''Yeah, but I have gotten used to seeing you all day. It feels weird when you're not here.'' he replied, finally letting go off the older man.

''Duty is calling me, young Harold.'' he joked.

''We better keep you well-fed, then.'' Harry said and the older man grinned at that.

''I'm just gonna wash up and change. Do you want any help with all of this?'' he asked, but the younger man shook his head.

''I'm okay. Everything is ready to be served, anyways.'' Harry said, pecking Louis' lips, before going back into the kitchen.

The older man smiled to himself, as he climbed the stairs to their bedroom.

However, the young man was having a full-on crisis about Louis. He didn't understand why Louis told him the L-word on the phone, but it felt like it just slipped? Maybe Louis was saying that to everyone, that he was close with on the phone. It was probably that. But also, he prayed that Louis didn't understand or hear his response. It just fucking slipped, okay? What if Louis calls him out on what he said and then they are over? He took a couple of deep breaths, before taking the tray in the dining room. Fuck.

He set the tray on the table and felt two arms wrap around his waist. He smiled knowing it's Louis and placed his hands over the older man's. Louis pressed his warm lips against the back of Harry's neck and kissed him lightly. The younger man tensed a bit at the touch.

'Love you, bye.'

''Are you okay? You feel uptight. Sorry.'' Louis said, immediately removing his arms from Harry and took a couple of steps back, to give the boy some space.

''Yes, I am fine. You just surprised me, that's all.'' Harry replied and the older man nodded, sitting down. He still seemed like he didn't believe what Harry said and well, he was right. He sat down next to Louis and he pretended like the L-word didn't come out of his lips earlier in the morning.

*

Harry was acting so weird and Louis had no idea why. During dinner, he seemed so upset about something and Louis couldn't figure out what was making him feel that way. At first, he thought maybe Eleanor had said something, but the younger boy informed him that he hadn't seen her since breakfast and that she was out. The rest of the staff had their days off, because Harry said that he would take care of everything and he wanted to cook anyways. So, nobody hurt or said something bad to Harry, right? Then, why was he so upset?

He knocked on the door of Harry's room and for a moment he thought how weird it was to knock on Harry's door. He hadn't done that in weeks. Harry was usually either in his room or he didn't need to knock. Between him and Harry, there were no boundaries and maybe that was the problem. What started with simple sex, turned into a complicated affair with one-sided love, that was gonna end up with Louis hurt.

Harry opened the door confuse, because why was Louis knocking on the door?

''Are you okay?'' he asked him.

''I was about to ask you that.''

''Why? I am fine, I told you.''

''I know. Just wanted to make sure.''

''You did and I am still fine.'' Harry said, awkwardly shifting his weight from one leg to the other and the older man hummed.

''So I am just gonna go to bed. Goodnight.'' Louis told him, taking a few steps back and the younger boy nodded.

''Night.'' he mumbled, before he shut his door closed.

*

A/N IMPORTANT CHAPTERS AHEAD!!!