The Fires of Spring (Larry AU)

s i x

Needless to say, Louis and Lottie's mum screams relentlessly at them as soon as they walk in the front door.

"Where the hell have you two been?"

Louis looks to Lottie and licks his fingers. He then starts to rub her cheeks, trying to get all the make up off and she doesn't pull away.

"When were you going to decide to answer my calls?"

Louis manages to get some of the make up off, but not all of it. Together, they collapse on the couch, as their mother continues to pace the living room.

"I don't want a repeat of Doncaster! I really though you two could handle doing somewhere on your own."

Lottie leans her head on Louis' shoulder and closes her eyes and they take the yelling together. Louis sees three little heads pop out from the stair well, and his sisters are peering sleepily at the scene in front of them.

"You're obviously both grounded. For a week! No, actually, make it two!"

"'Kay, mum. Can we go to sleep now?" Lottie asks sleepily.

Louis' mum huffs and rubs her temples. Then she tightly nods and Louis and Lottie scramble up the stairs and into their rooms.

Louis falls back on his bed and immediately digs his phone out of his pocket and dials Harry's number.

Harry picks up on the first ring.

"How much trouble are you in?" He asks.

Louis sighs. "Two weeks."

"Wow. I'm really sorry."

"I'm at suicide risk." Louis agrees, then nods even though Harry can't see. Then asks, "Why did you take off your piercings and cover your tattoos?"

There's a silence on the other end. Louis can hear Harry's breaths coming out in shaky puffs, so he knows he's still on the other line. Louis waits patiently for Harry's answer, because he knows he can be a little forward sometimes, but.

"When you said your sister was coming," Harry finally replies, "I don't know. I guess, like, I sort of just freaked out."

"Define freaked out." Louis says.

Harry lets out a nervous laugh and says, "I just- God, Louis, I don't know. I just really like you, like a lot. A ridiculous amount of like. And, just, I wanted your sister to like me, too. I didn't want to scare away your family."

"Harry," Louis says sternly. He doesn't really know what to say for once. He wants to tell him that he shouldn't care what Louis' family thinks. He wants to tell him that he's stupid and gorgeous.

Instead, he says, "I really want to see you right now."

Harry sighs on the other end. "I know. I want to see you, too."

Louis plays with the end of his duvet as he contemplates if what he's going to say next will freak Harry out. He decides that he doesn't give a fuck and goes for it, "Why don't I just come to yours, then?"

"I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Eh, I'm already grounded, what other shenanigans can I get into?"

Louis can practically hear Harry's smile on the other line, so Louis smiles, too.

"Let's wait until tomorrow night." Harry says instead of agreeing with Louis.

Louis nods again. "Okay."

"Okay."

"Okay."

"I'm hanging up now."