The Brother I Never Wanted (Larry AU)

Chapter 10

Louis takes the long way around the living room to the kitchen when the sudden thought occurs to him that Harry might already be in there. This way, he can hide behind the wall and check before just sauntering in for a snack. It's only been a couple of hours since they had that spat over him intruding on his personal phone call, and he has no doubt that Harry's still pissed. He was quiet at dinner, glaring down at his plate as if he wanted it to explode under the stare, and Louis' sure that it'd have been directed at him had their parents not been there too. Ever since that incident on the couch, they've been more careful to hide their hatred towards each other but Louis doesn't think they're fooling anyone.

Unfortunately for him, his dad is already in on his routine of watching telly on the couch, and he has to walk past his dark silhouette to reach the kitchen. He debates just turning around and going back upstairs, but then his stomach growls, gnawing inside him. Screw it. He's going in. His bare feet pad quietly on the carpet, barely audible to his own ears over the hum of the television set, but his movement is apparently caught out of the corner of his eye and his dad's head is turning towards him. Damn. He almost made it.

Looking around the edge of the wall and into the small room with shiny, chrome appliances, he can see that Harry's not in there after all, and he hates that he had to have been caught sneaking around like he's walking on thin ice. Louis smiles bashfully at his dad's questioning eyes, trying to play off that he's just goofing around. His dad doesn't say anything for a second and he attempts to move past him when he's stopped.

"Louis?"

He mutters a silent, "shit", but turns to face the deep voice anyway. "Yeah dad?"

His thumb taps the volume button on the remote, adjusting it to a lower amplification and pivoting his body. "Is there something going on? Why are you creeping around?" He grimaces at him. "Is it because of Harry?"

Louis wants to lie - brush it off so he can just have a banana or something to settle his fatigue. But lying to his dad feels so wrong. They've always been really close. To the point where Louis' not afraid to tell or ask him anything. The birds and the bees, boy advice...almost everything. There's only one thing he doesn't know, that he's kept a secret in fear of how he'd react, and that's the fact that he gets the occasional shove from his teammates. And looking into his gray eyes now, he doesn't feel he could flat out lie without feeling sinful.

"Yes," he sighs. He looks down at his bare feet, wiggling his toes in the plush floor covering. "I did something bad, dad. I ruined our chances of being friends. I just...I don't want to talk to him. That's why I was sneaking around, I mean."

His dad knits his eyebrows in concern and pats the seat to his right, Louis' spot. He knows what Louis likes. But even his spot can't cheer him up this time. He feels horrible about what he did and no amount of sulking in the couch cushion is going to make Harry forgive him. He should've just walked away when he had the chance. He should've known that something like this would happen when he hesitated in the doorway.

"Louis, I think we need to talk about this."

Louis hesitates, posture tense in uneasiness. "Actually . . . can we do it tomorrow? I'm kind of hungry -"

"Louis."

His lips purse at the authoritative tone he adds whenever he wants Louis to obey his demands. He doesn't use it often. Only when he actually tries to be the strict parent. Louis settles down where his hand was obediently.

"Now tell me," he starts, reaching over to brush Louis' messy fringe out of his face gently. "I know it's only been a day but why can't you boys try to get along? You've never even met him before this, and I know that that's my fault, but the moving in thing was kind of a spur of the moment decision. It was too tough to be in a relationship when we live so far away from each other, and we thought it would be a good idea to try living together, but I'm starting to question whether it was a good idea. You guys seem to hate each other more than any other siblings I've seen, and I'm sorry but I really don't understand why. I'd like it if you could give me some insight here." There's a small frown on his lips and Louis' stomach clenches.