The Brother I Never Wanted (Larry AU)

Chapter 18

Hey-o! How's it going? I'm fantastic - maybe a little sleep deprived - but good.

Going to throw some Larry fluff in there for ya this chapter so prepare yourselves. Nothing too scandalous, but still juicy ;) You'll just have to find out for yourselves.

And, side note, my brother just started this soccer tournament this weekend, so I may be out of town more often. Hence, I might have less time to update. I know, I know, depressing...But I thought I'd give you guys a heads up. I'll probably be okay, but we'll see.

Have a great day! And hopefully you all enjoy my update.

- Sparks <3

—------------------------------------------—

"Louis, time to get up!"

A loud voice through the door startles him from his slumber, making him jerk slightly in protest and peel open his bleary eyes. The first thing he sees when he wakes up, though, is bed sheets. And not just any bed sheets - not his bed sheets. They're a light blue instead of white. If that wasn't strange enough, there's a weight across his midsection, and when he glances down, tattoos sprawl across his vision. He shifts his foot, surprised to find it hooked between legs behind him. His lungs shutter in utter befuddlement before he realizes what's happening. Oh, it's just Harry. He takes a deep breath, squirming under the boy sprawled on top of him. Louis leans over his unconscious, soft snoring body, rubbing his eyes as he glances at the clock.

The numbers are fuzzy at first, so he has to kind of squint, but then it finally clicks. It's kind of really late, and he should really get up to dress for school, but then again. Why would he do that when he can sleep for another five minutes? He shifts to squirm back into the place his body was occupying before, the warmth feeling like a drug that pulls at his eyelids. Just five more minutes. The arm around his body squeezes a little harder, and he hears the soft rustle of sheets as Harry shifts in his sleep, breath tickling his spine. "Mm."

"Louis, it's six-thirty! You better be up."

Louis clenches his eyes tighter, trying his best to fall into darkness so he can't be guilted into getting out of bed. The world outside is so cold, and he's so blissful in this heat.

"Louis, don't make me come up there!"

The threat doesn't really do anything until he realizes that he's, in fact, not in his room, and his heart stops. Shit. His eyes spring open. He reaches back across Harry and swipes his glasses off the side table, slinking out of Harry's bed and secretly sending a few glances at the boy still cuddled around the empty dip in the bed. He grabs his vans off the floor, lip snagged between his teeth. There's almost something scandalous about sneaking out of his stepbrother's room in the early hours of the morning, clad in yesterday's clothes, that has his heart pumping.

Harry doesn't even stir when he sprints from his room, dead to the world around him. And Louis feels like a young teenage girl, checking the hallway on his way up to his bedroom so as not to get caught with disheveled hair and his shoes in his hand. He breathes in relief, but maybe also feels a little flutter of giddiness in his chest knowing that he didn't get caught.

Louis rushes to get ready for school, tugging on his jeans and trying to brush his teeth at the same time. It doesn't work very well, and he just ends up with some white paste in his hair. He quickly rinses it out in the sink, shocked to find that he actually looks somewhat presentable when it's all over and he composes himself. It's not how he'd like to look for an interview or anything, but for school it'll work. Skipping down the stairs, he quickly throws himself at his dad, capturing in a brief, bone-crushing hug that makes him grunt, and he greets his step mum, kissing her cheek. She starts, touching the spot with a shocked, pleased gape.