✧ Bumps in the road ✧

Ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｔｈｉｒｔｙ ｔｈｒｅｅ

"How did I let you talk me into this again?" Harry asked with fake anger in his tone as he began to clear rocks away. They had decided to go on a camping trip with Louis' sisters. Harry didn't seem to stop and think that meant outdoors. He wasn't truly one for sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground so he wasn't 100% sure how he got talked into this.

Louis chuckled slightly as he began opening the tent. "I barely did anything. All I said was we haven't been camping in a while, we should do it soon. Next thing I knew you were on the phone to my mum and you were telling Liam and Niall to pack bags."  The shorter boy recapped as he skimmed the instructions.

The younger boy shrugged happily figuring he always was eager to make Louis happy. "Let me help love." Harry hummed as he picked up one edge of the tent that currently looked more like a tarp.

- - -

A few hours later four tents had been set up along with a fire and seating arrangement around it. The sun was hanging lowly on the horizon and a twirl of smoke was coming off the fire.

Over the past weeks Niall had seemed to drop his attitude towards Louis. Everything had seemed to go back to how it was a few years ago. Conversation flowed easily through the group of four with heavy laces of laughter.

The company wasn't worsened or disturbed by the presence of the four young girls. Fizzy was in a conversation with Liam about the tattoos she was hoping for. Lottie was speaking softly with Harry about something both had comfortable smiles on their faces. Niall was laughing along with both twins, all three of them carefree. Louis was just watching the scene in front of him. These were his people, the people he loved, the people he knew he could be himself in front of, his comfort crowd.

The eldest was sure this was one of the best moments of his life. Nothing else seemed to matter. He had Harry tucked under his arms perched on his lap. All his sisters safe and sound with smiles on their faces. Two of his best friends feeling happy and peaceful in the comfort.

"You okay bub?" A voice asked suddenly. Louis instantly connected it to Harry.

When Louis focused back on the younger boy he expected everyone to be staring at him but to his shock it was just Harry. That made Louis feel as if it were just them. The safest he could possibly be.

The Doncaster boy nodded slightly with a loving smile on his face. "Yeah baby, I'm great. Just thinking." The boy responded lovingly moving his thumb over the back of Harry's hand.

Harry sent Louis a concerned look with his eyebrows furrowed as he studied every feature of the others face. "Happy thinking?" Harry asked. Louis understood the concern, over the past few weeks Louis had been having a hard time in his own head. There would be days where he barely spoke and just kept his head down commenting that he was just thinking.

Louis fought back the need to roll his eyes. "Yes love, happy thoughts. I was thinking about how safe and comfortable I feel with all of you." The boy hummed softly pulling the other in tighter.

"I'm glad." Harry nodded before moving slowly to kiss the others lips. The moment was peaceful and carefree. They both seemed to forget the years where they were barely able to touch unless it was behind closed doors.

Suddenly Louis broke away from the kiss and sent a death glare towards Liam. "What the fuck Liam?" Louis growled keeping his eye on the other. The others were confused as only Liam and Louis knew Liam had thrown something at Louis.

Harry's happiness came crashing down. He knew he shouldn't have got his hopes up. Harry's heart rate rose in preparation to pull Louis away from the crowd.

Then there was a bitter silence. Absolutely nothing. It seemed as if even the crickets got the message. Everyone was utterly silent. Maybe out of shock or fear. What was most shocking that Louis was also silent.

"I was just joking." Louis sighed softly pushing Harry off his lap. "I'm going to have a smoke." The short boy huffed as he walked away.

Harry's features softened at the realisation and what he had just done. "The one thing he didn't want. We made him feel different. We all got scared. Fuck." Harry muttered. It was more to himself than anyone but the hallowing silence was still filling the air.

"H? Do you want me to go?" Liam asked softly as he studied the sad features of Harry's face in the Orange fire light.

The youngest boy just shook his head with a pale look on his face. "Um... no..can you just stay here." He muttered as he began to follow the same steps Louis took.

Within five minutes Harry had found the small wisp of smoke coming off the cigarette that hung from Louis' lips. Harry crouched down so he was behind the boy and wrapped his long arms around the tiny figure. "Don't think too hard love." Harry hummed as he rocked the other.

Although Louis didn't completely melt into the touch he still relaxed somewhat. "Sorry." Louis said in a scared tone. Why was he scared?

The younger just shook his head that was buried in the others neck. "Don't be sorry. I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have reacted like that. None of us should have." Harry admitted sadly taking the others hand into his.

The younger began to place a meaningful kiss to the back of the others knuckles. "I'm scared Haz." Louis said in a shaky voice as if he was holding back years of tears.

"I know lou. We will be alright." Harry hushed bringing the boy into his chest. In some twisted way this felt right to both of them, even though outside of each other's arms a storm of pain and hurt was brewing when they were together they both felt safe.

Both men seemed to blank out on how long they were huddled together like that but it was broken by a phone call. "Sorry, it's Brianna." Louis said angrily excusing himself from the embrace.

"Hello?" Louis asked angrily.

"Hi Lou." She hummed happily.

"Don't you dare act like that. I have been trying to reach you for weeks you can't just come back into my life with a random phone call excepting me to be all happy to hear from you." Louis ranted as he paced a small spot in front of where he was once sitting.

Harry felt terrible he knew the fact Louis had been trying to reach Brianna was way if him down. Brianna never let Louis see Freddie, which hurt to see so Harry couldn't imagine how Louis felt. The youngest watched helplessly as Louis pulled at the ends of his hair.

"You are such an angry man Louis."  She laughed softly. That sentence really confused Louis. Why was she so happy about it? why was she saying it at all?

"I'm not sure if I want my child growing up with that." She added her plans now becoming apparent.

"Y-you can't do that." The boy stuttered sadly. Harry's ears perked up at the sadness lacing the sweet voice. "He is my son. You can't take him away from me." Louis said firmly. Finally it all clicked in the others head, he dove to Louis to give him comfort but to no surprise he was pushed away.

"Oh but I can. If you try and fight me on it you'll hear from my lawyer."  She said wickedly

***
So like yeah..... Um hahah...ahhhh....that happened. Whoops?

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