Friends with Benefits

1

They had all met at uni and became great friends. Different careers and job offer sent them to different parts of England but once a year they went on a vacation together for a week or two to catch up. This year they had a ten-year anniversary and decided to celebrate their friendship differently. In the past, they had done everything from rock climbing to skydiving but now they just wanted to spend some quality time together considering they never managed to meet all five of them at once, except when they went on vacation together.

Zayn was dating an Italian model for the moment who just happened to own a house in Italy. She offered them to stay there. They managed to pick a date when they all could go and it was five excited guys who met up at Heathrow.

Harry had been nervous to see Louis again. He had a crush on the guy since they first met. More than a crush really, Louis was amazing and so straight, unfortunately. He gulped as soon as he laid eyes on him. Louis was more beautiful than ever.
"Haz!" Louis shouted and smiled brightly.

He hurried over to hug him. Oh God, he smelled lovely.
"Hi, Lou." Harry mumbled with his face nuzzled in the smaller man's neck. He had missed him so much. They hadn't seen each other in months.

They let go and Harry hugged Niall next.
"Hi mate. Nice to see you."

Zayn and Liam were next in line and after they all hugged each other they went to check-in their luggage.
Louis took a seat next to Harry as soon as they boarded the plane. Harry was happy to spend the two-hour flight with his favorite person in the whole world. As soon as the plane took off Louis turned to Harry with a smile.
"So, what's new Harry?"

Harry returned the smile.
"Nothing much. You? How's El?"

He grunted internally. He really didn't want to spend the whole flight talking about Louis's long-term girlfriend but asking about her was the polite thing to do. Louis shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm sure she's great. We actually broke up a couple of months ago."

Harry's heart fluttered from the information. Louis was single?
"What? Ehm, I'm sorry Lou."

"It's okay. It was a mutual decision. We fell out of love a long time ago, you know." Louis said.

"Oh. So are you seeing someone new?" Harry asked, heart beating fast, which was silly because Louis was still straight.

"Nope." Louis answered, popping the p. "I really enjoy single life. How about you?" Louis replied with a grin.

"Naaah, I'm single." Harry chuckled.

"Still? Come on Haz, why are you always single? There must be some guy out there for you. Huh?"

Yeah, well, you. Everyone else was pale in comparison. It wasn't like he hadn't tried to meet someone else. Harry sighed.
"Yeah, maybe, I don't know."

Louis's piercing blue eyes seemed to penetrate his soul and Harry held his breath. Louis let the subject go and started to talk about his family instead.

Two hours went by fast. Harry felt more alive than he had felt in a long time, laughing and talking to Louis. They landed in Milan and caught a cab after they collected their luggage. The house was located outside Milan and they all smiled brightly from the sight of the massive villa. Louis turned to Harry with glittery eyes.
"This is awesome!"

You are. Oh, stop it. You're so pathetic. Harry sighed at his own embarrassing thoughts.
"It is!"

They got out of the car, paid the cab driver, and collected their bags before Zayn lead them inside.
"Okay. There are six bedrooms. Three of them at that end of the house and the other three in the other end of the house. The master bedroom's mine!" Zayn announced and started to walk to the left. Liam and Niall followed after him.

"I guess that means we're going this way. Come on Hazza." Louis grinned and picked up his bag and headed to the right.

Harry followed closely without a word. Him and Louis alone in another part of the house? He didn't know how to feel about it but he had become an expert in hiding his emotions for the smaller man. Years of practice. Years of pining over someone he could never have. It was exhausting and heartbreaking.

They picked the rooms next to each other and went inside to unpack. Harry loved his room. It was light and cozy and the bed was big and looked comfortable. He opened the balcony door and stepped outside on the balcony to take in the surroundings. Louis was already out there smoking. Apparently, they shared the balcony. Harry scrunched his nose.
"You still smoke?"

"Yeah. Sorry." Louis chuckled.

"At least you don't smell like a smoker." Harry replied and mentally facepalmed. Too much information.

"I don't? Well, that's good." Louis smirked and took another drag of the cigarette.

Harry walked over and stood beside him, leaning over the railing. Louis bumped his side and Harry tried to ignore how that made his skin tingle.
"What do I smell like then?"

What kind of question was that? Harry tried really hard not to blush.
"Ehm, I don't know...like..."

Louis chuckled.
"I'm just messing with you Styles."

Oh, come on! That's not fair. Harry smiled and shook his head in amusement. Louis put the cigarette out in an ashtray and turned to face Harry again.
"It's really good to see you. It's been too long."

217 days to be exact, but who's counting?
"It's nice to see you too." Harry replied. His heart was beating stupidly fast in his chest.

"I'm actually moving to London in a month. I got a new job." Louis informed and Harry's heart stopped beating all together.

"R...really? You're leaving Doncaster? That's awesome! I mean, maybe not awesome to you, you're leaving your family behind but, like..." Harry started to rambled.

Louis let out a soft laugh.
"Yeah, I'll miss them but it was time for a change. I got a place a couple of blocks from you actually so now we could hang out more often if you'd like to."

Harry's eyes grew wide from excitement.
"Are you kidding me? I'd love that!"

"Good. You're the only one I know that lives in London and I missed you." Louis replied and put his hand in his hair and scratched it, like he was feeling a bit embarrassed to admit that.

"I missed you too Lou. So much!" Harry replied softly.

That made Louis beam.
"Come on! Let's see if the guys are ready for some adventure."

They walked inside again and Harry's head was spinning. Louis was moving to London?