7 Up

Harry is extremely frustrated, but he knows when Louis is in a mood like this, pushing is going to
get him absolutely nowhere. He has to play by Louis’ rules in order to win.
“Okay. Conversation dropped.”
Louis crosses his arms over his chest and stares at Harry, eyes squinted, and Harry doesn’t really
know what to do now. “Do you, um, wanna watch a film?”
Louis huffs out a breath. “No.”
Harry shifts on his bed, reaching for his laptop at the end of it, and says, “Okay.”
He stands there in the center of Harry’s bedroom for about six more seconds before he walks to the
edge of the bed, nudging Harry. “Move.” Harry tries not to smile.
He makes room for Louis on the bed as he scrolls through the list of available films on Netflix and
puts his thumb on Louis’ thigh, drawing circles slowly. “Which do you wanna watch, baby?”
“I don’t care.”
“Okay.” He clicks on the comedy section and Louis sighs.
“Well, I care if you plan on picking a shitty film.” He reaches for the laptop and jumps to the
drama section, skimming through each summary much too quickly to be able to read anything.
After a few minutes, he ends up back in comedies, and clicks on Hot Rod.
Harry pulls Louis in close, still drawing shapes on his thigh, and he kisses behind his ear. Louis
hits the spacebar on the laptop rather harshly, pausing the movie.
“I didn’t wanna tell any of our family members that we’re together because I’m constantly fucking
terrified that one day, all of this is going to be over. And the idea of having to tell people that we
aren’t together anymore makes me sick.” He covers Harry’s hand on his thigh with his own. “In
case I haven’t made it abundantly clear, I like you quite a bit, okay?”
Harry was certainly not expecting that. It’s very rare Louis ever opens up first, if at all, so Harry
treads lightly. “Louis, love, you were afraid to tell people we were together in the event of a
potential breakup in the distant future that neither of us can foresee?”
Louis rolls over. “When you say it like that, you make me sound like such a dickhead.”
“No, Lou, I just want you to hear how silly that sounds. Look at me.” He pulls Louis’ face by his
finger under his chin, forcing eye contact. “Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me? Or us?”
“No, but--”
“I can't predict the future, Louis. I don't know what's going to happen with us. But for as long as I
can remember, I have been so in love with you, I can't see straight.” He dips down to kiss him
swiftly on the lips. “Don’t take out your fears on Lottie.”
Louis snorts. “You could have ended on the ‘I love you’ part.”
“I love you. I love you so bloody much, it hurts sometimes.”