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“Harry, are you ready for bed darling?” Anne asks her yawning son sitting next to her on the couch watching The Lion King.
Harry shakes his head, “The movie isn’t over yet mummy.”
“Darling, we aren’t even half way through. You had a long day, how about we head to bed?” Anne insists. She tries not to wear out her son too much, but she also can’t say no to birthday parties, Gemma’s football game, and grandma’s house.
Harry looks away from ‘I just can’t wait to be king’ up to his mum, “Can we finish the movie tomorrow?”
Anne smiles, “Of course we can. Now let’s go before you fall asleep on me.” She turns off the telly and the two make their way to the stairs. They go up to Harry’s room to change into his pajamas before going to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. She’s tucking him into his zoo night sheets as she asks, “What book do you want tonight darling?”
“No book tonight mum,” Harry tells her rubbing his eyes with his fists.
“Are you sure? You don’t even want Where the Wild Things Are?” Anne looks over to the bookshelf.
“No,” Harry shakes his head, “I want to know why you and Daddy’s photos are all black and white.”
“Are you sure you want to hear that darling?” When Harry nods, she continues, “Well Harry, Daddy and I are soulmates.”
“What is a soulmate?” Harry yawns.
“Well what grandma always told me was that you have a soul in your body. That is what makes you and Gemma and Daddy and me so special. We all have different souls, except for one other person. You and your soulmate have matching souls. This Harry, is such an incredibly special thing. It is so special because of all the people on earth you only match with one other person, because you have a love so special it’s on a whole other level. So when they made cameras, they knew that we were special so they took all of the color.”
“Well that isn’t fair they took the color. Colors are so beautiful mum,” Harry’s eyes widen, letting the green shine even in the darkness.
Anne smiles at her five year old, “They took the color because we only see the color in each other. We don’t need cameras and pictures to tell us we are soulmates, because darling when you meet your soulmate you will know.”
“How will I know mum?”
“The way they make you feel. When your Dad and I met I knew almost immediately. Your Dad, Harry, made me laugh so much and I had felt like I hadn’t laughed in years the way Daddy made me laugh. He was sweet, he was sweet to everyone, but he had a special part of it reserved just for me. He made me feel special, like we were the only people in the whole world, because suddenly I became his whole world,” Anne smiles her way through the story.
“I can’t wait to meet my soulmate Mum,” Harry smiles, deepening into his bed.
“I can’t either. They are going to be so great Harry. But you are also 5, so you have a while before you do meet them, so let’s go to bed, okay?” Anne then gets up and pulls the cover up further, proper tucking her son into bed.
Harry nods, “I love you Mum.”
“I love you too Harry, sleep tight,” Anne turns off the light and closes the door.
~~~~~
When Harry started year 7 he didn’t expect to meet his soulmate, and he didn’t. But if there was ever a thing such as a best-friend-mate that was so deep it was like your soulmate, that was Niall for Harry.
They met in their geography class when paired together for a project after Niall had moved to their little town from his previous one in Ireland and the first thing Niall ever told Harry was, “Listen mate, I’m shit at geography so I just want to let you know now I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, I can help you with that. It is a group project after all,” Harry had gotten out after his laughter died down enough for him to breathe properly again.
It was definitely a group effort, with Niall’s art skills and Harry being an expert at geography. “My Dad travels a lot so I like to know where he is when he has to leave,” Harry explains to Niall when he asks, yet again, “How the hell are you so good at this?”
With Harry’s help, both of them passed the class with A’s. Niall’s mum had told him when they got their scores, “Please don’t let go of this one, he’s a great friend to have.” Niall took his mum’s words completely to heart and quickly became best friends with the curly haired lad.
The years went by and the two were always by the other’s side. They both joined golf and traveled all over competing. Niall was clearly better than Harry, but it was okay because they enjoyed playing with each other. Well that and the fact Harry also played football and Niall was completely shit at that. “Shut up Harry, it’s my knees that make it so bloody hard to even run in the first place,” Niall had retaliated after Harry had shouted, “Niall come on, there’s not even any competition!”
There was countless sleepovers between the two, partly due to the fact that they would get back ridiculously late from golf competitions. The one at Harry’s house in year 10 is one that neither of them will ever forget.
Both of them were about to slip into unconsciousness when Harry turned to his best friend, “Niall…”
“What is it Harry?” Niall asked with his eyes still closed not moving from his current position.
“Can I tell you something? This is like a big something, like you can’t tell anyone, it can only stay between us. Do you understand that?” Harry said steadily, extremely aware of just how fast his heart was pounding in his chest at that moment.
Niall at that point had opened his eyes and turned towards him, “You can always tell me those things Harry. What is it? You didn’t kill anyone did you?”
Harry let's out a breathy laugh, god bless Niall, “No, it’s nothing like that, I promise. I just, I think my soulmate is a guy.”
Niall is silent for a moment, “You really think so?” Harry nods so he continues, “What made you think this? When did you start thinking this?”
“I guess I always kind of knew, if that makes sense, but my suspicions were confirmed when Cindy Patterson kissed me and I just wanted to puke the whole time,” Harry lets out on a shaky breath.
“Shit man you have it bad, she’s bloody hot. When did that even happen?”
“Last week and I didn’t want to tell you because I knew you would’ve asked how I liked it and I didn’t, like at all. And it’s weird, well I wouldn’t say weird but I don’t know. You don’t see it as often as I guess. And I can’t help it, but I also really like it at the same time and-“ Harry is just straight up rambling at this point.
Niall interrupts, “Harry, you're rambling and you need to stop for a minute so I can tell you something.”
Harry gulps, “And what is that?”
“I’m really happy that you told me and it’s okay,” Niall smiles softly at him. Harry starts tearing up so he pulls him in for a bone crushing hug, “Harry it is perfectly okay that you like guys. And it doesn’t matter if you like girls or guys of horses even, because you would still always be my best mate and that would never change, okay?”
Harry nods and Niall can feel tears fall onto his back. “I love you.”
“I love you too Harry,” Niall pulls back to a now smiling Harry. Niall wipes away his tears for him, “Now let’s go to sleep. You must be exhausted from me kicking your ass today.”
Harry laughs for the first time that night, “I swear I’ll beat you one day Horan.”
“Only in your dreams Styles,” Niall groans, leaning deeper into the bed.
“Dream a little dream of me,” Harry sings with a smirk, fully aware of what his best friend is about to do to him. So Niall does exactly as expected and nails Harry in the face with his pillow which leaves him in a fit of giggles, “Good night Niall.”
“Good night Harry,” Niall huffs as he situates his pillow as it was pre-Harry’s-face.
~~~~~
Harry never officially came out to anyone after his family, who loved Harry just the same if not more when he told them, but eventually the girls stopped forcing themselves on him and the few guys like him never did anything more than a few angsty smiles every so often.
It’s year 13 now and Harry and Niall are on their route home arm in arm, as they do everyday as they have done for as long as they can remember.
Niall sighs pressing into Harry, “Well I thought she liked me, but today I saw her all over Michael Peterson, who I fucking hate if I haven’t mentioned it enough-“
“You have,” Harry interrupts.
“I know I have, because I really hate his guts. Like I’m sorry your dumbass can’t take a test without having to cheat your way through it, but my golf cart should not have to suffer from it!” Niall is getting more heated by the minute as he talks about his so called arch-nemesis.
“There is still no proof that it was indeed him Niall. That’s why he gets away with half the shit he does, especially the homophobic bullshit and we just can’t do anything about it,” Harry shrugs against his best friend.
Niall slightly tenses at the thought of those particular memories, “I think that’s why I hate him the most. Of everything he’s done that was always the worst and I felt like I couldn’t do anything about it.”
“You did though,” Harry says softly and offers Niall just shakes his head at him before Harry nods and continues, “One of the worst days of my life to the date and at the end of it you were there and not going anywhere and I didn’t want want to be anywhere else than with my leprechaun.”
Niall is gawking at just how much Harry is cheesing right now, “You know, Styles, the only reason I’ve let you get away with that is my hope that one day your face is going to split in half and then you’ll come crying to me how none of the boys want you because your face is in two pieces. Then I will say ‘That’s what you get, love your favorite leprechaun!’”
The two are about to fall over from how much they are doubled over from laughing when the car they can hear accelerating down the street comes to a stop beside the pair, “Hey Harry.”
Harry stands up fully, pulling Niall with him with their arms still linked, to wipe the tears from his eyes before looking over to the car. “Hi Nick.”
“What are you guys doing?” Nick asks skeptically eyeing the two, which only makes Niall’s grip tighten around him.
“Just headed home for the day, what about you?” Harry asks, purely out of politeness, as he does wish to get back to his conversation.
“I’m headed to Manchester to see if they have this type of camera i’ve been searching for. Hey, if I do find it would you want to do the photography project together?” Nick asks, still looking between the two.
“Yeah sure, sounds great. Hope you find it,” Niall only tightens as the conversation continues between Harry and Mr. Show-Off. Niall has always been this way with Harry, with everyone that’s tried to throw themselves onto his best friend, he gets sick of it really quickly.
“Me too, bye Harry,” Nick waves before he speeds off again.
The two stare at it until it goes out of sight before Niall says, “What. A. Prick”
Harry chuckles and starts walking again, “He’s not that bad.”
“What? Do you fancy him then Styles?” Niall laughs, tugging Harry to look at him.
“No! No of course I don’t. He’s just a friend, that’s all. We have photography together and we chat, but that’s it and all it will ever be, but let’s stop talking about him and keep telling me about Marissa, ” Harry assures him.
“Right, so after I see that horror I don’t say anything, but I see her in Maths, right?” Harry nods so he continues, “Acts like it never happened and is still flirting with me, just like she was yesterday. So I tell her what I saw and at first she acts like she had no idea what I was talking about.”
“Seriously?” Harry asks as he unhooks his arm to open the door leading into his kitchen.
Niall starts turning red, “Seriously! This bitch-“
“Niall, what have we talked about with the language?” Anne interrupts, not looking up from the onions she is chopping.
“Not tolerated in the house, not tolerated anywhere else,” Niall groans out what he’s been told by his second mum a thousand times.
Anne is nodding as Harry goes to her side to hug her, “Hi Mum.”
“Hi sweetheart,” she hugs back and kisses his forehead, “How was school today?”
“It was fine, what’s for dinner?”
“Hotdog macaroni and cheese. Before you ask, yes you can stay Niall,” Anne smiles as she goes back to chopping her onions.
“You’re the best Mum,” Niall tells her before he follows Harry up the stairs to his room.
“So what’d you do after she acted clueless?” Harry asks him as he flops down starfish on his bed.
Niall plops down on his desk chair in the corner, “Well I finally got her to admit that I knew exactly what happened. So after that we just ended things between us.”
“I’m sorry,” Harry tilts his head to see Niall and visibly frowns.
“It’s fine, it’s not like she was my soulmate or anything. I just really liked her,” Niall sighs before he starts spinning in the chair.
“Are you excited?” Harrys smiles to himself as he looks back up to the ceiling.
“About what?”
Harry jolts up, “Soulmates Niall! Aren’t you excited to meet yours?”
Niall laughs at him, “I mean, yeah I guess. I just hate the idea of there is only one person for you and they are out there and you have no idea when you are going to meet them. Wait- I mean I love that part about it, it’s just you have these great people in front of you that you want to be in a relationship with and do things with, but you can’t because there’s this other person that would be crushed if they waited for you and you didn’t. And what if you were that person? That would be totally awful waiting just to have them not to. It makes me sad Harry and it’s just really confusing.”
Harry nods to what he is saying. He knows exactly what he means, it’s just that Harry has always had a different kind of faith in that sort of stuff. “I know. I know what you mean Nialler. But of seven billion people in the world one is perfect for you. I like the idea of that, but I also grew up with the absolute love of that idea. I’m really excited to meet mine.”
“Are you going to wait for them?” Niall looks up at him.
Harry nods, “And if they don’t wait for me, then that is just going to really suck. At the end of the day though, they’re still the only person for me and I will love them unconditionally.”
Niall leaves a pause before he says, “I wish we were soulmates.”
Harry is major giggling now, “What? Why?!”
Niall is laughing too, “Because nobody deserves you Harry! You are too good of a person with so much love in you. I don’t want to share you with anyone.”
“Aww, Niall! Come here,” Harry stretches his arms to the side as wide as he can before Niall practically jumps on him and they fall backwards onto the bed sending them up in giggles. “I love you.”
“I love you too Harry,” Niall sighs, kissing his temple. “Absolutely can not wait to room with you next year at uni.”
“Me either. I’m going to miss my family but I’m ready for something new,” Harry says into his hair, smelling the recently washed apple shampoo.
“What if we meet our soulmates there Harry?”
“That’d be marvelous, but highly unlikely. For one of us to meet ours, that’s possible, but both? I don’t know. I mean we both still have so much time ahead of us beyond uni,” Harry shrugs.
“Yeah, yeah you’re right, it’d just be nice. But Harry we have to promise each other when we meet our soulmates we will always make time for each other, okay?” Niall pulls back to show Harry the seriousness on his face.
Harry smiles, “Yes of course always. Don’t think I could ever forget my best friend.”
“Good, I’m a great person to have around you know,” Niall smirks as Harry just nods his head when they hear shouting.
“Boys! Dinner is ready!” Anne calls up to them.
Niall leans back into the bed, “I don’t think I could love anything more than your Mom’s cooking.”
“You just said you love me! That’s offensive Niall!” Harry’s face looks hurt, but he is laughing as he says it.
“Well you are part of your mom, technically. So technically I love you too,” Niall says untangling himself and heading towards the door.
Harry shakes his head, sending up with him, “That doesn’t make any sense, but I’ll take it.”
~~~~~
“Just like that! Don’t move!”
So Harry does exactly that with his eyes closed as he’s leaning back against the tree. Nick did find that camera he was looking for so five days later the two of them find themselves down at the river by Harry’s house. This particular photography project was based around the idea of people living in nature, so obviously everyone thought of hippies but Mr. Winston had insisted it was not about hippies, multiple times. Summer was on it’s way to ending so Harry was still able to wear his light wash jean shorts along with a white button down. He wasn’t wearing shoes to really capture “living” in nature.
Harry cracks an eye open, “Are we almost done?” Harry had taken Nick’s photos before hand and that this point it seemed that Nick was just dragging it out at this point. It had been over two hours and he had promised Niall he’d be done in time to watch The Amazing Race with him.
“Just a couple more. I promise,” Nick says inspecting the photos he just took on the tiny screen available to him. He turns his camera back over to photo mode as Harry starts throwing rocks into the river. He finishes a couple minutes later and tells Harry as much.
Harry gets up from his position against the tree and walks over to the other boy while dusting himself off, “Well I would say that went pretty well. Do you want something to drink before you head home?” He tilts his head in the direction of his house.
Nick shakes his head, “No I’m fine. Thank you though. But I do have one tiny little request.”
Harry squints up at him, “And what exactly would that be?”
“Take a selfie with me? I know, it sounds weird, but it’s sort of been a thing I do with all the people that help with my photo projects,” Nick lets out a nervous laugh playing with his camera strap.
“‘Course we can. That’s no problem at all. Also kind of cool now that I think about it, that it’s a way to keep a little piece of everything you’ve done,” Harry tells him as he sees the taller boy visibly become less nervous. Why is he even nervous? It’s not that big or embarrassing of a request even. Harry doesn’t think more of it as Nick finally responds.
“Okay, okay cool,” Nick smiles before he changes the camera mode. He holds out his arm tall enough for both of them to be in the shot. He clicks the button and they are both smiling at the lens as they hear the shutter go off.
Nick lowers his arm, “Alright, so I’ll develop these and get yours back to you before the deadline on Thursday.”
“Sounds great Nick, I’ll see you then,” Harry smiles before he starts making his way back to his house.
“See you Harry,” Nick says softly, giving a little wave.
It only takes about three minutes before Harry is stepping into his kitchen and his mum looks up from what she is doing, “Hi darling, how was the photoshoot?”
Harry shrugs, “It was fine, I just felt like it took forever.”
“You were out there for a long time, but it does pay off for quality in the end,” Anne looks to her son before she says the second part of what she needs to, “Home by 9:30. You were miserable last time you stayed over there too late. And no excuses this time because I told Maura and she will personally kick your bum out of her house if you show even the tiniest bit of resisting.”
Harry rolls his eyes, “I wasn’t even that bad last time Mum. And you just said all of that like you don’t trust your own son, which I take offense to.”
“It’s not you she’s worried about son, it’s the Irish one hopped up on endorphins all of the time,” Des says without even looking up from his computer.
“Thanks for the input Dad,” Harry says baffled.
“Just listen to your mother and no later than 9:30, or you’re cleaning Dusty’s litter box for the next month,” Des says looking over his glasses to his son looking as stern as he can for a man still in his Sunday lay in clothes.
Harry goes pale, “I’ll be home by 9:20.”
Harry makes it home at 9:21 that night to be met with his parents in hysterical laughing to his serious commitment of really not having to clean the damn litter box he truly hates.
~~~~~
To say Harry is shocked is an understatement. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Harry, we’re soulmates,” Nick smiles at him, pushing the photo into his hand.
Harry closes his gaping mouth and takes the picture from him. How is this even possible? When you meet soulmate sparks fly. Colors become brighter when you look at them. You just- you just know that they’re the one for you, and Harry did not feel that for Nick. He was a great friend and they’ve had a few laughs in their photography class, but soulmates wasn’t even on his radar for anyone at his school, let alone someone he is friends with. Harry shakes his head, “Are you sure?”
“Harry. Yes I’m sure, just look at the picture,” Nick whispers, he sounds hurt, “Why would I be making this up? Are you not happy that it’s me?”
“Yeah, I mean no. I mean, I’m just really confused. I didn’t expect this to happen so soon I guess? I don’t mean to make you upset, I’m just trying to process everything,” Harry says as though his words were the molasses he was pouring over Nick’s heart.
“Yeah, I mean take all the time you need. We have a while,” Nick smiles more downward, trying to get Harry to look at him.
Harry finally does and runs a hand through his hair, “Umm, so I just need a bit to think and tell my family. But I’ll talk to you soon, I promise.”
Nick nods along to his words eating them up, “Can I have a hug before you go?” Harry smiles, for once, and pulls him into a hug. They stay there only briefly before Nick rubs his bag and pulls back, “Go talk to your family. I’ll be here when you’re ready.”
Harry smiles before he starts his path to his house. It’s not a long way, but it fells like an eternity with only him and his thoughts. He still can not believe this is actually happening. He feels like everything his mom has ever told him about soulmates isn’t true, because he feels none of that right now. He feels like there is someone out there that is his soulmate, but it doesn’t feel like it should be with Nick. He eventually finds himself back in his living room where his best friend is having a conversation with his parents like he’s their son.
“Hey Harry, where’ve you been?” his Dad smiles at him when he walks into the room, now all three of them are looking at him now. Harry walks over and hands his Dad the picture before he sits down on the couch with Niall. His Mum and Dad inspect the photo before his Dad looks up at him, “Are you serious Harry?”
Harry shrugs, “Apparently.”
“You don’t seem very happy darling,” Anne frowns at her son.
“What are they talking about Harry?” Niall looks to his best mate confused by the conversation. Anne hands him the picture and he looks at it before quickly looking back to him, “But I thought-“
“I don’t,” Harry shakes his head with tears starting to form in his eyes. He knew what Niall was going to say before he said it. He knew Niall was going to say “But I thought you didn’t fancy him?” And it’s exactly what he told him. He doesn’t fancy Nick, which makes the whole situation so much more confusing of how could his soulmate be someone he doesn’t even like?
Everyone is quiet, not sure what to say. They want to make Harry feel better and Harry wants to be happy about the situation, he really does, he just can’t understand any of it for the life of him right now.
Niall is the one to finally speak up, “So what are you going to do Harry?”
Harry shakes his head, the tears finally escaping his eyes, “I don’t know Niall.”
Niall pulls him in for a hug. It didn’t take long when they first became friends for Niall to realize Harry is a hugger. He will hug when he’s happy, upset, bored, goofy, any mood really. But today, in this moment, no one had to ask for a hug. Niall knew. He knew Harry needed this badly. The room was filled with sadness and uncertainty, but Niall was certain he needed to be there for his best mate right now.
So did his mum. “Harry, darling?” Harry and Niall pull back from each other, but still close and both look to her before she says what no one else would know to. “I know this hurts right now, I know it does. But maybe you can learn to love him. I know this isn’t what you’d thought it’d be like and that you’ve been waiting for this since you were 5 years old and still didn’t know what everything meant, but I think you can learn to love each other. And darling, you aren’t the first person has ever happened to. Heck, people get divorced from people who are their soulmates. But I guess what I’m trying to say, it may seem weird and strange and confusing right now, but I think you can learn to love him, eventually.”
Harry sniffs and nods before Des speaks up, “Yeah, soulmate or not Harry I’m still going to kick his ass if he breaks your heart.”
“Me too Dad,” Niall nods as the rest of them laugh.
Harry sniffles, “Thanks guys, this helped a lot.”
Anne gets up and sits by his side to bring him in for her own hug, “If you ever need anything or just to talk all of us will be here for you darling.”
~~~~~
Harry lets out a long breath, “I talked to my parents.”
Nick puts aside what he’s currently doing and looks to him, “You did? What happened?”
It’s the next day in photography and the two took their normal seats. Up until this point it had been completely silent, both not wanting to be the first to speak, but it’s been ten minutes and Harry thinks this is getting kind of ridiculous so he breaks the silence first.
Harry nods to his question, “Well to be honest I was just in shock more than anything else when you told me so they brought me back down again. But yeah they were excited, really excited actually.”
“Yeah? Well I told my parents too, they were really excited too. They want to meet you. If that’s okay with you of course,” Nick blurts the last part out as the nerves are in hyperdrive.
I’M SORRY WHAT????? is all Harry’s brain seems to be comprehending at the moment. It’s been less than a day when they realized they were each other’s soulmates and his parents want to meet him already? Who even is this kid?
Nick sees that Harry’s brain is working a million miles an hour so he reaches out to rest his hand over Harry’s own, “Harry it’s perfectly okay if you don’t just yet. I don’t want to rush you into anything you’re not comfortable with.”
Harry swallows his nerves and remembers how to breathe again, “Okay and I’m sorry, but I’m not. It’s just a lot to handle right now and right now I don’t want to add impressing parents too.”
Nick lets out a light laugh, “You don’t have to impress them Harry, they already love you. Well, the idea of you, that I found my one. But it is perfectly okay if you’re not ready yet, we have all the time in the world.”
That didn’t help Harry in the slightest and none of this is making sense to him right now. He found out who his soulmate was and not even 24 hours later he is expected to meet parents and be charming and embrace the fact that his whole life is about to change and he isn’t ready. His biggest concern is getting his GCSE’s high enough to get into University of Manchester to play golf and plan his room with Niall. Now he is meeting his soulmate, who he doesn’t even like romantically, and is expected to meet parents and he wants none of it.
“I just want to wait a little while. I’m sure they’re lovely, but everything right now is so confusing I’d probably pass out if I met them and I don’t want to do that to them or you,” Harry rubs his eyebrow to make it slightly less evident he doesn’t- can’t look him in the eye right now.
Nick lets out a breath, which Harry honestly can’t tell if it’s from relief or sadness, “That’s okay. We’ll take everything slow. Always let me know what is too much for you, because I never want to make you uncomfortable.”
Harry nods and that’s how the beginning of everything came to be.
They started talking more and more in and out of their photography class. They slowly started going on dates when it worked out that Harry didn’t have golf. They met each other’s parents and when Harry later told Niall, “His parents have the personality of stale bread,” he was putting it nicely. Nick loved Harry’s parents from the moment they met, and it was mostly reciprocal expect that Harry could always see his mum analyzing every last thing he did. It wasn’t perfect, but it was okay.
They went to Winter Formal together and it was there when Nick was the first to lean in they had their first kiss. After the dance everyone went to the after parties and Harry had no idea who’s house he was at exactly because Niall was the one that dragged the two there insisting they had to go or he was going to trash Nick’s car. So they went and everyone was drunk and grinding on each other to the music that was loud enough for the neighbors to complain about.
Harry was grinding back into Nick as he leaned down to say loud enough for him to hear, but keep it to themselves, “Do you want to get out of here?”
Harry’s eyes almost shot out his head before he spun around and shook his head, “I want to go home now.”
Nick couldn’t do anything but nod and lead them towards the door. Niall spots them and makes his way to Harry, “Hey why are you leaving? You promised you’d stay!”
Harry shakes his head, “I know, I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
Niall furrows his eyebrows, “Why? What happened? Did something- shit Harry are you okay?”
And when Niall’s train of thought switches that’s when Harry starts tearing up so Harry shakes his head again, “No, but I really have to go. I’ll tell you tomorrow I promise.”
“Okay. Call me as soon as you wake up,” Niall says as he hugs his best friend, “Remember I love you.”
Harry cracks a smile at that and shouts, “I love you too!”
Nick leads the way again to his car and drives back Harry to his house. They don’t talk, they don’t really know what to say. Nick parks his car in the driveway, but neither of them make an effort to move.
Nick takes a breath, “I’m sorry if I did anything to make you upset.”
The first tears start to fall down his cheeks now. Harry sniffs, “You didn’t. And I know that sounds weird right now, because I’m crying, but what else is new?” They both laugh, but Nick stays quiet encouraging him to continue. “I don’t want to do anything right now. I just want to wait until we’re married. I’m sorry if that makes me sound like a prude or if I’m completely giving you blue balls right now. I don’t want to give that part of myself away this young, especially when everything is still new and confusing. And I’m sorry if you’re mad.”
“I’m not mad Harry. I could never be mad at you for that. That’s your decision and I respect that,” Nick tells him, looking as sincere as he can.
Harry sniffs again, “Thank you.”
“Of course. And Harry?”
“Yeah?”
“I like the sound of us being married one day,” Nick smiles.
Harry half smiles, “Well you know, soulmates and all that. It kind of makes this a sure thing.”
Nick stiffens at that, “Yeah, yeah definetly. Well, good night Harry. I had a god time.”
“I did too,” Harry opens the car door and steps out, “Good night Nick, I’ll see you Monday.”
Harry closes the door and make his way to the front door, which he reaches when Nick leaves his street. He locks the door behind him and makes his way upstairs. He’s grateful his parents have already gone to bed so he doesn’t have to talk about his night and go to bed to cry the confusion out of himself.
~~~~~
“Harry, wake up.”
Harry jolts awake before he scrunches his eyes and sees a head of blond hair. Harry groans, “Niall what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be passed out trying to cure a hangover right now?”
“You never called me, so I just came over,” Niall explains as he lays down in his usual spot when he sleeps over.
“Because I haven’t woken up yet, I thought that was pretty obvious,” Harry mumbles, trying to slip back into unconsciousness.
“Well when you sleep until 1 after you left the party early and crying, you're going to get woken up by your best mate who worries about you.”
Harry’s eyes shot open before his body snapped up as well, “Holy shit is it already 1?” He unlocked his phone to see that it indeed was 1:04 p.m. and he had 4 texts and 7 phone calls missed from the lad sitting next to him and 1 text from Nick. Harry groaned when he saw the text i had a great time last night xx. and flopped back down on the bed.
“So, now that you’re fully awake do you want to explain to me what the hell happened last night and why your voice is more gravely than normal and why your eyes are dry?” Niall bends down to pick up Harry’s t-shirt he typically wears to bed and hands it to him as he says that.
Harry takes the shirt and puts it on before running his hands through his hair and over his face before laying back down and slightly closer to his best mate than before. “Last night at the dance during one of the slower songs we were dancing and he kissed me. Nothing really happens at the dance after that, but then we go to the party. We were drinking and we also took like 2 or 3 shots so we were proper sloshed at that point. So it happens next when we’re dancing and we are grinding and it honestly wasn’t that big of a deal as it would’ve been weird if you weren’t grinding on someone. So we are grinding when in the middle of the song he leans down and whispers, ‘Do you want to get out of here?’ Niall honest to god, the world stopped and I couldn’t breathe. So I whipped around and I told him ‘I want to go home now.’ I could tell he was hurt but he just nodded and started leading us to the door and then you came up and asked what was going on. So after we left he drove me home and it was just dead silent, it was horrible. So when we finally reached my house he apologized if he made me upset, so naturally that’s when I start crying and I told him it was fine and that I didn’t want to do anything until we got married and he understood, but at the same time when I said that he lit up like a bloody christmas tree and that was the tip of the iceberg that had me crying until I eventually fell asleep.”
Harry started lightly crying almost half way through his re-telling of last night and at some point even Niall’s eyes were wet from listening to his best friend in so much pain. “Do you know why everything hurts so much?”
Harry wiped at his nose and nodded, “I don’t love him.”
“Well Harry you don’t have to love him immediately, it takes time to fall in love, that’s why it’s called falling,” Niall rubs Harry’s arm, trying to calm him down best he can.
“No Niall, that’s what the problem is,” Harry having a whole new tone to the conversation, “I don't like him at all. If I don’t even like him, how am I supposed to love him? How am I supposed to spend the rest of my life with him?”
Niall lets out a sigh and rubs a hand over his face, “I don’t know Harry. I’m so sorry, because I wish I could just say one thing to make all of this better and stop seeing you in so much pain, but I don’t. We just have to hope that we find the silver lining in this and that I can see my best mate happy again.”
Harry lets out a wet laugh and that’s all it takes before the two are wrapped around each other. Niall trying to comfort his best friend as he just cries and let’s all of the sadness and pain out through the tears that are falling down the side of his face and onto his best mate’s back, but not letting out a single complaint.
Harry is able to finally bring himself back down again and the two separate, just staring at each other unsure of what to say. Harry finds his way and asks, “Do you think the universe messed up?”
“What do you mean?” Niall whispers, scared for his response.
Harry runs a hand through his hair, “Do you think that the universe paired me with someone who isn’t my soulmate?”
“Why would you think that Harry?”
Harry’s face turns to that of a hard one, with concentration taking over everything,“What if they were pairing everyone with each other and they got to the end and realized the two of us were left over and they went ‘oh, well that’ll do’. Or what if both our soulmates died and they felt bad so they put us together, because they didn’t want us to be alone. Or-“
“Harry stop!” Niall interrupts him, making the other lad look up stunned to be interrupted. “Harry, listen mate, I love you and I feel terrible that you are in so much pain and I can’t do anything, but this- this is not going to help. All of this wondering about what if’s and possibilities, you can’t do that to yourself. This situation sucks and I wish I could change it with everything I have in me, but the truth is we can’t and I’m sorry, but we are in this situation. Now do you hear that? We. You are not alone dealing with all of this alone, because you have me and your mum and your dad and Gemma, even if she at university she’s always there for you. We all love you Harry so let us help you and be there for you. Okay?”
It takes him a minute to process everything, but once he does he nods and sheepishly looks down whispering, “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not mad at you Harry, I’m just trying to make this easier on yourself,” Niall sighs.
“I know. My mind just wonders sometimes.”
~~~~~
“Okay, frogs or toads?” Harry asks from where he’s leaning against the tree. Him and Nick are out by the river, which isn’t too cold since it’s towards the end of March. Ever since his conversation with Niall three months ago Harry has been more open to the idea of him and Nick. He still isn’t totally in love with the idea of everything, but he is trying more than he was. There are some nights he will still have a cry about everything, but everything in general has gotten better between the two.
Nick chuckles, “Is there a difference honestly?”
Harry’s eyes bug out, “A major difference!”
“Okay, okay! Well then toads!” Nick is laughing at his expression, looking so wounded he didn’t know there was a difference.
Harry’s face is neutral now not letting Nick know that wasn’t the right answer. “Okay your turn now.”
“Umm pink or blue?”
“Pink,” Harry answers immediately. “Cows or pigs?”
“Cows,” Nick gives a little smile.
Harry returns the smile, “Me too.”
Nick lets out a breath, “Can I ask you a question?”
Harry lets out a breathy laugh, “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing the past hour?”
“Yes, but this a serious one,” Nick trying to convey that to his boyfriend.
“Cows or pigs is very serious Nick,” Harry smiles, “But what is your question?”
“So I was wondering if you wanted to room with me at uni next year? And before you say anything and just start thinking it’s because I want to do stuff, I don’t. I mean, I do want to do stuff with you, but I respect your decision so that’s not all what this is. I was just thinking that this would help us grow closer and it wouldn’t be lost time, if that makes sense?”
Harry opened his mouth when Nick began, but he did ask him to wait until the end so he did. When Nick finishes he opens his mouth, “Well it seems that you’ve given this a lot of thought, and I do appreciate you still respect my decision. It’s just that Niall and I are rooming together and we’ve been planning it for a while and it’s already set up at the university and everything. I’m sorry, I just assumed you knew that’s what I was doing.”
“Oh, well I’m sorry I didn’t know that-“
“No, it’s okay there’s no reason for you to be sorry you just didn’t know,” Harry interrupts letting him know it’s really okay he didn’t know.
“So you’re not mad?” Nick asks sheepishly.
“Not at all,” Harry smiles.
“Good,” Nick whispers before leaning in and kissing him softly, “Because that would really suck if you were.”
Harry hums, “Well good thing I’m not.” He kisses him back and that’s that conversation. They have three months left before then end of school and the month break before they move in at University of Manchester. Harry found out Nick was going to be attending there a little more than a month ago and looking back on it he still wouldn’t be able to describe his feelings on the situation. He doesn’t hate the idea, but at the same time he thought he’d get more breathing room for the next 4 years. Of course he never expresses these feelings with anyone besides Niall, but the terrible thoughts never seem to leave his mind.
The rest of the year passes in a blur that never seems to want to quite slow down. Gemma returns home from uni a week before graduation and Harry couldn’t be more ecstatic. The car door opened and Harry was sprinting out of the house and engulfing his sister in a hug before she even fully stepped out. “So I’m going to guess you didn’t miss me even an ounce baby brother?” Gemma laughed as she struggled to keep her balance.
“Oh get off, I missed you too bloody much to even be considered normal,” Harry retorts, squeezing her slightly tighter than before.
“Well that’s how it very well should be! I’m the best and you seem to have figured it out,” Gemma squeezed him back just as hard, if not maybe a little more because she missed him terrible awful even if she won’t say as much out loud.
Harry lets go of her eventually, “Here let me help you with your bags.” Between the two it only takes two trips before it’s all eventually back in her room. Harry is lounging on the bed as she begins to put the rest of her clothes away, “So how was your third year of uni? Amazing? Wonderful? Everything you hoped and dreamed of? You make new friends? Did you meet your soulmate?”
“Do you ever take a breather?” Gemma chuckles as she puts away her jeans, “It was loads of fun. Smashed all my classes, as usual if I do say so myself. Made three new friends and had a boyfriend for a couple months, but as for soulmate mine is still out there walking in the wind somewhere. Though that’s not the case for you, how is he by the way?”
“He’s been doing good, found a roommate by the way I just forgot to tell you. He’s hosting this party and the whole grade is invited, but I told him I’m not helping him clean up since it’s stupid to hold that many people in the first place,” Harry chuckles as Gemma makes her way throughout the room.
“Yeah that is pretty stupid of him. Is he still holding to what I said?” Gemma says making sure he sees her to which Harry just rolls his eyes, “Hey, I’m just checking.”
“Yeah, yeah of course you are,” Harry responds, remembering vividly the conversation her and Nick had when she came home for Christmas break.
((Nick came over to Harry’s two days after winter formal and was watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on the couch when Gemma decided to make herself extra available right when Clark turned on the lights.
“Who the hell are you?” Gemma demanded as she stepped in the room in route to the kitchen.
Without even looking away from the t.v. Harry mumbled out an annoyed, “Gems, be nice.”
“No it’s okay. I’m Nick and you must be Gemma. Harry here raves about you I’ve heard so much!” Nick says as he gets up from the couch and extends his hand towards her.
To which Gemma chooses to ignore and gets straight to her point, “Okay listen here, Nick, Harry has told me everything. And when I say everything I mean everything! So the next time your little friend tries to think for you-“
“Gemma!” Harry screams, horrified by the situation happening before him.”
“-the first person you will be hearing from is me and trust me when I say you do not want that happening. So do we understand each other here Nick?” Gemma finishes with her arms crossed with the persona of her towering over him, even though he’s got a good foot above her.
Nick gets the full message she’s telling him and then some to which he just nods at her, “Yes, understood.”
Gemma just keeps staring him down and it’s when Harry eventually groans out, “Gemma, please just get out!” She doesn’t say anything, but does go into the kitchen.
It takes Nick a second before he slowly makes his way back to where he was sitting on the couch and turning towards Harry, “She’s quite intimidating isn’t she?”
Harrys just breathes out, “She’s just, protective. Let’s just finish the movie.”))
“You know he is coming to the party so could you just attempt and try to be a little nicer to him. I know he’s not your favorite person, especially with everything that I’ve told you, but he is kind of a forever thing you know?” Harry asks of his sister as she finishes what she's doing and sits beside him.
Gemma breathes out, “Okay, okay I will. I just love you Harry and I don’t want you to see you get hurt, especially if it is the situation it is.”
“I know,” Harry sighs and rests his head on her shoulder, “It’s getting better though, I promise. I’m also not just saying that to make you stop, you can even ask Niall.”
“Not Mum? I thought you told her everything as well,” Gemma bumps into him.
Harry bumps back, “Well I can’t very well tell Mum my boyfriend wants to give me a good dicking, now can I? Besides, Mum is crazy skeptical and I just don’t know what I can tell her to make it better.”
Gemma rubs his arm, “She’s just being Mama Bear and looking out for her baby. Although she’s not the only one who is skeptical here.”
“Okay not you too,” Harry lifts his head and shifts so that he is facing towards his sister, “Why are you so skeptical about everything? We all saw the photo and it’s not just that one, there are tons of them. What am I supposed to say to you guys?”
Gemma just stares before she takes in a breath, “Harry, please don’t take this the wrong way, but there’s been stories like this.”
“Like what exactly?” Harry presses.
Gemma takes a deep breath again, “My old boyfriend was telling me about how his cousin was convinced.”
“What do you mean convinced?”
“This guy liked his cousin and he wanted her so bad that he made a fake photo. Some guy showed him how to make a fake photo and tricked her into thinking that the two of them were soulmates. His cousin didn’t know what to believe other than that what this guy was showing her was true. That the two of them really were soulmates. So life went on like that and the only person that knew it wasn’t real was him,” Gemma explains to her expressionless brother.
“Well how did she find out that he lied and they weren’t really soulmates then?”
“They went to my ex’s sister’s wedding together and she was talking to one of the groomsmen when the photographer was going around taking pictures and it came out black and white and the only two people in the picture were them, so it was pretty obvious,” Gemma sighs as she explains.
Harry runs his fingers through his hair, “You don’t really think that’s what Nick did to me do you? I mean that’s crazy and happens one in a thousand times, it can’t happen to me too can it? And what if Nick didn’t do it and I accuse him of this? How are we supposed to come back from this if he didn’t? That he just thinks I don’t trust him and we have to live the rest of our lives like this?”
“Okay, okay Harry you need to calm down. I’m not saying he did do that and I’m not saying he didn’t do that, I’m just saying it’s a possibility that he lied to you in some way, but again I have no proof, it’s all speculation really,” Gemma said trying to keep her brother calm and not interrupt her as she tried to explain a possibility.
“Well it’s a good thing because that didn’t happen. I mean Gemma if I even suggested that he would be crushed and- just, no,” Harry sighs, laying back on the bed.
Gemma lays back with him, “I know, I’m sorry. I was just saying it’s a possibility, especially with what happened in the beginning and everything. It was all just thinking.”
“I know you are and I appreciate you looking out for me. It’s just things really have been getting better, he’s a real romantic you know?” Harry smiled.
“Yeah? How so?” Gemma smiled back at him.
“For our six months he hung up a sheet and we watched all The Lord of the Rings movies and he made all of my favorite foods and candies,” Harry smiles, remembering that late April night.
Gemma looks at her brother in almost shock, “He sat through and watched all of them with you?” Harry nods. “Holy shit baby brother that is some real commitment right there.”
Harry started giggling at that and it didn’t take much for Gemma to join him. ‘Everything is going to be okay,’ Harry thinks to himself in his moment with his sister and everything is. A week later Harry, Niall, and Nick all graduate and their mum’s take way to many pictures to be necessary of them individually, Harry & Niall, Harry & Nick, and all three of them. His and Nick’s favorite was one where their heads were hid behind one of their caps and it looks like they’re kissing, but they know they were just smiling crazy wide at each other.
Harry and Niall’s graduation party goes off without a hit. Everyone raved about how much fun they had to the two of them and everyone who went to theirs as well as Nick’s had just as much fun at his, just couldn’t quite remember it as well. Their month off of school goes by just as fast as the past year has by the end of it Harry is on the edge of seat waiting to take on uni with his best friend and boyfriend.
~~~~~
Move in day is finally here after what seems like an absolute lifetime in Harry's eyes. He is in the backseat with the overflow of his things from the trunk currently of his dad's car with his mum beside him. Niall and his parents are following in the car behind as the two families make the 45 minute drive together.
They get there with minimal traffic, which is the journey all in it's self. All of the parents help bring up everything from their prospective cars, making the transition as smooth as possible for both of the boys. When everything is done and settled Harry says a lingering goodbye to his parents and Niall's as he does with the two couples.
Unpacking happens box by box and as Harry is setting up his dresser when he hears, "Shit I forgot to bring tape. Harry do you have any?"
Harry shakes his head, "Sorry I just ran out. But I think they have some at the tables downstairs so I would just ask one of them."
"Okay, I'll be right back. Do you want a water or anything?" Niall asks, putting the poster down and walking back towards the door.
"Yeah that'd be great thanks," and with that Niall is out the door.
Harry finishes with the rest of his clothes and pulls out his phone to check the time. It reads 5:48 before he tosses it on the bed and it decides to fall in the crack between the wall and the bed. "Well of course," Harry mumbles to himself before going over to the bed to try to fish out his phone. He puts arm between the space and tries to blindly feel for it. So when that doesn't work he tries to look in the tiny space, so of course that's when someone comes in the room.
"Uh, you okay there mate?" a voice Harry doesn't recognize rings throughout the room, scaring him so much he butts head with the wall. "Oh! Shit mate I didn't mean to do that!" the voice explains with a slight chuckle under his breath.
"Are you seriously laughing at me right now? You did this," Harry groans as he clutches his head and lays back on the bed.
"Well at least let me help then," the voice gets closer and then suddenly the bed is moving and then moving back before he could even say football. "There's your phone," he says tossing it next to Harry on the bed.
"Thanks," Harry groans putting it on the bedside table eyes still squinting, "How did you even move the bed like that so fast?"
"Oh my mate drops stuff down there all the time, and when it's a blunt you have to be pretty quick about it."
"How do you get away with that with the RA?"
"Because I am the RA," he chuckles and then is when Harry can really look at him and just, wow. Stupid phone and stupid wall for not letting him look at the beautiful boy in front of him. The boy with the carmel, feather hair that Harry could just run his fingers through for days. The boy with the piercing blue eyes that are just the perfect shade like the crayon every kid loved as their favorite blue. How did Harry end up in this room in this building with this person as his RA? It doesn't seem real for a minute as this is positively the most beautiful person he's ever seen. "I'm Louis, by the way. Came down here to introduce myself to you and your roommate. I swear there was no intentions of me trying to get you to hit your head, is it okay by the way?"
Harry forgets how to talk in the midst of his gawking before he realizes what he's doing exactly and closes his mouth and nods. "Yeah, no it's fine, it just hurt initially. But I'm sort of a clutz, which you'll learn quickly if we become friends."
"Hopefully we do, I mean I wouldn't mind," Louis smiles a bit, where it's just enough to make the skin by his eyes crinkle ever so slightly and Harry wants to die.
Which might be the reason he's nodding too fast to be normal, "Yeah no, I wouldn't either. Mind that is."
Louis is still smiling and whispers "Okay," just as Niall decides to make himself evident again, of course, "They did have tape downstairs. Oh, who's this?"
"I'm Louis," he says getting up from the bed, to Harry's unpleasure, and extending his hand to Niall which he takes "I'm your RA, my room is just down the hall. I came to introduce myself and Harry here goes banging his head on the wall."
Before Harry can even open his mouth Niall is laughing, "Well it wouldn't even be the first time this week," and sends both of them up into giggles.
"My phone fell down there! And you scared me, don't go sneaking up on people like that," Harry whines, annoyed with the two who just can't seem to quit laughing.
"Yes Harold," Louis says through a laugh.
"It's Harry, just Harry not Harold," Harry grumbles out.
"Hey Louis, do you want to go down to dinner with us when I'm done with these?" Niall asks gesturing to the posters on his bed.
"I was actually supposed to meet up with two of my mates, but I can just tell them to meet us there," Louis smiles as he goes back to bed and sits next to Harry.
"Sweet," Niall grins as he rips off a piece of tape and starts to hang his Derby County poster.
Louis gets a good look of the poster and scoffs when Niall is picking up his next poster, "Oh god mate Derby County, seriously?"
"Uh yes seriously, they're the best team in the league," Niall defends to which Louis just rolls his eyes at him, "Okay then who do you support? They can't be that great then?"
"No, they're better actually because they are actually the best team in the league. I support Manchester United who will always be better than your precious Derby County," Louis defends, making Harry laugh slightly.
"Hey that's my team too! That's so cool!" Harry smiles at the beautiful boy next to him.
"Figures, all the people who actually play footie root for them," Niall rolls his eyes as he picks up his next poster.
Louis raises an eyebrow, "How do you know I play football?"
Niall raises it right back at him, "Do you not?"
Louis holds his serious face for all about 30 seconds before he's laughing, "I'm fucking with you mate, I'm the school's captain."
Niall and Harry are laughing right along with him now before Harry asks, "So are you a senior then?"
"No, I'm in my junior year. Why? Do I look I look that old to you Harold? You know I'm only 20," Louis bumps shoulders with the younger lad.
"No, no I wasn't saying you're old! It's just captains are usually seniors so that's quite impressive for you actually only being a junior," Harry tries to explain, only slightly stuttering.
Louis laughs at his nervousness, "I'm only teasing again, I swear. But Niall was saying you play. Are you going out for the team then?"
Harry laughs and scratches the back of his head, "I don't know. I mean we both got scholarships here for golf so I don't know if I’d be able to do both golf and football. Besides I’m not even that great at it anyways, it was just something I’ve done since I was younger and just kind of stuck with it.”
Louis gives him a look like ‘are you serious right now?’ and turns to Niall, “Is that true?”
Niall laughs and shakes his head, “No, not even close. Harry is too modest for his own good, I even think he’s better at footie.”
“Are you serious?” Louis asks, not quite believing what he’s hearing and when Niall nods he turns to Harry, “Well what position do you play? We’re looking for new players!”
“To be quite honest, I just lost interest the past few years, I don’t think I’d want to,” Harry says quietly as he sees Niall sighing in his peripheral.
“Harry we both know that’s not true, so please don’t start on this again. You forced me to play with you all the time in your backyard,” Niall tell him, in a defensive way almost towards the ghost that’s watching in on the conversation.
The room stills before Louis carefully says, “I don’t quite understand what’s going on.”
Harry looks to him full on now and is clearing his throat, “I played ever since I was about 5 years old, because my older sister started playing at that age. I loved it, absolutely loved it and just never really stopped playing until year 10. I realized that I was gay then and I never officially came out to anyone besides Niall and my parents, but people at school just sort of started figuring it out. It was fine for the most part, except in the locker room where everyone was paranoid and thought I couldn’t stop looking and was waiting for an accident to happen, which isn’t the case at all. Eventually it got so bad no one would pass to me and I was practically isolated on the field which is extremely hard in football, as you can imagine. So after that I stopped playing with teams and only tossed around with Niall and my sister when she came home.”
Halfway through Harry’s throat starts closing and something strange happens and Louis is rubbing his back in possibly the most comforting way Harry has ever experienced. When he finishes Louis is still rubbing and carefully says, “I’m so sorry that happened to you Harry. I don’t wish that on anyone and I’m sorry it happened to you, because you already seem so great.”
“Thank you Louis, it means a lot,” Harry gives him a half smile, which he returns.
Niall watching in on the moment feels like he’s almost invading in on an extremely intimate conversation, even though he’s the best friend and person who helped Harry through all of it. There’s no subtle way to put the conversation to rest so he just comes right out with it, “I’m done so are you guys ready to head down?”
The two jump at the burst from their bubble and Harry is the first to stand up and start putting on his shoes. Louis on the other hand, almost looks defeated in a way, that the moment had came and passed him too quickly for his liking. He does reluctantly get up and mumbles something along the lines of, “I have to get something from my room, be back in a minute.”
Harry stands up fully now and the two are left staring back at each other. “Okay mate, what the hell just happened there?”
Harry breathes out, “I have no idea to be honest. I don’t know how to explain it, it was almost an out-of-body experience.”
Before either of them can say anything more Louis is bounding back in the room, “We all set?” Harry and Niall both nod and the three of them are heading towards the dinning hall. They get there in less than 5 minutes, which Niall is very happy about. The three go off and get their meals and when Niall and Harry are in search of Louis they see him sitting with his food and two people the pair don’t recognize. Harry goes and sits by Louis and Niall sits across from him next to a boy with dark skin and raven hair with beside him is another boy with a broad structure and brown hair and a matching set of eyes who Louis is currently talking to. Louis notices them sit down then, “Oh let me give introductions! This is Harry and Niall, I’m the RA for their room. This mysteriously handsome bloke is my best mate Zayn since we were 5. And this is just some random guy we let hang out with sometimes, we don’t even really know his name.”
The boy Louis is referring to is laughing as he playfully roll his eyes and Zayn gives him a stern look, “Louis, be nice. This is Liam, me and Louis met him our first year here and fun little fact that was the same year we realized the two of us were soulmates.”
Harry is grinning widely at the two as Liam hooks his chin on Zayn’s shoulder as he explains and when he finishes he adds, “I also am on the football team with Louis, even though according to him I’m technically not since I’m the goalkeeper, which I still don’t understand.”
Everyone is laughing now expect for Louis who is responding, “How Liam, do you call it a position if all you do is sit on your arse all day in the goal?”
“What are you even on about? He saved 53 goals in the last season alone,” Zayn is gasping at his logic.
Louis throws his hands up, “We still lost one of the biggest games of the year because of you!”
Harry decides to join in that point while everyone is laughing, “I know I wasn’t there, but to be fair 53 goals is pretty amazing.”
Louis’ jaw drops as Liam as smiling so wide his face my crack, “I like you already Harry.”
“I fucking don’t!” Louis turns and playfully hits his arm, “I’m not sure you quite understand here young Harold, but in comparison if we are Manchester United they are Liverpool.”
“It wasn’t even my fault! The defenders suck and I have no help back there by the time the other team gets there I’m fighting with everything! It’s not my fault my arms aren’t 8 feet long like you like to think sometimes,” Liam explains getting slightly flustered, but nothing too major as Zayn is rubbing his thigh, calming him.
It’s really softened sweet, Harry notices just as Niall opens his mouth, “Well Harry can help you guys! He’s one of the best defenders out there, I swear by it!”
Harry’s eyes widen at him as he is mentally screaming ‘WHY DID YOU SAY THAT?’ as Louis says, “You’re shitting me.” and Liam adds, “Oh my gosh, is that true Harry?”
“Harry! You absolutely have to join now! Please, we need you desperately,” Louis is grabbing his arm, proper begging.
Harry can’t help but repeatedly open and close his mouth, “I haven’t even played in 3 years, like proper played. You don’t even know I’m good because you’re going solely off what Niall is saying, which could be all lies for all you know. Remember you just met us?”
Liam steps in before Louis can respond, “Harry, I’ve only know you for about,” he looks down at his watch, “20 minutes now, but you already seem like a really awesome and genuinely nice bloke. So if what Niall is saying about you is even half way true we need you, and I mean desperately need you.”
Niall is nodding right along with everything that Liam is saying, “Harry is honestly the most modest person you will ever meet. He’s absolutely brilliant and if you ask me I thinks he’s better at football than he is at golf, not by much of course. But if it tells you about how good he is at just golf, we both are here on full rides.”
Liam and Zayn are now gasping at the new information and Louis is gripping Harry’s arm once more, “Harry, I’m begging you. Please please please just think about it, that’s all I’m asking.”
Harry is feeling so skeptical, but as he is looking around at the 4 eager faces he knows what he’s going to do, “Okay, okay I’ll think about it, but there’s no promises. And I’m not just walking on, I’m going to be proper trying out, just like everyone else.”
“Yes! Yes of course! Oh my gosh, yes of course, fuck yes!” Louis is practically jumping in his seat before he pulls Harry into a crushing hug.
Harry is laughing at his all too eagerness and didn’t waste time before he was returning his hug. The other three watching were laughing as well before a voice breaks the group’s bubble, “Uh, Harry?”
Harry knows that voice all a little too well and he’s squeezing Louis before he’s reluctantly pulling back. He quickly looks at Niall, who’s squeezing his eyes shut, before looking up at Nick, “Hey, I thought you were coming in later today.”
“No, Mum wanted to come up earlier than I did so we came up this morning. I actually just finished eating, do you want to leave with me?” Nick explains carefully eyeing Louis the whole time.
“Well I’m not quite finished yet, but how about we plan for tomorrow yeah?” Harry asks, carefully avoiding leaving with him. He just got here and he barely knows the lads he wants to know more about in front of him.
Nick swallows, “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll call you later tonight, okay?”
“Okay,” Harry responds before Nick leans down and pecks his lips before walking away. He slowly turns back towards the guys.
Niall lets out a deep breath and it’s Zayn who breaks the silence, “Harry who was that?”
“He’s my boyfriend,” Harry mumbles, just loud enough for the 3 who don’t know and sending a silent ‘Please don’t tell them yet,’ to Niall, who nods back in understanding.
It’s still silent, but Niall doesn’t let it stay that way for long, “So Zayn do you play football?"
That has Louis and Liam laughing as Zayn shakes his head, “No, football or sports have never really been my thing. I'm an art major, so if there was something 100% different than football that’s me.”
They’re all smiling except for Harry who has an intense look of concentration painted on his face, “So how does that work with Liam? I mean if you guys are so different as you say, how does the two of you being soulmates work out? Like how did you react?” Harry knows Niall is giving him his ‘Why are you doing this?’ but Harry doesn’t acknowledge it as he’s looking at the couple.
Liam is the one to respond, “Well it was quite an interesting situation actually. We met because Louis introduced us, but we never really thought anything of it. That is until there was this party after the win of a really big game and all of us were there, because Zayn has always gone to Louis’ games. So we are all proper smashed and I was wondering around for something, can’t remember now but I saw Zayn laying on the grass in the backyard of this house. I went to go see if he was okay and not like passed out, somehow ended up laying with him. We didn’t really say anything and then the night ended. Well, Louis here for some reason always takes pictures when he gets smashed, for a reason I don’t know why. So he woke up the next day and deleted all the bad and blurry ones, got the remaining developed. He's going through them and as it so happens to turn out a picture he has no memory of taking turns out black and white.”
“So basically the two of them owe me for the rest of their lives,” Louis smiles widely at them.
“We do,” Zayn returns the smile and leans in slightly towards Liam. “So what happened Harry, was Louis showed me the picture and I had no memory of it, and you couldn’t see our faces so it was sort of hard to tell, but granted you could easily tell by our hair that it was us. So I told Louis to stay back from dinner for a bit and met Liam at the usual spot where the three of us ate and showed him the picture. To be completely honest I thought he was going to pass out on me he was in so much shock, but I helped him snap out of it. We went on a couple dates and now we are here and been dating for nearly two years now.”
“I was so shocked, because I was convinced I’d be 50 before I met mine and I had just turned 18 and my god was he gorgeous, still is to this day. But yeah we went on dates, got to know each other properly and everything that’s supposed to fall in place did. I honestly couldn’t be any happier,” Liam beamed at Zayn who was mirroring his expression before he quickly pecked his lips with mumbled ‘I love you’’s.
The other three watch sweetly at the two and it’s Louis who’s laughing now, “Niall, mate are you crying?”
Everyone is looking at the Irish lad as a tear falls down his face, “Oh, shut it! That was the most god damn sweetest thing I’ve ever heard!”
They are all cooing at him and saying things like ‘Oh Niall’ and ‘It’s okay mate’ and even Zayn gets out of Liam’s grasp enough to slowly rub circles on his back. Everyone settles back and Harry is still grinning, “Do you still have the picture?”
Liam nods and pulls out his phone passing it to Harry who sees that it’s his lock screen with Louis looking over his shoulder. Louis laughs as Harry passes it to Niall, “Zayn does your’s match?”
Zayn shakes his head, “No, it’s the painting I did of him doing that Victory V with his arms after the first game last year.”
“Oh mate, I’d love to see your work sometime,” Niall smiles as he passes Liam his phone back to him.
“Yeah absolutely, you and Harry should both come over and check it out sometime. My favorites are various ones of these two,” Zayn smiles gesturing to both Liam and Louis. The conversation goes on like that for a while and soon after they’re all finishing up. Liam and Zayn leave the three of the to head back to their loft, while they are going back to their own dorms.
They make the short trip and arrive in front of Niall and Harry’s room. Niall makes his way in as Harry is just about to follow as he hears, “Hey Harry can I talk to you for a second?”
Harry turns back around nodding as he pulls the door closed. He leans back against it, “Yeah sure what’s up?”
“I just wanted to let you know about what we were talking about before dinner, that I’m always open to talk about that sort of stuff. Also that if you’re hesitant on football because of what happened to you, there’s a definite chance that won’t happen here,” Louis explains to him.
Harry furrows his eyebrows, “How are you so sure?”
Louis lets out a short laugh, “Because the team captain is gay as well.”
It takes Harry a minute before it’s clicking that Louis is talking about himself. That Louis just came out to him about something so personal after only hours of meeting. Harry eventually wills himself to nod and let out a quiet, “Oh, okay yeah that’s- that’s good to know, really good to know.”
Louis is laughing now at his state of shock. He giggles, “Well goodnight Harry,” and is off down the hall to his own dorm.
Harry eventually peels himself off the door and goes into the room to find Niall already undressed and under the covers. He locks the door before he quickly rids of his clothes and is under the covers of his own bed.
It's silent for all of 30 seconds before Niall says, "Louis, Liam and Zayn all seem like really cool mates."
Harry turns so he's on his side facing Niall, "I totally agree. I haven't met anyone besides you I've gotten on with that fast before."
"Right?!" Niall turns his head before he's adjusting and is on his side facing Harry as well, "Louis seemed so cool right on and then we met Liam and Zayn and I don't know man but it seemed like all of us, clicked I guess you could say? I don't know how to explain it."
"It was so funny how Louis and I actually met. I accidentally dropped my phone in between the bed and the wall and I was reaching for it when he walked in and it scared me so much I completely head butt the wall. The worst part is that he started laughing at me, like mate it was totally your fault and you're laughing at my pain?!" What Harry is saying is something any sane person would be upset about, but for some reason he can't seem to stop laughing and neither can his roommate.
Niall finally settles enough, still laughing though, to be able to speak, "Oh my gosh I've only known him for a few hours and I already love him."
Harry is laughing as he smiles sweetly, "Yeah, yeah I do too."
Niall runs the side of his face, "Alright I have a question for you now. What did you think of that whole scene with Nick? And why did you ask the two of them about how they reacted when they found out? You know asking that doesn't help Harry."
Harry sighs, "I know, I know it doesn't but I just wanted to know. But honestly with Nick I was getting mad at him, because he wanted me to leave even though I didn't and his eyes were glued to Louis. All we did was hug, there's nothing wrong with that and then in front of all you he kisses me to what? Prove he's mine? It's completely ridiculous! Like we just met he doesn't need or have to worry about that." Niall doesn't say anything, but his face is making one odd those that Harry knows he's dying to say something so he asks, "What?"
"Harry it's like we just said, there's something different about these guys. It's easy with them, and it's not with Nick, at least romantically. So let me ask another question, what was the whole moment with Louis when you were telling him about Michael?" Niall raises his eyebrows.
Harry thinks and whispers, "I don't know."
Niall lets out his arms, "That's the point Harry. Nobody knows what everything is right know so it's scary. So Nick being scared is him being, I don't know, territorial I guess. And if he saw what happened today he'd be even more that way. Whatever it is with you and Louis it's intense-"
Harry is just confused now so he interrupts, "But why is it such a bad thing? Why's it such a bad thing to have more than 1 really close friend? I don't see why it's so bad, or it supposedly is. It's intense, sure, I admit that, but I have another friend. It's not going past that if that's what you're worried about. I'm not that kind of person!"
Niall just looks defeated, "Harry, I wasn't suggesting that, you know I wouldn't."
"But it feels like you are. I mean if you aren't why aren't you saying the same about Liam or Zayn? Because they're taken and Louis isn't?" Harry persists.
Niall's eyebrows furrow, "How do you know Louis is single?"
Harry opens his mouth to say something, but closes it and mumbles, "I don't, I'm just assuming.”
The room is silent. "I'm sorry if I made you upset," Niall mumbles.
Harry sighs, "You didn't make me upset. Besides its been a long day, lets just call it a night, yeah?"
"Okay. Love you Harry."
Harry smiles, shutting his eyes, "Love you too Nialler."
~~~~~
The next day comes and nothing too riveting happens as the two only leave the dorm for food as they're putting finishing touches on their dorms and getting ready for the first week of classes that start tomorrow.
Harry is looking through his emails when Nick pops his head in, "Hey, you want to go get dinner with me?"
Harry looks up, "Oh hey, yeah that sounds great, let me just get my shoes." He shuts his laptop and makes his way over to his closet to get his shoes.
"Your dorm looks nice," Nick walks fully into the room now looking around the new room.
Harry smiles, "Thanks, we actually spent some time today working on it too actually. Now I just have to see yours." He finishes with his shoes and the two are walking out the door with Harry locking it behind them.
Nick grabs his hand, when Harry puts his key away, and tangles their fingers, "Is that an innuendo I hear Styles?"
Harry laughs as they step into the stairway, "No, no but I like the effort. I also haven't met your roommate yet. So it's like meeting him and seeing headquarters."
Nick raises an eyebrow, "Headquarters?"
"Yeah you know, where you sleep, snack, study, chill. Headquarters, you know?" Harry cracks a half smile.
“You’re such a dork,” Nick is laughing as he holds open the door for them to leave the building.
“True, but I’m your dork.”
“That my good sir, would be totally and utterly correct.”
Harry grins, “I’m sorry about missing your call last night, by the way. I didn’t notice it once I got in bed.”
“Oh, no you’re fine. It wasn’t utterly important anyways. I was waiting for Cole to get back, so I called, but I swear it wasn’t a big deal,” Nick squeezes his hand reassuringly.
“Well that’s good. So how is Cole? He seems pretty nice from what I’ve heard from from you, but there’s always that element of surprise when meeting someone in person rather than just online,” Harry slightly turns toward him.
“He’s good, yeah. I think you’d like him. He’s the same in person as he is online, so that’s a plus,” Nick perks up. They reach The Commons, cafeteria, and he opens the door for the two of them.
Harry looks to where he sat yesterday to see the four other boys, Niall was in Louis’ room earlier asking about a class so they went to dinner together, already sitting there eating. He turns to Nick, “You want to meet the people I was sitting with yesterday?”
Nick doesn’t look on board as Harry would thought he’d be, “Well I thought that it was just going to be the two of us? I haven’t gotten much alone time with you recently with everything.”
“Well I know, but what about we can eat with them and afterwards we can go back to your’s? That way I can meet Cole too!”
“But then it wouldn’t be alone time if Cole is there too, now would it?” Nick raises an eyebrow.
Harry doesn’t falter, “Okay, well while I haven’t met him I’m pretty sure he has to eat as well. So we have alone time while we wait for him to get back. So can we please sit with them? I think you’d like them.”
When Nick doesn’t say anything Harry breaks out the puppy eyes, making Nick groan, “Why must you always get your way?”
Harry is positively beaming, “Because you like pleasing me. Remember, an unhappy boo, makes for an unhappy you.”
Nick rolls his eyes, “Must you always have to rhyme everything?”
“I do actually,” Harry smiles, sitting down next to Louis who is sat beside Zayn. Nick sits across from him next to Niall where Liam is sat on the other side of him.
“What is it you actually do Harold?” Louis turns to him, taking a bite of his mashed potatoes.
“Rhyme everything,” Harry smiles at him.
Louis cocks an eyebrow, “Is that so? Okay then,” he taps his chin before the invisible lightbulb goes off in his head, making Niall laugh, “Daffodil!”
Harry thinks for a second before perking up, “Put your chills away so the daffodils can come out to play.”
Nick and Niall share a collective eye roll while the other three smile. “That’s clever Styles. You even added another one too, I’m thoroughly impressed.”
Niall grumbles, “Please don’t encourage him.”
Nick fist bumps bumps him and Louis notices him for the first time. “Oh, I haven’t formally met you yet. I’m Louis , I’m Harry and Niall’s RA,” he extends his arm across the table for him to shake.
To Harry’s surprise, Nick takes his hand shaking back, “Nick. I’m Harry’s boyfriend and occasionally Niall’s friend.”
Harry and Louis are laughing, though Niall isn’t, “Nicholas Grimshaw, how dare you? I thought we had a bond like no other.”
Nick shrugs, “We do. It just so happens to be on occasions though.”
The whole table is laughing, except for Niall. Louis smiles, “Well it’s nice to meet you Nick. This right here is Zayn and that’s Liam on the other side of the fake blond.” Zayn gives a little wave, mouth currently full, and Liam reaches around Niall to shake his hand.
“How’d you know it was fake?” Niall asks.
Zayn is the one to cut in this time, “I think the better question mate, is who thought it wasn’t?” Everyone, especially Harry and even a little from Niall, is laughing.
“So Nick, do you play golf as well?” Liam asks.
Nick shakes his head, “I’ve never been a big sports in general fan myself. I’ve actually got a job lined up with the campus radio station, just interning this year, but hopefully a host one day. The dream is BBC Radio 1.”
“Go big or go home,” Louis nods, impressed at the lad’s dream.
Dinner continues with the casual conversation with Nick getting to know the new three faces a little more. He adds to the little group almost as well as Harry and Niall did just the previous night. Everyone finishes and heads off back to prospective dorms, except for Harry who follows Nick back to his, who is two buildings over from his own.
"So that wasn't too torturous, right?" Harry asks, following Nick into the room and closing the door.
Nick falls onto his bed, gesturing for Harry to lay beside him, "No, not totally."
Harry gives him a weird look as he lays beside him, "Why not fully?"
He shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know, it just doesn't seem like I fit in as well as you guys."
"Well, you also just met them."
"But you've only known them a day longer than I have and you fit in like five peas in a pod."
"Well pods of peas come in three not five," Harry giggles.
Nick doesn't like the joke, "Harry."
"You just have to get to know them. It's okay you don't after only an hour."
Nick runs a hand through his hair, "What I'm trying to say is I'm not sure I will and it's hard when you already have."
"Well why does it make you this upset?" Harry puts a hand on Nick's arm and rubs it.
"Because I know you are going to be busy with golf and classes and studying and the free time you do have it's going to be a fight between me and them," Nick explains.
"Well who says it has to be a fight?" Harry questions to which Nick just raises his eyebrows. "Alright, just come with me and hang out with them one more time. If you don't like it and still feel this way then you don't have to anymore. There'll be no fighting and I will find a way with you and them. Okay?" Harry suggests the options.
Nick nods, "What if we also have date night? Like one night every week?"
Harry smiles and is nodding, "Yes, definitely. Every Sunday night?"
"Sunday? Harry, my god you are so odd," Nick halfheartedly laughs.
"Well Saturdays and Sundays are my only free nights and everyone is always crazy busy on Saturdays and parties where Sunday it's calming while you are dreading Mondays," Harry explains with a slight shrug at the end.
Nick is quiet. "Okay maybe you're not so odd at all."
Harry smiles, "I know." Nick is shaking his head at Harry giggling to himself when the door opens. They both look and Harry sees a boy he's only ever seen in pictures. "Oh, hi you must be Cole! I'm Harry, it's nice to meet you!" Harry sits up and shakes the boy's hand before he himself is sitting on the opposite bed.
"Harry, oh it's good to meet you. Nick has told me so much about you," Cole smiles and Nick is sitting up now too.
"Yeah this one does have the tendency to do that," Harry grins before turning to Nick, "I'm going to head back to get ready for tomorrow, but I'll talk to you tomorrow?"
Nick nods and pecks Harry on the lips, "Yeah, you want to meet for Lunch?"
Harry has walked to the door and nods, "Sounds good. It was nice meeting you Cole and good night to you both."
"You too mate, night." "Night babe." The two boys call back just before Harry is closing the door.
~~~~~
Nick and Harry have lunch alone the next day in between their first classes for the day. They join the other four later for dinner and on the way back to Nick’s dorm while Harry escorts him he tells him, “I was right about what I said last night and I just want to let you know it’s okay. We’ll still have Sunday night date nights. I want me time, but I’m not obsessive so I want you to hang out with the other guys as well.”
Harry smiles so hard before he’s kissing him, “You’re the best, you know that?”
“Just a bit,” Nick pecks him back.
The first week of classes pass by pretty quick and with his schedule that has golf practice that starts the following week. It’s one Thursday late in September, of mostly the same routine each week as the first, before practice when Harry is reading something at his desk for his english class, while Niall is at his math class, that Louis stumbles in, “What you reading curly?”
Harry puts a place marker in his book before it shuts when he looks up, “Romeo & Juliet, isn’t english just fascinating?”
Louis walks around his chair to sit on the end of the bed closest to the desk, “Well actually it quite is, but from your tone I’m going to guess differently for you?”
“I suck at English, badly. I doesn’t hold my attention and that causes me to do poorly on exams so I try reading more and when it does hold my attention it doesn’t make sense,” Harry puts his face in his hand as he explains his dilemma.
“Well I could tutor you,” Louis suggests.
Harry fully sits up now, “You don’t have to do that, I’ll be fine.”
Louis scrunches his eyes at him, “Do you know what my major is Harry?”
“No.”
“It’s theater. I have read Shakespeare plenty more than your average English teacher, so believe me when I say I am more then qualified to help you out a bit,” Louis raises his eyebrows.
Harry blinks, “Well, I didn’t know that. But you’re serious, you would tutor me?”
“Yeah it’s honestly no problem for me,” Louis nods.
“Yeah, that’d be so great honestly. Okay, so how much do you want me to pay you?”
“That’s honestly really funny Harold, because you’re not.”
Harry opens his mouth in confusion and closes it again. “You’re helping me out tremendously, you have to let me pay you somehow. You’ll quickly learn my conscious can’t take free without giving back in some way.”
“Well it’s not going to be money so trash that idea,” Louis raises his eyebrows.
Harry just gawks, “Then what then?”
“You could just get to know me.”
“But I already want to do that and sort of have, haven’t I?”
Louis sighs, “Then want to do it more. I can usually get on with most easily Harold, but you’re something else. I can’t even explain it really. There’s just something in me that’s screaming for me to get to know you Harry. And don’t take that the wrong way with Niall because I want to get to know him too, there’s just something about you Harry that draws me to you.”
Harry is in utter awe at Louis’ almost testament towards their friendship. What Louis is trying to explain to Harry can’t even really be explained, yet he knows exactly where he is coming from and exactly what he means, because he feels exactly the same. “That would honestly be one of the best things I do this year.”
“Are you saying that just to get a blush out of me Harold?” Louis smirks.
Harry shakes his head, but smiling nonetheless, “That would be a plus, but no, because everything you just said is the same way with me too.”
Louis’ smile grows three times it’s size, “Alright, alright okay. So what are you struggling with in the play specifically then?”
“Umm, okay so I’m confused what exactly Juliet is trying to say in the whole speech of ‘Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?’ because they’re having a conversation so why is she asking where he is?” Harry asks as he picks up the book and gets up to sit next to Louis on the bed.
Louis takes the book from him and skims over it again before facing Harry, “Okay, so you know the basis of the backstory how we don’t really know why, but it goes back decades a battle between the Montagues and the Capulets for some reason we don’t know but if I had to guess it would be that it’s something petty?”
Harry nods, “Yeah, I understand that much of it. The rest is a blur.”
"Okay so at this point she doesn't know he's there yet she's just giving a 'feel sorry for me' sort of monologue. She's not really asking 'Romeo where you at? Come Over,' she's saying 'Why Romeo? Of all people why Romeo?' and that's because he's a Montague. If it were anyone else she'd be able to be with him, but since it's him she knows it's forbidden because of the petty feud," Louis explains as he points out to where Juliet notices Romeo standing there.
Harry reads over it again, “So is he talking to her when he compares her to the moon? Or just talking to himself while admiring her?"
“He’s talking to himself, but he compares her to sun not the moon, because the sun is far more beautiful than the moon and that’s why the sun banishes the moon.”
Harry shows a disgruntled look on his face, “So is Romeo the moon then? If he is then why would he call himself the moon and her the sun if the two could never be truly together?”
Louis gives a soft smile as Harry is talking, “He doesn’t, but he should Curly if you think about it. Because of the feud they can never truly be together and neither can the moon and sun?”
Harry smiles back at him, “So in my complete confusion I came up with something actually genius?”
Louis is laughing so hard all he can do is nod, "Well yes, you did Harold you did indeed."
Harry is laughing right along with him, "Im glad I could make something nice out of something stupid."
The two try to settle, but whenever they both breath out slow they just start right back up with where they left off laughing again. Somehow they're finally able to settle and Louis is looking back to the book, “Okay so do you understand everything in Act 1? Also why do you think it is stupid?”
“For the most part yes, but I just don’t understand what Romeo’s deal is.”
“You mean with Rosaline?” Louis asks and when Harry nods he continues, “So basically he was ‘in love’ with her and she rejected him. So Romeo is droning on and on to Benvolio how his heart is damaged and how he will never live to see another day if she isn’t in his life. But then we read that he sees Juliet and without even saying one word to her he’s already in love with her and completely forgets about Rosaline.”
Harry is nodding along with what he’s saying, just processing everything, but then asks, “So basically what you're saying is Romeo is an ass who judges purely on looks?"
Louis is laughing again, "Why curly you've hit the nail right on the head."
Harry shrugs, "It's funny to me, the idea of these love stories of idiocy before cameras were invented."
"Do you think the two actually could've been soulmates?" Louis raises his eyebrows.
"I haven't read the whole play yet, but I would say no right now. It's just the idea of looks and finally getting attention," Harry explains.
Louis shrugs this time, "I mean it would be nice if you're attracted to your soulmate. I mean otherwise the sex drive would just suck or be nonexistent."
Harry gaps, "But that's not the way it always has to be. I mean that's not the way it is with me!"
Louis is silent for a moment, "So Nick is your soulmate? Not just your boyfriend?"
Shit. Harry had been trying so hard to not let that cat slip out of the bag these past 3 weeks and he just messed it up. He takes in a breath, "Umm, yeah."
"Well, why didn't you tell us that?" Louis is very careful with how he asks.
Harry can tell how just how careful he is being and when he's not mentally cursing himself out he feels awful. Louis looks so hurt right now and Harry can't even really blame him. Soulmates are a big deal and he hid that from not only Louis but Zayn and Liam as well. Harry is finally able to talk, "It's not the easiest thing to explain."
"Well what is it exactly?" Louis insists.
Harry is able to open his mouth, just about to continue speaking when Niall comes in, "Harry, why aren't you dressed yet? Did you forget we have practice? Oh, hey Louis."
Louis and Harry are broken out of their bubble and Harry quickly stands up, "Shit, I wasn't looking at the time I didn't realize how late it was." He is quickly flinging off his shirt along with Niall as the two try to get ready as quickly as they can. They're able to change pants and get their shoes on all the while Louis hasn't moved. Harry finishes and is able to break the trance, "I'm really sorry but I have to go. We'll talk later, yeah?"
Louis is able to nod, "I'll see you at dinner?"
Harry nods, "Yeah definitely." Then Niall is whisking him out the door with Louis following closely behind and walking back to his own room.
When they're a good distance away Niall asks, "What did I just walk in on?"
Harry shakes his head, "I'll tell you later."
Niall nods and the two continue on their way to the practice site to get their clubs and golf cart. They make their way out to hole 10, having finished 1-9 the previous practice. The whole drive out Harry is thinking about what happened back in the dorm with Louis and Niall can tell it’s on his mind. He doesn’t push Harry into talking about it when they’re on hole 14 and Harry has missed the putt, again. “Harry do you want to talk about it now?”
Harry doesn’t respond but goes to, finally, tap it in the hole. He picks it up and looks to Niall, “I accidentally told him Nick is my soulmate, not just my boyfriend.”
Niall swallows his water he just took a chug of, “Oh. Well that’s not too bad is it?”
“It’s not that Niall, it’s just,” Harry sighs, putting the club back in his bag and getting in the cart, “I don’t know.”
Niall gets in the cart and Harry drives off, “Well let’s start at the beginning. What happened today in the dorm to make this come up in the first place?”
Harry continues driving along the path to the next hole, “He came in and was helping me with my english work and I’m reading Romeo and Juliet right now. So he was explaining a couple things and we started talking about the craziness of the whole story in general. He asked if I thought they could be soulmates if cameras were around back then. I told him no, because it’s not all based on looks and he was talking about how you need to be attracted to your soulmate and then I said it’s not that way with me.”
“Oh Harry,” Niall sighs.
“I know. I know Niall, I know,” Harry almost whispers, putting the cart in park by the start of the hole.
“Well what happened after that?”
“That’s when you walked in.”
The two get out of the cart and Niall lines up while Harry gets his club and waits. Niall hits it, almost flawlessly, then turns back to Harry, “Well what are you going to tell him later? Like, what were you going to say?”
Harry goes to where he was just standing and puts his ball down then. His ball, unlike Niall’s, goes slightly to the right. He sighs and goes to the cart, “I don’t know. I’m kind of lucky you walked in, because I don’t know what I would’ve said.”
“Well, why is it all so hard for you with him, Harry?”
“Because I like him!” Harry answers immediately, almost annoyed. Niall is dead silent, almost in shock, but before he can respond Harry turns to him, realizing he said that out loud, “You can’t tell anyone.”
Niall gasps, “Harry you can’t be serious?”
“I am. You can’t tell Louis,” Harry’s eyes are wide, pleading with his best friend.
“Louis? What about Nick, Harry? What about the guy you’ve been with a year now and supposed to spend the rest of your life with?” Niall is in such a state of shock, he can’t really believe what Harry is telling him.
“You can’t tell anyone Niall. Please, you have to promise me.”
Niall opens his mouth, just purely out of confusion, “Harry, oh god yes, yes I promise, but start talking, now.”
Harry looks a little relieved, but still runs a hand through his hair as he attempts to explain. “There’s just something about him, that’s drawing me closer to him, that wants to get to know him more. I never had that with Nick, we were just friends one day and soulmates and boyfriends the next, but I was never attracted to him in that way. The way you’re supposed to be with the person you spend your whole life with. I don’t know why, but I finally feel that- but with Louis. It sounds crazy and I know that, believe me I do. But everything my mum ever told me makes sense with Louis. The way he makes me feel and the way he makes me laugh it's just all there, with him and I don't know how to explain it.”
Niall is silent for a moment, not really knowing what to tell his best mate. He finally comes around to something, “Well, I think you’re not the only one that feels that way.”
Harry furrows his eyebrows, “What do you mean?”
“You were in such a hurry to change you kinda forgot Louis was there, but he certainly didn’t. I mean, he couldn’t take his eyes off you Harry,” Niall almost smirks.
“Really?” Harry raises his eyebrows.
“Yes you idiot! It’s not just that, I mean you two have gotten crazy close and crazy fast. The three of us joke you two are the dream team, I mean at meals and especially just hanging out in general you two are always off in your own little world, that’s actually quite adorable if I’m being completely honest. But I mean Harry, you can’t deny you’ve gotten closer with him in three weeks than Nick in a year,” Niall points out, leading them back to their cart.
Harry rubs a hand over his face, “What am I supposed to do Niall?”
“What can you do Harry? I mean no can deny what the two of you have, not even Nick as much as he wants to, and he’s the one you’re supposed to be with forever and ever,” Niall tells him.
Harry just shakes his head and the two continue through the rest of the holes with Harry asking Niall what else he’s noticed between him and Louis, which is a lot apparently. The group of five can almost always be found together in some sort when there’s no practice or classes over the past month. Niall starts to say how the two always sit next to each other and if they’re not they’re touching in some way, always itching to be by the other. How Louis has a knack for pranking, but Harry has never been a victim and sometimes even gets his help. How Harry’s face always goes soft when Louis is talking and vice versa. How Louis stands up for Harry when the others tease him for his option of clothing or occasional headband.
Niall could continue, but Harry stops him as they go back into where they started out practice with the locker room, “Okay I think I get the idea Niall.”
“Has Nick not said anything or noticed?” Niall asks, putting his clubs back in his section of the room.
Harry does the same and sighs, “Yes, but the thing is that he’s never really liked Louis to begin with. Their personalities clash, so when he’s said stuff it’s rarely about us hanging out, but more of the point of how Louis is annoying.”
“I don’t understand how anyone couldn’t like him honestly,” Niall adds, leading the way back to their dorm before dinner to change.
“I don’t either.”
“Yeah, but you’re also in love with the guy,” Niall smirks. But when Harry doesn’t say anything he turns to him, “Harry?” Harry still doesn’t say anything so Niall asks another question, “Have you ever told Nick you love him?”
Harry keeps walking and holds open the door to their building, which Niall steps in. When the door to their room closes Harry turns to Niall, who’s in the middle of pulling off his shirt, with his doe eyes, “Am I a terrible person?”
Niall turns around to see his best friend with tears pooling in his eyes. He walks over and wraps Harry in a tight hug and lets the tears escape while he pets his hair. “No, you’re not a terrible person Harry. You're the best person I know, on top of being my best friend. It’s okay to be confused, but that doesn’t make you a terrible person. Not by any means.”
Harry pulls back and looks at him with red eyes and tear stained cheeks, and it breaks Niall’s heart, “What would I do without you?” he cracks a small smile.
Niall shrugs, “Be hopelessly lost and do something stupid?”
Harry cracks a smile, “I’m glad it’s you who’s my very best friend.”
Niall smiles right back, “I’m glad you’re my very best friend too. Now let’s get ready, we don’t want to make them wait too long for us.
Harry nods and the two quickly change and make their way down to the commons. They get their plates and go to sit in their usual spot where Zayn and Louis are laughing at something Liam said, as he looks confused at their laughing.
Louis turns to Harry next to him to say hi, but notices he’s been crying, “Hey, are you okay?”
Harry gives a soft smile and nods, “Yeah, I am now. Can we talk later though, alone?”
Louis nods, “You sure everything is all right?”
“Yeah I’m sure,” Harry smiles, taking his first bite of his chicken breast.
Louis gives him one last smile before turning his attention back to the other two and saying hello to Niall. Niall sends Harry a smile as he chews and Harry sends one back when Liam speaks up, “So our friend Nate, I think you guys met him once or twice, but anyways he’s throwing a party tomorrow and told me to round up people to come, so are you guys in?”
“Is there going to be booze?” Niall asks.
Zayn laughs, “Yes, there is. There’s also going to be food, pot and a DJ.”
“Well, you can definetly count me in!” Niall shouts a little.
Everyone laughs at his excitement and then Liam asks, “Harry, you in?”
“Yes, most definetly,” Harry smiles.
“Excellent! So it starts at 10, so after dinner tomorrow we can all head back to our’s and hang there before heading over!” Liam tells them, practically jumping in his seat.
“My god Payno, you’re acting like you’ve never been to a party in your whole life,” Louis laughs before taking another bite of his mashed potatoes.
“I’m excited! There’s only a few left we can go to before footie starts again,” Liam smiles, while Zayn looks at him fondly while rubbing circles on his back with his knuckles.
“Have you thought about it any more Harry?” Zayn asks.
They all look to him and he swallows, “Okay, don’t freak out, but I’ve given it some thought. I still have to see things go with classes, but I’m definetly thinking about it.”
They don’t do what he asks and completely and totally freak out. “I toooold youuuu,” Niall smiles. “Really?!” Liam’s jaw practically falls on the floor, not expecting him to say that. “That’s awesome Harry!” Zayn’s eyebrows shoot up with a smile. “You bastard! Why didn’t you tell me?!” Louis practically falls out of his chair, but doesn’t with Harry’s help and the two are laughing now.
Niall looks on fondly to the two of them as Harry answers his question, “I didn’t want to give false hope if I decided against it.”
“Oh please Harry I’ve known you for 6 years and I knew the second these two asked you that you were going to do it,” Niall rolls his eyes at him.
Harry just shrugs and the rest of dinner goes like that, with all of them talking about the upcoming excitement of the new season for football, as well as golf. They finish soon after and make their way back to their perspective rooms, except when they get to their hall and Louis gestures to the direction of his room and Harry nods.
Louis lets them in and Harry goes to lay on his bed and Louis quickly joins him, “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”
“To be fair I didn’t tell anyone else,” Harry adjusts slightly so he’s slightly closer to him.
Louis rolls his eyes, “Yeah, but this is me we are talking about here Harold, I’m not the others.”
“I know,” Harry whispers.
The room is still between the two, just looking back at the other in awe.
Louis is the one to clear his throat, “So what were you going to tell me earlier? Are you and Nick having problems?”
Harry scrunches his eyes up for a moment, knowing this was coming but not really wanting it to actually happen, he opens them again, “I mean only one right now, but that’s not really what I was referring to before. Our relationship has always been an odd one. Like I feel like these types of things are supposed to be easy and ours just isn’t and conversations don’t exactly always flow so easily like it can with you or Liam or Zayn and after a year of being together I feel like it should, but it just doesn’t. And I’m probably just rambling right now and I’m sorry.”
Louis is shaking his head, “Don’t apologize Harry. You never have to apologize for saying how you feel, you don’t have anything to be sorry about. You can always tell me what’s on your mind, even if it’s just something as silly as ‘do you think monkeys ever accidentally eat their own poop?’”
“That was a serious question you ass! For as often as they scratch it you think they would,” Harry playfully shoves him and the two are laughing at the memory of Harry asking such a random question last weekend.
Louis is still slightly laughing, “I know babe it was just a joke, but tell me more about why it’s hard for you guys I want to try to help.”
All Harry is thinking about is how Louis just called him babe and how good it makes him feel when he says it. He wishes he would do it more, but of course he doesn’t actually tell Louis any of this and instead tells him about him and Nick. “My mum explained to me everything about soulmates when I was just 5 years old and ever since then I was in love with the idea. Of how of seven billion people in the world there’s one person made for just for you and when you meet them everything just seems to fall in place. They make you a better person and are always there for you and just make you feel some sort f way you can’t even really explain. I loved that, because I saw it everyday in my Mum and Dad. But when Nick told me we were soulmates, none of it made sense. There wasn’t a spark, there wasn’t anything. I mean we were friends, but even in the aspect of not necessarily soulmates but dating I never saw him like that. And all of it makes me feel like such a terrible person, but what am I supposed to do? I can’t tell him, I mean how would that work with the whole, rest of our lives aspect.”
Louis listens with everything in him, and Harry absolutely adores it. He listens to Harry explain and when he finishes he tells him, “You’re not a terrible person Harry, you just feel the way you do and that’s okay. It’s not a perfect storybook love story like you hoped, and it’s sad, because you deserve it Harry. You so so deserve it and it’s just not the same thing you thought it would be, but it’s okay. I believe you’ll find a way, somehow, to make it okay.”
Harry’s heard these words from Niall and his mum a million times, but hearing it from Louis makes it different somehow. He believes it and that it’ll be okay. Harry looks back with his big green doe eyes and breathes out, “I can’t even begin to tell how glad I am that we became friends.”
Louis smiles back and rests his hand on the side of Harry’s face, “You’re not the only one Curly.”
Harry’s breathing gets very deep very quickly and he’s just hoping right now that Louis can’t tell. It only gets worse with the seconds that pass, but before anything else can happen Harry leans forward and wraps him in a hug, which Louis is quick to return. Both their breathing evens out and heart beats sync up and Harry is whispering into his hair, “You’re by far the best hugger.”
Louis smiles against him, “Don’t tell Niall, or he’d have my head.” Harry laughs against him, but Louis continues, “But I can say the same about you Curly.”
They stay like that for a moment more before Harry reluctantly pulls back, “I should probably go to bed, I have an 8 a.m. tomorrow.”
Louis laughs, “That’s probably the worst decision you’ve ever made Harold.”
“I know don’t remind me,” Harry laughs as he sits up with Louis quickly doing the same as well. “Thanks for listening tonight and helping me out with English.”
“I’m always here,” Louis smiles.
“Thank you for that too,” He leans over to kiss his cheek and makes his way to the door. When he opens the door he turns back, “Sleep tight Louis.”
Louis’ cheeks are completely pick now in the light of the lamp, “You too Hazza.”
Harry closes the door and makes his way down to his own room. Niall is on his phone in bed when he walks in, “You were gone for a long time there.”
“Yeah I know, we were just talking about a couple things,” Harry smiles as he changes into his pajamas.
He climbs the ladder when Niall puts down his phone and looks over, “Yeah, how’d that go?”
When Harry is settled under the covers he looks over to him, “I’m completely fucked.”
“We all knew that,” Niall laughs.
Harry is laughing as well when he chucks a pillow at him, “Good night Niall!”
It takes Niall a good five minutes to stop laughing before he says as well, “Night Harry.”
~~~~~
“How do I look?” Harry asks, turning to Niall who is still picking out a shirt.
Niall smirks, “Like you’re trying to get into our RA’s pants.”
Harry rolls his eyes, “My god, would you shut up?”
Niall laughs, “No. But in all seriousness you do look bloody gorgeous.”
“Are trying to get into my pants now?” Harry raises an eyebrow playfully. He says it all jokingly, but know the undertone of Niall’s seriousness. He’s sporting his tightest black jeans, favorite brown boots, and his blue button up his Mum always tells him is his favorite on him. He’s styled his hair in sort of an up-do to get it off his forehead like it normally is.
“No, my god you’re disgusting,” Niall says jokingly, which of course sends Harry up into a fit of giggles.
Niall is finishing his hair when Louis taps on the door and Harry still giggling, “What’s so funny there Haz?”
“I’ve just confessed my love to Harry and we’re getting married in the morning,” Niall says with a completely straight face as he goes to pick up his shoes. Louis looks completely terrified by this for a moment before Harry is laughing even more and Niall joins him, because he realizes Louis thought he was serious. “Oh my god mate, you should see the look on your face.”
“It’s okay Lou, I told Niall I wanted an open relationship so we can still do it,” Harry winks, before he’s giggling uncontrollably again.
“You two have the weirdest friendship I swear,” Louis says, finally letting out a laugh.
“Why if that isn’t the sweetest thing I had ever heard,” Niall says dramatically, even wiping a fake tear away.
“Oh my darling come here,” Harry opens his arms and Niall goes in them for them both to now start dramatically fake crying.
Louis can’t stop laughing at the pair, “Well you two soon-to-be-newly-weds should come on so we’re not making the other love birds wait.”
Harry and Niall separate and are following Louis out the door, on the way to the commons. The chatter is mindless until they get there, but when Niall takes off in his own direction Louis grabs Harry’s elbow and whispers, “You looking amazing in that.”
Harry turns to him with a smile, which he sees being returned, “Thanks. The same goes for you though.” Louis is sporting his own black jeans, classic vans that he wears all the time, and a white saint laurent patterned shirt. He styled his hair in a quiff, which automatically makes him that much hotter then he already was, and it makes his cerulean blue eyes only that much brighter.
Harry’s taken out of his little Louis-haze when he sees him making his way to a food station and quickly follows after him. “You okay there curly?” Louis chuckles as he loads his plate with chicken tenders. That was something Harry learned very quickly about Louis is that he has a love for the food at the commons, but chicken tender Friday’s will always be his favorite.
“Yes I’m okay, I just have a strange feeling that you said something before you walked over here. Would I be right in saying that?” Harry smiles as the two make their way to the table.
“The feeling is correct, you just don’t get to find out what that was,” Louis smirks, pulling out his chair.
“You suck,” Harry bumps shoulders with him, to which only makes him shrug.
“You get used to it after a while,” Zayn says to Harry, which has Liam and Niall laughing.
Louis’ mouth hangs open at that, “Zayn, that was hurtful to my soul and for that I take away your title as my best mate.”
Without missing a beat Zayn responds, “That’s okay, I have Liam.”
Liam grins from ear to ear and pecks Zayn on the lips , which he is quick to return. While this is happening Louis turns to Harry, “Well since his title is gone would you like to uphold it now?”
Niall interrupts whatever Harry is about to respond, “Sorry mate, Harry is mine, get your own.”
“I thought we were friends Horan, but apparently that all goes away when you get possessive,” Louis retorts.
“Niall calm down, I can have more than one. So Louis, I would very much like to be your best mate,” Harry smiles at Louis which he returns before resting his head on Harry’s shoulder.
“If Harry can have two so can you Lou, so I’m taking back my title,” Zayn says, a bit defensively.
“What if we are all each others best friends? Like all of us each have four best friends so there’s no more petty bickering,” Liam suggests.
Before anything else happens Niall and Harry look at each other and sing, “Give me a T-T-Y, I’m petty all the time!”
The other three look at the pair like they each just grew a second head, but instead of asking the obvious Harry says, “I think that’s a great idea Liam!”
“Hold up a minute! What the hell was that you two just did?” Louis says, asking for Zayn and Liam as well who are looking equally confused as he is.
Niall chuckles, “Have you guys not seen that video?”
“I think it’s safe to say the answer is no on that one,” Zayn raises an eyebrow.
“It’s the funniest thing, you just have to see it to know what we’re talking about,” Harry laughs along with Niall now. So with that, dinner is done for the group and they’re all making their way back to Zayn and Liam’s.
Niall automatically goes to the t.v. where youtube is hooked up and is typing in the video. The other four trickle in with Zayn pulling Liam’s arm to join him in the love seat while Louis and Harry sit on the seats around Niall on the couch. When the video is finally pulled up the three who haven’t seen it are like everyone who sees it for the first time with half amused and half thinking “what the fuck?”. Liam is immediately laughing when he also notices both Niall and Harry clapping along with the video. Louis quickly takes notice of them too, but Zayn is still transfixed on the man in the blue wig and cheerleading outfit singing on the telly.
It ends and with nothing but soft giggles filling the room Louis turns to the two beside him, “How many times have you two watched that to know, not only all the words, but the dance as well?”
“More than either of us would like to admit,” Niall smiles.
“Wait you guys know the dance too?” Zayn adds, finally able to look away from the screen. Both Harry and Niall laugh and are nodding their heads when Zayn adds, “Oh my god, get up and do it again with the video!”
None of them really expect for them to follow his request but for some reason they do. Liam hits replay on the telly and Harry is on one side being the ‘E’ and Niall is on the other being the middle ’T’. Sure enough both of them are dancing and singing along just as clear as the video and somehow they’re able to make it all the way through without stopping from laughing despite that it’s all Louis, Liam, and Zayn have been doing the entire time. When the video ends the three are clapping for them and trying to settle down, but are failing way too miserably.
“That was hands down the funniest thing I have ever seen,” Louis is practically wheezing out as Harry takes a seat back on the couch beside him and Niall next to him.
“I get that the video itself is hilarious, but what made you want to learn the dance?” Liam asks, still trying to get his breathing back to normal.
Harry looks at Niall, but he’s gesturing for him to tell the story, so he explains, “I had seen the video on tumblr in the spring and showed Niall and we were both dying when we first heard it. So we were always sort of referencing it, but we didn’t realize just how much until my sister came home for the summer and was frustrated by it. One day she looked at the two of us and was like, ‘If you two like it so much why don’t you know the dance yet?’ So Niall here took that upon himself as a personal challenge, but wouldn’t do it alone. So that’s why he is the Sharkeisha in the middle.”
Louis and Liam are nodding at the story, but Zayn chimes in, “You really are the biggest Irishman i’ve ever met.”
Niall is cackling, “And don’t any of you ever forget it!”
From then on out they watch random videos on youtube from horrendous homemade music videos to McDonalds milkshake to fail videos and on their third video of little boys nailing their dads right in the balls, they make their way down to the party. It’s a short walk but when they get there they’re amazed that hadn’t heard the music sooner than when they did. The party is in full swing and Niall is whisked off by Josh, who is on the golf team with him and Harry, while the remaining 4 head to the kitchen to do shots and get drinks.
After two shots a piece Louis is shouting, “Harry come dance with me!” and dragging him to the makeshift dance floor before he can even open his mouth. Harry doesn’t mind though as he’s been trying to find excuses all night to just be inches closer to him.
They’re practically on top of each other with the amount of people in such a tiny space and after a while of the two of them getting knocked into each other Harry twists Louis around by the hips so they’re chest and back with each other and Harry shouts, “Is this better?”
Louis leans his head back on his shoulder, “You have no idea Curly!” So with that they pick up where they left off dancing and when Louis starts grinding back against Harry, he’s uncertain at first, but soon finds his rhythm with him and dance like they've been doing it for years. They dance for what feels like hours and when the song next up slows down a bit Louis grabs Harry’s hand and pulls him to the kitchen, which Harry has no problem with. They both get new drinks of something fruity, but oddly strong at the same time. Harry is taking his first sip when Louis cocks his head to the backdoor, “I think the others are out there, do you want to join them?”
Harry nods and is soon following him out the door where they see Zayn, Liam, Niall, Josh, and some guy Harry doesn’t recognize. Harry sits beside Zayn who’s on the end with Louis sitting next to him. “Knew you’d make out here sooner or later,” Zayn smirks at Louis as he hands him the blunt.
Louis smiles as he takes it from him across Harry, “You know me too well for your own good.” He takes a hit and then turns to Harry, “You want some?” Harry nods and takes it from him, but quickly coughing at an unsuccessful blow. “You don’t normally do this, do you curly?” Louis laughs taking it back from him.
Harry shakes his head, “Only like two times and both of those were as successful as that was. Didn’t feel anything.”
Louis smiles, “I can help you with that. Here, lay down.” Harry is hesitant at first, but Louis quickly tells him, “I’m going to shotgun with you so you actually feel something this time without having to gag all over it.” So Harry lays down as he's told and Louis adjusts so he can be face to face with him. He takes the hit and is quickly hovering over Harry’s face so he can breathe out into his mouth. Once he sees all the smoke gone he asks, “Better?”
Harry nods ands sits up, “Lots.”
It’s a lot of back and forth smiling when Liam interrupts, “When are you two just going to get it over with and kiss already?”
They both turn towards him with pink-stained cheeks and with a loss at words to say Josh thankfully steps in, “Liam mate, I think you’re forgetting Harry has a boyfriend.”
Harry always knew he liked Josh, but in this moment he could freaking marry him to show just how much he’s thankful. It’s also not that Harry is against what Liam said, he himself thinking about it quite often actually, but what Josh said is right. Harry does have a boyfriend and not just a simple fling boyfriend where if it’s not working out they can call it quits. This is the type of boyfriend you stick through thick and thin because in the end, not matter the feelings for others, they’re the person you were meant to be with, because the universe said so. Well what if for once it was wrong? Of all the people ever created, couldn’t it have made one mistake?
Well while Harry was having his internal monologue the conversation carried on and he’s finally snapped out of it when Louis nudges him, “You okay?”
He notices everyone getting up to go inside, though Louis stays right where he is, so Harry does too. “What was your story of soulmates growing up?”
Louis takes in a deep breath, “My story is a little different from everyone else’s. So essentially, my mum had a boyfriend throughout high school and when she was 18 she got pregnant, with me. She knew they weren’t soulmates, but said they were going to stick it out together anyways to raise me together, because mum wanted to keep the baby, thank god. However 10 days after I was born the guy left my Mum. Couple years later same things happens, but this guy actually stays and gets married even to Mum, while adopting me and having my four younger sisters. Eventually the fighting got the best of them and they got a divorce. Good news for Mum is that a year ago she finally met her soulmate and they plan to get married soon.”
“So do you believe that you get to choose your own path?” Harry questions.
Louis bites his lip, “No, not really. I love my Mum to death and will until the day I die and love everything she did was for me and the girls, but there is someone made for me. I’m not going to build a life or even marry other people if they're not the one.”
Harry nods and then slowly asks, “Have you had sex before though? With past boyfriends or anything?”
Louis smirks, “Getting personal, are we?”
“I think the two of us are comfortable enough with each other to ask that question,” Harry smirks right back at him.
“No, no I have not had sex before. Experimented with other things yes, but sex no. What about you? Have you and Nick had sex yet?” Louis cocks an eyebrow. Harry shakes his head, hesitantly, which prompts Louis to ask, “Why is that? If you don’t mind my asking.”
Harry stays silent for a couple minutes, Louis never pushing him though, he finally breathes out, “Do you think the universe has ever made mistakes? I mean if you think about everyone that’s ever lived, there’s had to have been at least one.”
“Do you think you’re that one?” Louis asks slowly.
Harry can feel the lump in the back of his throat start to expand, “I don’t know. I mean I’ve done a lot of thinking. I read once that J.K. Rowling said that the sorting hat will never admit that it’s wrong but that it’s made 7 mistakes in all of the students. Why can’t that be true with soulmates too?”
Louis’ breathing has picked up almost as much as Harry’s has and he’s praising so hard God that Harry can’t hear it, because somehow it picks up even more when he asks, “Well if not Nick, who you be yours?”
The tears finally make it past Harry’s eyes when he whispers, “I think you know.”
Louis never cries and with Louis, never means never, but ever since he met Harry, he’s been the exception for a lot of things when it comes to him. So Louis is crying along side him when he whispers back, “I think so too.” He’s then scotching into Harry’s lap and hugging the life out of him, because what else can the two of them do but be there for each other?
Harry is hugging him back with everything in him as the tears roll down his face and it makes it a little okay when he feels tears on his back. They stay like that for what feels like a lifetime, but like all lives they eventually end and theirs does when Niall clears his throat by the back door. The two separate a bit and look at him, “We’re heading back to Zayn and Liam’s now.”
Louis is the first to get up and pulls Harry up to his feet as well and wiping his face as he walks towards the door. The five make their way back to Zayn and Liam’s place with Josh and what Harry heard as Zac as the other guy’s name. There’s a light conversation going on right now, but Louis and Harry are walking in the back of the ground not saying a word. Apparently Niall didn’t know that the two were crying and thought the embrace was just hugging, but standing next to the two of them he can now see. He mouths to Harry “What happened?” to which Harry shakes his head and mouths “Nothing” back at him.
They make it to the apartment where Zayn and Liam sleep in their bed, Niall takes the couch, and the other four are on shared air mattresses, with Louis and Harry on one and Josh and Zac on the other. Throughout the night Harry and Louis end up tangled in each other, so when Harry wakes up he may linger a bit before he gets up to make breakfast for the seven of them. Josh and Zac go back to their dorms and Louis, Harry, and Niall go to theirs.
~~~~~
Harry supposes it started earlier than when he started questioning it, but almost everyone is acting strange and he doesn’t have the slightest clue as to why. He thought it would start with Louis and that maybe he thought what they said at the party shouldn’t have happened and started acting stranger, but it didn’t.
It started with Niall at dinner on Monday night when Liam looked over to Louis and asked, “Hey Lou, did you take any pictures at the party this time?”
Before Louis can say anything Niall interrupting and saying, “Hey Louis, come get more cheese fries with me.” Louis doesn’t get the chance to accept or deny his request, because Niall is deciding for him and walking around the table and pulling him in direction of that food station.
Harry, Liam, and Zayn all give each other questioning looks for an explanation as to what exactly just happened, but as none of them know they go back to eating. Niall and Louis come back 15 minutes later and with no cheese fries in either of their hands. Louis is trying to look composed, but they can all tell there is something beneath the façade. Zayn is the one to ask, “What happened to the cheese fires?”
Niall is better at keeping it cool than Louis is and simply responds, “I ate them all before we got back here.”
Harry leans over to Louis with a concerned look, "Are you okay?"
Louis looks back at him in a state of shock almost, and all he can do is nod at Harry. They all finish with minimal conversation, except for Louis who stays silent as he seems to be in almost a different world at the moment.
The next time something strange happens is when he’s on his weekly call with Gemma and she starts asking about him and Nick, exuberantly more than she usually does. “Gems, what’s all this about?” Harry asks after the eighth question about Nick and him.
“What? Am I not allowed to be concerned about my baby brother and all the people in his life?” Gemma reacts.
“Well I mean that’s fine, but why just Nick? Not concerned about Niall? Or Liam? Or Louis? Or Zayn?” Harry persists.
Gemma sighs audibly through the phone, “Harry I’m concerned about them too, but you haven’t talked about Nick in a while. How are you guys doing?”
Harry rolls his eyes at her, “For the third time, we are doing fine.”
Along with the initial weirdness of Monday’s dinner and his sister acting off, it feels like Louis is actively trying to avoid him. Whenever he walks down to his dorm to go over English with him he’s never there, even though he specifically has that time for Harry. Harry tries calling and texting him to all of which no response which isn’t like him. He’s even skipping out on dinners with the group. So Thursday night Harry turns to Zayn, “What the hell is going on with Louis?”
Zayn gives him a confused look, “What do you mean?”
“What do I mean? I mean where is he? He’s not here at dinner and he always is. He scheduled tutoring sessions with me that he doesn’t show up for. I haven’t seen him since Monday, so where the hell is he?” Harry is completely irritated. Why does it feel like everyone is on this big secret except for him?
“Footie tryouts start in two weeks, he told me he’s been having meetings with Coach to get ready for them and the season,” Liam tells Harry after he’s seemed to calm down a little.
The tipping point is after a week of utter confusion and weird coincidences happening on Sunday night date with Nick. They decided to go bowling rather than another dinner, and the fact that they haven’t gone in a while. Nick is usually an ace at it, but tonight he’s sweating bullets and getting gutter shots left and right. He goes to sit back down where Harry is and is met by Harry asking, “Are you okay? You’re sweating like crazy and, no offense, are playing like shit. You’re normally ace this, what’s going on?”
“Nothing is going on. Why would you ask that?” Nick immediately reacts.
Harry throws up his hands, “Why are you so defensive right now? Are you going to play weird games with me too and not tell me what the hell is actually going on like everyone else in my life?”
Nick suddenly looks extremely nervous, “What do you mean? Who’s acting weird?”
“Everyone! It’s Louis and Niall and my sister and she doesn’t even go here! I’m not going crazy, I just want to know what the hell is going on!” Harry is shouting now and several people are looking over, but he couldn’t give a care in the world to them right now.
Harry eventually cools off enough for them to finish the game and head back to campus. When he gets to his dorm he strips of his clothes and immediately gets into bed. Niall is at his desk looking over something when he came in and when Harry is under the covers he carefully asks, “How was your date?”
Harry huffs out a short laugh, “Why do you want to know? It’s not like you’re going to explain to me why everyone in my life is acting insane.”
Niall doesn’t answer him and goes back to reading before getting in bed himself. Harry eventually falls asleep after Niall does, with his mind preoccupying him about a lot of things, but mostly Louis. He hasn’t seen him in a week now he can’t for the life of him think as to why or what he did, besides what happened at the party. But Harry didn’t think that was the problem either, because if it was Louis would’ve been acting weird on throughout the weekend and Monday, but he wasn’t. He only started acting weird after what Niall told him, and still has no clue as to what that was. He falls asleep at the thought of confusion, but mostly just missing his best friend.
~~~~~
The Christmas Harry was nine his dad told him, “The best presents always come in unexpected ways Harry.” He said this because their family was stranded at the airport of Christmas Eve trying to get to France to spend Christmas Day in Disneyland Paris. To Harry’s unbelief his dad was right in that when they finally got Disneyland Paris on Christmas, that night him and Gemma were asked if they’d like to be part of the parade and were on the float with both of their favorite movie Toy Story.
Harry never thought his Dad’s wise words would be applicable at any other time, but like most things, he was wrong.
It starts the next night, after his bowling date, after yet another dinner where Louis wasn’t there. Harry and Niall come up on their door when they both realize they don’t have the key to get in their room, even though Harry swears Niall grabbed his. “Let’s go ask Louis if he can let us in,” Niall gestures towards his room.
Harry scoffs, “Yeah, if he’s in his room,” yet follows Niall down the hall.
Niall knocks on the door and almost immediately Louis opens it and, wow. Louis is wearing actual black suit dress pants, with a matching white button down. He honestly can’t believe how stunning he looks in these clothes, but Harry’s favorite part is with the fancy clothes he’s wearing converse with it all and his hair styled like a cinnamon roll as Harry once said while looking back at old photos one day. “Can I help you boys with something?” Louis smiles, knowing exactly what he’s doing right now.
Niall starts, “Yeah, we actually-“
“Why the hell are you dressed like that?” Harry interrupts, and embarrassingly realizes that his mouth had been hanging open before that.
Louis crosses his arms playfully with the smile still on his face, “It’s for a very special occasion.”
“What kind of special occasion? Are you going on a date or something?” Harry presses, a little too aggressively if he’s being truthful.
“Something like that. Would you like to come in?” Louis takes a step back, gesturing to come in, which Harry can immediately see is not like it usually is.
Harry can’t stand Louis’ messy habits, with things littered everywhere and laundry nothing more than a mountain of clothes pouring out of his closet. This however is not the picture Harry gets as he steps into the room with a spotless floor and made bed, and newly hung up fairy lights around the border of the ceiling. The more he steps into the room he notices pictures on the bed. Some are of Louis when he was little and some of Harry, some of the group of friends. In the middle however is a black and white picture of Harry and Louis from the party two weekends ago when Louis climbed in Harry’s lap and they were crying into each other. Harry slowly picks up the picture and turns around, “What’s going on?” Harry’s voice is very careful and soft as he looks to both of his best friends who are just grinning like mad.
Louis isn’t the first to respond, as Harry thought it would be, “We know this week has been tough on you Harry, but believe me when I say that there was a good reason behind it all.”
Louis is now stepping closer to Harry, “You probably know this already, but Niall isn’t exactly the best liar.”
“Watch it Tommo,” Niall says in a mockingly hard tone.
They both thought Harry would laugh at that, but right now all Harry can do is control his breathing to the best of his ability. Louis continues, “Last week when Liam asked if I drunkly took pictures, like I usually do, I was about to say no when Niall here whisked me off. I wished my answer to Liam would’ve been yes after what Niall told me. So he pulled me over and turns out he has the same habit I do and when he was going through pictures he noticed some were black and white, like they should’ve been with the other two, but there was also one that shouldn’t have been. That was the one that you’re holding Harry. Niall told me all of this and I couldn’t believe it at first I was so happy, but Niall reminded me of a not so little detail and that was that you already had your “soulmate”. So Niall here stole a couple photos from your room of you and Nick and we sent those and our picture to Gemma. We did that so we could get the photographers of London inspect the photos so that friends of Nick here wouldn’t tell him or question it in the first place. So we got the pictures back and they were able to take off a paper-thin film of black and white off all the photos, but one. And that’s the one you are holding in your hands Mr. Harry Edward Styles. My other half.”
Harry’s breathing had only increased more and more as Louis explained the meaning of this past week, granted, the past year. His mind was racing a million miles a minute, but one thought rang clearer than anything else. “We’re soulmates?” Harry asks in the quietest voice possible.
Louis is absolutely beaming at him, “Yes Harry. You and I are very real, very valid, soulmates.”
Harry is full on shedding tears at this point, not even trying to hide it as he goes into Louis’ open arms. When Louis is squeezing back just as hard as Harry is, Harry starts sobbing, but Louis is there rubbing calming circles on his back, trying to calm him down. Harry pulls back when he’s calmed down enough to talk, “First of all, I want you to know that these are all happy tears.”
“I had a feeling,” Louis smiles up at him, wiping his face for him.
“Secondly, I knew there was something different about you ever since you made me hit my head on the wall and I’m so darn happy this was it,” Harry is finally able to crack a smile.
Louis nods, “Ever since I met you I just knew you were it for me and that even when we sent the pictures I knew which one was real. I never doubted you Harry.”
Harry sheds one more tear as he’s nodding along to his words. He clears his throat again, “The last thing is just the fact that I really want to kiss you right now.”
Louis nods with a smile and is leaning up towards him to bring their lips together for the first time. Harry has kissed Nick a thousand times and each and every single one of those combined don’t even compare to what kissing Louis is like. Kissing Louis is passion and love and tenderness and sweet and everything Harry has ever been waiting for, because when he kisses Louis he’s home. So as Louis started the kiss, he’s ending it as well and whispering, “I waited too damn long for that.”
Harry smiles and kisses him one more time, “You’re not the only one.”
"I love you with everything Harry," Louis smiles.
Harry can't help but kiss him again, "I love you with everything Louis."
After all this time Niall is acknowledged again when he’s smiling behind his phone and saying, “And that’s all folks.”
Harry wraps his arms around Louis, to which he does the same, when he asks, “Were you just recording all of that?”
Louis leans back into him, “I asked him too. It’ll be a good video for down the road.”
“Are you happy that there was a method to the madness Harry?” Niall walks towards them.
“I would do it a thousand times again if it were always this result,” Harry smiles.
Louis raises an eyebrow, “What about a thousand and one?”
Harry pushes him slightly, “I’m glad this happened, but I still went a whole week without talking to you or seeing you and I freaking missed you, you budger.”
“I missed you too Curly. I was just a nervous wreck the whole time we were waiting on the pictures and I wouldn’t have been able to hide it if you asked what was wrong,” Louis explains.
“I know, I know,” Harry sighs.
Niall steps closer to the couple, mainly talking to Louis now, "Last year, before the whole mess started I told Harry that I wished the two of us were soulmates for the fact that no one else deserved him because his heart his too big for his freakishly long body, but I take it back now. You truly are deserving of his heart Louis and I know you'll take special care of it."
Louis is tearing up now, "Get in here Nialler," and pulls the irishman into a group hug, "Thank you. I will protect it and cherish it with every part of me."
Harry is crying even more now at the two, “I love both of you so much."
"Love you Haz," Niall leans to him.
"I love you," Louis pecks his lips.
Harry pecks them back and sighs, "There’s just one thing left to do now.”
“What’s that?’ Louis asks.
And with every serious bone in his six foot body he says, “Kick the ever-loving shit out of Nicholas Fucking Grimshaw.”
“Already in the plans,” Niall smiles and all of them laugh at that.
~~~~~
They told Harry and Niall at Orientation that “The years you spend living and learning here, are going to be the best of your life.” Little did the two of them know she was right, so much that Harry wants to hunt her down and personally thank her.
After that night back in Louis’ room they replayed the video for Liam and Zayn, Gemma, Harry’s parents, Louis’ parents and just about anybody else that ever asked about it. They also uploaded a more explained version to youtube to be soon seen over five million times, as the video went viral.
Niall waited for a weekend where Gemma was visiting that then they paid Nick a little visit. But even after that he still approached Harry more than several times trying to apologize, but every time he did Louis was there and pulled Harry away before he could get more than 5 words out. The last time he ever tried was when Louis finally snapped and told him, “Stop trying to apologize for such a selfless act you committed, knowing the full extent of what you were doing in the first place. A year of Harry’s life is now all a blur of you, because you wanted to get into his pants so badly you never ended up doing it anyway. What you did was wrong and disgusting and my hope is that when you finally meet your actual soulmate, like I met mine, they know that you didn’t want them or think of them at all when you did this. So I know that Niall and Gemma already talked to you in their own way, but if you come near my boyfriend one more time there’s going to be some serious hell to pay.” With that he was walking off with Harry attached to his hand.
When they reach Louis’ room finally Harry tells him, “Thank you for doing that.”
Louis sighs, “He deserves a lot more than that, but I know you wouldn’t like that so I just told him off.”
“You’re right, and it was better,” Harry smiles.
After that Harry practically moves into Louis’ room with him, as that’s the only place where he’ll ever sleep anymore, even when Louis isn't there. They do that the following year too, but when Louis graduates with Zayn, the two move into their first apartment together and Niall rooms with Josh.
Louis gets his first job out of college as the drama teacher at a local high school in Manchester where he did his student teaching at, taking over the recently retired drama teacher’s job.
Zayn became an art curator for the museum downtown and him and Liam get married the summer after Zayn graduates, as Liam stays in school to become a physical therapist, and adopt a dog Zayn named Molly.
After Louis helped Harry get an A on his english exam, he finally agreed to trying out for the football team and made it on as primary right defender, which with Louis as that side’s midfielder the pair were also considered the dream team on and off the field. Harry quit the team after Louis graduated though and focused on school and golf.
So after Zayn and Louis graduated, Harry, Liam and Niall followed 2 years later. Niall also met his soulmate at graduation when all the candids came out and it turns out the two had been friends the previous year, just never thought anything more of it (or at least that’s what he says).
Harry and Louis get married the same summer Harry graduates and Harry opens his own cafe and bakery down the street from Louis’ school. They adopt their first daughter, Natalie Jay Tomlinson-Styles, two years later. Their first son, Matthew John Tomlinson-Styles, is a year after her. Two years later is Olivia Anne Tomlinson-Styles and one year after her comes their last Cameron Alex Tomlinson-Styles.
One day their kids will ask all about soulmates and how their daddy and papa knew, and one day they’ll tell them, but for right now, they’re all, and always will be, their babies.
So they tell the story of how they met and knew they were each others soulmates, but it always ends the same. Louis loves Harry and Harry loves Louis, and they would’t have it any other way.