#only his siblings realize the blackmail potential of these photos

[celaenaeiln]

Dick and Jason would totally have a debate about reading. Except it wouldn’t be about whether Dick could read or not, it would be about whether classical literature is better than philosophical texts and they would hate the other because Jason would say that philosophical texts are a bunch of phony ramblings from old men who had nothing better to do and Dick would get mad and say classical literature is only popular because it’s too messed up for its time period and therefore the only reason it’s remembered and not because it’s actually good. 30 mins later Tim walks into the room with Jason and Dick not even a centimeter apart and screaming into each others faces and takes a slow sip of coffee and says “programming books are the most fun to read.”

Dick and Jason turn their heads so slowly to look at him that with each movement their neck muscles positively creak with pure revulsion for him.

Later Jason sends a half a dozen photos to the Titans and Bernard of Tim’s most awkward poses and Dick sidles up to Bruce and convinces him that Tim has gotten to the point where his sleep is affecting him so much he’s not functioning properly so Bruce takes matters into his own hands.

[larryfanficwriter98]

Chapter Eight

*Fake It Until You Make It Real*

"What are you cooking for Halloween this year?" Liam asked as he and Niall sat beside him in the break room.

"If it's Shepherd's Pie count me in." Niall said eagerly digging into a mushy microwaved meal.

"Actually, you two are not invited." Harry said without looking at them as he dug into his own meal.

"Wait...what." Liam said confused, "we always come over for Halloween."

"I invited Louis to invite his family over so we can all meet and spend a day together."

"We're family." Liam pouted making Harry roll his eyes in amusement.

"Fine how about this I'll tell him Zayn can come as well and you guys can be there. You can be on babysitting duty."

"Perfect. So, what are you making?" Harry shook his head as he pulled his phone out, it was currently three in the morning and Louis was asleep, but he wanted to tell him before he forgot.

****

"Hi mama." Louis said answering the facetime with an eyeroll and a smile,

"You send me a cryptic text asking about my plans on Halloween and then you don't respond to my five texts."

"I was busy." Louis defended as he dumped the contents of his third junk drawer out and stared at everything, "God I'm a mess...how the hell am I a functioning adult with a child?"

"You can't be nonfunctional with a baby Lou. Do you need help? What's wrong?"

"What’s wrong is that somehow every drawer in this apartment has turned into a storage junk drawer combination. How did this happen!? I'm an adult."

"You're in your early twenties."

"Exactly an adult."

"Debatable." Louis rolled his eyes grinning at his mother, "why are you worried about your drawers?"

"I'm not worried about them I'm cleaning them out." Louis defended.

"What for?"

"It's October and my rent contract ends in November. Need I say more?"

"So, what's with the Halloween question?" She asked.

"Well Harry suggested we all get together at his place for a dinner and trick or treating. He usually makes a big dinner anyway with his family and he thinks it will be the easiest way for us all to meet." Louis explained.

"All of us as in his family and us?"

"Yes. Also, Zayn, Liam, and Niall. The last two are his best friends they always come for Halloween too and he thinks they and Zayn could be potential ice breakers if we need them to be."

"It sounds lovely Louis, what time should we be there."

"Anytime. Harry says it's an all-day thing at his place. He also has guest rooms if it gets too late since you have a long drive back home."

"I'll talk with the others, but I think we can make it. Keep me posted about it all and let me know if I should bring anything."

"Nothing except yourself and the others."

****

Saturday morning Louis glared at Harry as he climbed into his Murano passenger seat at eight in the morning.

"Good morning handsome." Harry said brightly, smiling wide as he looked at Louis which pissed him off more.

"Don’t talk to me Harold." Louis grumbled, "when I agreed to this, I thought I'd be waking up at eight not at six on a Saturday. I hate you so much right now."

"Oh, relax you'll be fine."

"So, what's the game plan when we meet him? Is he like expecting us to I don't know...like-"

"Louis we will be in a public place eating breakfast and talking to a lawyer. I highly doubt he's expecting us to swap spit together. Relax he just wants to meet you and probably make sure you're not y'know a call boy or something."

"He wants to make sure you didn't find me on Craigslist." Louis said smirking when Harry glared, his cheeks turning red, "the biggest thing he'll be looking at is making sure we're comfortable with each other which we are. He'll probably ask me how we met and things like that so have you told him anything I need to know about? Like if we have a favorite movie or whatever?"

"You're an ass but no I told him how we met and how long we've been together and how fast everything went with us, but he doesn't really care about the other things. He'll ask you about Freddie, he'll ask about your relationship with everyone and your family. He'll ask about your siblings and how Freddie is handling everything. He'll ask if I pressured you in anyway and if this court stuff influenced you at all. Just tell him what you told your mother that it did influence things but not in a negative way. He's not looking for a Saint he's looking to make sure we're not doing this for the wrong reasons."

"That I can do. Freddie is going to be pissed if he finds out I had Alabama's without him." Louis said watching as they turned into the car park for the famous restaurant.

"We just won't tell him." Harry said grinning at him, "come on let's get inside." Harry opened the middle console and pulled out his wallet and phone.

"He'll know. He has this like sixth sense whenever someone has Alabama's." Louis told him as he climbed out of the car,

"Then I'll take him to Alabama's for breakfast without you one day and we'll be even."

"Without me?" Harry didn't say anything only took his hand in his own and led him to the door opening it for him, "I don't think I like the sound of that plan Harold."

"Too bad."

****

Louis really did mean to go home after the breakfast meeting, but somehow, he had been coerced into coming back to Harry's place. Harry had fallen asleep two minutes after laying his head on Louis' lap which was how Louis found himself grading papers using Harry's back as his surface. Louis had a wet spot on his pants from Harry's drool and he was fairly sure his legs were permanently asleep and if he happened to have video footage of him snoring well it was potential blackmail usage for the future. It was also how he found himself completely trapped when his mother facetimed him at their usual Saturday afternoon time. He quickly ended it and sent a picture of Harry's head on his lap.

To: Mummy❤ Can't talk he's snoring too loud and no I can't move because my legs have lost all feeling. Raincheck? Also do you see that drool puddle on my pants?! He's 30! He shouldn't drool at this age! I thought they grew out of this?!?

From: Mummy❤ So Mister Perfect is not so Perfect??🤔

To: Mummy❤ You'd think!! But noOoOo. Even his snores are cute. 😒😡

Louis sat there grading papers and texting his mother about his breakfast meeting and the lawyer for a few hours until she had helped the girls with homework questions and around the house things. After finishing his grading finally, he absolutely had to get up to relieve his bladder. So, after a lot of maneuvering and cursing and not so gently guiding of a head he was finally able to stand and head to the bathroom. Once that was done, he headed back to the living room and after little debating, he curled up beside Harry on the couch pulling the blanket over them both as he took a very late in the day nap.

When Louis woke up it was extremely late, and he groaned rolling onto his stomach when he realized he spent his Saturday grading papers and napping.

"Good evening sleeping beauty." Harry said making Louis lift his head to stare at Harry with a glare. Harry wasn't fazed however and instead seemed even more amused as he leaned over and pressed a kiss to Louis' forehead.

"I was just about to leave you this lovely note here, but you woke up just in time for me to say it in person." That was when Louis noticed Harry was dressed in scrubs and a white lab coat and a jacket to fight the chilly air October brought. "I have to go. I made dinner though you can take the leftovers home if you want. I have a set of keys here for you so you can drive back home it's to the Murano I'll take my Audi tonight. I also left you a choice of pullovers all with medical dad jokes you're welcome. And I wrote down that you are more than welcome to stay here for the night. You don't have to leave. I also apologized for falling asleep on you and trapping you here." Harry said setting the note on the coffee table as he sat on the edge of the couch rubbing a hand over Louis' back. Louis groaned when he massaged his shoulder making Harry chuckle but also continue with both hands.

"Is this only with the finance package or does this come with the husband package as well?" Louis asked hearing Harry laugh as he kneaded between his shoulder blades.

"It comes with the husband package with added benefits." Louis laughed and swatting at him.

"Typical men." He complained chuckling as he looked at Harry rolling on to his back, "I will eat then I will go home and finish some things there and depending on the time will depend on if I come back. Deal?"

"Deal. The set of keys has the spare house key on them. Just make sure you lock up whenever you leave and before you go to sleep if you do come back. I need to leave before I'm late, I stayed as long as I could to wait for you."

"You could have woken me up."

"It's fine you probably needed it anyway. I will see you later either when I get home or probably during the week. We can have pizza together one night."

"Sounds like a plan. Have a good night. Save lives. Y'know typical doctor stuff."

"You too. Be safe driving and I'm not just saying that because you're driving my car. It's a Saturday night keep yourself focused."

"I'll be fine." Louis told him smiling, Harry huffed then leaned over and pressed a chaste kiss against his forehead then nose then he pressed a chaste kiss to Louis' lips before he stood up.

"Make sure you eat mister. Doctor's order."

"Uh huh. Whatever." Louis said kicking him lightly as he grabbed his keys and wallet. Harry's shot a playful glare at him before he rounded the couch and leaned over pressed another kiss to his lips. "Go...leave so I can go back to sleep and lie about eating." Louis said swatting at him.

"I want photo evidence of you eating." Harry said before he opened his front door and left the house. Louis laid on the couch for a solid twenty minutes before he dragged himself off of it and into the kitchen making himself a plate of the chicken stir fry before he headed home to finish up some cleaning before Freddie came home the next day. He did end up going back to Harry’s house mostly because he liked his tea options over his own, but Harry didn’t need to know that. Also he figured making himself much more comfortable inside the house would be a good thing considering their families were meeting here in a few short weeks.