with a pebble held in my hand (One Direction, Harry/Louis, PG)

Disclaimer: I don't own One Direction--they may own what was left of my dignity? None of this probably happened irl, if you got here by Googling yourself, get the fuck out, also hi can i have concert tickets? Title from Ed Sheeran's Wake Me Up.

Summary: Sure, there are no real consequences here, so it hardly counts as brave, but it doesn't make the words out loud any less terrifying. Louis comes out to Harry. 

AN: So I've been working on what started as a Massive Ziam and Larry Coming Out Fic From Hell which turned into a Massive Ziam and Larry Verse From Hell? But this is really just background for it, so I figured I could go ahead and post it; I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but. all you really need to know is my headcanon generally starts Harry/Louis messing around during X Factor and Louis realizing he's gay sort of because of Harry. This is set during the X Factor tour. Fluffy with slight sexuality crisis undertones?

Harry's already huddled under a mound of covers by time Louis gets out of the shower. He's got the duvet pulled over from the second bed, because it's not like they ever use the second bed, they barely even used both of their tiny bunks in the X Factor house because even before, one of them was bound to want a cuddle during the night. Louis thinks, fondly, that Harry's a bit of an idiot-- if he just slept in pajamas like a normal person, he wouldn't even need the extra covers, but he's never been one to actually complain about Harry's nakedness-- it'd be a little counterproductive.

He's not asleep yet, because Louis can see the dulled light coming from his phone, hear his fingers tap against the keyboard lightly. He walks over and slides in next to Harry, wrapping his ankles 'round Harry's as Harry mumbles a "H'lo, Lou," voice low and a little rocky from their earlier performance.

"Who're you texting?" Louis asks, lazily carding his fingers through Harry's curls. 

"Tweeting our fans," he corrects, the delighted tone in his voice at just the thought of their fans (!!!!!) mirrored in the smile creeping onto Louis' face. They giggle for a second at the absolute absurdity of it. 

Louis bites the inside corner of his lip and asks. "Can we talk, Haz?" 

Harry frowns for a second and nods quickly, pulling away just enough to set his phone on the side table before tangling back up with Louis, pressing their foreheads together. "Something wrong?" he says, voice thick and low and eyes green enough to make Louis' heart burst with trust and faith. 

He shakes his head. "Nothing wrong, I think I just need to tell you something?"

Harry nods and waits and takes Louis more seriously than he reckons he deserves. 

"Something I haven't really...said before?" 

The corners of Harry's mouth curve just slightly upward as he laces Louis' fingers in his own, loosely. Sure, there are no real consequences here, so it hardly counts as brave, but it doesn't make the words out loud any less terrifying. It feels a little stupid, because it's just Harry, he's telling, but he knows this isn't really about Harry, or about telling-- he's not even been able to practice saying it to the mirror. But Harry's just nodding and waiting and Louis feels safer than he's ever felt.

He says "I'm gay," and takes a deep breath and buries his face in the crook of Harry's neck and concentrates on how soft the skin there is.

Harry could make a joke here, say something like 'well I'd hope so after last night' and 'my dick in your mouth earlier sort of gave it away, babes'-- it's easy and would break the heavy veil of seriousness, and it's probably what Louis would do--but Harry is wonderful and clever and safe and knows exactly what Louis needs before Louis even knows, and he's likely the best person Louis' ever met.

Instead, he breaths a soft "Yeah, love," pulling him even closer, playing with the soft hairs at the nape of Louis' neck. "M'glad you told me, hmm?"

Louis nods a little and holds on tightly, and he's shaking a little--not really in a bad way though. Because he said it, out loud, he actually managed to form the words in his throat and say them audibly, and he's a little stupidly proud of himself-- sure, it's just Harry, but Harry's important and this felt important, so he figures it counts for something.

"I can't..." he shakes his head. "Nobody else, yet, okay? I know everyone pretty much knows, I just..."

"Hey," Harry says, shaking his head. "You don't have to do anything, Lou," he says, softly like he means it. He hooks a finger under Louis chin, tilting his head up enough that Louis can see him grin. "M'proud of you."

And Louis can feel himself turning red, can feel a grin spreading on his face and his insides squirming, and it's all too much, so he burrows under the covers and hides his face in Harry's chest and mumbles "Soppy bastard," and Harry's laughing loud and clear like he knows Louis means thank you.