Work Text:
ANYTHING FOR YOU
Louis rubbed his thumb in his other hand, trying to calm down his nerves. The text Harry had just sent, "We need to talk when you come home," had made Louis really anxious, making it hard for him to focus on his drama students and the play they were rehearsing. His thoughts were spiraling. What was wrong? What had he done that Harry didn't end the message with a heart? Had Harry found someone else, someone who wasn't messy and could cook, not leaving everything to Harry? No, Harry said every so often that Louis was the love of his life. Suddenly, tears started to fall when a new thought hit him, and he just knew: Harry was sick and was going to die young.
"Louis… Louis, what's wrong? a concerned student asked. " Are we that bad? Please don't cry, we will try to act better. Louis?"
"I'm sorry, I have to go; today's rehearsals are cancelled," Louis said with a shaky voice. "See you tomorrow," thinking, if I'm not at the hospital with Harry. He ran to his car and jumped in, speeding home to their flat, which soon wouldn't feel like home anymore, since Harry would be missing. Louis had to pull over to blow his nose and try to calm down. Harry was going to need him strong. In sickness and in health, until death do us part. He never guessed it would be so soon.
Louis ran up the stairs three floors, keys in hand. His hand shook as he opened the door and stepped inside.
"Harry! Where are you?" Louis yelled in panic. Was Harry so sick he couldn't answer, or was he already at the hospital? He whimpered and was just about to fall to the floor when he heard a voice, his favorite voice.
"Louis, what a lovely surprise! You're home early. Almost didn't hear you over the kettle in the kitchen. I was going to have tea, but I can start on lunch … " His smile fell as he turned around, expecting a kiss from his lovely husband and instead found him face pale and tear-streaked.
"Baby, what's wrong?" Harry asked while hugging Louis.
"What is wrong? You are dying, and I will lose the love of my life," Louis sobbed into Harry's neck, holding on tight.
"What? Where did that come from? I'm not dying!" Harry was quite used to Louis being a drama queen, but this was next level. "Please, take a breath and let's have some tea."
Louis was like an octopus on Harry. It was like he couldn't get close enough. Luckily, Harry was strong and just carried Louis to the kitchen, sat down at the table with Louis in his lap.
"Please tell me what made you think I was dying?"
"I don't know. Your message was so serious, and you didn't end it with a heart. I thought that maybe you were breaking up with me, but I do know you love me, so…"
"So the only other possibility was that I was sick?, Harry says, trying not to laugh.
"Well, when you say it out loud, it sounds like I, maybe, overreacted a little bit. Louis felt his cheeks turn red, and he fidgeted with his hands.
"My sweet Louis, my sweet creature, I love you so much." Harry kissed Louis' cheek, jaw, and then his lips. "The message was sent by mistake, not ready, when I got a work call. I would never omit hearts or kisses from my messages. "I promise, I'm fine, I just need to talk to you about an upcoming work trip. I'm going to be away for a week and…"
"I'm going to miss you so much, but we can call every day, and the week will go by in no time." Louis interrupted, smiling; the love of his life was fine, nothing was wrong except Harry going away. Better kiss him while he could. Then it hit him: "Wait! Why is this different from your previous work trips?"
"I haven't been gone this long before, and I've been thinking about your kitchen skills. I don't want you to eat junk food every day. I will, of course, put food boxes in the freezer, and you can visit our friends for dinner, but that is just a temporary solution. So, I want to teach you how to cook." Harry looked at Louis, who went from smiling to confused to irritated.
"You want to teach me how to cook? That's a terrible idea!" Louis huffed. You know I'm a disaster in the kitchen."
"It will be fun. Please, Louis."
"I am only meant to look sexy and be sexy while I taste your cooking, both assignments dear to my heart."
"And that you do that with honors." Harry laughed and kissed his adorable husband. "Please, I really want to teach you some dishes. It will be fun."
"Well, I doubt I will learn, and it will most definitely not be fun, but for you, I will do anything."
Harry's smile grew, and he looked so pleased that Louis just had to kiss him.
*****************
It was four weeks until Harry's work trip. Finally, Saturday, after a long week with rehearsals for the school play, a day that should have been filled with a lazy morning and hot sex, if you asked Louis. It was hot, but only because they were in the kitchen boiling water for spaghetti and chopping vegetables for a sauce. Harry was chopping something green, and Louis was chopping carrots, that much he knew. He quickly glanced at Harry and tried to use the same smooth gliding knife movement. It was easier to cut the carrot imitating Harry´s technique, and Louis picked up speed, confident in his new skill.
"Fuuuuuck! My finger! I'm bleeding. Harry! I'm gonna lose my finger! Heeeeeeelp." Harry put down his knife, took Louis' hand in his, and inspected the small wound. Louis felt weak, "I don't handle blood well, think I'm gonna faint."
Harry pulled Louis' hand under the faucet. "Look, it's not deep. I'll put on a band-aid." Harry grabbed the First-Aid kit and cleaned the wound. After putting on the band-aid, he kissed Louis' finger. "Let's continue. Do you want to cut the zucchini instead? It's softer."
While Louis very carefully cut one zucchini, the green thing, Harry cut carrots, an onion, garlic, and tofu. He put everything into a hot skillet with a little oil. The smell was instant, making Louis' stomach growl. The spaghetti was cooking, and Harry put Louis in charge of stirring the vegetables while he cleaned up after them.
"Look at you, helping me in the kitchen. You look hot." Harry leaned in to Louis, kissed his neck and collarbone, pressed his hardening length to Louis' ass.
"No, no, no, none of that! It was your idea to start teaching me how to cook this morning. I tried to get your mind off it, but you just had to drag me to the supermarket, and here we are. Sex is off the table!" And with that, he pushed Harry off with his bum, knowing how much Harry liked it. But now was not the time for sex.
"How about the floor?" Harry asked winking, but was met with a serious Louis, one eyebrow raised, head shaking. "I will keep on stirring and pretend I didn't hear that. By the way, all vegetables are soft now."
With blushed cheeks, Harry poured coconut cream on the vegetables and then drained the spaghetti. "It's ready once the cream cooks up." Harry also seasoned it with some herbs, and the smell went from good to excellent.
They sat down at the table and ate in silence, glancing at each other, both affected by what had happened earlier. Harry, horny as fuck, and Louis feeling smug about it.
Finally, Louis couldn't hold it in anymore and stated proudly. "I think I did well. The food is amazing."
"You did well, and I really liked making food with you. You being domestic does something to me… can we please get back to bed?"
Louis grinned, pushed his chair back, and ran to their bedroom, laughing happily. "Are you coming?"
****************
Sunday morning was spent in bed, cuddled close after an intense night. Harry kissed Louis, who was half asleep again. He kissed his shoulder, nuzzled his neck, felt Louis start to turn around.
"You want another round with this master chef?" Louis asked with a big smile.
"How about we bake today?" Harry answered with a far too chippy voice.
"You are evil, getting my hopes up only to crush them instantly, " Louis pouted, then pulled the duvet over his head. But he loved Harry too much to actually, for real, be mad at him, and sighed, "Fine, what are we baking?"
"I was thinking… pizza," Harry stated, knowing that would get Louis' attention.
Louis peeked out from the duvet. "Pizza, I'm in! We do need to shower first, though."
"Louis, can you take a big bowl while I take the ingredients for the dough? We need:
2,25 teaspoons of yeast powder and 1,5 tablespoon of sugar
175 ml of water at 37 C degrees
250-295 g of flour
0.75 teaspoon of salt."
"What now?" Louis asked excitedly. He was so cute in an apron with pictures of sunflowers that Harry had to take a picture of him and proudly send it to their friend group chat with the caption
My sunflower is so excited about pizza, and I'm excited about him, my sunflower.
"Haaaaryyyy, Earth calling! What do I do now?"
"Sorry, baby, got distracted. You put all the dry ingredients in the bowl, wait, not all the flour. Add the water and stir. I will add more flour gradually." They work in a comfortable silence. Once the dough is an elastic ball, they leave it to rise.
"What do you want on your pizza? We have olives, mozzarella, pineapple, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, and cheese."
"I didn't hear anything remotely close to meat. Are you sneakily trying to make me eat vegetables again? It shouldn't work, but I guess you outsmarted me. I'm too hungry to stand by my principles."
"It's only because I want you around for as long as possible."
"Alexa, play Thinking out loud by Ed Sheeran." Louis reached out his hand to Harry: My princess, may I have this dance first?" Harry melted against Louis as they danced in the kitchen like it was a dancefloor.
While they danced, the dough rose, and then it was time to deflate it and move it to the floured surface. Harry made two doughballs and handed one to Louis. "Now comes the fun part. You can stretch the dough either by hand or by using the rolling pin." Louis watched as Harry tossed the dough up in the air, spinning it like an Italian chef. How hard could that be? I'm skilled with balls in any form, Louis thought, smiling at his inner monologue. He tossed the dough up with a spin and dropped it on the work surface. "Fuuuuck!" He picked it up, tried again, tossed it up, only to see it land on the floor. "Fuck this ball, first time I can't handle one." Harry laughed, and Louis threw some flour at him. Harry looked at him with a glint in his eyes, very aware of Louis' struggles not to succeed with the task, and threw back some flour. "Food waaaaar!" Soon, the kitchen was a mess of flour everywhere, and both laughed as they looked like snowmen. "I'm sorry I laughed. We can share my pizza. You do your side, and I do mine." Harry put olive oil on the stretched pizza, then some pizza sauce. Both picked their toppings. Harry put everything like an art on his half, while Louis just threw the toppings on. "15 minutes at 215 C degrees and it's ready."
The pizza was so good, but Louis didn't want to admit it. He tried to look displeased as he ate, but couldn't hold in the happy sounds as he took bite after bite. Harry just smiled. "I think we need a shower, as we still look like snowmen. Will you, my prince, join me? My ass might need some kneading or yours..." Needless to say, Louis sprinted to the shower.
****************
The week had gone by in a whirl of late nights at work for Harry, and Louis had ordered different takeaways every night. If he was honest, he was tired of it and wanted Harry's food, even the healthy stuff. It was Friday, and Harry had sent a message that he was coming home in two hours. Louis looked in the fridge, closed the door, and then opened it again, closing it once more. What if he surprised Harry and made the spaghetti dish? It wasn't that difficult, other than the knife part. Determined, he put on the sunflower apron. "Alexa, play Survivor by Destiny's Child." His hips twitched while he cut the zucchini, tongue peeking out between his lips. "Wohoo, that went well. I'm practically a master chef." Singing along to the music, he peeled and cut one onion. "Fuuuuuuck me eyes! Alexa, play Fuck You by Lily Allen."
Louis had washed his hands and was now looking at the carrots. "Be nice to me, I don't have Harry here to save my life today. Alexa, play The Sound of Silence by Pentatonix." With the knife in his hand, he pointed at the first carrot singing like a madman, "Hello darkness, my old friend, I come to talk to you again…" Luckily, Louis cut the carrots and garlic without mishap. Soon, the kitchen smelled amazing as Louis stirred the vegetables in the skillet. He didn't find any tofu in the fridge. "Who needs that anyway? I just put in some meatballs from yesterday and coconut cream."
As the spaghetti was cooking, Louis set the table and lit a candle. His phone buzzed, "Home in five minutes. Love you!" Even after all these years, Louis got butterflies from thinking of Harry. The spaghetti was ready and drained when a key turned in the door lock. "Alexa, play Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley."
"It smells amazing here," Harry shouted from the entrance. Louis could hear Harry put his keys, shoes, and coat away. While Harry stopped by the bathroom to wash his hands, Louis nervously tried to clean up the kitchen. Suddenly, he felt Harry's hands around his waist and a featherlight kiss on his neck, "This looks amazing, and I don't just mean the food." Louis felt his cheeks burn, shy from the praise, speechless. Harry sang to the music, and Louis turned in Harry's arms, eyes locked with him, swaying, in each other's arms.
As the music faded, Harry looked at Louis in awe, "Let's eat. This is like the most romantic thing you have done, like ever. Baby, I can't believe you cooked for us, lit a candle, and put on my favorite song."
"Anything for you, princess."
They ate, and it tasted good, and Louis was really proud of the dish. He could feel Harry's eyes on him, warm and … wait, filled with mischief.
"I think we should have ice cream as dessert… in the bedroom," Harry whispered with that sexy voice Louis couldn't resist, "and we don't need bowls…"
****************
It was Saturday, after a week filled with Harry prepping food boxes in the freezer for Louis. Harry and Louis were writing a shopping list for the dinner they were having later that day with Zayn, Liam, and Niall. Once a month, they all met up, ate good food, and played games. Today was also the day Louis would cook, or at least help Harry cook, for the first time for their friends. He was known for making the best tea, but also for being a disaster in the kitchen. Harry was determined to change that. After tonight, his husband would be praised by their friends. Louis was not so sure about that, but he secretly loved Harry's faith in him and, to his own surprise, had enjoyed cooking with Harry.
"Do you have any preferences for tonight?" Harry asked.
"Do you mean foodwise or in the bedroom?" Louis answered with an eyebrow lifted, smirking, his hand wandering up Harry's thigh.
"Stop it!" Harry laughed, although a little breathless. We need to go shopping. "Would Tex-Mex be okay?"
"As long as I don't have to eat those fucking avocados, it sounds good."
Harry giggled, "You won't have to eat them, but you have to buy them."
The car ride was filled with happy chatter as they went home with full shopping bags. Harry put away the groceries, leaving out on the counter what they needed, while Louis took out cutting boards, knives, and bowls. He was a little bit proud that he now knew where to get them.
"Alright, let's get started. Alexa, play GUY.exe by Superfruit," Louis said, hips starting to move to the beat.
Harry handed him an onion, fresh tomatoes, garlic, lime, and jalapeno. Louis looked at the onion with disgust. "This one made me cry last time."
"Don't breathe through your nose, just your mouth, it will help."
Louis did as Harry suggested, and Harry noticed with delight how Louis was using the knife with confidence and skill. He kissed Louis' cheek, "I love you."
Tomatoes next, not as easy. Louis tried to slice them, but the knife just crushed the tomato. Harry grabbed his hand and helped cut the tomato. "You have to let the knife do its job, don't push down. Just let it slide back and forth…" Louis felt Harry grow hard against his ass.
"Really?" Louis said in a teasing voice. "Are you getting off on us slicing tomatoes? Go away, we have work to do, or you can work me off." Harry turned Louis around and kissed him, giggled, and took Louis' hands in his. "We need to dance, Louis! Alexa, play Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Bublé." And as the music played, they danced as if there were no dinner plans in a few hours.
Liam tasted the salsa again. "Louis, you're telling me you made this? It tastes amazing." He scooped salsa onto a tacho chip and handed it to Zayn, who also looked surprised after tasting, giving it a thumbs up. The smile that broke out on Louis' face lit up the whole room.
"I even did the seasoning myself with sugar, coriander, salt, cumin, and lime juice," Louis stated. After a moment, he continues, taking Harry's hand, "I really haven't given you, princess, enough credit through the years. Cooking is time-consuming, and I have just taken your cooking for granted. I'm sorry."
"Baby, I enjoy cooking and baking. And you sitting on the counter talking, is one of my favorite times of the day. That said, I do enjoy looking at you cooking, hot in that apron, all concentrated, it's distracting and makes me sooooo horny." They looked at each other, both licking their lips, leaning in…
Niall put his hands on his ears, screaming, "Too much information. La-la-la-la-la-laaaa."
"Shut up, Niall!" Zayn laughed and threw some salad at Niall. "Let Louis have his moment with Harry. They are so cute being domestic together."
They moved to the living room, stomachs full to play PlayStation. Usually, Louis was very competitive, but his thoughts weren't on the game as Harry's hand brushed his leg, arm, or back almost innocently, but Louis knew better. His pulse was quick; he had no concentration on the game, only on Harry and the warmth from his hand. Therefore, Liam won the tournament easily, ran around the living room, hands in the air, shouting, "I won, I won, I wooooooon!" Everybody laughed, except Louis, who looked at Harry with longing, heart-eyes.
Harry's hand stilled at Louis' back, his thumb making small circles. Louis' eyes were dark with lust as he made a fake yawn, "I don't know about you guys, but this chef is tired." He melted into Harry's side and put his feet up on the coffee table. He looked around, to his dismay, nobody seemed to have taken the hint to go home. He whispered to Harry, "Please, make them go away. This chef needs a massage after working in the kitchen all day long."
Harry stood up, stretched, and yawned. "Lads, this has been lovely, but it's late, and we are tired. Let's call it a night." He was met with silence. Niall looked at his phone, "You're kidding, it's eight o'clock. The evening has barely started."
Zayn and Liam looked amused at each other. "Come, Niall, we can go to a pub and leave these two grandpaps to their beauty sleep. Zayn winked at Harry and Louis, who mouthed their thank yous, cheeks blushing.
"Finally alone!" As soon as the door was shut, Louis pressed Harry against the wall and kissed him deeply. Harry grabbed the hem of Louis' t-shirt and pulled it off. "My chef, get in the bedroom, and I'll give you the massage you asked for." Harry didn't have to tell Louis twice.
****************
The day had come that Harry had dreaded. He moved closer to Louis and spooned him under the duvet, kissed his neck and back. Louis stirred awake and stretched like a cat, legs and arms straight forward.
"Morning, baby kitten." Louis huffed and turned around, draping himself around Harry.
"Not a kitten, a tiger," and then he playfully bit Harry's neck, leaving a light mark.
"Please make another one, I want to see them while on the work trip."
Louis bit again, laughing. Then he got serious, realising Harry would be gone for a week. No one to spoon except Harry's pillow. No steamy sex, only his own hand. "I'm going to miss you, my love."
****************
"You want me to come over?"
"Well, you don't have to, Zayn, but if you wan't…"
Louis had sounded and looked so sad on the FaceTime call with Harry the previous night that he had called Zayn to ask him to check on Louis the next day.
"I'll be there in an hour, clean up the kitchen, we are going to need it!"
"What?" But the line was dead.
Louis put all the evidence of his previous night's McDonald's meals in the trash bin, picked up his clothes from all around the apartment, cleaned the bathroom, and took a shower. He was a little bit intrigued and, at the same time, nervous about what Zayn was up to.
"Alexa, play Dancing Queen by ABBA." As the music started, Louis ' foot tapped, his hips moved, and suddenly he was dancing, singing out loud, the pepper mill as a microphone, "and when you get the chance… You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen…"
The doorbell rang, and Louis opened the door, cheeks flushed, remembering how thin the door was, Zayn's grin confirming it. "Don't say a word!" Louis said, letting Zayn in.
"You want me to do what???"
"I want you to grate the cauliflower, then fry it in coconut oil, and season it with salt."
"There were so many words in there that sound potentially dangerous."
"You will be fiiiiine, no knives. I don't want to call Harry and inform him that you lost a finger. Come on, this will be fun. We'll send pictures to Harry of you cooking, it would make his day or night." Zayn wiggled his eyebrows, smiling smugly. Louis sighed in defeat.
"Alexa, play Survivor/ I Will Survive by Glee cast." Louis took the cauliflower in his right hand, the grater in his left, and started to grate while singing loudly to the music, "At first I was afraid, I was petrified…" Louis felt like he was on top of the world, proud that he could do this without Harry having shown him how. Zayn pointed his phone at Louis, about to take a picture, when he saw Louis' face turn wild with pain. "Fuuuuuuuuck, my hand!" Louis' right hand's finger joints were covered in blood. "I'm dying, I need Harryyyyy."
"What the fuck is wrong with you? You're like a fucking child. Just put it under running water." Zayn could barely hold in his laugh. Louis wasn't a drama teacher for nothing. Zayn sent a picture of Louis' hand, expecting sympathy from Harry for what he was dealing with, a baby. What he got was a call: Harry telling him where the First Aid kit was, instructions to clean the wounds, and to give the phone to Louis, and to stop laughing.
"My baby, what is Zayn making you do? He knows you are not safe in the kitchen. I wish I were there so I could kiss you, make everything better."
"I guess it's okay, I will survive, but barely. He is forcing me to make dinner with him. I'm miserable, but the lads are coming over for a game night, which is nice. I've slept terribly without you; your scent is fading from your pillow, and I'm freezing every night. I miss you so much," Louis told Harry with a sad voice.
"Only two more days, and I'm home, baby. I miss you too."
Zayn rolled his eyes, listening to the two lovebirds, and took his phone back. "Bye, Harry."
"You are no fun, Zayn," Louis pouted, but got back to the cauliflower, pleased he was learning something he could make for Harry. "Alexa, play You Got A Friend by Carole King."
****************
Finally! It felt like 28 years had gone by! Today, Harry was coming home! Louis cleaned the flat, put clean sheets on the bed, and put some candles in the bedroom. He looked at the kitchen table, ran to the local flower shop, and bought 7 sunflowers, one for every day he had missed his sun.
His phone buzzed: On the train! Can't wait to be home. See you soon, baby. XXXXXXX"
"Love you, princess. XXX"
Louis had the evening planned. He was going to cook for Harry, and then … BED. A week was a very long time. He was feeling adventurous, so Tex-Mex it was. He had even bought avocados!
"Alexa, play Hopelessly Devoted To You from Grease." As the music started, Louis started slicing vegetables for the salsa. When it was time to panfry the meat, he noticed he had forgotten to buy it. "What would Harry do?" He tapped his lip, thinking. I guess I can use cauliflower instead. He got the grate, and soon he had a nice amount grated in the frying pan. "This Masterchef can do anything." He bowed, pretending to have an audience.
He mashed the avocado and dripped some lemon juice on it. Although he hated avocados, Harry loved them, and Louis had seen Harry make avocado toast with lemon juice on it. The tortillas were warm, and Louis filled them with salsa, cauliflower, sour cream, and cheese. "Only avocado in one, thank you very much!" As he took in the final plates, he was filled with pride and excitement. Not only was he going to surprise Harry, but he had combined different dishes he'd learnt through the month, and it smelled amazing, and he knew it would taste good, and all fingers, hands, and toes were intact. Cooking for Harry was definitely something he would do again, although with Harry's arms around him next time. It had been a long, lonely week. "Alexa, play Hopelessly Devoted To You from Grease."
As he opened the fridge to pick two Sol beers, the door to the flat flew open. Louis could hear shoes being kicked off, bags falling to the floor, and running steps.
"Looooouiiiiis, where are you?"
Louis ran to Harry, who jumped up and locked his legs around Louis' waist.
"Princess, I have missed you so much! I have made …"
"Stop talking and kiss me, you fool."
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