Chapter Text
Harry was lonely, ever since his first album kicked off so successfully he had learned that people are assholes and liked to use people for fame. He has also learned he couldn't do casual hookups. He could never allow himself to go the whole way no matter who it was with or how drunk he tried to get himself just so he wasn't a 21-year-old virgin. He wanted to date. He wanted to be in love.
Which was how, after drinking an entire bottle of wine by himself in his hotel room, he found himself on Anonymous, a discreet dating app that matched people based on sexual orientation, commitment level, and interests. No pictures, no personal information except your name and age. He was debating on it, whether or not to do it, or to delete the app when he felt the sudden urge to just do it and get it over with.
He started with the first name box and typed Harold, moving on to the last name box he typed in Stones. He then filled out his other information such as his age, 21. The next step was his likes and dislikes which was pretty easy. Afterward, he made sure his sexual orientation was marked gay and made an age group he was comfortable with then made his profile public.
He went to his bio and after a bit of thinking just decided on a quick sentence to sum it up, Looking for someone to come home to after traveling. With that, he closed the app and put his phone on the charger then turned over and went to sleep knowing it could take up to 24-48 hours for the app to start matching you.
Louis walked into the townhouse he shared with Zayn, Liam, and Niall after dismissing the horrible date in his car. He knew he should have driven himself, but he and the guy had been talking for two weeks, so he figured it would be fine. It wasn't fine. Louis likes sex, he was always having sex back in uni, but recently he hasn't been happy with just a quickie. He was ready to start settling down and making plans about the future and was in it for the long haul now. Apparently no one else near his age was at that point. He was 23, 24 at the end of the year, two of his best friends were getting married to each other in eight months.
"How was the date Tommo?" Niall asked turning back to look at him from the sectional.
"He was in love."
"That fast?"
"I understand some people fall in love quickly and all, but I mean come on. We've been messaging each other for two weeks." Louis pushed himself off the door he had been leaning on and moved to sit on the sectional sofa, "what are you watching?"
"No idea." Louis snorted reaching for the bowl of popcorn Niall was munching on, grabbing a fistful of it and putting a piece into his mouth.
"You know I've been on the new app called Anonymous. Its actually pretty cool, you just give it your interests, likes and dislikes, hobbies, age, name, and commitment level. No pictures, no personal information. Just your personality and what you like. I've been talking to this girl on there and we actually click really well." Niall told him, Louis scrunched his face up
"That sounds risky."
"Nope. Everyone is verified. A matcher will contact you and ask you questions about yourself and make sure you are real and if a person has a verified check by their profile that means they've been checked over. After that, you start getting matched to five people and you can decide if you're into talking to them. If not just press decline and if you are press accept. You're only able to talk to three people at once so you have to be specific."
"Sounds like a lot of work."
"Says the guy who is on his fourth dating app." Louis paused as his thumb clicked on the dating apps folder on his phone showing he actually had six installed, "oh sixth dating app, my bad. Did you really download Grindr?"
"No." Louis said as he uninstalled said app without looking at Niall as he cracked up beside him. "I'm going to bed, have work in the morning. Night."
"Night Grindr boy." Louis sent his laughing mate a glare before hurrying up the stairs to his bedroom.
If he just happened to go to the app store and install Anonymous...well that was his business and Niall will never find out. Louis laid in bed going through the somewhat familiar steps by now. The only difference was that you had to list more than ten likes and dislikes and more than five hobbies you do or would like to do. Nothing like the other dating apps which was completely optional and mostly ignored. After his profile was completed he closed the app and went to sleep.
**
Three days later Louis was on his break when he got a notification from Anonymous that he was matched to five potential interests. He had hesitated but clicked on the app then click on the matches section reading the first match.
Name: Dan Stevens
Age: 26
And that was when it went downhill, the guy was heavy metal punk and Louis was not into that do he declined it. The next three weren't that much better, but the last one for the day seemed alright.
Name: Joshua Wilder
Age: 22
His hobbies were a bit more athletic than Louis was okay with, but that could be compromised on. His commitment however was "something casual/nonexclusive" which Louis was definitely not okay with. However, he figured everything starts causal in a way so he accepted it getting a popup his next potential matches will be ready within 12-24 hours. He had to wait to see if Joshua would match with him before he could send a message so he locked his phone and finished his lunch.
Harry hasn't been having any good luck with the app, he had completed all of the requirements for verification but had declined nearly every match so far. He was too nervous to actually go through with it and the few he had accepted and accepted him when he told them he was demi-sexual and wouldn't be having sex anytime soon stopped talking to him and Harry got notified the match declined him. It was a week after the making of the profile, Harry was feeling stupid for doing it when he got notified of his daily matches. Sighing heavily he clicked on the notification and looked through them.
Name: David Brockman
DECLINED
Name: Franklin Bottons
DECLINED
Name: Stewart Wesley
DECLINED
Name: Kyler Jennsons
DECLINED
Name: Louis Tomlinson
Age: 23
Commitment Level: Committed/Looking For Someone To Marry
Hobbies: Skiing, Surfing, Writing, Reading, Singing, Playing Guitar, Playing Footie
Interests: Skiing, Surfing, Writing, Reading, Singing, Playing Guitar, Football, Traveling, Watching Movies, Musicals
Dislikes: Hiking, Cats, Cycling, Running, Yoga, Avocados, Cooking, Horror Films, The Vegan Craze, Trendy Shit
The last few things threw him off a bit, but Harry shrugged and accepted him. He was the only one that was lining up with his interests and if he turns out to be just another one around for a bed partner Harry would delete the app and pretend it never happened.
Louis got the notification that he had a new match while he was playing FIFA with the lads. He ignored it in favor of scoring a goal then he grabbed his phone and opened the app.
Name: Harold Stones
Age: 21
Hobbies: Singing, Dancing, Baking, Cooking, Travelling, Reading
Interests: Singing, Dancing, Baking, Cooking, Travelling, Reading Swimming, Surfing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Canoeing, Musicals, Films, Photography, Writing, Playing Guitar, Volunteering
Dislikes: Horror Films, Spiders, Mountain Climbing, Skydiving, Archery, Paragliding, Mountain Bungee Jump, Volcano Boarding, Heights, Roller-coasters
Louis remembered why he accepted him, he had drunk a lot of beer one night and thought, "if this guy doesn't like volcano boarding that means he actually did it and he had to ask him why" and so he accepted him. The guy seemed like fun and they had a lot of similar interests so he messaged him.
Why volcano boarding?
Louis honestly wanted to know who in their right mind surfed a volcano slope. He locked his phone, tossed it to the side, and continued the game.
"Yellow card! Foul! You tripped me! Louis shouted looking between Zayn and the game.
"I admit to nothing." Zayn said as he scored a goal
"I saw it mate don't worry." Niall said as he stole the ball from Liam, "take that."
"That was low." Liam said, "I didn't even do anything."
"No, but your fiance did." Louis said
"HE SHOOTS HE SCORES!" Niall shouted as Louis scored the winning goal of the match
"Night lads." Louis grabbed his phone and headed upstairs to his room putting his phone on the charger before he took a shower for the night.