Young & Beautiful

“No,” he crackles, voice low and dry. “No, I just.” He considers his words, presses another kiss to
Louis’ hand, holding his lips there as he thinks, breath slowing. “It’s different with you. I’m….”
He swallows. “A bit.” He swallows again. “Scared. Like.”
Oh god. Louis is going to erupt into fiery, shooting hearts.
Why is this boy so sweet? Why is he everything Louis never dared hope for? Why is he Louis’
and why is Louis so fucking lucky??
“Oh, love,” he croons, petting Harry’s flushed cheeks. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I get it,
yeah? No rush. Honestly, no rush.” He pauses, catches Harry’s eye. “I’m happy just to dance with
you.”
Harry’s lips twitch.
“The Beatles?”
Louis grins.
“I mean. How could I resist?”
“My father’s worked with Paul McCartney.”
Louis rolls his eyes, shoves playfully at Harry’s chest.
“Oh, stop it. You posh kids and your popstar fathers. Just stop.” But he’s smiling and Harry looks
relieved, even more thankful, and just so utterly lovely. “Let’s finish my homework, yeah?” Louis
continues, pressing one last kiss to Harry’s nose. “How about you read me this shit play and I’ll
read you some Keats. Deal? Then maybe I’ll want to rip out my hair a little less?”
Harry chuckles, low and sweet and bumbling, mixing with the steam from the tea, settling in
Louis’ lungs like the air.
“Deal,” he agrees, pleased. He pauses, his eyes intent on Louis. “And. Thank you.”
Louis quirks an eyebrow, plucking up Endymion.
“For what?”
The evening sun imbeds in Harry’s lashes as he blinks; his warm, creamy eyes fenced in fire.
“For being you.”
And Louis himself is probably fenced in fire now, but he plays it cool, just nods and shrugs and
smiles cheekily with a faux-innocent bat of his eyes.
“What can I say?” he says sweetly, and Harry giggles and wraps himself back around him and the
rest of the night is spent amidst books and quiet words and a moon that ascends into the sky.
**
Harry still has his bad days.
He has those days where his texts are short and uninspired. Where he doesn’t pounce on Louis the