Once in a Lifetime ➳ Larry

chapter twenty-three

chapter twenty-three

"Love," Louis murmurs, brushing loose curls out of Harry's eyes. Even though vampires don't need sleep to survive, the young fledgling decided to take a well-needed rest whilst cuddled up next to his boyfriend. He felt both physically and emotionally drained. It seemed as though everyone was slipping away from him— his friends, his family, his job, his home. The only thing he had left was Louis. He wanted to hold onto him for as long as possible.

"Love, wake up," Louis repeats softly. "We're about to land."

Their nine hour flight to Michigan ended up being ten hours and fifteen minutes. When they arrived at their layover in Detroit, they only had thirty minutes to spare before they boarded their next flight to Montana. The second plane was much smaller than the first. It didn't have screens on the backs of the seats or electric reclining. It was tiny, simple, and a little rickety thanks to turbulence.

Harry stirs in his slumber before blinking back to reality. He lets out an adorable, squeaky yawn and rubs his tired eyes with his knuckles. "Wha'?"

Louis chuckles, squeezing his shoulder gently. "We're flying above Montana, silly boy. Look out the window."

Harry blinks a few times and turns towards the oval-shaped window. They're flying above a sea of green trees and rocky terrain. He sees wide, open fields and a beautiful ribbon of blue, Yellowstone River, carving its way through snow-capped mountains. The sun is starting to set in the azure sky, shimmering and casting an orange hue across the land.

"Woah," Harry exhales, already opening the camera app on his phone.

He takes a few pictures of the beautiful landscape as the airplane descends towards Billings. Tightly-packed neighborhoods thread through the city with giant buildings and distant mountains, bordered by tall cliffs. The airport sits atop a flat plateau.

"Don't post those online," Louis says flatly, lips pressed in a thin line.

Harry raises an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"I don't want Liam to find us."

"He won't find us, okay? I promise."

Louis bites his lip hesitantly. "I'd just feel a lot more comfortable if you stayed off the radar for a while. I'd never be able to live with myself if something bad happened to you."

Harry sighs. "Liam may be an arsehole at times, but he's not a murderer."

He genuinely means it, too. When Harry dropped out of university and fled from his hometown, Liam took him under his wing. He gave him a job and a place to live. He helped him forget about his family and forgotten friends back in Holmes Chapel. He gave his life a new purpose. Without Liam, Harry'd probably be on the streets selling his arse for money.

Louis rubs the back of Harry's hand soothingly. "I know Liam's not a bad guy, love, but he could still expose us. He could tell someone we're vampires."

"I doubt anyone would believe him. They'd send him to a psych ward."

"But our lives are still in danger," Louis retorts. "Liam threatened you, H. It's not worth the risk."

Harry nibbles on the inside of his cheek and glances down at his phone. He stares at the new pictures in his save file. Normally he'd post them on Instagram without a second thought, trying to think of a clever caption or hashtag, but he trusts Louis's protective instincts. If Louis wants him to keep his life private, he will. At least for a little while.

"Fine," Harry huffs, locking his phone. "These are for your eyes only."

Louis grins and kisses his cheek, causing him to dimple and blush. "Thanks, baby."