Apocalypse | L.S [Completed]

XVIII

City lights coruscate as the pair continues the drive with tied tongues and screaming hearts. The music fills in the curious silence while Louis steals a few hesitant peeks from the still-fiddling boy. A thunder of questions arise within him because of the boy's unusual silence and he can't help but want to scream.

"Speak," Louis finally orders, the boy's stillness almost scratching his skin raw. Harry looks up, brows furrowed, mouth gaping and  ambivalent. Oh, now he's silent?

"Hi?" He tries, giving Louis a nervous smile and blinking violently. Harry looks like one of those quiet students—the ones who sit at the end of the class and talk to no one—and Louis is that one annoying teacher who likes to pester him, make him speak out loud while the entire class watches him.

"What has gotten into you? Why are you so quiet? Is it me? Should I have taken the other car? Oh god! It's because of that isn't it-"Louis' rambling comes to an abrupt halt when he hears Harry giggle, the sound almost like hint of life to the soul-sucking hush.

"What?" Louis finds himself questioning before hopelessly breaking into a face-slicing grin in a jiffy when the sweet melody of Harry's giggle continues to serenade the car. 

"I've never heard you speak so much at once," Harry humorously admits after a juicy moment of entertaining Louis with his ability to giggle without a pause. "Hey! You were the one being all silent and irritating. I had to, there was no other way," Louis defends in a dramatic delivery, eyeing the younger with venom eyes. Harry gives him a look between amused and disbelieving, either way, his smile does not falter.

"I thought you did not like it when I talk too much." There is a hint of taunt present in Harry's voice as he wiggles his eyebrows in a comical manner, almost accusing Louis of lying. "I do, but that doesn't mean you'll pull a Quiet Place on me," Louis replies defensively, shifting his eyes on the road again. If he was a lawyer, he'd still be swimming in money.

"I did nothing of that sort! I was just—I was just enjoying the view," Harry stammers, traces of uncertainty clearly visible and his vigorous leg shaking adds up to Louis' suspicions. "Oh really? Enjoying looking at the same city you've lived in all your life? Totally believable, love," Louis marks in a teasing tone, riling the younger further. His gaze shifts for a split second, Harry's lip getting butchered again and big green eyes shining with unease.

"Just drive the car, Tomlinson."

Harry slumps down like he's lost a bet, embarrassed pout evident on his plump lips and Louis couldn't ask for more.

*

"You do plan on treating me, right?" Louis asks as they walk together on the footpath, the city howling with cars and bright flashes blinding them every once in a while. "I do, just—trust me, okay?" Harry asks with a crease gracing his face, leading the pair to the destination he has in mind. Louis nods and let's the younger guide them, it's not like he fears getting killed by him in a dark alley.

"Here we are!"

The excited voice calls out an admiring Louis, his eyes shifting away from the younger to drink in the sight of numerous food trucks lined up in front with showy lighting and tacky signs. The entire alley screams life, clusters of people floating in their own world, their loud chatter adding a settling sense of chaos, none heeding to the fact that The Louis Tomlinson is there; for them, he is just a random stranger. Harry on the other hand brightens up at the sight, the lights dulling a bit in front of him.

"What do you want to have first?" Harry asks while Louis protectively wraps an arm around his waist as they approach the swarm of people.

"I don't know, surprise me,"