Objects of Virtue

Chapter 07

As they reached Louis' gate, Harry slowed down. "Well, this is you, then. Look I'm sorry if I was prying earlier, I didn't mean to intrude."

"You're a strange one aren't you Styles?" Louis said, looking at Harry his brilliant blue eyes piercing into his very soul. Before Louis could stop himself, his hand was reaching out to tuck back a single stray curl of chocolate brown hair that had found its way over one of Harry's eyes. It was soft and bouncy, just like Louis had imagined it would be. The momentary look of shock dissipated from Harry's face as he preened at Louis' touch. Seconds that felt like eons passed as a circle of pure electricity wound around them pulling them closer than they ever intended to be. Louis' hand had found its way to the back of Harry's neck and was massaging circles into the milky white skin lost behind a sea of curls, drawing him closer. His eyes were locked with Harry's plump lips that parted slightly, his white teeth peeped out and glimmering slightly, his little pink tongue hidden against a cave of darkness that Louis was eager to explore. Before either of them knew it, their lips locked, perfectly. Harry tasted of tea and something sweet and Louis tasted of cigarettes, bitter but so very addictive. It was explosive and beyond what either of them had ever imagined possible. White light was flashing against Harry's eyelids, explosions of it, bursting up into flames at the pit of his stomach, burning a path up through his throat, into his eyes and setting his entire being on fire. Louis plunged deeper into Harry's lips, harder and forceful, pulling at his head of curls, his fingers entangled dangerously in them. His tongue was seeking, pleading to meet Harry's and was soon satisfied as Harry parted his lips to let Louis in. It was nothing short of beautiful. And suddenly there were tears raining down on Harry's hot cheeks. Pulling away from Louis, Harry embrace the boys and held him as the tears ran dry. He didn't understand why, but all he wanted in that moment was to hold Louis together as he let his soul fall apart shamelessly in the little space of Harry's car where there was just the two of them. Holding Louis close to his heart, Harry planted loving little kisses across his face, his nose, his tearing eyes and finally his lips. They were salty from his tears but that didn't bother him, emotions never did, he embraced them. He kissed him deeply until Louis was no longer crying and held him a moment longer before letting him go, their fingers still intertwined.

"Well that was probably the worst first kiss, am I right?" Louis asked as he wiped away the tears on the sleeve of his t-shirt. "I'm a right fucking mess."

"No actually I quite enjoyed it," Harry said quietly as he looked down at his feet, his cheeks a warm shade of pink.

"I'm sorry Harry, I don't know what came over me, kissing you like that," Louis said, his face serious and tear stained.

"Well. I mean, sure – unprofessional and all that, but" Harry faltered as he looked at Louis "I don't know, Louis, I just, god dammit – I like problems and solving them, that's why I became a detective and well, I don't mean to be rude, but you seem like you need fixing too and well, yea – I just – I don't know – I wouldn't change anything, you know?"

Harry was fumbling with his words as he watched Louis take in what he was saying. Louis chuckled as he listened Harry struggle with what he was saying. It was amusing, watching his curly hair bounce as he stressed on his words, his long fingers gesturing heavily, bating against the steering wheel a couple of times.

"There's just something about you Styles, I can't quite put my finger on. I wouldn't change it either Harry, but we've got to get my father out of the way. I don't want this blinding you. I've got so many things to take care of, even I don't know how deep this all runs. Getting you involved in this mess isn't fair. I can't expect to make you choose between your conscience and me. If it was up to me, I'd give all this shit up in a heartbeat, trust me Harry. I want none of it, but my sisters need me. There's so much here that you don't know about Harry. So much I can't let you know. God this is a fucking mess. But trust me Harry. It's safer if I'm that one problem you never got to fix."

Sighing deeply, Louis got out of the car and walked up the drive, leaving behind a stunned Harry, his words echoing in his ears, cutting him deep like broken glass. Louis willed himself not to turn around and look at the green eyes that were still stuck to his back as he reached his front door and swiftly retreated into the safe walls of his home. He didn't look out when he heard Harry turn his car around and drive back, faster than he'd ever known him to drive. In the couple of days that he had gotten to know Harry, he'd opened up a door in himself that he had long thought locked shut. He had begun to care. Love was still too strong a word for the emotion that was building up in his chest, but it was close. Harry was too good, too pure, too everything that he didn't deserve. And he cared enough not to take advantage of that.

Blindly walking into his room and flinging him self onto his bed, Louis noticed that he had barely four hours of sleep before he had to be up and dressed for his father's viewing. The funeral was tomorrow. He could finally bury the old man and be at rest. Thoughts ran rampant in his mind as he fell asleep, fitfully. He finally found peace in the memory of Harry's breath against his skin as he held him close enough to hear his heart beat, a rhythm more akin to him than any song he had ever heard, lulling him in his dreams.