You Take Me Over, You're the Magic in My Veins

chapter 6

"You're wrong," Zayn states before picking back up the shirt and his needle. He takes a moment to start sewing, then continues, "Louis and Gemma are a poor match. Gemma loves England and Louis loves you."

Harry ignores the way his stomach twists at Zayn's words, refuses to entertain hope where he knows there is none. Instead of responding, he lets his eyes slide shut, listens to the soft rustle of fabric while Zayn works, and the calm, even rhythm of his breathing, lets the sounds lull him to sleep.

~

The forest is dark and inviting as they approach on horseback. It's just past noon and Gemma has run off for a baking lesson with Louis' sisters, has left the two of them to ride alone. Harry's thighs burn pleasantly as he grips Epona's sides, and he thinks about the fact that he's had to call for a tailor to loosen his trousers with not a small amount of pride. His legs have always been quite skinny, but he's built some muscle while riding and his breeches are a bit too snug for it.

He's contemplating the merits of leather trousers when Louis asks, "I thought we might ride a bit further today. It's so bloody hot, a swim in the river might be nice?"

Harry nods in agreement and loosens his grip on the reins, letting Epona follow Apollo and Louis as they wind through the trees along a different path than they usually take. Distracted and restless from the growing tension between himself and Louis over the past few days, Harry allows himself the stolen luxury of plucking a strange purple flower off of a vine creeping up the trunk of a tree as they pass, cups it gently in his palm so that he can learn it. By the time Louis slows them to a stop, he has a perfect duplicate of the flower in his other hand.

He smiles down at them, well pleased with himself. He doesn't realize that they've stopped and Louis has dismounted until a shadow falls across his hand and a voice says, "Toadflax? Did you find that here?"

Harry nods, peering down at Louis. He tucks the flowers into Epona's bridle, then twists in the saddle to dismount. "It was clinging to a tree."

"Weird, they prefer stone. It grows along the palace in the spring, maybe it wanted shade from the summer heat."

Harry can feel Louis' eyes on him as he hops to the ground and straightens up, and he smooths out his trousers nervously before turning to face him. Louis is still watching him, eyes dark and unreadable.

"Are you hungry? Do you want something to drink? I have water and a bit of wine Stan put in my pouch."

The thought of drinking wine while out in the middle of the woods with just Louis and the heavy tension spinning out between them makes Harry feel a bit nervous, and he shakes his head, mumbles a thank you before turning to loop Epona's reins to a nearby branch.

He spends an inordinate amount of time making sure that it's secure and petting her muzzle, only turns around when he hears a whoop and a splash, followed by, "Come on, Hazza, the water is warm!"

Louis is already waist-deep in the river, expression radiant and chest distressingly bare. Harry catches sight of a pile of clothing strewn across a nearby rock, is able to make out a pair of trousers in the mix. A sense of trepidation winds its way up his spine as he approaches the rock to undress. It's not that he has an aversion to nudity. On the contrary, he prefers to wear as few items of clothing as possible when he can. It's Louis' nakedness and his own sense of self-control that worry him.

Harry takes his time stripping off while Louis waits. He folds his tunic into a neat square and removes the scarf from his hair, sets his boots on the rock so that no critters will make their home inside of them, then unlaces his breeches slowly and meticulously. He can hear Louis shifting about restlessly in the water, poorly-disguised sighs as he waits for Harry to join him. By the time Harry is fully nude, there are goosebumps raised all along his torso and his throat feels thick as he swallows. He doesn't ask Louis to turn away, though, just makes for the edge of the water and tries not to think about the weight of Louis' eyes on him, or the fact that Louis has never seen him without a shirt, much less completely disrobed.