Paint Me A Story ➳ Larry & Zouis

epilogue: extra credit

"Are you ready to go?"

Harry nodded.  "Yup."

Louis grinned and held out his arm, hooking it with Harry's.  He guided him out to his car, which he'd parked on the side of the street.  The wind whistled through Harry's long hair as they walked along the pavement.  Flurries of snow wisped through the winter air.

Like a proper gentleman, Louis opened the door for Harry.  He thanked him with a giggle and slid inside.  The air felt warmer in Louis's car, more comfortable, and it smelled like Louis, too.  Louis closed his door and walked around to the driver's side, then climbed in. 

Louis started the engine with a rumble.  "So, you ready for our date?" he asked as he began driving down the ice-covered street.  His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, knowing that the roads were quite slippery.

Harry nodded.  "Yeah.  Still don't know where we're going, though."

    Louis turned on his blinker as the car slowed to a stop sign.  "It's a surprise."

    "Have I ever mentioned how much I hate surprises?"

    "Oh, please.  You gave me plenty of surprises throughout the semester with those art projects.  's my turn, now."

    Harry laughed quietly.  "I suppose you're right."

    They fell into a comfortable silence.  Some lady talked over the radio, but her voice was muffled through the speakers, barely audible.  Harry glanced out the window.  A light dusting of snow covered the skeletal trees that lined the streets.  It truly looked like a winter wonderland.

    "So," Louis drawled.  His eyes stared through the windshield.  "Have you told your sister about us?"

    Harry coughed awkwardly.  "Well, sort of."

    "Sort of?"

    "Yeah, like.  I told her your first name, that you're twenty-six, but—"

    "But not that I was your art professor, yeah?" Louis finished.

    Harry nodded.  "Yeah."

    "Do you think she'd be against us being together if she knew?"

    Harry just shrugged.  "Maybe."

    Louis clenched his jaw.  "Okay."

    Harry knew that upset him—knowing that Harry's only maternal figure might not approve of their "relationship."  But it was the truth.  Gemma was very protective of Harry.  She meant well, but sometimes she caused more harm than good.

    "Hey," Harry sighed, resting his palm on Louis's leg.  Louis's gaze flickered before returning to the road.  "Don't be angry, alright?  I'll tell Gems eventually, when the time's right.  I just don't want her to blow up and rat you out to the university."

    Louis's face showed no emotions.  "You think she'd do that?"

    Harry shook his head.  "I don't know.  She's just—she's overbearing sometimes, 's all."

"Overbearing?" the eldest asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, like... a few years ago, I slept with this one guy, Chad, at a party.  He said he'd call me, but he never rang.  I told Gems, and you know what she did?"

    "What?"

    "She marched over to Chad's house and egged his car."

    Louis snorted.  "Serves him right."