tides ; l.s

one

Sometimes when Louis would dream, he would see the flash of scales and the blue of the ocean. There would be a beautiful woman who would appear, speaking words he couldn't hear and looking concerned.

Then he would wake, and the images of his dreams would flicker out like an old light bulb, never to be remembered during consciousness.

That much was true when Louis woke up to a consistent buzzing beside his head. Stirring from his sleep and furrowing his brow, he reached blindly for whatever was making the intrusive noise until his fingers closed around his nearly dead phone that he had accidentally left under his pillow after scrolling through apps until he couldn't keep his eyes open.

Opening his eyes, it took Louis a moment to adjust to the morning light and read the words on the cracked screen of his old iPhone model. It was a Saturday, for Christ's sake, Louis thought as he glanced at the time. It was eleven thirty-two, and Louis rolled his eyes, muttering, "Jesus, do the crops need tending?"

The first text was from Niall, who sent it at four in the morning right after Louis fell asleep. Upon opening the message, Louis found a meme and the laughing face emoji as the only context. Louis reminded himself to block Niall's phone number.

The second message was from Harry, and Louis felt himself smile at the heart emojis that adorned his name.

good morning, i lobe you xxx

love* lol

Louis used his left thumb to reply, stating that eight in the morning was too early to be sending messages in which Harry retorted with the statement that he would be over shortly.

Louis figured he should get up and dressed before Harry arrived, but his body felt heavy against the divot he had made in his mattress from the same sleeping position for years. He pulled his duvet up to his chin and shut his eyes again.

The next time Louis woke up, it was past noon and Harry was snuggled against his side with an arm draped over his waist. Louis smiled softly to himself, watching the slow rise and fall of Harry's breathing and the slight part of his lips.

Louis hummed sleepily, moving onto his back while trying not to disturb Harry. It failed, and the curly haired boy made a snuffling sound before blinking open his green eyes and peeked at Louis through long lashes.

"Hey, babe," Harry mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. Louis could have died right there, hearing Harry's post slumber voice.

"'ello," Louis said back while stretching his arms above his head, his voice coming out breathier than normal. "When did you get here?"

"Ten minutes after I texted you. I knew you wouldn't be up for awhile, so I decided to take a quick nap," Harry grinned, leaning in to plant a quick and small kiss on Louis's nose.

Louis's stomach erupted with butterflies and he hugged Harry around the waist tightly, pulling him closer to his own bare chest, "What'd you do today?"

"Studied," Harry said.

Louis let out a pseudo groan, "Harry, it's the last week of school, who the fuck cares?"

"I care, Louis Tomlinson," Harry said in a stern voice, but his expression gave away the joking nature. "Exams matter, you dildo."

"So doughnut has upgraded to dildo?" Louis said like he was actually pondering the evolution of his boyfriend's insults.

"Shut up," Harry smiled, sitting up and escaping Louis's gentle hold. "Let's go do something, it's already almost three."

"Shit." Louis deadpanned before laughing along with Harry. The latter stood from the bed and reached his arms above his head in a long body stretch, his t-shirt riding up a bit to expose a sliver of lovely skin. Louis watched Harry before sitting up himself and swinging his legs over the side of the bed and throwing off the duvet. "What is it you wanna do?"

Harry dropped his arms at his sides and gave Louis a sly grin, "Swim."

Louis rolled his eyes and said with sarcasm soaking his tone, "I sure do hope you aren't just dating me because I'm a magical creature from the black lagoon."

Harry snorted, "'Course not."

"Prove it." Louis said.

Harry was in front of Louis in an instant, straddling him by placing a knee on each side of Louis's legs on the bed. He leaned down and pressed a long kiss to Louis's lips, one hand moving down Louis's bare torso and down the front of his pajama pants. Louis let out a small moan into Harry's lips and Harry giggled.

"Point...uh, point made," Louis stuttered while Harry pressed small kisses down his neck.

-

"Louis, c'mon!" Harry cried from where the waves were lapping against him. Only his bare chest was visible, his long curls were wrapped up into a bun on top of his head and stray pieces were being whipped around his lovely face from the sea breeze.

Louis watched Harry in the waves from the dry shore in the late afternoon light, amazed that this boy was his boyfriend and he was allowed to be openly in love with him.

"I can't swim!" Louis called back, and laughed wholeheartedly at the look of exasperation that was on Harry's face after his reply. Harry was marching up back to the shore with a determined look. Louis watched him with a smug look on his face, since it was like waiting for a puppy to charge him.

When Harry reached Louis, he wrapped his wet arms around his waist and hoisted him over his shoulder, the height difference working in Harry's favor.

Louis gasped loudly, "Harry St-"

Harry dumped him in the knee length water and he fell under for a moment. Louis felt the familiar sensation of his legs binding together and forming into a teal and silver tail, his shorts ripping and his shoes sliding off his feet-turned-fins and floating to the surface.

Louis broke the surface to send a playful glare at a Harry who was wearing a shit-eating-grin.

"You owe me a new pair of shorts, you cute asshole," Louis said, splashing Harry with his tail. Harry squealed, raising his arms to protect his face from the ocean water.

Louis swam to Harry's legs, since they were in knee-deep water, Harry towered over him. "Come down here so I can kiss you."

Harry gave him the sunniest smile before sitting down so that the water was up to his chest, the waves rocking them both gently. Louis pushed himself with his hands on the sandy ground so he had enough leverage to press his lips to Harry's.

Harry smile against him, and kissed him back.

[what the dink . okay so here's the sequel. i rewrote this it used to be published with like 7 chapters ew. thanks for reading lol ily. have fun if you're going to sf pride tomorrow!!!!!! love wins woo :)))]