you are half of me (and I am all for you) - larry stylinson

six

"You should play some music."

"What do you want?"

"Something Floyd. I don't know."

Louis plugged in his phone, scrolling through his music and finally selecting Dark Side after some deliberation. It was their most iconic album and Louis had listened to it hundreds of times. Harry was in the same boat. He caught Harry's grin as soon as he heard the opening chords.

They listened to the music then, falling into a comfortable silence. The cold desert wind blew in through the wide open windows, making Louis glad he had stolen Harry's hoodie earlier in the evening. It smelled like the bonfire they made last night while parked at a campsite, all smoke and wood and glowing embers.

Beneath the scent of the bonfire, though, was a hint of the expensive cologne Harry always wore, something Tom Ford that was a birthday gift from his mom. Louis had been spending so much time with Harry lately that the scent was more than just familiar. It was comforting, pleasing to his senses, something he wanted more of.

Sitting up front, it felt like just the two of them. In the back, Niall dozed off with his head against the window and Liam listened to a podcast on his phone.

The cool breeze felt so good, Louis decided to lean out the window. He looked down at first, watching the tires turn over the road, everything a blur. It wasn't until he looked up, though, up at the sky, that his heart burst.

"H, oh my god, you have to look at the sky."

"What? What is it?" He leant forward to look up, out the windshield. "Oh, wow."

Louis grabbed his arm to catch his attention. "Do you think we can sleep outside tonight? Under the stars?"

It was one of his favorite things in the entire world, camping on a clear night and sleeping under a sky full of stars. It rarely happened, because living in Georgia meant that it was often humid and rainy, and the dew would soak his sleeping bag straight through in the morning. But he had never seen a sky as clear as this one, out here in the desert.

Harry tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, looking thoughtful. "Yeah, of course. We can do anything you want."

Harry slowed down with a gentle foot on the breaks, bringing them to a slow stop. Louis stepped out of the van while Harry informed the others that they would be spending the night here. Technically, it wasn't legal to park their van on the side of the highway, but they hadn't seen another soul in three hours, so it would probably be fine.

As soon as Louis feet hit the ground, he looked up. The sight knocked the breath out of his lungs as he took it all in.

Stargazing was something he tried to do often, but it was never like this. The New Mexico sky was clear and he could see more than just stars—he saw the haze of the Milky Way galaxy spilling across the sky, the stars not just pinpricks of light but something more, something tangible with blue and yellow glows.

"Fuck, that's so sick."

Louis laughed, feeling giddy with Harry by his side. He suddenly felt the driving need to get closer to the sky, if only a little bit.

"Boost me up?"

"What?"

"C'mon, boost me up to Patty's roof."

"Um, okay-"

Louis gripped the top of the van and began pulling himself up. He hadn't been climbing in a while, so his grip wasn't as strong as it usually was.

Harry's hands came up to support his thighs, tentative like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to touch Louis like this. "I don't-"

"Push me up," Louis cried, not wanting to hold his entire weight with his arms anymore.