Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 5

"Christ."

Louis spun around as the echo of Harry's voice carried over the water's surface, brows pulled together in confusion. Once his gaze landed on Harry, the corner of his mouth jaunted into a smirk. Mirth flickered over his eyes as he cocked an eyebrow.

"Have you been watchin' me, Stud?"

"What?!" Harry's voice squeaked a decimal higher than usual. "No, I - Um," his eyes widened exponentially as his hands flailed in the air, "I just woke up." Harry awkwardly gestured at the pile of Louis' clothes, "Saw you were gone."

Louis looked far too pleased as he hallowed his cheeks and nodded. He shook his head and sunk lower into the water, letting out a sated sigh that rolled straight back to Harry. The apples of Harry's cheeks flushed and he crossed his legs.

"Well?" Louis taunted as he tilted his head to the side.

"Well," Harry cleared his throat and looked away from Louis' unnerving stare. "Um, well...What?"

Louis waded backwards, the surface breaking just above his collarbones.

"Are you gonna come in?"

Harry sputtered out an uneasy laugh, "Don't think that's a good idea."

"No?" Louis lolled his head to the other side. "And why not?"

"It's," Harry's voice caught as Louis swam closer towards the end of the dock, stopping just in front of the final plank. "Um," He dumbly said as Louis folded his arms on top of the wood, eyes expectant.

Louis rested his chin on his forearm and sang-song, "Chicken."

"Am not!" Harry indignantly huffed out. He turned his nose upwards, "Just don't wanna ruin my clothes."

Louis' eyes glittered with amusement as he laughed out, "That's why you take 'em off."

"I'm not gonna go naked!"

"Embarrassed?"

"No."

"Prude?"

"No."

Louis shrugged his shoulders and pushed himself off of the dock. He glimpsed at Harry over his shoulder once he had turned away, lips curled into a taunting grin. With one lift of his right shoulder, Louis chirped, "Chicken."

"Fine!" Harry pushed himself into a standing position and fidgeted with the buttons of his blazer. He narrowed his eyes at Louis, "This doesn't make me gay."

The other man barked out a sharp laugh, his head lolling back and shoulders shaking. He shook his head and held his hands out, "I didn't realize swimmin' was a homosexual activity."

"It is when one of the guys is gay," Harry huffed, shrugging the blazer off of his shoulders.

"Ah, yes," Louis dramatically drawled out with a nod. "Should 'ave realized I was doin' it differently than the other boys all these years." He widened his eyes and faux whispered, "Doin' it the gay way."

Harry couldn't help the grin that tugged the corner of his mouth, "Shuddup." He hesitated with his hands over the buttons of his dress shirt, "Uh, would ya mind?" A flush crept along his neck as he clarified, "Can you turn around 'til I get in?"

Thankfully, Louis didn't tease him for wanting a smidge of privacy. He nodded and ducked under water, popping up a few yards away, back faced towards Harry. Louis danced his fingertips along the water and slowly swayed his hips as if there was music filtering through the air. Harry shook himself out of his revere, focusing on the task of getting undressed.