Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 5

When they reached the dock, Louis turned to face the opposite end of the lake, "You can get out first."

Wordlessly, Harry hauled himself back onto the deck. He furiously wiped his hands over his slick skin in attempts at drying off and quickly realized that it would be useless. The materials of his clothes were tacky against his skin, but he pushed through the feeling and quickly got changed. Spinning to face Louis who was still dutifully staring at the opposite end, Harry cleared his throat.

"I'll head to the car while you get out," Harry thumbed over his shoulder.

Louis nodded and when his hands gripped the dock to pull himself up, Harry swiftly turned away. He fought off the blush that heated his skin and made his way back to the clearing. Until he saw the front of the truck, Harry realized that he didn't have any plan for what he would tell his parents when he came back. He also didn't have an excuse prepared for missing the performance. Figuring that those two issues were relatively the lowest on his self-proclaimed trauma list, Harry shrugged them off.

"Ready?"

He turned to see Louis emerging from the blanket of willow leaves. The red bandana was knotted around his head, pushing the wet tendrils of his hair from his face. Louis' Henley stuck to his chest and the straps of his suspenders uselessly hung against his thighs. What Harry focused on, was the way Louis' illuminant eyes were the perfect embodiment of what came to his mind the prior evening.

Louis fidgeted with the cuff of his shirt when Harry didn't respond. He raised an eyebrow, "Stud?"

Harry ignored the sirens that were blaring inside of his head and closed the space between them. Circling his arms around Louis' narrow shoulders, he pulled the other man flush against his front. Louis let out a surprised huff before he melted into the hug and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist. He arched his neck and tucked his face into the junction of Louis' throat. His feet shuffled impossibly closer as Louis' fingertips delicately traced the contours of Harry's muscles. Harry closed his eyes and lightly brushed the tip of his nose against Louis' skin, allowing himself to breathe him in.

Wrapped in Louis' momentary hold, Harry's demons were finally silent.

"I don't wanna go," Harry murmured, the plush of his bottom lip faintly dragging along Louis' skin.

"I know," Louis flattened his palms against the center of Harry's back, "But, you gotta."

"Don't want you to go."

"You need time," Louis quietly said, his temple resting against the just of Harry's shoulder. He sighed, "And you'll know where to find me after ya got it."

Harry minutely nodded and started to pull back. His hands snaked along Louis' shoulders, stealing the touches he promised himself he wouldn't take. Louis let his hands droop to his sides, but didn't step away from Harry. He dipped his thumbs into the soft skin of Louis' neck, feeling how supple Louis felt underneath his fingertips. Harry cupped Louis' jaw between his palms, his movements benevolent compared to the way his gut was incessantly churning. It was almost cathartic, the way he needed to internally memorialize the details of Louis' body before it was too late.

"I do care about you," Harry whispered.

Louis' eyes closed and he turned his face to the right, nosing the pulse point inside of Harry's wrist. Harry's breath lodged itself in his airways as warmth blossomed inside of his chest. Louis nodded and then blinked his eyes open, taking a step away from him.

"I know you do, Stud."

Without any other words, both men climbed into the truck, Louis sliding behind the wheel. Once he was buckled, Harry brought his thighs to his chest and hooked his chin over his kneecaps. He tightly wrapped his arms around his legs and silently watched Louis drive them back to the face of civilization. A lump grew inside of his throat as they entered downtown, faced with the reality that he was going to be left alone to face with his problems. He rested his forehead on his knees and begged himself not to let his emotions bubble over.