Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 7

Zayn was the first to appear from the mouth of the center garage, easily smiling as he strolled towards Harry’s truck. His coveralls had been exchanged for a pair of charcoal slacks and a black button down. Harry enthusiastically waved, feeling a hint of warmth that had been absent since their return filling his body.

“Hey, Harry,” Zayn half-saluted and turned on his heel. He cupped his hands around his mouth, “C’mon, Lou! Stop messin’ with yer hair!”

There was an indignant squawk from inside, pulling deep laughs from Harry and Zayn’s guts. Zayn looked back at Harry and winked, “He hasn’t shut up ‘bout this all day.”

Harry sat up a bit straighter at the news, his teeth poking into his bottom lip. He looked over Zayn’s shoulder then back to the other man, “Really?”

Zayn nodded and walked towards the passenger door, “Proper smitten with ya.”

“Whatever Zayn’s sayin’, it’s absolute bullshit!”

Harry felt his cheeks ache with how wide he was smiling. His attention snapped back towards the front of Dempsey’s to see Louis ambling from the garage, hands fidgeting with the cuffs of his jacket. He looked up at Harry, a nervous smile twitching the corners of his lips as he walked closer. Harry’s jaw slackened at the sight of his boyfriend in a tailored black suit.

Louis’ hair was styled with matte wax, the caramel tendrils artfully styled to the right. A crisp button-down peeked out from behind his fitted jacket, all of the pearly buttons fastened except for the top two. His onyx shoes gleamed underneath the moonlight. His cheeks were freshly shaved, just a faint dusting of a shadow left behind. Harry let out a breathless laugh. Everything about Louis was perfect.

Opening the door, Harry slid out and met Louis halfway. A foot of space separated the toes of their shoes. His eyes darted over the Louis’ face, catching the dollops of doubt that covered his cheeks.

Louis lifted a shoulder and gestured towards his outfit, “I know it’s not as, like, nice as stuff ya got, but –”

“You look gorgeous.”

Harry’s chest was heaving, the words easily punching out of him. He watched the way doubt was replaced with bashfulness along Louis’ features, the skin by his eyes crinkling. Louis ducked his head down and bit back a beam. Glimpsing towards the empty road and back to Louis, Harry quickly rocked forwards and kissed Louis on the cheek. It was chaste, but it was enough to extinguish the itch that had been crawling over Harry’s skin for the past week. Louis’ mouth formed a pink oval and he blinked up at Harry, starlight dancing in his irises.

“Why’re you all dressed up?” Harry asked, his thumb brushing over Louis’ silver cufflink. He cocked his head to the side, “Don’t usually wear a suit to the club.”

Louis flashed him an impish wink, “Well I wasn’t seeing my boyfriend perform them other times, now was I?”

Harry’s tongue poked out as he let out a tiny pleased laugh. He shook his head, “No, no you were not.”

“Exactly,” Louis chirped. He rolled his shoulders back with a bravado, “Still gotta impress you, Stud. S’pecially when there’s boutta be a bunch of girls on you tonight.”

Harry rolled his eyes, “That’s not true.”

Louis scoffed, “You didn’t hear ‘em all whispering like I did the night we met.”

“Well,” Harry shrugged, “I don’t care ‘bout them.”

“Oh yeah?” Louis drawled, trying for nonchalance but Harry still heard a twinge of smugness. When Harry easily nodded, Louis grinned, “Good.”