Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 8

Once the four of them parted ways with stilted goodbyes, Harry's stomach was knotted in distress and guilt. While his relationship with Louis had only grown stronger over the previous month, there wasn't any use in denying that Faye's perpetual presence didn't loom over them like an incurable sickness. Louis had been patient with him, repeatedly reassuring that as long as they had each other, he could handle Faye. Kissing his knuckles, Louis promised that as long as he had Harry's affection, he would stay. It was moments like that when Harry nearly let the three heaviest words roll off of his tongue.

Nearly.

"M' so sorry," Harry mumbled, his voice heavy with emotion. He pulled Louis flush against his chest and tucked his head into the crook of Louis' neck. Harry kissed the soft skin there and exhaled, "I never -"

"I know," Louis quietly cut him off.

Harry clenched his eyes shut and ran his hands over Louis' back.

"C'mon," Louis murmured before pulling back from their embrace. He tilted his head towards the side, "Let's get outta here."

The walked around the side of the plantation, keeping out of sight from the gaze of the front windows. Louis picked up his bike from the base of the sycamore and patted the handlebars. Butterflies batted their wings inside Harry's stomach as he carefully adjusted himself on the front of the bicycle. Louis pressed a plush kiss to the base of his neck and then started pedaling. Wind whipped around their frames as they made their way towards the south end of town. Comfortable silence spread between them as Harry titled his head back and watched the stars.

After about fifteen minutes, Louis veered onto a smaller road. The skin between Harry's brows puckered as they stopped outside of a greenhouse. He carefully clambered off of the bicycle and took a step closer. The immaculate glass house was coddled by a manicured garden. It wasn't run-down, quite the opposite if the neat coble path was anything to go by. Through the panels of windows, Harry could see rows of blooms that varied in sizes and colors.

"Lou," Harry slowly said, "What're we doing here?"

Louis held up a set of keys and jingled them, "We're gonna have a picnic."

A startled laugh pushed its way from Harry's chest as he looked between the green house and Louis. "It's, like, eleven at night."

An amused smirk played over Louis' expression, "I can't exactly take you on a picnic in broad daylight, now can I?"

Heat pooled inside the apples of his cheeks, "No, you can't."

"So," Louis took a backwards step towards the door of the greenhouse, "A moonlit picnic will have to do."

"Hold on a mo'," Harry started with a worried frown tipped the corners of his lips. "Where'd you get the keys from?"

Louis clasped his hands behind his back and nonchalantly shrugged, "Might have fixed Mr. Gibson's muffler in exchange for 'em."

Harry's jaw dropped, "Are - Are you serious?"

A blush creeped along Louis' neck as he gently said, "I wanted to do somethin' special for you."

Taking two strides forwards, Harry knotted his fingers into Louis' hair and kissed him. He pushed every emotion into the kiss, eliciting a low moan from Louis' throat. Harry slowly walked them towards the greenhouse and crowded the other man against the siding. Louis' fisted the fabric of Harry's sweater and flicked his tongue against the seam of Harry's mouth.

"Fuck," Harry exhaled into Louis' mouth. "Did you know," He nudged their noses together, "You're everything to me?" Harry thumbed over the height of Louis' cheekbone, "Absolutely everything."