Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 8

Louis' gaze was unbearably passionate as he looked up at Harry. He put his palms on either side of Harry's face and slowly pulled him in. Harry went boneless as their mouths slotted together, their movements exponentially softer than before. His heart tightened inside of his chest while Louis tenderly kissed him. All of the strain that had wrought his body into a frenzy dissipated when he felt the other man sigh into his mouth. Louis gently sucked on Harry's bottom lip before releasing it and slowly lathing over the plush skin with his tongue. Their movements died into lingering brushes before they were merely panting into each other's mouths.

"The first time I make love you," Louis quietly started, "It's not going to be hidden in your childhood room." He kissed Harry's pouted lips and murmured, "It's gonna be under the stars and under the moon so the whole universe will know that what we're doing isn't something to be ashamed of."

I love you.

****

Harry's attention dragged from the page of his book when he heard a light clatter from outside. His eyebrows pinched together as he looked towards the window. It was quiet for a moment before he saw knuckles rapt against the pane. Harry jerked back, hand flying to cover his chest as his heart threatened to give out. There was a hiss from outside and another knock. Harry narrowed his eyes and gaped when he made out the shape of a silhouette. Quickly clambering from bed, Harry dashed towards the sill and pushed the window open. There Louis was, perched in a sycamore tree as if he had become one of the swallows.

"What're you doin' here?!" Harry whisper-shouted as his chest hung outside of the bedroom window.

Louis grunted as he shimmied across a thick branch that extended just two feet from Harry's window, his knuckles white from their firm grip. Moonlight poured through the foliage of the leaves, painting Louis' skin with an ethereal glow. His thighs tightly hugged the wood as he scooted a foot closer. A cooing of a barred owl sifted into the night and from somewhere inside the plantation, the crackling of a radio could be heard.

"C'mon, Stud," Louis panted, his hair drooping into his eyes. He pushed it back from his forehead and beckoned Harry closer with two fingers, "I wanna show you somethin'."

Harry's eyes widened, "I can't sneak out!"

"Baby," Louis cocked an eyebrow, "I'm up in a tree to see ya even though we both know that I fuckin' hate heights." He huffed out a laugh, "You bet your ass you're gonna sneak out for an hour."

Looking over his shoulder to see his bedroom door firmly shut, Harry sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. He turned back towards Louis and shook his head, "I can't."

"And why not?"

Harry narrowed his eyes with an unimpressed tilt of his mouth, "D'you really expect me to jump out my window?"

"What?" Louis' nose scrunched. He shook his head, "Don't be daft, I'm not tryin' to kill ya." Louis flailed his hand out, "Sneak out the back door."

"My parents are still awake."

"They're in the study," Louis waved Harry off. "They won't even hear ya."

"How the heck do you know that?!"

"Because I just climbed this goddamn tree right in front of the study's window without them even lookin' up from their game of dice!"

A sharp laugh fell from Harry's lips and he instantly smacked a hand over his mouth. Louis' shocked expression matched his own, both falling eerily quiet. Harry strained to hear any movement from the first floor, but there was nothing than that muffled serenading of Bessie Smith. When there wasn't any sign of his parents having heard Harry, both men released a collective exhale.