As they rounded the corner with Harry driving due to Louis' rather fragile state, they passed the group of young thugs they'd seen earlier. Harry glanced their way as they passed them, and all he saw in their eyes was cold, feral challenge. These young men had no idea why Harry and Louis had been here. All they craved was trouble and confrontation. Their male hormones drove them to seek it.
One day they would face their own unique set of troubles life throws at everyone. They seemed so young to Harry in this moment. He felt as if he was a lot more than a decade older than them, but he well remembered the feeling of invincibility that had flooded him at their age as it now flooded these characters. And look at how fast Louis had had to grow up. Here, in rough Doncaster, he'd grown up among punks like this. He'd survived and even thrived, thanks to his inherent pluck and grit.
Louis gazed at the angry young men with dullness and a certain sadness. It was funny how certain things (like image in the presence of their peers) faded to a negligible degree by the time a young man hit his mid-twenties or so. Most of the time, anyway. Responsibilities, deadlines, and just life in general would, hopefully, grab ahold of them, and they'd grow up to be respectable men. At least, some of them would. That was his wish. Right now though, they were immortal in their own eyes and had nothing better to do than provoke others, threaten them, seek danger.
"You know, Harry, they used to call me the Sassamasta of Doncaster," Louis said with a chuckle. "I could talk me way out of just about anythin.' Still got me ass whipped sometimes though. That was due to me smart-ass mouth. Sometimes I just couldn't keep it zipped."
Harry smiled. "I can see you bein' called that. You can get massively cheeky at times. But now, I'd be more inclined to call you the Swagmasta of Doncaster."
"Seriously?" Louis laughed.
"Oh yeah, you've got it goin' on. That bouncy walk, those swingin' arms, that awesome bum, that sassy swag. Yeah, I can imagine guys wantin' to throw you down."
"Some did, some did. But I got up again – eventually, and went on to continue me swag."
Harry threw his head back and laughed good and hard.
"The eventually part. Love that."
"Gotta keep it real."
Harry laughed again. "I'm glad you're feelin' a hella lot better. It took a load off your mind, didn't it?"
"A shit ton, yeah," Louis emphasized. "I feel light as if I weigh nothin' at all."
"And you know now that your mum really did love you as much as you thought."
Louis reached over and placed his hand on Harry's thigh, giving it a squeeze. His hand was warm, and in spite of himself, Harry felt a spark, but he squelched it and schooled himself to act as if he wasn't affected. Louis had faced a lot today, and had been intrepid in the face of it. He must be tired.
"Now, tell me about this 'Austin' surname," Harry said.
"Oh, I thought you'd seen the name on me foster papers. I changed it to Tomlinson after I went to the U.S. I put aside money just to get it done. I thought both me parents had deserted me, so I didn't want the last name as a reminder. I wanted to walk away from it. I'm surprised you didn't see it when the foster papers came."
"You were so emotional that all my attention was on you. I guess I just didn't notice it. So that's why your Driver's License has Tomlinson on it. You'd already changed it."
"Yeah, a long time ago. I think I was nineteen. Can we go see your mum tomorrow?"
Harry smiled at the way Louis changed subjects so effortlessly. His mind was always ahead of himself.
"As long as It won't be too much for you. We can go the day after tomorrow. You've been through the wringer today. We can stay a few more days in England."
"I want to go tomorrow."
"Okay, then we will." Harry wanted to shout for joy, but he managed himself well. He needed to tread carefully due to Louis' still flimsy state. And he didn't at all costs, want to seem disrespectful to Louis' mum's memory.
"I'll call me mum when we get back to the hotel and arrange to meet her somewhere."
The tension grew between them in the three plus hours it took to make their way back. But it was a good tension. Seven hours of driving in one day was a lot, although they'd shared the chore. Something was loitering under the surface, lying in wait, taking its time; not in any kind of hurry.
The atmosphere in the rental car was thick and as heavy as the tension. Not the air, but the ambience. Harry knew Louis' relief from discovering the truth today was freeing him, but it was also causing him to begin to set in motion the flow for yearning -- for Harry.
It seemed to work that way in life. After some intense and taxing experience, the desire for intimacy seemed to heighten like quicksilver. Harry was aware that after harrowing experiences in war, couples were almost frantic for each other. He and Louis were the exception to the rule – they were always avid, but this was unquestionably pushing Harry to the limit.
The sensation passed between them without even a flick of a glance. It was a living thing, beckoning to them, and it was all but impossible to ignore. Although they only touched each other occasionally, they were both feeling the electric tingle. It spread, and eerily, Harry felt as if he could be a violin string being caressed by the bow as it tickled every vertebrae on his spine, one by one, and little by little, it was building in intensity until it reached a near-crescendo, and he knew it for what it was – desire. Hot, overflowing, swarming desire.
He couldn't wait to get back to the hotel.
But once again, as in situations in the past, he had to govern it. Louis was brittle right now, and he couldn't be selfish.
Just the same, the feeling was so copious and abounding that Louis sliced a look Harry's way, confused by the thick keenness of the sensations that transmitted off him and created the aura contained in the vehicle.
Harry knew – without having to be told, what Louis was experiencing.
"It's alright, Lou. I feel it too. It's just the vibe we have . . . "
Louis rested his head on Harry's shoulder as Harry drove.
"It's always there, yeah?"
When they at last got back, they felt as if they'd been in the car for at least two days straight. They shuffled inside, tired and hungry.
"What do you say, some takeaway?" asked Harry.
"Either that or starve," Louis returned, tickling Harry's funny bone.
After they'd had some really good Neapolitan pizza, they sat on the bed, side by side, backs against the headboard.
Harry called his mum. She was majorly shocked that he was in England. But she also was so pleased and happy that she was breathless. She took the phone outside as she talked to him so her husband, Harry's father, wouldn't hear of their plans to meet. They decided to meet at a park not far from Harry's childhood home.
"I'll be bringin' me mate, Louis, if that's alright," Harry said. "It's a long story, but we'll tell you about it when we see you."
"Oh yes, I know about Louis. You told me, remember? Your ranch hand."
"Yes, but it's a little more complicated than that." He threw a shy look at Louis.
Louis smiled gently, knowing in that moment that Harry wanted to tell his mum of their relationship. His heart swelled with exhilaration. He and Harry hadn't even discussed it, yet Harry had felt confident enough to know how Louis would feel about it.
Now ringing off, Harry turned to Louis.
"Wanna talk? Or maybe tomorrow? Don't know if you want to discuss it tonight, or what."
Louis sighed and smiled. "Tonight's fine." He wasn't sure if Harry meant what had transpired today, or seeing Harry's mum tomorrow.
"So how you feelin' now? I reckon you feel like your mind's a little more at ease now, yeah?" asked Harry, being careful not to use any words that might cause Louis distress.
"You have no idea. I just needed answers, and I got 'em. It would have been a lot less painful if I'd known the whole story all along. I'm glad I know now. Knowin' me mother loved me like she did takes a massive load off me mind."
"I can't say I know how you feel because I don't, but I assume it has to be like a huge consolation."
Louis rested his head on Harry's shoulder as he had in the car. Harry flipped Louis around and pulled his torso more toward the middle of his own chest and wrapped his arms around him, feeling fiercely protective. Louis' back was to his front, as they sat. Harry couldn't resist kissing the soft skin on the back of Louis' neck, parting his hair with a brushing motion of his nose.
Louis shivered quite obviously, and Harry actually felt his burning need, compatible with his own.
"That's just what I need right now," Louis whispered, answering Harry's unasked question. Louis was making it easy for him. With gentle persuasion, Harry got Louis to turn in his arms so that he was straddling Harry's lap, his knees resting on each side of Harry's lap.
Harry held Louis' head with one hand as the other hand rested on his waist. He kissed his temple and then his cheek, luxuriating in this special closeness they'd missed out on today. They needed it with a potency that was profound and ardent.
As Harry's lips moved ever closer to Louis' own, the suspense began to take charge until it was the only thing that existed in this hotel room. All attention was on their minds and bodies, the touch of Harry's fingers so all-consuming that Louis' body arched into it, inviting it as a cat invites strokes on its back.
A low, reverberating rumble came from Harry's throat at Louis' receptiveness. His fingers tapped and tickled Louis' back in a teasing rhythm. Louis would have giggled had he not been so turned on. He reached down to grab the bottom of his tee shirt, sliding it off over his head in one smooth motion. Sexier than hell.
Harry's gaze was riveted on him. He didn't have to look away, or try to hide his desire. Not anymore. He was free to admire, and it took some getting used to. He could still scarcely believe it was true. Louis was his to stare at, touch, kiss. Speaking of kissing . . .
Harry's hunger was a beast that was nearly broken free of its chains, and he sought Louis' lips with a fervor.
But Louis was in a teasing mood. He intended to conduct an experiment by way of rousing Harry, and then backing off enough times to madden and antagonize his lover, but not too much. Just enough to make his thirst climb another rung up the ladder. This seemed to him to be a nice lead-up to foreplay. Poor Harry had no clue that he was about to become a lab rat.
It would take tremendous willpower for Louis to refuse him, and almost as difficult was not going too far with this and annoying or frustrating Harry.
When Harry's lips had almost made contact with his, Louis wrenched his body away, throwing his head back in an effort to become unavailable. But his plan backfired. Harry, not to be outwitted, leaned forward to kiss Louis' neck, since his lips were no longer on the radar.
Those full, wet lips landing on his neck very nearly made Louis surrender. But before he waved a white flag, he was going to at least try to frustrate Harry just enough. He flung himself off Harry before Harry had a chance to react, and a bewildered Harry grabbed his ankle just as Louis was getting ready to spring off the bed altogether.
"You little shit!" Harry exclaimed, tugging at the ankle that he was fast losing his grip of. Louis jerked his leg, successfully securing control of it when Harry's fingers slipped off, even though he'd been gripping it with all of his might. Louis was no lightweight, he reminded himself. When he was determined, not much could stop him, including, evidently, Harry Styles.
"You wanna play that game? Fine then." Harry sat back again, folding his arms over his chest, watching Louis' delicious naked torso every second. He may not be able to reach him, but he could sure look.
Louis was caught completely off-guard. He'd entirely expected Harry to chase him. When he didn't, but rather sat there apparently sulking, Louis was caught with no solution.
"Bet ya can't catch me!" he cried, bounding from the bed to the outside door-- not much of a distance, as this wasn't a proper house anyway, but a small hotel room.
Still no response. Damn it! The idea of adding a bit of spice and a touch of mystery to their intimacy was circling the drain. He'd have to come up with something else. He went into the small kitchen-of-sorts where a coffee maker was sitting on the counter. He was out of Harry's sight, since the kitchenette was at the rear of the room with a wall between it and the rest of the room.
How could he taunt Harry now? Make himself highly desirable, then just as quickly inaccessible?
As Louis stood there wracking his brain, Harry was floundering in confusion. Whyever would Louis want to tease him? And then it came to him. Louis had been subjected to a lot of strain lately. They both had. The problems with the dodgy ex-ranch hands, the loss of the horses, the whole clusterfuck of an upcoming trial, and the added stress of the foster home drama and finding out about his mother. No wonder he wanted to play games. He needed some relief from the anxiety; some lightness. Harry could give him that.
Slipping off the bed and creeping with bare feet stealthily from the bed toward the little kitchenette, where Louis had disappeared, Harry took one exaggerated, slinking step after another, looking like a cartoon character as he tip-toed in an attempt not to be discovered, each step taking his foot at least a foot above the carpet. Harry even arranged his hands in front of his chest, fingers dangling down just to get the full effect.
It took him a full minute to get to the end of the wall to the kitchen, making certain he didn't make a single sound, still in full slinking mode, when Louis jumped out from behind the wall, scaring the shit out of him.
"Boo!" yelled Louis with satisfaction just dripping from his tongue. Harry startled and jumped, spinning around to run back toward the bed. Louis' move had been very effective. He hadn't expected that at all. How had Louis even known he was there in that exact moment?
Harry heard footsteps behind him, going much faster than he was running. Louis was an athlete, and a stunningly fast runner. He'd forgotten about that. No way would he make it to the bed without Louis overtaking him. And they were moving at such a rate of speed that Harry feared if anything or anybody collided, it was not going to turn out well.
Having no more than a split second to think, Harry realized he either had to hit the wall behind the bed – and at the speed he was going, he'd hit hard, or fling himself onto the bed and hope at least his and Louis' fall would be cushioned. That was his hope, anyway.
But they were going too fast. Too fast, too late. No way was their momentum even going to slow down once they hit the bed. The only option Harry had was to fling himself completely over the bed and land on the floor on the opposite side. So that's what he did.
He flew through the air, and hit the floor hard, but had no time to feel sorry for himself, as Louis was at that moment mid-air, doing the same thing. Harry guessed Louis had followed his lead in blind faith. Louis ended up right beside Harry on the floor, in the same position – on his belly and spread eagled. Even though it had jarred their noggins and slammed the air out of their chests, it could have ended up much worse. When they could expand their chests again to get precious air, they looked at each other, then buried their faces on their forearms, giggling helplessly.
"Lou, you almost completely wiped me out!" Harry complained.
"Me? I was only followin' you. I didn't count on it endin' like this!"
Harry shook his head. "Tell me how you expected it to end with less than fifty feet to run?"
"I trusted you," Louis mock pouted.
"You could've ended up landin' on top of me!"
"Ahhh . . . but I didn't, did I?"
Harry had no answer for that. Louis had to have somehow manipulated his body with a twist or some offbeat move while in mid-air to avoid hitting Harry.
Impressive.
And not in a sarcastic way. Louis had deliberately tried to avoid injuring Harry.
"Foxy move, sweet creature. Couldn't have been easy to avoid me like that." Harry wanted Louis to know he was mindful of the fact that Louis had tried to protect him.
"C'mere Curly. I was tryin' to tease you a little . . . you know, get you all worked up before I gave in."
"I've got news for you. I don't have to be worked up any more than I already am," Harry wiggled his eyebrows, and Louis blushed for the first time in days.
"Wanna get naked and cuddle right here, on the floor? Sounds fraught with danger, yeah?"
"Oh yeah, let's go for broke," Louis said mockingly.
"I can make it worth your while. Don't knock it 'til you try it."
"Okay, you talked me into it, charmer," Louis began to slip his sweat bottoms off.
Harry had his off almost before Louis did. Then he surprised himself. He got on his hands and knees over Louis, who hadn't yet gotten up from his prone position. He leaned forward and began kissing Louis' upper back right below his shoulder, then trailed his tongue down to his middle back, nibbling gently. He could feel Louis breathing deeply and spastically. Good. Louis was aroused. All over his back, Harry continued to kiss slowly, and soon Louis was literally wiggling underneath him, his breathing accelerating even more.
Down to his lower back, his tongue coming into play again. Kissing, nibbling. Louis' legs were spread a little, which was to Harry's advantage.
When the tip of Harry's tongue first touched Louis' butt cheek, Louis jolted, caught by surprise. Harry massaged the other cheek as he carried on with the soothing kissing and nibbling. Only it was too exciting to continue to be soothing.
"Mmmm . . ." Louis said, not quite moaning because he wasn't sure what was happening. All over both cheeks, Harry kissed and licked, and when he noted Louis was very subtly rubbing himself against the carpet, he was encouraged. If he hadn't been watching so closely, it would have gotten past him.
He doesn't think I know.
One thing was reassuring; Louis was enjoying it. More encouragement. Could he persuade him to spread his legs a little more? Harry inserted his palms between Louis' thighs and finessed them, coaxing him to move them outward.
At first, Louis hesitated, wondering what Harry was about. But that trust bond they had convinced him to accept it and let his legs gradually widen.
Harry used his hands now, running his fingers all over his butt, then his tongue, and then back to his fingers. As he did so, he passed one finger between Louis' cheeks. He'd done this once or twice before, but had gone no further. This time he delved a little deeper.
Instantly Louis' backbone tightened, followed by his thighs.
"Baby," murmured Harry, practically salivating as he attempted to ease Louis' tension with the endearment.
"What . . . what are you doin?'" Louis' voice was barely heard.
"Its okay baby. I'm just gonna make you feel good."