larry smut

i see your colours and i'm dying of thirst

https://archiveofourown.org/works/3775690

get ready my loves, you're in for a treat. these next few are gonna be top harry and i'll try and find more asap but for now, enjoy!

~✰~

"A whale."

Louis blinks.

"A whale?"

"A whale."

"I...a whale?"

"Yes, a large marine mammal. On my left thigh."

"You want a whale on your thigh."

"Yes, please," And now his client is the one looking confused, because apparently he doesn't seem to think there's anything odd about strolling into a tattoo parlour wearing nothing but women's jeans and a lavender sweater, and asking Louis to tattoo Moby Dick onto his femur. But Louis knows better.

"You're sure? You're sure you want me to permanently ink a white bull whale into your skin. Forever."

"A white bull sperm whale," the pretty boy corrects primly, rising up and down happily on his toes. Oh, Louis thinks sardonically, Well that makes sense.

"I've got loads of other designs," is all he says, because though it's kind of tattoo-artist code to respect the aesthetic opinions of the clientele, he feels morally obligated to stop this disaster before it begins, to save this poor, purple boy from his own bad decisions. He pulls from the shoppe counter a thick binder, stuffed with laminated copies of tattoo sketches and photos, and pushes it almost desperately toward the boy.

"No, thank you," he says in a low gravel, remarkably polite for someone who is being mocked (to some degree) by a loser like Louis. "I'd like a whale."

"Mate, could you walk in a straight line for me? Just real quick."

"I'm not drunk," the boy laughs, and something unexpectedly soft and tinkly falls from his throat despite his raspy bass of a voice. "Just say no, me." And he raises hand to proudly display a worn rubber bracelet reading... It... it says... And Louis' wondering for a moment if he's the drunk one, because this man is actually wearing a bracelet reading "A happy me is drug free!" Complete with a chipping white smiley face, missing an eye after its use.

"I hope you won't mind that I smoke on the job, then," is all he can say as he whips out a lighter and trods wretchedly into the back room, the smiling boy hot on his heels.

"Does that mean you'll give me my sperm whale?" he asks, brightly, and Louis can't reach for his joint fast enough.

"How old are you, kid?" He asks instead, ignoring his question. "You certainly look like you're out of school, but..." And he eyes the bracelet proudly cupping his wrist.

"Oh, this?" The boy laughs, "God-daughter brought it home from kindergarten after anti-drug week. I'm her role model," he preens, doing that thing again where he stretches up tall on his toes and clasps his hands behind his back.

"Yet, you're sending her the message that it's a good idea to tattoo a sperm whale onto your thigh," Louis cocks and eyebrow, and fuck, the boy giggles, completely unbothered.

"Whatever, m' old enough to make my own decisions," he smiles, and Louis cocks his head in question. "Twenty-one," he adds.

"Well, I see you're not new to the trade," Louis marks dryly, nodding toward the little spot of ink hiding under the boy's long, lavender sweater sleeve. At this, he perks, eagerly pushing his sleeves up to his elbows and turning his forearms toward Louis, and oh, Louis realises, he's not unfamiliar with tattoos at all. On the contrary, he's absolutely littered with them, proudly wearing all sorts of bizarre images that Louis would never have imagined – a dusty rose, a thick bible, an anchor, a very anatomically correct heart, and... is that... is that a mermaid? With boobs, and everything. He's wearing boobs on his forearm, and he could not possibly look more delighted about it.