"How are you like this?" Louis asked Harry while the younger Duke pet the horses at the stable, giggling at they blow their noses, tickling his delicate silk like skin. He was in his night gown since it was very late and the boy was half asleep when Louis, the older Duke had knocked on the doors to his chambers.
Right now as Louis looked at Harry, he saw the bright glint in his eyes that never ever left, making him look so bright, it drove Louis mad. His lips were bitten red from how nervous he had been sneaking out of the palace yet again and his face was blushing a perfect light pink color that made him look so precious with his soft curls falling on his forehead, right over his eyes. Louis thinks he had never seen anything more beautiful then his view right now.
The view of a sleepy Harry petting the creatures, soothing his hand over their head, making them feel comfortable because that's just what he's like. Because this little boy, the Duke to many, doesn't like wars or hunting like the other ordinary prince's are known to, but instead he likes animals, he prefers love over hate, and he likes reading and sometimes the quiet, he was nothing of what Louis was thought to be. He was different from anything the Duke had heard of and he thinks he likes it.
He likes it more then he should and he needs to know how a person could be so beautiful without even trying. He looked so delicate, so pure and soft, Louis could never stop admiring. His face was puzzled and dazed, a tiny smile resting upon his lips that never seemed to leave with Harry around.
Then the younger boy looked over at Louis' question.
His head tilted slightly in confusion, his pink lips in a slight pout and brows knitted together and he looked at Louis in a way that Louis knew he'd heard what he said but wasn't sure if he actually did hear it right so Louis elaborated.
"You're just..." he trailed off, realizing he didn't even had the words to express how Harry was. "You." He decided, "you're just so you. You're sweet and nothing like the other arrogant twats the other royals are. You're so beautifully and delicately put together and I don't know how to believe you're real like me. That I can touch you and you won't turn into dust like a dream even when you are formed like one," he said, s up from where he was sat on a wooden seat, walking towards the standing petite boy who's hand rested on a horse's neck.
Harry felt every word the Duke was saying, his eyes burning into his own in a way that made him shiver, even squirm just a little under his truthful eyes, and he felt the rush of blood creep through his neck and on his cold cheeks and nose.
"Harry, you're so beautiful, you're nothing I ever imagined a real boy to be like," he said, carefully brushing off the strand of hair on Harry's face, tucking it behind his ear, all while looking at his face, being grateful he was because he saw the way the boy's face turned warmer, making his features look even more softer with the darker shade of pink his face and ears had turn into. The way he looked down at the ground, smiling, Louis could tell Harry didn't know it, he didn't know of his beauty and that quiet shocked Louis because how could he not?
Even as shocking as it was, it just made Harry that more interesting.
He felt a burn on his fingers when it brushed against Harry's forehead, his skin was drawing Louis back in. He just knew it. This boy was magic, the kind that the older boy always needed to feel, the kind he didn't mind being addicted to. Instead of grabbing the boy's face and completely crushing it, like Louis' insides wanted to, he brushed his skin with his fingers again, all while Harry just licked his lips in response to. He didn't protest or looked uncomfortable, the older boy making sure there wasn't even a hint of discomfort on his features as his let his hand glide through his silky hair.
When he pulled his hand into a fist in Harry's hair, he saw the duke's eyes fluster gracefully. He pulled oh so lightly, causing Harry to come closer to Louis, his hand falling from the horse's neck, now resting on the Louis' hip bone. The touch electric.
"I-" Harry started but then sighed, relaxing and melting into Louis' touch.
Then he sneezed.
Harry's bright nose going red, his hands flew to his face, before Louis could end up covered in his germs. The horse behind neighed loudly from behind them causing both of them to turn towards the annoyed looking animal.
The paused for a moment, then looked back at eachother before chuckling a little and making their way to the attention less horse to pet it. They stayed in the stable for only a little while longer before Harry's eyes were fluttering, Louis himself feeling himself being overtaken by sleep, yawning when the younger lad did.
He looked at the sleepy boy in the white sleeping gown, seeing him shiver, his little neck hair were standing which showed he had goosebumps probably all over his body. When the Duke looked at the younger one's face, skin a little pale and he was biting his lips, keeping his teeth from shattering. His hands trembled as well and it was quiet obvious he was cold.
It was something everyone felt but for some reason, Louis didn't like Harry suffering even from the slightest, most natural things. Even when it was an endearing sight, Louis would rather not have Harry suffer any longer, so he took the other duke's hand in his, feeling how cold they were, wishing to heat them up a little. The boy turned to look at Louis and then their intertwined hands, squeezing a little which could have either been approval or the search of warmth and Louis thinks it was both.
He took his other hand to, rubbing them together between his own, feeling them warm up a little before tightly holding them in between his looking back to his face, his smile wide with perfect pearl teeth showing, his dimples in display and Louis was very close to poking them before he realized his hands were providing warmth to the duke's own and he didn't know if he was allowed to touch the duke's cheek. He just wouldn't do that without his consent, the only reason Louis has touched the younger lad so far is because he could tell he was comfortable. He wouldn't want to cross his limits.
"Let's get back to the palace, shall we? It's freezing out here," he spoke, watching the smoke escape his lips as he did, his voice close to trembling and he didn't know how he hadn't felt it get so cold before. Maybe it was the warmth of Harry, but that couldn't possibly it. Humans don't radiate warmth but then again, Harry wasn't completely human. He proves that even without using magic because he's just got magnificently built features.
"Yes, it is a bit cold," he said sadly, moving into the warmth of the other lad, both now standing awfully close to not be touching.
"A bit? You're shaking." Louis laughed causing Harry's to follow suit.
"I can curl up into a blanket and sleep right here," he replied.
"I feel the same, but unfortunately we do need to go back before someone comes looking for us.
"Maybe they'll think the evil fairy kidnapped their beloved prince," he said making a historical face and Louis just knew he had the fondest smile on when he was done laughing.
"As if you could ever," he said, looking directly into those emerald eyes, before they finally were on their way back to the palace.
It was needless to say both the price slept content, with a sweet smile plaster on their faces.
The horses were really happy, too.
