Ready to Run

Chapter 19

"Rock, paper, scissors." Harry says, a challenging brow raised as his eyes bore into Louis'. "You win, we go wherever you want, I win, we go to California."

Louis and Harry had left the hotel around twenty minutes ago and during those twenty minutes, they had been arguing on where to go.

Louis does not want to go to California because that would mean driving through Nevada and he could simply go home and see his family, because he misses the munchkins and his mum. But Harry wants to go to Los Angeles because there is the beach.

"Okay. One round?" Louis asks.

"Of course not. Three rounds, that's how it works." Harry rolls his eyes, his fist already resting on his palm, ready to play. Louis sighs but does the same and soon enough, Harry starts. "Rock, paper, scissors." He says, each word punctuated by their fist pumping in the air. Louis makes scissors, Harry makes rock.

1-0 for Harry.

"Okay. Rock, paper, scissors." Louis says, this time choosing rock, Harry choosing scissors.

1-1.

"Fuck." Harry curses and shakes his head. "Rock, paper, scissors."

Rock, paper. Harry wins this round. 2-1.

Louis furrows his brows, trying to guess what Harry will make next.

"Rock, paper, scissors." Harry says, and he makes paper. Louis groans and Harry grins, pumping his fist in the air. "I won! We're going to California!" Harry says happily, giving a kiss to Louis' lips. "Let's go, it's a fifteen hour drive, we better get going if we don't want to arrive too late."

Louis begrudgingly follows Harry to the car with his bag. He cannot really be mad for losing because of Harry's happiness. He seems so happy about it that Louis cannot bring himself to keep a straight face, he has to smile.

"Okay, but you're driving." Louis says, putting his bag in the trunk and climbing in the passenger seat.

"Okay." Harry responds, unable not to grin. "But I'm choosing the music." He states and before he even finishes his sentence, Louis is shaking his head.

"Absolutely not." Louis reaches for the aux and plugs in his phone. Harry rolls his eyes and just snatches the phone from Louis' hand while he puts on his seatbelt.

"I'm choosing and it is not a question." Harry says, and Louis gives in. Harry swipes through Louis' playlist and his face lights up when he sees a song. Louis tries to sneak a peek but Harry turns the screen -and his whole torso at the same time- as he clicks and Out of my league by Fitz and The Tantrums starts playing. Louis smiles brightly. It is one of his favorite songs.

Harry settles the phone on Louis' lap and grins at him before starting the engine. "This song is, like, one of my favorites of all time." He says, backing out of the parking spot and driving onto the road.

Louis bites his lip, feeling warmth spreading in his chest. He likes that he and Harry have this in common. Sure, it is a bit weird that while Louis thinks about how much he likes the song, Harry voices it, but it makes something in him swell with happiness. It is something he never really felt before, and he is glad that it is Harry who makes him feel this. Louis watches Harry singing along, moving his head to the beat and smiling. Louis just grins, too, but to himself. He watches Harry, sweet and beautiful Harry, who is totally unaware of the effect he has on Louis and literally everything around him. Sweetly unaware of the fact that he could make an entire garden bloom in winter by simply smiling, unaware that everyone who crosses his path finds themselves infatuated, even the slightest, with him.  

At least that is how Louis sees him. Like a living spring, someone who makes everything seem more colorful and lively than it truly is. Someone who is the personification of the sunset on two very long and giraffe legs.