Polaris || l.s.

chapter 10: pearl

"Purple asters?"

He repeated, plodding behind the alpha with a tinge of uncertainty holding him back. "Mhm, it's a whole field of 'em," Louis replied, looking back at him for a fleeting second. Harry couldn't see anything other than the alpha's silhouette in the dark. "How are we supposed to see them at this late in the night?" He questioned, rushing up to Louis who had started pacing up. "I don't know. I couldn't sleep, so I figured it'd be a good thing?" Was it? The moon had since long started dipping low towards the horizon, leaving the night sky with mere stars that did nothing to shed some light upon them. Harry didn't think roaming around in the woodland while the moon hadn't even set was a good idea.

"What if we get attacked by a wild animal?" He questioned, rushing to catch up with the alpha as if he was just now reminded of the peril of walking unassisted in the woods. "Harry," Louis laughed lightly, halting until Harry had fallen into step with him, "we are half-animals." The alpha finished, now walking with slower steps. "How is that supposed to comfort me? Even if you do possess the typical characteristics of a wild animal, you refrain yourself from acting upon your instincts." Had he indirectly admitted that Louis had a well-structured physique? No, surely not. Louis wouldn't get his head around his very (hopefully) twisted words.

"I have hunted for the sake of my survival before, I'll do it again if our lives are at stake, yes?" In the dim moonlight that filtered in through the trees, Harry caught the roll of eyes that accompanied Louis' words. Was it wrong that the thought of Louis fighting for him made him salivate like a newborn pup? "What, so you can fight against innocuous animals, but cannot punch an uptight guard?" He bit the inside of his cheek harshly, screwing his eyes shut as he awaited whatever austerity Louis was about to throw his way. Certainly, Louis had to have a limit on how much disrespect and insults he took from a person before he exploded.

"If you count a rogue wolf preying on me for fresh meat as innocuous, then yes, I certainly can, I suppose."

"I- I did not mean it like that, it, I- it was supposed to be a- goodness, I am sorry." He could feel the burn of the unshed tears in his eyes as he tried to blink them away. "Hey, it's all fine." Louis' voice was so gentle, unlike anything he had expected after such a comment. It traversed through the fog in his muddled mind, a tone so soft yet sturdy enough as it combated against all the thoughts bristling through his head. He didn't think he ever wanted Louis to use a tone with him that wasn't this soft, this warm. With his vision ameliorated, he got his head around the fact that Louis was touching his forearm, his blue eyes staring at him, full of concern.

"I don't mind. And besides, truth is truth, yes?" Louis spoke, still so soft, the alpha's voice still warming his insides. If this was the aftermath of being discourteous towards Louis, then Harry would gladly be rude towards the alpha forevermore. "Does not justify anything," he muttered, eyes set on the muddy ground below them. It had sprinkled lightly before sundown, a drizzle that had had Louis smiling and flushed with happiness.

"I-I have been nothing but rude towards you when all you have been doing is save my arse." He added before Louis could say something, choosing to ignore the way Louis raised his eyebrows at the new addition to his vocabulary. "I was unkind and rude towards you after you saved me from dying all alone on the streets. I was unkind even when all you showed me was compassion, and provided me with warm food and clothes." He knew Louis wanted to say something, but he went on, not giving enough time to the alpha.

"And now, I do nothing but waste your hard-earned money." A lone tear fell down his cheek and to the already saturated ground. Breathing out, he risked a glance upwards only to be met with a frowning Louis, his brows all pinched up. "If I wanted to, I would have thrown you out of my house long ago."