lust for life {l.s.}

part 7

The small boy lounging on Harry's couch laughs maniacally as his nimble fingers work to solve the latest Rubik's Cube that Harry has added to his collection. Earlier, Louis had shrieked in delight as he entered through the doors of Harry's house and immediately spotted the newest source of entertainment on the glass coffee table. It's a stifling hot day today, the sun burning blisteringly bright and the paparazzi swarming more intensely than usual, so they had decided their time would be best spent chilling inside and making Bloody Marys, per Louis' request. Harry sat on the other side of the couch, gazing fondly at his boy's antics

"What do you think you're doing?" Harry questions his lover, resisting the constant urge to smother kisses all over his scantily clad little body. They both had chosen to forgo any sort of real clothing today, and Harry was beginning to pay the price for that decision. He stares at Louis' slender arms and miniature wrists, feeling a swell of pride when he noticed the boy was wearing one of Harry's clunky mood rings.

"What does it look like to you?" Louis finally draws his attention away from the multicolored cube to match Harry's gentle gaze.

They continue their staring match, each daring the other to break first. While Harry loves that they both possess the same shiny streak of stubbornness, what he'd really like to do is take his boyfriend up to his giant bedroom and have his complete and utter way with him. He watches as Louis' hands fidget in his lap as he gazes up at the ceiling in a poor attempt to control his fluttering eyelids. He laughs triumphantly as the other boy valiantly tries and fails to keep his eyes open, crowing in success at his victory.

"I have won," Harry cheers raucously, over-exaggeratingly pumping his first up and down and making an obnoxious hoo-hoo noise. His brief victory is interrupted as he watches as Louis' eyes narrow at the defeat before they soften and gaze at him mournfully. Harry knows there's trouble brewing in those glossy baby blues, he just knows.

"You have not won," Louis sniffs, eyes blinking rapidly as he strives to create real tears.

"Are you seriously trying to make yourself cry so I'll hand over my hard-earned trophy of victory?" Harry asks incredulously, feeling nothing but fondness dripping into his already swollen heart.

When the salty tears of angst prove to stand Louis up, Harry only seeks to tease him more. They both have a penchant for winding the other up and it's one of his favorite pastimes.

"Why don't you leave the acting to me, cutie? You just sit there and look pretty, doll," he drawls as he scooches over to plop Louis in his lap. Despite his whines of protest, the other boy goes willingly. Once he has a lapful of soft, pouty Louis, Harry traces his boyfriend's puffy lips with his pointer finger, tugging slightly on the bottom one.

"I'll have you know that in addition to being incredibly cruel, and at your own boyfriend's expense might I add," Louis whimpers as his legs wrap around Harry's waist. "You are also not the winner, you are the loser in this."

First squeezing at Louis' hips, Harry toys with the back of his fuzzy lounge shorts, hands reaching back to grip the firm flesh of his ass. "Oh yeah?" he murmurs, voice teasingly low as he palms the baby-smooth cheeks. "Why's that babe?"

"Because you are making me mighty sad. And it's unbecoming to be happy when I am sad. Not an ounce of happiness shall be had from you because my sadness makes you too sad," Louis pouts even harder once he's done babbling, gazing up at Harry woefully as he fully commits to the bit. Maybe he should suggest to his boyfriend that he break back into acting. They could be co-stars.

It drives Harry insane that this ornery, sweet minx knows he can bend Harry's will like silly putty with the snap of his fingers and the twist of his lips. When he's around the other boy, Harry knows he falls under his constant spell of enchantment, almost as if he permanently dons a pair of rose-colored glasses. He's not quite sure how he ever managed before Louis.