On The Horizon || L.S.

Day 15: Disembarkation - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA

Saturday, the 27th of August, 2022

A shrill beeping brings Harry into consciousness, but it's turned off before he has a chance to deal with it. His body takes that as a sign to return to sleep, so he shuffles further into the warm bed. There's no way it's time to get up, not when he's this tired. A few more hours, surely....

"Love. Harry, it's time to wake up. Rise and shine."

"No," Harry complains, reaching out an arm to turn off the new alarm. His open palm smacks against skin, and his eyes pop open to find Louis watching him with an amused smile.

"Slap me all you want, doesn't change that we're officially working against the clock."

"No," Harry repeats, blinking his eyes to clear them from sleep.

Louis laughs and kisses him on the cheek. From here, Harry can see the dark circles under Louis' eyes, the red lines sparking through them. Harry probably looks much the same.

Even though they'd already been up late last night, they kept it going for as long as they could manage, mostly cuddling and talking, whispering the answers to questions they had never asked.

Harry learned that Louis considered teaching before going the pilot route. Said that one of his teachers had told him he'd never amount to anything, and he wanted to be a source of inspiration instead of discouragement. The words had clearly stuck with him, and Harry praised him for how far he'd taken his life, exploring the world, excelling in his career, and surrounding himself with true friends.

Harry told Louis about how he thinks pursuing medical school was the biggest regret of his life, but he can't see a path out anymore. There are no words to encourage someone in that headspace. Louis had instead opted to hold him close and listen as Harry shakily described some of the traumatic experiences in A&E, things that flickered through his mind on any given day with even the vaguest reminder.

When their bodies cooled down enough, they took advantage and got off again, grinding together slowly. Sleep was trying to overtake them, but they managed to both come and clean up before it succeeded, laying back down together and trailing fingers against skin.

The last thing Harry can remember was Louis whispering about one of the children he volunteers with. He was living in an abusive household but managed to get out. Now, the kid lives in a local home with a collection of men, women, and children, and Louis stops in to visit him. They play footie, and Louis tutors him, too.

Harry can't remember falling asleep, but clearly, it happened.

"You know, if I could stop time to give us a few more hours to sleep, I would. Alas, we'd probably make out the whole time anyway, so not much of a point."

"Tha's plenty of point." Groaning, Harry mashes his palms into his face, rubbing at his eyes and stretching the skin. "How long do we 'ave?"

Humming, Louis shifts closer and wraps an arm around Harry to tug him into a bear hug. "Not long enough for everything I'd like to do with you. To you."

Harry yawns. "We'd need the time-stopper thing you were talking about for that. 'S impossible. Infinity time. Imagine all the orgasms. Infinity orgasms." He giggles at himself, tilting his head to look straight at Louis. It's unfortunate to notice that his smile isn't reaching his eyes anymore, and Harry lets out a sigh. "Too many orgasms, I suppose. We'd run out of energy at some point."

"Nah, I don't think we would. I'd invent another machine, too, that gives us perpetual energy and life. Then we could fuck forever. Other stuff too, I suppose, but it would certainly be the most helpful for the sex bit."