Take Me Home

Take Me Home - Part II

To be fair, it was probably only a matter of time. As if Louis wasn't already allowing Harry to permeate his thoughts during waking and sleeping hours, apparently he's become lodged in his creative brain as well.

"This song is a masterpiece, Louis," Eamon praises through the screen, eyes wide and filled with the potential zeros on the offer document.

Louis itches his feet together beneath the desk and rubs his balled fists up and down his thighs. "Thanks, yeah, I really felt it on this one."

"It's almost as though you've found something... deeper. Something to draw on for inspiration. Personal experience? Some long-lost unrequited love?"

He could tell the truth. Eamon is about as close to a friend as he has, even though theirs is a professional relationship at its core. Louis talks to him almost every day and he appears as his emergency contact on more than a few official documents, which is kind of sad when he thinks about it, but whatever. The truth about his actual inspiration is perhaps a little more than he wants to share right now though.

"Yeah, something like that," is what he responds with instead.

Eamon waits a few beats, but when Louis doesn't elaborate, he just sighs and says, "Well, whatever's got you fired up, I hope it sticks around. Just keep doing what you're doing, mate."

"Lou!" Harry calls from the stairs.

"Sorry. Gotta go, Eamon."

"Wait! Who's-"

Louis ends the video call and closes his laptop. He'll just tell Eamon the voice was a tradesman or something. It's not like he'll really give a shit as long as Louis keeps churning out bangers.

He spins his desk chair around in time to see Harry coming into view as he climbs the last few stairs up into the living area. 

"Hey there. Good hike?" Louis asks, getting up and meeting Harry at the kitchen counter.

"Brilliant, thanks. You should come with me one day. The country around here is so beautiful. So much to see."

Louis hates hiking, with a passion. But the thought of spending a day wandering through the wilderness with Harry is too appealing to decline.

"I'd like that."

Harry beams at him. "Really? You're on. Yes!" Harry pumps his fists in the air like the dork that he is. His goofball nature has been revealing itself more and more each day and it's something Louis would like to encourage wherever possible.

Louis chuckles and shakes his head, opening the fridge door and ducking behind it as a shield to hide his fondness, which is likely written all over his face.

"Any thoughts about dinner?"

"I foraged these wild mushrooms and purple basil, and we've still got some of that black garlic. Reckon that's a start."

Louis glances over his shoulder. "Nice. I'm thinking... pasta?"

"A man after my own heart. Do you mind if I shower before dinner tonight? I'm all gross and sweaty."

Louis very nearly chokes on his tongue. Thankfully he's still got his head in the fridge, so the flush that rampages up his neck stays relatively under control.

"Uhm... Sure! Of course. H-have at it," Louis stammers.

"Thanks, Lou."

Harry walks behind him, brushing a hand across his lower back on his way past.

Louis' knees go weak. He grips on the fridge door to hold himself up. And honestly, he can't be expected to function under these circumstances. He's only human.