Let's Roll- Larry Stylinson

Chapter XVI

Inside the barn, the hustle and bustle from the city follows. The calming effect the outside had is nothing compared to the dozens of workers who are weaving their way inside the barn. Men are jogging from one thing to another, absorbed in their work. None of the men even bother looking up when Harry enters, all clearly used to people walking in and out every day.

"Styles!" Someone calls. Both Harry and Louis' attention is drawn from the working men to the man at the other end of the barn. He wears clothes similar to Harry, standing out from the overalls everyone else seems to be wearing. He chuckles as he moves closer, arms extended as he near. "I heard you were back in Chicago, figured you'd stop by soon." He gives Harry a friendly pat on the back, motioning to follow him through the chaos. "Here to check up on me? I can assure you everything is going splendidly."

As they continue to walk, Louis notices that they seem to be coming to an end. The barn wall is about to cut their path, but they stop just before reaching it. Louis curiously glances at the pair, the man bending down suddenly. Standing behind Harry obscures his vision and it isn't until he sidesteps to the left that he sees what the man is doing. He pulls open what appear to be cellar doors, beckoning Harry and Louis closer. Harry steps in first, the man allowing Louis to follow after him. He shuts the door behind them, complete dark encompassing them as they descend. Louis blindly reaches forward, scared of falling. Harry steadies him, moving Louis' hands until they find his shoulders.

"Don't worry, I'll guide you." He whispers. Louis gratefully clings on, uneasily taking one step at a time. Eventually, light meets dark as they reach flat ground. The hall leads them into a dimly lit room, the odor making Louis' nose scrunch up.

"Where are we?" he asks, taking in the large tubs of brown liquid and enormous barrels sitting on the side. He thinks he might know, but Harry clarifies anyway.

"This is where the magic happens." Harry proclaims, arms gesturing toward the shadowed room. Louis starts from the far corner, noting that these men aren't dressed much different from the ones they previously saw. They have the same overalls, the same determination as the men from before. The difference is that instead of inspecting grains for eating as the others had been doing; these men are testing the quality of the liquor. Louis stares oddly at the containers where the liquor resides, noticing a second later that they weren't any old containers, but bathtubs. His eyes travel the expanse of the room once more, the whirring of the simple machines drowning out the conversation Harry is currently having with the man.

Louis drops his hands back to his sides when he remembers where they were, cheeks flushing. He doubts Harry notices the absence anyway. He goes around the pair, wanting a closer look at the work the men are doing. He nears the closest tub, sight fixated on the tubes surrounding it. They look like a network of branches, rooting to one giant container in the center. Curiously, he tries to touch the liquid, thinking that by dipping his finger in he can sneak a taste. Before he can though, one of the men notices his movements.

"Hey, kid. Don't touch." Frightened, Louis stumbles back, crashing with the wall of the cellar. His actions cause the shelf above him to tumble, the sack sinking down and spilling its content into the booze. The man shouts wildly, running to try and stop the bag from further dropping. "Look what you've done kid!" He screeches, eyes narrowing at the young boy. "I have half a mind to beat you for messing up our hard work." He stalks toward Louis, fists dangerously clasping at his sides.

"Hey!" Harry shouts, intervening. He stands between the angry man and Louis, Louis gripping the back of Harry's coat like an upset child. "Leave him alone, he didn't know any better. " The man scoffs, gritting his teeth at Harry.

"He cost us pounds of bourbon, all because he had to go knocking them beans into the liquor. Damn iron in it is going to make it foul. That's money literally down the drain." The man chides, fiery gaze trying and failing to be menacing. Harry chuckles darkly, flicking the man on the head.

"Best to keep the shouting to a minimum. It's one setback. Start over, we have enough corn for it." The man looks like he's ready to protest but Harry's anger ridden eyes stops his futile rebuttal. He gives one fruitless 'hmph' before returning to his work, mumbling under his breath about Louis. Harry lets it go, turning back to the man he had been speaking to previously. "Everything seems to be well. I'll take my leave." He reaches behind him to haul Louis forward, pushing at the small of his back to get him walking. Harry guides them both back out of the barn, back to the car. Harry opens the door for Louis, gently persuading the boy in. He rounds the hood to be on his own side, the car starting with a roar.

Louis' gaze never leaves the road, Harry trying to coax something out of him, a sound or a word- anything. Louis doesn't let up, mouth shut tight. Frustrated, Harry swerves the car to the right, stopping completely once on the side of the road. He focuses solely on Louis- who up until this point had shown no reaction. Suddenly, tears are spilling from his eyes, Louis fervently trying to wipe them away.

"I'm sorry," He hiccups, tiny fist rubbing at his face. "I didn't mean to ruin the batch, I was clumsy. I've gone and ruined everything." Louis cries, more tears running down his cheeks. He feels like a failure. One day in Harry's life after he's decided to stay and he's gone and messed everything up. Harry probably hates him, thinks he's better off without him. Louis cries harder at that. A concerned Harry picks Louis up, situating him on his lap so that his knees bracket Harry in.

"You didn't ruin anything. It was one tub, we had plenty more. We can make hundreds of tubs, so don't worry about it." He has a hand on the back of his pretty little head, allowing Louis to cry into his shoulder. "Please don't cry, a pretty little thing like you should never cry." Harry doesn't mean to say it, not really, but his mouth worked faster than his brain. Louis' cries die down as he pulls away, eyes cast down for a moment before he's meeting Harry's eye. His eyes sparkle with tears, his irises a clear blue. Harry is captivated; bringing a hand up to stroke just beneath the beautiful sight.

"You think I'm pretty?" Louis asks, voice incredibly small. Harry gulps as he slowly nods. He's already in too deep to let something as silly as his pride get in the way of admitting Louis is the most gorgeous human being he's ever had the pleasure of meeting. The corners of his mouth tilt up just a fraction but Harry feels like it's enough to settle some of his nerves.

"Prettiest boy I've ever seen." He mumbles, still lost in Louis' eyes. His mind forgets why he's denied himself so long of this boy, wanting so badly to taste him, to feels his mouth against his. Again, his mouth works faster than his brain, attaching itself to Louis' soft lips.

Harry's arm drops down to Louis' waist, possessively tightening his hold. The hand that had been on Louis' cheek guides the kiss, bringing him in closer, so much so that Harry feels intoxicated. He inhales sharply, opening his mouth a hinge to ease his tongue along Louis' lips. The boy gasps, mouth opening further to accommodate Harry's tongue. Louis feels the need to ground himself, to anchor his elated heartbeat. He settles for tangling his fingers in Harry's hair, loving how it instantly gets a rise out of the man as he moans appreciatively.

Harry can't get enough, hands beginning to move on their own accord. They ease over Louis' body in wonder, mapping out everything they can because he doesn't know how this will last, how long Louis will let him touch him like this. Some resemblance of sense returns when he realizes this and he abruptly drops his head, breathing harshly against Louis' chest.

"I can't."