With Lips Like Fire He Burns Me

2. Taking What I Want And Call It Mine

"We need to invest in a bed. At least a mattress," Harry said.

"You don't need to worry about that, Harry. Not if you're planning to shag in a bed tonight."

"What's happening?" Louis asked, popping out from the hallway.

Louis looked fresh from a shower, his hair matted down to his forehead and his skin glistening. Harry willed himself to look away.

"Oh. Um. Nothing. Just—"

"Harry doesn't need a bed when he's planning to get some tonight."

"Is that so, Harold?"

Harry blushed. He rubbed his bottom lip between his two fingers and rubbed the back of his neck. Louis followed the motion with his eyes, his eyelashes still wet from his afternoon shower. Harry licked his lips, Louis' eyes flitting from his mouth and back to his eyes.

When Harry didn't hurry to reply, Louis cocked his head. He lifted his foot and pressed his heel to the kitchen stool, his delicate fingers making two bunny ears out of his shoelaces and looping them around each other. Niall nudged Harry, shooting him a weird look. Harry snapped out of it and shook his head.

"No. Niall's just kidding."

"No, I'm not." Niall stopped what he was doing and turned around, resting his fists on either side of his waist. "Wait. Are you not planning to hook up tonight?"

"No, man. Sorry."

Niall shook his head in disappointment. "What about you, Lou?"

"Are you coming with us?" Harry asked, his eyes brightening up.

"No, sorry lads. I'll have to take a raincheck on that. I'm already late for class."

"You have class at night?" Harry asked curiously.

Louis finished tying his shoelaces. He walked over to the refrigerator and took out a water bottle. He stole the packet of mixed nuts Niall had just retrieved and shoved both items in his backpack.

"He has dance class," Niall replied for him, sticking out his tongue at Louis who returned the gesture. "Louis teaches dance at the recreation center for extra money."

"Yeah, but now I do it just for fun. Besides, a little money on the side never hurts."

"That's so cool. Maybe one day you can teach me," Harry said hopefully. "I'm terrible at dancing."

"Sure thing, kid," Louis said before waving goodbye.

"And then there were two," Niall said, wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulder.

"Do you think Louis would come with us to party one day?" Harry perked up, staring at the door as if it were going to open again.

"Nah. Louis' not much of a party guy. He prefers to stay in and watch movies, you know?"

"I get that," Harry said softly.

"Okay, let's pregame."

Niall opened the cabinets until he found what he was looking for. He took out two bottles of vodka and placed them on the kitchen island. He also placed a carton of orange juice and ice cubes beside the vodka.

"Uh," Harry drawled, pinching his bottom lip between his forefingers. "Isn't that too much alcohol for just a pregame?"

"Nope," Niall said happily. He rubbed his hands together in earnest. "C'mon, I'll teach you how I like to make my screwdrivers."

"Okay," Harry breathed out shallowly. "Teach me, boss."

*

Harry remembered why he didn't attend parties. The music was too loud, there were too many people, and the place smelled of weed and spilled alcohol. He had lost Niall half an hour ago and he was trying to find him to tell him he didn't feel too good. He had one screwdrivers too many and didn't stop drinking at the party. He broke his own rule of accepting drinks in red solo cups he didn't concoct himself.