The Region of the Summer Stars ✩ l.s. AU

V ✩ QUICK LOOK

V

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"I'm sure by now you all know how to hit a volleyball. You can't fool me into believing you've never touched one a day in your life," the temp says, clapping his hands over and over again on the white ball.

Louis grits his teeth absentmindedly, unsurprised that this is becoming his default mood.

"However," he continues, flashing a toothy grin at the kids, who he told to line up side by side, "we're going to begin with a little warm-up exercise that will allow me to learn your names. It's only fair; you already know mine."

What a cheeky bastard, Louis thinks. And from his spot at the very end of the line, he wants nothing more than for anything else to need his attention. He's desperate to hear Julian calling for him from atop the hill behind them. Of course, at the same time he'd be damned before leaving Harry - the temp, dammit - to his own devices after a disastrous fucking morning already.

"So what we're going to do is practice your serves." As if to demonstrate, Harry turns and sends a perfect overhand soaring across the sandy volleyball court. The ball lands just in bounds, in the far right corner.

Louis isn't even a little impressed.

Harry turns around with that fucking toothy grin again and claps his hands. "But there's a twist. When it's your turn to serve, you've got to shout your name. In fact, for the rest of our time together you'll be shouting your name whenever you hit the ball. For this exercise, though, you'll have to wait until I point to you. You'll figure out the timing once we get started. Any questions?"

Figure out the timing? What is he even on about?

See, Louis already knows how he feels about Harry, the obnoxious supermodel mirage who is most assuredly going to make his life a living hell for the next six weeks. He knows that he hates that godforsaken bun, and that he doesn't understand how lips can be such a vibrant, ripe color without a stained lip product being involved, and he won't even humor the memory of Harry in glasses long enough to abhor them as much as he surely does.

This is a different ballgame entirely. Harry is Harry, as far as Louis knows him after barely twenty-four hours, but Harry with young boys? Perhaps children in general? Louis is beginning to see that his temp plays this game differently. He carries himself in a new way, walks with a youthful skip in his step (not that he isn't youthful himself, because he is), and smiles genuinely with different eyes.

And Louis thinks that what makes them different is that there is no mischief dancing around in them, but he can see now that he's wrong. His own eyes narrow at this realization.

"Alright, then let's get started," Harry says, dramatically positioning himself in front of the first boy in line. He closes his eyes, inhales slowly through his nose, clears his throat.

When he opens his eyes, Louis's fears are confirmed.

"A little bit of - " he points. The boy stares at him a moment, blinks, then tosses his ball up and serves, shouting "Alec" as he does. Harry continues, "in my life. A little bit of - " points. "Dexter," is shouted, faster this time. Another ball is served. Harry goes on - "by my side. A little bit of - " points. "Michael," a ball is served. And then - "is all I need. A little bit of..."

Louis stares in what would be disbelief if he didn't already know Harry was planning something ridiculous like this.

He goes down the line, continuing with the stupid, stupid song. Louis resists the urge to walk away, having already had more than enough, but he's got to stand his ground. He swore he'd do it, and Gemma said - well, to be fair, he hardly knows Gemma and she may not know her brother as well as she thinks she does, but. That's beside the point.

He won't walk away. Even though he knows precisely where this is leading (no matter how deeply he hopes he's wrong).

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Please don't hate me! I know it's been months since this has last been updated, but I wanted to prove to you that I'm not just sitting around and abandoning this story. I'm working on it, just slowly. So here is a quick look at chapter 5. Enjoy, and I'll see you with the full update soon!