Undercover (Larry Stylinson)

6. metal to skin

"Thank you guys so much for doing this, again," Harry said as he inflated the blowup mattress in the living room. 

"No worries," Louis replied. "Anything for a neighbor."

"Oh god," Liam chuckled. "That's not creepy at all."

Louis rolled his eyes and looked over at Harry, who was giggling nervously. He had changed out of his day clothes and into pajamas - red flannel bottoms and a white T-shirt. Louis raised an eyebrow when he saw something metallic straining against the T-shirt on his chest area. Was that...?

"Oh my gosh, Blake," Louis shrieked. "I didn't know you had a nipple piercing?"

"What?" Harry replied, his face growing red. "I don't."

"I can see it through your shirt," Louis said with a smirk. 

Harry looked down at the piercing, which was nearly poking through the T-shirt at this point. "You got me. I got it in college. It was in style then."

"It still is," Louis said. He bit his lip and winked at Harry, who quickly turned his attention to the blowup mattress.

"Alright, that's enough prying for tonight," Liam interrupted. "Which bed do you want, Louis?"

Louis shrugged. "I'm good with whatever."

"Okay, well I'll take the couch," Harry offered. "It's not too comfy and I don't want either of you hurting your backs."

"Alright, I'll take the blowup," Louis said, running onto it.

"Damn, I get the master bed? Okay!" Liam said. "Harry, mind showing me to it?"

"Oh, sure," Harry said, all too pleased to leave the room. "It's right down this hall."

Liam followed after him, down the corridor and to the bedroom, which was large with a walk in closet and two dressers. 

"Thanks," Liam replied, turning on the light. "And, Blake. If you need anything, let me know, yeah? My sister has PTSD. Not as bad as it used to be, though thankfully. It will get better, lad."

"Oh, well, thanks," Harry said awkwardly. "Thank you. For everything."

"No problem," Liam replied. "And sorry about Louis... he's... a handful."

"That's not a problem," Harry replied, a smile spreading across his lips. "He means well."

"Of course," Liam replied. "Well good night now."

Harry took his time returning to the living room, tugging at the string at his pajama bottoms to distract himself from the fact that Louis was currently lying on top of the blowup mattress in nothing but his boxers. 

"I'm not really a shirt person," he said, wrinkling his nose as Liam handed him his pajamas. "You know that, Liam."

"Well, I know that. But this is Harry's house and I'm sure he wants you to cover up," Liam snorted. 

"Oh, no it's fine," Harry said quickly. "Whatever you're comfortable with."

"Yay!" Louis said, stripping down into his underwear. His chest was hard and muscly with two tattoos lining the top of it. One was the words "it is what it is" written in script, while the other boasted of the number 78 in block letters, like you would see on a sports jersey.

His stomach was toned and his legs looked strong and muscular. Harry swallowed thickly, pretending to fold the blankets on the couch.

Now, as he returned to the living room, Louis was sprawled out on the blowup mattress, playing on his phone.