nothing worsens, nothing grows (l.s)

0.4

albuquerque --> denver

Harry

The first thing Harry does when they're back in the car is add the song Look After You by the Fray to Louis' playlist.

Ever since they'd passed the Colorado state line, Liam had been all jumpy and anxious and none of them could figure out exactly why. It starts subtly enough, but he's getting progressively more anxious as the hours pass.

He'd also planned for five days here, instead of the regular three or four. Harry glances back at Louis and gestures loosely toward toward Liam, but he only shrugs in response. Niall seems to either be actively ignoring it or totally oblivious as usual.

Other than that, Harry's been completely ecstatic the past few days. After Louis walked in on him pleasuring himself, Harry was sure that things would just be uncomfortable from there on out. Surely there was no way to recover from that and go back to being the weird, tense, stand-offish friends they used to be.

In some ways, he'd been right. They weren't able to go back to being friends - they were more.

They hadn't labeled anything, but Harry isn't about to ruin this before it even starts because of a word. He'd waited for Louis for four years. He's willing to wait a little longer.

Since Louis kissed him, Harry hasn't been able to stop smiling. Getting to feel Louis like that, in the back of the car they're sitting in right now, on his own seat, makes him feel like he's on top of the world. He refuses to think anything about the future of their little arrangement, but it still nags at him sometimes when they're together.

Which had only been twice now, since they aren't able to steal much time away from Liam and Niall. When he heard Louis moaning through the thin walls of their hotel room a couple of nights ago, that had been it for Harry. Fully invested, no turning back. No concern for what Gemma or anyone else thought. If Louis would have him, if even only for the remainder of the trip, he was going to give in.

Seeing Louis actually get down on his knees had been an entirely different experience, though. He'd wanted to slow down and make sure he was okay and comfortable, but more than anything else he just wanted to take care of him.

Louis had this way of drifting off sometimes, he'd noticed, and becoming this pliant, submissive thing that completely contradicts every aspect of his personality. It makes Harry melt. No matter what happened next, he'd gotten to have Louis like that. Twice now, he'd had the privilege of taking care of him. Once at the bar, and then again at their hotel.

It was that night that was Harry's favorite so far, in Denver. Not because Louis had been upset, of course not, but because after all of the years he spent needing Louis in his life it finally felt like, for once, Louis really needed him back.

A hand curls around the back of his headrest, feeling Harry's neck and he grins. Louis' wrist is small and soft, and it raises goosebumps on Harry's skin as he continues his motions.

All in all, things have been great, but it just seems like there's something there, behind the good things, that's lurking around the corner. It's something about the way that Louis just fell into all of this so easily, after years of disliking him. Harry tries to push it down but it doesn't sit well with him, not knowing all of the reasons behind his actions.

If this arrangement goes beyond their trip, they might have to have a conversation about it. For now, Harry ignores the weight in the pit of his stomach in favor of placing his hand on Louis' back as he steps out of the van.

They don't touch in an obvious way, so their friends won't see, but as they step out of the lift from getting dinner, Harry feels Louis' pinky wrap around his again. He smiles like an idiot and tries to hide it by coughing when Liam turns around to open the door.