Candy Cane Eyes; larry stylinson (boxer!harry) [completed]

4

Wondrously, Louis manages to hone in on Harry the next day, just before Christmas Eve. As the man is getting off the elevator, Louis pops out from behind the corner.

"Merry almost-Christmas Eve!"

Harry shrieks, he jumps and stumbles back into the elevator as the doors close. Louis regrets scaring him but it was a better reaction than Harry giving him that blank look. Louis waits patiently for the elevator doors slide open again and Harry walks out with a plain expression.

"Mint." He greets curtly. He looks at the black bunny in Louis' hands. "Hello, rabbit."

Louis brings up the bunny, holding her before Harry's face. "Harry, meet Ronald." The animal wiggles its nose.

"Peppermint," Harry addresses, patting the bunny on its head. He sounded annoyed but fond. "If you scare me like that again, I might punch you in the nose."

Louis hums, waving off Harry's threat though his fists did look like they packed quite the strength. "I'm having a Christmas party and I want you to come. I knocked on your door but you never answered."

"I had another match today." Harry answers gruffly, Louis assumes he's still salty about getting scared.

"And you won," Louis says confidently. "I bet you looked so hot."

Harry sighed, "you call me hot a lot."

"Because you are hot." Louis licked his lips, tasting the peppermint flavour. "Mistletoe above your head." He puckers his lips.

"Ugh," Harry groans, leaning down and pressing a chaste kiss to Louis' lips as someone pokes their head out his apartment.

"Louis! It's almost midnight!"

Louis jumps and knocks heads with Harry, they both grunt. "C'mon!" Louis tugs Harry's free hand that isn't cradling his forehead.

Once they enter Louis' apartment, they're cornered in the living room. Louis' friends and family crowd them immediately. All of them wearing similar mischievous grins on their faces. Louis looks down at his hand to see it still linked with Harry's. He smiles to himself as Harry steps closer while the room gets louder. All of Louis' friends start to stand, arming themselves with silly string cans and small confetti shooters. Louis cowers backward when he sees Liam point a nozzle at his face.

"Not in my eye! I almost went blind last time!" Louis hides with Harry's arm. He holds it in front of his face, Harry's bicep squishing his cheek.

Since Harry had a match, he was sweaty, Louis shouldn't find the smell of him attractive, but he does. Harry's arms curl around Louis' upper body, hugging him close and into the soft material of his t-shirt. Louis blushes as his back collides with Harry's chest, he could feel his body heat instantly.

The clock strikes twelve and an array of shouts and screams fill Louis' apartment. Louis squeals as silly string and bits of paper are hurled at him, he steps back, squashing Harry's foot but the man only pulls him closer. They both try to hide from the bright flash of cameras and mess of silly string and paper but it's useless. They're both covered from head to toe, the bright neon green silly string wrapping them together under a layer of rainbow confetti.

Everyone starts singing as a cake is brought out, Louis can't see through the silly string on his eyelashes and fails at blowing out the candles. On the third try, the flames are gone and everyone cheers again. People finally move away into the kitchen for their slice of cake.

Louis doesn't move from Harry's warmth. Even after a few moments of them standing there.

"It's your birthday," Harry says dumbly.

Louis turns around in his hold, Harry's arms remain tight around his waist. It's dim under their dome of silly string and confetti, Harry has a few pieces of paper stuck on his hairline from his sweat. The silly string creates a tarp around them, Harry being the high point and Louis hiding under him. Through the darkness, Harry hums at the sight of Louis' bright blue eyes. He's never noticed it before but Louis' eyes were pools of water, the sapphire blue that covered most of the earth. Harry found himself getting lost for a moment. His mouth opens and shuts a few times, and there is a furrow between his brows. "Happy birthday, peppermint."

Louis' birthday party is the best he's ever had. Mostly because Harry sticks around. He puts his gym bag in Louis' bedroom and attempts to clean his hair of most of the evidence of Louis' celebration. Though there are small squares of confetti in trapped in his curly hair, Louis likes how cute he looks with it. Louis spends the night in the comfort of his friends, they drink alcohol and dance to the music which is mostly Christmas songs like every year. Louis hasn't felt this happy in a long time.

It's late at night when Louis walks Harry to his apartment. They were side by side, Louis' cat Su was following after them. She had a thing for brushing along Harry's legs.

When they reach Harry's door and Louis is surprised to feel lips on his. It isn't chaste like the previous times, it's wet and warm. Harry's hands fall to his hips and press him on the wall. Louis' arms flail for a moment before he balances himself on Harry's chest. He answers the kiss with his own dominance that is quickly overpowered by Harry's tongue slipping through his lips. An instant heat crawls over Louis' skin, he tilts his head back and allows Harry to taste him. It seemed time went slower, as Harry drags on the kiss with small pecks before completely pulling away. He's breathing as heavily as Louis.

"T-There isn't a mistletoe here." Louis had forgotten to tape it back up after it fell.

Harry smiles, it's small and only one of his dimples appeared. His green eyes cascade down Louis' flustered face. "I know, peppermint." He kisses Louis again, adding a bit more force into it. He hums against Louis' lips. "I just wanted to kiss you, is that okay?"

Louis gulps, "yes."

Harry pulls away, smiling brighter. "Good. See you soon, peppermint." He disappears into his apartment.