Twenty

53 1 0
                                    

They arrive at the beach-side hotel sometime around 10:00 at night due to the over amount of bathroom and snack stops, ("Niall, you literally just used the restroom." "But I got a couple sooodaaass after I weeent." "Well that's your problem, can't you just hold it?" "Liiiiaaamm." "Fine, we'll pull over." And what do you know, when Niall comes back from using the store's bathroom, he has another bottle of soda with him. Thus, the cycle.)

Louis flutters his eyes open tiredly, a small yawn falling from his lips. Harry is leaning over him, shaking him lightly with a gentle smile. "C'mon, wake up love."

Louis blinks, and he hears Niall grunting something about "just shove him onto the floor." He is thankful Harry doesn't do that, just holds him tighter and nuzzles his nose into his neck with quiet laughs. "We're at the hotel now, c'mon."

They all request rooms on the same floor, and pay the tab with stifled yawns. Liam is tucked into Zayn's side, yawning tiredly into his neck, his eyelids drooping. Zayn kisses the side of his head, carrying their bags along easily by himself. Louis can't help but to smile watching them. There is just a surreal feeling of security watching your best mates settle down with the people they love.

Harry and Louis are the lucky ones that get the room facing the ocean, complete with their very own balcony that overhangs the building with two folded up lounge chairs. They lay their bags against the wall with a small thump, taking the room in with long, heavy sighs. Its not fancy or anything, because they are uni students, and they can't afford anything too ridiculous. But the walls are painted a comforting light blue, frames of nautical themed things hanging on the walls. There is one bed, a deep red duvet covering it to contrast the blue hues in the room. They have a small TV, closet, and bathroom. Louis thinks its the smell of the room is what makes it feel so exciting yet comforting, because it's not home, but it's still safe. Maybe it isn't the smell, maybe its just the hotel in general. The way you get to walk in a public place barefoot, and all your necessities are in one room, and the bed is different, and everything is different. It's just a nice change in pace, perhaps.

After Harry digs through one of his bags, he flashes Louis a small smile and walks into the loo, shutting the door behind him. Louis lets out a huff of a laugh, and lets himself walk to the sliding glass window. He pulls the curtains the rest of the way open, and quietly slides the door open.

The first thing that hits him, is a gentle breeze carrying the salty thinness of the ocean waves. He does not shiver, only grips the bar to the balcony, staring over as the waves crash against the shore. The ocean looks black and endless, a whirling amount of nothing and everything; the waves of it simply the rhythmically set heartbeat of the earth, pounding, pounding, alive. He breathes in the freshness of it, the liveliness that comes with going to the beach for the first time in what seems like forever. The negative ions that float like nothing in the air creates a gentle positiveness that he wants to pocket.

He hears the bathroom door open, and then the distinguishable sound of Harry's feet padding towards him. Soon enough, he feels the added warmth of Harry beside him. It envelops him in a sweet drizzle of cherry blossoms and vanilla, that belong nowhere near the raw, ocean wind. Louis loves it.

He turns to Harry, before his breath is getting knocked out of him.

Elliptical patterns cover Harry's body in the pale moonlight, his body incandescent against the blackness of the life around them. He is wearing the gown. The lovely nightie for the very first time. It fuses with the warm colour of Harry's skin in a gentle, nonchalantly way that makes Louis suck down his own tongue. His collarbones are prominent in the moonlight, dips shadowed heavenly. It hangs loosely off his shoulders, lace delicate, and it flows down his body in an opulent cataract of softness. The hem falls above his knees- knees that are naturally pointed inwardly. Each of his toenails are painted a different colour because Harry didn't know what colour he wanted, so Louis just said fuck it and did them all differently. He looks beautiful. Such a natural beautiful with the way the fabric tides his body into such a young, velvety look, that graces Louis' heart with an extra beat.

"Hi," Harry whispers.

There is something new, something soft in the way he says it.

"Hi," Louis says back. Nothing else can tear his eyes from Harry. Nothing is as beautiful. Louis just- he feels like a future of possibilities was opened up when Harry told him he was at least talking to a professional. It's the kind of a leap that shows Louis that not only does Harry care about himself getting better, but he also cares about Louis, and their relationship. It's just overwhelming, and Louis never wants it to stop.

"Thank you for loving me."

Louis' eyes tear up as he whispers, "Thank you for letting me love you."

All You Are is What I Need (Larry BoyxBoy) Book 2Where stories live. Discover now