Songs For How You Taste | l.s.

Chapter 18

Harry had two playlists set for the party to celebrate the first weekend where all his friends were back in town – the way, he decided, to kick their spring semester off right.

The main playlist was for the kick back, expertly crafted to slowly build with the level of alcohol in one's body until Party in the USA could come on and everyone would drunkenly sway with red cups in the air and belt it out at the top of their lungs. Songs For The Best Night it was aptly named.

And there was his personal playlist, the one with all his favorite upbeat songs. Harry often didn't listen to music through a Bluetooth speaker – usually preferring headphones or his record player. But these songs were made for that – as if there were any other way to listen to Crazy In Love. He'd be mixing cake and icing for his cake pops and drop his spatula to hold his fist up and grind his hips in the air to the uh, oh, uh, oh, uh oh – oh na na.

This playlist was made for him to let the music flow, tilt his head back and belt lyrics – to dance like nobody was watching.

And usually there wasn't anyone watching.

But Louis, bless his soul, was trying to help Harry set up for his get together.

Louis stepped back into Harry's living room from the back porch, finished setting up the cheap metal firepit and all the chairs he could around it. He took off his coat, tossing it over the back of the couch, as the heat from Harry's living room warmed him. He pulled the sleeves of his hoodie over his fingers. "Haz, I've finished up in the back," he called.

But Louis didn't think that Harry could hear him. Because Lizzo was absolutely blasting over the speaker.

He stepped into the kitchen to find Harry with a pale blue bumblebee apron wrapped around his body, his back towards Louis. He was bare foot with his head tilted back, curls cascading down his shoulders. He punched the air as trumpets pounded and swelled aggressively. The music started to rise with the chorus I'm cryin' cuz I love you. Harry belted out a rift along with Lizzo, turning his body and finally, he came face to face with Louis.

He stopped in his tracks for a moment, eyes wide and chest huffing. His cheeks were flushed and his hair wild. Lizzo kept singing on behind him, leaving just the two of them paused, frozen.

Harry's eyes raked up and down Louis' body and a smile easily fell over their lips.

Harry picked up a frilly white apron, placed it over Louis' head, and used it to drag Louis closer when the music picked back up again. Louis laughed, loud and with his entire body jostling with it. Harry tied the apron for him quickly then put both of his clutched fists in the air to make a complete show of singing the end of the song.

Louis leaned over, kissed his cheek, when the music slowed down. "How's your buffalo dip coming?"

Harry gave it one last mix before he nodded. "All done," he said, taking off his apron. He hung it on the hook near the door. "I'm gonna go get changed. Let people in for me, yeah?"

"'Course, babe." Louis said, taking the apron off that Harry put on him, silently chuckling at how ridiculous he figured he looked in it. But perhaps, he thought, it wouldn't look so ridiculous if Harry wore that for him with nothing on underneath.

He'd have to admit that he would like that.

Before he could get too distracted by those thoughts, a quick knock came from the door.

He soothed a hand down his hoodie when he pulled it open, Niall loudly spilling through with two other guys trailing behind him – Aaron and Nick.