Songs For How You Taste | l.s.

Chapter 25

Warning: mature content

Louis heard Harry snort from across the kitchen. He dropped what he was doing and glared at him. "Listen, it's difficult, okay?"

Harry crossed the kitchen quickly, left a pot of salted boiling water on the stove and went to stand behind Louis. He wrapped his arms around his waist and settled his chin on Louis' shoulder. "How about I help you out?"

"Don't need your help," Louis said, petulantly. Harry then held up a piece of zucchini that Louis chopped. It was completely uneven and jagged.

"You don't?" Harry asked, with raised eyebrows. Louis huffed below him.

"Okay," he said, staring down at the knife and zucchini on the cutting board like they betrayed him. "Teach me."

Harry wrapped his fingers around Louis' right hand and instructed him to pick up the knife. "First, since the zucchini is round, let's cut it in half straight down the middle – that way you don't have a round object rolling around your cutting board."

Louis picked up the zucchini in his left hand and stuck his index finger out over the blunt end of the blade – for leverage. He was about to cut the vegetable when Harry interrupted him. "No, wait." Harry's fingers softly tucked Louis' fingers around the base of the blade. It honestly felt unnatural – but it looked more like how chefs held their knives on Harry's shows.

"Go on," Harry encouraged. Louis sliced the zucchini right down the middle. It was still a little uneven but if Harry noticed, which he totally did, he didn't say anything. Harry leaned even closer to him, pressed his weight against Louis' back.

Louis cleared his throat. "What's next?"

"Now," Harry said, placing the zucchini chopped side down. "We are going to cut thin discs. You want them to be bite size – since they're going in our pasta." Harry helped Louis make a rocking motion with the knife against the board before he started slicing the zucchini.

"Like this?" Louis asked, cutting his first disc. He felt Harry's hum vibrate against his shoulder. The hand that wasn't holding Louis' came up to his hip, started rubbing.

"Yes, smooth. Very smooth," Harry's voice mumbled. Louis got distracted the second he felt Harry's head turn and felt lips come up to the base of his neck, kissing and teasing – his slices were getting uneven again. "Make them clean or I'll stop," Harry whispered – Louis didn't even think Harry was looking anymore but he nodded anyway.

Harry's wet lips sucked lightly right below Louis' ear, where the corner of his jaw was. It sent a shiver down his spine. The second he was finished, he dropped the knife and flipped around. "All done," he said in a hasty whisper while his hands found their way into Harry's hair. Louis guided Harry down to his lips, felt Harry's hands go on either side of the counter; he pressed into him while they kissed.

"Pasta isn't going to cook itself," Harry whispered when Louis pulled away to trail kisses down Harry's jaw and neck. Louis pulled back and regarded Harry with a mischievous gaze.

"Maybe you can teach me to cook with a reward system. I cut this zucchini well, I deserve a reward." Harry already started to walk away, let his hand graze against Louis' hip while he did.

"How about this?" He said, grabbing cherry tomatoes and oil and set them on the counter. "I'll give you a reward if we get through this meal without you burning something."

Louis rolled his eyes, easy. He couldn't wait and he'd make sure that his reward was good. Plus, knowing Harry, he'd probably take over and essentially make the whole thing himself. Or, so Louis thought.