Chapter 6

For some reason Harry chose a zoo that was was an hours drive from LA. Louis knew that there were plenty nearer, but went with it, intrigued.

They took a hire car organised by the hotel. And the drive itself became one of their first new memories. Memories of holding hands, chatting about everything and nothing and just being. Getting to know each other again as people. Miles away from their worries and responsibilities.

In the quieter moments Louis took the opportunity to really look at Harry. It'd been a long time since he'd just spent time looking at him without having to worry about it. And looking now, Harry. Harry was just beautiful. Probably the most beautiful person Louis had ever seen. Physically, of course; gorgeous green eyes that looked like they had seen magical things; stunning lips that Louis now knew the feel of; a mop of shiny curls that Louis couldn't wait to sink his fingers into; delicate wrists leading to large hands that Louis could imagine doing all manner of things to him. He wasn't embarrassed of those thoughts now, not when he knew for sure that Harry felt the same way. But not just physically, Harry had a beautiful spirit as well; looking at him now, relaxed and carefree, He emitted a joy so pure, Louis wanted to write songs about him, sing them at the top of his lungs to anyone that would listen.

Dragging his gaze away and back to the view out of the window, roads became smaller and more rural, headed towards Orange County. And gradually it dawned on him, like a soft unveiling of something precious and prized. 'So that was why you picked a zoo that was so far away.' Louis said with a soft smile.

'Sorry what?' and with his best impression of unwitting innocence, Harry looked back with a small grin playing on those lips, a glint of excitement in those beautiful green eyes.

'I've worked you out, and it's really sweet. Giving us some space, somewhere we're less likely to get recognised, some time to just be ourselves. To start making new memories.'

Pulling into the small car park and coming to a halt, with laughter in his voice, Harry leaned across the gear stick, and whispered, hot, into Louis' ear, 'That's me, sweet all over.'

And if Louis had gone bright red in that moment, and had to give it a couple of minutes before getting out of the car. Well, he was glad, really glad, that Harry could see the effect he had on him. He deserved to know.
….

Composed now, and with a spring in his step Louis pulled Harry along, chatting excitedly as they moved towards the entrance. 'Come on let's go talk to those monkeys. I can hear them from here, they're English cousins have told them all about you!''

And Harry laughed, holding Louis' hand even tighter, 'Yep, you really are the one for me.'
…..

They wandered through the little zoo, quiet on a weekday afternoon, feeling anonymous for the first time in years. Getting carried away in the gift shop, they ended up in matching baseball caps with 'OC Zoo...Get Wild' emblazoned on them.

As they walked further, shoulders bumping, Louis nudged Harry, looking at him and smiling, 'That cap suits you curly, you should get a job here!', and in mock offence Harry grabbed Louis' cap, and plonked it back on his head backwards, 'Well Lou, you look far to hot in your's, and if you got a job here the customer's wouldn't bother with the animals, they'd just be looking at you.'

With that, Louis took off, twirling, shouting as he spun, 'Well Hazza, I can't help it if I'm irresistible can I!" And no, no he couldn't, and if Harry took that moment to look at Louis' arse, emphasised by the jeans he was wearing. Well, no one could blame him for it.

Coming to a wobbly halt, Louis took Harry's hand once again, and with a theatrical flourish, led the way, 'Come on curly, off to see those monkeys.'

…..

'Harry, cheer up, it's not the end of the world. Come on, there's loads of other things to do here. See, I see a polar bear over there, it's HUGE! Oh my god I never believed it when they said they were like 12 foot tall! And his hand really is the size of my head!

'And penguins too! Harry look! They're just like me, loads of energy and don't know what to do with it! What are they doing, do they even know what they're doing? Do they want swim, or do they want to fly? I think they want to be a bird and a fish and can't decide!'

Louis was trying, and failing, to distract Harry from the fact that there were no monkeys. They'd scoured the whole zoo and there was not one single, solitary, monkey to be seen.

Louis literally bounced on the spot, he was excited in his own right. Doing something just for fun was rare. and he was also trying to spread how he was feeling to the man next to him. But Harry, if he meant to or not, was resolutely down in the dumps and looked like he was on the verge of throwing the mother of all tantrums.

'But, but I can't believe it, what kind of zoo is this?'' And the pout was unintentional and absolutely adorable. More appropriate for a five year old really, but Harry wasn't acting or looking for attention, he really felt it, and in Louis' eyes that meant he could carry it off.

'Oh babe, come on, so they decided not to have monkeys anymore. That's ok. They still have hundreds of other animals we can talk to and laugh at!'

'But Lou, I really felt like I could tell them how I was feeling. They were such good listeners.'

They sulked their way around the zoo for another hour or so, looking at parrots, snakes, lemurs, marmosets (not 'proper monkeys' apparently), some sort of yellow-spotted lizard thing, mice, meerkats and finally a very grumpy and sedentary looking walrus.

It was the grumpy walrus that did it. Finally Louis decided that the sulking had to stop.

'Enough, enough. I'm sorry; I know this meant a lot to you. And I am not saying that it's silly. But wasn't the point of today, and this weekend, us having fun together? Just because some of your furry friends weren't here doesn't mean that's changed. Were still meant to be having fun!'

They carried on exploring the zoo and the park until it started to get dark. Harry finally letting go of the monkey no-show, and enjoying himself again. And as the afternoon drifted into dusk, the zoo got even quieter. And that meant a lot of time hugging Louis, chatting with Louis, and staring at Louis in adoration. Harry hadn't realised how much catching up they had to do, how much he'd missed him. Those months of separation meant he felt the need to make the most of every second they spent together. He just wanted to drink him in.

The drive back to their hotel felt comfortable and easy. And they both got the best night's sleep they could remember having in months, tangled up together in Louis' bed, Louis holding Harry close.

…...

'Hey you'

'Hey you too' Harry smiled and spoke through his yawn, welcoming Louis into the day.

'Breakfast?' Louis yawned back.

Still lying drowsily in bed. Debating what to do for breakfast. Drifting off into half-sleep, Louis hadn't noticed that Harry had stopped talking, he'd been too distracted by how cosy he felt. Soft kisses along his collarbone had him more alert and paying attention to what Harry was doing.

Looking up at him softly, kissing him deep and lazily. Harry pulled back, and started to suck and kiss along Louis collarbone again, biting at the junction between his jaw and neck, making Louis gasp and let out an involuntary groan. He carried on, kissing and sucking his way down his chest, stopping at each nipple, grazing each one with his teeth, causing Louis to let out another soft moan.
Pulling Harry back up, up to eye level, they kissed again, hot and breathy this time.
Breaking apart for a second, Harry licked into Louis' ear, whispering, sending sparks through Louis' whole body. 'Lou, can I give you a blow job? I really want to taste you. Was dreaming about it, it was so good, you were so good, please let me?' And lost for words, Louis nodded and felt himself tremble as Harry continued his journey down.

It felt like the best kind of torture, Louis knew that neither of them were very experienced, but Harry had a way of taking his time, slowly, inch by torturous inch, making him fall apart. Paying equal attention to every part of Louis' body, nibbling down his sides, nuzzling and licking under his arms, taking each finger into his mouth sucking and grazing with his teeth, placing a gentle kiss to each palm, swiping a strip down the centre of Louis stomach, licking and sucking at his belly button, biting at each hipbone, kneading and nipping at the inside of his thighs, breathing in deeply where his thighs met with thicker hair. Stopping he looked up, waiting for Louis' go-ahead. Shakily opening his eyes, it was almost too much for Louis to handle, the sight of the man in front of him. Gorgeous beautiful Harry, asking his permission for something he never thought would become a reality. Managing to form words, and whispering them out, 'Of course, please Harry...feels so good.'

Sinking back down between Louis spread legs, Harry bit on the inside of each of Louis' thighs, causing him to buck his hips and let out a moan of intense pleasure. Finally, finally, Harry wrapped one saliva-slick hand around the base of Louis' cock, laying his other arm across Louis' hips, holding him down. Moving and twisting his hand at a leisurely pace, Harry licked a stripe behind Louis' balls, taking them in his mouth and gently sucking. 'Oh god, yes, Harry….that feels...that feels…' but before he'd fully formed that thought, Harry sunk down, replacing his hand with his hot, wet, glorious mouth, 'fuck, Harry, fuck, oh god, you feel amazing, please don't stop…oh...' Licking along the underside of Louis' cock, taking the whole length in his mouth, and twirling his tongue around the head, Harry started to pick up speed, bobbing quickly, deeply, each time, causing Louis' cock to hit the back of his throat.

Louis could hear himself, so loud, moaning and gasping and groaning. Letting out soft, needy panting sounds with every move Harry made, feeling himself edging closer and closer to the pleasure growing deep inside of himself. He could feel that Harry was having to hold him down now, use the arm across his hips to stop him from bucking up. Teetering on the edge, Harry still taking him in deeply, sucking tightly, swirling his tongue in a way that had Louis hanging on by a thread. Then suddenly, gently, Harry was running a finger down the cleft of Louis' arse, just grazing his hole, back and forth, back and forth. And that was it, that was what tipped him over the edge. Louis was pulsing, hot down Harry's throat, hands tangled in his curls, thighs clamped around his head with Harry swallowing every drop.

Louis felt like he was sinking into the mattress, his body felt heavy and weighed down. After who knows how long, he came to, just enough to pull Harry up and in for a kiss, hard and full of meaning. And looking at Harry now, pulling him into a tight embrace, he felt in awe of the man in his arms, 'Harry...that was incredible, you're unbelievable. I've never felt anything like that before…I love you so fucking much.'

And he felt Harry shudder in his arms, bite down on his shoulder and let out a long, deep moan of his own, coming, painting long white stripes on Louis' stomach. Burying his head in Louis' hair, he whispered, quiet, shakily, 'That's what you do to me Lou, seeing you fall apart, hearing you say you love me, that's what it does to me. That's what you do to me.'

…