Bloodsport

chapter 20

Harry’s body tightened with frustration. He had no desire whatsoever to go into specific details about Jasmine, but Louis was clearly not able to be convinced. Their relationship may have changed considerably since they first met, but they were nowhere near something as critical as trust.

He sighed. What else could he say? “She’s… Jasmine’s not nice, okay?”

Louis seemed a little uncomfortable, and he scratched at the hair at the nape of his neck as he glanced away from Harry’s intense eyes. “I don’t know what happened between you two, but she seems pretty nice to me.”

Goddammit. Harry felt weirdly desperate to make him get it, and he hated that feeling with extreme ferocity.

“She’s not, Louis. I’m telling you. You may hate me, but I’ve never lied to you.” Well. “If it wasn’t a prank, or to humiliate you.” Louis’ eyes formed into slits of distaste. “But I’m telling you the truth, Louis. Don’t befriend her. She’s a disgusting human being. I’m not gonna’ tell you why, because we’re not mates and I don’t owe you anything, but don’t trust her.”

In the midst of his passionate speech, he’d walked towards Louis, and his landed heavily on his shoulders. Please. Just understand the severity of it all, he thought. Please.

Louis leaned away, shaking his head. “This is so weird.” Harry had a short moment to feel the disappointment of failure before Louis was speaking again. His hands were thrown out exasperatedly and he spun around, sudden ferociousness in his eyes. “You are so fucking complicated, you know that? You’re fucking weird, and secretive, and you have anger issues, and you’re so terribly annoying —”

“Are you going somewhere with this?” Harry knew all of those things to be true, but he didn’t like hearing Louis insult him for whatever reason.

“— and you make me crazy on a daily basis, and I don’t get why I’m listening to you right now.” He turned around again. His face was full of confusion and annoyance, but his eyes appeared to be searching through Harry’s own as if he was actually trying to understand. “Why should I trust you? Didn’t you date her, or something?”

Harry felt his stomach sink, chest falling heavily as he gazed back into Louis’ blue eyes. “That’s exactly why you should.”

He shook his head, ran a hand over his face, muttered “this is ridiculous,” and promptly sank to the grass where he lay down and covered his face with his arms.

Harry watched him in silence, seeing his stomach rise and fall with each breath he took. He didn’t know if Louis would be taking his advice or not, but the discussion was clearly over. And in the midst of all that was said, Harry certainly had not missed the fact that Louis felt like Harry made him crazy. Every day. That had to be… a good thing. Right? At least it meant that while Harry was thinking about Louis, Louis was thinking about him.

He slowly sat down on the grass, by the other boy’s side. They remained quiet for another few minutes, and Harry thought perhaps Louis was trying to process the conversation. He didn’t move away when Harry settled next to him, so he took it as a sign that Louis wasn’t going to run away. After another minute, Louis removed his arms from his face and sat up, staring at the ground in front of them. He didn’t leave.

Harry smiled at his sneakers, where they were crossed in front of him. “You’d think I’d be dead by now, counting how many times you’ve threatened to murder me. I don’t think I’ve threatened to do that to you. Yet.”

“You might,” huffed Louis.

“Maybe.”

“I should probably kill you first, shouldn’t I, before you bury me somewhere,” he grimaced. He didn’t look happy about that. “Could probably run you over with the car, or stab you in the back when you’re not looking. Or shoot you.”