In Too Deep (Dancing With The Shadows)

thirteen

It's a mid morning— birds chirping merrily out the window, a few clouds wisping in the air like a thin sheet of chiffon— when Peter taps on Louis' living room door where Louis has his feet propped under him, leaning into the sofa's arm, book propped on his tummy.

He takes off his glasses that he sometimes where's when reading, the concentration can strain his eyes and cause them to sting and go a little fuzzy.

"Wha'? Is Harry dying on the floor because I'm not there to entertain him?" Louis calls through the heavy wooden door.

The clack of the latch echoes and Peter is poking his head around the door, grin smug when his eyes land on Louis, causing Louis to quirk a brow.

"Guess what," Peter begins, leaning against the door frame, folding his arms.

Louis rolls his eyes. "What? You finally got your period? Congratulations! I'll get Mabel to bake a cake in the shape of a uterus," he sasses.

Peter barks a laugh. "Shut up, got my period ages ago," he jokes.

It's one thing Louis loves about his dad, he knows how to joke about and have a bit of fun.

"What is it?" Louis tries to sound enthusiastic but fails miserably.

"Don't sound too excited. I might not even let you have a go on it now," Peter says, fishing out a key from his pocket and swinging it around his index finger.

That catches Louis' attention and he props himself up on the sofa, abandoning his novel.

"Did you get a new car?" he gasps.

Peter shakes his head. "I got something better than a car, lad!"

Louis' brows furrow. "Motorbike?"

"Golf cart," Peter says gleefully and Louis groans.

"God, thought it was something good!"

Peter gasps mockingly. "How dare you! Golf cart means no more walking far distances. No more walking down the fields and through the woods. It means freedom, bud, freedom!"

Louis claps slowly. "You finished with your inspirational speech? I'll give it to you, it does sound fun. The doughnuts I could do in the meadow."

"You're not doing doughnuts in the meadow," Peter monotones.

Louis skips over to Peter, plucking the keys from his grip. "Sure, sure, whatever."

"Where're you going?" Peter calls after him.

Louis begins descending the stairs quickly, the key jingling between his fingers. "To play with my new toy!"

"It's my toy, Louis William!" his dad shouts back, but Louis continues to ignore and steps out the house after slipping some shoes on.

He spots the buggy on the pebble path besides the gate that leads to the vegetable garden. He grins towards it, and timidly walks back toward the cottage, tapping on the windows as he goes before knocking on the door.

"Harold!" he sing-songs.

"Leave that poor kid alone to rest, Lou!" Mabel calls from the kitchen, the scent of bread wafting through the air, entwining with the scent of the flowers peppering the estate.

"How about you piss off," he replies with a false over exaggerated grin her way.

She narrows her eyes at him, shakes her head slowly and disappears from the window.

Curls can be seen in the window, green eyes peeping out.

"I can't come out," Harry says through the slightly pollen dusted glass.