Orphans | Larry

25

LOUIS POV

"I swear to god if that little cunt hits our cart one more time I'm going to flip some serious shit."

"Louis... he's literally eleven."

"If he's only eleven then why are you clinging on to me for dear fucking life?" I said, smugness lacing my voice, as Harry struggled to detach himself from my side; a light dusting of pink spreading across his milky complexion.

"Last time I went on one of these things I almost got whiplash. Excuse me for fearing for my life." He spoke out, curls falling over his face in such a delicate manner that in my mind, the world paused for a brief moment.

The flashing lights of the carnival blended into one intoxicating mix, the burst of electronic music became all but a white noise. The whizzing bumper carts morphed into nothing but a still movement. The blue from my eyes became that of a stormy alloy, entirely captivated in the essence of the man beside me.

I was completely entranced by his beauty. I was certain that I would never be able to crawl my way out of the spell. My body and soul had been locked in, tied up, and left to rot in the environment that was the love that I felt for the boy.

And yet, I was far from sure that I even wanted to be freed. The pain that I had felt for so long had in my mind now been worth it. Because in simple words, as far as I was currently aware, I finally had him.

"That's why I'm here to protect you." I said simply, using my free hand to rub circles along his bicep, a comfort that I had long ago learnt soothed him. My other hand was occupied in directing the cart toward that same eleven year old.

I manoeuvred the bumper cart in the direction of the child's, trapping him in between the wall and us. And yet I refused to collide into his vehicle, for as Harry had said, he was just a child.

"Who's hitting our cart now, huh?" I spoke out, humour lacing my syllables as my childish behaviour began to leak out from my interior, causing for Harry to giggle beside me.

"Hey! You two are like forty years old. Act like it...old man." The child replied, before backing out and away from the hold that our cart had held on his.

I remained still, shocked at the words that the child had bespelled upon us. And by the looks of it, as I turned to face Harry, he was too left speechless.

It remained silent for few beats. The idea of ageing swirled brightly in the minds of us both.

"He-he called me an old man." I managed to squeak out, using my hand to sweep away at the sweaty fringe that was obstructing my vision.

"I can't believe he said we look forty." Harry breathed out, seemingly mortified at the accusation.

I looked him directly in the eyes, before throwing my head back in a distraught manner, "Oh god...we're getting old."

"You two look fine. Now...out you get, the rides over." The worker said, breaking us from our well deserved self pitied trance.

"Thank god for that." Harry let out a sigh of relief, placing his hand on my inner thigh as leverage to remove himself of the cramped cart. The action, although seemingly innocent, caused for me to tense. An understandable reaction to such a beautiful man.