Undone, Undress (Larry Stylinson)

thirty-seven

"So what's the plan, kiddo?"

Harry grimaces at him around his coffee mug, looking peacefully well-rested despite the early hour of the morning. It's seven o'clock and his eyes are bright, reflecting the pale morning light seeping in through the windows of the kitchen.

It's snowing outside, in thick heavy flakes that are collecting on the city streets. Though they've both lived in cold weather all their lives, it would be a lie to say they aren't at least a little concerned about driving nearly a thousand miles in the winter weather.

"You always call me that."

"We've discussed this already. I call everyone 'kiddo.'" Besides, you like it, he doesn't say.

"You don't, though."

"Yeah, you're right. It's just you." Louis is in the process of fiddling with the GPS system they're using instead of their phones, when he turns around and looks back at Harry to see him pouting. "What?"

"I just- I don't know."

"Do you want me to call you something else?"

"No, but like. Um. I don't know."

"Okay. Good talk. Now where are we going exactly?"

Their final destination is Elmhurst, Illinois, the small town in which Harry grew up. Earlier when Louis had asked, Harry had said he'd "like to avoid it" but Louis knew then and there that he wasn't giving the full answer. Of course the road trip had a destination, but perhaps one that Harry wasn't very enthusiastic about. Louis still doesn't know why Harry wants to return for the holidays, since he seems to hate it so much, but he's hoping he can get an answer out of him during their nineteen hour drive to Illinois.

It's going to take nineteen hours because Harry wants to drive through West Virginia and Kentucky instead of traveling due West straight to Elmhurst. Louis has never been to either West Virginia nor Kentucky, and he's not sure there's anything notable to see in either state. On the way back, they'll drive through Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

"We're spending the night in Charleston," Harry finally answers, finally past Louis calling him kiddo. "It's about an eight hour drive."

"Alright, let's get going then."

Harry offers to drive the first leg, which means Louis gets the pleasure of dozing off with his head against the window before they make a stop at McDonald's. Harry orders one breakfast sandwich with egg for Louis, a yogurt parfait for himself, two hash browns, and two small coffees, black. At the last second he adds a chocolate milkshake.

They eat while they drive. This results in Louis breaking off bits of Harry's hash brown and feeding it to him by hand, making them both laugh. They share the milkshake, passing it back and forth between them, no care for germs.

The snow is just beginning, so the roads are okay right now but in a little while they won't be. Louis feels better knowing they're traveling south, where the weather hopefully won't be as bad.

"Tell me something, H."

"Huh?"

"Tell me something about you."

"Okay, ummm. I lied."

"What?"

"I lied. I'm not vegetarian."

"I'm confused."

"I'm pollotarian."

"You say that like I know what it means."

"It means I'm mostly vegetarian, but sometimes I eat meat."

Louis is intrigued. "When have you eaten meat recently?"

"I dunno, but sometimes I forget and I eat it without thinking."

"But you're essentially vegetarian."

"I try to be."

"Huh."

"I feel bad about it."

Louis looks over at him and can't help the fond smile that overtakes his face. Sometimes Harry is just too much, in a good way. Too pure for this world.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're lovely."

"Don't be weird."

"Just being honest," Louis laughs. Far too endeared for just friends.