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The lingering light is extinguished by the rapidly falling night, transforming the sky into an expanse of jet black velvet, stars sparkling like fairy lights. The moon hung in the place of the now sleeping sun, lighting up the earth with its luminescent glow. Tall trees towered above, casting shadows on the forest floor littered with leaves as moonlight streams through the forest canopy. Cutting through the cold night air, a soft, warm glow is visible from round the trunks of the trees.
Nestled in the woods is a lodge. And outside sits a fire, crackling gently and sending flecks of red hot ember flying into the night sky. The deep oaky smell mingles with the rich pine scent hanging in the air, and wafts its way over to the two boys sat on a swing chair. Basked in the firelight, the taller lads face glows as he leans into the fire, marshmallows skewered on sticks as they are thrust into the depths of the flames. His curls rest gently on his shoulders, and his green eyes are full of warmth as he glances back at his smaller, blue eyed companion, who seems intent on placing the squares of chocolate on the gram crackers on the plate in his lap. A look of deep concentration is fixed on his face, the fire casting an orange glow that sinks into the lines by his eyes and dramatizes every shadow, giving depth to his face. Soft fringe flutters down over his forehead, as Louis lifts his chin slightly to shoot a soft, contented smile at Harry. Complacent, Harry turned back to the marshmallows.
As the sticky sweet sugar began to bubble and brown slightly, Harry withdrew them from the licks of the fire flames, transferring them to the plate of gram crackers and chocolate that he had taken from Louis. Molten marshmallow squidged between the crackers, mingling with the smooth chocolate to create a treat that could only be described as diabetes in a mouthful. But it was a cold evening – the kind of cold that causes clouds of mist with every outward breath - and so on this night, Harry has figured that this treat would be perfectly acceptable. S’mores in hand, he flopped back, the seat swaying gently beneath him. Handing one to Louis, Harry pulled the smaller boy closer into his side, draping the comforting weight of his arm round the tiny shoulders and tugging the soft plaid blanket tighter around them both, a barrier from the wintery breeze that threatened to draw the small mountains of goose bumps up along their bare skin.
Time moved by. A peaceful silence fell across the couple, broken only by the soft crackles emitted from the fireplace.
S’mores had long since vanished when Louis felt Harry slide his hand around his own, smooth skin inching closer together to interlock. He felt Harry’s barely there touch tracing ticklish circles into the back of Louis hand, before bringing their entwined hands up to his lips. The gesture lasted only a moment, before the hands found themselves back in the cushion of the brushed cotton blanket. Turning his head to meet Harry’s gaze, Louis eyes skipped over the crumbs collected at the corner of the others mouth, his thumb ghosting over Harry’s skin to brush them away. Despite the simplicity of the movement, it was something that had come to carry a heavy load of emotion – with each delicate gentle gesture, one fell more in love with the other.
Harry leaned forward, nudging Louis nose with his own slightly before pressing his lips on the other boys. Louis mind was wiped of everything outside of this moment – of everything besides the warmth that leaked into his body from Harry’s touch, from the sensation of Harry’s slightly chapped lips against his own. He could only concentrate on Harry. He reached up to tangle his fingers in Harry’s long curls, tugging only gently to convey his consent to the kiss being deepened – a signal Harry dually noted and acted upon. They remained this way – two souls united by one action – until their lungs became starved of oxygen, at which point they broke away, breathing heavily. But there they remained, foreheads pressed together and eyes fixed on the other, just basking in the closeness they felt.
The fire crackled. The trees rustled. And the two boys remained, fixated on the other, long into the night – until the fire was just glowing embers, and the moon had begun to lose its luminosity in the imminent presence of dawn. Just together, as they always had been. As they always would be.