I Painted A Scene That Lit The Stars For Me | Harry/Louis | NC-17
Title: I Painted A Scene That Lit The Stars For Me
Author: dorkle_07
Rating: NC-17
Words: 10, 220
Pairing: Harry/Louis
Summary: ‘Harry still remembers the first tattoo he got…’
Disclaimer: not mine.
Author Notes: This fic came together pretty quickly as far as fics go. It’s the first fic I’ve finished in a very long time and I’m very excited to finally be posting something this long for the first time in forever. I wrote this before we knew about Harry getting a half sleeve and all that good stuff so I’m pretty much beside myself now since I have this whole ‘verse in my head already. I hope you all love it. Feel free to leave comments to let me know what you think! <3 (title and cut text from Now The World by AFI)
Harry still remembers the first tattoo he got. He was sixteen and stupid and said tattoo has since been covered by something bigger and better but he’ll never forget the sting, the buzz, and the adrenaline.
*
The first time Harry saw a tattoo he was a little boy. It was on the forearm of his granddad. He remembers the faded lion on his skin, the swords crossed behind it. He’d always tell Harry stories about being in the army and how he got the tattoo for all his friends that he met at that time in his life, but at the time Harry was more concerned with how silly the lion looked when his granddad made it dance.
Harry remembers being completely fascinated by the ink under his grandfather’s skin, his green eyes wide as he traced the shapes.
“Grandad did it hurt?” he would ask.
“A little bit.” His grandfather would always reply “But that’s okay. A little pain is good here and there.”
Harry would always furrow his brows and wonder what his granddad was talking about.
*
Before Harry got his first tattoo, he always harbored a huge amount of tattoo envy. He remembers seeing guys in school coming in with bandages over their skin, the designs shiny when they pulled away the gauze to show them off. He remembers the twist of nerves in his gut as he thought about the horrible prospect of never getting one.
Eventually one day he bites the bullet. It’s the middle of the fucking afternoon on a Saturday in the middle of summer and he gets some dumb squiggles on his hip because he’s an Aquarius and they apparently couldn’t think of anything cooler to represent the water barer.
*
The next tattoo comes when he falls in love with photography. The first time one of his teachers put a camera in his hand it was like he’d finally found the missing part of his arm. He remembers the camera dangling around his neck and banging against his ribcage as he walked around his little village to find stupid dead plants and old tires to take pictures of.
He gets a film strip on his ankle on a Thursday afternoon in fall.
*
The Temper Trap lyrics on his right arm come when he comes to terms with his sexuality. He never had a major crisis over it or anything, but finally saying it out loud felt like a milestone he had to immortalize forever in ink. He remembers reading about the meaning of Sweet Disposition and it stuck with him. He couldn’t get it out of his head and finally gave in on a random Friday.
*
He covers up the squiggles on his hip with a sparrow. He’s in the midst of an intense traditional tattoo Sailor Jerry phase and this is the first tattoo in a series of few that display that. (The tattoos that follow are an owl on the outside of his left calf, followed by a traditional pirate ship on the outside of his other calf)
*
Harry makes the decision while in school to study abroad. (After the pirate ship. It’s fall term of his second to last year). He still remembers all the brochures spread out on his kitchen table. He read them all over from cover to cover and finally, after much deliberation, decided to go to Japan.
”Are you sure?” his mother asked him, biting her lip.
“Yeah.” Harry says “I am.”
When he decides to go he plans out his foot tattoos. An old yellow faded globe on one foot, and an ornate compass rose on the other. He’s a world traveler now. He’ll need to make sure he can find his way through the unknown.
*
Japan is overwhelming. It overtakes Harry’s senses. He has a summer’s worth of introductory Japanese under his belt and his camera in his hand at all times.
Japan changes Harry. He had never realized just how big the world was; how small he was in comparison to everything. He falls in love with everything about Japan. The architecture, the scenery, the people, the food. All of it. He spends more nights than he can count lurking around okiyas and tea houses to get photos of geisha as they move from place to place. (Harry falls in love with the Geisha especially. How beautiful they are, the way they giggle demurely when he asks in broken Japanese to take a picture of them, how they scurry away in their kimono to their next appointment.)
He misses Japan like crazy when he gets back. His mother worries about the amount of time he spends in his room looking at his pictures and listening to the multitude of music he collected while over there. He tries to get it out of his system. He has a whole shelf in his room dedicated to photo albums from that semester (He spent hours editing the pictures and compiling them and organizing the albums by theme). He even printed a few of his favorites and framed them on his wall. He has more souvenirs than he can count but in the end he ends up coping and acclimating better to life at home once he’s gotten a tattoo of a geisha.
The idea comes to him one night while he’s looking through one of his photo albums and listening to some random kabuki thing he’d picked up on a day trip. He stares at the beautiful girl in the photo in front of him and bites his lip, thinking about how lovely she would look on his right shoulder.
*
He’s had the idea for a sleeve for a while now. The first time it hit him that it might be something he’d want to do was when he was getting one of his foot tattoos. He watched as the guy in the chair next to him was having his own worked on. Harry’s eyes widened at the sheer beauty of the work on his arm. The colors and shapes all blending together in a swirl that made Harry’s brain spin.
That day when he gets home, as he’s putting on his aftercare lotion, all he can think about is the guy with the sleeve. Not long after that he starts to pull together ideas.
As a photographer, Harry is always looking at things with an artistic eye. He keeps a keen eye out for images and ideas that could work. He becomes especially attached to a painting of a nebula and that’s when he decides he wants the universe on his arm.
It takes a long while for him to accumulate images. Does a bit of research, but most of the elements come to him organically. One night while hanging out with his friend Niall he sees a picture of the M81 galaxy flash up on his tv screen while he channel surfs. His eyes go wide and he writes down the name so he can look it up later. One day while flipping through a photography book at work he finds pictures of space from the hubble telescope.
Everything he amasses ends up on a cork board hung above his desk. While it used to be home to reminders and ticket stubs and ribbons from school, it now his covered with images of planets and constellations and nebulas.
*
His tattoo artist turned friend Zayn has done a lot of the artwork on his body. When Harry decides he’s finally ready to start the planning process he doesn’t think twice about going to his friend.
“Shit man.” Zayn says when he looks at the folder of ideas Harry put in front of him.
Harry bites his lip and nods.
“Yeah. Been thinking about it for a while now.”
“I can tell.” Zany says.
With that they start planning.
*
The first session comes on quickly. Harry brings in a big bag of jolly ranchers to suck on, along with a huge bottle of water.
“You’re a pro at this now.” Zayn comments as he readies his work station.
“This is the biggest piece I’ve done, though.” Harry says “So we’ll see how I fare.”
Zayn smiles.
“You’ll be fine.”
Said first session is long as hell but Zayn manages to get the whole outline done. Harry’s in love already. From his shoulder down to his wrist he has a whole space scene mapped out. His favorite nebulas and planets all dancing together beautifully on his skin.
“God.” He breathes. “It’s going to be so fucking sick.”
Zayn smiles.
“I’m glad you like it so much already.”
Harry nods.
“I’ll see you in a few weeks.” He says before walking out.
*
Harry always jokes that the only reason he works is to support his tattoo habit. (It’s a little more than half true.) Currently he works at a camera store. He spends his days selling equipment, developing film, and teaching customers how to use their cameras. (He can’t bear the thought of a proper camera used improperly. It hurts his soul.) He also does freelancing gigs. Lots of weddings and parties. (Harry has found that weddings and kids parties pay really well. Kids parties have a tendency to make him want to pull his hair out, though.)
Suffice to say Harry is a busy guy at this point in his life. He still lives with his mom because it saves money and he hates the thought of her being alone all day.
(It’s ridiculous because she has Robin but whatever. Sometimes Robin works late and Harry hates to think of his mother sitting at the dinner table eating by herself.)
(He’s a mama’s boy. Plain and simple.)
When he comes home after his first session, adrenaline still buzzing, cock half hard in his jeans, his mother fixes him with a look.
“Let’s see it.” She says.
Harry holds out his arm for her.
“It’s. It’s going to be big.”
Harry nods “yeah.” He says “my whole arm.”
“Is the other one going to get the same treatment?” She asks, eyeing the geisha on his shoulder.
“Most likely not.” He says. He points to the geisha “She’s all I need on that arm.”
She smiles softly.
“Care to explain what’s happening? All I see are lines.”
Harry nods. He grabs his folder full of pictures and ideas and his mom sits close to him on the couch.
He shows her the pictures he’s amassed. Explains to her about how the turquoise and purple nebula is going to go on his shoulder, pulls out the picture of the M81 galaxy that will go on his elbow. She picks out the outline of Saturn easily on the inside of his elbow and he goes on to explain that Jupiter and Neptune will be on his forearm along with constellations. He tells her how, when he closes his eyes, he envisions blues and purples all over his arms, big beautiful clouds of stardust and comets shooting around it. She smiles softly as he does so, tracing the lines on his left arm absently.
He goes off on a tangent about how big space is and how beautiful it is to him. He shows her nebula photos and gushes about how it’s so amazing that there are things that awesome that actually exist. (He’s pretty sure he sounds like a total stoner when he tries to explain how small they are in conjunction to the universe, which never ends.) The photographer in Harry is just so jealous of the fact that he’ll never be able to actually go to the places he has Hubble photos of. He’ll never be able to find the perfect angle and the right light so he figures he may as well immortalize it on his skin.
By the end, she tells Harry that she feels like she understands him better. Understands the man he’s becoming. She says that she thinks each tattoo is beautiful because it’s a part of him and that’s all Harry’s ever wanted to hear from her.
*
Harry spends the next month saving up for his next session. He’s anxious to start next step. When his appointment day comes, he gathers his jolly ranchers and water and gets going.
When he gets to the shop he sees Zayn talking to a shorter guy with feathery brown hair. He’s wearing a pair of cuffed chinos and a wide necked t-shirt.
Harry takes his face in, biting his lip. The first thing he notices, after how beautiful the boy is, is the glint of metal near his eyebrow. Harry raises a brow at that. Pretty boy with piercings. He’s intrigued.
“Harry!” Zayn calls happily “Come for more torture?”
“You know me.” Harry says “I love the pain.”
The pretty boy’s eyebrow rises at that and he smirks. Harry winks at him and smiles at Zayn.
“Come on back.” Zayn says “And strip.”
Harry laughs happily and follows Zayn to his station.
“My mate Louis is going to hang out while I tattoo you today.” Zayn says.
Harry nods.
“Cool.” He says. He looks back at the pretty boy. Louis. “Nice to meet you.” He says.
“Likewise.” Louis says with a sweet smile.
Harry puts down his bag of candy and his water and strips off his shirt. He doesn’t notice, but if he had, he would have seen Louis eyeing him up appreciatively.
“Can’t wait to give this some color.” Zayn says as he puts out all the inks he’ll need, as well as pictures for reference. Zayn and Harry had decided to start with the nebula that would be on Harry’s shoulder. As of yet the area was still fairly bare due to the sheer amount of freehand shading Zayn would have to do.
Harry nods.
“I can’t either. It’s going to look insane.”
“Get settled then.” Zayn says “We’ll be here for a while.”
Harry nods and sits, getting comfortable. Louis sits in an empty chair and watches, keeping quiet when Zayn starts. He can’t help but watch Harry’s reaction to it. He bites his lip and his stomach muscles twitch and tighten. He uses his free arm to grab a jolly rancher, his cheeks hollowing as he sucks on it.
Louis shifts in his seat as he watches Harry, who remains fairly stoic as Zayn shades Harry’s shoulder with a scarily huge needle. Soon Harry and Zayn are comfortable enough to start talking, and Louis joins in easily. Harry is funny and sweet and very charming and Louis has a huge crush already. (It also helps that he looks very good shirtless and if Louis is not mistaken that is a tattoo peeking above his waistband and Louis really wants to see the whole thing)
Louis isn’t alone though. Harry steals as many glances at Louis as he can. The glint of the ring in his brow combined with his beautiful smile and sense of humor is more than enough to keep him captivated. Louis makes the whole painful process suck less. Harry can’t help but wonder what else Louis has pierced. Does he have any tattoos? What else is hiding under his clothes?
“Alright, mate.” Zayn says “I think that’s all I can do today. M’getting tired.”
Harry nods, they’ve been going at it for a few hours. Zayn had managed to freehand the nebula they had talked about, bringing the shading down to where Saturn and Harry’s galaxy will go.
“Me too.” He mumbles. Getting tattooed tends to take a lot out of Harry.
He gasps when he looks into the mirror. The turquoise and purple of the nebula on his shoulder is striking. That combined with the details on the clouds and stars is enough to make Harry dizzy.
“Zayn.” He murmurs “shit man, this is amazing.”
“It really is.” Louis says from behind them.
“Thanks guys.” Zayn says, blushing a little “It’s nothing.”
“Not nothing.” Harry says, his voice tight. “It’s perfect.”
“Call me when you’re ready to finish it off.” Zayn says, clearly uncomfortable with all the praise.
Harry nods.
“Of course.”
He goes to grab his shirt, pulling it on as carefully as possibly over the bandage.
Louis watches it all, biting his lip.
“Harry.” He says softly, pulling him away from where Zayn is cleaning up.
“This is a bit forward.” He starts “But um. Would you maybe want to go out sometime? I um. I had a lot of fun getting to know you today.”
Harry grins.
“Me too. I have some free time if you want to get coffee. I could use a drink.”
Louis nods quickly.
“Sure.” He says with a surprised grin. He wasn’t quite expecting Harry to offer that.
Harry smiles.
“I know a great place down the street.”
*
The two spend hours talking at the little coffee shop at the end of the road. Harry forgets about the stinging in his arm and how sore and itchy and ouchy it will be later because all he can see in front of him is Louis and the gem in his brow and god damn is that a stud in his tongue?
Louis must catch him staring because he smiles like he’s seen that look before and sticks his tongue out for Harry, who swallows hard and laughs awkwardly.
“All your piercings are sparkly.” He says dumbly.
“Have you seen all of them?” Louis asks, quirking a brow at him.
“All of them?” Harry asks.
“Do you only have tattoos where people can see them?”
“Good point.” Harry says, swallowing hard and trying not to think about what else Louis could possibly have pierced.
The conversation goes on from there. Harry tells Louis all about his photography and even throws in a few of his favorite horror stories. In turn, Louis tells him all about his job at the local radio station with his friend Liam, who he met in college.
(“So do you get to pick your own playlists and stuff?” Harry asks, fascinated.
“Totally.” Louis says. “Lots of fancy big radio stations have computers and it’s all depressing and computerized but the format we have at our station is a little more…grassroots.”)
Harry of course suggests as many songs to Louis as he possibly can. He also tells Louis that he will be listening to him as much as possible so that he can make sure Louis is taking said suggestions.
*
Louis and Harry start hanging out whenever they both have free time. Louis works as well as spending time outside of work picking his playlists so it’s not as much as either boy would like, but it’s enough. They are more than aware of their mutual attraction and it drives Louis so nuts that one day he just grabs Harry and kisses him in the middle of the chip aisle in Tesco’s, a bag of cheese doodles in one hand and Harry’s face in the other. Harry kisses back enthusiastically and smiles at him brightly when he pulls away.
“I’m cool with that happening more regularly.” He says breathlessly.
“Good.” Louis says. He pushes the bag of cheese doodles into Harry’s chest with a smirk.
“Now let’s go. Movie night.”
“Well now if you’re going to be a bossy boyfriend I don’t know how I feel about this.”
Louis stops and turns around, smiling at him.
“Yeah?” He asks.
“Yeah.” Harry says.
And that’s that.
*
That night, they get distracted from their cheese doodles and silly movies when Louis’ lips find Harry’s neck. The two make out shamelessly on the couch, not worried about getting caught.
“My room.” Harry breathes into Louis’ mouth.
Louis moans and nods, grabbing Harry’s hand and pulling him up the steps. When Harry strips off Louis’ shirt, he moans at the sight. Louis has a bar through each nipple.
“Fuck” he mumbles “You are so fucking delicious.”
Louis smirks.
“Strip, Styles” he murmurs, “And then I’ll let you explore.”
Harry does as Louis tells him and the two spend the night mapping each other’s bodies. Louis gives Harry the most fucking amazing blowjob of his life, using the stud in his tongue to its full potential. Harry moans as he comes, and then reaches to jerk Louis off, putting his mouth on one of the boy’s nipples and tugging with his teeth. It’s enough to set Louis off and soon the boy is coming into Harry’s fist with a grunt.
Naked and breathing heavy, they settle next to one another. Louis smiles as he looks at Harry’s tattoos.
“They’re all so beautiful.” He murmurs, tracing over the sparrow on his hip.
“I saw that peeking out of your jeans the first day I met you.” He confesses “I really wanted a closer look at what it was.”
Harry smiles.
“When you told me you had other piercings my mind went to very dirty places.”
Louis laughs happily.
“Styles, you little perv.”
“You love it.”
Louis smiles.
“I am quite fond of it.”
*
Louis accompanies Harry to the next session he schedules.
“It’s going to be boring.” He says
“Not with you around.” Louis says, squeezing Harry’s hand.
*
Louis sits and holds his hand the whole time, smiling and passing him Jolly Ranchers and all in all being the best boyfriend ever. Zayn is working on the galaxy on Harry’s elbow today so there are lots of painful spots; Louis kisses the corner of Harry’s mouth and tells him what a good job he’s doing every time he winces in discomfort.
Harry’s pretty sure that he loves Louis as much as he loves getting tattoos after that.
*
Louis and Harry develop a routine after that next session. Louis always helps Harry with his after care, rubbing lotion on it and making sure it looks like it’s healing okay.
“It really is beautiful, Haz.” Louis says softly as he traces the nebula on his shoulder.
Harry smiles.
“That’s all Zayn.” Harry says “he’s the artist.”
“Well yeah.” Louis says “But it’s on you. And I think it’s beautiful on you.”
Harry kisses him, eyes sliding shut as he holds his chin between two fingers.
“You’re beautiful.” He murmurs into Louis’ lips.
*
The next time the two of them go to the shop it’s not for Harry.
“It’s a surprise.” Louis says “I’m not telling you because I’m positive you’ll tell me it’s ridiculous.”
“Louiiisss.” Harry whines “Tell me!”
“Nope.” Louis says “You wait out here and I’ll surprise you when I’m done.”
Harry grumbles and crosses his arms over his chest, pouting as Louis is led back by one of the piercers.
*
Louis comes out a few minutes later with a smile on his face.
“Well?” Harry asks, clearly impatient. He had been talking with Zayn at the front desk.
“You’ll see when we get home.” Louis says.
(Harry forgets that he’s supposed to be annoyed when Louis says home. His stomach flutters a little and he thinks about how Louis thinks of his house as home. He of course feels similarly about Louis’ house.)
“Why not now?” He asks.
“Because I said so.” Louis says. He grabs Harry’s hand, smiles sweetly at Zayn, who is laughing and shaking his head at how whipped Harry is, and pulls Harry out of the shop.
*
Louis lifts his shirt up when they’re in Harry’s bedroom and bites his lip. Harry’s breath rushes out of him when he sees the new bit of metal in Louis’ belly button.
“What do you think?” He asks, biting his lip.
“Shit, Lou.” Harry murmurs, eyes glazing over at the sight.
“Good reaction?”
“Very good.” Harry mumbles, reaching down to adjust the growing bulge in his pants.
Louis giggles at that.
“No funny business.” He says “We need to keep it clean so it doesn’t get infected.”
“Shit” Harry mumbles “of course.” He smiles fondly at his boyfriend.
“Now I get to take care of you.”
Louis blushes softly.
“Great.” He murmurs.
*
Harry makes good on his word. He takes very good care of Louis’ piercing, and when it’s finally healed enough he spreads him out on his bed and sucks marks into his hips, hands sliding up Louis’ body. He groans as Louis arches his back, the light glinting off of the piercings in his torso.
“So fucking hot.” Harry murmurs, the muscles in his arms flexing as he pulls Louis closer to him.
He kisses his boyfriend’s belly, eyes darkening at the sight of the new addition.
“I never thought I’d get so worked up over a belly ring before.” He mumbles.
Louis laughs softly as he winds his fingers into Harry’s hair.
“Yeah?” He asks
“Oh yeah” Harry mumbles “I love it. I wanna bit your tummy.”
“So do it.” Louis murmurs, spreading his legs a little.
Harry settles comfortably between them and tugs the ring between his teeth, causing Louis to gasp. He smirks into Louis’ skin and goes to work on making his boyfriend gasp his name.
*
Harry has an even harder time keeping his hands off of Louis after he gets his belly button pierced. (his hands always somehow manage to find their way under his shirt and Louis always half-heartedly pushes them away.)
*
Months have passed since Louis and Harry have started dating. Harry has had to put finishing his sleeve on hold due to an influx of freelance jobs.
“God damn weddings.” Harry mumbles as he packs his camera bag up.
Louis smiles at his grumbling.
“You love shooting weddings. You said so yourself.”
Harry sighs.
“I do.” He says “They give me free food, I get to party, and on top of all that I get to document an insane amount of drunken stupidity.”
Louis laughs softly.
“You would love that part.”
Harry winks playfully and pulls out his suit he keeps in the back of his closet especially for the weddings he shoots. Louis watches him as he gets dressed, eyes sliding over him.
“You look so good in that suit.” He says distractedly.
Harry smiles at him.
“Thanks.” He says “I do love to dress up.”
“It suits you.” Louis says “You’re all long and lean. I never look that good dressed up.”
“Bullshit.” Harry says “You look amazing dressed up. Your ass is magical in a pair of dress pants.”
Louis laughs happily at that.
“Thanks, love.” He says, getting up and pressing a kiss to Harry’s mouth. He lands a smack on Harry’s ass before flopping back down on his bed.
“Thank you sir may I have another.” Harry says playfully, bending over a little in Louis’ direction.
Louis giggles and smacks him again.
“You know.” Harry says, righting his posture “I do get a plus one for this wedding. And I could always use someone to help me out with my equipment.”
Louis grins.
“Let’s run past my house so I can get dressed.”
Harry nods.
“Of course.”
*
Louis pulls on a pair of tight dress pants quickly, followed by a white dress shirt that hugs his body. (If you look close enough you could see not only the piercing in his belly, but also the ones in his nipples.) He finishes it off with a pair of suspenders, grabs his wallet and phone, and runs down the steps to where Harry is waiting.
When Harry sees him he smiles brightly, kisses Louis softly, and tells him how beautiful he looks. Louis blushes and says nothing in favor of pulling Harry out to the car.
*
The bride is very sweet and seems very very excited to see that Harry brought someone.
“This is my boyfriend Louis.” He says “He’s going to be assisting me today.”
She smiles.
“So nice to meet both of you.”
“You as well.” Louis says politely.
They talk about what she wants from the shoot and what she would like Harry to capture.
“Just forget I’m here.” Harry says as he pulls out his camera.
She smiles and nods, going about getting ready as if he weren’t there. Harry starts off by taking loads of pictures of the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready, getting some beautiful shots.
“Babe those are great.” Louis says.
Louis has seen Harry’s portfolio and has been on the other end of Harry’s camera in various positions and stages of undress many times. Watching Harry in a professional environment is completely different, though. It’s honestly one of the sexiest things Louis has ever seen.
*
After a little while of photographing the ladies, Harry bids them farewell. He and Louis go to meet the groom and his groomsmen, wanting to get some shots of them.
The guys are a lot different than the girls. Most of them are in various stages of dress with drinks in their hands.
“Don’t get too smashed.” The best man says “Can’t have anyone passing out on the alter.”
“That certainly would make things interesting.” Louis says.
The guys all laughs and Harry chuckles softly as he shucks off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves. Louis eyes up his arm and bites his lip.
“Nice ink.” One of the guys says.
Harry smiles.
“Thanks mate. Bottom half is still just lines unfortunately but the top half is coming along nicely”
“Can we see the whole thing?” Another one asks.
“Um.” Harry says “Sure.”
He hands off his camera to Louis, who holds it carefully. He unbuttons his dress shirt and pulls the left half off. The guys all crowd and get a good look.
“Shit man.” One guy says “that’s legit.”
“Must hurt like a bitch.”
Harry nods.
“Elbow was motherfucking terrible.” He says, twisting his arm around to show off the galaxy.
He doesn’t catch the snap of the camera as Louis takes a picture of the moment with a smile.
After getting dressed again Harry snaps a good amount of pictures of the groomsmen before going down to the chapel to scout a good spot to set up.
(Louis has the picture he took of Harry framed. Harry looks beautiful. His curls are soft around his face and his arm looks beautiful as he twists it to show off the galaxy on his elbow. He keeps it on his desk at work. He smiles every time he sees it.)
*
The wedding itself is beautiful. Harry immerses himself in getting good shots of the ceremony. Louis is a perfect assistant, handing Harry what he needs and keeping everything in order for him.
*
“I’m excited for the reception.” Louis says, his arm linked with Harry’s as they walk out of the church.
“Me too.” Harry says “Those guys know how to party.”
Louis laughs at that.
“They sure do.”
*
The photo session before the reception goes well. Harry gets some amazing shots and is in a good mood as they walk into the reception.
“Should be fun.” He says “The bride and groom have informed be that the best way to get pictures of the party is to be in the party.”
Louis smiles excitedly.
“So we get to drink for free and dance?”
“Yep.” Harry says with a big grin.
Louis whoops excitedly, pulling Harry into the party area.
*
A while later, Harry is a doing his best to rein in a drunken Louis.
“Hazza.” Louis mumbles. His face is pink and his hair is plastered to his forehead.
“Hazza this drink is very very good.”
Harry smiles.
“Yeah?”
“Oh yes.” Louis says nodding “It’s very good and I am drunk.”
“I can tell.” Harry says with a very amused smile.
“You should dance with me.” Louis says.
“Okay.” Harry says “I can do that.”
He thinks about packing his camera away, but then thinks about all the potential for amazing pictures on the dance floor. He opts instead for rolling up his sleeves a bit more opening the first few buttons on his dress shirt.
“Love your chest” Louis mumbles “you should get a tattoo there.” He brings a finger to rest right in the middle of it.
Harry smiles.
“Good idea.” He says, smiling down at Louis. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good.” Louis says. He leans in to clumsily press a kiss to the exposed skin before patting it.
*
Louis grinds his ass on Harry’s crotch as soon as they step out on the floor. Harry moves behind him doing his best to keep up with the beat. He’s always been a bit awkward on the dance floor. He chalks it up to his lanky limbs. He puts on hand on Louis’ hip, wanting to keep him close. Louis moves like a pro and Harry can’t help but stare at him. He gets some thumbs ups from some of the groomsmen and one of them even mouths for him to ‘tap that’. Harry nods and gives an awkward thumbs up.
Louis giggles at that, clearly having seen what the guy said.
“You gonna tap this?” He asks, bending over a little so he can press his ass harder into Harry.
“You fucking know it.” Harry says, landing a light smack on Louis’ behind. “Who said you were allowed to move like this?”
Louis laughs.
“It’s a gift.” He says “I’m only using the talents I was given.”
“It would be quite a shame to waste it.” Harry says. He gives his hips an experimental roll and Louis gasps and rights his posture. He turns to look at his boyfriend with his wide eyes.
“Why, Harold! I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Harry growls and rolls again.
“Yes you did.” He says.
“You’re right.” Louis says, gyrating into him with a smirk. “I did.”
(Harry gets a bit distracted for a while, understandably of course, but manages to get some amazing pictures. Louis becomes best friends with the entire bridal party by the end of the night. Harry’s not surprised since Louis could make the yeti want to cuddle with him. He gets a few shots of Louis dancing with all of them, a huge smile on his face and a drink in his hand.)
(He frames on of them and keeps it on his own desk at home where he edits his photos. Louis’ got a huge beautiful wide smile on his face and even though he’s surrounded by people he may as well be the only one in the frame.)
*
Harry spends the next day nursing a hungover Louis and sorting through the pictures he took. He likes to try and get photos back to the couples as soon as possible.
“Hazza.” Louis pouts pathetically “There are elephants. On my head. Make them go away.”
“Sorry, Boo.” Harry says “All I can do is offer you pain killers and tea.”
“That’ll do.” He says. “I also demand cuddles.”
“Of course.” Harry says “I think I can take a break from sorting through these to cuddle.”
Louis smiles at him.
“Thanks babe.” He mumbles.
Harry brushes a kiss to his forehead before going to get him his tea and meds. He crawls into bed with him and smiles as Louis gingerly sips his tea, asking Harry to tell him more about the pictures on the wall.
(“Softly, Hazza. Softly. The elephants are still here.”
“Of course, Boo.” Harry says quietly, scootching closer to tell him about the tori gates at the shrine in Kyoto, along with the geisha and the girls of Tokyo.)
*
Harry finally has enough free time to go for his next session. Louis accompanies him again of course.
“I love watching you get tattooed.” He says.
“Yeah? You don’t get bored?”
“You ask that every time. Of course not.” Louis says “You and Zayn make great company.”
So of course Louis takes his place by Harry’s side. Holding his hand, feeding him candy, and giving him water to make sure he doesn’t get dehydrated as Zayn inks Saturn and Jupiter into Harry’s skin.
“You’re doing great, Hazza.” He says as he brushes a kiss to his forehead.
“Thanks, boo.” Harry mumbles, teeth gritted.
“Wanna take a break?” Zayn asks.
“A short one.” Harry says “Gotta use the bathroom.”
Zayn nods and finishes what he’s working on before turning off the gun and stretching.
“It’s coming along nicely.” He says.
“Yeah.” Harry says as he stares at it. “It looks great.”
He uses the restroom and then comes out and cracks his neck before sitting back down.
“Ready for more.” He says.
Zayn smiles and gets going again.
*
“One more session and you’re done.” Zayn says when they decide to finish for the day.
Harry smiles.
“Thanks, mate. You really have been amazing through all of this.”
Zayn flaps a hand at him.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not but I’ll save you the embarrassment of showering you with praise.”
“I thank you profusely.” Zayn says.
*
Harry is chomping at the bit to get the rest of it done.
“I can see it so clearly” He says as he looks at it. Zayn managed to do Saturn and Jupiter, along with the surrounding shading. By the end of it, Harry’s whole arm will be a mess of blues and purples surrounding stars and planets and comets. “What it’ll all look like when it’s done. It’s all there in my head. I want to finish it off so bad.”
“I know, love.” Louis says “But you can’t do too much too soon. Let it heal and then you can go back in a few weeks.”
Harry sighs and nods.
“Of course, love.”
Louis smiles and kisses him softly.
“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Yeah?” Harry asks, suddenly nervous.
“Yeah.” Louis says “I um. I’ve been looking at apartments lately. Thinking about moving out of my mum’s house.”
“Louis that’s great.” Harry says with a smile.
“Thanks.” He pauses and bites his lip. “I um. I kinda was hoping you would maybe look at some with me?”
“What like help you pick one out?”
“No.” Louis says “I mean yes. But I was hoping you would. Um. Move in with me?”
Harry’s mind goes blank. He and Louis had been going out for quite some time now and spent every waking moment with each other when they weren’t at work or school. It did seem like the next logical step. His mind flashes to waking up next to Louis every day, making him breakfast, watching movies cuddled together. He thinks about them sharing an office, decorating together…having a life together.
“Yes.” He says “Absolutely.”
Louis crows happily and kisses him fiercely.
“I love you.” He says into Harry’s mouth.
“I love you too.” Harry says “So much.”
*
Instead of obsessing about his as of yet unfinished sleeve, he and Louis throw themselves into finding an apartment. Their families are both overjoyed by the news and help them as much as they can. Their mothers, who are now the best of friends, even come with them to see some apartments.
“We want to help you boys out.” Anne says “We all discussed it over dinner the other night.”
“You are helping.” Harry says “You’ve been great during this whole thing.”
“No. We want to help you pay for it.”
“Are you sure?” Louis asks, biting his lip.
“We are.” Anne says “We want to do this for you. To help you get on your feet. You boys can’t live at home forever.”
She sniffles a little at the thought of Harry moving out.
“Oh Harry.” She murmurs. “I’m just so happy for you and Louis.”
Harry smiles.
“Thanks mum.” He mumbles, blushing scarlet.
*
Eventually, after much searching, they finally find a nice flat. It’s centrally located. Close to shops and a good distance from their parents. They make an offer, wait, and then hear back that they ended up getting it. Harry finds out when Louis bursts into the camera shop.
“We got it!” he cries happily “Hazza we got it!”
Harry whoops excitedly and comes out from behind the counter. He picks Louis up and spins him around excitedly before putting him down and kissing him hard.
“We’ve got a place.” Harry says eyes bright.
“We do.” Louis says, his forehead resting on Harry’s.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do to prepare for this place.” Harry says.
“We do.” Louis says again.
Harry laughs happily and kisses Louis hard on the mouth.
“We’ll talk all about this later. I’ve got film to develop in the back.”
“Of course.” Louis says “I’ve got to put together my program for my show later. Radio waits for no man.”
Harry smiles.
“See you later, then.” He kisses him again before sending him on his way.
*
They run around like chickens with no heads while they prepare to move in. Their mom’s buy them a bed as a gift.
“A nice big one.” Jay says.
“One that’s not as creaky as yours.” Anne supplies.
“I don’t think your neighbors will be as forgiving as we are.” Jay finishes.
Both boys have the decency to blush.
*
They manage to fill the flat with furniture donated from friends and family. It lacks their own personal touches yet but Louis is in love with it.
“We should go shopping this weekend.” He says as he puts another box down. “We need to make this place ours.”
Harry nods as he looks around the empty living room.
“It’s very naked right now.”
“I’d like it if you were very naked right now.” Louis says with a leer.
“Behave, boys!” Jay says “At least wait until we’ve left before you break the place in.”
Anne laughs at that and the boys blush again.
“Mum” Louis mumbles “Calm yourself down.”
She laughs mischievously at that.
“I could say the same for you.” She says to Louis “Now no more funny business. We have to unpack the rest of this stuff and get you settled.”
*
The unpacking and settling process takes a few days. It’s chaotic and Harry kind of hates how everything is turned upside down but he also likes being able to come up with a system that’s his own. (His and Louis’ own.)
*
They spend a lot of time dancing and singing around their place as they put stuff away. Over the weekend they go shopping for area rugs and pillows and other things to liven up, and plan a painting party for the next one. (They invite Louis’ friend Liam, along with Harry’s friend Niall, and Zayn of course.)
*
The painting party is a blast. Louis and Harry had been obsessing over paint swatches since they found out they had the place so when the time came to actually paint, they were more than ready to be done. They put tarps down, and ordered food for the boys in thanks.
“You boys sure know how to throw a house warming.” Niall says around a mouth of pizza.
“Thanks guys.” Louis says “We try.”
The boys finish painting, clean up, and decide to chill out for the rest of the night. They all end up asleep on Harry and Louis’ floor and the two boys just smile and cover them with blankets, letting them sleep.
*
“Harrrryy.” Louis sing-songs softly into his boyfriend’s ear.
“No.” Harry mumbles, burying his face in his pillow.
“Hazza.” Louis says “Baby it’s tattoo day.”
Harry groans and stretches, his face still in his pillow.
“Is it?” He asks sleepily.
“Mhm.” Louis says, kissing his cheek softly. “If you wake up now we can go to breakfast at the coffee shop.”
Harry turns over and stretches again.
“m’up.” He mumbles.
Louis smiles.
“Good boy.” He says, getting up and going into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
*
Harry shuffles around like a zombie as he gets ready. He pulls on the first set of clothing he finds, brushes his teeth, and pulls on a knit beanie.
“All ready.” He says, still sleepy.
Louis smiles and kisses him on the mouth.
“Let’s go get some coffee in you.”
Harry nods gratefully and laces his fingers with Louis’. The coffee shop is a short walk and the weather is nice so they mosey happily, looking at all the shop windows.
Breakfast is leisurely and relaxing, which Louis is sure Harry needs. He always gets amped up before he gets a tattoo. He’s so emotionally attached to his sleeve at this point that Louis is sure he’s going to be a bundle of nerves by the time he gets to the shop.
*
Louis holds onto Harry’s hand as they walk down to the shop.
“Baby you’ve got to calm down.” He says. “I know it’s exciting because this is one of the last sessions, but you’re going to work yourself into a frenzy.”
“Sorry.” Harry mumbles “just. Very excited.”
Louis nods.
“I know, babe.”
*
The sitting doesn’t take as long as the other ones. Harry is very good and sits still, letting Louis dote on him and do his best to calm his nerves.
“All done for today” Zayn says after a few hours.
“For real?” Harry asks.
“Yeah,” Zayn says “Neptune is all done, as you can see, along with the lovely little comet and most of the shading down to your wrist. Next session we’ll have to shade a bit more and add in some constellations.”
Harry nods as he looks it over, speechless.
“May I see?” Louis asks softly.
Harry nods.
“Of course, Lou.” He says, holding his arm out. Louis takes his hand and turns his arm around to get a good look.
“It looks beautiful.” He says. He wants to run his fingers over, kiss it, and trace the tail of the comet shooting across Harry’s forearm. Almost his whole arm is midnight blue and god damn if it doesn’t look gorgeous.
“Call me up when it heals and we can crank out the rest of it.”
Harry nods as he and Louis walk out.
“Will do.” He says.
*
Harry takes obsessively good care of his arm in the next few weeks. Louis makes sure to help as well, lotioning his arm and applying aftercare lotion to it. Harry wants it to heal as quickly as possible. He’s so anxious at the thought of it being finished that he dreams about it some nights.
When his arm is finally healed, he takes a deep breath before calling Zayn to let him know.
He breathes shakily when he hangs up, feeling an overwhelming sense of finality.
*
“Baby boyyy.” He hears in his ear. Louis loves to wake him up like that.
Harry always grumbles and complains about Louis calling him ‘baby’ and ‘baby boy’ but never really puts his heart into it because the fluttering and swooping in stomach is hard to ignore.
(“You’re younger, Haz.” He says one day.
“Yeah but I’m not a baby.” Harry says lamely.
“Not a baby.” Louis says “My baby.”
Harry’s stomach twists in a way that is so embarrassing he doesn’t want to acknowledge it. Louis loves to give him nicknames and Harry accepts them all, tucking them away in his brain.)
“Baby boy wake up it’s tattoo day.”
“This is the exact same conversation we had the last time we went to get my arm worked on.” Harry grumbles into his pillow.
“Yes.” Louis says “It is. But this time it’s more special because today is the day you are finishing it.”
Harry rubs his face into his pillow, stretches like a cat, and sits up. His cheeks are flushed with the warmth of his bed, his hair is an unruly mess, and he’s naked as the day he was born.
“Get dressed.” Louis says softly as he looks him over “I’ll make us tea.”
They have a leisurely morning at home, watching tv, drinking tea, and eating homemade breakfast.
Harry fidgets and jiggles his legs all morning, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.
“Haz.” Louis says from his spot on the couch “baby please calm down.”
“Kay.” Harry says distractedly.
Louis rolls his eyes a little before looking at his phone.
“We ought to go.” He says “grab what you need.”
Harry nods and grabs everything before lacing his fingers with Louis’ for the walk over to the shop.
*
Conversation during the session is limited. Louis of course sits by Harry’s side the whole time and smiles happily as he watches the last of Harry’s sleeve come to life. Zayn carefully inks Harry’s chosen constellations into his skin. (Aquarius, among others. Harry smiles as he thinks of the now covered up squiggles on his hip as he watches Zayn shade the stars.)
“All done.” He says after he finishes the last of the shading down by Harry’s wrist.
“What?” Harry asks, his trance broken when Zayn turns off the gun.
“It’s finished, mate.” He says “you’re officially sleeved up.”
“Oh god.” Harry says. He takes a deep breath and stands up, walking over to the mirror immediately.
He lets out all the air in his lungs when he sees it all. He looks from the nebula on his shoulder, to the galaxy on his elbow. He takes in the gradient of colors down his arm. The fade from turquoise to purple to dark blue, looks at the stars dotted all over his arm. He traces over Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune, and the comets flying across the scene.
“Oh my god.” He breathes.
.Zayn says nothing, opting instead to clean up his station so Harry can have his moment. Louis comes up next to Harry and presses a kiss to his neck.
“How does it feel?” He asks quietly.
“I. I don’t know yet. Surreal I guess.”
Louis nods, not wanting to force anything else out of his clearly overwhelmed boyfriend.
Harry thanks Zayn profusely, walks home with his hand in Louis’, and passes out on their bed as soon as they get home.
*
Louis traces over the finished product as he rubs lotion on it later.
“God.” He breathes. “Look at you. You’re a walking work of art.”
Harry smiles.
“I could say the same to you” He says, giving Louis a once over.
Louis smirks.
“You’re my little star boy.” He mumbles into Harry’s neck.
Harry smiles.
“Mhm. All yours.”
(Out of all the nicknames Louis has given him, Harry thinks he likes Star Boy best. Something about it just feels right.)
*
Louis has never been a tattoo person. He loves Harry’s tattoos, but he never thought he’d want one on himself. He likes his piercings because he can always take them out.
Harry’s infected his brain somehow, though. He looks at the ink in his skin and how beautiful it looks and thinks about how maybe he kind of wants one.
*
He comes up with an idea and pins it above his desk in their office. He looks at it every day and in a few months, he decides to call Zayn up and make an appointment.
“Hazza.” He says “Baby you’re off today right?”
Harry nods.
“I’m all yours today.”
“Good.” Louis says “Because I have an appointment and you’re coming with me.”
“More sparklies?” Harry asks, eyes brightening.
“Possibly.” He says with a smirk.
Harry grins and gets ready to go. It’s warm out so he can proudly display his arm, which he is still totally over the moon about. Louis eyes it up appreciatively.
“Come on, Star Boy.” Louis says, grabbing his hand.
Harry smiles at the nickname and they walk to the shop.
*
“Louis!” Zayn says happily “Your turn in my magic chair today, is it?”
“Your what?” Harry asks, looking between Zayn and Louis.
“Surprise, babe.” Louis says.
“You’re getting a-” Harry starts.
“A tattoo.” Zayn supplies.
“For you.” Louis says.
Harry’s eyes go wide.
“For me?” He asks dumbly.
“Yeah.” Louis says. He moves in and kisses Harry softly on the mouth. “I love you.” He mumbles into his boyfriend’s mouth.
“I love you too.” Harry says absently, staring into space.
*
“Alright Lou you can go get ready.” Zayn says.
Louis smiles and nods, going into the bathroom.
“What do you mean he can get ready? What is he getting ready for?”
“His tattoo.” Zayn says with a smirk “We’ve been over this already.”
“I don’t like that you know more than I do.” Harry says, narrowing his eyes.
Louis comes out in a towel with a smile on his face.
“What.” Harry says, staring at him.
“Situate yourself.” Zayn says.
Louis smiles and nods. He’s still got his shirt on, but Harry can see that he has no pants on.
Louis sits on the very seat Harry has spent many hours in and adjusts himself before flipping the towel half way off. He spreads his leg a little and Zayn smiles. He brandishes a stencil of a star and Harry’s eyes go wide.
“Louis.” He says.
“Yes, darling?” Louis asks with a sweet smile.
Zayn grins and interrupts whatever Harry was going to say.
“I see you took the liberty of shaving the area for me.”
“I manscape regularly.” Louis says with a smirk.
Zayn laughs at that and places the star right at the spot where Louis’ leg joins with his pelvis.
“Nothing hotter than a pelvis tattoo.” Zayn says with a smirk.
“So I’ve heard.” Louis says, eyeing up harry, who is staring like an idiot in his place.
“Harry.” Louis says, trying to bring him back. “Come back to earth, Star Boy.”
Harry shakes his head and blushes as he hears Zayn mumble ‘I get it now.’ Louis holds his hand out and smiles at him.
“You gonna hold my hand while I get inked up?”
“Of course.” Harry says, sitting next to Louis slowly. “Are you. Are you sure about this?”
Louis nods.
“Been thinking about it for months now, love.” He says. “I’m sure.”
Harry nods.
“Okay.”
“Ready?” Zayn asks.
Louis takes a deep breath and nods. Zayn smiles.
“Good.” He says “Jolly ranchers for you guys on the table.”
“Why-?” Louis asks.
“No worries.” Harry says “It’ll make sense when he’s actually tattooing you.”
Louis nods. Harry’s tried to explain the jolly rancher thing to him before but the only thing he really got out of it was it just was just to have something sweet. Something to do with adrenalin and stuff. Louis had never really paid attention. He didn’t think he’d ever need to know.
“I’m gonna do a little line on you just so you know what it feels like”
Louis nods again and Zayn starts up the gun. He starts with one line of the star and Louis bites his lip.
“Shit.” He says, shifting a bit. “Okay I’m ready.”
Harry squeezes his hand and nods.
“You’re gonna be great, babe.”
Louis smiles gratefully at him before wincing as the gun turns on again. Harry kisses the corner of his mouth as the Zayn gets to work.
*
The tattoo is done pretty quickly by Zayn and Harry’s standards. Zayn grins as he wipes it off with some water and a cloth. Louis had been a trooper the whole way through, squeezing Harry’s hand and sucking on plenty of jolly ranchers. (He totally gets it now.)
“All done.” He says.
Louis looks down and bites his lip.
“Wow.” He says.
Harry’s face is flushed and he’s got his bottom lip between his teeth.
“Fuck, Lou.” He mumbles.
Louis looks at him.
“Uh oh.” Louis says “I know that look very well.”
Zayn waggles his brows.
“Sexy times!” he says, doing his best Borat impression.
“Oh you have no fucking clue.” Harry mumbles.
“Calm down, Casanova.” Zayn says “You know the deal with tattoo after care. Keep your fucking mouth off until it’s healed.”
Harry nods absently.
“Yeah, ‘course.” He says.
Zayn bandages Louis up and sends him off to get dressed.
“You okay over there, tiger?” He asks.
“Yeah.” Harry says “I. yeah. I just wasn’t expecting him to. Yeah.”
Zayn laughs softly.
“It’s a pretty awesome thing to do for someone.”
“Yeah.” Harry nods. “It is.”
Louis comes out dressed and walking a bit funny due to the pain and the bandage.
“All ready to go.” He says with a happy smile.
Harry grabs his hand and kisses his cheek.
“Let’s go home.” He says “I’ll make us lunch and you can lounge and watch a movie.”
“Sounds perfect.” Louis says happily. “And then later you have to lavish my new tattoo with attention.”
“Of course.” Harry says instantly.
“No sexy attention!” Zayn calls as they walk out the door.
Harry turns and salutes him quickly before being dragged away by Louis.
*
“God damn.” Harry breathes later. Louis is spread out beneath him like he’s been so many times before.
He’s eye level with the fresh ink on Louis’ pelvis and Louis has his hand threaded in Harry’s hair.
“I’m glad you love it.” Louis says.
“It looks perfect on you. God, Louis.”
Louis grins and opens his leg more.
“Wanna lotion me up?”
“Always.” Harry says.
He grabs the bottle and gets to work, being extremely careful.
*
“Fucking strip.” Harry growls into Louis’ mouth.
“Mhm.” Louis hums.
He pulls away from Harry to pull his shirt off. He goes for Harry’s, throwing it on the floor once it’s off.
“Fucking shit.” He grunts “That fucking sleeve of yours.”
“Take your pants off.” Harry breathes.
Louis smirks and shucks them off expertly. He turns and crawls onto their bed, waggling his ass at Harry. Harry makes a weird sort of predatory noise before pouncing on Louis. He grabs the waistband of his briefs and snaps it hard against Louis’ hip.
“You’re such a fucking tease.” He says.
“You fucking love it.” Louis says, turning over.
He brings his hands to the waistband of his underwear, arching a brow at Harry. He smirks as he lowers them slowly. Harry licks his lips when he sees the finally healed tattoo come into view. When Louis’ briefs are finally off he spreads his legs for his boyfriend. Harry’s mouth attaches to Louis’ tattoo immediately. He licks over it before sucking a kiss into the skin, causing Louis to gasp.
Louis’ hands wind their way into Harry’s hair, causing the younger boy to moan into his boyfriend’s skin. He pulls off of Louis’ hip and moves to lick a strip up the underside of Louis’ cock. Louis gasps and arches his back, his hips pressing hard into the mattress. Harry smirks.
“Can I help you with something?”
Louis gives him a look that could curdle milk and grunts.
“Get me off.” He growls “be a good little star boy and make me come.”
“Since you asked so nicely.” Harry mumbles, using one hand to hold the base of Louis’ cock.
He sucks the head of Louis’ cock into his mouth as his tattooed arm slides up Louis’ torso, teasing one of his nipples.
Harry teases Louis’ cock expertly, knowing exactly what his boyfriend loves. He pulls off at one point to press a kiss to Louis’ belly, tugging at the ring a bit before sucking Louis back into his mouth. Louis comes with a gasp not long after that, and then returns the favor, swirling his tongue around the head of Harry’s dick in a way that makes the boys’ eyes roll back in his head.
“I fucking love your tongue stud.” He gasps, sweaty and sated.
“I fucking love you.” Louis mumbles, cuddling into him. He flops one of his legs over Harry’s and hums happily.
“You too.” Harry murmurs, drifting off soon after that.
*
Louis’ tattoo doesn’t flip a switch in his brain the way Harry’s first one did. He’s perfectly content with his one special tattoo for his one special guy. Harry on the other hand, is a totally different story.
“Getting the urge again.” He says randomly one day.
“Again?” Louis asks, wrinkling his nose “Haz we’ve fucked like…four times today.”
“Not for that you pinhead.” Harry says “For a tattoo.”
“I won’t soon forget that pinhead comment.” Louis says mildly “and really? Already?”
Harry nods.
“Chest piece this time.” He says.
“Oh my.” Louis says, imagining ink peeking out of one of Harry’s many v-necks.
Harry smirks.
“Yeah.” He says “Wanna see what I’ve got planned?”
“Always, Star Boy.” Louis murmurs, moving to sit next to his boyfriend at the kitchen table. The two spend the next hour planning Harry’s next big piece.
Louis presses a kiss to the nebula on Harry’s shoulder and smiles into the skin.
“S’gonna be beautiful.” He murmurs “But Zayn’ll kill you. There’s a lot more line work and details in this one.”
“Eh.” Harry says “He’ll deal with it.”
Louis laughs happily at that and nods, leaning in to press a kiss to Harry’s cheek.
“So tell me about this one…” he murmurs softly.
“But of course.” Harry says.
Louis listens to Harry explain his reasons and thinks that there’s nowhere else in the world he’d rather be at that current moment. His beautiful boy and his beautiful art, ideas strewn across the kitchen table, and many hours sitting next to a tattoo chair with the buzz of needles filling his ears is more than enough to keep him happy.
Author: dorkle_07
Rating: NC-17
Words: 10, 220
Pairing: Harry/Louis
Summary: ‘Harry still remembers the first tattoo he got…’
Disclaimer: not mine.
Author Notes: This fic came together pretty quickly as far as fics go. It’s the first fic I’ve finished in a very long time and I’m very excited to finally be posting something this long for the first time in forever. I wrote this before we knew about Harry getting a half sleeve and all that good stuff so I’m pretty much beside myself now since I have this whole ‘verse in my head already. I hope you all love it. Feel free to leave comments to let me know what you think! <3 (title and cut text from Now The World by AFI)
Harry still remembers the first tattoo he got. He was sixteen and stupid and said tattoo has since been covered by something bigger and better but he’ll never forget the sting, the buzz, and the adrenaline.
*
The first time Harry saw a tattoo he was a little boy. It was on the forearm of his granddad. He remembers the faded lion on his skin, the swords crossed behind it. He’d always tell Harry stories about being in the army and how he got the tattoo for all his friends that he met at that time in his life, but at the time Harry was more concerned with how silly the lion looked when his granddad made it dance.
Harry remembers being completely fascinated by the ink under his grandfather’s skin, his green eyes wide as he traced the shapes.
“Grandad did it hurt?” he would ask.
“A little bit.” His grandfather would always reply “But that’s okay. A little pain is good here and there.”
Harry would always furrow his brows and wonder what his granddad was talking about.
*
Before Harry got his first tattoo, he always harbored a huge amount of tattoo envy. He remembers seeing guys in school coming in with bandages over their skin, the designs shiny when they pulled away the gauze to show them off. He remembers the twist of nerves in his gut as he thought about the horrible prospect of never getting one.
Eventually one day he bites the bullet. It’s the middle of the fucking afternoon on a Saturday in the middle of summer and he gets some dumb squiggles on his hip because he’s an Aquarius and they apparently couldn’t think of anything cooler to represent the water barer.
*
The next tattoo comes when he falls in love with photography. The first time one of his teachers put a camera in his hand it was like he’d finally found the missing part of his arm. He remembers the camera dangling around his neck and banging against his ribcage as he walked around his little village to find stupid dead plants and old tires to take pictures of.
He gets a film strip on his ankle on a Thursday afternoon in fall.
*
The Temper Trap lyrics on his right arm come when he comes to terms with his sexuality. He never had a major crisis over it or anything, but finally saying it out loud felt like a milestone he had to immortalize forever in ink. He remembers reading about the meaning of Sweet Disposition and it stuck with him. He couldn’t get it out of his head and finally gave in on a random Friday.
*
He covers up the squiggles on his hip with a sparrow. He’s in the midst of an intense traditional tattoo Sailor Jerry phase and this is the first tattoo in a series of few that display that. (The tattoos that follow are an owl on the outside of his left calf, followed by a traditional pirate ship on the outside of his other calf)
*
Harry makes the decision while in school to study abroad. (After the pirate ship. It’s fall term of his second to last year). He still remembers all the brochures spread out on his kitchen table. He read them all over from cover to cover and finally, after much deliberation, decided to go to Japan.
”Are you sure?” his mother asked him, biting her lip.
“Yeah.” Harry says “I am.”
When he decides to go he plans out his foot tattoos. An old yellow faded globe on one foot, and an ornate compass rose on the other. He’s a world traveler now. He’ll need to make sure he can find his way through the unknown.
*
Japan is overwhelming. It overtakes Harry’s senses. He has a summer’s worth of introductory Japanese under his belt and his camera in his hand at all times.
Japan changes Harry. He had never realized just how big the world was; how small he was in comparison to everything. He falls in love with everything about Japan. The architecture, the scenery, the people, the food. All of it. He spends more nights than he can count lurking around okiyas and tea houses to get photos of geisha as they move from place to place. (Harry falls in love with the Geisha especially. How beautiful they are, the way they giggle demurely when he asks in broken Japanese to take a picture of them, how they scurry away in their kimono to their next appointment.)
He misses Japan like crazy when he gets back. His mother worries about the amount of time he spends in his room looking at his pictures and listening to the multitude of music he collected while over there. He tries to get it out of his system. He has a whole shelf in his room dedicated to photo albums from that semester (He spent hours editing the pictures and compiling them and organizing the albums by theme). He even printed a few of his favorites and framed them on his wall. He has more souvenirs than he can count but in the end he ends up coping and acclimating better to life at home once he’s gotten a tattoo of a geisha.
The idea comes to him one night while he’s looking through one of his photo albums and listening to some random kabuki thing he’d picked up on a day trip. He stares at the beautiful girl in the photo in front of him and bites his lip, thinking about how lovely she would look on his right shoulder.
*
He’s had the idea for a sleeve for a while now. The first time it hit him that it might be something he’d want to do was when he was getting one of his foot tattoos. He watched as the guy in the chair next to him was having his own worked on. Harry’s eyes widened at the sheer beauty of the work on his arm. The colors and shapes all blending together in a swirl that made Harry’s brain spin.
That day when he gets home, as he’s putting on his aftercare lotion, all he can think about is the guy with the sleeve. Not long after that he starts to pull together ideas.
As a photographer, Harry is always looking at things with an artistic eye. He keeps a keen eye out for images and ideas that could work. He becomes especially attached to a painting of a nebula and that’s when he decides he wants the universe on his arm.
It takes a long while for him to accumulate images. Does a bit of research, but most of the elements come to him organically. One night while hanging out with his friend Niall he sees a picture of the M81 galaxy flash up on his tv screen while he channel surfs. His eyes go wide and he writes down the name so he can look it up later. One day while flipping through a photography book at work he finds pictures of space from the hubble telescope.
Everything he amasses ends up on a cork board hung above his desk. While it used to be home to reminders and ticket stubs and ribbons from school, it now his covered with images of planets and constellations and nebulas.
*
His tattoo artist turned friend Zayn has done a lot of the artwork on his body. When Harry decides he’s finally ready to start the planning process he doesn’t think twice about going to his friend.
“Shit man.” Zayn says when he looks at the folder of ideas Harry put in front of him.
Harry bites his lip and nods.
“Yeah. Been thinking about it for a while now.”
“I can tell.” Zany says.
With that they start planning.
*
The first session comes on quickly. Harry brings in a big bag of jolly ranchers to suck on, along with a huge bottle of water.
“You’re a pro at this now.” Zayn comments as he readies his work station.
“This is the biggest piece I’ve done, though.” Harry says “So we’ll see how I fare.”
Zayn smiles.
“You’ll be fine.”
Said first session is long as hell but Zayn manages to get the whole outline done. Harry’s in love already. From his shoulder down to his wrist he has a whole space scene mapped out. His favorite nebulas and planets all dancing together beautifully on his skin.
“God.” He breathes. “It’s going to be so fucking sick.”
Zayn smiles.
“I’m glad you like it so much already.”
Harry nods.
“I’ll see you in a few weeks.” He says before walking out.
*
Harry always jokes that the only reason he works is to support his tattoo habit. (It’s a little more than half true.) Currently he works at a camera store. He spends his days selling equipment, developing film, and teaching customers how to use their cameras. (He can’t bear the thought of a proper camera used improperly. It hurts his soul.) He also does freelancing gigs. Lots of weddings and parties. (Harry has found that weddings and kids parties pay really well. Kids parties have a tendency to make him want to pull his hair out, though.)
Suffice to say Harry is a busy guy at this point in his life. He still lives with his mom because it saves money and he hates the thought of her being alone all day.
(It’s ridiculous because she has Robin but whatever. Sometimes Robin works late and Harry hates to think of his mother sitting at the dinner table eating by herself.)
(He’s a mama’s boy. Plain and simple.)
When he comes home after his first session, adrenaline still buzzing, cock half hard in his jeans, his mother fixes him with a look.
“Let’s see it.” She says.
Harry holds out his arm for her.
“It’s. It’s going to be big.”
Harry nods “yeah.” He says “my whole arm.”
“Is the other one going to get the same treatment?” She asks, eyeing the geisha on his shoulder.
“Most likely not.” He says. He points to the geisha “She’s all I need on that arm.”
She smiles softly.
“Care to explain what’s happening? All I see are lines.”
Harry nods. He grabs his folder full of pictures and ideas and his mom sits close to him on the couch.
He shows her the pictures he’s amassed. Explains to her about how the turquoise and purple nebula is going to go on his shoulder, pulls out the picture of the M81 galaxy that will go on his elbow. She picks out the outline of Saturn easily on the inside of his elbow and he goes on to explain that Jupiter and Neptune will be on his forearm along with constellations. He tells her how, when he closes his eyes, he envisions blues and purples all over his arms, big beautiful clouds of stardust and comets shooting around it. She smiles softly as he does so, tracing the lines on his left arm absently.
He goes off on a tangent about how big space is and how beautiful it is to him. He shows her nebula photos and gushes about how it’s so amazing that there are things that awesome that actually exist. (He’s pretty sure he sounds like a total stoner when he tries to explain how small they are in conjunction to the universe, which never ends.) The photographer in Harry is just so jealous of the fact that he’ll never be able to actually go to the places he has Hubble photos of. He’ll never be able to find the perfect angle and the right light so he figures he may as well immortalize it on his skin.
By the end, she tells Harry that she feels like she understands him better. Understands the man he’s becoming. She says that she thinks each tattoo is beautiful because it’s a part of him and that’s all Harry’s ever wanted to hear from her.
*
Harry spends the next month saving up for his next session. He’s anxious to start next step. When his appointment day comes, he gathers his jolly ranchers and water and gets going.
When he gets to the shop he sees Zayn talking to a shorter guy with feathery brown hair. He’s wearing a pair of cuffed chinos and a wide necked t-shirt.
Harry takes his face in, biting his lip. The first thing he notices, after how beautiful the boy is, is the glint of metal near his eyebrow. Harry raises a brow at that. Pretty boy with piercings. He’s intrigued.
“Harry!” Zayn calls happily “Come for more torture?”
“You know me.” Harry says “I love the pain.”
The pretty boy’s eyebrow rises at that and he smirks. Harry winks at him and smiles at Zayn.
“Come on back.” Zayn says “And strip.”
Harry laughs happily and follows Zayn to his station.
“My mate Louis is going to hang out while I tattoo you today.” Zayn says.
Harry nods.
“Cool.” He says. He looks back at the pretty boy. Louis. “Nice to meet you.” He says.
“Likewise.” Louis says with a sweet smile.
Harry puts down his bag of candy and his water and strips off his shirt. He doesn’t notice, but if he had, he would have seen Louis eyeing him up appreciatively.
“Can’t wait to give this some color.” Zayn says as he puts out all the inks he’ll need, as well as pictures for reference. Zayn and Harry had decided to start with the nebula that would be on Harry’s shoulder. As of yet the area was still fairly bare due to the sheer amount of freehand shading Zayn would have to do.
Harry nods.
“I can’t either. It’s going to look insane.”
“Get settled then.” Zayn says “We’ll be here for a while.”
Harry nods and sits, getting comfortable. Louis sits in an empty chair and watches, keeping quiet when Zayn starts. He can’t help but watch Harry’s reaction to it. He bites his lip and his stomach muscles twitch and tighten. He uses his free arm to grab a jolly rancher, his cheeks hollowing as he sucks on it.
Louis shifts in his seat as he watches Harry, who remains fairly stoic as Zayn shades Harry’s shoulder with a scarily huge needle. Soon Harry and Zayn are comfortable enough to start talking, and Louis joins in easily. Harry is funny and sweet and very charming and Louis has a huge crush already. (It also helps that he looks very good shirtless and if Louis is not mistaken that is a tattoo peeking above his waistband and Louis really wants to see the whole thing)
Louis isn’t alone though. Harry steals as many glances at Louis as he can. The glint of the ring in his brow combined with his beautiful smile and sense of humor is more than enough to keep him captivated. Louis makes the whole painful process suck less. Harry can’t help but wonder what else Louis has pierced. Does he have any tattoos? What else is hiding under his clothes?
“Alright, mate.” Zayn says “I think that’s all I can do today. M’getting tired.”
Harry nods, they’ve been going at it for a few hours. Zayn had managed to freehand the nebula they had talked about, bringing the shading down to where Saturn and Harry’s galaxy will go.
“Me too.” He mumbles. Getting tattooed tends to take a lot out of Harry.
He gasps when he looks into the mirror. The turquoise and purple of the nebula on his shoulder is striking. That combined with the details on the clouds and stars is enough to make Harry dizzy.
“Zayn.” He murmurs “shit man, this is amazing.”
“It really is.” Louis says from behind them.
“Thanks guys.” Zayn says, blushing a little “It’s nothing.”
“Not nothing.” Harry says, his voice tight. “It’s perfect.”
“Call me when you’re ready to finish it off.” Zayn says, clearly uncomfortable with all the praise.
Harry nods.
“Of course.”
He goes to grab his shirt, pulling it on as carefully as possibly over the bandage.
Louis watches it all, biting his lip.
“Harry.” He says softly, pulling him away from where Zayn is cleaning up.
“This is a bit forward.” He starts “But um. Would you maybe want to go out sometime? I um. I had a lot of fun getting to know you today.”
Harry grins.
“Me too. I have some free time if you want to get coffee. I could use a drink.”
Louis nods quickly.
“Sure.” He says with a surprised grin. He wasn’t quite expecting Harry to offer that.
Harry smiles.
“I know a great place down the street.”
*
The two spend hours talking at the little coffee shop at the end of the road. Harry forgets about the stinging in his arm and how sore and itchy and ouchy it will be later because all he can see in front of him is Louis and the gem in his brow and god damn is that a stud in his tongue?
Louis must catch him staring because he smiles like he’s seen that look before and sticks his tongue out for Harry, who swallows hard and laughs awkwardly.
“All your piercings are sparkly.” He says dumbly.
“Have you seen all of them?” Louis asks, quirking a brow at him.
“All of them?” Harry asks.
“Do you only have tattoos where people can see them?”
“Good point.” Harry says, swallowing hard and trying not to think about what else Louis could possibly have pierced.
The conversation goes on from there. Harry tells Louis all about his photography and even throws in a few of his favorite horror stories. In turn, Louis tells him all about his job at the local radio station with his friend Liam, who he met in college.
(“So do you get to pick your own playlists and stuff?” Harry asks, fascinated.
“Totally.” Louis says. “Lots of fancy big radio stations have computers and it’s all depressing and computerized but the format we have at our station is a little more…grassroots.”)
Harry of course suggests as many songs to Louis as he possibly can. He also tells Louis that he will be listening to him as much as possible so that he can make sure Louis is taking said suggestions.
*
Louis and Harry start hanging out whenever they both have free time. Louis works as well as spending time outside of work picking his playlists so it’s not as much as either boy would like, but it’s enough. They are more than aware of their mutual attraction and it drives Louis so nuts that one day he just grabs Harry and kisses him in the middle of the chip aisle in Tesco’s, a bag of cheese doodles in one hand and Harry’s face in the other. Harry kisses back enthusiastically and smiles at him brightly when he pulls away.
“I’m cool with that happening more regularly.” He says breathlessly.
“Good.” Louis says. He pushes the bag of cheese doodles into Harry’s chest with a smirk.
“Now let’s go. Movie night.”
“Well now if you’re going to be a bossy boyfriend I don’t know how I feel about this.”
Louis stops and turns around, smiling at him.
“Yeah?” He asks.
“Yeah.” Harry says.
And that’s that.
*
That night, they get distracted from their cheese doodles and silly movies when Louis’ lips find Harry’s neck. The two make out shamelessly on the couch, not worried about getting caught.
“My room.” Harry breathes into Louis’ mouth.
Louis moans and nods, grabbing Harry’s hand and pulling him up the steps. When Harry strips off Louis’ shirt, he moans at the sight. Louis has a bar through each nipple.
“Fuck” he mumbles “You are so fucking delicious.”
Louis smirks.
“Strip, Styles” he murmurs, “And then I’ll let you explore.”
Harry does as Louis tells him and the two spend the night mapping each other’s bodies. Louis gives Harry the most fucking amazing blowjob of his life, using the stud in his tongue to its full potential. Harry moans as he comes, and then reaches to jerk Louis off, putting his mouth on one of the boy’s nipples and tugging with his teeth. It’s enough to set Louis off and soon the boy is coming into Harry’s fist with a grunt.
Naked and breathing heavy, they settle next to one another. Louis smiles as he looks at Harry’s tattoos.
“They’re all so beautiful.” He murmurs, tracing over the sparrow on his hip.
“I saw that peeking out of your jeans the first day I met you.” He confesses “I really wanted a closer look at what it was.”
Harry smiles.
“When you told me you had other piercings my mind went to very dirty places.”
Louis laughs happily.
“Styles, you little perv.”
“You love it.”
Louis smiles.
“I am quite fond of it.”
*
Louis accompanies Harry to the next session he schedules.
“It’s going to be boring.” He says
“Not with you around.” Louis says, squeezing Harry’s hand.
*
Louis sits and holds his hand the whole time, smiling and passing him Jolly Ranchers and all in all being the best boyfriend ever. Zayn is working on the galaxy on Harry’s elbow today so there are lots of painful spots; Louis kisses the corner of Harry’s mouth and tells him what a good job he’s doing every time he winces in discomfort.
Harry’s pretty sure that he loves Louis as much as he loves getting tattoos after that.
*
Louis and Harry develop a routine after that next session. Louis always helps Harry with his after care, rubbing lotion on it and making sure it looks like it’s healing okay.
“It really is beautiful, Haz.” Louis says softly as he traces the nebula on his shoulder.
Harry smiles.
“That’s all Zayn.” Harry says “he’s the artist.”
“Well yeah.” Louis says “But it’s on you. And I think it’s beautiful on you.”
Harry kisses him, eyes sliding shut as he holds his chin between two fingers.
“You’re beautiful.” He murmurs into Louis’ lips.
*
The next time the two of them go to the shop it’s not for Harry.
“It’s a surprise.” Louis says “I’m not telling you because I’m positive you’ll tell me it’s ridiculous.”
“Louiiisss.” Harry whines “Tell me!”
“Nope.” Louis says “You wait out here and I’ll surprise you when I’m done.”
Harry grumbles and crosses his arms over his chest, pouting as Louis is led back by one of the piercers.
*
Louis comes out a few minutes later with a smile on his face.
“Well?” Harry asks, clearly impatient. He had been talking with Zayn at the front desk.
“You’ll see when we get home.” Louis says.
(Harry forgets that he’s supposed to be annoyed when Louis says home. His stomach flutters a little and he thinks about how Louis thinks of his house as home. He of course feels similarly about Louis’ house.)
“Why not now?” He asks.
“Because I said so.” Louis says. He grabs Harry’s hand, smiles sweetly at Zayn, who is laughing and shaking his head at how whipped Harry is, and pulls Harry out of the shop.
*
Louis lifts his shirt up when they’re in Harry’s bedroom and bites his lip. Harry’s breath rushes out of him when he sees the new bit of metal in Louis’ belly button.
“What do you think?” He asks, biting his lip.
“Shit, Lou.” Harry murmurs, eyes glazing over at the sight.
“Good reaction?”
“Very good.” Harry mumbles, reaching down to adjust the growing bulge in his pants.
Louis giggles at that.
“No funny business.” He says “We need to keep it clean so it doesn’t get infected.”
“Shit” Harry mumbles “of course.” He smiles fondly at his boyfriend.
“Now I get to take care of you.”
Louis blushes softly.
“Great.” He murmurs.
*
Harry makes good on his word. He takes very good care of Louis’ piercing, and when it’s finally healed enough he spreads him out on his bed and sucks marks into his hips, hands sliding up Louis’ body. He groans as Louis arches his back, the light glinting off of the piercings in his torso.
“So fucking hot.” Harry murmurs, the muscles in his arms flexing as he pulls Louis closer to him.
He kisses his boyfriend’s belly, eyes darkening at the sight of the new addition.
“I never thought I’d get so worked up over a belly ring before.” He mumbles.
Louis laughs softly as he winds his fingers into Harry’s hair.
“Yeah?” He asks
“Oh yeah” Harry mumbles “I love it. I wanna bit your tummy.”
“So do it.” Louis murmurs, spreading his legs a little.
Harry settles comfortably between them and tugs the ring between his teeth, causing Louis to gasp. He smirks into Louis’ skin and goes to work on making his boyfriend gasp his name.
*
Harry has an even harder time keeping his hands off of Louis after he gets his belly button pierced. (his hands always somehow manage to find their way under his shirt and Louis always half-heartedly pushes them away.)
*
Months have passed since Louis and Harry have started dating. Harry has had to put finishing his sleeve on hold due to an influx of freelance jobs.
“God damn weddings.” Harry mumbles as he packs his camera bag up.
Louis smiles at his grumbling.
“You love shooting weddings. You said so yourself.”
Harry sighs.
“I do.” He says “They give me free food, I get to party, and on top of all that I get to document an insane amount of drunken stupidity.”
Louis laughs softly.
“You would love that part.”
Harry winks playfully and pulls out his suit he keeps in the back of his closet especially for the weddings he shoots. Louis watches him as he gets dressed, eyes sliding over him.
“You look so good in that suit.” He says distractedly.
Harry smiles at him.
“Thanks.” He says “I do love to dress up.”
“It suits you.” Louis says “You’re all long and lean. I never look that good dressed up.”
“Bullshit.” Harry says “You look amazing dressed up. Your ass is magical in a pair of dress pants.”
Louis laughs happily at that.
“Thanks, love.” He says, getting up and pressing a kiss to Harry’s mouth. He lands a smack on Harry’s ass before flopping back down on his bed.
“Thank you sir may I have another.” Harry says playfully, bending over a little in Louis’ direction.
Louis giggles and smacks him again.
“You know.” Harry says, righting his posture “I do get a plus one for this wedding. And I could always use someone to help me out with my equipment.”
Louis grins.
“Let’s run past my house so I can get dressed.”
Harry nods.
“Of course.”
*
Louis pulls on a pair of tight dress pants quickly, followed by a white dress shirt that hugs his body. (If you look close enough you could see not only the piercing in his belly, but also the ones in his nipples.) He finishes it off with a pair of suspenders, grabs his wallet and phone, and runs down the steps to where Harry is waiting.
When Harry sees him he smiles brightly, kisses Louis softly, and tells him how beautiful he looks. Louis blushes and says nothing in favor of pulling Harry out to the car.
*
The bride is very sweet and seems very very excited to see that Harry brought someone.
“This is my boyfriend Louis.” He says “He’s going to be assisting me today.”
She smiles.
“So nice to meet both of you.”
“You as well.” Louis says politely.
They talk about what she wants from the shoot and what she would like Harry to capture.
“Just forget I’m here.” Harry says as he pulls out his camera.
She smiles and nods, going about getting ready as if he weren’t there. Harry starts off by taking loads of pictures of the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready, getting some beautiful shots.
“Babe those are great.” Louis says.
Louis has seen Harry’s portfolio and has been on the other end of Harry’s camera in various positions and stages of undress many times. Watching Harry in a professional environment is completely different, though. It’s honestly one of the sexiest things Louis has ever seen.
*
After a little while of photographing the ladies, Harry bids them farewell. He and Louis go to meet the groom and his groomsmen, wanting to get some shots of them.
The guys are a lot different than the girls. Most of them are in various stages of dress with drinks in their hands.
“Don’t get too smashed.” The best man says “Can’t have anyone passing out on the alter.”
“That certainly would make things interesting.” Louis says.
The guys all laughs and Harry chuckles softly as he shucks off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves. Louis eyes up his arm and bites his lip.
“Nice ink.” One of the guys says.
Harry smiles.
“Thanks mate. Bottom half is still just lines unfortunately but the top half is coming along nicely”
“Can we see the whole thing?” Another one asks.
“Um.” Harry says “Sure.”
He hands off his camera to Louis, who holds it carefully. He unbuttons his dress shirt and pulls the left half off. The guys all crowd and get a good look.
“Shit man.” One guy says “that’s legit.”
“Must hurt like a bitch.”
Harry nods.
“Elbow was motherfucking terrible.” He says, twisting his arm around to show off the galaxy.
He doesn’t catch the snap of the camera as Louis takes a picture of the moment with a smile.
After getting dressed again Harry snaps a good amount of pictures of the groomsmen before going down to the chapel to scout a good spot to set up.
(Louis has the picture he took of Harry framed. Harry looks beautiful. His curls are soft around his face and his arm looks beautiful as he twists it to show off the galaxy on his elbow. He keeps it on his desk at work. He smiles every time he sees it.)
*
The wedding itself is beautiful. Harry immerses himself in getting good shots of the ceremony. Louis is a perfect assistant, handing Harry what he needs and keeping everything in order for him.
*
“I’m excited for the reception.” Louis says, his arm linked with Harry’s as they walk out of the church.
“Me too.” Harry says “Those guys know how to party.”
Louis laughs at that.
“They sure do.”
*
The photo session before the reception goes well. Harry gets some amazing shots and is in a good mood as they walk into the reception.
“Should be fun.” He says “The bride and groom have informed be that the best way to get pictures of the party is to be in the party.”
Louis smiles excitedly.
“So we get to drink for free and dance?”
“Yep.” Harry says with a big grin.
Louis whoops excitedly, pulling Harry into the party area.
*
A while later, Harry is a doing his best to rein in a drunken Louis.
“Hazza.” Louis mumbles. His face is pink and his hair is plastered to his forehead.
“Hazza this drink is very very good.”
Harry smiles.
“Yeah?”
“Oh yes.” Louis says nodding “It’s very good and I am drunk.”
“I can tell.” Harry says with a very amused smile.
“You should dance with me.” Louis says.
“Okay.” Harry says “I can do that.”
He thinks about packing his camera away, but then thinks about all the potential for amazing pictures on the dance floor. He opts instead for rolling up his sleeves a bit more opening the first few buttons on his dress shirt.
“Love your chest” Louis mumbles “you should get a tattoo there.” He brings a finger to rest right in the middle of it.
Harry smiles.
“Good idea.” He says, smiling down at Louis. “I’ll think about it.”
“Good.” Louis says. He leans in to clumsily press a kiss to the exposed skin before patting it.
*
Louis grinds his ass on Harry’s crotch as soon as they step out on the floor. Harry moves behind him doing his best to keep up with the beat. He’s always been a bit awkward on the dance floor. He chalks it up to his lanky limbs. He puts on hand on Louis’ hip, wanting to keep him close. Louis moves like a pro and Harry can’t help but stare at him. He gets some thumbs ups from some of the groomsmen and one of them even mouths for him to ‘tap that’. Harry nods and gives an awkward thumbs up.
Louis giggles at that, clearly having seen what the guy said.
“You gonna tap this?” He asks, bending over a little so he can press his ass harder into Harry.
“You fucking know it.” Harry says, landing a light smack on Louis’ behind. “Who said you were allowed to move like this?”
Louis laughs.
“It’s a gift.” He says “I’m only using the talents I was given.”
“It would be quite a shame to waste it.” Harry says. He gives his hips an experimental roll and Louis gasps and rights his posture. He turns to look at his boyfriend with his wide eyes.
“Why, Harold! I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Harry growls and rolls again.
“Yes you did.” He says.
“You’re right.” Louis says, gyrating into him with a smirk. “I did.”
(Harry gets a bit distracted for a while, understandably of course, but manages to get some amazing pictures. Louis becomes best friends with the entire bridal party by the end of the night. Harry’s not surprised since Louis could make the yeti want to cuddle with him. He gets a few shots of Louis dancing with all of them, a huge smile on his face and a drink in his hand.)
(He frames on of them and keeps it on his own desk at home where he edits his photos. Louis’ got a huge beautiful wide smile on his face and even though he’s surrounded by people he may as well be the only one in the frame.)
*
Harry spends the next day nursing a hungover Louis and sorting through the pictures he took. He likes to try and get photos back to the couples as soon as possible.
“Hazza.” Louis pouts pathetically “There are elephants. On my head. Make them go away.”
“Sorry, Boo.” Harry says “All I can do is offer you pain killers and tea.”
“That’ll do.” He says. “I also demand cuddles.”
“Of course.” Harry says “I think I can take a break from sorting through these to cuddle.”
Louis smiles at him.
“Thanks babe.” He mumbles.
Harry brushes a kiss to his forehead before going to get him his tea and meds. He crawls into bed with him and smiles as Louis gingerly sips his tea, asking Harry to tell him more about the pictures on the wall.
(“Softly, Hazza. Softly. The elephants are still here.”
“Of course, Boo.” Harry says quietly, scootching closer to tell him about the tori gates at the shrine in Kyoto, along with the geisha and the girls of Tokyo.)
*
Harry finally has enough free time to go for his next session. Louis accompanies him again of course.
“I love watching you get tattooed.” He says.
“Yeah? You don’t get bored?”
“You ask that every time. Of course not.” Louis says “You and Zayn make great company.”
So of course Louis takes his place by Harry’s side. Holding his hand, feeding him candy, and giving him water to make sure he doesn’t get dehydrated as Zayn inks Saturn and Jupiter into Harry’s skin.
“You’re doing great, Hazza.” He says as he brushes a kiss to his forehead.
“Thanks, boo.” Harry mumbles, teeth gritted.
“Wanna take a break?” Zayn asks.
“A short one.” Harry says “Gotta use the bathroom.”
Zayn nods and finishes what he’s working on before turning off the gun and stretching.
“It’s coming along nicely.” He says.
“Yeah.” Harry says as he stares at it. “It looks great.”
He uses the restroom and then comes out and cracks his neck before sitting back down.
“Ready for more.” He says.
Zayn smiles and gets going again.
*
“One more session and you’re done.” Zayn says when they decide to finish for the day.
Harry smiles.
“Thanks, mate. You really have been amazing through all of this.”
Zayn flaps a hand at him.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not but I’ll save you the embarrassment of showering you with praise.”
“I thank you profusely.” Zayn says.
*
Harry is chomping at the bit to get the rest of it done.
“I can see it so clearly” He says as he looks at it. Zayn managed to do Saturn and Jupiter, along with the surrounding shading. By the end of it, Harry’s whole arm will be a mess of blues and purples surrounding stars and planets and comets. “What it’ll all look like when it’s done. It’s all there in my head. I want to finish it off so bad.”
“I know, love.” Louis says “But you can’t do too much too soon. Let it heal and then you can go back in a few weeks.”
Harry sighs and nods.
“Of course, love.”
Louis smiles and kisses him softly.
“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Yeah?” Harry asks, suddenly nervous.
“Yeah.” Louis says “I um. I’ve been looking at apartments lately. Thinking about moving out of my mum’s house.”
“Louis that’s great.” Harry says with a smile.
“Thanks.” He pauses and bites his lip. “I um. I kinda was hoping you would maybe look at some with me?”
“What like help you pick one out?”
“No.” Louis says “I mean yes. But I was hoping you would. Um. Move in with me?”
Harry’s mind goes blank. He and Louis had been going out for quite some time now and spent every waking moment with each other when they weren’t at work or school. It did seem like the next logical step. His mind flashes to waking up next to Louis every day, making him breakfast, watching movies cuddled together. He thinks about them sharing an office, decorating together…having a life together.
“Yes.” He says “Absolutely.”
Louis crows happily and kisses him fiercely.
“I love you.” He says into Harry’s mouth.
“I love you too.” Harry says “So much.”
*
Instead of obsessing about his as of yet unfinished sleeve, he and Louis throw themselves into finding an apartment. Their families are both overjoyed by the news and help them as much as they can. Their mothers, who are now the best of friends, even come with them to see some apartments.
“We want to help you boys out.” Anne says “We all discussed it over dinner the other night.”
“You are helping.” Harry says “You’ve been great during this whole thing.”
“No. We want to help you pay for it.”
“Are you sure?” Louis asks, biting his lip.
“We are.” Anne says “We want to do this for you. To help you get on your feet. You boys can’t live at home forever.”
She sniffles a little at the thought of Harry moving out.
“Oh Harry.” She murmurs. “I’m just so happy for you and Louis.”
Harry smiles.
“Thanks mum.” He mumbles, blushing scarlet.
*
Eventually, after much searching, they finally find a nice flat. It’s centrally located. Close to shops and a good distance from their parents. They make an offer, wait, and then hear back that they ended up getting it. Harry finds out when Louis bursts into the camera shop.
“We got it!” he cries happily “Hazza we got it!”
Harry whoops excitedly and comes out from behind the counter. He picks Louis up and spins him around excitedly before putting him down and kissing him hard.
“We’ve got a place.” Harry says eyes bright.
“We do.” Louis says, his forehead resting on Harry’s.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do to prepare for this place.” Harry says.
“We do.” Louis says again.
Harry laughs happily and kisses Louis hard on the mouth.
“We’ll talk all about this later. I’ve got film to develop in the back.”
“Of course.” Louis says “I’ve got to put together my program for my show later. Radio waits for no man.”
Harry smiles.
“See you later, then.” He kisses him again before sending him on his way.
*
They run around like chickens with no heads while they prepare to move in. Their mom’s buy them a bed as a gift.
“A nice big one.” Jay says.
“One that’s not as creaky as yours.” Anne supplies.
“I don’t think your neighbors will be as forgiving as we are.” Jay finishes.
Both boys have the decency to blush.
*
They manage to fill the flat with furniture donated from friends and family. It lacks their own personal touches yet but Louis is in love with it.
“We should go shopping this weekend.” He says as he puts another box down. “We need to make this place ours.”
Harry nods as he looks around the empty living room.
“It’s very naked right now.”
“I’d like it if you were very naked right now.” Louis says with a leer.
“Behave, boys!” Jay says “At least wait until we’ve left before you break the place in.”
Anne laughs at that and the boys blush again.
“Mum” Louis mumbles “Calm yourself down.”
She laughs mischievously at that.
“I could say the same for you.” She says to Louis “Now no more funny business. We have to unpack the rest of this stuff and get you settled.”
*
The unpacking and settling process takes a few days. It’s chaotic and Harry kind of hates how everything is turned upside down but he also likes being able to come up with a system that’s his own. (His and Louis’ own.)
*
They spend a lot of time dancing and singing around their place as they put stuff away. Over the weekend they go shopping for area rugs and pillows and other things to liven up, and plan a painting party for the next one. (They invite Louis’ friend Liam, along with Harry’s friend Niall, and Zayn of course.)
*
The painting party is a blast. Louis and Harry had been obsessing over paint swatches since they found out they had the place so when the time came to actually paint, they were more than ready to be done. They put tarps down, and ordered food for the boys in thanks.
“You boys sure know how to throw a house warming.” Niall says around a mouth of pizza.
“Thanks guys.” Louis says “We try.”
The boys finish painting, clean up, and decide to chill out for the rest of the night. They all end up asleep on Harry and Louis’ floor and the two boys just smile and cover them with blankets, letting them sleep.
*
“Harrrryy.” Louis sing-songs softly into his boyfriend’s ear.
“No.” Harry mumbles, burying his face in his pillow.
“Hazza.” Louis says “Baby it’s tattoo day.”
Harry groans and stretches, his face still in his pillow.
“Is it?” He asks sleepily.
“Mhm.” Louis says, kissing his cheek softly. “If you wake up now we can go to breakfast at the coffee shop.”
Harry turns over and stretches again.
“m’up.” He mumbles.
Louis smiles.
“Good boy.” He says, getting up and going into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
*
Harry shuffles around like a zombie as he gets ready. He pulls on the first set of clothing he finds, brushes his teeth, and pulls on a knit beanie.
“All ready.” He says, still sleepy.
Louis smiles and kisses him on the mouth.
“Let’s go get some coffee in you.”
Harry nods gratefully and laces his fingers with Louis’. The coffee shop is a short walk and the weather is nice so they mosey happily, looking at all the shop windows.
Breakfast is leisurely and relaxing, which Louis is sure Harry needs. He always gets amped up before he gets a tattoo. He’s so emotionally attached to his sleeve at this point that Louis is sure he’s going to be a bundle of nerves by the time he gets to the shop.
*
Louis holds onto Harry’s hand as they walk down to the shop.
“Baby you’ve got to calm down.” He says. “I know it’s exciting because this is one of the last sessions, but you’re going to work yourself into a frenzy.”
“Sorry.” Harry mumbles “just. Very excited.”
Louis nods.
“I know, babe.”
*
The sitting doesn’t take as long as the other ones. Harry is very good and sits still, letting Louis dote on him and do his best to calm his nerves.
“All done for today” Zayn says after a few hours.
“For real?” Harry asks.
“Yeah,” Zayn says “Neptune is all done, as you can see, along with the lovely little comet and most of the shading down to your wrist. Next session we’ll have to shade a bit more and add in some constellations.”
Harry nods as he looks it over, speechless.
“May I see?” Louis asks softly.
Harry nods.
“Of course, Lou.” He says, holding his arm out. Louis takes his hand and turns his arm around to get a good look.
“It looks beautiful.” He says. He wants to run his fingers over, kiss it, and trace the tail of the comet shooting across Harry’s forearm. Almost his whole arm is midnight blue and god damn if it doesn’t look gorgeous.
“Call me up when it heals and we can crank out the rest of it.”
Harry nods as he and Louis walk out.
“Will do.” He says.
*
Harry takes obsessively good care of his arm in the next few weeks. Louis makes sure to help as well, lotioning his arm and applying aftercare lotion to it. Harry wants it to heal as quickly as possible. He’s so anxious at the thought of it being finished that he dreams about it some nights.
When his arm is finally healed, he takes a deep breath before calling Zayn to let him know.
He breathes shakily when he hangs up, feeling an overwhelming sense of finality.
*
“Baby boyyy.” He hears in his ear. Louis loves to wake him up like that.
Harry always grumbles and complains about Louis calling him ‘baby’ and ‘baby boy’ but never really puts his heart into it because the fluttering and swooping in stomach is hard to ignore.
(“You’re younger, Haz.” He says one day.
“Yeah but I’m not a baby.” Harry says lamely.
“Not a baby.” Louis says “My baby.”
Harry’s stomach twists in a way that is so embarrassing he doesn’t want to acknowledge it. Louis loves to give him nicknames and Harry accepts them all, tucking them away in his brain.)
“Baby boy wake up it’s tattoo day.”
“This is the exact same conversation we had the last time we went to get my arm worked on.” Harry grumbles into his pillow.
“Yes.” Louis says “It is. But this time it’s more special because today is the day you are finishing it.”
Harry rubs his face into his pillow, stretches like a cat, and sits up. His cheeks are flushed with the warmth of his bed, his hair is an unruly mess, and he’s naked as the day he was born.
“Get dressed.” Louis says softly as he looks him over “I’ll make us tea.”
They have a leisurely morning at home, watching tv, drinking tea, and eating homemade breakfast.
Harry fidgets and jiggles his legs all morning, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.
“Haz.” Louis says from his spot on the couch “baby please calm down.”
“Kay.” Harry says distractedly.
Louis rolls his eyes a little before looking at his phone.
“We ought to go.” He says “grab what you need.”
Harry nods and grabs everything before lacing his fingers with Louis’ for the walk over to the shop.
*
Conversation during the session is limited. Louis of course sits by Harry’s side the whole time and smiles happily as he watches the last of Harry’s sleeve come to life. Zayn carefully inks Harry’s chosen constellations into his skin. (Aquarius, among others. Harry smiles as he thinks of the now covered up squiggles on his hip as he watches Zayn shade the stars.)
“All done.” He says after he finishes the last of the shading down by Harry’s wrist.
“What?” Harry asks, his trance broken when Zayn turns off the gun.
“It’s finished, mate.” He says “you’re officially sleeved up.”
“Oh god.” Harry says. He takes a deep breath and stands up, walking over to the mirror immediately.
He lets out all the air in his lungs when he sees it all. He looks from the nebula on his shoulder, to the galaxy on his elbow. He takes in the gradient of colors down his arm. The fade from turquoise to purple to dark blue, looks at the stars dotted all over his arm. He traces over Saturn, Jupiter and Neptune, and the comets flying across the scene.
“Oh my god.” He breathes.
.Zayn says nothing, opting instead to clean up his station so Harry can have his moment. Louis comes up next to Harry and presses a kiss to his neck.
“How does it feel?” He asks quietly.
“I. I don’t know yet. Surreal I guess.”
Louis nods, not wanting to force anything else out of his clearly overwhelmed boyfriend.
Harry thanks Zayn profusely, walks home with his hand in Louis’, and passes out on their bed as soon as they get home.
*
Louis traces over the finished product as he rubs lotion on it later.
“God.” He breathes. “Look at you. You’re a walking work of art.”
Harry smiles.
“I could say the same to you” He says, giving Louis a once over.
Louis smirks.
“You’re my little star boy.” He mumbles into Harry’s neck.
Harry smiles.
“Mhm. All yours.”
(Out of all the nicknames Louis has given him, Harry thinks he likes Star Boy best. Something about it just feels right.)
*
Louis has never been a tattoo person. He loves Harry’s tattoos, but he never thought he’d want one on himself. He likes his piercings because he can always take them out.
Harry’s infected his brain somehow, though. He looks at the ink in his skin and how beautiful it looks and thinks about how maybe he kind of wants one.
*
He comes up with an idea and pins it above his desk in their office. He looks at it every day and in a few months, he decides to call Zayn up and make an appointment.
“Hazza.” He says “Baby you’re off today right?”
Harry nods.
“I’m all yours today.”
“Good.” Louis says “Because I have an appointment and you’re coming with me.”
“More sparklies?” Harry asks, eyes brightening.
“Possibly.” He says with a smirk.
Harry grins and gets ready to go. It’s warm out so he can proudly display his arm, which he is still totally over the moon about. Louis eyes it up appreciatively.
“Come on, Star Boy.” Louis says, grabbing his hand.
Harry smiles at the nickname and they walk to the shop.
*
“Louis!” Zayn says happily “Your turn in my magic chair today, is it?”
“Your what?” Harry asks, looking between Zayn and Louis.
“Surprise, babe.” Louis says.
“You’re getting a-” Harry starts.
“A tattoo.” Zayn supplies.
“For you.” Louis says.
Harry’s eyes go wide.
“For me?” He asks dumbly.
“Yeah.” Louis says. He moves in and kisses Harry softly on the mouth. “I love you.” He mumbles into his boyfriend’s mouth.
“I love you too.” Harry says absently, staring into space.
*
“Alright Lou you can go get ready.” Zayn says.
Louis smiles and nods, going into the bathroom.
“What do you mean he can get ready? What is he getting ready for?”
“His tattoo.” Zayn says with a smirk “We’ve been over this already.”
“I don’t like that you know more than I do.” Harry says, narrowing his eyes.
Louis comes out in a towel with a smile on his face.
“What.” Harry says, staring at him.
“Situate yourself.” Zayn says.
Louis smiles and nods. He’s still got his shirt on, but Harry can see that he has no pants on.
Louis sits on the very seat Harry has spent many hours in and adjusts himself before flipping the towel half way off. He spreads his leg a little and Zayn smiles. He brandishes a stencil of a star and Harry’s eyes go wide.
“Louis.” He says.
“Yes, darling?” Louis asks with a sweet smile.
Zayn grins and interrupts whatever Harry was going to say.
“I see you took the liberty of shaving the area for me.”
“I manscape regularly.” Louis says with a smirk.
Zayn laughs at that and places the star right at the spot where Louis’ leg joins with his pelvis.
“Nothing hotter than a pelvis tattoo.” Zayn says with a smirk.
“So I’ve heard.” Louis says, eyeing up harry, who is staring like an idiot in his place.
“Harry.” Louis says, trying to bring him back. “Come back to earth, Star Boy.”
Harry shakes his head and blushes as he hears Zayn mumble ‘I get it now.’ Louis holds his hand out and smiles at him.
“You gonna hold my hand while I get inked up?”
“Of course.” Harry says, sitting next to Louis slowly. “Are you. Are you sure about this?”
Louis nods.
“Been thinking about it for months now, love.” He says. “I’m sure.”
Harry nods.
“Okay.”
“Ready?” Zayn asks.
Louis takes a deep breath and nods. Zayn smiles.
“Good.” He says “Jolly ranchers for you guys on the table.”
“Why-?” Louis asks.
“No worries.” Harry says “It’ll make sense when he’s actually tattooing you.”
Louis nods. Harry’s tried to explain the jolly rancher thing to him before but the only thing he really got out of it was it just was just to have something sweet. Something to do with adrenalin and stuff. Louis had never really paid attention. He didn’t think he’d ever need to know.
“I’m gonna do a little line on you just so you know what it feels like”
Louis nods again and Zayn starts up the gun. He starts with one line of the star and Louis bites his lip.
“Shit.” He says, shifting a bit. “Okay I’m ready.”
Harry squeezes his hand and nods.
“You’re gonna be great, babe.”
Louis smiles gratefully at him before wincing as the gun turns on again. Harry kisses the corner of his mouth as the Zayn gets to work.
*
The tattoo is done pretty quickly by Zayn and Harry’s standards. Zayn grins as he wipes it off with some water and a cloth. Louis had been a trooper the whole way through, squeezing Harry’s hand and sucking on plenty of jolly ranchers. (He totally gets it now.)
“All done.” He says.
Louis looks down and bites his lip.
“Wow.” He says.
Harry’s face is flushed and he’s got his bottom lip between his teeth.
“Fuck, Lou.” He mumbles.
Louis looks at him.
“Uh oh.” Louis says “I know that look very well.”
Zayn waggles his brows.
“Sexy times!” he says, doing his best Borat impression.
“Oh you have no fucking clue.” Harry mumbles.
“Calm down, Casanova.” Zayn says “You know the deal with tattoo after care. Keep your fucking mouth off until it’s healed.”
Harry nods absently.
“Yeah, ‘course.” He says.
Zayn bandages Louis up and sends him off to get dressed.
“You okay over there, tiger?” He asks.
“Yeah.” Harry says “I. yeah. I just wasn’t expecting him to. Yeah.”
Zayn laughs softly.
“It’s a pretty awesome thing to do for someone.”
“Yeah.” Harry nods. “It is.”
Louis comes out dressed and walking a bit funny due to the pain and the bandage.
“All ready to go.” He says with a happy smile.
Harry grabs his hand and kisses his cheek.
“Let’s go home.” He says “I’ll make us lunch and you can lounge and watch a movie.”
“Sounds perfect.” Louis says happily. “And then later you have to lavish my new tattoo with attention.”
“Of course.” Harry says instantly.
“No sexy attention!” Zayn calls as they walk out the door.
Harry turns and salutes him quickly before being dragged away by Louis.
*
“God damn.” Harry breathes later. Louis is spread out beneath him like he’s been so many times before.
He’s eye level with the fresh ink on Louis’ pelvis and Louis has his hand threaded in Harry’s hair.
“I’m glad you love it.” Louis says.
“It looks perfect on you. God, Louis.”
Louis grins and opens his leg more.
“Wanna lotion me up?”
“Always.” Harry says.
He grabs the bottle and gets to work, being extremely careful.
*
“Fucking strip.” Harry growls into Louis’ mouth.
“Mhm.” Louis hums.
He pulls away from Harry to pull his shirt off. He goes for Harry’s, throwing it on the floor once it’s off.
“Fucking shit.” He grunts “That fucking sleeve of yours.”
“Take your pants off.” Harry breathes.
Louis smirks and shucks them off expertly. He turns and crawls onto their bed, waggling his ass at Harry. Harry makes a weird sort of predatory noise before pouncing on Louis. He grabs the waistband of his briefs and snaps it hard against Louis’ hip.
“You’re such a fucking tease.” He says.
“You fucking love it.” Louis says, turning over.
He brings his hands to the waistband of his underwear, arching a brow at Harry. He smirks as he lowers them slowly. Harry licks his lips when he sees the finally healed tattoo come into view. When Louis’ briefs are finally off he spreads his legs for his boyfriend. Harry’s mouth attaches to Louis’ tattoo immediately. He licks over it before sucking a kiss into the skin, causing Louis to gasp.
Louis’ hands wind their way into Harry’s hair, causing the younger boy to moan into his boyfriend’s skin. He pulls off of Louis’ hip and moves to lick a strip up the underside of Louis’ cock. Louis gasps and arches his back, his hips pressing hard into the mattress. Harry smirks.
“Can I help you with something?”
Louis gives him a look that could curdle milk and grunts.
“Get me off.” He growls “be a good little star boy and make me come.”
“Since you asked so nicely.” Harry mumbles, using one hand to hold the base of Louis’ cock.
He sucks the head of Louis’ cock into his mouth as his tattooed arm slides up Louis’ torso, teasing one of his nipples.
Harry teases Louis’ cock expertly, knowing exactly what his boyfriend loves. He pulls off at one point to press a kiss to Louis’ belly, tugging at the ring a bit before sucking Louis back into his mouth. Louis comes with a gasp not long after that, and then returns the favor, swirling his tongue around the head of Harry’s dick in a way that makes the boys’ eyes roll back in his head.
“I fucking love your tongue stud.” He gasps, sweaty and sated.
“I fucking love you.” Louis mumbles, cuddling into him. He flops one of his legs over Harry’s and hums happily.
“You too.” Harry murmurs, drifting off soon after that.
*
Louis’ tattoo doesn’t flip a switch in his brain the way Harry’s first one did. He’s perfectly content with his one special tattoo for his one special guy. Harry on the other hand, is a totally different story.
“Getting the urge again.” He says randomly one day.
“Again?” Louis asks, wrinkling his nose “Haz we’ve fucked like…four times today.”
“Not for that you pinhead.” Harry says “For a tattoo.”
“I won’t soon forget that pinhead comment.” Louis says mildly “and really? Already?”
Harry nods.
“Chest piece this time.” He says.
“Oh my.” Louis says, imagining ink peeking out of one of Harry’s many v-necks.
Harry smirks.
“Yeah.” He says “Wanna see what I’ve got planned?”
“Always, Star Boy.” Louis murmurs, moving to sit next to his boyfriend at the kitchen table. The two spend the next hour planning Harry’s next big piece.
Louis presses a kiss to the nebula on Harry’s shoulder and smiles into the skin.
“S’gonna be beautiful.” He murmurs “But Zayn’ll kill you. There’s a lot more line work and details in this one.”
“Eh.” Harry says “He’ll deal with it.”
Louis laughs happily at that and nods, leaning in to press a kiss to Harry’s cheek.
“So tell me about this one…” he murmurs softly.
“But of course.” Harry says.
Louis listens to Harry explain his reasons and thinks that there’s nowhere else in the world he’d rather be at that current moment. His beautiful boy and his beautiful art, ideas strewn across the kitchen table, and many hours sitting next to a tattoo chair with the buzz of needles filling his ears is more than enough to keep him happy.