Smut and fluff

fall on your faith like you faith for religion

harry's coconut shampoo fills the hotel room when he slides the bathroom door open, spilling light into the darkness. louis winces, blinking his eyes open from his side of the bed where he'd dozed off watching the nightly news. he yawns and sits up to watch harry towel dry his long curls when he pads into the room.

"babe, did you get the rest of the paperwork sent off for the loft?" harry asks, looking back over his shoulder at louis, smirking a little when louis drags his eyes off of his bare arse.

louis rubs at his chin, twisting his mouth a little. "shit, i'd completely forgotten, to be honest."

harry digs around his cosmetics bag and turns to the mirror where louis can see his profile and his long fingers dip into his expensive night cream.

"this was the fourth time i've reminded you, lou."

"i know, i know. I'll get it done, i swear."

"okay," harry says, a bit short. there's a frown pinching the corner of his mouth. louis sighs to himself, rubbing a hand down his face and lays back on his pillow.

"that wasn't your real 'okay' voice."

harry sighs, smoothing the rest of the cream on his face before he turns back to louis, hand on his hips. "it's just that it was one thing i asked you to do ages ago, lou."

"i know, babe. but it's not like we've got a lot of time off and it slipped through me mind. i can have them sent out by tomorrow morning. it isn't a big deal, love. not exactly like we can pack up and move in straight away," louis says.

"that's just it though. we don't have time until the break and that's why i wanted to get everything ready now before promotions started."

louis huffs a bit, still trying to keep his voice gentle. "i still don't think it's a big deal. it's not like we're homeless. we've got two other houses-"

harry's loud sigh stops louis. he sits up again and harry isn't looking at him. he blinks rapidly when harry tilts his head toward him, jaw pulsing with tension. "i knew you didn't want this house. we should just cancel it. paperwork's not done anyway-"

"-i didn't say that, harry."

"you didn't have to. you didn't want this loft and I convinced you that it would be a good idea and obviously that's not what you want. i shouldn't have pushed you."

"harry," louis says, pushing himself off the bed to cross the room to harry. he reaches for him before he's even next to him, hand going straight to harry's lower back, rubbing small circles. "you're not pushing me into anything. i want this, okay? i'll get it done."

harry sighs, tracking his eyes over louis' face, scrutinizing him for a moment.

"i'm tired. let's just get to bed. we can talk more about it in the morning," harry says, pulling away- and that hurts. he wants to say something more, but harry warns him off with a look.

"night then," he says, his hand falling back to his side.

harry comes around the corner to his side and sinks onto the bed. louis hesitates before he climbs in afterward, disatisfied that they're going to bed without resolving anything, but he knows how tired harry is after having to do pap trails in LA. he reaches his arm out to harry's waist and pauses to see if it's still okay. harry relaxes into the bed, so louis presses himself closer and tugs harry to him. "love you," he murmurs into the back of harry's damp head.

"love you," harry says back, and for a moment, it feels like enough.
--

louis wakes up to the sound of muffled arguing through his hotel walls. he reaches blindly for the warmth of harry's back and blinks himself awake when he realizes harry's gone.