relief next to me (by dolce_piccante on ao3)

8

Harry was very drunk. Very, very drunk. He was birthday drunk, which was the result of too many free drinks and not enough food or sleep. He was so drunk that he didn't know how he'd make it up the steps to his flat. Steps could be so pesky. Maybe Louis was right about upping their cardio in order to tackle steps.

"Mmm," Harry hummed into something warm and fabric covered.

"C'mon, sweetheart, almost there."

Then he heard the dulcet Irish tones of his flatmate and smiled with his eyes shut, his face rolling into Niall's neck. Beer and the nip of spicy cologne rushed into his nose. All would be right in the world if Niall was there with him.

"I love you."

"Love you too, muffin," Niall said, tightening his arm around Harry's upper back. "Will love you even more once we're in the flat. You're like a walking snuggle tonight, which will be a lot more pleasant horizontal."

"Mmm, horizontal," Harry murmured, dozing against Niall's shoulder.

He started to snore, his body lulling to the left. Then he was pulled upright again, Niall's laugh cackling in his ear.

"What?" Harry giggled, his body propped against a wall. The wall moved behind his back, Niall's laughter getting louder and Harry's body pulled back to a standing position. Harry looked towards the laughter with closed eyes. "Whasso funny?"

"Nothing, mate. Just glad you had a good night." Niall wrapped an arm around Harry's waist. "You deserve it." He jostled him gently. "And tomorrow will be even better! Birthday brunch at Ed's. Then bottle service at Chandelier. It's gonna be sick. Oof. C'mon, move those big old legs of yours. That's it. Good lad, good lad!"

Harry was led into his flat, Niall helping him peel clothes off as he went.

"You're the best," Harry said from on his back on the bed, his legs hanging over the end from his knees. Niall pulled off one of his boots. "The best everrr. Such a sunshine." His other boot his the ground. "Sunshiney shiny. Sunshine of my love."

Niall laughed and eased Harry's legs onto his mattress.

"Sit back, babe. Lie down."

Harry pressed his heels into the end of his mattress and pushed, his body straightening out and the top of his head mushing into pillows.

"Mmm."

"Do you need help with your shirt?"

"No, thank you, Niallllll."

Niall stood next to his bed with his hand over his smiling mouth, watching the scene unfold. Harry tried to pull his button up off from the bottom of his stomach. He managed to get half the shirt pulled up around his ribs before the material would not stretch anymore. His socked feet moved without reason on the bed, puppy whimpers released into his shirt. Niall scrunched his fingers into his stomach.

"Whahahahat?" Harry laughed loudly, arching away. "What're you doing!?"

"Here, mate."

Niall unbuttoned his shirt from the top and helped him take it off. He helped him with his jeans, as well; he should have gotten a crowbar before attempting to breach such tightness. Niall left Harry in just black boxer briefs and black socks, though Harry was attempting to drag his socks off by stepping on his own feet. He got the right one off, the left one hanging half off his long foot.

"Drink this," Niall said upon returning, shoving a glass of water under Harry's lips. "Babe, open up."

Harry blinked up at him, confused and sleepy.