I Know You, Lou // l.s.

23.

Both Harry and Louis fell asleep during the film that night, arms around each other as Harry let his head rest on Louis' shoulder.

They slept peacefully, wrapped around each other, and when Harry woke, he thought he hadn't slept that well since the days when they used to fall asleep together in their pillow forts they'd build in the living room.

Harry woke first, letting out a long breath as he scrunched his eyes closed, and felt Louis' strong hand on his back.

He was lying on his side, body pressed up against the older boy's, who held him in a tight embrace, Harry's head still resting on Louis' shoulder, the same way it had been all the way through the movie.

His eyes soon fluttered open, and he squirmed a little, accidentally nuzzling his face against Louis' shoulder and inadvertently waking him up in the process.

"Mmm," Louis grumbled a little, making Harry pause as he waited. "M'morning, Haz."

Harry let out the breath he was holding when he felt Louis' hand press into the small of his back again, and his thumb gently stroke the skin where his shirt had risen up.

"Morning, Lou." Harry answered with a smile, slowly letting his hand reach out to touch Louis' side, holding his shirt in a small fist, only wanting to never let go.

"Niall comes back today." Harry commented, his lips moving against Louis' t-shirt on his shoulder. "Liam too."

"Yeah," Louis breathed, his other arm draped over his eyes as he whispered in the early morning light. "I think Li was going to text when he was on his way or something. Pass me my phone?"

So Harry rolled away for a second, grabbed Louis' phone from the side table and rolled back, handing it to him.

"Thanks, Curly." Louis whispered, gently kissing Harry's forehead as he took it from him, leaving Harry astounded.

He hadn't done anything like that in a very long time.

Harry looked up at Louis' face as he typed something, waited for a moment, presumably for a response, and then typed something again, before locking his phone and looking down at Harry with a smile.

"Looks like we've got plans." He grinned, and Harry couldn't help but smile back.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Lunch with the guys, we're meeting them at the diner in about an hour." Louis answered. "Will Niall be back by then?"

So Harry turned to get his own phone, and saw a message from the blonde.

"Speak of the devil." He muttered as he read what Niall had said. "He's flown in a few hours ago. So yeah, he should be b-back here any moment."

When Harry stuttered, he felt Louis' arm tense around him, and his thumb stroke his back again, obviously trying to calm him. It was so embarrassing, Harry thought, to have a stutter like that. He hated it, and he hated how vulnerable it made him seem.

"We should get ready then, yeah?" Louis asked softly, trying his hardest to make the boy feel safe.

"Yeah." Harry answered, but neither of them made any indication of moving, simply looking into each other's eyes as they laid there. Louis looked so beautiful, he thought, getting lost in his baby blues.

"Haz?" Louis asked, making Harry snap out of his daze.

"R-Right." He whispered, looking down before pushing himself up on the bed and sitting up, turning his back to Louis so he could place his feet on the floor.