I lay awake thinking of you ~ l.s

Part 2

The next few days flew by. Louis studied for a madman for his week of exams that would begin Monday and end Friday, the same day as Harry's birthday. When he was not talking to Harry he was studying, foregoing both food and sleep to the point where Harry had yelled at him for a good five minutes of the importance of taking care of yourself. He had then proceeded by crashing into Louis small studio apartment, arms full of grocery bags, and wanting to hear none of it as he began cooking up enough food to feed an entire hockey team for a week.

"You didn't have to do that," Louis said as Harry put down a bowl of Spaghetti bolognaise in front of him that evening.

"I know I didn't," Harry said softly. "But I wanted to. Your exams start tomorrow and I want to make sure you're eating properly."

"Thanks, Hazza." Louis smiled gratefully at him, putting his laptop to the side and picked up the steaming bowl of food.

"I brought you this, too." Harry stood from the sofa and went back into the kitchen, coming back out with a little potted plant. "It's a little succulent, it doesn't need much care so even you should be able to keep it alive."

"Wow I'm flattered," Louis laughed, admiring the small plant as Harry gave it to him, before putting it on his windowsill. "But I have killed cactuses in the past, just a warning."

"How can you be that bad?" Harry laughed and shook his head as he sat back down next to Louis. "That I'm even friends with you."

"I'm so sorry my abilities to properly take care of plants disappoints you, didn't realize it'd be a dealbreaker." Louis joked, blowing on the food before shoving some hungrily into his mouth.

"I'm a florist Lou. We're from two different worlds. A plant-lover and a plant-destroyer simply can't be friends." Harry said.

"You are a part time florist so you can shut it and eat with me instead." Louis laughed, nodding towards the bowl Harry had prepared for himself.

"How are you feeling about the exams?" Harry asked as he took his first bite, humming happily at the food.

"I don't know, really." Louis shrugged. "I mean, I don't think I could have prepared more for them than I already have, so we'll have to wait and see how it goes I guess."

"That's a healthy way to think of it," Harry nodded.

"How are you feeling about turning twenty-one in less than a week?" Louis asked, putting down his bowl after finishing his last spoonful of pasta.

"I don't know," Harry echoed. "A little weird, I mean. I'm considered an adult for real then."

"Being an adult is awesome, what are you worried about?" Louis looked at him calculatingly.

"No clue, just... Growing up, I guess." Harry shrugged. "These are supposed to be your prime-time years, right? And I'm just realizing that I'm only getting one shot in making something of them."

"I am sure you'll do fine, Haz." Louis put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But let's focus on having fun first before we dive head first into an existential crisis, okay?"

Harry let out a small giggle that got Louis' heart to melt a little. "Yeah, okay."

"Great! So," Louis put up his feet to sit cross legged in the sofa, turned to Harry. "What exactly do you need my help with this Friday?"

"Well first of all I really need an outfit, styling advice. You are good at that kind of stuff" Harry said making Louis snort.

"Yeah sure," Louis looked down at his worn sweatpants that were more lint than pant at this point, with a permanent stain on his left thigh from when he had dropped his entire glass of red wine over himself, and his old hoodie with his high school logo on it. "Sure," He said again, chuckling.