Work Text:
To: Louis
You up?
To: Harry
Yeah, why?
To: Louis
Can’t sleep.
To: Harry
Come on over.
~
Harry got the response he was hoping for. He wrapped his blanket around himself since he was only in his underwear and it was quite cold in the hotel. He made his way out of his hotel room and over to Louis’, then knocked on the door.
A shirtless, sleepy Louis greeted him. Yawning, he motioned for Harry to come inside. Harry went to sit down on the untouched, left side of the bed next to where Louis had been lying.
Louis knew why Harry had texted him - he was afraid of thunderstorms. This was something Louis had learned when he and Harry had lived together. They usually slept in the same bed anyway, but Harry was more needing of Louis’ company when there was thunder and lightening outside. Louis had once asked Harry why he was so afraid, but didn’t receive a real answer. He let it go, and just gave Harry the comfort he needed. But that was a year ago, and things had changed - they didn't do that kind of thing anymore.
The TV was on, an episode of Friends was playing quietly. Louis climbed into his bed next to Harry, and pulled the blankets over the both of them. Harry hesitantly scooted closer to Louis and laid his head down on his shoulder. Louis didn't question it, and put his arm around Harry’s shoulders. They laid there like that, and laughed every once in awhile at something funny one of the characters said. Soon, the episode was over.
“I'm getting tired, but I can leave the tv on if you’d like,” Louis asked.
“It’s okay, I’m getting pretty tired too. You can turn it off,” Harry said in response.
“Kay,” Louis mumbled. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept in the same bed as Harry. All he knew was that he missed it; the warmth of Harry pressed against him, and his slow, steady breath.
Louis turned the TV off and moved over to the light switch to do the same. The room was dark, but he could see where the bed was as his eyes quickly adjusted. He made his way towards it. Louis sat on the bed and made necessary adjustments until he was comfortable. Harry was only an inch or two away from him, and he could feel his body heat. Louis lay with his back to Harry, and they stayed quiet except for their breathing for several minutes.
Then, a large crack of thunder sounded outside. Louis felt Harry jump a little. He knew it was coming; Harry inched closer to the older boy until his torso was pressed against Louis’ back. He wrapped an arm around Louis’ stomach, and pulled him closer. Louis gladly let him; it felt like a block of ice in his chest had finally melted. He missed this so much. Louis snuggled himself into Harry’s hold. Everything was quiet now except the soft roll of thunder outside, and it stayed that way for awhile.
“Louis?” Harry softly whispered.
“Yeah?” Louis whispered back.
“I missed you,” Harry said.
Louis’ breath hitched in his chest. All the emotional space that had grown between them went away. He carefully reached for Harry’s hand, the one that was placed on his stomach, and interlocked their fingers together.
“I missed you too,” Louis said softly, then gave Harry’s hand a light squeeze.
Harry nuzzled his face into the back of Louis’ neck, and took in the scent that he missed so dearly. He closed his eyes and smiled, content. He then pressed a kiss on Louis’ neck.
“Good night, Louis.”
“Good night, Harry. Sweet dreams.”
Even quieter than before, Harry spoke “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” And that was the last thing Harry heard before he drifted into a deep sleep.
3:56 a.m.
Harry shot up out of his sleep and sat up in the bed, panting and sweating. The movement woke Louis. He sat up next to Harry, and placed a hand on his back and soothingly rubbed it.
“Shhh, Harry it’s okay,” Louis whispered several times over to Harry. Harry eventually calmed down, and the pair soon went back to sleep with their legs tangled together, in a comforting embrace.
8:09 a.m.
“Hey Lou, we’re going out for break-” Liam stopped talking as he saw what was in front of him. It may have been the sweetest thing he had ever seen.
On the bed in front of him laid Harry and Louis, asleep. Louis was on his back, with an arm draped across Harry’s torso and another around his back, holding the boy close to him. His face wore the slightest smile. Harry was half on his side and half on his stomach, laid on Louis. Head in the crook of the other boy’s neck, and hand protectively on his chest.
The scene made Liam tear up. He had always secretly thought that Louis and Harry would have been perfect together, and seeing the two grow so far apart over the year saddened him.
He quietly left the room, deciding to leave them be. As he walked back to the other boys, in his mind he was hoping that somehow fate would find a way for those two boys to be together for the rest of their lives.