"There they are!" Zayn huffs in annoyance. "Nice of you both to finally show up."

"Where were you guys?" Niall snorts.

"We got, um, held up, at my car." Louis says sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. Harry blushes a red that would put tomatoes to shame.

"Oh god I don't want to know." Liam covers his ears.

"You guys are disgusting, absolutely disgusting. It's been one week since the performance and you've been at least 10 minutes late to each class, each class." Zayn turns up his nose.

"Oh shut up, you were way way worse. At least we still turn up for class." Louis fires back making Zayn and Liam blush. He and Harry pull out chairs for themselves and sit down.

"Okay but can we really stop with the trend now? I think one week is long enough for you guys getting used to each other."

"Fucking jealous leprechaun." Louis mumbles under his breath making Harry snort.

"So what are your plans for today?" Liam asks slowly recovering from his blush.

"I'm taking Harry out." Louis states and places his hand on Harry's thigh.

"Wow I'm never getting used to this." Niall gasps in awe. Louis ignores him. He doesn't even want to know.

"What about you guys?" Harry speaks up for the first time since they sat down.

"Well I'm going out with my fam. Apparently because we missed the Sunday brunch because of bad weather we have to make it up with dinner." Liam says with a small smile.

"I'm going out with a few friends. Play some footie and stuff." Niall grins.

"I promised mum I'd teach Waliyha how to draw. She's been after my life. Now that I'm finally done with assignments and stuff at least I have the time." Zayn smiles fondly.

"I haven't seen them in so long Zee." Louis whines.

"I know man. They keep reminding me. Even mum. 'You never bring Louis and Niall over anymore.' You guys should come someday. Even you Harry. We need to plan something."

Louis and Niall nod happily. "Oh and before I forget. Lottie and Fizzy have told me that I better get y'all home soon or else they're not gonna let me out. Because every time you've come over this year it's been very rushed."

"Um, who's Waliyha?" Harry asks softly.

"She's my little sister. I have three sisters. Doniya is the eldest of us, Waliyha is younger than me and Safaa is the youngest."

"Oh. That's nice. I'd like to meet them."

"Safaa would love your hair." He grins wickedly and Louis bursts into laughter.

"No way. We're coming over when Safaa isn't over. I value Harry's hair too much." Louis laughs.

Harry looks confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Well... You know how I was showing you pictures of our atrocious haircuts the other day at your place?"

"Oh yeah, yeah. What about them?"

"They were Safaa's doing. She gives new people haircut. It's like an initiation process. I got the worst."

"No what the fuck I got a fucking Mohawk!!!" Niall yells.

"Shut up y'all, I got my hair dyed hot pink and shaved at random places."

"She let you off easy mate. You better be glad she has a crush on you." Zayn looks at Louis. Harry pouts and grabs Louis' arm possessively. Zayn laughs. "I just realised! Harry's gonna get the worst of it. She will not be pleased to find out about you both."

"Hey!! No one's touching Harry's hair. Only I touch his hair." Louis wraps an arm around him.

"Sorry bro, it's initiation. He's gonna have to take a bad haircut or Safaa will make life hell for him." Harry looks down sadly.

"I don't wanna get my hair cut. Wanna grow it out." He mumbles.

"Oh baby." Louis rubs his arm. "Don't worry. I'll make sure she doesn't cut your hair. Anyhow, we aren't going today, are we?"

Harry smiles and snuggles into Louis' neck.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Okay Lou can I please open my eyes now."

"Not yet baby. Just a little more. Okay, now I need you to get down on hands and knees and crawl a little forward."

"Uh-"

"Don't worry, Haz. I promise you'll like it." Louis rubs his back. Harry nods and does what Louis asks him to.

"Can I open my eyes now?" Louis sits in front of Harry and kisses his nose.

"Yes." He whispers softly. Harry's eyes slowly flutter open and he looks around.

"Is this-?"

"A blanket fort." Louis nods.

"It's beautiful." He murmurs softly taking in the large fort strung with fairy lights.

"Yeah?" Harry nods giving Louis a soft kiss. "I thought we could do something simple so I just brought out my laptop. We can watch Netflix or something. I also made dinner."

"You made dinner?" Harry skeptically raises his eyebrows. "Like proper edible food and didn't burn up the house."

"Oh my god, you're horrible. I do so much for you and you imply I'd burn the house?"

"Louis you burnt tea." Harry deadpans.

"That was one time, Harold. One time!"

"Well what have you made then?"

"You'll see when the time comes." Louis sits back against the black pillows and pulls Harry next to him. He switches on his laptop and opens Netflix. "Well? What do you want to watch?"

"Anything works."

"Harry..."

"Let's watch, um, reruns of big bang theory."

"Not very date material but this is exactly why I love you." Louis grins and Harry blushes.

"You l-"

"Love you? Yes, yes I do, Harold. Very much so." He grins and tucks his curl behind his ear. Harry blushes redder and hides his face in his hands.

"Uh uh, none of that." Louis tuts and grabs his wrists. Harry winces and pulls his hands away. "I'm sorry." He ignores him and rubs at his wrists. Louis takes his arms and pushes back his sleeves.

"What the fuck Harry. These are fresh!!" Louis snaps.

"I'm-"

"You promised Harry!"

"I had a nightmare okay!!" He cries.

"You promised you'd call me no matter what." He lets out a defeated whisper. He pulls at his hair. "I can't believe this. I thought you trusted me." He walks away. "I need a minute to absorb this."

"Louis-"

"No!!! Just don't alright?? You promised!"

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." Harry cries. "I didn't want to."

"Why didn't you call?" He buries his face in his hands.

"It was 2 am. I couldn't stop crying, I had to, I couldn't get the images out of my head." He wipes at his eyes. "Please! I'm sorry."

"Harry you can't keep hurting yourself." He whimpers softly.

"I know and I'm so sorry." He mumbles tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Did you apply antiseptic?"

"No."

"Idiot." Louis rushes to the bathroom and grabs the first aid kit. "Arms out." Harry wordlessly holds out his arms in front of him. Harry winces before the antiseptic even touches his arm. "I'll be gentle, I promise." Louis kisses his arms and dabs at his skin softly. Harry winces and tries to pull his arms away. After the cleaning is done Louis kisses the cuts. "All done." He wraps them in bandage and kisses that too.

"I'm sorry." A tear rolls down his cheek. Louis pulls him closer both theirs soaking through the other's shirt.

"Don't do it again." He warns firmly, wiping away his tears, switching on the laptop.

"I won't." He mumbles into Louis' shoulder. Louis wraps his arm around him and pulls him close and starts the show. A while later, Harry disrupts the mildly tense silence. "Lou?" Louis nods questioningly. "I love you." Louis grins and pulls him even closer.

"I love you." He replies softly. "Hungry?" He strokes his hair. Harry nods. Louis gets up and fetches their dinner.

"What's that? It smells delicious."

"This, dear Harold, is chicken, stuffed with mozzarella, wrapped in Parma ham, with some homemade mashed potatoes."

"Stuffed?" Harry giggles.

"Yes Harold." Louis states indignantly. "Stuffed. At least that's what Jamie Oliver said." Louis hands the plates and the dish to Harry and pulls out a small foldable table. Harry places the food, plates and cutlery on the table and serves the both of them. They eat in comfortable silence.

"Lou? Where's your family?"

"They decided to give us some privacy and went out. Won't be back till late." Harry nods and smiles. When they finish eating, Louis puts away the dishes and the foldable table and starts the episode again. They watch in complete silence. Harry's right hand holding Louis' left in place at his waist and his head on his shoulders. Harry slowly fell asleep. Turning on his side to snuggle into Louis. Louis looks at him, startled. He turns off his laptop and reaches over to keep it on the bedside table. He tries to move Harry into a comfortable position on the bed but he just cuddles closer to him. Louis gently shakes him awake. "Babe, lie down properly, you're going to hurt your neck or your back."

"No, I should get going." Harry mumbles groggily.

"You're not going anywhere." Louis states forcefully.

"I don't even have my overnight bag and mum will worry. Gemma might just kill you."

"You can borrow something from me. You've done it before and call your mum and text her as well. I'm not letting you go home alone this late." Louis gets out of bed and pulls out two pairs of pajamas and throws one to Harry. "Change, you'll be more comfortable." Harry asks for a shirt and Louis throws him one, going into the bathroom to change. By the time Louis comes back Harry is already asleep. Louis smiles softly to himself and gets in bed beside him. He clicks off the fairy lights and Harry whimpers uncomfortably. "Everything okay, darling?" He rubs his arm.

"Can you please put on the lights? I can't sleep in total darkness?"

"Sure love." Louis clicks on the lights again. "Better?" He nods and turns around hiding his face in Louis' neck. Louis smiles and wraps his arm around him.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Zayn get your ass back here." Liam calls.

"Coming, oh god. I literally just went to get us more popcorn." Zayn sighs and Niall snorts. He sets the bowl down and drops down on the couch beside Liam and cuddles into him.

"Seriously why the fuck am I here I'm fifth wheeling." Niall groans looking at Harry and Louis in their own world and Zayn and Liam disgustingly and domestically feeding each other popcorn. Louis snorts.

"Well maybe you should go get Josh."

"That's disgusting. No offense but I'd rather be with girls." Louis laughs.

"Then shut up and stop complaining." At that point the doorbell rings.

"Oh thank God. Someone is here to save me." Niall runs to get the door. "Safaa hi! How are you?" Niall hugs the girl.

"Ni? How are you here? It's been so long." She squeals happily.

"I missed you too! Come on."

"Is Louis here too?" She asks excitedly.

"Along with Liam." Safaa rolls her eyes.

"When is he not here?" She snorts. "Anyhow..." She runs past him to find Louis. "Louis!!!" She stops abruptly when she sees Louis laughing with Harry in his lap. "Who is that?" She asks loudly making both couples turn.

"Safaa!! Hi love!! Come on in." Louis smiles. She slowly moves towards him.

"Who is this?"

"He, is Harry. Love, this is Safaa."

"Hi." He mumbles softly.

"I'll get my scissors then." She shrugs. Harry tugs on Louis ' shirt shaking his head.

"Safaa, wait!"

"Yes Lou?" She smiles sweetly at him.

"Can you not cut his hair, please?" Louis asks.

"It's initiation, like you said." She shrugs coldly glaring at Harry. Harry looks down sadly.

"I know, love but Harry here is trying to grow out his hair. So maybe we could skip out on that?"

"He's a guy. Why does he want to grow out his hair?"

"Darling, there's no gender restriction to that. He wants to. So can we please?"

"No, no can do. Initiation is initiation."

"Well, maybe I could take another, in place of him?"

"Why do you care so much?" She scoffs.

"Because I love him." Niall is looking at them in awe and Zayn and Liam are trying hard not to laugh.

"Yeah okay he's getting a haircut."

"No he's not." They argue back and forth till Harry intervenes.

"Louis it's okay." He says sadly.

"But darling, I love your hair. Safaa please? You always say you love it when I'm happy don't you? I'll be very sad if you cut his hair."

"Ugh fine whatever!" She stomps off to her room.

"Wow. You actually managed to get Harry out of it." Zayn marvels. Harry gratefully kisses Louis' neck.

"I'm surprised. I thought she wouldn't budge. Zayn couldn't get me out of the second one."

"The second one?" Niall questions.

"Yeah, the boyfriend initiation. My shaved head. He saved me from the worst." They all laugh.

"Well I should get going. Mum has to go out today so I need to watch the girls. Harry, you coming or are you gonna go back with Niall or Liam?"

"I think I'll come with. I promised Gemma I'd go out with her today."

"Bye lads." Louis says cheerfully and Harry gets off his lap. They both pull on their shoes and leave hand in hand.

"Thank you for today Lou." Harry whispers when they reach his place. He quickly kisses him. "Bye."

"Harold?" Louis calls once Harry is at the door making him turn. "I love you." Harry blushes and looks down.

"I love you." He giggles. Louis smiles and waving at him, leaves.