Harry's green eyes rake over himself one last time as he gazes into the mirror. A pair of red suspenders hold up baggy, blue cargo pants, and a plastic yellow firefighter hat sits on his curly mop of brown hair. Admittedly, Harry probably should've gotten a light fake tan to make him look a little more muscular than he already is.

Sighing, he decides this is as good as he's going to look. He makes one last sweep around the room, making sure he hasn't left anything he'll need before leaving.

"What are you wearing," Niall asks. Harry looks up and sees Niall standing in his doorway wearing a ridiculous outfit. A long top hat sits on his head with a green strap around the middle. Black slacks cover his legs, and he wears a green pin-stripe suit jacket that reveals his chest underneath.

"What are you wearing," Harry shoots back as he looks at his best friend. Niall's shoulders sag as he looks Harry up and down.

"I'm the Once Ler. You said we were going to go as the Once Ler and Willy Wonka... you know from TikTok," Niall explains. Harry shakes his head, not remembering the conversation at all.

"I have no clue what you're talking about, Dude," Harry says as he continues past him.

He stops as he sees Louis standing in between the kitchen and living room. One of his hands is tucked into a pair of matching blue cargo pants. Louis' slight tan compliments the red suspenders better than Harry's paler skin does. The yellow plastic hat sits on the back of his head as Louis stares down at his phone.

Harry feels a pull in his stomach as Louis looks up at him and smiles cheerfully. The smile quickly shifts into a smirk as he gives Harry a once-over. "Lookin' fit," Louis cheers.

"Wait, you two are...," Niall stammers. Harry turns to look at Niall, who stands in the hallway looking between the two of them.

"Yeah, Louis and I are going as sexy firefighters," Harry explains impatiently. He doesn't understand what's so hard to get about the costumes. He and Louis are dressed identically, so, obviously, they're a pair.

"Once Ler? Looks nice, Ni. You got someone to be the Lorax or Willy Wonka," Louis asks. Harry doesn't understand anything Louis says.

"Don't call me Ni." Niall spits, "And I did, but I guess he forgot. So, no." Louis flinches at Niall's bitter tone.

"Hey, chill the fuck out, Niall," Harry shouts. Niall looks between the two of them, shaking his head. Harry has no clue what's gotten into the guy as he angrily storms out of the apartment. Harry turns to Louis and rolls his eyes.

"I have no clue what his fucking problem is. Are you ready to go," Harry sighs?

Louis nods, "The Uber is waiting outside."

~_~_~

The party is already in full swing by the time the pair arrive. People sit scattered across the lawn in various costumes with drinks in their hands. Harry pays the Uber before exiting the car and starting up the stairs to the frat house.

"Hey, Harry," people cheer as he walks by. Harry gives them waves as he walks past, not knowing some of them. The perks of not being in a frat, but being hot enough and rich enough to be in one, is the ability to go to any of the frats' parties without causing problems.

"Yo, Haz, looking hot," Someone slurs as they open the door. Harry recognizes the man as one of the senior frat brothers.

"Thanks, man. Have the DG girls gotten here yet," Harry questions? The brother nods inside the house as he takes another sloppy sip out of his red solo cup. Harry thanks him and heads inside, Louis not far behind.

"Who are the 'DG' girls," Louis whispers loudly. Music pounds in through Bluetooth speakers, and people chat loudly around them.

"Delta Gamma, it's a sorority. If you're looking for the hottest girls on campus, that's where you'll find them," Harry explains.

He spares a look at Louis, who walks through the room confidently. Already, he can see the eyes of various girls raking over Louis' bare torso. A flare of something sparks in the bottom of Harry's stomach as he sees the girls' sexual hunger.

"Harry," a girl shouts. Harry looks around in an attempt to find the girl who said his name. Green eyes fall on Taylor, who jumps up from the couch she was sitting on. She takes a quick sip from a silver flask as she rushes to Harry's side.

"Taylor," Harry sighs happily. He brings her in for a tight hug. The smell of vodka looms around her.

When they pull away, her eyes land on Louis. Harry notices Louis' eyes darken at the sight of her, but Taylor doesn't notice. "Louis, right," Taylor asks. She takes a step towards Louis, her eyes resting a couple seconds too long on his lips.

"That would be me," Louis replies, disinterested. Harry lays a gentle hand on Taylor's shoulder, steering her away from Louis. "I'm gonna get pissed," Louis shouts as he turns away from the two of them.

"Why did you run him off! He's hot," Taylor pouts as she takes another sip from her flask. Harry shakes his head as he watches Louis walk away.

"He's off-limits and definitely not interested in you," Harry replies as he takes the flask from Taylor's hand. He downs some of the clear liquid inside, feeling the burn of the liquor as it travels down his throat.

"You don't know that." Harry turns to her and gives her a look. He doesn't have the heart to tell her that Louis didn't talk to him for a week after introducing the two of them. So, instead, he turns his attention to her outfit.

"What're you supposed to be?"

Taylor looks down at her paisley printed dress and twirls happily. The top of the dress plunges into a deep-V, revealing a large portion of her chest. Harry guesses that the dress was made for a shorter girl in mind as it ends just below Taylor's butt.

"I'm sexy seventies! All the DG girls are doing it. No guys have come and talked to me, though," Taylor sighs. Harry pushes a hand into his pocket as he takes another sip from Taylor's flask.

"You're a pledge, so you're off-limits. I'm sure you'll find someone to sleep with if you really want to," Harry replies, his eyes finding their way to Louis, who laughs loudly with a girl in the kitchen.

"What about Louis? Do you think I can sleep with him? I've never slept with an English guy before."

Harry watches Louis from afar as he downs four shots of something. The man shakes his head afterward and cheers as he prepares another two. A blush creeps its way across Harry's cheeks as Louis' blue eyes fall on him from across the house. Louis sends him a wink before turning back to the girl.

He doesn't know if it's the alcohol or Louis' wink that sends a warm flush through Harry's body. However, the feeling is quickly put out as the girl moves in closer to Louis. Harry watches, bitterly, as she pulls Louis in for a deep kiss.

"Let's find somewhere quiet," Harry replies as he quickly turns away. Taylor, oblivious to Louis and the girl, takes Harry's hand and leads him deeper into the house.

Taylor's hands are icy in Harry's as they make their way up a flight of stairs and down a hallway riddled with doors. One of the lights flickers in the hallway, giving it an ominous glow. They make their way down the hallway together anyway. Loud moaning comes from a couple of the doors, and Taylor makes the mistake of opening one, revealing a naked couple.

"Oopsies," She giggles as she slams the door shut again and opens the one next to it.

Bunkbeds are pushed into the corner of the room, but, thankfully, it's empty. Taylor rushes to the bottom bed and flings herself onto it. "So soft," she sighs as he burrows her head into the pillow. Harry shuts the door behind them as he finds a spot on the floor.

"Fuck," Harry mumbles as he stares at the ceiling. The image of Louis and the girl kissing burns in Harry's head. Louis didn't even push her away.

"I'm horny," Taylor pouts.

Harry pays her no mind as he takes another sip from the flask.

He doesn't know how long he lays on the floor or how many more gulps he takes, but Harry knows he's drunk when the ceiling starts to swirl together.

The sound of the door slamming open startles him, causing Harry to jump from his spot and turns towards the intruders. A familiar face stares back at him.

"Louis," Harry breathes. Louis stands in the doorway, his hat gone and the straps of his suspenders hanging at his sides. Lipstick stains the sides of his cheeks, and his hair is a disaster.

A girl appears behind Louis wearing a red bra and underwear. Her lipstick has been smudged in certain places, and her hair is a mess. Harry looks between the two of them and feels a pang of disgust as he does.

"It's occupied, let's find a different one," the girl breathes. Louis's eyes land on Harry's, and it feels like Harry's being pulled into a trance.

The room around Harry seems to disappear as he looks at Louis. Green eyes rake over his body hungrily as Louis takes a step into the room. Blurred, Harry sees the girl attempt to pull Louis back, but he yanks his arm free and shuts the door.

"Fuck it," Louis mumbles as he takes two steps forward and presses his lips against Harry's. 

~_~_~

Hey guys! Happy new year's eve! This is the last update of 2020!! Also, I'm sorry for another cliff hanger, but I promise that you'll get all the juicy details in due time. For now, you have to remember how deep in the closet Harry is and how much of what he does with Louis he feels guilty about and doesn't want to remember. Did I mention this was going to be a bit of a slow burn? lol thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! ~B