|Chapter 23

With a final shove of Louis' small carryon bag, everyone was set for the flight. Niall was sat next to Liam further up in the plane, boasting on about what the trip is going to be like and how he can't wait to play guitar for one of their performances soon. Zayn was seated near the back of the plane, planning to catch up on some z's and listening to his music the whole way there. And much to Louis' surprise, despite how close him and the green eyed boy were, Harry chose to sit next to Louis on the flight.

Louis plopped down into his seat, his legs being able to stretch out compared to an ordinary economy seat. Harry took up the window seat, which Louis didn't complain about.

"You excited?" Harry asked beside him.

"Yeah." Louis let out a small, soft laugh, a smile on his lips. "First time out of the country, so of course I'm buzzin'."

Harry smiled back. "The only bummer about it all is the long flight. But, there is a way to make it fun!"

"How so, Styles?"

Harry bent over into his chair, pulling out his carryon bag from underneath the seat. He unzipped the brown bag, pulling out a long, yellow box. It was a board game.

"Scrabble?" Louis questioned with a raised brow, chuckling.

"What? Scrabble can be fun! And I am in fact the best at it." Harry grinned smugly, which only made Louis laugh longer.

Louis took the box from the younger boy's hands, setting it down on the small table in front of them. "Well, then you're on, Haz. Prove it." Louis smirked.

So, once the plane had lifted into flight, for the next few minutes the two boys were in the middle of an intense, as it can get, game of scrabble. Louis even had to look up a few of the words Harry formed onto his phone just to make sure they were actually English. Finally, Louis caught him out on one of the boy's silly words.

"Harry, 'vibey' is not a word..."

The younger pouted, crossing his arms. "It is so."

"Not according to google it's not."

Harry could see that he wasn't going to win this argument like this, so he decided to pull his special card. The adorable card.

He leaned over the middle of the two seats, putting a massive pout on his lips, big green eyes looking up into Louis' blue. "Please let it be a word?"

Louis couldn't help but internally awe at the cute boy. It made him wonder how it was even possible for the one boy to go from hot, smooth talk looking guy to sweet, adorable and cute in just one second. It amazed him in a way.

It took a lot to not immediately give in to the boy. "No."

So, Harry took it a little step further. He leaned in closer, snuggling his head into Louis' neck and wrapping his arm around the smaller boy. "Pretty please, Louuu?"

Louis giggled at the feeling of Harry's curls tickling his cheek. How could he not give in to this boy when he's acting like this?

"Fine, fine. But that's the only word!"

Harry grinned, placing a chaste kiss to Louis' cheek before pulling away from the now, red faced boy. "Works every time." He laughed. Louis glared playfully.

The game continued on into the late hours of the night. The moment both boys started yawning was when they decided to go to sleep. Luckily, their plane had a few thick duvet covers in case of any late night trips like this one. And much to Louis' liking, Harry held out the comforter, waiting for the older boy to join him by his side. Because of the big arm rest between them, he thought it would be uncomfortable to sleep against. He was about to go and get a comforter for himself, but Harry stopped him.

"We can just sit in the same seat. It's big enough..." Harry whispered; the rest of the people on the plane were sleeping.

Harry's statement was true. These plane seats were big enough to squeeze the two of them together.

"O-Okay." Louis answered shyly. Harry shifted over, giving Louis enough room to slip into. Quietly to not wake anyone up, Louis moved to the empty space, his body pressed up to Harry's chest.

Harry chuckled warmly and softly. "Cosy?"

"Yep." Louis giggled quietly.

Harry pulled the white comforter tight around the both of them, then snaking his arms around the boy's small waist to hold him close. He didn't even think twice about any of his movements.

Louis snuggled into the younger but bigger boy's chest, loving the warmth he gave off.  His hair tickled at Harry's chin as he dug his face into the boy's neck. His small hands gripped at the black fabric of Harry's shirt. Louis only ever dreamed that he would be sleeping against Harry, sleeping together. In the innocent way!

"Wake me up when we land, Haz." Harry just nodded in response.

Soon, Louis drifted to sleep, but Harry was still just awake. Having nothing else to keep him occupied, he set his eyes down onto the boy on his chest. Small snores emitted from Louis' lips, his lashes fluttering a little to show that he was dreaming about something. Harry moved Louis' fringe away from his closed eyes, smiling down at the pretty sight in front of him.

Louis had this special thing about him that Harry just couldn't seem to register inside of him. Louis gave him feelings that he shouldn't be feeling while he was already in a relationship. Louis allowed him to be natural and him. He felt like he had this strong protection over the boy, and it didn't annoy him in the slightest all the times Louis would feel nervous, scared or small, because Harry felt needed and wanted whenever Louis would come to him or when just Harry's presence would calm him down.

Louis was just... he didn't know yet.

+

Slowly darkness turned a little brighter, only a small amount of light coming from the phone screens around him or the few street lights along the roads.

Louis grumbled as he started to wake from his slumber. His head was still against the same chest he was against before he slept. He wondered if he was actually still on the plane, but he was proven wrong when he looked around him to notice the other three boys sat in front of him in the moving van.

"Hello sleeping beauty." Harry spoke quietly to the boy still curled into his chest.

Louis blushed, looking up into Harry's green eyes above him. They seemed brighter in the darkness surrounding them.

"Why didn't you wake me up? How did I even get in here?"

"He carried you." Niall answered for Harry, going back to his phone after seeing Louis' cheeks darken.

"You could have woken me, you know." Louis said quietly up at Harry.

Harry shook his head. "You looked too peaceful to wake up. I couldn't do it." He chuckled.

Louis looked down to Harry's large hands that were placed in his lap, using his finger to trace over the small cross on the back of his hand. "I just didn't want to be a struggle for you, that's all..." He whispered biting his lip.

"You're not a struggle to carry. I was perfectly fine, Lou..." Harry frowned, brushing his thumb against the boy's hand. "Don't say that stuff..." He whispered.

Louis didn't respond, he just placed his head back on Harry's chest with a soft sigh.

+

"So, room arrangements." Liam spoke once they reached their hotel floor. "There are two rooms. Two beds and three beds. Have your pick."

Being so use to doing so, Louis took a step toward Niall, only to be quickly stopped with a grip on his arm.

"Lou and I can share." Harry stated quickly.

Well then, Louis mentally said. He thought that after spending the whole plane trip and all that time before then that he would get sick of rooming with him for a month or so. Guess not.

"Oh, sure!"

"Sick with rooming with us now, Harold?" Zayn joked.

Harry just rolled his eyes back at him, laughing. "Maybe so."

Liam laughed, handing over two keys for Louis and Harry. Once Harry had them in his grip he was pulling Louis toward their door. Louis could hear Niall snickering to himself in the background, in which Louis turned to glare at him before stepping inside the hotel room. Harry shut the door once both boys and their bags were inside.

"Whoa." Louis commented, immediately noticing how spacious it was. The kitchen and lounge were one big room, bedrooms and bathroom down the hall. In the lounge area there was a long semi-circle, white leather couch, a TV on the wall and two wide windows either side of it.

Louis placed his case to the side, walking over to one of the windows. There was a beautiful view of a million lights scattered across the area, blending in with the bright stars in the sky. He pressed his hand up to the glass, retracting it back after feeling how cold it was.

"Do you know what's happening tomorrow, Haz?" Louis asked.

Harry joined Louis, standing close to him, looking from the view to the boy. "It's a free day, to get over the jetlag and such." He looked to his shoes. "But I have that premiere with Kendall tomorrow night, though."

"Oh..." Louis hoped this Kendall didn't take Harry away that much, but really, it was out of Harry's control.

"But they don't need me until late afternoon. So we have all that time until then to do something." Harry smiled down at the shorter boy, Louis smiled back.

Before Louis could say anything else, a yawn emitted from him, causing Harry to yawn as well.

"We should probably get some sleep if we want enough Harry and Louis time." Harry noted, making Louis giggle and nod in confirmation.

"I'll see you in the morning, Hazza." Louis headed towards one of the bedrooms.

"Good night, Lou!"

"Night!"

+

Louis rubbed at his awakening eyes, leaning against the counter top as he waited for the kettle to boil for his cuppa. He woke up earlier than Harry this morning, so he thought he should go and wake up the boy with some nice, hot tea. He would have added some breakfast food, but they only had empty cupboards at the moment.

He looked towards the clock on the oven, 11:32. They slept in pretty late, but that's what jet lag will do to you.

Louis then heard the faint sound off feet padding on the wooden flooring, looking up to see Harry walking out from the hallway; only clad in boxers, may he add. That was a good sight to wake up to in the morning.

"Morning Harry." Louis greeted cheerfully, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Someone's very chipper this morning." Harry laughed, taking a seat on a stool in front of the bench.

"I'm just excited for what we're going to do today." Louis smiled shyly. "Can we like... since you know your way around, just walk around and such?"

Harry nodded. "There's actually this really nice café not too far from here. We can have breakfast there." He smiled. Suddenly, his shoulders shook feeling the slight cold of the hotel room. "I'm just gonna go get a jumper." He got up and left just as the kettle finished boiling.

After Louis had finished up making up the two cups of tea, his picked up his own, blowing on it to cool the liquid down. He stood in the kitchen, waiting for Harry to return, but he didn't. Thinking Harry just went to the bathroom as well, he moved to wait for him on the couch. But when Harry still didn't come back, he got curious.

Louis stood to his feet, two cups of now warm tea in his hands, and walked his way toward Harry's bedroom.

"Hazza?" Louis called out through the open bedroom door, turning into it. He got confused when he saw Harry standing in front of the mirror, fully dressed, and looking in a rush. "Harry?"

Harry's head snapped to the shorter boy.

"Are we going out already?" Louis questioned, stepping more into the room.

Harry had a guilty look on his face. "I'm sorry, Lou. Marco just texted me saying I have to meet up with him and Kendall right now..." He said with no enthusiasm in his tone at all.

A small frown formed on Louis' features, his gaze dropping to the cups of tea in his hands. "Oh, r-right. Okay..." He mumbled. This meant that he and Harry won't get to do something together, and because of the premiere, Harry won't be back until after the after party. But... Louis doesn't mind...

"Could you hand me that hair tie on the bedside table there?" Louis nodded, placing the cups of tea down on the small table, finding the elastic and picking it up. Harry's phone then started to ring obnoxiously, making the boy groan, releasing his curls that he was about to tie back. He quickly grabbed up his coat, sunglasses and phone, rushing out of the bedroom while shouting out, "I'll be back, only for a few minutes before I have to leave again!"

"Okay." Louis sighed sadly, looking to the two cups of tea, then to Harry's hair tie. He slipped the tie onto his wrist. He picked up the two cups, heading to the kitchen to wash them up. He wasn't really in the mood for his tea anymore.

+

When Harry eventually returned back from meeting Kendall, it was in a rush with a suit bag in his hand. It made Louis question why he didn't just get ready with Kendall or something, but Harry just replied jokingly by saying, "I need my best friend's professional opinion on how I look before I walk out there." But truthfully, that was a lie. Harry just wanted to be with Louis for the little time that he had, knowing he would be coming back late and Louis might be asleep when he returns.

As Louis was fixing the collar to Harry's blazer, agreeing to the boy's request of helping him get dressed, there was a moment were their eyes locked together. Nobody moved, just slowly rising chests letting out soft pants of warm breath that would brush against each other's lips. Louis' thumbs ghostly brushed against the skin of Harry's neck, sending small chills up his spine. How does one small gesture make him feel that, something he shouldn't be feeling?

"I'll be back as soon as I can..." Harry whispered, not breaking eye contact with the shorter, blue-eyed boy. "Just don't bore yourself to death in here. Maybe head out somewhere with the others. Zayn and Liam can show you around instead." He suggested, not getting a verbal answer, just a tiny nod.

Slowly, the two backed away from each other. Louis watched as the other collected up all the things he needed with him, walking to the front door together.

"Don't have too much fun without me." Harry gave a simple smirk, making Louis laugh a little.

And then he left with a small wave, Louis returning it as he watched Harry leave to the elevator.

+

As hours went along, late into the night, with continuous channel switching, Louis was officially bored. Until the entertainment channel caught his eye, after skipping it fourteen times, that is. It was about to show the red carpet of the premiere Harry was attending live. He perked up slightly as he listened to the host talk about the movie for a small while. It was some new romance film.

Suddenly camera flashes began to go wild in the background, the host announcing that the stars were now arriving. Louis sat up straighter on the couch, pulling his blanket closer around him. It reminded him of the many times he would sit in front of his own TV doing the same thing while the band were about to win an MTV Music award.

"Wait, what is this? Is that Harry Styles with Kendall Montez? So this has been the mystery Kendall we've all been waiting to find out about!" The host said too excitedly for Louis' liking.

Finally, a camera starts to zoom in on to the black, sleek limo. But just before anyone could even step out of the car, a knock was heard on Louis' front door. Louis quickly changed over the channel, just in case anyone was going to question why he was watching his own band mate on tele. He popped up to his feet and walked over to the door, checking through the peep hole first; for fan reasons. When he realised it was only Niall standing there, he unlocked the door.

"Haven't gotten dressed all day, I see." Niall first pointed out, gesturing his hands over his friend's long sweats and large black pyjama shirt. "But anyway, do you want to join us for a little walk around?"

Louis looked down the hall, spotting Liam and Zayn further down talking to each other. "Um..." Louis practically hid behind the door, pursing his lips as he thought about the offer. As much as he wanted to, he really wanted Harry to be there too. Maybe when Harry's free another day they can all go together. So he thought up a lie. "I-I'm actually still a bit tired from the flight and all. I was planning on going to bed soon..."

"You're going to spend your first night in LA sleeping?"

Louis shrugged slightly, rubbing his eyes to add more effect. Niall started to worry. The last time he left Louis alone to go out, he came back only to find Louis in tears; and Harry wasn't coming back anytime soon; that he heard of.

Louis could start to see the worried expression in Niall's face. "I'll be fine, Ni." He spoke quietly, his fingers playing with the hair tie around his wrist.

It was a little too early to be sleeping, so it made Niall question if the boy was telling the truth or not, but hesitantly he nodded with an, "Okay. Well, we'll be back soon Lou."

Once Niall joined back up with Zayn and Liam, the two glancing at Louis, confusion on Liam's and the same worry on Zayn's, they made their way out of the hall.

Louis returned to the couch, snuggling back up into his blanket and switching the channel back to Harry. He was out of the limo now; a girl dressed in a long, pure white dress clung to his arm and camera flashes illuminating them. He couldn't help but notice how natural Harry seemed by her side, like he had done this many times before. It made Louis sad to think about it.

He then thought about what it would be like if his actual boyfriend Kendall was standing next to him, which didn't make him feel any better.

So instead he thought about what it would be like if he was standing next to Harry himself. The thought made small butterflies flutter in his heart a little bit and a silly grin pop up on his face.

But that's just him dreaming again.

+

Trying to be as silent as he could, Harry locked the door behind him in case Louis happened to be asleep. Which he was, but Harry sighed when he saw the small boy curled up on the couch, wrapped up in a small blanket. Since the others weren't back yet, it hinted at him that Louis didn't do as he suggested and instead stayed at the hotel for some reason.

He kicked off his shoes and shook off his blazer, placing it on the coat rack near the door. He walked over to the sleeping boy, turning off the tele as he made his way over. Not wanting to leave him on the leather couch all night, Harry carefully curled his hands under Louis' knees and back and lifted him up into his chest. He padded into Louis' room and gently placed him on the bed, tucking him in nicely.

For a second, Harry was about to turn around and go to his own room, but he stopped himself. Instead, he set on the edge of the bed next to the boy. He looked down at the boy with fond in his eyes. His fingers reached over and moved Louis' fringe out the way of his closed eyes, just like he did on the plane, careful not to wake him. The same beautiful face was there. Weird bubbly feelings filled his tummy when the thought of waking up beside this beauty came stumbling into his mind. And he didn't know why he felt or thought that.

He whispered, "Why are you making me feel these things Tomlinson. You make me confused sometimes."

But was it really Louis that made him confused, or someone else?

____________________________________________________________________________

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! How come I can write a 3.5k word chapter in three days but take over a week to write a 1k chapter?? I don't know, haha. And thank you for all the comments and votes, they make me laugh and smile and let me know I'm doing something right :)

It'll be 5 years tomorrow! Woo!

-chloe x