Louis almost screams when Harry's name appears on his phone. His heart starts to pound as he picks up the phone.

"Hey, Harry, what's up?"

"Um, can we do a rain check on working on the project? Sorry, uh, something came up." Harry sniffles, and Louis furrows his eyebrows.

"Are you okay?" Louis asks softly. It sounds like Harry's crying, and Louis' chest physically hurts at the thought of such a sweet boy being sad.

"Nick...Nick cheated on me, Lou, and I'm so fucking upset, to be honest."

"Oh, Harry," Louis says, although he's happy Harry finally found out. "I'm sorry, mate. Is...Is there anything I could do?"

"I just need a hug, honestly."

"Well uh...come over."

"What? Lou, no, I look gross. I'm in pyjamas, I've been crying for hours..."

"I don't care. You really think I care so deeply about how you look?" Little did Harry know.

"I-I mean..."

"No one else is home, you don't have to explain yourself to anyone."

"That does sound nice. Okay, I'll be there."

♛

The doorbell rings only twenty minutes later, and Louis is officially panicking. This was a bad idea. He opens the door, though, to find Harry looking much better in his pyjamas than most people do when they try hard.

"Hi," Harry practically whimpers, and Louis doesn't say anything. Just brings him into his arms. He can hear Harry mumble a weak and painful "thank you" into his shoulder, which just makes him hold Harry tighter.

And that's how they end up lying in Louis' bed, Bambi playing on the small telly hung on the wall while Harry snuggles into his side. He's never seen someone like Harry be so vulnerable–his heart aches every time Harry starts to cry again. Harry has thanked Louis at least twenty times that day, and Louis told him it was his pleasure every single time.

Louis' shoulders are soaked from Harry's crying within an hour of Harry arriving, but he comforts Harry because he wants to make him feel better, and he hates seeing the smaller boy be sad.

"You're the best, Louis," Harry sniffles into Louis' chest as Bambi cries about his mother. Louis smiles warmly toward Harry, who returns it shakily.

"I know, you don't have to tell me," Louis says with a chuckle, making Harry giggle. Louis is so lucky for this moment.