Butterflies & Hurricanes || l.s

Chapter 17

"Wake up, you little buttercup," Louis nudges Harry in the arm. The sleepy boy shifts slightly, but makes no effort to get up so they can eat breakfast. Instead, he pushes his face farther into Louis' chest, still swaddled up in a sea of blankets.

"Don't wanna," he grumbles, nearly inaudible.

"We have to go to school," Louis says, keeping his voice soft and gently running his fingers through Harry's mussed curls.

"Can't we skip it? Stay here instead and just sleep the day away?" His voice is rough and scratchy as he moves his head a fragment to the side so Louis can hear his request better.

Louis smiles to himself at this. He would love nothing more than to do just that, but he knows they can't. His mum is surely wondering why he's not downstairs already with a cup of tea and some buttered toast. It's out of character for him to sleep past his alarm in the first place, but she likely doesn't have the slightest idea Harry's here too.

In his bed.

Stuck to him like a suction cup.

With such red and kissed lips from a late night make-out session. Louis is surprised they aren't bruised black and blue by now.

So, yeah, they can't stay here all day or she'll start poking around and wondering why they're both shirtless in Louis' bed.

"C'mon, love," Louis urges Harry, nudging him for a second time. "We need to find you a shirt so you can go downstairs and say hi to everyone. If they ask any questions, just tell them that you needed a place to sleep and Niall wasn't home."

"I could tell them you offered for me to come over because I'm just that sexy," Harry laughs quietly, lifting his head from Louis' chest to rub his eyes. The morning sun shining through Louis' windows lights up the green in his eyes, making them simply irresistible.

"Whatever you say, you arse."

After a few more moments, Harry completely disengages himself from Louis' touch, leaving Louis lacking Harry's body warmth and cuddles. They get changed into lounge clothes and Harry freshens up in the bathroom a bit before they both walk downstairs.

"Hey, Lou-" Louis' mum startles when she sees the boy with moppy curls sleepily follow Louis into the kitchen. She puts down her tea to squint at him, before recognition flashes across her face and she breaks into a confused but genuine smile.

Louis' sisters, on the other hand, begin to whisper to themselves. Louis would be willing to bet they're confused based on the fact that they've surely seen and talked about how Louis and Harry interact - interacted, past tense - in school. The interactions surely weren't something that would prompt Harry to spend the night in Louis' bedroom.

Louis' mom, however, is somewhat oblivious. "Is that Harry Styles? Why, I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Hello, Mrs. Tomlinson," Harry waves at her warmly, not budging from Louis' side. He keeps space in between them, but little enough that Louis could reach out and brush his fingers against Harry's while still being somewhat discreet. The thought passes his mind, but he doesn't dare budge for such a risky gesture.

"Might I ask what you're doing here? And good morning, of course. Are you hungry? I've made breakfast so please help yourself. Better get some before Louis eats it all," she laughs, sitting down at the table and making it clear she wants Harry to join her and catch her up on the last ten years of his life.

"I'm really sorry for showing up unannounced, but I just needed to get out of my house because of some family issues." Harry's jaw visibly tenses, but he smooths out his features not a second later and continues with a steady voice.