“Hands down the best meal I’ve had in years,” Liam groaned as he fell dramatically all over the armchair, “but, unnngh, I think you’ve killed me Haz.”
“Me too,” Louis whined, practically falling on top of said Harry - who was stretching out on the sofa with the last of his own energy, “I don’t think I should have had that second serving of Christmas pudding.” He shifted right to the opposite end of the couch, lifting Harry’s legs up so that he could mirror the position before letting Harry’s feet drop into his lap.
Harry smiled indulgently. “It was a rather good pudding,” he admitted, before giving in to the sapping feeling of being overstuffed and flopped bonelessly back against the armrest. “You did a great job, Lou.”
Louis snorted at that, “I think you’ll find it was mostly all you, love.”
“Not at all,” Harry drawled back, “it was at least a joint effort if not leaning more towards being all you. I mostly supervised.”
“Well congratulations to the pair of you, I don’t think I’m going to be able to eat for a week now,” Danielle groaned, sitting down weakly on Liam’s lap – who grunted at the sudden increase of pressure on his stomach.
“Sorry love,” he apologised after a few seconds, pushing her forward feebly, “but you’re going to have to give me some breathing room.”
“Heh,” Louis chuckled lazily as he glanced over at the other armchair, where Zayn had already conked out, breathing loudly with his mouth hanging open, “I think Zayn’s in a coma.”
They all tilted their heads to look and a cacophony of sniggers resounded around the living room.
“You know,” Niall announced as he ambled through from the kitchen, spoon and bowl in hand, “I never used to like Christmas pudding – always too much mixed peel in it for me – but this is really, really good.”
“Is that your third helping?” Harry balked; a mix of aghast and impressed at his friend’s eating capabilities.
“You are superhuman,” Louis croaked, putting a hand over his eyes so he couldn’t see the offending food, “but please eat that where I can’t see or smell it. Otherwise I might explode and it won’t be pretty.” Niall graciously took a pew on the footstool just out of Louis’ eyeline.
“Ugh… I need to use the bathroom but I don’t think I have the energy to get up,” Liam whimpered before chuckling wryly at himself. Danielle whined at having to move but forced herself up so that he could go relieve himself.
She immediately flopped down into the empty space he left, “Unnngh… so,” she gave them all lazy smile, “are you guys going to the dip tomorrow?”
“Oh god, I had forgotten about that,” Louis groaned, pulling a cushion over his face.
“Definitely,” Niall replied after swallowing his mouthful, “I got my shorts ready last night.”
“What’s this about?” Harry asked curiously, prising his eyes open, not knowing when they had closed.
“Every year on Boxing Day the village folks all head down to Oak Cove for a quick dip in the sea,” Danielle explained.
Harry’s eyes sprung open and he shot her a scornful look, “You all jump in the sea on Boxing Day? I don’t believe it. That would be nuts!” He looked to Louis and Niall for confirmation that she was winding him up. But they shrugged, calm as anything.
“It’s quite a popular tradition around Britain actually,” Louis informed him, “in fact, the one in Sunderland is quite famous.”
“But the water must be below 10 degrees!” Harry cried.
