Ankles and Awkwardness (Larry Stylinson)

Chapter Twenty-Four - The Exams

It had been two weeks that Harry had been stuck inside with his nose deep in his books. He'd only left the house to go to and from his exams.

He had never had so much caffeine in his system and he'd only slept a few hours in the time he'd been inside.

Louis popped by most days, bringing him food and coffee and a kiss on the head, but he didn't stay long because he knew Harry needed to revise.

Harry craved the few moments Louis did come around and hated that he wasn't staying longer, he was also very glad that Louis was letting him concentrate.

It was a bit of a circle going on in his head and with the lack of sleep and proper meals he was slowly loosing momentum.

The day before his last exam he found himself with his cheek pressed against the desk, a piece of paper attached to it as he tried to keep his head cool.

He had an awful pounding starting in his head and needed a caffeine boost and fast, yet he was running out of energy to actually go downstairs.

He could hear things happening downstairs but kept his head against the desk staring at the wall. He didn't think he could read another word, mainly because his eyes were getting so blurry trying to concentrate.

He listened as someone walked up the stairs and he slowly sat up at his desk, running his hand over his face as whoever it was paused outside his door and then knocked.

He heaved himself up feeling heavy and tired and he walked across his room knowing his eyes were blood shot and his skin was pale from not going out of the house.

He opened the door expecting to see Perrie or Niall who had both tried and failed to get him to leave the house but it wasn't either of them.

It was Louis smiling at him and he stared at Louis stood on the other side holding two mugs of coffee, all his emotions and the stress he was feeling over came him quite suddenly upon seeing him.

The two weeks of house arrest, only seeing Louis for five minutes, the five exams he had already taken, the throbbing pain in his head, and the seventeen books piled around his room that he'd read through numerous times all seemed to hit him at once.

His eyes stung and welled up, and a choked sob came out very unexpectedly and Louis, who had been smiling beautifully looked suddenly extremely worried and moved into Harry's room. He placed the drinks down on Harry's desk where all his revision notes lay surrounding it.

It was probably the most disorganised his room had ever been which very much corresponded to how his brain was at the moment, there were cards littering his floor around his desk, books on his desk laying open and on his night stand as well as a few thrown on the floor. He had a few empty mugs and plates also on his desk and it really wasn't helping keep his mind clear.

When Louis' hands were free he swept Harry into the tightest hug Harry had ever been in. It felt supportive, calming and just everything he needed. Harry felt himself curl into Louis, and however much bigger than Louis he was, he was suddenly tiny against him.

He buried his face into Louis' neck and for some reason could not stop the tears from falling.

He felt a little embarrassed but Louis simply swayed them and ran his hand over Harry's back, calming his breathing into the same slow rhythm.

"Shh, shh." Louis soothed him and slowly began moving them over to Harry's bed. When they reached it he slowly pulled Harry down so Harry was sitting over his lap, his face still buried into Louis' neck as Louis rubbed at his back and held him tightly.

After a good ten minutes, and when Harry felt like he was over his sudden influx of feelings, Harry pulled back and rubbed at his eyes on his jumper sleeve.