Muse || l.s.

I.

"COME WITH ME, H. "

Harry chews on the end of his pen and hums. Trying to balance his phone between his shoulder and finish editing his paper.

"As much as I'd love to watch you get plastered and then drive you home stumbling and vomiting all over my car at three in the morning."  Harry says, ignoring Nick's 'that was one time.' and almost passing over an 'I' he forgot to capitalize. "I have homework. Some of us came to college for an actual education." 

"You know what's going to end up happening?" Nick sighs into the phone like he's the one trying to finish a paper that's due tomorrow. 

"I'm going to graduate with honors and the only thing you'll be known for is king of beer pong?" 

"You're going to grow old with some boring as hell desk job and you're going to look back on your glory days and you're going to wish they'd had more glory." Nick says and Harry groans rubbing his eyes with the palm of hand.

"I don't even have anything to wear, Nicholas."

"You sound like a high school girl. It's a frat party, wear jeans." And Harry can hear Nick rolls his eyes.

"If I go will you stop inviting me to your bad decisions?"

"If I say yes will you go?"

"Yes."

"No."

Sigh.

Miraculously, (—Well, not miraculously, No matter how much Harry dragged his feet Nick pouted until Harry ended up driving where Nick told him.) Harry found himself in some random's kitchen, sitting with his back against the counter with a drink in his hand an hour and a half later.

"This is bullshit." He mutters into his cup, about to pull his phone out and tell Nick he's got five minutes to meet him outside or he's ditching.

"I'm offended. I spent good money on that alcohol." Says a sudden voice that makes Harry jump and almost spill his cup over his front. Turning to look at the stranger and holy shit.

He's beautiful. With his ocean blue eyes framed by thick long eye lashes and feathery brown hair styled up.  Harry's eyes are locked on his rosy lips wrapped around a dangling cigarette. (Which, Harry is pretty sure is a hazard because they are indoors but, whatever. Harry would probably let him set him on fire, with eyes like that. )

"I was joking, Chill. I came in here to invite you to play a few games. Grimshaw sent me."  He says, chuckling a little at Harry's mortified expression. 

"Uh — ." Blue eyes just turns around and walks, not looking back to make sure Harry's following him. After a second Harry does. 

"This is the game hall. All the alcohol involved games are on the right side, —closest to the bathroom and the back door. The rest are on the left side, Nick and everyone are in on the last one." He explains as he leads him down the hallway.

"Louis! Finally, you made it. I thought I'd have to go looking for you too in the loo." Nick snickers and Harry blushes and looks at his shoes but he hears blue eyes chuckle.

"Whatever, what are playing?" 

"'Never Have I Ever'."

"I drove my car here.." 

"I'll call us a taxi." Nick rolls his eyes and Harry sighs for the umpteenth time this night.

"Everyone know the rules? I'll start, say 'Never Have I Ever'.. and then name something, and you drink if you've done it, don't drink if you haven't. You're out when you've finished your glass. The last person in, keeps their dignity." Everyone nods collectively and Harry finds himself daydreaming of his cozy apartment with his warm sheets and microwave cup noodles and Netflix.