All the pretty girls can't measure to you

Chapter 6

  Harry floated in a happy haze the entire show that night, high on thoughts of Louis. He couldn't believe his fantasies were actually happening. Not to mention the fact that he was right now living out his dreams, onstage with his best friends singing and messing about. Louis kept sending little smirks and flirty glances his way. He even sang his entire verse of Little Things with his eyes locked onto Harry. He had to be the luckiest boy in the world.

  Harry remembered the writing sessions for that song. Ed Sheeran had written it, but he'd had several writing sessions with the band because he wanted the lyrics to be somewhat personal. "Tell me your own experiences," he'd said. "Give me something I can really write about."

  At first the room had been silent, the boys shifting awkwardly and casting furtive glances at each other. Ed scooted his chair in and started playing his guitar softly, riffing a bit. "The song is about the little things that make you fall in love with someone," he prompted. "Ok.. for example, I dated this girl once who had a habit of sucking her bottom lip in when she was thinking about what to say, or when I made her blush. And this other girl always chewed her nails during horror movies, which I teased her about, but it was honestly adorable. That's the kind of thing I'm looking for."

  "I've always liked when a girl’s hand is smaller than yours, but it somehow fits in yours exactly right," Liam said. "And then with other girls, when you hold hands for the first time it just doesn't feel like that, it doesn't fit right, and I feel bad for thinking it, but deep down I always immediately know that relationship isn't going to last long."

  Zayn and Niall came up with the lines about not fitting into your jeans, not being comfortable with your weight, and how they always think their girlfriends are beyond beautiful and have no reason to be insecure, but they always are insecure about something or other. Harry offered the line about “the crinkles by your eyes when you smile,” which could be about anyone, obviously.

  Then Louis decided to fuck Harry's shit up. Out of nowhere, in a maddening display of Louis-like candor, he said, "What about when someone has to have a certain bedtime routine? Like, for example, they can't go to bed without a cup of tea? And if it were anyone else it would be annoying, but since it's that one special person it's like.. endearing or summat."

  What. The. Fuck. Harry felt himself freeze, felt his eyes go wide and stare at Louis like a deer in the headlights, felt his world rock on its axis. He couldn't go to bed without a cup of tea. Harry had to have one every single night, the ritual of it and the familiar warmth in his belly calmed and grounded him, especially when they were on tour and sleeping in unfamiliar places every night. Louis knew that. Of course he knew that, he had made Harry's tea many, many times. Harry liked it best when Louis made his tea. He made it the same way Harry himself did, but it always tasted better.

  "... specific, excellent," Ed was saying. "That's what I'm going for. Got any more lines like that?"

  "Maybe sleep-talking?" Louis said. Was he deliberately avoiding looking at Harry? Maybe Harry was just staring too hard. He should stop. 

  Harry continued staring. Louis went on.

  "I was thinking about, like, the person's sleep-talking wakes you up some nights, but you never really mind because sometimes it's funny, and sometimes it doesn't make any sense, but it's like this.. I don't know.. like a secret? Just between the two of you."

  Did Harry sleep-talk? He didn't know. He needed to find out, needed to ask Louis. Of course he'd have to wait a long enough time for it to not be suspicious.. a few weeks maybe? That should be long enough for Louis to not think his asking was in any way related to the songwriting session. A few weeks, yes. Perfectly reasonable.