Louis woke up once again to the alarm blaring which was a shame because he was still wrapped around Harry, their fingers linked together and their feet entwined together. Louis didn't want to get up at all.
"No," Harry whined into the room and Louis groaned into his neck as he heard the others all start getting out of bed.
Deciding he'd better get up, he started to unwind their legs and Harry turned around in his arms, their fingers unlinking too. Louis felt disappointed and he frowned slightly, not fully awake and completely deaf.
Harry looked at him with a small smile as they looked at each other.
"Hate to break up this cute romantic moment," Perrie said her voice raised loudly over the alarm, "But get the fuck up."
"No need to be so rude," Louis sighed and they both sat up with yawns before getting out of the bed. The alarm stopped and Louis gave one of the cameras his most hateful glares. He made his way to the bathroom and got himself ready for the day before finding the others in the kitchen. He moved towards the sofas, there weren't many people there and he sat down beside Taylor who was drinking some kind of juice.
"Hey," She said to him.
"Alright," He said with a smile, "how are you holding up?"
"Not too bad," She said with a nod, "I'm starting to miss family and my cats a bit. So how are you taking being up for eviction?" Taylor asked him, Louis hummed thoughtfully and shrugged.
"I don't know I feel it's not making a big difference now but the nearer it gets I can imagine i'll get more nervous." He said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, that's how I felt." She nodded.
"Can the housemates make their way to the sofas," the house called and Louis looked at Harry as he lowered himself next to him with a bowl of cereal. He gave Louis a grin and Louis returned it easily while everyone else sat down around the sofas. Louis rested his head onto Harrys shoulder still feeling tired.
"Todays challenge is a tasting one," The house spoke and Louis sighed. This probably would not be his favourite challenge so far.
"You will each have to taste each of the items on the table and between you, you will only be given thirty spits." The house said.
"I'm a good swallower," Louis muttered just at Harry had taken a mouthful of his cereal, to his great pleasure because he was a bit of a dick obviously, Harrys cereal ended up over everyone around him and Louis cackled.
Harry threw his hand over his mouth as he choked and sent Louis a look as if to say 'why?'. Louis sent him a wink and focused into the house.
"The table will be set up on the stage, good luck."
"Why would you say that while I'm eating?" Harry whined dropping his head back against the sofa and pouting at Louis. He forced himself not to lean in and patted Harrys cheek instead.
"Oh sweet little Harold, why wouldn't I say it while you were eating." He said before standing up to follow the others to the garden. Harry, who'd ended up not actually eating his cereal followed him.
"Decided it's best I don't eat before this challenge, I'd rather not throw up." Harry said. Louis laughed and moved closer to see what was on the table.
It ranged from mustard, Tabasco and baby food to what looked to be some kind of road kill on a plate.
"This will be fun." Louis muttered.
"They've ruined food, they've actually ruined food." Niall said in a voice Louis would take to the family pet having died. He patted Niall on the head and stared at the food in disgust.
"Can we not just fail already?" Caroline asked, "And save ourselves from this torture."
"What even is that?" Perrie said picking up a spoon and poking the mess on the plate.
"Haggis," James said lifting up the sign.
"That's not even the worst one, there's insects too,"
"We're on big brother not i'm a celebrity." Liam said.
"Very bush tucker trial-ly," Louis agreed leaning forward to look at the plates. "Screw it lets try it,"
"Okay," Liam said and they walked over to the table.
"Dear god," Louis said looking at the plate of grass hoppers. "we actually have to eat those?"
"they're Deep fried" Harry said resting his chin on Louis' shoulder as he looked at them too. Louis grimaced at it, Harry and he took one cautiously and Louis looked at Harry and they both went for it at the same time. The rest of the housemates all made noises of disgust and Louis screwed up his face and whined.
"Grasshopper doesn't taste good deep fried," Harry said so casually Louis wondered why he wasn't wanting to cry like Louis wanted to right now.
"Fuck that," He said moving along the line and grabbing a spoon. He grabbed some of the baby food and took a spoon of that, he had enough sisters to know it wasn't that bad. Harry it seemed had moved onto the tabasco because his eyes were watering this time.
"You guys are crazy," Mary said.
"Get the bad ones out of the way first, Liam said taking one of the grasshoppers. "cheers."
Louis held his hand out for the tabasco and he took a teaspoon of it. The burn wasn't immediate but it was very strong very quickly. He made a strangled noise as his face felt like it was burning. Harry nodded at him, his face incredibly red.
Louis took his burning taste buds as a good excuse to have a spoon of the haggis and get it all out of the way quickly before he could taste again. He couldn't actually taste anything with the haggis, but it was very dry.
There were weird soggy vegetables in a tin that tasted kind of sour but his tongue still burnt so by the time he'd had the mustard, his tongue was ready to shrivel up. The last thing he had was a spoon of cold chicken soup which wasn't half bad and luckily washed away some of the taste of the mustard.
He moved into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water to wash away the taste from his tongue and he grabbed one for Harry and Liam too who were both finishing as he came out. Harry took his thankfully and grimaced.
"I'm never eating bugs again." He said.
"I can't actually feel my tongue," Louis said grimacing. He handed Liam the water as he came over and they moved to sit by the smoking shelter.
"Well that was traumatising," Liam said and Louis nodded his agreement. They watched the others all go and they all left the grasshoppers and haggis until last and so most didn't eat them.
"Even if they don't eat them, that should still give us only twenty four spits which means there's enough for someone to spit on other stuff too,"
"Why spit," Louis said and Harry kicked his shin again as Liam looked confused at him. the poor little innocent boy. It seemed after thinking it through Liam actually realised what Louis had said because he groaned and he too kicked out at him.
Zayn joined them a while later and he sighed taking some of Liams half drunk water from him.
"I couldn't do the bug but I did everything else." He said, "Niall did them all."
"Where's Tom?" Liam asked suddenly. "Is he going to do it?"
"I doubt it." Zayn sighed, it's why most of us are really trying to eat as much as possible. He disappeared to the bedroom and I don't think he even tried the baby food."
"That was actually pretty nice." Liam nodded.
"Like bananas," Harry grinned and Louis nodded at them. As the last few went Louis wondered if they'd win the challenge even if Tom didn't try any of them.
They sat and watched as the last housemates left the table area and Mary walked back outside from the living room.
"Tom isn't going to do it. So that's all of us." She said.
"If we win, whatever it is, he's not using it." Leigh-anne said sat by the side of the pool. "I did not eat a sheeps stomach for him to use our stuff for nothing."
"That's what haggis is?" Taylor asked looking disgusted.
"Your challenge is over," The house said and everyone shut up and looked up for no reason, it wasn't like the house was a man floating above them talking to them. "With twenty nine spits, you have passed the challenge."
"Even with tom fucking us over again?" Louis asked bewildered and he watched as Harry jumped up and ran over to where Niall had taken the rest of the baby food, he kind of missed his presence immediately and tried not to look into it too much.
"They're literally going to finished the baby food," Liam said.
"Are we surprised?" Zayn asked and Louis chuckled slightly. They sat in silence for a while as Zayn began to smoke and he offered a drag to Liam who hesitated before accepting. Louis took it when it was offered to him and he sighed on his exhale.
"You're going to set me back, dude. I've been doing so well." Zayn laughed at that and Louis leant back looking at the rest of the housemates. As lunch came and went, no one seemed to be too hungry for anything. Louis' throat felt horrible because of the tabasco and he ended up taking a cigarette from Zayn.
The three of them smoked for a while until Louis could swallow without tasting mustard. Now he could just taste and smell the smoke and it was so much better.
"God I needed that," He said as he put the cigarette into the ash tray and put it out. the other two agreed and Louis looked at them only to see Zayn staring off into the distance and Liam grinning between Zayn, Louis and who Zayn was stating at.
"You're staring at her," Liam said and Zayn turned to look away from the pool and he gave a chuckled and scratched the back of his neck.
"Yeah, i'm pretty into her."
"No shit," Louis snorted and Zayn grinned.
"It's about as obvious as Louis' crush on Harry." Liam replied to which Zayn snorted,
"Keep it down, Payno." Louis said looking over at Harry who was laughing at something Niall had just said, he obviously couldn't hear them and he didn't really care if he could. After all, it was pretty obvious he had a crush on the boy. He was a hundred percent sure Harry knew too.
"I think I should say that to you," Liam grinned, "Both of you actually. I'd rather no funny business in the bedroom when i'm trying to sleep."
"He totally just made that sound like me and you are gunna fuck," Zayn said
"Well, I didn't want to say anything, Z, but-" Louis said nudging Zayns arm and giving him an over exaggerated wink as he spoke.
"Don't let Harry hear you or he may smother me in my sleep." Zayn laughed.
"Oh, good thinking. Maybe with one housemate dead, the eviction wouldn't be happening and i'd be safe." Louis said. Zayn shoved his shoulder and he laughed as Liam shook his head with a grin.
"You say it like you think you'll actually go, if you're voted out I think we may all stage a protest." Liam said. "It would be totally wrong."
"You never know what may happen," Louis shrugged and watched as Harry and Niall walked over to them.
"Talking about anything fun?" Niall asked.
"Liam seems to think Zayn and I are going to fuck," Louis said and out of the corner of his eye he saw Harry look between Liam and Zayn quickly with a small frown and he bit his lip as Zayn snorted.
"What?" Niall asked. "It's obvious he's not the one you want to fuck," Niall said directed at Louis with a smug look and Louis sent him a blank stare.
"No shit Sherlock," He said, "Thanks for that."
Liam was silently laughing opposite him and Harry had sat down, his cheeks looking very flushed suddenly. Zayn who'd obviously been holding his laughter in let it out and Louis looked up at the sky shaking his head.
"well this is awkward." Niall said and Louis could tell he'd done it on purpose. Louis couldn't help but start laughing with the others though, it was a good thing he wasn't embarrassed too easily. He kicked out his leg and pushed Niall off the chair and felt a little better but he couldn't quite look Harry in the eye yet. Harry seemed to be smiling down at his lap picking at a thread on his trunks.
"Lets change the subject shall we," Liam said with a grin as Niall sat back down looking between Harry and Louis with a grin.
"Or just make it more awkward by telling us you're changing the subject," Zayn laughed even more and Louis face palmed and wondered if he should just go and hang out with the girls and be less subjected to their teasing.
"So you said it was your birthdays coming up right? when are they?" Zayn asked and Louis shook his head but looked up since this was a change of subject after all.
"Mines in four weeks, what about you Li?" Niall asked.
"Mines in two," Liam grinned. "what about all of you when are your birthdays?"
"Mines the twelfth of January." Zayn shrugged, they all turned to look at Harry who looked up from his trunks and smiled.
"First of February," He said.
"So you'll be the baby for ages," Louis grinned and Harry stuck his tongue out at him. Louis grinned. "Mines the twenty fourth of December."
"Christmas eve, that's cool!" Zayn said.
"You don't tend to think so growing up when you have to share your birthday with Christmas." Louis replied. "It doesn't bother me anymore though."
"Yeah I suppose that's true." Liam hummed thoughtfully.
"So what are we going to do about your birthdays then?" Zayn asked.
"If we're all still here," Louis pointed out only to get a hard look from Harry that made him put his hands up and turn to Liam again.
"Something like last night would be good for me," Liam shrugged. "That was fun,"
"Bit more alcohol for mine," Niall grinned. "I'll spend the next month persuading the house and if I am gone you bastards still better celebrate for me." Niall said and Louis grinned.
"Okay," He said.
"Guys, dinner's ready!" Perrie called over to them and they all stood up and made their way in to have dinner. Louis was still consciously aware of the fact Niall had made it obvious he wanted to fuck Harry, sure Harry already knew that, but was that really something that needed to be said out loud? Maybe in a few weeks or so, or before he left on eviction night, if he was going.
He sat at the table beside Harry and was distinctly aware of Harrys thigh pressing against his as they all ate, deciding dinner tasted a hell of a lot better than the challenge they'd done.
Louis joined Harry in the bedroom after dinner where he was folding his clothes and Louis lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. There was still that awkward feeling in the air since Niall had been so direct and Louis wanted to get rid of it quickly but he wasn't entirely sure how to.
"bit quiet in here," Jade said walking in, Louis looked up and over to her.
"I'm loud in the right situations," Harry said looking up from folding his clothes and catching Louis' eyes, he raised an eyebrow as Harry grinned and looked down again.
"Talking more about Louis," Jade said as she grabbed a towel and her clothes.
"Hey, I'm quiet sometimes." Louis replied and Jade laughed.
"I don't think you've been quiet since you got here." She said. Louis hummed thoughtfully and shrugged. She was kind of right.
"I suppose."
"Have fun," She said to them and walked through to the bathroom as Harry called out,
"Oh we will,"
"We will, hm?" Louis asked and Harry grinned putting the last folded thing on his pile and moving to sit on the bed beside Louis looking down at him with his legs crossed.
"we always have fun." Harry replied and Louis sent him a soft smile, it was true. All this memories with Harry so far had been good ones and he was sure they all would be, even when Harry had been a little upset and Louis had held him, they were still nice memories.
"Yeah you're right, we do." Louis agreed. "You're alright to hang with."
"alright?" Harry asked and Louis grinned at the look on his face,
"Yeah. better than good," Louis shrugged.
"Oh I'm much better than good," Harry replied and Louis laughed at that, his head shaking slightly.
"Bit cocky there, Haz." Louis said to him and Harry grinned. "You've got a big head going on there,"
"well, I like to think so, but it's really subjected to what other people perceive as big doesn't it," Harry replied and it took Louis a moment to realise what Harry was talking about and Harry laughed as Louis lunged at him and started tickling his sides.
"You're awful." Louis told him when Harry had collapsed to the bed trying to roll away from him, and he finally let up on the assault. Harry lay panting and Louis wondered if he'd actually ever see him panting for other reasons and mentally slapped himself around the face, he needed to get himself together if he was going to keep himself under control. He couldn't have thoughts like that while on camera twenty four seven.
"I'm tired but I feel like we've not done much today."
"Yeah but yesterday was a long day," Louis said to him.
"I wonder if it'll be a long one tomorrow," Harry hummed thoughtfully.
"heh, long one." Louis said falling onto the mattress again and spreading his arms out like a starfish.
"And you said I was awful." Harry said putting his arms and legs out which meant his legs went over Louis' and his hand landed on top of Louis. Neither of them moved.
"You are," Louis said, "I never said I wasn't."
"True," Harry hummed and laughed "Two peas in a pod."
"Two weirdos in a bed more like," Louis returned. Harry let out a breath and Louis smiled up at the ceiling, the air was already feeling better again and Louis didn't remember why he'd freaked out quite so much. They were obviously just too good to let stuff get between them.
"Hey Lou," Harry said after a beat of silence and Louis hummed ready to listen to Harry, "I went and asked the house to get in more tea bags for the next grocery shop so if you get voted out, I will find you and shove them down your throat when you sleep."
"That's both the sweetest and most evil thing anyone has ever said to me," Louis said turning to look at Harry who smiled over at him, Louis chest felt warm as he thought about Harry asking the house for more tea bags for him. "It's not really up to me though, so I'd rather not die by tea suffocation if the public do vote me out."
"Just continue to be who you are and they'll vote to keep you in," Harry replied and Louis smiled wider at him, feeling the warmth spread up his neck. He was not going to blush though and he looked back up at the ceiling.
"The show finishes in October right?" Harry asked after a while, and Louis hummed, it was strange thinking about it because he realised the show actually went on for three months and if he were to stay in for all of it, he'd be stuck in this house for all that time.
"Yeah, mid October."
"Well, I hope however long I'm in here for you'll be here too," Harry said.
"You may grow tired of me by next week." Louis told him.
"Nah, you're already on my Christmas card list."
"Oh, I do feel special," Louis said with a laugh.
"Hey it's no laughing matter, I make them myself." He said but he was grinning up at the ceiling. Louis laughed even more.
"Oh god they'll have silly Christmas puns on them and everything, I hate to think." Louis said still laughing. "Something about santas baubles."
"Your expectations are my command, I shall make you a card about santas baubles." Harry grinned, Louis squeezed Harrys hand and Harry smiled even wider up at the ceiling.
"Just know Harold, that whatever you do would be put up in my family home where my baby siblings could see it."
"I can do sensible puns," Harry said and Louis hummed, "Nice Christmas card and a dirty birthday one."
"A dirty birthday one sounds good to me," Louis said and Harry laughed. Jade took that moment to come out of the bathroom and she froze staring at them.
"Yes?" Louis asked as if she hadn't just heard probably the weirdest sentence out of context.
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." She said as she walked out of the bedroom. Louis gave it a second before they were both laughing carelessly into the room. It felt nice, to be able to converse so easily with Harry and yet feel a connection more than simply friends. He'd never found a mix of the two until now. He'd have to buy Stan something nice when he left the house.
"oops," Harry said, "She really chose her moment."
"Honestly, she could have walked out at any time and what she would have heard would have been just as weird." Louis said turning over onto his stomach and spreading himself out on the bed again, his hand on top of Harrys this time and Harry gripped it this time, holding his hand.
"That is very true, at least she didn't have to hear about Santa's baubles." He said. Louis laughed, watching Harry with his cheek pressed to the mattress and he sighed once again as he felt a little sleepy.
"Awh don't you look cosy," Zayn said walking into the bedroom and Louis looked at him and blinked.
"Get out peasant." He said and Zayn raised an eyebrow.
"How very rude, it's not your room."
"Harold, we need to christen the place," Louis said.
"Hey, I was going to say that. Get out of my head." He said with a grin.
"No, it's my magic and I'll use it how I wish." Louis replied and Zayn gave them both an incredulous look and continued over to his bed. Louis grinned at Harry who sat up and looked about himself.
"What's the time?" He asked Zayn.
"Ten," Zayn supplied and Louis was disappointed when Harry dropped his hand but watched as Harry stood up and took his clothes off and threw them on Louis as he moved to go to the bathroom. Louis whined and had to move to throw them off him and he turned to sit up and take his top off.
When Harry returned he stood up and went to pee and brush his teeth before making his way back to the bed where Harry was now laying properly in just his boxers. Louis pulled his jeans off and threw them on the floor.
"Come sleep with me Lou," Harry said putting his hands up in the air with grabby motions and Zayn raised an eyebrow.
"Is it innuwednesday or something?" He asked.
"But I'm not in him." Louis replied getting onto the bed and falling into Harry whos face was a complete picture, if Louis had his phone he'd take a photo and keep it as his screensaver. Zayn was spluttering nonsense and Louis laughed as Harry too began to laugh. He moved to get comfortable cuddling Harry and pulled the cover over them leaving them in darkness.
"Night Lou." Harry whispered.
"Oh look who'd under the covers, get in." Liam called out to them.
"Please don't say that again, Lou's scarred me enough about that." Zayn said.
"Why do we need to get in when we're already in?" Louis called looking out of the covers and Harry shook his head.
"Now if you don't mind Harold and I are trying to sleep together." He said and Harry huffed out a laugh as Louis dropped his head back onto Harrys chest.
"Way to start rumours, Lou." Harry said with a laugh as he wrapped his arms tightly around him. Louis sighed and closed his eyes. It should probably feel weird, the fact they'd got into a routine of cuddling at night since they were only ten days in, but Louis couldn't care less about what should be weird or not.
He'd not slept so well as he had the last few nights and he fell asleep once again against Harry.
A/N
And I'm back with yet another chapter. How do you do?
I've not left the house since the last upload so I've not done anything embarrassing yet. That's not saying much since I've literally spent the whole time sat at my desk.
I'm meant to be at work in 5 hours and I've get to go to sleep yet, so I should probably get around to that.
Well, See you next chapter
Keep Calm and Follow the Alligator
Lana x