i sleep naked ➸ larry stylinson

twenty three

harry woke up that saturday morning to the sound of crumpling paper.

it was quite an annoying noise, and he had no idea what it was coming from.

until he sat up in bed, looking around his clean room and his eyes landed on... louis.

he was hugging a piece of paper to his chest, a closed mouth smile on his face and his eyes closed. he looked blissful.

"louis?" harry asked, his voice still not clear as he just woke up. "what is that?"

louis' eyes shot open, and he quickly put the paper behind his back. "what are you talking about, harold?"

"what's on that paper?" harry asked softly, grabbing louis' hands gently and holding them with wide eyes.

louis sighed. "i love it, harry. i just looked at it now, and i love it so much."

harry raised an eyebrow, until realisation washed over his features. "the portrait."

louis smiled at him, pulling the slightly worn paper from behind his back and then harry was melting and he couldn't breathe because louis held the paper next to his face and matched their expressions. he showed the sunshine smile, on purpose.

yep. harry corrected his portrait for the millionth time, and it took him so long to make louis' sunshine smile correctly and perfectly, and now louis was here showing him that he actually did pretty good.

"does it look like me?" his voice was quiet and clear.

harry just nodded, ignoring his portrait that he had already seen so many times and instead staring at louis' curved eyebrows and crinkly eyes and rosy lips.

but then again, he had seen louis many times as well.

but he was still so beautiful.

"so you like it?" he asked nervously.

"no," louis shook his head, and harry pretended not to feel the pang in his chest.

"i love it," he grinned.

***

summer was a time when all of your social groups weren't as important anymore, when friends went separate way on vacations with their families or walks late at night when the air was warm and the crickets were chirping. and summer jobs at the grocery store seemed to be the only thing that was taking up your time, and the only time you had friends was on social media and random days where you would hang out with some people at amusement parks or local restaurants.

and harry loved it.

the rest of the school year had gone by unbelievably fast, consisting of cheesy dates on friday nights and late night fights with louis, and a small birthday party where he received another book from louis and some gift cards and a phone case from his other best friends.

and the last day of school, after he had gotten dropped off by zayn, who was acting a bit suspicious, he dived into his bed and breathed in the smell of his pillow.

well, not really his pillow.

the day louis had slept in harry's bed, the older boy had come up with an odd idea where they would switch pillows for a while. harry, who loved his musky, wonderful smell, agreed happily.

and here he was, pushing his face into the white pillow that louis' head had touched hundreds of times and breathing in the smell deeply.

he honestly didn't know what louis and him were. they weren't boyfriends, but they're weren't just friends either.