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Louis woke with sweat dripping down his back, his body tense with fear. He vaguely noticed tears leaking down his face while he tried to figure out what was happening. The dread of his nightmare was slightly dissolving upon realizing he was alone in his bedroom. Once he registered that it was only a dream, he was unable to keep himself from recounting the awful details, causing him to cry harder. In the midst of his panic, he recounted what Harry had begged of him next time he had another nightmare. Through the sobs wracking his body, he grabbed blindly at his nightstand in pursuit of his phone. He found it and unlocked it, wincing at the bright light and the time his lockscreen displayed, 2:00 A.M.
He found Harry’s contact and called him with shaky fingers, his stomach feeling queasier by the second from bothering his boyfriend at such a late hour. He tried to stifle his sobs as he waited for an answer, pressing his face into his knees as he sat up. He thought about Harry cuddling him on his lap and felt the knees of his pajama pants soak with his tears, quietly whining for Harry.
-
Harry jolted awake, an obnoxious ringtone playing out near his ear. His stomach sank; only one person would be calling him now. He had made sure to turn his ringer up to full volume and keep his phone nearby should Louis need him at night. A day earlier, he made Louis promise to give him a call if he found himself woken up by another nightmare, as he’d been having them frequently. It broke Harry’s heart to think about his sweet boy crying and lonely from bad dreams when Harry was only a phone call away.
Harry cleared his throat and answered the call, smiling at the picture of Louis his phone displayed when he called.
“Hello, Lou,” he greeted. “What’s up, buttercup?”
He heard Louis sniffle on the other end before saying, in a small voice, “Love it when you call me that.”
Harry smiled sadly at his tearful boy on the other end. “Do you?” he asked in an amused voice.
Louis hummed in affirmation. “I like ‘sweet pea’ too,” he said quietly, voice thick with tears.
“I know you do, love. My pretty little flower,” Harry responded. He heard Louis chuckle quietly before continuing. “What’s happened, baby?”
“I… uhm… bad dream, Hazza,” he said, his crying picking up again.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, my love,” Harry cooed, his heart tightening in sadness even though he’d been assuming as much. “Do you want me with you, sweetheart?”
Louis whined quietly, longing for his boyfriend’s company. “Don’t have to, Hazza. It’s the middle of the night, I know I’ve just woken you up,” he replied sadly. “I have class tomorrow morning.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, sweetheart,” Harry told him gently. “Would you like me to come over, Lou? You know I’m more than happy to, especially when you’re having a bad night.”
There was a long pause before Louis finally answered. “Okay,” he agreed. “Yes, please, Harry,” he added quietly.
Harry was already pulling on his boots, moving remarkably fast for someone who just woke up seconds earlier. “That’s fine. I’m on my way, little one. Sit tight.”
Louis let out a small sob. “That one’s my favorite, Hazza.”
“What, when I call you that?”
“Mhm.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, love,” he said, smiling as he grabbed in keys and rushed out the door and down the stairs. “I’m out the door now, Lou. I’ll see you soon.”
“Could… can we maybe stay on the phone in the meantime, Hazza?”
“Absolutely. I’m right here, sweetheart.”
“Love you, Harry,” Louis told him in a small voice.
“I love you, too, angel,” Harry replied, ducking into a 24 hour café. “Could you excuse me for a few seconds?”
“Uh, sure,” Louis answered curiously.
Harry put the phone to his chest and asked the cashier for tea just how Louis liked it. “Okay, I’m here, darling.”
Louis was silent for a bit before murmuring, “’S nice hearing your voice, love.”
Harry hummed happily. “Nice hearing yours as well.” He accepted the to-go cup of hot tea from the cashier and gestured to the tip jar when offered his change. He mouthed a ‘thank you’ to the man behind the register and waved goodbye. “You wanna tell me what you dreamt about?”
Louis whimpered and paused for several moments. “Had a dream someone touched me where only you touch me, Haz,” he explained in a whisper.
Harry felt his stomach twist as he picked up his pace, walking briskly to Louis’ flat four blocks away from his own. “That’s awful, little love. I’m so sorry. I’ll make it better, I’ll be there soon,” he promised, aching to hold his baby in his arms and kiss away his fear.
“How far away are you, Harry?” Louis asked in a hesitant voice.
“’Bout two and a half blocks, sunshine.”
“Okay.”
They exchanged a few more words in the few minutes it took Harry to walk to Louis’ on the nearly empty sidewalks, mostly just Harry telling Louis sweet nothings in a soothing voice while Louis tried to stop his crying.
Harry finally reached the doors to the flats where Louis stayed, climbing the stairs and using his own key to get in to Louis’ room. He hung up his phone upon announcing his arrival.
“I’m here, Lou,” he called into the dark apartment, heading for Louis’ bedroom. Louis was hunched over his knees, shaking slightly. Harry set down the tea on his nightstand and kicked off his boots. He dropped down on Louis’ twin bed and pulled him onto his lap.
“’S okay, love. I’ve got you, I’m right here.”
Louis inhaled shakily and pressed his tear-soaked face into Harry’s neck, leaving soft little kisses wherever he could reach.
“I’m sorry, I know it’s late,” Louis began, but Harry hushed him, lifting a hand to card through his hair.
“Shh, it’s fine. Never a chore to be with you, my love,” Harry promised.
“It’s just… I know I couldn’t go back to sleep afterwards. Made me feel so scared and shakey, Hazza,” he explained, nuzzling closer to Harry’s neck.
“I’m sure it did, honey, it’s okay,” he assured, hugging his boy tightly and kissing his head. “It’s not real. I’ll make sure that never happens. No one’s gonna hurt you like that, my pretty angel, I promise.”
Louis whimpered and nodded, sniffling quietly as Harry felt more tears leak down his cheeks. “Don’t even have any tea, Hazza. Ran out yesterday. I dunno if I can go back to sleep at all,” Louis pouted sadly.
Harry smiled slightly and ran his hand down Louis’ back. “I noticed you were out, darling. I’ve brought you some more from that shop you like.”
Louis pulled away to look at Harry. “Really?” he asked earnestly.
Harry pecked his nose and reached over, handing over the warm cup to Louis. He grabbed it with both hands and took a long sip from the cup. He closed his eyes in bliss and laid his head on Harry’s shoulder again. “Love you lots, Haz.”
“Love you loads as well,” he answered, running his hand up and down Louis’ arm. He sat there humming to Louis while the smaller boy sipped his drink occasionally. After a long while, Louis broke the silence.
“When, um… when are you gonna go home, Hazza?” he asked hesitantly, dread filling his stomach at the thought of being left alone. Harry was so warm and cuddled him so nicely and spoke to him so gently and Louis absolutely did not want it to end.
Harry leaned in close, humming in his ear, “Home is wherever I’m with you.”
He heard Louis sigh and whisper “Oh, Haz” before pressing more kisses into his neck and shoulder.
“I’m serious. But whenever you’d like, my love. I can go now if you’re ready to go back to sleep?” he wondered.
Louis whimpered quietly and fisted one hand into Harry’s t shirt. Harry felt Louis tense up on his lap and held him closer, kissing his temple. “Shh, it’s okay, baby,” he soothed. “I’d be more than happy to sing you to sleep, darling. Or read to you, if you’d like, before I leave.”
Louis hummed noncommittally and fidgeted with the hem of Harry’s shirt, near tears from his unspoken desire to keep Harry close to him all night. “I… Haz…” he tried, attempting to make Harry aware of what he wanted. He pressed close to Harry’s neck once again, this time in frustration.
Harry tried to work out what he wanted, judging by his growing clinginess. “I won’t go at all if you don’t want me to, sweet pea.”
Louis nodded slightly at this whispered “don’t go” into Harry’s neck.
“I’ll stay right here with you, sweetheart. Is that what you’d like? You want me to spend the night with you, baby?”
“Yes, please, love,” Louis breathed into his skin, relief relaxing his tensed body.
“Absolutely I will. Not gonna leave you after you’ve woken up scared and lonely like this, little love.” Harry pressed a kiss into his temple. “Just ask.”
“I have to be up early, Haz. I’ll be waking you up again, you’ll be getting no sleep because of me,” Louis spoke quietly into the dark room, setting his empty cup back on the table.
Harry hummed and rubbed his hands down Louis’ sides. “Don’t worry about me, you’re the one who’s gonna need to get some sleep before tomorrow morning. I’ll get up with you, anyway. If you think I’m letting you go off to class without making you breakfast first, then you may not know me as well as I thought,” Harry teased.
Louis giggled into his shoulder, glancing up at Harry. Harry gazed down affectionately at his boyfriend and leaned in to kiss him properly for a long while. Louis hummed happily into his mouth while Harry tasted the tea on his lips. He could feel Louis slowing down, mouth vaguely going slack against Harry’s until Harry decided it was time for bed. He shifted Louis off his lap and stood up, stripping down to his boxers.
Louis scooted over to the side of his small twin bed under the covers, reveling in the fact that cuddling as close as possible was the only option. Harry climbed in and immediately pulled Louis’ legs over his and guided his head onto Harry’s chest.
“Sweet dreams,” Harry whispered, kissing his head and stroking his hair. “You’re safe, nothing bad’s gonna happen, little one. I’m here.”