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It's hot as fuck in Houston, hotter and more humid than anything Louis has experienced before, and he kind of wants to die. He'd never tell Harry, because he'd probably take it to heart and try and make it happen, but Louis kind of wishes it was socially acceptable to perform naked. As wretched as English weather tends to be, Louis will take cold over heat any day, because you can always layer, but there's only so much you can take off.
The photoshoot had been alright, at least. They'd been able to slip onto the bus every so often to cool off, and they'd all been so excited at the idea of a more adult shoot - and maybe even getting their merch updated with the new photos - that they'd taken the heat in stride. His hair hadn't, though, and there isn't enough time before the show to touch it up, so Lou just sends him off with a pat on the back and a shouted apology, and Louis tells the whole city it's all her fault. They only have a five hour drive to Dallas afterward, and it's worth it to wait for a hotel shower, so he just changes out of his stage clothes and washes his face to cool himself off a bit, fusses with his hair in a failed attempt to salvage the look before they have to get on the bus and head out.
At the gas station, Louis piles onto the bus after Zayn, ready to relax and eat some junk food with his best boys away from screaming girls and staring passersby and flashing cameras.
"I miss twinkies," Liam announces when Zayn throws a bag of powdered donuts in his face. He pouts down at the bag for a moment, then just shrugs and tears it open.
Harry wrinkles his nose at Liam as he drops onto the sofa. "Twinkies are toxic."
"You're toxic," Liam mutters around a mouthful of donut, powdered sugar flying everywhere.
"Good one," Niall calls from Harry's other side, leaning across him for a high-five.
Zayn snorts and Louis shakes his head at Niall, kicks out at him and says, "That was awful, what are you talking about."
"It's called support, mate. You should try it," Liam snarks, the corners of his mouth pulled up into a smile despite himself.
"How's this for support," Louis says as he stands up. "Me 'n Haz are going to go watch a film in my bunk and you tossers can do whatever you want out here. See you in five hours!"
He waves Harry up, and Harry grabs the little bag of soy nuts he'd been eating - soy nuts, honestly - and gives the boys a cheeky little wink before following him back into the bunks.
"Why didn't Gemma want to stay on this bus," he asks as they walk down the little aisle.
Harry shrugs and pops a handful of nuts into his mouth. "She said it smells like feet."
"Are you sure you don't want to stay on the crew bus with her?"
"Nah," Harry shakes his head. "It's not that long of a drive and she wants to sleep. Don't want her to feel like she needs to stay up and entertain me."
"Aww," Louis coos as he turns around and winds his arms around Harry's neck. He leans in to rub their noses together, murmurs, "Such a thoughtful brother."
"I know," Harry grins. "I deserve a prize, something to make up for time I could be spending with my sister. Who I haven't seen in over a month."
"Is that so," Louis smirks, and at Harry's nod, he lets go of him and turns to climb into his bunk. He scoots back against the wall automatically and reaches for his laptop as Harry clambers in, all awkward limbs and muffled grunts as he tries to fold himself into the small space without hitting any bodyparts against anything solid. It's amazing, really, that he's not mastered the process by now, and affection wraps itself around Louis' chest like a band, constricting and overwhelming in its intensity. It's ridiculous, how much he loves this boy.
"I bought you something," Louis announces as the computer boots up and Harry arranges his legs on the mattress.
"Yeah?" Harry wriggles down so his head is propped up on the mountain of pillows Louis has managed to amass. "What is it? And if you say flavored lube, I'm going to play Mario Kart with Liam and leaving you here by yourself."
"Ew, no." Louis turns around so he can dig a hand underneath the pillows and pulls out a slim box. Harry gasps and drops his bag of soy nuts so he can reach out for it.
"Where did you find this?" He strokes his thumb across the title, big red and black letters spelling out 'Love Actually.'
Louis shrugs, stares at his reflection in the laptop screen so Harry can't see his blush. He tugs on the wilting curl in the center of his forehead and mumbles, "Gas station had a movie bin." He clears his throat, flicks a quick glance at Harry, then says, "We didn't get to watch it together this year, so I thought maybe -"
"Yes," Harry interrupts, voice firm and excited. He reaches out and drags Louis down into a hug, presses a sloppy kiss to his cheek and murmurs, "Let's watch it right now. Can we watch it now?"
Louis rolls his eyes. "Obviously."
He tugs at his hair again while Harry puts the DVD into the disc drive and waits for the menu to pop up.
"Hey, stop that," Harry says, and he slaps Louis' hand away. "You'll ruin it."
"It's already ruined," Louis grumbles, but he lets his hands drop into his lap. Harry reaches up and winds the swirl around his forefinger, then tugs it out so it spirals loosely against Louis' forehead and grins.
"It's like a slinky."
"Cinnamon swirl," Louis whispers. "That's what they're saying on twitter."
Harry snorts. He closes the bag of soy nuts and tosses it to the foot of the bed as the menu music starts up, then holds his hands out for Louis, demands, "Snuggle."
Louis slides down on the mattress and rolls into Harry's arms obediently, reaching down to position the laptop on top of their knees so they can still see the screen. Just as he hits play, he feels Harry's hand bury itself in his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp, then pushing forward till he reaches the curl again and winding it around his finger.
"Are you going to do that all night?" Louis asks, tipping his head back so he can look up at Harry. Harry smiles softly at him, still swirling his finger around in Louis' hair, and shrugs.
"Maybe. You gonna stop me?"
"Never," Louis murmurs.
"Now shh," Harry chastizes. "The movie is starting."
Louis mimes zipping his lips and throwing away the key, then has to hide a smile against Harry's shoulder when he starts reciting Hugh Grant's opening monologue along with the film. He's still got his hand buried in Louis' hair, the curl wound around his finger like some sort of Chinese finger trap, and Louis sighs as Harry sings along with Bill Nighy.
Harry turns his head so he's singing into Louis' hair, hums, "Cinnamon swirls are all around me, and so the feeling grows."
"Oh God," Louis groans, reaching a hand up to shove at Harry's face, but Harry just laughs and turns back to the computer screen, drags his fingers slowly through Louis' fringe. Louis sighs happily, slides his hand across Harry's chest and pulls him closer, contentment washing over him. They both smell like sweat and hairspray and they're about seven months too late to be watching this film, but it's Harry's favorite and Harry is his favorite, and that's all he needs. He tilts his head back again and leans up to press his lips to Harry's jaw, whispers, "God only knows what I'd be without you."
He can feel Harry's face contort into an ear-splitting grin against his mouth, hums happily when he shoves the laptop off their legs and twists around to crawl on top of Louis, movie be damned. They can still hear it, anyway, and Harry is still humming along against his lips, so Louis lets it run, just leans into the kiss and parts his legs so Harry can settle between them, clamps his thighs around Harry's narrow hips. The boys are still in the back lounge and they've got four and a half hours left to the drive, and Louis intends to make the most of it.