Chapter 24: Together Again

Looking completely overjoyed and adorable, Harry leaned in for a kiss when the bus door suddenly flew open and four beaming boys all entered.

“Aww… would ya look at that lads? Our little puppy lovers are at it once again!” Louis exclaimed. My cheeks turned a bright red as Louis waltzed right up to the couch to squish his way in between Harry and myself and swing his arms around us pulling us closer to him. “I just love these two!” He practically shouted at the top of his lungs right into my ear.

Harry grinned and poked Louis’s cheek, “Aww… Lou, I think you may have busted my ear drum, but thanks!” They embraced in a brief bro hug. They were seriously such goofs.

The other boys began to crowd around. Niall squeezed us even more on the couch, while Liam and Zayn sat at the breakfast table. “So, what exactly went on in here guys? Is everything talked out then?” Liam asked sounding rather concerned.

Niall quickly stood in protest, “Hold on, I feel like this may be a good story, let me find something to eat first.” He proceeded to go through the cupboards in search for a snack.

We all chuckled a bit, “Why are you always hungry Niall?” Zayn asked teasingly.

Niall flexed his muscles quickly, “I am a big STRONG man!” Everyone laughed once again.

“Right.” Harry stated sarcastically. Everyone turned to face us sitting on the couch. He shook out his wild curls, “There’s not much to say I suppose. Just sort of explained how we were both feeling and decided we just couldn’t be without the other.” He shot me a cheeky smile. “Also, lads. This time it’s a real secret, for a while at least.” I nodded my head agreeing with Harry.

Liam’s face changed to confusion. “You are at that again? Didn’t it not work out so well the first time?”

Although part of me agreed with Liam, I wanted to back up Harry. “We are going to not be so careless this time though.”

Harry threw his arm across Louis rubbing my shoulder, “Yeah. That means no telling significant others boys!”

Louis shouted, “What? You know I’m rotten at keeping things from Eleanor.”

Harry’s face frowned at him, “Oh quit being a girly gossiper for like two seconds Lou. You are worse than some of our fans when it comes to Eleanor.” Everyone laughed except for Louis, who just folded his arms across his chest and pouted jokingly for a few seconds. Harry was easily able to make him laugh my poking him in his cheek, to make him smile. “There’s a happy Lou!” Harry teased.

Louis shouted, “It doesn’t count!” He took his arm from around my shoulder to attack Harry. I immediately got off the couch, not wanting to be in the middle of their little fun squabble. They wrestled on each other on the couch for a few minutes, laughing the entire time. The other three boys began to point and take bets on who would win. I just stood across the counter smiling at all their nonsense. I really had no idea how dull my life before I met these cheeky and goofy boys.

Everything was broken up when we all felt a sudden jolt of the bus. We were moving. I looked at Harry with a somewhat nervous voice. “Umm… are we leaving for the next destination?”

Harry ended up on the floor and stood up to check outside. “I guess so, Mads. We don’t stop until we get there. I guess you are stuck with us all night!” He wrapped his arms around me and brought his face close to my ear. He whispered “It’s not such a bad thing… we can catch up on lost time over these past few days.” He stepped back and winked at me making me blush.

Niall piped up with food hanging from his mouth, “Looks like you’re bunking with us!” I giggled by how silly he looked trying to still look proper while eating.

I was feeling a bit concerned that the buses would take off like that. “So you are telling me, if I wasn’t on a bus, they would have just forgotten about me?”

Louis joked, “Yeah, Pretty much!”

Harry scolded him briefly before standing next to me and throwing his arm around my shoulder. “No… some little bird must have told the driver’s where you were.”

I instantly assumed Harry had something to do with it. What a sneak… “So what now then?” I asked playfully.

I scanned my eyes over the room, and I could tell a girl hadn’t ever spent the night on the bus before. Not even Perrie or Eleanor. I felt special. Zayn spoke, “Well…. I kind of want to play FIFA.”

The others all had grins spreading across their face. I supposed it was a nightly ritual with them. I wasn’t going to stand in the way of that. A devilish grin spread across my own face. “Alright then, you’re on!”

I think they were all a bit taken back by my competiveness. Niall handed me a controller and I sat on the couch in Harry’s lap. He was going to sit this game out along with Louis, to let me play. Harry asked, “You need help with which buttons are which, Mads?”

I flirtingly stated, “Umm… nah, I got this.” I shot him a wink.

I was on a team with Niall, while Zayn and Liam were on a team together. I could feel Harry and Louis’s eyes on me as I made my players score countless goals, pushing straight past the other players.

Liam got a bit frustrated at one pointed and jokingly yelled, “How is she doing this?!”

We all laughed, but Harry kissed the back of my neck sending shivers throughout my body. He proudly stated, “Because she’s my girl...and she’s amazing.” I smiled happily, loving the sound of being Harry’s girl again.

When it was all said and done Niall and I had made a great team. We kicked Liam ad Zayn’s butts, but they were exceptional losers, not taking it too hard.
However Zayn did ask, “Where did you learn how to play FIFA?”

They all looked at me with wide eyes, like it was some big secret or something. “Well, I do attend a college. It’s what a lot of the people in the dorms play. I had a few friends teach me how.”

A cheeky grin spread across Louis’s face. “Uh oh Harry! Maddy has got some lads after her!”

A serious and pouty Harry turned to me. I rolled my eyes. “Don’t worry. They were just friends, and not nearly as amazing as you.” Harry smiled as I brought my lips in to peck against his.

The other boys all cried, “Ewww. Get a room!” Louis even took a throw pillow from the couch and swatted at our heads.

Harry shook out his curly hair that had been messed up by the pillow, making me want to mess it all back up again my brushing my own fingers through it. His hair was so soft. I loved the feeling of it slipping through my fingers.

We all soon settled into the couch and around the breakfast bar while the boys talked about their favorite parts of that night’s show. I settled into Harry’s warm embrace on one end of the couch with a blanket covering us. It never got old listening to how much they adored their fans. I knew that some of them had said some extremely harsh words about me and Harry, but it was amazing to hear how dedicated they were in other ways, how much love they put up for the boys. I watched each of their expressions as they stated their favorite event of the evening. Their eyes simply sparkled at the remembrance of it all. It was humbling to see that even as big of stars as they were, it never once went to their head. They remained as grounded as possible.

A few hours later, it had gotten extremely late. Liam and Zayn had already retired to bed, leaving Niall, Louis, Harry and myself to talk. When Louis and Niall got up to head to their bunks I realized that I had nowhere to sleep and nothing to sleep in. When we were once again alone in the living area of the bus I turned to Harry, who still had his arms placed lovingly around me. “What am I going to sleep in?”

He scanned the bus quickly with a tired yawn before untangling his body from mine. “I’ll be right back, Mads.” I nodded my head and waited a few minutes while he disappeared behind the curtain, hiding the bunks from view. When Harry remerged he was shirtless and only wearing his boxers shorts, revealing his toned and tattoo covered body to me once again, much like in New York. He was so beautiful. A cheeky grin spread across his face. “I know you like what you see.”

“You are so cocky.” I stated sarcastically.

“You like it.” Harry teased. He threw me an old t-shirt and sweatpants. “You can wear my stuff again. I like it when you do.” He smiled.

I got up and walked to the bathroom. The truth of it was. I liked wearing his clothing as well. They smelt like him, making me feel comforted. I checked myself in the mirror in the tiny bathroom, making sure I still looked somewhat appealing. I was exhausted, but I didn’t want to look that way. I stripped myself of my daytime clothes and slipped on Harry’s comfy and warm sweats. The pants were a little large on me, so I rolled them a few times. I folded up my regular clothes and placed them on the sink ledge so I could change back into them in the morning.

I opened the door to darkness from the lights being turned off on the bus. I took a few steps to see an already sleeping Harry with his large body draped over the length of the couch. He was so adorable and peaceful. Without hesitation I made my way over towards him and crawled onto the couch next to him. He woke up only slightly to adjust so we would both fit. I pulled the few blankets over top of us, and nestled my head into his chest after kissing him lightly against his chin. I whispered softly, “I’m so happy to be with you, Harry.”

I’m not sure if I imagined this or not, but I thought I heard his raspy voice whisper, “I love you Mads…” before we both drifted off into a well-deserved slumber in each other’s arms.

Notes

This probably came unexpectedly! I got a wild hair, and felt like updating this story. It's not much, but it's something.

I'm not really sure if I want to continue this story. I have a lot more that could happen with this story, but I could also end it here. Tell me what you think?

thanks to anyone still reading this! :)
Love you all,
Jen

(Check out my other story which I plan to update more often, "Becoming Harry Styles." ;))