When Louis got home, Harry was asleep on the couch, his hair was a bigger mess than usual. Louis knew he'd been sleeping for most of the day, he looked peaceful, despite the dark circles under his eyes and the pout of his lips.
"Harry? Harry wake up. Go to your room." Louis whispered, trying not to rudely awaken the boy.
"Harry you can't stay out here." Louis frowned.
Harry was clearly not waking up, so Louis took his own jacket off and took the blanket off of Harry. He proceeded to lift Harry off of the couch and carry him to his room. Harry was taller and more muscular than him, but Louis managed to get him to his room.

"Lou." Harry breathed his name, his breath hitting Louis' neck.
"Hazza, are you awake?" Louis asked quietly.
"Lou, don't leave." Harry breathed, his voice so quiet Louis barely heard him.
Louis wasn't sure if he was talking in his sleep, but when he let Harry down onto his bed, Harry curled up instantly and grabbed ahold of Louis' shirt.
"Hazza, let me go." Louis whispered at Harry.
Louis got his shirt loose and walked out of Harry's room. Something is going on with him.

Harry was acting so strangely, Louis didn't know what to think.
In the morning Harry woke up at about 9:30, the sun shining through his windows. His eyes fluttered open and immediately scanned the room.
Louis was sitting at the end of his bed, already dressed, hair done perfectly.
"What are you doin' in here Lou?" Harry asked with a sleepy voice.
"Harry you've been acting strange, yesterday you slept all day, and last night… do you remember last night?
"I was sleeping, i… did you bring me to my room?" Harry rubbed at his tired eyes and tried to remember.
"Harry, you slept all day! You wouldn't wake up and you kept saying my name, I thought you were awake. You told me not to leave you. What's going on?" Harry could hear the worry in Louis' voice, and felt terrible for keeping such a distance, but he couldn't tell his best friend about the thoughts he's been having.

Harry could feel the heat in his cheeks. He didn't remember everything, he did recall not wanting Louis to go with Eleanor, but, he didn't know he'd talked in his sleep.
"Lou, I'm fine. Just tired. Maybe I talk in my sleep, it's not unheard of." Harry was nervous now, he's been troubled with dreams of kissing and touching Louis in ways he knew weren't right. During the day it's all he can think of, his thoughts are consumed by how he wishes Louis would see him differently.

"Harry, you know you can talk to me. We leave for tour soon… you have to let me know what's on your mind." Louis was oblivious, he was concerned about Harry being home-sick or upset about a band thing, the possibility of Harry liking him as more than a friend had never crossed his mind.
"Louis, I'm okay. I got some sleep. I'm… I'll go out today and get some fresh air." Harry spoke, trying to convince Louis that he was his normal self.
"Okay, promise you'll tell me if something is bothering you?"
"I promise." Harry gave a small forced smile and looked away. Harry felt guilty for the lie, he wasn't going to tell anyone about this.

Harry did go out, like he'd told Louis he would. He got something to eat at a small coffee shop and walked around London for some time. All the while his thoughts bugged with questions of how he felt about Louis, what he felt, if it was okay, how to stop, if it was really necessary to stop, and would Louis hate him?
Harry was noticing small things about the Doncaster boy; the way he spoke, his accent always so heavy, the way his smile was a bit crooked and took over his entire face, lighting up the whole room. How his nose would crinkled and he'd squint his eyes when he felt awkward or nervous. The way his hips moved when he walked and the light in his eyes when he was truly happy about something. How no matter what he was doing, he was always beautiful.
Harry shook his head, as if to rid the thoughts, but it was no use. But he couldn't stop thinking about Louis if he tried.

Harry returned home to Louis, Zayn, Niall and Liam all in the living room laughing and talking loudly.
"Hazza!" They all yelled in unison. Harry smiled and shrugged his jacket off.
"Harry, where you been mate?" Niall asked, his Irish accent thick.
"I just took a walk in the city." Harry walked to the boys and took a seat on the couch between Zayn and Louis.
Louis looked, or more the less stared at Harry, who was listening to Liam tell a story.
When Harry got up to go to the kitchen, Louis' eyes followed. He watched Harry without shame, because he'd forgotten everyone was around.
Harry's voice sounded from the kitchen, "Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful." He sang the Stevie Wonder song to himself.
Louis smiled at the boy. His voice was beautiful, and he could usually hear a hint of his Cheshire accent when he sang. Harry's accent made him sound a bit posh at times, but Louis found it ironic, Harry was not posh at all. He wore nice clothes and had manners, but he was no goody-school boy, he was flirt… he was naughty and he knew it, it wasn't something he tried to hide.

Zayn looked over to Louis who was blatantly staring at Harry.
Zayn had seen something in the way Louis looked at him before, but was always unsure of what it was. It was somewhere between concern and adoration, but it was questionable about what it meant. To Zayn it looked as if Louis wanted much more from the young boy, Louis didn't take his eyes off of the Cheshire boy once.
"Louis!" Zayn whisper-yelled to his friend… who ignored him.
"Lou!" He said with a nudge to Louis' arm.
Louis looked at Zayn, "What?" He asked, irritation in his voice.
"Louis, can i talk to you alone please?" Zayn asked.
Louis got up without replying, Zayn followed him to Louis' room.
"What did you want to talk about Zayn?" Louis asked agitated.
"Lou is there something going on with Harry and yourself?" Zayn felt he was being blunt, but there was no other way, he wasn't going to beat around the bush.
"Wh- no Zayn, why would you say that?" Louis hoped to God his face wasn't as red as it felt. He has a girlfriend… GIRLfriend.
"Lou, from the second Harry walked in the flat your eyes were glued to him. You were staring like… if you looked away he'd disappear."
"It's not like that." Louis managed to spit the words out, his word choice defying him a tad.
"Harry's been acting weird lately, I'm worried about him. Yesterday he slept all day. I don't think he left the house after he got home in the afternoon. He's been quiet and distant, he won't talk to me, he says he's fine, but I'm not so sure." Louis' voice was drenched with worry and Zayn could tell something was up with both of the boys. Harry wasn't one to be a sad-sack, and Louis was never this seriously worried.
"Look Zayn, I've got to go. I'm meeting Eleanor." Louis left Zayn in his room, and seemed to zip out of the flat in a flash.

"Where's he going?" Harry asked Zayn.
"He's meeting with Eleanor." Harry's face fell and Zayn caught it immediately, you don't get that look when a friend leaves…
"I think Niall and I are going to get something to eat… want to come?" Liam asked the two.
"No thanks." Harry said politely as he rested his chin on his knees, which were pulled to his chest.
"I'm good too." Zayn said, waving them off.

Niall and Liam left the flat and Zayn sat on the opposite side of the couch as Harry.
He looked at Harry, who was clearly upset about something, he was an easy person to read… most of the time.

"Harry?" Zayn questioned.
"Yeah?"
"Louis said you've been acting a bit strange, and I've noticed you've been out of it too. Lou is really worried."
"I told him I'm fine. I'm fine Zayn."
Harry took a deep breath and let it out loudly. He looked sad and pitiful, his emerald eyes were filled with unshed tears and his face held anxiety and confusion.
Harry could feel himself unraveling, as if every pent up sadness and concern over the last 18 years of his life was about to boil over and spill out of him in a mess.
"Zayn," Harry's voice sounded like a cry, "I've been so horrible, I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone, if I do… things will change and the band could break up and then everyone will hate me." He spoke fast, his words running together, he wanted to say it but didn't want anyone to hear. He had to get it out.
Zayn could see Harry was near tears, he looked absolutely miserable, his eyes getting that sparkle you only get when you're about to cry, and his chin was quivering a little.
"Harry, that's not going to happen. No matter what this is, whatever you've done, we'll get through it." Zayn felt so bad for the young boy in front of him.
"It's not what I've done, it's what I feel." Harry admitted finally, Zayn only smiled.
"Harry, if this is what I think it is… everything will be fine. Tell me Harry, I won't judge or yell or tell anyone. I want to help you." Zayn was sincere, he'd never seen Harry this distraught, and couldn't bare to see a friend so hurt.
"Zayn, if I tell you, you can't tell anyone. Not even Lou, especially not Lou. I don't want him to hate me. He's going to hate me.. I just know it." Harry put his head in his hands.
"I won't say anything unless you tell me to okay? I promise Harry." Harry looked up at Zayn, he could feel tears stinging his eyes.

"Okay, but if you-" Zayn cut him off, "I won't." He promised and Harry trusted him.
"It started with a dream or two, I was dreaming about Louis, we were… we- Zayn.. I don't want to talk about this." Harry whined, wiping at one of his eyes.
"But you're going to. Spit it out."
"Ugh… we were kissing Zayn! Louis and I… God I had him all to myself. He was touching me in ways I can't forget about. It's been in my head everyday since. I can barely look at him without feeling like I've violated him!" Harry looked away from Zayn, he could see Harry felt ashamed of his thoughts and dreams.
"These are just dreams Harry, it doesn't mean anything." Zayn was not surprised by anything Harry had said, the two of the boys had been close since they met, they had no boundaries from the start.
"They aren't just dreams Zayn. Once I wake up, it's all i think about. I keep thinking of what it'd really be like. I look at him and think about how gorgeous he is, how perfect and sweet. How I want him to see me… really see me and leave Eleanor and be with me." Harry now had tears in his eyes and wiped them away. He felt like the worst person in the world for wishing for two people to break up for his own happiness.
Zayn moved closer to Harry and hugged him.
"Harry, don't cry." Zayn held onto the boy as his shoulders shook.
"Harry it's okay. So you like Louis, that's fine. We'll figure this out." Zayn was being so understanding, so calm. It amazed Harry and gave him a sliver of relief.
"But Lou has a girlfriend… he like girls." Harry spoke in a pitiful voice.
"Harry, I've seen the way Louis' been looking at you. I've seen it before. From the time you got here this morning, his eyes were on you. He looked at you like he was seeing the Eiffel Tower for the first time. He looks at you like he wants you like you want him. He might feel the same way you do."
Harry looked to Zayn as he spoke, his eyes were cloudy from crying, but he was happy to hear what was being said. It gave him some hope.
"He looks at me like that?" Harry wiped his eyes and bit down on his bottom lip, trying to contain the smile he hoped wasn't due to false hope.
"Yes, he does. He won't admit it outright, he doesn't know how you feel, and i'm sure Eleanor isn't making it easy for him either. Don't tell him I told you, he'd kill me." Zayn gave a small smile.