Houseboy ➳ Larry AU |English|

Chapter 54.

Louis can't fall asleep no matter how hard he tries. He's frustrated, and there's no other reason for it. Having Harry asleep on him is not helping his situation. The pain is there, he needs to release, he needs to touch himself and he can't do it.

Bless Harry and his panties.

Louis could have done it, he could have taken him to bed that instant he opened the bedroom door, but he simply couldn't. More important to him was Harry's well-being than his own well-being. Those sweet green eyes were crying out for help, for comfort, for affection, and Louis knew that the best way to help him would not be sexually. But of course, maybe Harry thinks that's the only solution, or that's what that fucker Jacob was doing to make him feel better at times when he needed comfort. He can't blame Harry for thinking that sex solves everything, if anyone to blame it would be that asshole who made him believe it, of course, tricking a hurting kid into bed. What kind of person would he be if he acted just like Jacob? Waiting for Harry to be at his most vulnerable mood to use him to his advantage. It makes him sick to think about it. He won't be just like that asshole.

His arms cling much tighter to the younger boy's body.

They may think Louis is overprotective, but the truth is he's not happy with his protective methods, he doesn't think he's protecting him enough. He would be happy if he could put Harry in a glass box so that no one could have access to touch him, not even him. His eyes always look at him as if he were something capable of breaking with a breath, extremely fragile and delicate. He is perhaps the most susceptible person Louis has ever met in his life, it doesn't bother him at all, he is madly in love with this adorable and delicate sweet boy who is always in need of his protection and affection. Seeing how Harry takes refuge in him and finds calm in his arms is, in a way, satisfying. Knowing that he is able to calm his fears is very satisfying indeed. Louis is more than happy with that, he just wants to hug and kiss him every day of his life, if it were possible.

                              ×××

Before dawn, Louis opens his eyes heavily, not really wanting to wake up. But it's Harry's moans and small sobs, that make him wake up. He feels Harry's full weight on his body, and remembers falling asleep in that position. He also feels his wet shirt, right where Harry's head rests. He is crying.

Louis hugs him, sinking one of his hands into his tousled curly hair, pulling him closer, as if they weren't close enough.

"Shhh." Is all the sound that comes from his lips, while he caresses his hair. "Shhh. Sleep, it's all right, love, I'm here." He whispers, before kissing the crown of his head.

Harry squirms a little, still in his sleepy-dreamy state. Louis moves slowly, rocking him as he hums a lullaby, trying to remember that old song his nana used to sing to him when he had nightmares.

He is frustrated that he can't remember the words to the song, and this is something totally new to him. Louis has never felt so interested in someone other than himself, and now with Harry it's different. Now he just wants him to be okay. He's starting to see himself becoming entwined with all of Harry's feelings, his sadness, his joy, his hope. Louis feels everything the younger one feels, caring about every tiny detail he finds swirling around in the curly-haired boy's head.

He hadn't realized how deep he had fallen. Until that moment, torturing himself for not remembering a song to sing to the boy to make him stop crying in his sleep. Something as simple as that, tormenting him.

"Close your eyes, squeeze them tight, maybe then you can sleep through the night, forget the bad, remember the good, everything passes, when you wake up it will be a new day..." He sings, in a soothing voice, without finding rhythm to the words, until he can't remember how to follow the lyrics. "Go to sleep baby, go to sleep now.... No, wait. Not that. No bogeyman will come to take you away, don't worry." Louis shakes his head, stopping singing.