Red Brick Heart

6

"Happy Halloween!" Perrie shrieks at him as soon as he gets back from his lecture and opens the flat door. It's half past five and it's already mostly dark, and to his wonder the entire hallway in the flat is covered in very illegal Halloween decorations.

"Wow, you're – wow," Harry says, staring at her costume – sexy cat, presumably? – and saying, "You know there's still, like, four hours before we have to leave?"

"Yeah, but I've had a free day and I was bored so there we go." She grins at him, offering him a small plastic pumpkin filled with sweets, and – some small bottle-like things... "Present for you."

"Pez, you didn't have to – oh my god, are those tiny bottles of vodka?"

"Like I said, I was bored," she says, and now Harry notices that she's a little wobbly on her feet and is grinning way too much. "I may – I might have sampled a few of the mini bottles, just, you know, for your enjoyment-"

"Thanks, babe," Harry says with a laugh, pulling her into a one-armed hug before leaving her and walking the few steps to his room. He knocks before testing the door to see if Louis is in, and when he finds it unlocked he lets himself in to the scene of Louis and Niall sitting on his bed, critically examining several pairs of lacy knickers. Jesy's on Louis's bed, legs crossed and watching them.

"These ones. I'm going for these, sorted, done," Louis announces, before noticing Harry standing stock-still and wide eyed at the door. "Oh, evening, Harry. Niall and I are just deciding what pants to wear tonight. What d'you think of these?"

He holds up a red pair, mouthing yes or no at him. Harry thinks he might have died, because this is obviously what hell looks like.

"I – I-" he says dumbly. "Are they – are they comfy?"

He mentally slaps his forehead for the question. Louis frowns, staring at the knickers.

"You know what, I don't know. Hang on, I'll just quickly pop them on. Be right back. Good point, Harry," he says, patting him on the arm as he dashes off to the bathroom. Harry sits down at the desk chair before his legs give out on him.

"You all right, mate?" Niall says, with a shit-eating grin.

"Yeah, fine, just walked in on my flatmates sharing underwear," he says, voice a little high pitched. Jesy grins.

"You jealous? I've got plenty-"

"No, no, I'm fine, thanks," Harry says quickly. Niall picks up a zebra-printed pair, raising an eyebrow, before shrugging.

"Ah, these'll do. Thanks, Jes."

"No worries. You sure I can't interest you in a pair..." she says, starting to gather them up. Harry shakes his head again.

"No, I don't – Niall, I know you've got to go in drag, mate, but isn't-"

"Might as well go the whole hog, is the way I see it. And anyway, Marco's drawn up a points system, and the less authentic it is, the more shots we've gotta do. Though, y'know, I do want to get smashed..." Niall's forehead creases, the battle between wanting to win the game and wanting to get absolutely pissed out of his mind raging strong. "Ah, fuck it, I'll wear the knickers anyway."

"That's the spirit!" Jesy calls out after him, before gathering up her knickers and walking to the door, meeting Louis on the way out.

"Comfy?" Harry asks, immediately regretting it. Louis grins.

"Yeah. Might get a pair myself. I'm joking," he assures Harry, leaning forwards to squeeze his shoulders, mistaking his look of poorly disguised arousal for horror. "Now come on, Robin, we'd better eat before we start knocking back Pez's Halloween schnapps and start getting ready."