Chapter Text
I sigh, flopping onto the couch next to my best friend, a boy in his early 20s with messy brown hair, currently focused on something on his phone.
“Lou…” I whine, wanting his attention to tell him something.
He looks up, seeming just now realizing I got back, and smiles brightly at me, his blue eyes brightening.
“Hey, love. What's up?” His voice is excited, but relaxing to me. After all, he's like home to me.
I sigh, having had a really bad day, and simply say, “Bad day.”
His face changes into a completely understanding one, and he holds out his arms, correctly guessing I want cuddles.
I fall into his arms, tucking my face into his neck and taking a deep breath. One of his hands comes up to gently hold the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my messy black hair.
A small smile lifts the corner of my mouth at the habitual motion.
“Y’wanna talk about it, Zellie?” Louis asks softly, using the affectionate nickname he came up with years ago. My name’s Hazel, but he almost never calls me that, not since we were little.
I shake my head slightly and mumble into his neck, “In a bit, maybe. Just wanna stay here f’a minute.”
He hums quietly, signaling that he understands, and the hand not holding my head grabs the TV remote, turning it on.
“Anything y’wanna watch, babe?”
“Despicable Me?” His neck muffles my voice, making it barely audible.
“New or old?”
“Both?” My voice is hopeful, wanting to watch something silly for a while with him.
Louis navigates to the first movie, putting it on while he responds, “Whatever you want, love.”
I just listen to the movie for a bit, keeping my face pressed into his neck, but eventually shift to look at the screen, letting my head fall onto Louis’ shoulder.
A while later, Louis speaks up, asking, “Zellie, you had your Biochem test today, right?”
The question is gently probing, and I know he guessed that’s what upset me so much. I’m a biology major and want to get into medical school to become a nurse, so a big grade like this is really important.
I nod, and he must see my face, because one of his hands goes to hold mine, his thumb stroking the back of my hand.
“I pretty much failed it. Got 94/150.” My voice feels small, and I chew on the inside of my cheek nervously, still worried about the grade.
“Ohh, baby, I’m sorry. You studied so much. Is your grade still okay?” Louis asks.
“I checked, I have a B now.” I know I sound fucking depressed about this, even though most people would say a B is pretty good, I need all A’s to get into medical school next year.
Louis makes a sympathetic sound, and tenderly presses a kiss to the top of my head.
“I mean, can I even get it up? We only have a few weeks left…” My voice gets that crying sound to it, and I can feel my eyes watering. I close them, trying to keep the tears from falling.
“Zellie, love, Mr. Barnes likes you, right? I know he'll give you extra credit if you ask on Monday. I promise it'll be okay, babe.” Louis says sweetly, continuing to tenderly stroke the back of my hand, the hand not busy doing that still in my hair, finger-combing it.
I go to speak, but get cut off by my own sad sniffle, and before I can continue expressing my distress, Louis continues. “C'mon, Zellie, watch the movie with me. Please, babe? I'll even order us food.”
I slowly nod, knowing he's right, I should just let him distract me with food and the movie.
“Fine… you're prolly right, Lou.”
This earns me a cocky smirk and another casual kiss to the top of my head, before Louis picks up his phone.
“Pizza sound good, sweetheart?”
“Yeah, but only if it's really cheesy.”
“Obviously, pepperoni okay?”
“Lou, you know me, you know I like pepperoni.”
“I know, babe, I just felt like asking.”
I stick my tongue out at him playfully, and he smiles, ruffling my hair before calling a pizza place nearby and ordering a pepperoni pizza with double cheese.
~~~
Louis lets me lay on him until the pizza gets there, watching me slowly moving until I'm curled up on his lap, my head still on his shoulder.
The doorbell rings, and I groan sadly, letting Louis shift me onto the couch so he can get our pizza.
I can hear him talking at the door for a minute, while I wait impatiently for him to come back.
About a minute passes before he does so, bringing a pizza box along. He sets it on the coffee table, flopping back onto the couch.
Almost immediately, I climb back onto his lap, honestly just wanting nothing more than to be close to him.
“Clingy much, babe?” Louis asks, smiling at me while he grabs a slice of pizza for each of us, handing me one.
“I jus’ wanna be close t'you.” I take the pizza, and take a bite, my other hand playing with the strands of hair at the back of his head.
“Really, love? I hadn't noticed.” Louis sticks his tongue out playfully at me, and I roll my eyes at him.
~~~
By the time we finish our pizza, the second movie is only a few minutes from ending, and I keep yawning.
Louis glances up at a clock on the wall, and asks me, “Zellie, y'wanna g'to bed? You can sleep with me if you want.”
I nod, happy he suggested sleeping with him. My bedroom's only across the hall from his, but I want to be close to him today.
“Alright, c'mon, love.”
Louis sweetly scoops me up after turning the movie off, carrying me to his bedroom. He sets me on his bed, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
He doesn't ask me if I want to change, knowing I'm happy sleeping in my old blue sweatpants and band tee, which is actually his.
Louis climbs into the bed next to me, turning the lamp on his nightstand off while I climb under the blankets.
Almost immediately, I curl up against him, my arms loosely wrapped around his neck, and my face pressed into his upper chest. His arms wrap around my middle, holding me close to him.
My eyes slowly close, and my breathing evens out, falling asleep.