Lux was tired, so tired that she was curled up on the couch next to Harry, letting her guard down for a few minutes as she tried to catch a nap in between all the things she had to do today. Sound-check, dress rehearsal, pre-show interviews, and a quick piece with Harry where the cameras just filmed them sitting next to each other and talking about what's been going on. Then she had to take a shower because her hair felt disgusting after running all around today, and now she has about 30 minutes to relax before she has to go to hair and make-up.

“I can't wait to crawl into bed tonight.” Lux sighed, peeking an eye open and looking over at Harry. He was playing a video game on a Nintendo DS, his eyes squinted in concentration.

She wished someone else was here, someone that she could use as a pillow, because she most certainly can't snuggle up to Harry. Although right now, the curve of his side and the width of his chest looked like it was made for her to fit into.

“Hazza..” She murmured, feeling half-asleep. He glanced up at his familiar nickname, looking at her quickly before going back to his game.

“Sweet cheeks..” He replied, and she sighed in content with the nickname.

“Don't freak out, ok? I'm just.. so.. tired..” She whispered, moving closer to him. His fingers stopped, hovering over the game, and his body froze up as she moved under his arm, pressing her ear to his chest and closing her eyes again. Within seconds, her breathing was steady and soft. She was asleep.

Harry was still frozen, staring down at the American brat curled against his chest. Her face is tilted upward, with the right side of it pressing right against his heart, which was pounding with nerves.

Cuddling he could do, but with Lux? He never imagined it would happen, even though he's not returning the cuddle. It's more like she's using him as a pillow, which he guessed was okay. She was having a long day and was exhausted, he knew that, and she has to leave in like 20 minutes anyways.

Might as well let her be.

He went back to his game, his right arm now resting against her chest gently, which was actually pretty comfortable. Someone at the door cleared their throat and he looked up quickly, seeing Zayn.

Harry turned back to his game, “All right, mate?”

“What's going on?” Zayn's voice was slow and careful, his eyes steady on Lux.

“She's tired.” Harry put the game down, looking down at her face slowly. He reached out and lightly touched his fingertips to her dark eyebrows, smoothing them down.

“Wow, you sure look like you hate her.” Zayn's voice was dripping with a little bit of jealousy, which he has no right to feel because he's dating someone. “What about Caroline?”

“What about her? Did you forget how she treated me? Or did you forget that I couldn't keep my hands to myself and fucked everything up?” Harry laughed, “Besides, I'm not doing anything wrong. Lux is sleeping.”

“Hazza, can I ask ya something?” Zayn sat down across from him, folding his hands in front of him.
Harry waited for him to continue, but Zayn was staring at Lux, zoning out. “Go on, then.”

Zayn looked up at him, “Do you think we're all stupid, mate? Everyone sees the way you two look at each other.”

“Oh yeah? You mean with hatred and disgust?” Harry laughed, shaking his head, not believing that Zayn was trying to have this conversation with him. It was bloody insane.

“When you guys are in a room together, everybody knows, because everyone can feel all the emotions swirling around you guys. It's like you're attached to her by an invisible tether that you refuse to acknowledge. If you don't step up, someone else is gonna, and that's gonna fucking suck for you when it happens. Quit acting like an arse.”

It took everything Harry had in him not to yell at Zayn, deny everything he said, and smack him. He looked down at Lux as she slept, and he couldn't imagine waking her up that rudely right now.

“It's not like that.” Harry said, shaking his head. “We don't.. it's just not like that, mate. If someone wants to step up and take her, they're welcome to it. I honestly couldn't care less about this girl.”

Zayn snorted, standing up and walking to the door. He turned around last second, “Yeah, that's why you're practically whispering to me, because you don't care for her. If you didn't care for her, you would never have let her sleep in the first place, let alone whisper as to not wake her!”

Harry watched one of his best friends storm out, and he knew that a big reason that Zayn gave that speech is because he wants Lux to himself, but can't have her. Maybe thinking that Harry and Lux want each other makes it easier for him to not want her too. Either way, he's not right about it. Harry might have a tiny, minuscule soft spot for sleepy Lux, but he doesn't care for her.

Mike, the producer, walked into the room, opening his mouth to speak but stopping when he saw Lux sleeping and Harry staring down at her. He sighed softly and Harry looked up from her face to stare at him, waiting to see what he wants.

“She's needed in hair and make-up.” He said quietly, looking as if he wanted to say something else.

“Ok. I'll wake her. Thanks, mate.” Harry whispered, raising his eyebrows. “Is that it?”

Mike paused for a long moment, staring at them before nodding slowly, “Yeah. That's it.”

Harry nodded and waited for Mike to leave before he decided that it was time to stop playing nice to Lux.

Just as he was about to wake her up by yelling into her ear, she gave a tiny moan and turned more into his body, snuggling in deeper. Her hands were tiny, he noticed, and in small fists against his chest.
Damn it. He just can't.
“Lux..” He whispered, shaking her lightly. “Luxie, wake up. It's time for hair and make-up.”

She made a small whining noise, her eyelids fluttering before blinking open. She reached up and rubbed her eyes with her fists, and then raised her hands over her head to stretch out. She let them down onto Harry's shoulders, looking up at him with a sleepy smile.

“Thanks.” She murmured, patting his shoulders and then crawling off the couch, stretching again.
He tried to say “you're welcome” but couldn't make the words come out, instead just silently watching her walk to the door by herself. She turned back and squinted, biting down on her lip.

“And this,” She gestured from herself to him, “never happened. Got it?”

“As if I want people to know I let you drool on me.” He quipped back, falling into his normal routine with her easily. He picked up his video game again and ignored her, listening to her leave without saying another word. He wished it never happened, because all he could think about was Lux sleeping now, her body warm against his. He sat on the couch and stared at nothing, feeling his body get colder and colder in the seconds that passed since she left him.

He was beginning to think he would never feel that kind of warmth again.

Notes

Here's another chapter for today. I need to make it all up to y'all and I promise that will never happen Againnnnn. Meow.x