It didn't take long for Louis to fall asleep on Harry's chest. The boy hasn't properly slept for a week, chased by demons from the past. Harry carefully puts Louis down, making the head of the boy rest on his lap and immediately Louis stretches his legs, murmuring something in his sleep. Harry grabs his long, black jacket that he had folded on the couch next to him. Not wanting to leave Louis to grab a blanket, he puts that over the small boy to give him more warmth. Louis' body is only covered by an oversized t-shirt.

"My angel..." Harry whispers when Louis is shivering, speaking some words that aren't understandable in his sleep. The boy is clearly having a nightmare. Harry's hand moves to Louis' hair, stroking it and Louis visibly calms down, putting an arm around Harry's waist. It makes the curly boy smile but tears are still in his eyes.

"I promise I'm going to protect you, Lou." he whispers. "I'm so sorry. I'm so extremely sorry. From now on I'm not leaving your side. No one will ever hurt you. You are my angel. I'll help you through this." Harry knows that Louis probably doesn't hear him because he is asleep but he hopes in some way that his comforting words would reach Louis in his sleep.

"Calling him angel? You must be very gone for him." Harry looks up when he hears his English teacher talking. He has been so caught up in Louis that he didn't hear him come in.

"I'm sorry, mister Corden." Harry apologises. As much as he has seen him already having dinner at home, it's still awkward for Harry. Now he is seeing his nephew sleeping on Harry's lap. Harry's cheeks are as red as a tomato.

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's James wen we are out of school, Harry?" the older man smiles, putting his groceries out of his bag.

"I'm sorry, James." Harry repeats, feeling a bit awkward.

"Did he open up?" James looks at his nephew who looks at peace under the touch from the American boy.

"He did. I feel like the biggest jerk on earth." Harry cries again but soundless when he looks at the vulnerable broken angel sleeping on his lap.

"You couldn't know, Harry. The most important thing is that you are there for him. As much as I am there for him as well, I'm just his uncle. I don't have his age and he isn't able to share things in the same way with me like he can with you. My nephew is quite dependent on you."

"I care about him a lot." Harry admits. "More than what's healthy for me. I like him more as a friend and he knows. I also know he is still struggling. I will never push myself to him. I will let him discover himself what he wants and I'll never leave his side when he is on his adventure to find himself. I'll never push him into a certain direction. I honestly just want him to be happy and hearing he has been through so much hurt..." Harry bites his lip, trying to make his crying soundless. It's the first time he really admits his feelings for Louis to someone else.

"It hurts me as well. But I will protect him, James. I'll protect him when I'm here, I'll protect him when he is in the United States and I promise I will come back to the UK after the program. I'm not leaving him, ever. He'll always have me around if he wants me to. I'll be the person that he needs, doesn't matter in which way."

"He has you wrapped around his little finger, hasn't he?" James smirks, giving Harry a glass of water. Harry thanks the man and nods. "He has."

"Haz?" Harry looks down at his lap, seeing Louis look at him with small eyes, still sleepy.

"Hey, Lou. How did you sleep?" Harry puts a stray of hair behind his ear.

"Best I've slept this week." he admits as he sits down now, his head now resting on Harry's shoulder.

"Hey Louis! Saw you were sleeping good." James says winking at his nephew. Louis blushes and hides his head in the crook of Harry's neck. Louis in this oversized shirt, hair a mess and all shy is the cutest thing ever.

"Can I hug you?" Harry asks carefully, not wanting to overstep any boundaries.

"Don't ever ask that again, Hazza. Just fucking hug me." Louis smiles while already putting his arms around Harry's body. Harry smiles and pushes the boy closer to him.

"Are you coming back home?" Harry whispers in his ear.

Louis takes distance from the curly lad and nods.

"Yeah, I kind of miss my own bed... and you." Louis looks at Harry from under his eyelashes.

"I missed you too. It's so silent in the house without you, almost boring. No one complaining in the morning, Lottie has no one to bicker with, Jay has no one to scold,..." Harry jokes.

"And you? What weren't you able to do? What did you miss?" Louis bites his lip and gives Harry an expecting look.

"I had no one that made me feel like home."

--

"Louis! Oh, you are back. I missed you." Jay hugs her son when he enters the house together with Harry.

"Hey mom. Sorry I stayed that long with uncle James." Louis apologises.

"It's okay, baby. I know you don't just stay there for nothing. If you ever feel comfortable to talk about it, I'm here okay?"

Louis gives his mother a thankful smile. She never pressures him and just understands. His mother is literally an angel.

"Thank you so much, mom.

"Ugh, are you back? Already?" a girl shouts.

Louis grins and walks over to his sister, hugging her tightly.

"I missed you, you little evil thing!" He messes up her hair, making the twelve year old groan.

"Not my hair, Louis! And I'm not the smallest person in my class like you used to be on my age."

"Ugh, you are lucky that I want to go to bed because I'm tired, but I will annoy you tomorrow Lottie." Louis walks over to his mother, hugging her goodnight and then walks over to Harry.

"Want to drive to school with me tomorrow?"

"Are you going back? You sure?"

Louis nods.

"Yeah I am. I'm going to take another shower and then I'm going to sleep. Now I'm going to hug you." Louis randomly announces, putting his arm around Harry.

"Good night, Lou. If there is anything, just wake me up."

--

It's 2 in the night when Harry wakes up from his door making a squeaky sound.

"Lou?" Harry says, sleep drunk.

"I had another nightmare. I was thinking... maybe because... I slept good this afternoon when u were with me and..."

Harry doesn't say a word and just lifts his blanket, petting on the empty space next to him.

"Don't need to ask, Lou. Want to cuddle?"

"Yes, but no spooning, please. I'd just like to roll up into you if that's okay." Louis' blush is clear thanks to the moonlight shining on his face from through the window.

Harry fixes the covers so they both are lying properly under it. Harry stretches his arm so Louis can lay on it. His other arm is protectively around him, not too low. He doesn't want to make the boy feel uncomfortable.

"Good night, Hazza. Thank you." Louis whispers before drifting off to sleep.

"Good night, Lou." Harry kisses his forehead and a content smile appears on Louis' face. For the first time this week he feels actually safe.