Chapter Text
Louis’ not very good with travelling on his own, he’s not ashamed to admit that. He’s terrible with timing and being responsible for, well, anything really. He’s especially not good with public transport, people are either to friendly or complete arseholes and Louis would much rather avoid them. Except sometimes they’re unavoidable, especially when his best friend lives a million miles away and there’s no way for him to get there by car.
“I’m claiming favourite uncle.” He tells Harry over the phone, while waiting in line at airport security. “If suffering through a ten hour flight, then the least you can give me is favourite uncle.”
“I don’t really think that’s my choice, Lou.” Harry replies and Louis can hear the grin in his voice.
“You’re far too happy right now.” Louis grumbles. “I’m suffering and you’re just being god damn happy about your kid being born, aren’t you?”
Harry barks a laugh down the phone. “I want you to meet him so bad. Hurry up, yeah?”
“I have no control over how fast the plane goes, Harold.” Louis replies but he can hear the smile in his own voice. He’d been excited to meet Harry’s little once since the moment Harry had sent him a snapchat of his red tear streaked face.
“Zayn’s finished his cigarette so we’re going to head back inside.” Harry informs him. “I’ll see you soon, yeah? Love you.”
“Love you too, arsehole.” He tells the dial tone.
He slips his phone in to his pocket and taps his foot impatiently as the line in front of him moves at an agonisingly slow pace. The woman, holding a toddler in front of him, turns around one too many times to glare at him. Louis narrows his eyes and taps his foot louder with every glare.
“’bout bloody time.” He grumbles when he finally reaches the front of the cue.
The woman next to the scanner gestures for him to come forward and Louis drops his backpack on to the rollers. The woman makes an impatient noise when he takes his time removing each of his shoes so Louis puts them in an extra box, just to piss her off more.
The buzzer goes off when he walks through and Louis sighs when he’s led to the side for a guy to pat him down. The guy raises his eyebrows, with a smirk, when pats down the front of Louis’ jeans.
“It’s my phone, you perv.” Louis snaps, tugging the electronic device from his pocket.
The guy shrugs, continuing to pat down each of his legs before nodding to the woman behind the scanner. The woman mumbles something, which for some reason means the guy gets to feel up Louis’ arse. Louis glares over his shoulder at her but she just gives him an extremely fake smile in return.
“You’re good.” The guy tells him.
Louis rolls his eyes, purposely barging past him to collect his bags. He pulls on his shoes and throws his rucksack over his shoulder. He drags up snapchat on his phone as heads in to duty free, making an angry face at the camera and sends it to Harry with the caption ‘jst gt felt up by pervy guy, best be wrth it.’He sends.
He doesn't get a reply until he’s purchasing some aftershave and then it’s just a snapchat of Harry’s fiance Zayn, cradling their newborn son. Louis scowls at the screen and heads to the alcohol section of duty free, if he’s going to an endure an ten hour flight, he’s going to at least do it tipsy.
By the time the gate to his flight is being opened, he’s got a bag full of alcohol clutched tightly in his hand. The stewardess smiles at him as he hands over his ticket and Louis has to bite down his own bitterness to smile back. Though he doesn't manage a very sarcastic ‘Thanks, love.’ when she tells him to enjoy the flight.
He’s got a first class seat, paid for by his ridiculously rich best friend. He’s not struggling by any means, he’s a primary school teacher but it’s for a private school in central London so his pay isn’t crap. He learned many years ago that if Harry wants to pay for something, it’s easier to let him do so than have to put up with the constant whining. Most of the time Louis will slip the money back in to his friends bank account (he’d become familiar with the numbers years ago) and he probably will this time, once he’s done being bitter about travelling on his own.
The first class for this flight is at the front of the plane is quite posh, it has those little cubical that convert to beds, in sets of two, with the screens that can separate them. Louis’ seat is the outside of one and there’s an elderly gentleman in the one beside him and Louis has to once again bite down his own rudeness, to ask the man if he can have the screen up.
The guy barley acknowledges him just looks glances up from his newspaper to grunt. Louis’ manners go out the window by that point and he flicks the button to bring up the screen, tugging the screen in front of him forward so he can find a film to watch.
He’s deciding between monsters Inc and that new Brad Pitt film when a guy slips in to the seat opposite the aisle to him. Louis can’t see his face past the stewardess who’s talking to him but by the light skinny jeans hugging his legs, he can bet this guy is going to be attractive.
He’s not disappointed either, when the stewardess leaves and he’s confronted by quite a gorgeous looking fellow. He’s got a lovely set of shoulders and very nice biceps to go along with them too, which Louis notices once he’s removed his leather jacket. His face isn’t bad either, a reasonable jawline that’s covered in just the right amount of stubble. Louis shamelessly checks his arse out when he reaches up to shove his jacket in the overhead locker.
The guy offers him a polite smile as he settles in his seat and Louis grins back. Of course he considers himself straight but Harry’s taught him well enough, that he can appreciate a good looking man when he sees one.
“Can I get you anything before takeoff, sir?” The stewardess offers, coming between Louis and the attractive man.
Louis nods, offering a sugary sweet smile. “Could I get a bag of nuts please, love.”
She nods, showing him where his pillow is and the buttons that control the screen between him and the man, as well as the ones that convert his chair in to a bed. She turns her back to him then, asking the guy opposite the same but Louis loses interest, slipping in his headphones and clicking the new Brad Pitt film.
The stewardess returns with his nuts just before takeoff and he opens them, munching on a few as he listens to the in flight safety check. He offers the attractive guy some when he spots him looking over but the guy shakes his head, focusing his full attention on the stewardess showing them how to work their lifejacket if they ever should crash.
The plane takes off and Louis tries to ignore it, slipping his headphones back in and chewing on several nuts so his ears don’t pop. He glances once more at the guy opposite before he clicks play on his film, catching sight of the guys TV screen to see him watching the opening credits of the exact same film. Louis doesn’t know why that satisfies him, probably because some cocky part of him thinks the guy is only watching it because he saw Louis watching it.
He barley gets an hour in to the film before he feels his eyes closing over and he’s too comfortable to convert his chair in to a bed, he just allows his head to drop on to his chest as Brad Pitt’s voice lulls him to sleep.
~~~
He doesn’t know how long he’s been asleep when white flash screens across his closed eyes, the click following it pulling him to full consciousness. When he opens his eyes and turns his head to the left, he finds the extremely attractive guy, with a camera pointed in his direction.
“What’s going on?”
“Sorry, sorry.” The guy fumbles, almost dropping the camera in his hand. “Christ, I am so sorry. You just, you looked so peaceful. I couldn’t help myself. I’m so sorry. I won’t blame you if you called the police, or the pilot, or whoever is in charge when you’re on a plane.”
Louis sits up more, feeling amusement spread through him as the guy continues to ramble. He didn’t think it was possible for someone to turn that shade of red.
“I could get the stewardess to move me, or I could hide in the bathroom for the rest of the flight and then you could call the police when we land. I can assure you I won’t stalk you, in fact I wouldn’t mind if we never saw each other again because this is really embarrassing—“
“It’s okay, it’s fine.” Louis holds a hand up to stop the rambling.
The guy bites down on his lip and yeah, okay, that’s distracting. “Really? You don’t think I’m a right creep?”
“I never said that.” Louis jokes, only to get a confused frown in return. He was really going to need a lot more alcohol to deal with this guy’s responsive facial expressions.
“What’s your name?” He asks.
“Liam. Payne. Liam Payne.” He introduces, offering out his hand cautiously.
Louis shakes it with a reassuring smile. “Louis Tomlinson.”
“I’m really sorry, Louis.” Liam apologises once more. “I’m really, I’m not a creep. I wouldn’t normally do such a thing, it’s just, you’re very good looking.”
“If you continue with compliments like that, you can take as many photos as you’d like.” Louis grins.
Liam’s ducks his head, fiddling with the camera in his hands.
“It’s a real beaut.” Louis comments, nodding to the camera when Liam glances up.
“Thanks.” Liam smiles. “My friend Niall got it for me, he said I had to take photos of all the interesting people I meet while travelling.”
“I don’t think he meant take photos of them while they’re sleeping, mate.” Louis teases.
If it’s possible Liam’s cheeks go even redder. “I’m really, terribly sorry about that.”
“It’s fine, Liam.” Louis promises. “Though I wouldn’t mind seeing the photo, if you’re going to keep it that is.”
“I will, if you don’t mind.” Liam says, holding the camera out with the back facing Louis with the picture on display. “Niall doesn’t usually believe me when I say I’ve seen attractive men. He doesn’t trust my taste.”
“You’re taste is that bad, huh?” Louis asks, approving the picture, he doesn't look that unattractive in it, at least his mouth is closed, even if his double chin is on display.
“He says for a gay man I couldn’t spot an attractive man if he came up to bite me in the arse.” Liam explains, taking the camera back when Louis hands it over.
Louis snorts, thinking of how Louis had told Harry the exact same thing when he had first come out. The kid had terrible taste when he was first experimenting, usually going for guys twice his age or hipsters that wanted nothing but a shag. Louis was quite relieved when he first met Zayn, the first sane guy Harry ever dated and he’s possibly the most attractive guy Louis had ever laid eyes on. He’d had Louis’ approval before he’d even opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry.” Liam apologises and Louis realises that he’d got lost in his own mind and not spoken for a while. “Did I just make things awkward?”
“Are you apologising for your sexuality?” Louis questions.
Liam shrugs, tucking the camera back in to the bag at his feet. “Some people can find it offensive.”
“Some people can go fuck themselves.” Louis snaps.
Liam frowns at him.
“Don’t ever apologise for your sexuality, Liam.” Louis tells him sternly. “Ever, okay?”
“I’m sorry, sorry.” Liam shakes his head. “Sorry.”
Louis snorts. “You can’t help it, can you?”
“I like to please people.” Liam’s lips tilt up slight. “Niall says it’s a problem.”
“Is Niall your...?” Louis questions.
“No, no.” Liam blushes, his cheeks permanently red by this point. “He’s, he’s just a friend.”
“Yeah.” Louis nods with a cocky grin. “I’ve had friends like that.”
“No, it’s not like that.” Liam squawks. “Louis!”
Louis laughs and throws a few of the peanuts resting on the arm of his chair in Liam’s direction. Liam makes a dramatic motion to stop them from hitting him in the face and the ridiculousness of it only makes Louis laugh harder.
“Is everything okay over here, gentlemen?” The stewardess asks, suddenly appearing.
“Is there someone I can get in touch with about creepy guys taking photos of me?” Louis asks, glancing at Liam, who’s face goes from happy to completely distraught in a second flat.
“You can file a complaint.” She tells him. “Or I can make other seating arrangements for you, sir?”
Louis shakes his head, keeping an eye to make sure Liam isn’t about to cry. “No, love. He’ll just buy me a drink instead.”
“Of course.” She nods, not asking for Liam’s opinion on the subject. “What drink would you like?”
“I’ll take a rum and coke, if that’s okay?”
She nods once more. “Coming right up.”
Louis watches her walk away with laughter bubbling up in his throat. Liam’s got a look on his face that stops his laughter, the look in the other lads eyes making Louis’ throat close up completely.
“Liam, it was a joke.” He tells the other lad. “I’m not going to call the police or anything. I’m fine with the photo, honestly.”
“I think you need to work on your material.” Liam says, straight faced.
Louis barks out a laugh this time. “Yeah, yeah maybe I do.”
Liam’s lips tilt up slightly and Louis counts that as a win. The stewardess comes back with Louis’ drink, she hands it to him and then turns to Liam and announces that it’ll be two seventy five. Liam doesn’t even blink as he fumbles in his bag in front of him for his wallet, handing over a five pound note. She disappears back behind the curtain without a word.
“I don’t think she’s coming back with your change, mate.” Louis says, sipping at his drink.
“Does that make up for it?” Liam asks. “Am I forgiven for being a creep?”
Louis nods, taking another sip before handing it across the aisle. “If you take a sip and lighten up, I’ll forgive you.”
Liam looks wary but he takes the drinks from Louis’ hand, taking a sip and wincing as the alcohol hits the back his throat. “S’good.”
“It tastes like crap.” Louis sniggers, taking the glass back. “Gets you good and drunk though.”
“You want to get drunk?” Liam asks, coughing slightly.
“A little bit.” Louis shrugs. “My best friend’s a dad, like a proper dad, he’s responsible for someone’s life. He’s going to get married soon too. It feels like I’m being left behind, you know. The one who doesn’t want to grow up.”
He’s never admitted that to anyone but there’s something about Liam that makes him blurt it out. Or maybe it’s the two swigs of vodka and the half empty glass of rum and coke, doing the talking.
“Like peter pan.” Liam offers.
Louis snorts. “A bit yeah.”
“Have you told you friend about how you feel? Maybe he could help you out?”
Louis shakes his head. “He’s happy, I wouldn’t ever want ruin that. I’m being stupid anyway, we’ve lived apart for years it’s not like he’s just come home one day with a kid and a fiancé.”
“How you feel still matters, Louis.” Liam tells him. “Even if he can’t do anything to help you, he has a right to know how you feel.”
Louis knocks the ice cubes in the glass in to each other by shaking his hand a little. “When did this turn in to a therapy session?”
“Hey, you’d have to pay top dollar for this kind of advice and here I am handing it out for free.” Liam says and when Louis looks up, he’s grinning.
“Was that a joke?” Louis teases.
Liam shrugs. “It was an attempt.”
“Do you think you could help me with new material?” Louis asks. “I’ll pay top dollar.”
“I’m afraid my jokes are like my advice, out of your price range.” Liam smiles.
Louis throws more peanuts at him, just for the sake of watching him squirm.
~~~
By the time they land at Lax, they’ve pretty much got each other’s life stories. Louis finds out that Liam is a singer, travelling the world with his band, to try and get himself more known. He also finds out that he’s got two sisters, he was born and raised in Wolverhampton, he met Niall at a gig in Dublin and they’d been best friends ever since. In return Louis tells Liam about Harry, how their families are old friends and they practically grew up together, even if it was two hours apart. He tells him about how he loves his job as a teacher and he always has a little cry every time the kids leave at the end of the year, but gets excited when he gets a set of new faces when the year begins again.
They barley sleep for the next eight ish hours and they’re both like zombies while exiting the plane. Louis almost forgets his rucksack until Liam’s dropping it on to his shoulder. He doesn’t have the energy to fake smile at the stewardesses so he just nods as he passes. Liam walks beside him the entire walk in to the terminal, only separating for a moment to give their passports to different security members.
“Where are you heading from here?” Liam asks, as they wait at baggage claim.
Louis yawns, fishing in to his pocket for his phone and flicks through his texts once he’s turned flight mode off. He pulls up his text from Harry from this morning and reads out the name of the hospital.
“That’s way across town.” Liam informs him. “That’s going to cost a lot for a taxi.”
Louis shrugs. “I’ll get Harry to pay when I get there.”
“No, don’t bother him.” Liam frowns. “I’ve got a car. I could drive you?”
“I don’t want you to go out of your way?” Louis bites his lip as the conveyer belt begins to move.
Liam’s watching the bags that aren’t theirs move past them. “It’s not out of my way, It’s fine.”
“Okay.” Louis replies, too tired to argue.
They watch as more bags go past them and more. Liam’s pulls off a very expensive looking black one that Louis notices has initials imprinted on the side of it. More bags pass and more after that. They get less and less until the only thing left on the belt is a golf umbrella and nike bag that the owner should definitely embarrassed of, considering the condition it’s in.
“You said you had a suitcase, right?” Liam asks.
Louis nods, anger already building in his body. “Yes. It’s a Gucci one Harry got me a few Christmas’s back, it even has my name on strap wrapped around it.”
“It’s probably just been misplaced.” Liam offers. “Let’s go and ask someone for help.”
Louis doesn’t want to ask, he wants to yell. He does want to ask how the hell they managed to lose a suitcase full of clothes when all they had to do was get it on and off a plane. Liam’s got a patient look on his face that’s only irritating him further but he keeps his wrath under control, following the other lad when he leads the way over to the help desk.
They have to wait in a cue and it doesn’t help with the anger building in his body, the jetlag isn’t helping either. By the time they get to the front of the cue, he’s fuming. The young girl behind the desk's sweet smile and harsh American accent only ignites his outburst.
“I don’t know how you idiots did it but somehow you couldn’t manage the small task of taking my belongings at one place and having them arrive with me at another.” He seethes. “I swear if you don’t find my suitcase soon, then I’m going to sue.”
“Louis.” Liam scolds and okay, that shouldn’t have made a shiver run up his spine.
Louis scowls at him, determined to keep his anger, even if it is hard with Liam frowning at him like Louis just personally offended him.
“I’m sorry, love.” Liam smiles at the girl politely. “He’s had a long flight.”
The girl nods, glaring at Louis out the corner of her eyes but managing to keep her smile up for Liam. “I assume you’re on the six am flight from London?”
Liam nods. “Yes and the jetlag seems to have got this one a bit tetchy but we were wondering, if you could give us any information on where his suitcase could be, it would be very helpful.”
“Of course.” She replies almost blushing from Liam’s polite nature.
“Thank you, love.” Liam smiles sweetly.
The girl begins to type something on her computer and Louis gawks at Liam. “Does this shit really work?”
“Shh..” Liam hushes him.
“I’m afraid the suitcase isn’t on our system yet.” She informs them. “Could I take your number and we’ll call you if we have any information?”
Louis’ pretty sure she’s flirting.
“Of course.” Liam nods. “Louis.”
“Well, uh, it would be good if we had both your numbers just in case, you know, we can’t get through to the first one.” She stammers, twisting a piece of her hair around her finger.
She’s definitely flirting.
“I’m sure Louis’ will be just fine.” Liam deflects with a smile. “If you don’t contact him within a few days I’m sure he’ll get in touch with you.”
Liam even turns people down politely. Louis is getting a migraine.
“Oh, okay.” The girl nods, narrowing her eyes on Louis. “Could I please take your number, sir?”
Louis fumbles in his pocket for his phone, scrolling through to find his number and calling it out to the girl. She types it in to her computer and then writes down the airports number, handing the piece of paper over to Liam.
“Thank you very much, you were very helpful.” Liam tells her.
Louis scoffs, barely getting a word out before Liam’s dragging away from the desk, pushing the piece of paper in his hand in to the pocket of Louis’ denim jacket.
“How often does that happen to you?” Louis asks, as they head out of the airport.
Liam shrugs, tugging on the collar of his leather jacket. “Not that often.”
“Not often my arse, you modest twat.” Louis chuckles.
“You swear a lot when you’re tired.” Liam points out, rubbing at the scruff on his jaw.
Louis shrugs, flicking through the many snapchats from Harry coming through on his phone. There are several of the baby’s feet with captions like ‘could just eat them’ and ‘tiny tooties’. There’s also a text from Zayn asking Louis if he wants them to meet him outside or does he just want to know the number of the room their in. Louis texts him back asking for the room number, not really wanting the speculations Harry will throw his way when he gets out of Liam’s car.
Talking of Liam’s car, it’s not really his car. It’s actually black escalade with an older man stood outside it, holding a sign that says Liam’s full name in black ink.
“You’ll drive me, huh?” Louis raises his eyebrows.
Liam bowes his head and mumbles. “I could drive.”
“Yeah, sure.” Louis snorts. “Hi Jeeves.”
The older man gives Louis a look like that joke died out with his hairline but he still opens the back passenger door for them both. Louis climbs in, not after offering him a cheeky smirk.
“Hi Paul.” Liam greets the man. “Is it okay if we head across town to silver lake hospital before going home?”
“You want me to drive half an hour out of town to drive half an hour back?” Paul questions.
“Yes, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’t mind.” Paul scoffs playfully. “Silver lake hospital? Is that kid ill?”
“No, his friend had a baby.” Liam tells him, the tone in his voice doing something to Louis’ insides.
“That’s amazing, congratulations.” Paul says, leaning in to the car.
“Thank you.” Louis replies politely for Liam’s sake. “I’m quite excited.”
Which when he thinks about it, he is. He can’t wait to hold his new ‘nephew’ or see the way Harry is completely enamoured by the baby with his own eyes.
Liam climbs in the back with him while Paul climbs back in the driver’s seat, dropping the sign he was holding in to the passenger side. It takes them a while to get out of the airport, the traffic piled up bumper to bumper until they get on to the main road. By the time they’re driving freely, he’s practically buzzing with excitement.
Liam puts a careful hand on his knee. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Louis nods, stopping jiggling his knee under Liam’s palm. “Excited.”
“I bet you are.” Liam grins.
They don’t say much after that but Liam doesn’t move his hand off Louis’ knee either. By the time they’re pulling up outside the hospital, he has to put his hand on top of Liam’s to forcefully stop his leg from shaking.
“We’re here, kid.” Paul informs him. “Congrats on the little one.”
“Thank you.” Louis nods to him and then turns to Liam. “So?”
“So.” Liam repeats. “I’ll see you around?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Louis replies, reaching for the door.
Liam doesn’t say a word. Louis opens the door and part of him is pulling him towards the hospital without a care but another part of him is keeping him here, wanting more.
“Aren’t you going to ask for my number?” Louis asks, leaning back in the car.
Liam frowns. “I didn’t think it would be appropriate.”
“You don’t have to fancy me to ask for my number, Liam.” Louis scolds playfully. “You can ask just as a friend, you know?”
“Then why didn’t you ask for mine?” Liam retorts.
Louis stands stubbornly for a moment before he huffs. “Fine, can I have your number?”
“Sure.” Liam says brightly, reaching in the pocket of his leather jacket for his phone.
“You’re ridiculous.” Louis mumbles through a smile.
He has Liam call out his number much as he had done for the girl at the airport and types it in to his phone. Liam grins widely at him when he’s done, like the big goof he is. Louis rolls his eyes, offering another goodbye to Paul before closing the door.
He only gets as far as the hospital doors before he’s texting Liam. ‘Just checking you didn’t give me a fake number.’
The reply is almost instant. ‘Who is this?’ and then just after like Liam second guessed himself. ‘Tell Harry congratulations :)’
Louis hates how he’s stood in the hospital wing, grinning like an idiot because of some guy, when he’s supposed to be rush to meet his best friend’s baby.
He’s barley inside to the room Zayn told him they were in and he’s got a six foot man child climbing all over him. “Hi, Haz.”
“I missed you.” Harry mumbles in to the skin of his neck.
“I missed you too, babe.” Louis smiles, squeezing his friend gently. “Now where’s this gorgeous nephew of mine?”
As if on cue a cry comes from across the room. Harry separates from Louis but doesn’t venture very far. Zayn’s across the room, lifting the newborn from the cot next to the bed, hushing him slightly. Louis’ eyes find Eleanor, who looks completely exhausted with her hair tied up in a bun on top of her head and bags under her eyes.
“Hello angel.” He smiles at her.
“Hi.” She replies tiredly. “’bout time you showed up.”
“Lou, do you want to hold him?” Zayn asks quietly, coming over to him with a bundle in his arms.
Louis doesn’t have to be asked twice, he gently takes the baby from Zayn’s arms and smiles the instant green eyes blink up at him. “Well you’re flawless just like your daddy.”
“He’s got El’s nose.” Harry points out, stroking his index finger between the baby’s eyes and down his nose.
“And both your unruly curls.” Louis points out, using his free hand to move the baby’s hat back slightly, a curl escaping instantly.
“Isn’t he gorgeous.” Zayn states, coming in the huddle that is Louis, Harry and the baby.
The baby lets out a wide yawn, hand reaching out to curl around Zayn’s finger.
“I’m in love.” Louis admits. “I’m going to spoil your rotten, kid. I’m going to buy you every toy you ever want and your daddy is going to hate me for it because he doesn’t want you to be a brat. But I don’t care, you’re going to have every toy and I’m going to love you so much no woman or man will ever be good enough for you.”
“Can’t say we haven’t missed you, Lou.” Zayn laughs.
Louis cuddles the baby for a few more minutes until Harry starts making whining noises and he hands him back over. He goes over to Eleanor once the baby is safely in his father’s arms and cuddles up next to her on the bed.
“You did good, babe.” He tells her, pressing his lips to her temple.
“They’re so happy.” She mumbles, leaning in to him. “I did that.”
Louis looks back over to where Harry’s swaying with the baby in his arms and Zayn’s wrapped around him, both of them cooing at their newborn son with massive grins on their faces.
“You’re amazing.” He whispers to Eleanor in pure awe.
“Can we finally name him then?” Harry asks. “Now Lou’s here.”
“You waited for me?” Louis says, his heart swelling in his chest for how much he loves these dumb idiots.
Zayn leads Harry over so they’re all closer to Eleanor and Louis on the bed. “Of course we did.”
“Eleanor gets to choose, we promised.” Harry whispers, looking up at Zayn.
“I don’t, that’s a lot of responsibility guys.” Eleanor frowns, resting her head against Louis’.
“We want you too.” Zayn promises.
“Okay.” She’s says quietly and the room goes silent for the moment. “How about William?”
“William.” Harry tries, looking down at the baby in his arms. “William Styles-Malik.”
“It’s perfect.” Zayn whispers, an awe in his tone.
“What do you think Louis William Tomlison?” Eleanor whispers. “Good name?”
Louis down at her and then over to the two doting parents. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“I’ve given them a part of us even when we’re not here.” Eleanor smiles.
“You created a tiny terror.” Louis laughs.
Eleanor grins along and closes her eyes. “He’s their problem now.”
Louis hums his agreement, wrapping his arm around her and letting the tiredness of his day finally take over.
~~~
Louis stays in Zayn and Harry’s spare room because even though he’s capable of paying for a hotel room, his best friend would cut his nackers off before he’d let it happen. It’s okay for the first couple of days because he just sleeps between trips to the hospital but once they’ve brought the baby home and they’re settling in to their new life as parents, he feels slightly out of place. He can’t even go and crash at Eleanor’s for a few nights because her spare room is full of moving boxes for when she goes back to London.
“I think I’m going to go out for the night, let you three have some time on your own.” Louis tells them, the fifth night in.
Harry frowns from where he’s laying on the couch with William curled up on his chest. “Where are you going to go?”
“Just out.” Louis says. “I’m a big boy, I can explore the nightlife on my own.”
“Lou, you hate going places on your own.” Harry says and sometimes Louis hates how well Harry knows him.
“Harry can go with you.” Zayn offers. “I’m sure I can handle William for one night on my own.”
“No.” Louis shoots down the idea before Harry can even open his mouth. “Do you really I’m going to have a fun night when I know all Harry wants is to be back here. No, I’ll be fine. I’ve got it covered.”
Harry sits up, cradling William close to him. “Got it covered how?”
“I’ve just, I’ve got it covered.” Louis shrugs.
Harry looks unconvinced and Zayn looks worried and William saves Louis by letting out a small cry.
“That’s why he’s my favourite nephew.” Louis announces, shoving his feet in to his Toms and rushing to the door.
“Louis!” Harry shouts after him.
“He’s not your nephew.” He hears Zayn mutter before the door shuts behind him.
Louis finds himself outside of Harry and Zayn’s house with no idea where the clubs are or how to get to them. He also agrees with Harry, he’s not fond of going places on his own. He’s battling between phoning Eleanor and seeing if she needs help packing and going back inside to ruin the free night he just offered Harry and Zayn, when his phone buzzes in his pocket.
‘Theres a girls swim team staying at my hotel, it’s a shame really.’
He and Liam had been texting back and forth since Liam dropped him off at the hospital. Just little stories or lame jokes, no real conversation but it gave Louis enough confidence to text back.
‘Are you doing anything right now?’
Liam’s reply is so quick Louis has to hold himself back from grinning like an idiot. ‘Nothing important. Why??’
‘Drinks?? I’m a little tired of the baby talk. I need adult conversation.’ Louis sends back, bouncing on his heels as he waits for a reply.
‘Sure, where??’
'You’re the one familiar with the place.’ Louis replies.
'There’s a bar called Lakers’ Liam texts back and then. ‘Want us to pick you up?’
Louis snorts at the thought of Liam and Paul turning up outside Harry’s and Zayn’s house, the two of them peering through the window and interrogating Louis about it later when he got home. The thought alone has him texting Liam back. ‘I’ve got it covered.’ and searching for LA taxi numbers on his phone.
~~~
The bar is very British Louis finds when he arrives, it’s a family run place and it suits Liam down to a T. They’re settled in a booth tucked in to the corner and the girl behind the bar knows Liam by name, even gives him cheaper drinks. Though Louis believes they could go anywhere and Liam would get cheap drinks, all he has to do is smile and say hello, people are putty in his hands.
“How’s the baby?” Liam asks because it’s polite to do so and Liam is anything but polite.
“He’s gorgeous.” Louis gushes. “He’s going to making the guys drool and the girls swoon when he grows up. I can’t wait to watch Harry deal with that train wreck.”
“Is Harry handling it okay?” Liam worries a lip between his teeth and Louis really wishes he wouldn’t do that.
“He’s like every new father.” Louis admits. “Protective, enamoured, maybe a little bonkers.”
“We’re all a little bonkers.” Liam argues with a smile.
“That, my friend, is very true.” Louis lifts his drink—vodka and coke this time—up in agreement, taking a large sip.
Liam takes a sip from his drink—a pint of larger—and moves his eyes from Louis, over his shoulder. Louis follows his gaze to the TV screen hanging in the corner of the room, where a football game is playing, that a few men at the bar seem very interested in.
“Liverpool is playing?” Louis moves out of his side of the booth and round to Liam’s.
“You’re a Liverpool supporter?” Liam asks.
Louis shakes his head with a slight grin. “Nah, I’m Man U, I just like to watch Liverpool lose.”
“That’s not very nice.” Liam frowns, he actually frowns, like Louis was a kid who just told him he likes to steal other kid’s toys.
“Do you support Liverpool?” Louis asks.
“No, I like Man United too.” Liam’s lips turn back up. “Though our boys aren’t doing very well this season.”
“They’re really not.” Louis agrees.
They fall in to a silence then, both of them concentrated on the football game in front of them. The guys in front cheer every time Liverpool does something remotely good so Louis, in his wisdom, decided to cheer very loudly every time the opposing team score a goal. By the end of the match—when Liverpool have lost—the guys are glaring at Louis like they really wouldn’t mind throwing a few punches.
“I think we need go somewhere else.” Liam says, nudging Louis with his elbow. “Before you get two black eyes.”
Louis shrugs, not arguing. He thinks they could handle themselves if they stayed, especially with the way Liam’s biceps are bulging out of the white Henley he’s wearing. He’s sure with Liam’s nature that he’s probably never been in a fight in his life, doesn’t intend to either. Louis’ actually positive that Liam would try to talk someone around before he raised a fist, it would probably work too.
Liam takes their empty glasses over to the bar because he’s Liam and he’s ridiculous, while Louis waits as far away from the bar as he can get, the guys staring at him the entire time like he’s their next meal.
They must say something to Liam because he’s replying at he doesn’t look happy with what he’s saying. The smile his back on his face however, when he comes back over to Louis.
“You really pissed them off.” He snorts, leading the way out of the pub.
“They shouldn’t support such a crap team so loudly.” Louis quips.
Liam chuckles, walking beside him down the pavement. “You’re a world of trouble aren’t you, Louis Tomlinson?”
“You haven’t seen the half of it, Liam Payne.” Louis grins.
Liam laughs a little louder at that, knocking his shoulder against Louis’ as they walk. Louis has no idea where they’re going but he doesn’t intend on asking, quite happy for Liam to show him the places he hangs out at while in LA, without complaint.
They end up walking for ten minutes and chatting a little until they end up outside what Louis’ quite sure is a gay bar. The way Liam’s looking at him nervously confirms his suspicion.
“You don’t mind do you?” Liam asks. “It’s the only other bar I know.”
“Of course not.” Louis replies—it’s not like he hadn’t been to a million gay bars with Harry in his time.
They wait in the cue but when they get to the front, the bouncer knows Liam by name and he’s strapping bracelets on to their wrists that read VIP.
“How many times have you actually been here?” Louis questions as they head inside.
Liam shrugs, ducking his head. “A few times.”
Louis lets Liam lead the way through the mound of bodies, reaching out to grasp at the back of Liam’s Henley when the crowd tries to part them. They don’t head towards the main bar, instead they head up some stairs. Louis figures it’s the VIP when they get to the door and the bouncer has them hold out their wrists.
The room is less crowded but still full of half naked bodies, he doesn’t let go of Liam’s shirt, even when the other lad is leading them towards the almost empty bar.
“Drink?” Liam asks over his shoulder.
“Same as before.” Louis tells him, reaching in his pocket for his wallet.
Liam tugs his hand away, shaking his head. He doesn’t let Louis argue, he turns to the girl behind the bar and orders exactly what he had at the British bar. Louis finally releases his grip on Liam’s shirt and moves beside him to lean on the bar, letting his eyes scan across the room.
There’s enough people on the dance floor that you could get lost between them if you wanted to but there’s not too many that you’d be pressed up against a body at every turn.
There are a few booths and some poles placed around the place, there’s no naked men dancing on them though. In fact it just looks like another club, you’d have to look very closely at the guys dancing up against each other on the dance floor to catch on that it’s a VIP area of a gay bar.
“Here you go.” Liam says, handing over his drink.
Louis takes it and smiles thankfully. “Are you trying to make me a kept man, Liam Payne?”
“Of course not, the next rounds on you.” Liam replies smoothly.
Louis shakes his head because this guy is actually ridiculous. “Are we going to dance?”
“Do you want to?” Liam asks, almost nervously.
“You don’t go to a club not to get sweaty and covered in your own drink.” Louis states as he grabs the sleeve of Liam’s Henley, dragging him towards the dance floor.
They don’t venture to far in to the crowd of bodies, just enough to get them involved. Louis starts dancing instantly, holding his drink in the air and moving his hips along to the music. Liam stands still for a moment, looking completely ridiculous while holding a pint in the middle of a dancing crowd.
“We probably should have drunk our drinks first.” Louis yells to him over the music.
Liam furrows his eyebrows in a completely adorable manner, leaning closer to Louis to hear him. Someone behind him knocks his elbow and half of his pint gets spilled down Louis’ shirt.
“Shit, Louis. I’m so sorry.” Liam apologises, close enough for Louis to hear due to the fact he’s trying to dry Louis’ damn shirt with his hand.
Louis pushes his hand away with a smile and gestures with his own drink for Liam to take his back in one. Liam looks like he’s about to say no so Louis puts his own drink to his lips, tipping most of its contents down his throat. Liam chugs his back then, keeping a tight grip around Louis’ bicep so they don’t get separated by the crowd as he does.
“Stay here.” Louis shouts to him, taking the empty glass from his hand.
Liam looks confused but he doesn’t ask questions. Louis pushes back through the crowd of bodies and makes his way over to an empty table. He puts down Liam’s empty glass, finishes off what’s left in his and puts that down as well. When he gets back to the crowd it takes him a minute to spot Liam but when he does, his chest aches a little at how much of a lost little puppy he looks among the crowd of bodies.
He smiles the moment Louis is back in front of him, a look of relief coming across his face like he was scared Louis wasn’t going to return. Louis is not sure what to do with that so he just starts dancing along to the music, hoping Liam will follow suit. Which he does, looking a lot less awkward this time.
“This is a really awesome place, good choice.” Louis tells him.
Liam makes that adorable furrowed eyebrow face again, leaning in a little and asking Louis to repeat himself. Louis does but Liam still looks like he has no idea so Louis reaches a hand up to cup at the back of the other lad’s neck, saying it right against his ear. Liam smiles when he pulls back, his hand still on Louis’ lower back where he’d rested it to lean in.
Louis gives him thumbs up and Liam laughs, pulling back. He doesn’t know why he feels disappointed when the other lads hand disappears from his back. He tries not to focus on it, dancing along to the music ridiculously just to get Liam to laugh again.
They get through four more songs before Louis is sweaty and the beer on his chest is causing him to feel completely disgusting. He really doesn’t want to leave, especially when Liam looks like he’s having the time of his life. But he really needs to stop his t-shirt sticking to him soon or he’s going to go out of his skin.
“Toilet?” He mouths to Liam, gesturing out of the crowd.
Liam nods, though Louis is sure he has no idea what he’s agreeing to. This time Louis leads them through the crowd but Liam doesn’t hold on to the back of Louis’ shirt like Louis did when they arrived, instead he put his both his hands on Louis hips, keeping a tight grip to make sure they stay together while manoeuvring past people.
“You alright?” Liam asks when they’re a safe distance from the dance floor.
“Yeah, just need to...” He gestures to his wet shirt.
“I’m sorry.” Liam apologises instantly.
“Don’t be stupid, it was an accident.” Louis tells him as he looks around for where the bathrooms could be.
Liam must catch on because he tugs on Louis’ wrist. “This way.”
Louis lets himself be led across the room to where he assumes Liam knows the toilets are. He heads straight towards one of the stalls when they get inside while Liam heads towards the urinals. He grabs a handful of loo roll from inside the stall and heads back over to the sinks, he does not look over in Liam’s direction and catch a glimpse of the other lad's arse.
He unbuttons the first few buttons on his shirt, reaching a hand under where the wet patch of beer is and wets the loo roll, bringing it back to scrub at the stickiness. Liam comes over a few minutes later, washes his hands and then leans against the sink, watching him with a stupid apologetic look on his face.
“If you keep looking at me like that I’m going to throw this wet loo roll at your head.” Louis warns him.
Liam grins a little. “Aren’t you just making it more wet?”
“I’m making it so it’s not sticky.” Louis informs him, wetting some more of the loo roll.
A drag queen appears in the mirror next to him, pulling a lipstick from her purse and glancing over at the pair of them. “Did someone not learn how to swallow?”
“Sometimes the load’s just too much, you know.” Louis replies with a cheeky wink.
Liam makes an embarrassed noise and turns a ridiculous shade of red.
“Straight?” She asks Louis, nodding in Liam’s direction.
“No, he just has social anxiety.” Louis shrugs.
She leans in to the mirror and runs the end of the lipstick over her bottom lip and the top, then rubs her lips together and pouts at herself. “You should blow him, ease the tension in those gorgeous shoulders.”
“I’ll think about it.” Louis nods, glancing at Liam who’s cheeks are far redder than Louis’ ever seen them.
“Hold on to that one, darling.” She tells Louis. “Not many boys come here looking like that without an ego the size of Australia.”
Louis smiles at her before returning to cleaning the beer of his shirt. She brushes past him, squeezing at his shoulder as she goes. It’s not until he hears Liam fumble out a thank you that he realises she’d whispered something to him before she left.
“What did she say?” He grins.
“She told me my boyfriend had a lovely arse.” Liam says, eyes wide like he can’t believe that just happened.
Louis turns his arse towards the mirror and nods. “She wasn’t lying.”
“Louis.” Liam squawks.
“It’s just a bit if fun, Liam.” Louis promises, dropping the wet loo roll in to the bin beneath the sink. “Are we going to go back and dance or would you rather we wait for your face to return to normal colour.”
“We can...We can go back out.” Liam replies, his neck tinting red this time.
Louis grabs him by the arm and drags him back out of the toilets.
~~~
They stay until the bar kicks them out, which is just after three am. Paul has to collect them because neither Liam nor Louis is in the right state to inform a taxi driver where they live. They’re practically hanging off each other outside of the club while Liam texts Paul the name of the place they’re at.
Louis’ humming ‘under the sea’ from little mermaid, mumbling the words he knows when a flash goes off followed by a scuffle. Louis almost falls out of Liam’s grip trying to see what happened but Liam stiffens himself, holding them both up.
“Liam?” The bodyguard says and when Louis looks he’s got a young boy gripped by the scruff of his shirt in one hand and a white iphone in the other.
“It’s fine, John.” Liam tells him, causing the bodyguard to let the boy go.
If Louis was more sober he’d probably ask what the hell that was all about. Except Liam starts singing ‘under the sea’ softly and Louis gets distracted by trying to hum the melody along with him.
~~~
Louis wakes up the next morning to a pounding headache and bed full of Harry.
“I thought I passed the days where I woke up to you in my bed.” Louis groans, sitting up.
Harry blinks his eyes open, reaching out to pat Louis’ head. “Thought you’d passed the days where you get so drunk I worry about you dying in your sleep.”
“I don’t even remember coming back last night.” Louis frowns, batting Harry’s hand away.
“Probably because you passed out in some guy’s car.” Harry tells him, stretching out his absurdly long limbs. “The only information you gave him was that we lived in Silver Lake. We were the fifth house he’d knocked on. I’m going to have to send the neighbours muffin baskets as an apology.”
“Liam...” Louis says, foggy memories of last night coming back.
“Who’s Liam?” Harry asks through a yawn.
Louis doesn’t answer him, instead he climbs from the bed in search of his phone.
“Okay.” Harry says slowly. “I’m going to see if Zayn’s awake. Do you want tea?”
“Please.” Louis nods, sitting on the end of the bed with his phone in hand.
Harry heads out of the room and Louis checks through his texts to find one from Liam sent just under two hours ago. ‘Had a great night last night, thank you Louis.’ Louis really thinks he should stop finding every little think Liam does adorable.
‘Me too.’ He texts back and then ‘Even if I can’t remember the end of it.’
He puts his phone on charge and goes in to the on suite bathroom to take a shower, slipping in to Zayn and Harry’s room afterwards to steal some of his best friend’s clothes. When he comes in to the living room, there are two pairs of eyes judging him.
“I heard someone had fun last night.” Eleanor teases from where she’s on the couch, feeding William a bottle.
Louis sits down next to her, playing with William’s hand while he feeds. “I’m paying for it, feel sorry for me.”
“Harry said he'd make your favourite breakfast,“ She says. “I’m not giving you sympathy too.”
“Who did you go out with last night anyway?” Zayn asks, spread out on the other couch.
“Just a friend.” Louis shrugs, keeping his eyes on William.
“You don’t have other friends.” Eleanor sniggers.
“Not here anyway.” Zayn adds.
Eleanor reaches her free hand to poke at his cheek. “Who was it? Did you pick up a nurse at the hospital, Tomlinson?”
“No, it was a guy.” Louis tells her. “I met him on the way here and he seemed to know his way around so we went out for a few drinks.”
Zayn scoffs. “That was more than a few, you were plastered.”
“You went out for drinks with some random you met on the way here?” Eleanor worries.
“Liam’s okay, trust me. He couldn’t hurt a fly.” Louis assures her.
Eleanor doesn’t look convinced but she stops giving him the worried mother look and turns her attention back to William. Harry comes in from the kitchen, juggling two cups of tea.
“Have we found out who Liam is yet?” Harry asks as he hands a cup to Louis.
“Only that he’s some strange guy Louis met on the way here.” Zayn informs him as Harry passes him the other cup.
Harry sits down on the arm of the couch Zayn processes. “That’s it?”
“He’s from Wolverhampton originally, he’s twenty four, he’s in a band, he has two sisters and a dog named Loki.” Louis tells him and sips his tea before adding. “Oh, and he’s gay. Happy?”
Harry nods with a satisfied grin. “What’s his band called?”
“I don’t know.” Louis shrugs.
“How can you not know?” Eleanor asks.
“He said he was in a band and they were travelling to try and get their name more known.” Louis shrugs. “I didn’t ask, he didn’t seem like he wanted to tell me that much about it.”
“What guy is in a band and doesn’t want to talk about it?” Zayn asks curiously.
“Liam.” Louis replies.
“Wait.” Harry sits up a little straighter. “Liam, what?”
“Payne.” Louis tells him and then narrows his eyes. “Why?”
“Liam Payne as in the lead singer of Revenue?” Harry asks already collecting his phone from the coffee table to search for the band. Louis doesn’t answer, he’d never heard of the band and he’s sure he’d never heard of Liam.
Harry comes over to Louis, holding out his phone that has several photos of Liam’s face in a google image search for his name. “Is that him?”
“Yeah that’s him.” Louis smiles and then reality hits. “Fuck.”
“Small ears present.” Harry scolds, slapping Louis’ arm.
“Revenue.” Zayn says, as if testing the name on his tongue. “Are they the ones that sing little things?”
“Yeah.” Harry grins and then sings. “And all your little things.”
“Fuck, fuck.” Louis buries his face in his hands because yes, he knows that song. It had been all over the radio a few years back, in fact, he’s pretty sure he knows all the words to it. But he had no idea who sang it or the fact Liam was lead singer of the band that sang it.
“Lou, it’s okay.” Harry soothes. “He probably didn’t want you to know because, you know, you’re the first person to treat him like he’s a nobody.”
“That sounds awful.” Louis mumbles in to his hands.
“It’s not, Lou.” Eleanor argues. “He’s used to people knowing who he is through his music and the media. It was probably nice for someone to get to know him as a person, for once.”
There’s a silence and Louis keeps his head buried in his hands, trying to process the new information.
“I found his wiki page.” Harry announces not waiting for a reply as he begins to read out information.“Liam James Payne, born 29th August 1993 is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of the pop rock band Revenue. Blah blah blah.”
Louis looks over at him to see the younger lad scrolling down on his phone.
“Oh.” Harry says quietly.
“What?” Louis asks, sitting up.
Harry coughs to clear his throat and then says in to serious tone. “April 5th, 2013 Payne was arrested due to a confrontation outside a nightclub with Revenue drummer Andy Samuels.”
Louis shakes his head, pulling Harry’s phone towards him as if he’s not going to believe it until he sees it with his own eyes.
“Payne was charged with common assault but due to insufficient evidence, the charges were later dropped.” He reads on his eyes scanning further down the page. “August 18th, 2013 Payne was found by a friend unconscious in his home in central London and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he had to have his stomach pumped. In 2014, Payne spent six months in a rehabilitation institute for drug and alcohol abuse.”
Louis has to stop reading, he hands Harry back his phone and excuses himself, putting his tea down on the coffee table. He heads upstairs to where he’s been staying in the spare room. His phone glares at him from where it’s charging on the bed side table but he doesn’t touch it. What would he even text Liam ‘I found out the real you’ ‘Is it true?’ ‘Why did you lie?’ None of them sound appropriate or like he’s giving Liam the benefit of the doubt, rather than believing some dumb wiki page.
“Lou, can I come in?” Harry asks, knocking on the door as he opens it.
Louis doesn’t answer, knowing Harry will come in if he’s wanted or not. It’s an irritating part of their friendship, knowing when they need each other, even if the other person doesn’t feel like they do in the moment.
“You’re pretty upset about this, aren’t you?” Harry sighs, settling on the bed beside Louis.
“I like him.” Louis says quietly.
“I don’t think it makes him a bad person, Lou.” Harry tells him gently. “Hell, we’ve done some dumb shit in our time. Remember that time we almost burned down Nanna’s house, or the time we broke your mum’s favourite vase and blamed it on Lottie—“
“I like him, Haz.” Louis cuts off Harry’s ramble, raising his eyebrows for exaggeration.
“Oh.” Harry says and then his eyes go a little wide. “Oh.”
“It’s amazing isn’t it,” Louis scoffs. “Having a sexual crisis over some guy who can’t even tell me who he really is.”
Harry wraps an arm around him, pressing a kiss to the top of Louis’ head. “Let him explain, yeah? It’s his story to tell, not some internet page.”
Louis nods, letting his body sink in to the comfort of his best friend. It doesn’t take long for Zayn and Eleanor to join, as if they’d been eves dropping outside the door, waiting for the right moment. They settle on Louis’ other side, with Zayn on the bed and Eleanor on his lap.
“Gay huh?” Eleanor asks as blunt as ever.
“I don’t even know.” Louis admits.
Harry rubs his back gently. “We’ll talk about it when you’ve spoken to Liam.”
“Yeah.” Louis replies, comforted in the fact that he’s got these three people that love him no matter what.
~~~
“I thought you’d be sick of me by now.” Liam jokes, slipping in to the chair opposite Louis.
Louis had text him after he’d finished being cuddled by his friends, asked if he’d want to get some food from this great restaurant Harry kept banging on about—which is true, but it’s not the reason Louis wanted to meet Liam.
“Not quite.” Louis replies but he can hear the dryness in his own tone.
Liam frowns instantly. “Is everything okay?”
“Not really, I mean, I don’t know.” Louis stumbles, this already not going the way he planned.
“Did something happen last night?” Liam rubs at the back of his neck. “We were quite drunk and I can’t really remember much after Paul picked us up.”
“Nothing happened.” Louis assures and then as an after thought. “At least, I don’t think it did.”
“Then what’s wrong, Lou?” Liam worries.
It’s the friendly nickname and the general tone of Liam’s voice that has Louis shaking his head. He thinks it’s a selfish part of him that doesn’t want to ruin the sweet Liam he knows, taint the image he has of Liam by having him admit everything the wiki page had said as true. There’s also a part of him that repeats Harry’s words ‘It’s his story to tell, not an internet page’ and he agrees, if Liam wants to tell him about his past, that’s up to him, it shouldn’t be through Louis pushing him to do so.
“Zayn and Harry were arguing before I left, think they’ve put me in a bad mood, sorry.” He lies easily.
The relief that covers Liam’s face makes Louis’ chest ache. “There’s nothing to be sorry about, it happens.”
Liam offers Louis a reassuring smile and then looks down at his menu and yeah, he’s definitely not fallen for this guy in the space of a week.
“The salmon salad sounds good.” Liam says.
“We’re at an Italian restaurant, where you can have things like fresh cooked pizza or pasta, and you’re planning on having a salad.” Louis scoffs. “You need counselling, Liam Payne.”
“I just like to be healthy.” Liam shrugs, looking up with a grin.
Louis grins back through no fault of his own, there’s something about Liam’s facial expression that just makes you mirror them. “Fuck, healthy. We’re eating every greasy thing they sell.”
“Okay,” Liam agrees. “I’ll just have to do an extra hour at the gym later.”
“You eat healthy and go to the gym.” Louis pokes at Liam’s forearm that’s resting on the table. “There’s blood underneath the skin but you’re definitely not human.”
Liam laughs, loudly. Louis doesn’t think he’d be able to stop smiling if he tried.
~~~
“You should come in.” Louis says later that afternoon when the Paul pulls up outside Harry and Zayn’s.
Liam looks at the house then at Paul and then back at Louis. “I’m not sure..”
“One cup of tea won’t hurt, Liam.” Louis says, he taps Paul on the shoulder. “I’ve got a friend that can bring him home later so you can take the night off.”
“Liam?” Paul asks, not quite sure he can trust Louis.
Liam takes a moment but Louis gives him his best pleading eyes and he ends up folding. “Its fine, Paul. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay but remember I’ll be there early tomorrow, you’ve got your...” He pauses, catching sight of Louis in the wing mirror. “You have to go and see Ellen.”
“I know.” Liam tells him, following Louis out of the car.
“Who’s Ellen?” Louis asks as they head up the steps towards the house.
Liam’s waving to Paul as he drives away but he turns back to Louis when he answers. “Just a friend.”
“Cool.” Louis replies, not sure if Liam’s telling the truth but not wanting to push him to see if he’s lying. He opens the door to the house and walks inside like it’s his own home.
“Louis’ home.” Eleanor says and she must catch sight of Liam because she shouts. “And he brought a friend.”
Harry stumbles out of the kitchen with Zayn not far behind, both of them coming to a halt when their eyes glaze over Louis to Liam. Louis moves himself in front of Liam almost protectively.
“This is Liam.” He announces and then begins to point to the appropriate people for Liam. “That’s Harry, Zayn and Eleanor. I’m not sure what they’ve done with my gorgeous nephew but I’m sure he’s around here somewhere.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Liam says politely.
“So, uhm...” Harry starts but he bites his lip without ending his sentence and Louis’ shocked that someone actually manage to stump Harry.
“Would you like a cup of tea, Liam?” Zayn asks, slipping an arm around Harry’s waist.
Zayn’s always been Louis’ favourite.
“Please, “ Liam smiles sweetly. “If you don’t mind that is.”
“Of course I don’t mind.” Zayn almost snorts. “How do you take it, babe?”
“Uhm, lots of milk and sugar, please.” Liam replies.
Louis pushes him in the direction of the couch Eleanor is currently possessing and heads over in Harry and Zayn’s direction. “I’ll help.”
“Is he always that polite?” Harry asks once they’re in the safety of the kitchen.
“Always.” Louis groans, sitting at the counter with no intention of helping at all. “He gives you a run for your money which I thought was completely impossible.”
Zayn’s pulls five cups from the cupboard. “I’m guessing you didn’t tell him that you know?”
“How do you know that?” Louis frowns, tracing the grain of the countertop with his fingernail.
“He looks at you like the sun shines out of your arse, babe.” Harry answers and then sighs. “Why didn’t you tell him?”
“It’s his story, right?”
Harry frowns at him.
“I figure, he’ll tell me in his own time.” Louis shrugs lightly. “It’s not exactly something you blurt out to someone you first meet. Like ‘By the way I’ve got a past alcohol and drug addiction. Oh and I once beat up my band mate so bad I got arrested for it’. What was I expecting, you know—“
“Louis.” Harry says softly.
Louis turns to look over at him and as he does he catches sight of Liam standing in the door way, his face looks so broken it makes Louis’ insides hurt.
“Eleanor sent me to get the biscuits.” He says quietly.
No one speaks for a really long time, until Zayn reaches for the cabinet next to him, tugging out a tin of biscuits on to the countertop. Liam walks over to him, offering a small ‘thank you’ as he lifts them off the countertop and heads back in to the living room.
“Fuck.” Louis breathes out shakily.
“This is what happens when we keep secrets.” Harry points out a little too loudly.
Louis looks to Zayn and the other lad offers him a sad smile. He knows he should go in to the living room and explain himself but his legs feel like jello, like if he moves he’s going to collapse.
“Why didn’t Liam just throw the biscuits on the coffee table and storm out?” Eleanor asks, appearing in the kitchen doorway.
“Fuck.” Louis says once more, only this time he does move.
He barley catches Eleanor’s ‘What the hell is going on?’ as he rushes out of the kitchen and then out of the house all together. Liam is walking down the pavement with his head hung low between his shoulders and his phone pressed to his ear.
“Christ.” He mutters to himself before jogging to catch up with the other lad. “Liam, Liam, C’mon.”
Liam’s got no expression on his face when he finally turns to look at Louis. “What?”
“Look, let me explain—“
“Let you explain, what? That you were discussing me with your friends like I was some insect you were dissecting? Or the fact you lied to me?”
“I lied to you?” Louis scoffs. “That’s rich, coming from you.”
“I never once lied to you, Louis.” Liam frowns.
“Withholding the truth is just as bad.” Louis retorts.
“Well sorry if I don’t blurt out my fucked up past to every stranger I meet on a plane.” Liam stresses, running his fingers through his hair. “Christ, most people already know about it. You were that one normal person that looked at me like was a human being rather than some scandal they read about in heat magazine.”
“I’m sorry.” Louis says because he really can’t find the right words to say.
Liam sighs. “Yeah, me too.”
He starts walking again, pulling his phone up to his ear and apologising to whoever was on the other end. Louis’ glued to the spot, not really knowing how to take it from here.
“So, that’s it?” He asks but Liam keeps walking.