and then what happens we'll see - liam/louis (side niall/zayn, nick/harry) - pg-13
Title: and then what happens we'll see
Pairing(s): Liam Payne/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik, Nick Grimshaw/Harry Styles
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,730
Warning(s): Unbeta'ed.
Summary: Louis finally meets Zayn's roommate, Liam, and it turns out that Liam makes him happier than he's been in a long time.
Disclaimer: You can't own real people, that's illegal.
“Lou, you promised!” Harry whined, tugging on Louis’ jumper and pouting. Louis swirls his finger in the whipped cream of his hot chocolate and sighs.
“Promises were made to be broken, Haz.” He replies, unable to shake the melancholy air he knows he’s emulating.
“Louis, please,” Harry says softly, “You need to get out and have some fun and I need my best friend there to make sure I don’t do anything stupider than usual.”
“Oh for god’s sake! I’ll go out tonight!” Louis flicks whipped cream into Harry’s hair, rolling his eyes at his triumphant shout and watches as he jumps to his feet and scampers out of the kitchen of their flat.
“But the minute you start snogging someone, I’m out!” Louis cries, glaring at where Harry used to be when he hears his delighted cackle. He sighs and draws a frowny face in his whipped cream.
*
“Hey mate!” Niall shouts at Louis, promptly spilling half his pint on Louis’ shoes. Louis wiggles his toes and frowns when he can feel how wet his toes are.
“Really?” Niall looks down at Louis’ feet and giggles before stepping closer. Louis sighs and takes Niall’s cup out of his hand, setting it down somewhere behind him where it wasn’t in danger of being spilled.
Niall presses himself closer to Louis and wraps his arms around him. Niall was definitely a cuddler when he was pissed, but Louis could not cuddle with Niall and also keep an eye on Harry.
“Niall, where’s Zayn?” He asks, trying to scan the crowd for Harry and Zayn at the same time. “Ah, never mind.” He spots Zayn sitting down near the speakers, fiddling with the iPod hooked up to it. Louis wiggles out of Niall’s embrace and grasps his hand instead, steering him toward Zayn.
He leads Niall to the couch and once Niall realizes who he’s been sat next too, he crows in joy and plasters himself to Zayn’s side immediately. Zayn smiles gratefully at Louis before carding his fingers through Niall’s hair and kissing him softly on the lips.
Louis turns around and scans the crowd once again for Harry. He’s not concerned when he doesn’t see him right away, but he does notice the extremely fit bloke standing near the makeshift bar in the corner who is staring at Louis with a weird look on his face.
Louis averts his eyes from the boy, continuing to scan the crowd, but he becomes self conscious of every movement he makes. He forgets about the boy when he spots Harry crowded against a wall by someone who Louis can’t make out through the rest of the people separating them. He frowns and makes his way to Harry.
Louis is only ten steps away from Harry when he sees him grin at the person he’s talking to, lean in, and bite them on the neck.
Louis snorts and starts to turn away, not about to ruin Harry’s fun. Then he sees Harry stumble a bit and decides it’s way past time for them to be going home.
Louis makes his way to them as they break apart, panting slightly and staring at each other, before the guy Louis know recognizes as Nick begins to smile and Harry grins in response.
“Harry,” Louis grasps Harry’s wrist and starts to tug him away from Nick, “We need to go now.” Louis is extremely lucky that Harry is so compliant when he’s drunk, or there’s no way he’d ever convince him to go home. Actually transporting him there was the real problem. Harry becomes basically boneless when drunk, and Louis has only taken two steps with him before Harry’s legs give out.
“Need a hand?”
Louis turns to see the boy from before standing quite close to the two of them, a questioning look on his face.
“Yeah, cheers.” Louis wraps one of Harry’s arms around his neck, and waits while the boy does the same on Harry’s other side. They both wrap an arm around Harry’s waist, and Louis can’t help but notice how extremely warm the boy’s skin feels against his own. Louis darts a glance at the boy, and sees his face turned away, but also a curious red. Must be the heat of the room, Louis thinks. They make their way slowly to the doors, and down the steps of the house, before Louis speaks again.
“Thanks for this, by the way. We only live a street away but getting him home would’ve taken forever.” Louis throws a grin at the boy, but then immediately looks away when that same look from before appears on his face. What the hell was Louis doing wrong?
“Yeah, no problem,” the boy replies, “I’m Liam Payne, by the way.”
“Louis Tomlinson,” Louis replies, “That names sounds familiar for some reason.”
“I saw you talking to Zayn before, he might’ve mentioned me. I’m his roommate.”
“Ah, yes!” Louis says, “The mysterious roommate we’ve all heard of but never seen. I was beginning to think you were a figment of his imagination.”
“Ah, nope,” Liam replies, “Definitely real as far as I can tell. I just haven’t been out much because of all the work I’ve had already.”
Louis scoffs, “Well that’s no fun.”
Liam shrugs and falls silent and stays that way for the rest of the walk. Harry singing quietly under his breath is the only sound coming from their group until they reach Louis and Harry’s building.
“This is it.”
“You don’t live on campus?” Liam asks, steadying Harry as he almost tips backward on the steps.”
“Nah, it was cheaper for us to live here together.” Louis replies, letting go of Harry’s hand and pulling his keys out of his pocket. He winces when Harry reaches up and yanks on Louis’ hair. Louis swats Harry’s hand away from his poor, abused scalp and punches the code in for the outside door. He’s thankful that they live on the first floor, because Harry is getting heavier by the second, and even with help Louis doesn’t think they could get him up any more stairs.
Liam and Louis manage to get Harry through the door and Louis sighs in relief when they only have to take a few steps to be at their flat. He fumbles with the keys in his left hand, used to doing it with his right, and of course he drops them.
“Shit,” He’s about to pass Harry off to Liam when Harry decides to poke Louis right in the eye.
“Dammit, Harry!” Louis exclaims, his eye immediately tearing up. Harry cackles next to him and Louis thinks about just dumping him on the ground and letting him sleep there for the night.
“Here,” Liam ducks out from Harry’s arm and hands him off to Louis, who stumbles a bit under the weight. Liam retrieves the key and quickly unlocks the door, pushing it wide open and flipping on the hall light. “Where’s his room?”
“Second door on the right.” Liam nods and turns back to them, grasping Harry’s arm and sweeping him up in his arms in one fluid movement. He’s off down the hall and through Harry’s door before Louis even has time to register what has happened.
Louis stands in the doorway of his flat, gaping at Liam when he comes out of Harry’s room.
Liam closes the door softly and then turns to Louis, sees him staring, and blushes again.
Louis dies a little, because really? Liam is helpful, strong, attractive, and he blushes? Louis is done on so many levels and he barely knows the guy.
“What?”
“Ah, nothing, just,” Louis steps into the flat and closes the door behind him, grinning at Liam, “nothing.” Liam nods and then walks over to Louis. He peers into his eyes ad Louis only blinks stupidly at him.
“…yes?” Louis asks quietly, because Liam is entirely too close to him, and he should probably step away before Louis does something he is definitely going to regret.
“How’s your eye?”
“Oh,” Louis had forgotten about that, “It’s fine, really.”
“Are you sure? Because icing it wouldn’t hurt, and if you need I can-“
“Liam, I’m fine, honestly.” Louis smiles softly at Liam and Liam frowns back at him before nodding and then, seeming to realize how close he is to Louis, takes a step back. “Sorry, I guess it’s just habit. I’m in the nursing program and it’s just second nature for me.” Lima shrugs and smiles at Louis, and Louis cries a little bit on the inside because of course he’s a nurse.
Liam glances at his watch and sighs, looking disappointed. “I have to go. I have to get up early tomorrow.”
Louis nods and opens the door, stepping aside to let Liam by. Liam turns around in the doorway and smiles at Louis. “It was nice to meet you finally. I’ll see you around?” Liam has a hopeful look in his eye, and Louis smiles back at him.
“Yeah, definitely.” Liam grins and makes his way outside, pausing to wave before he lets the door close behind him, and Louis can’t help but grin back.
He falls asleep smiling for the first time in weeks.
*
The next afternoon in the library, Louis is trying to focus at his job in the library so he isn’t fired and he’s just gotten into a rhythm of checking books in when he hears Harry sigh.
Again.
Louis snaps the book he’s holding shut and glares at Harry. “For fuck’s sake, just tell me what’s wrong!”
Harry glares back at Louis from where he’s slouched in chair. He’s not even supposed to be behind the desk with Louis, but he’s charming enough that the librarian lets him do whatever he wants. “You have to be quiet in the library, Lou. You’ll get fired.”
“You’re distracting everyone more with your sighing for the past hour than I am!” Louis cries, and spots a girl sitting in the corner nod in agreement. “See?”
Harry shoots her a look of betrayal, but she just shrugs and goes back to her book.
“Please tell me?” Louis asks.
Harry sighs and looks sadly at Louis.
“It’s Nick.”
“What about him?”
“He has a love bite.”
Louis stares at Harry and raises his eyebrows when he doesn’t continue.
“And?”
“And I thought he liked me and he went and snogged someone else last night!” Harry moans, burying his face in his hands.
Louis stares at Harry before chuckling and reaching out a hand to pet his curls.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Oh, Haz,” Louis says, smiling gently at Harry, “You gave him that love bite.”
Louis watches in amusement as Harry’s features flicker between disbelief, joy, and embarrassment.
“I’ve been ignoring him all day!” Harry cries, jumping up and grabbing his bag. He smacks a kiss on Louis’ cheek and sprints out of the library without looking back, belatedly shouting a thanks as the doors swing shut behind him.
Louis rolls his eyes and gets back to work, rolling the cart of books he’s checked back in into the stacks and beginning to reshelf them.
He simultaneously hates and loves the wobbly step stool he has to use to reach the top shelf because of what happens in the next ten minutes.
“Louis.” Louis frowns at the voice he never wanted to hear again and responds with a flat, “Dean.”
“Can we talk?” Louis sighs and closes his eyes, memory flashing back to a few months ago when he’d heard those same words.
“Can we talk?”
“What’s wrong?”
“I-I’ve been seeing someone else.”
They’d just come back from summer break and Louis had been so excited to see him. He hadn’t even realized there was anything wrong.
Louis swallows and continues to place the books back where they go. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Please, I’ve been thinking, and I want to know if you’ll give me another chance.”
At this, Louis drops the book he’s holding and whips his head around to stare incredulously at Dean.
“You’re fucking joking.” Dean takes a step towards Louis from the top of the aisle, and Louis unconsciously takes a step back, unable to stop himself from falling backwards when his foot lands on the edge of the stool and flips it out from underneath him.
Louis curses and braces himself from impact with the thinly carpeted floor, but it never comes. Instead, he loses his breath in a big rush of air when someone is there to catch him.
He blinks his eyes open in shock and stares up into the worried eyes of Liam.
“Are you alright?” Liam asks, concern shining in his eyes, hands gripping Louis tightly. Louis nods and Liam places him back on his feet slowly. Louis is about to thank him when suddenly Dean is pushing Liam out of the way and gripping Louis’ shoulders tightly.
“Are you okay?” Louis frowns and pushes Dean’s hand off his shoulders.
“Get away from me.”
“But - “
“He said get away.” Louis and Dean both turn to Liam in shock, and Louis is surprised to find a furious look in Liam’s eyes.
“Jesus, fine.” Dean sneers at Liam and turns back to Louis. “Call me?”
“Not a chance.” Louis snaps, stepping away from Dean and towards Liam. Dean rolls his eyes and leaves the aisle.
“Fucking asshole.” Louis mutters, squatting down to pick up the books he’d dropped. “Fucking stupid wanker.”
He vaguely notices Liam bending down to help him, but doesn’t pay him any attention until Liam’s hands are covering his own.
“Your hands are shaking.” Liam says quietly, and Louis meets his gaze, frowning when he sees Liam frowning as well.
“I’m fine. I just really, really hate him.” Louis pulls his hands away from Liam and stands with his stack of books, taking the books Liam holds out to him as well.
“Thanks.” Louis turns to place them on the cart, and is surprised when he turns back and Liam is still standing there.
“I have to get to class, but I’ll see you later?” Liam smiles gently at him, and Louis just nods, really wanting to be alone for a bit so he can wallow in his sadness and embarrassment.
Liam leaves and Louis turns to the bookshelf and bangs his head against it. Fantastic. He meets a cute boy and manages to make it awkward and ruin it with ex-boyfriend problems and he hasn’t even known Liam for a day.
Louis is definitely breaking out the ice cream and self pity movies tonight.
*
“He said what?”
Louis can always count on Harry to be indignant and furious for him, not that Louis wasn’t already feeling those things.
“Can we not talk about it anymore?” Louis asks, hating how small his voice sounds. He fiddles with his empty mug and stares at the counter.
“Of course Lou.” Harry takes the mug from Louis and moves to fill up the kettle again. “Why don’t you go pick one of those awful girly movies you like and I’ll make us more tea.”
“You love these movies.” Louis retorts, already bounding into the living room and putting She’s the Man into the DVD player. He’s already feeling better, just like he knew he would by staying home with Harry tonight. One night out this weekend was enough for him, and he needs to not interact with drunk people tonight.
He’s snuggled next to Harry on the couch and they’re partway through the movie when he notices Harry texting someone.
“Oi, who’re you texting that’s more important than me?”
“It’s just Nick. He was wondering if I wanted to hang out tonight, but I told him I was staying in with you instead.”
Louis immediately feels guilty and pokes Harry in the ribs. “Haz, you didn’t have to do that.”
“I really did, Lou.” Louis smiles at Harry before leaping on him and biting at his curls.
Louis is lucky he hears the knock at the door over Harry’s quite overdramatic shrieking. Harry rolls out from underneath Louis and stumbles over to the door, face flushed and laughing as he opens it. Louis flops facedown onto the couch and continues to giggle, unable to stop now that he’s started.
“Uh, hi?” Louis hears Harry ask, and wonders who’s here that Harry doesn’t know.
“Hi Harry, is Louis here?” Louis squeaks when hears Liam’s voice, and promptly rolls off the couch in a tangle of blankets. He didn’t think Liam was being serious when he said he’d see him later.
“That would be Louis. How do you know my name?” Louis really wished they would stop talking and come help him because Harry’s stupid, fleece dinosaur blanket is suffocating him.
“I helped bring you home last night.”
“Help.”
“Oh. Alright then. Come on in! We’re just watching movies tonight and you’re welcome to join.”
“Louis?”
Louis coughs when he inhales a mouthful of blanket, and would really like to know how his hand got knotted up somewhere behind his back, and groans when he smacks his head on the coffee table.
“Jesus,” Louis hears Liam mutter from somewhere near his head before Louis feels a hand on his shoulder, “Lou, quit squirming. You’re making it worse.”
“I don’t think that’s possible,” Louis replies, “And fuck you Harry! I can hear you laughing!” Harry laughs even louder at this and Louis scowls into the blanket.
Liam gently tugs the blanket away from Louis’ body and untangles his arm quickly and efficiently. He reaches down and brushed Louis’ hair out of his eyes and smiles at him. Louis smiles back and could honestly stay there all day with Liam’s hand in his hair and that look on Liam’s face.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Louis can feel his face flushing, and it doesn’t help that Harry is still snickering by the door. He glares in Harry’s general direction and looks back up into Liam’s face, sees the smile on his face and can tell he’s holding back laughter.
“Well fuck you too then!” Louis scrambles away from Liam, regretting the fact that it makes Liam’s hand fall from his hair, and scrambles back on the couch, tucking himself in the corner, gathering the blanket around him. Louis glares at Harry when he comes back to the couch and sits on the other end, leaving the only open spot in the middle, so of course Louis will have to sit next to Liam.
“May I?” Liam gestures to the open space and Louis glares at him. Harry sighs and pulls him down.
“Louis.” Louis focuses on the TV, and Channing Tatum’s abs, and ignores Liam.
“Lou.” Louis feels himself soften, because he loves the way Liam says his name. He eyes Liam out of the corner of his eye, groaning internally when he sees Liam’s eyes go all big.
“I’m really sorry I laughed.” Liam is biting his lip, and Louis can tell he’s trying not to laugh again, but fuck it. He sighs and lifts the corner of his blanket, gesturing impatiently when Liam just stares at him. Liam’s face lights up and he scoots closer to Louis, pressing his shoulder to Louis’, and Louis feels his stomach swoop again, and it really needs to stop that.
Louis can feel his eyes start to droop near the end of the movie, and doesn’t fight it when his head comes to rest on Liam’s shoulder. Liam just shifts to accommodate him and taps a beat out on Louis’ knee underneath the blanket, eventually settling and leaving his hand where it is. Louis just smiles and lets himself fall asleep.
*
Louis groans and rubs his face into his pillow. Something is trying to blind him and if he ever gains the energy to get up, he’s going to kill them.
He nestles deeper into his bed and sighs, ready to go back to sleep now that his eyes are hidden from the sun.
Wait.
His bed doesn’t normally smell like this. Or move with him.
Or hug him.
Louis wrenches his eyes open, sees a t-shirt covered chest, and pulls back as far as the persons hold will let him. His gaze travels over the gray cotton t-shirt, the strong, muscular neck with one perfect birthmark, and gets stuck on a jaw with a hint of stubble. He reaches out and lets his fingertips brush Liam’s jaw, snatching it back when Liam shifts.
Louis lets out a quiet sigh of relief when he sees that Liam is still sound asleep. He reaches up and over Liam to grab his glasses from the side table and slides them on, untangling himself gently from Liam’s arms at the same time. He eases of the couch and steps quietly away, making a break for the kitchen.
His heart is pounding and his stomach is going crazy. His blood is rushing in his ears and that’s the only reason he doesn’t hear the quiet laughter right away.
Louis whips around and glares at Harry.
“You’re adorable, Lou.”
“You shut your mouth.” Louis stomps over to the stove and flicks the switch for the kettle.
“Why did I think that was a good idea? What am I doing?” Louis hisses at Harry. Harry stops laughing and get a serious look on his face.
“How about because you’ve been miserable since Dean, and you deserve someone who will treat you better than he ever did?” Harry says, looking at Louis with a rare serious look in his eye.
“I can’t…I don’t want to get hurt again.” Louis mumbles. He hates that he feels this way, but it’s not easy to have someone he trusted and cared about completely betray him and shit all over his feelings, and then have the nerve to turn around and ask for more just when he’s getting over him and has met someone new.
Louis hears Harry approach him and turns to hug him. He sighs at the comfort and when he pulls away he has to admit he does feel a bit better. He turns back to the kettle, fixes himself a cup of tea, and then makes one for Liam as well. Harry smiles gently at him and then disappears back to his room, and Louis goes back to the living room, setting Liam’s cup down on the coffee table and taking a seat on the floor near Liam’s head.
He’s only a few minutes into an episode of Spongebob when Liam starts to wake up, shifting slightly on the couch. Louis hears a quiet, “Oh.” and smiles to himself.
Liam sits up quickly and immediately starts apologizing.
“I am so sorry, Lou.” Louis turns to look at him incredulously. Liam gets a stricken look on his face when Louis faces him, but Louis ignores it for now.
“For what? Coming to see me when you know I had a shit day and you don’t even know me very well? That’s one of the nicest things anyone’s done for me in a long time.”
Liam blushes and Louis smiles at him, handing him the mug of tea from the coffee table.
“Budge up, it’s cold.” Liam grins and scoots over on the couch, making room again for Louis underneath the dinosaur blanket.
“I’m sorry for falling asleep here though. I just wanted to see you, but then you fell asleep on me, and you looked so tired so I didn’t want to move you…” Liam trails off and blushes.
“Thanks.” Louis says quietly, than brightly, “You’re welcome here anytime. You are a fantastic cuddle-buddy!”
Liam chuckles and that might be a problem because if Liam is going to keep laughing like that, then Louis is never going to stop smiling.
But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
*
“Whatcha thinking about, Lou?”
Louis looks up at Zayn and rolls his eyes, but can’t help the smile spreading across his face. He’d been thinking about Liam of course, he just didn’t think it was that obvious.
“Nothing.” He sticks his tongue out at Zayn.
He stands and gathers up all the empty coffee cups on the table. Niall had been awake, but he’s slumped fast asleep against Zayn again. Harry’s already in his morning class and if Louis doesn’t leave now, he’ll be late for his own.
“See you for dinner lads! We still on for later tonight?”
“’ell yeah!” Niall mumbles, half-heartedly raising a fist. Zayn nods and says, “Seven?”
“Sounds good. I’ll tell Hazza. What about, um,” Louis looks away from Zayn, though Zayn is not going to be fooled, “Liam?”
Zayn’s smile turns into a smirk. Louis’ face flushes as he waits for the answer. The impromptu sleepover had been a few days ago, and Louis hasn’t seen or heard from Liam since. It’s either because Liam’s busy or just doesn’t want to be around Louis, and Louis’ been going mad.
“He’s got a big biochem exam on Friday and he’s only been leaving the room for food and his clinic hours.” Zayn must see the mixture of relief and disappointment on Louis’ face. “That’s why he can’t come tonight, but that’s also the reason he wasn’t around yesterday or Monday.”
Louis breathes out a sigh of relief.
“Okay, I’ll see you later then!” Louis makes his escape before he’s late to class or Zayn can tease him any further.
*
“Louis?” A worried voice comes from behind him and Louis twists very slightly to see who it is. Of course it’s Liam. Louis looks up at Harry, Zayn, and Niall all slumped together on the floor against the wall across from the bed Louis’ sitting on. They all stare back at him with wide eyes and the same smirky grin.
“Oh don’t look at me.” Louis says crossly to Liam, “I’m pathetic.”
He’s got mud smeared up the right side of his body, blood is dripping from somewhere on his face, and if he moves at all his knee feels like something is trying to claw its way out. Some prick that Louis’ never seen before joined their football game and plays extremely dirty.
Louis has never seen Harry get so mad at someone, except for in high school when the older rugby players decided to pick on Louis a few weeks after he came out. A rugby player ended up with a black eye, and so did this dirty, cheating prick who played with them tonight.
Louis doesn’t think he’ll be coming back.
“Well, you are in my section, so I have to look at you.” Liam comes around the bed and frowns when he takes in Louis’ appearance. It’s really not fair that he looks just as attractive when he frowns.
“I didn’t know you were working tonight.” Zayn questions from the floor.
“I switched hours with Leigh-Anne. This way I’ll have Thursday night free so I won’t be exhausted for my test.” Liam says all this while producing a penlight from his scrubs - scrubs. Kill Louis now. He shines it in Louis’ eyes and his frown lessens a bit. “What happened?”
Harry pipes up, anger still lacing his voice, “Some prick decided to take our football game a bit too seriously and full body tackled Louis. He hurt his knee.” He’s cradling his right hand in his left, a few of the knuckles bloodied. Liam spots this and opens a cabinet, reaching in and tossing Zayn a tube of antibiotic cream and some band-aids. Zayn sets to work on Harry’s hand.
Liam turns back to Louis and rests a hand on his thigh, making eye contact with him. “Lou, I’m just going to have to look at it a bit, is that alright?” His voice is low and it soothes some of Louis’ nerves, and he nods slightly. Liam moves his hand from Louis thigh to prod at his knee gently, and Louis’ hand shoots out to grip Liam’s shoulder tightly.
“Fuuuuuck.” He hisses, screwing his eyes shut. Liam immediately stops and raises a hand to cover Louis’, his other hand coming up to brush Louis’ mud caked fringe away from his face.
“You’re going to have to go to an actual hospital, Louis. We’re not able to help you with this type of injury. We won’t be able to figure out how extensive it is.” Louis sags and lets his head fall forward, he’s just so tired. Liam’s hand gently guides it to his shoulder, and wow, this is comfortable.
Louis can hear his friends moving around and murmuring to each other, and then Louis is being prodded awake from his half-asleep state.
“Lou? I’m going to take you to the hospital.” Louis nods at Liam and slides carefully off the bed. Now that he’s awake again he realizes just how close he is to Liam, and just how broadly Liam’s hand spans his waist. Louis’ heart is racing and he sort of feels like throwing up and good thing his face is smeared with mud because otherwise everyone would be able to see the bright red color it is now.
He might just pass out before he makes to it the hospital.
*
Three hours and lots of painful prodding later, Louis is sent home with a wrapped knee, a prescription for pain killers, and crutches that he’s probably going to end up tripping over.
While they were sitting in the waiting room, Louis asked Liam why he came, and didn’t he still have work? Liam blushed and mumbled something about wanting to be there with Louis, plus he’s the only one of the five with a car, and that kept Louis smiling through the whole painful process of x-raying.
Turns out, his knee is just wrenched really bad. The doctor said to rest it as much as possible and take the painkillers when needed. Louis grimaces as he tries to get comfortable in bed without moving his knee too much. Liam had fretted around him, getting him a glass of water and fluffing a pillow under his knee. He’d also made Louis a cup of tea when Louis was in the bathroom trying to shower without slipping and killing himself.
Louis eventually had to sit on the edge of the tub, and he frowned for the rest of his shower.
“Just in case you need anything.” Liam had said when he asked for Louis’ phone and entered his number into it. Louis stares at his phone now, as he has been for the past fifteen minutes, and eventually gives in.
Hey! It’s Louis! You know, the poor lad you majestically rescued this evening?
The response is immediate, and Louis’ stomach is going crazy again.
Hey! Are you alright??? In pain? Did you take the painkiller?
The worry is palpable through the text, and Louis can’t help but smile.
Yeah, fine. Just…wanted to talk to you.
Louis bites his lip as he sends the text, and clutches his phone until the next one arrives. He’s never normally this nervous, but it’s Liam.
Liam has not even been in Louis’ life a week, yet he’s managed to make Louis happier than he’s been in a while, and Louis is just going to have to take a risk if he wants to keep that feeling.
I wanted to talk to you too. :) Can I call you?
Louis grins and calls Liam first instead.
*
Louis picks nervously at the wrap around his knee, shivering a bit at the wind that’s picked up since he’s sat down. It’s nearing the end of October, and while Louis really should be wearing a coat, he forgot when he left the flat this morning. He was just a bit nervous.
Louis had fallen asleep while talking to Liam on the phone the other night, and texted him throughout the day yesterday between classes. Today is Liam’s biochem test that he’s been stressing about, and they’ve planned to get lunch after.
Louis is terrified.
It’s easier to talk on the phone and text someone, but now he’s going to be hanging out alone with Liam, alone. They did watch Spongebob together last weekend, but that was easier because there was something to stare at if he said something stupid or found he was staring at Liam’s face too much.
He really doesn’t want to mess this up.
“You really shouldn’t mess with that.” Liam drops his bag on the ground and flops onto the bench next to Louis. His hairs a wreck and his got ink all over his fingers, and he looks so good.
“Meh. That’s what I’ve got you for. To fix it.” Louis says, grinning. He can’t take his eyes off Liam’s lips, which look like Liam chewed on them for the duration of the exam.
“What?” Louis startles as Liam speaks, “Something on my face?”
“Ah, fuck it.”
“Wha-“ Louis cuts Liam off by leaning across the, admittedly, very little space between them and kissing him. Tentatively at first, just a brush of lips in case Louis is all wrong about this, but then Liam gasps and his hands come up to cradle Louis’ face and Louis just melts into him.
It’s crazy. He’s only known Liam a week now, but it just feels right. And Harry’s right. Louis deserves someone who seems to want Louis as much as Louis wants him. He just inexplicably trusts Liam, and it’s terrifying, but that’s life isn’t it?
They pull apart because breathing is, unfortunately, necessary.
“Sorry,” Louis gasps, “I just couldn’t-“ Liam cuts him off with another kiss.
“You never have to apologize to me. Plus,” Liam hesitates, “I’ve wanted to do that for weeks.”
“Weeks?” Louis looks at him in confusion. Liam blushes, but doesn’t move away, just slides his fingers deeper into Louis’ hair.
“Louis. I’ve been coming to your pick-up games since the beginning of the semester. Zayn forced me to come the first time so I’d get some fresh air, but every time after that was so I could see you. I was just too nervous to talk to you before.”
Liam swallows and stares at Louis, waiting for him to respond.
“That should be creepy but it’s actually the most wonderful thing I’ve heard all year.” Louis grins brightly and laughs, and then Liam’s laughing along with him, and then they’re kissing again, and-
And Louis knows he’ll be happy for a very, very long time.
Pairing(s): Liam Payne/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Zayn Malik, Nick Grimshaw/Harry Styles
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 5,730
Warning(s): Unbeta'ed.
Summary: Louis finally meets Zayn's roommate, Liam, and it turns out that Liam makes him happier than he's been in a long time.
Disclaimer: You can't own real people, that's illegal.
“Lou, you promised!” Harry whined, tugging on Louis’ jumper and pouting. Louis swirls his finger in the whipped cream of his hot chocolate and sighs.
“Promises were made to be broken, Haz.” He replies, unable to shake the melancholy air he knows he’s emulating.
“Louis, please,” Harry says softly, “You need to get out and have some fun and I need my best friend there to make sure I don’t do anything stupider than usual.”
“Oh for god’s sake! I’ll go out tonight!” Louis flicks whipped cream into Harry’s hair, rolling his eyes at his triumphant shout and watches as he jumps to his feet and scampers out of the kitchen of their flat.
“But the minute you start snogging someone, I’m out!” Louis cries, glaring at where Harry used to be when he hears his delighted cackle. He sighs and draws a frowny face in his whipped cream.
*
“Hey mate!” Niall shouts at Louis, promptly spilling half his pint on Louis’ shoes. Louis wiggles his toes and frowns when he can feel how wet his toes are.
“Really?” Niall looks down at Louis’ feet and giggles before stepping closer. Louis sighs and takes Niall’s cup out of his hand, setting it down somewhere behind him where it wasn’t in danger of being spilled.
Niall presses himself closer to Louis and wraps his arms around him. Niall was definitely a cuddler when he was pissed, but Louis could not cuddle with Niall and also keep an eye on Harry.
“Niall, where’s Zayn?” He asks, trying to scan the crowd for Harry and Zayn at the same time. “Ah, never mind.” He spots Zayn sitting down near the speakers, fiddling with the iPod hooked up to it. Louis wiggles out of Niall’s embrace and grasps his hand instead, steering him toward Zayn.
He leads Niall to the couch and once Niall realizes who he’s been sat next too, he crows in joy and plasters himself to Zayn’s side immediately. Zayn smiles gratefully at Louis before carding his fingers through Niall’s hair and kissing him softly on the lips.
Louis turns around and scans the crowd once again for Harry. He’s not concerned when he doesn’t see him right away, but he does notice the extremely fit bloke standing near the makeshift bar in the corner who is staring at Louis with a weird look on his face.
Louis averts his eyes from the boy, continuing to scan the crowd, but he becomes self conscious of every movement he makes. He forgets about the boy when he spots Harry crowded against a wall by someone who Louis can’t make out through the rest of the people separating them. He frowns and makes his way to Harry.
Louis is only ten steps away from Harry when he sees him grin at the person he’s talking to, lean in, and bite them on the neck.
Louis snorts and starts to turn away, not about to ruin Harry’s fun. Then he sees Harry stumble a bit and decides it’s way past time for them to be going home.
Louis makes his way to them as they break apart, panting slightly and staring at each other, before the guy Louis know recognizes as Nick begins to smile and Harry grins in response.
“Harry,” Louis grasps Harry’s wrist and starts to tug him away from Nick, “We need to go now.” Louis is extremely lucky that Harry is so compliant when he’s drunk, or there’s no way he’d ever convince him to go home. Actually transporting him there was the real problem. Harry becomes basically boneless when drunk, and Louis has only taken two steps with him before Harry’s legs give out.
“Need a hand?”
Louis turns to see the boy from before standing quite close to the two of them, a questioning look on his face.
“Yeah, cheers.” Louis wraps one of Harry’s arms around his neck, and waits while the boy does the same on Harry’s other side. They both wrap an arm around Harry’s waist, and Louis can’t help but notice how extremely warm the boy’s skin feels against his own. Louis darts a glance at the boy, and sees his face turned away, but also a curious red. Must be the heat of the room, Louis thinks. They make their way slowly to the doors, and down the steps of the house, before Louis speaks again.
“Thanks for this, by the way. We only live a street away but getting him home would’ve taken forever.” Louis throws a grin at the boy, but then immediately looks away when that same look from before appears on his face. What the hell was Louis doing wrong?
“Yeah, no problem,” the boy replies, “I’m Liam Payne, by the way.”
“Louis Tomlinson,” Louis replies, “That names sounds familiar for some reason.”
“I saw you talking to Zayn before, he might’ve mentioned me. I’m his roommate.”
“Ah, yes!” Louis says, “The mysterious roommate we’ve all heard of but never seen. I was beginning to think you were a figment of his imagination.”
“Ah, nope,” Liam replies, “Definitely real as far as I can tell. I just haven’t been out much because of all the work I’ve had already.”
Louis scoffs, “Well that’s no fun.”
Liam shrugs and falls silent and stays that way for the rest of the walk. Harry singing quietly under his breath is the only sound coming from their group until they reach Louis and Harry’s building.
“This is it.”
“You don’t live on campus?” Liam asks, steadying Harry as he almost tips backward on the steps.”
“Nah, it was cheaper for us to live here together.” Louis replies, letting go of Harry’s hand and pulling his keys out of his pocket. He winces when Harry reaches up and yanks on Louis’ hair. Louis swats Harry’s hand away from his poor, abused scalp and punches the code in for the outside door. He’s thankful that they live on the first floor, because Harry is getting heavier by the second, and even with help Louis doesn’t think they could get him up any more stairs.
Liam and Louis manage to get Harry through the door and Louis sighs in relief when they only have to take a few steps to be at their flat. He fumbles with the keys in his left hand, used to doing it with his right, and of course he drops them.
“Shit,” He’s about to pass Harry off to Liam when Harry decides to poke Louis right in the eye.
“Dammit, Harry!” Louis exclaims, his eye immediately tearing up. Harry cackles next to him and Louis thinks about just dumping him on the ground and letting him sleep there for the night.
“Here,” Liam ducks out from Harry’s arm and hands him off to Louis, who stumbles a bit under the weight. Liam retrieves the key and quickly unlocks the door, pushing it wide open and flipping on the hall light. “Where’s his room?”
“Second door on the right.” Liam nods and turns back to them, grasping Harry’s arm and sweeping him up in his arms in one fluid movement. He’s off down the hall and through Harry’s door before Louis even has time to register what has happened.
Louis stands in the doorway of his flat, gaping at Liam when he comes out of Harry’s room.
Liam closes the door softly and then turns to Louis, sees him staring, and blushes again.
Louis dies a little, because really? Liam is helpful, strong, attractive, and he blushes? Louis is done on so many levels and he barely knows the guy.
“What?”
“Ah, nothing, just,” Louis steps into the flat and closes the door behind him, grinning at Liam, “nothing.” Liam nods and then walks over to Louis. He peers into his eyes ad Louis only blinks stupidly at him.
“…yes?” Louis asks quietly, because Liam is entirely too close to him, and he should probably step away before Louis does something he is definitely going to regret.
“How’s your eye?”
“Oh,” Louis had forgotten about that, “It’s fine, really.”
“Are you sure? Because icing it wouldn’t hurt, and if you need I can-“
“Liam, I’m fine, honestly.” Louis smiles softly at Liam and Liam frowns back at him before nodding and then, seeming to realize how close he is to Louis, takes a step back. “Sorry, I guess it’s just habit. I’m in the nursing program and it’s just second nature for me.” Lima shrugs and smiles at Louis, and Louis cries a little bit on the inside because of course he’s a nurse.
Liam glances at his watch and sighs, looking disappointed. “I have to go. I have to get up early tomorrow.”
Louis nods and opens the door, stepping aside to let Liam by. Liam turns around in the doorway and smiles at Louis. “It was nice to meet you finally. I’ll see you around?” Liam has a hopeful look in his eye, and Louis smiles back at him.
“Yeah, definitely.” Liam grins and makes his way outside, pausing to wave before he lets the door close behind him, and Louis can’t help but grin back.
He falls asleep smiling for the first time in weeks.
*
The next afternoon in the library, Louis is trying to focus at his job in the library so he isn’t fired and he’s just gotten into a rhythm of checking books in when he hears Harry sigh.
Again.
Louis snaps the book he’s holding shut and glares at Harry. “For fuck’s sake, just tell me what’s wrong!”
Harry glares back at Louis from where he’s slouched in chair. He’s not even supposed to be behind the desk with Louis, but he’s charming enough that the librarian lets him do whatever he wants. “You have to be quiet in the library, Lou. You’ll get fired.”
“You’re distracting everyone more with your sighing for the past hour than I am!” Louis cries, and spots a girl sitting in the corner nod in agreement. “See?”
Harry shoots her a look of betrayal, but she just shrugs and goes back to her book.
“Please tell me?” Louis asks.
Harry sighs and looks sadly at Louis.
“It’s Nick.”
“What about him?”
“He has a love bite.”
Louis stares at Harry and raises his eyebrows when he doesn’t continue.
“And?”
“And I thought he liked me and he went and snogged someone else last night!” Harry moans, burying his face in his hands.
Louis stares at Harry before chuckling and reaching out a hand to pet his curls.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Oh, Haz,” Louis says, smiling gently at Harry, “You gave him that love bite.”
Louis watches in amusement as Harry’s features flicker between disbelief, joy, and embarrassment.
“I’ve been ignoring him all day!” Harry cries, jumping up and grabbing his bag. He smacks a kiss on Louis’ cheek and sprints out of the library without looking back, belatedly shouting a thanks as the doors swing shut behind him.
Louis rolls his eyes and gets back to work, rolling the cart of books he’s checked back in into the stacks and beginning to reshelf them.
He simultaneously hates and loves the wobbly step stool he has to use to reach the top shelf because of what happens in the next ten minutes.
“Louis.” Louis frowns at the voice he never wanted to hear again and responds with a flat, “Dean.”
“Can we talk?” Louis sighs and closes his eyes, memory flashing back to a few months ago when he’d heard those same words.
“Can we talk?”
“What’s wrong?”
“I-I’ve been seeing someone else.”
They’d just come back from summer break and Louis had been so excited to see him. He hadn’t even realized there was anything wrong.
Louis swallows and continues to place the books back where they go. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Please, I’ve been thinking, and I want to know if you’ll give me another chance.”
At this, Louis drops the book he’s holding and whips his head around to stare incredulously at Dean.
“You’re fucking joking.” Dean takes a step towards Louis from the top of the aisle, and Louis unconsciously takes a step back, unable to stop himself from falling backwards when his foot lands on the edge of the stool and flips it out from underneath him.
Louis curses and braces himself from impact with the thinly carpeted floor, but it never comes. Instead, he loses his breath in a big rush of air when someone is there to catch him.
He blinks his eyes open in shock and stares up into the worried eyes of Liam.
“Are you alright?” Liam asks, concern shining in his eyes, hands gripping Louis tightly. Louis nods and Liam places him back on his feet slowly. Louis is about to thank him when suddenly Dean is pushing Liam out of the way and gripping Louis’ shoulders tightly.
“Are you okay?” Louis frowns and pushes Dean’s hand off his shoulders.
“Get away from me.”
“But - “
“He said get away.” Louis and Dean both turn to Liam in shock, and Louis is surprised to find a furious look in Liam’s eyes.
“Jesus, fine.” Dean sneers at Liam and turns back to Louis. “Call me?”
“Not a chance.” Louis snaps, stepping away from Dean and towards Liam. Dean rolls his eyes and leaves the aisle.
“Fucking asshole.” Louis mutters, squatting down to pick up the books he’d dropped. “Fucking stupid wanker.”
He vaguely notices Liam bending down to help him, but doesn’t pay him any attention until Liam’s hands are covering his own.
“Your hands are shaking.” Liam says quietly, and Louis meets his gaze, frowning when he sees Liam frowning as well.
“I’m fine. I just really, really hate him.” Louis pulls his hands away from Liam and stands with his stack of books, taking the books Liam holds out to him as well.
“Thanks.” Louis turns to place them on the cart, and is surprised when he turns back and Liam is still standing there.
“I have to get to class, but I’ll see you later?” Liam smiles gently at him, and Louis just nods, really wanting to be alone for a bit so he can wallow in his sadness and embarrassment.
Liam leaves and Louis turns to the bookshelf and bangs his head against it. Fantastic. He meets a cute boy and manages to make it awkward and ruin it with ex-boyfriend problems and he hasn’t even known Liam for a day.
Louis is definitely breaking out the ice cream and self pity movies tonight.
*
“He said what?”
Louis can always count on Harry to be indignant and furious for him, not that Louis wasn’t already feeling those things.
“Can we not talk about it anymore?” Louis asks, hating how small his voice sounds. He fiddles with his empty mug and stares at the counter.
“Of course Lou.” Harry takes the mug from Louis and moves to fill up the kettle again. “Why don’t you go pick one of those awful girly movies you like and I’ll make us more tea.”
“You love these movies.” Louis retorts, already bounding into the living room and putting She’s the Man into the DVD player. He’s already feeling better, just like he knew he would by staying home with Harry tonight. One night out this weekend was enough for him, and he needs to not interact with drunk people tonight.
He’s snuggled next to Harry on the couch and they’re partway through the movie when he notices Harry texting someone.
“Oi, who’re you texting that’s more important than me?”
“It’s just Nick. He was wondering if I wanted to hang out tonight, but I told him I was staying in with you instead.”
Louis immediately feels guilty and pokes Harry in the ribs. “Haz, you didn’t have to do that.”
“I really did, Lou.” Louis smiles at Harry before leaping on him and biting at his curls.
Louis is lucky he hears the knock at the door over Harry’s quite overdramatic shrieking. Harry rolls out from underneath Louis and stumbles over to the door, face flushed and laughing as he opens it. Louis flops facedown onto the couch and continues to giggle, unable to stop now that he’s started.
“Uh, hi?” Louis hears Harry ask, and wonders who’s here that Harry doesn’t know.
“Hi Harry, is Louis here?” Louis squeaks when hears Liam’s voice, and promptly rolls off the couch in a tangle of blankets. He didn’t think Liam was being serious when he said he’d see him later.
“That would be Louis. How do you know my name?” Louis really wished they would stop talking and come help him because Harry’s stupid, fleece dinosaur blanket is suffocating him.
“I helped bring you home last night.”
“Help.”
“Oh. Alright then. Come on in! We’re just watching movies tonight and you’re welcome to join.”
“Louis?”
Louis coughs when he inhales a mouthful of blanket, and would really like to know how his hand got knotted up somewhere behind his back, and groans when he smacks his head on the coffee table.
“Jesus,” Louis hears Liam mutter from somewhere near his head before Louis feels a hand on his shoulder, “Lou, quit squirming. You’re making it worse.”
“I don’t think that’s possible,” Louis replies, “And fuck you Harry! I can hear you laughing!” Harry laughs even louder at this and Louis scowls into the blanket.
Liam gently tugs the blanket away from Louis’ body and untangles his arm quickly and efficiently. He reaches down and brushed Louis’ hair out of his eyes and smiles at him. Louis smiles back and could honestly stay there all day with Liam’s hand in his hair and that look on Liam’s face.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Louis can feel his face flushing, and it doesn’t help that Harry is still snickering by the door. He glares in Harry’s general direction and looks back up into Liam’s face, sees the smile on his face and can tell he’s holding back laughter.
“Well fuck you too then!” Louis scrambles away from Liam, regretting the fact that it makes Liam’s hand fall from his hair, and scrambles back on the couch, tucking himself in the corner, gathering the blanket around him. Louis glares at Harry when he comes back to the couch and sits on the other end, leaving the only open spot in the middle, so of course Louis will have to sit next to Liam.
“May I?” Liam gestures to the open space and Louis glares at him. Harry sighs and pulls him down.
“Louis.” Louis focuses on the TV, and Channing Tatum’s abs, and ignores Liam.
“Lou.” Louis feels himself soften, because he loves the way Liam says his name. He eyes Liam out of the corner of his eye, groaning internally when he sees Liam’s eyes go all big.
“I’m really sorry I laughed.” Liam is biting his lip, and Louis can tell he’s trying not to laugh again, but fuck it. He sighs and lifts the corner of his blanket, gesturing impatiently when Liam just stares at him. Liam’s face lights up and he scoots closer to Louis, pressing his shoulder to Louis’, and Louis feels his stomach swoop again, and it really needs to stop that.
Louis can feel his eyes start to droop near the end of the movie, and doesn’t fight it when his head comes to rest on Liam’s shoulder. Liam just shifts to accommodate him and taps a beat out on Louis’ knee underneath the blanket, eventually settling and leaving his hand where it is. Louis just smiles and lets himself fall asleep.
*
Louis groans and rubs his face into his pillow. Something is trying to blind him and if he ever gains the energy to get up, he’s going to kill them.
He nestles deeper into his bed and sighs, ready to go back to sleep now that his eyes are hidden from the sun.
Wait.
His bed doesn’t normally smell like this. Or move with him.
Or hug him.
Louis wrenches his eyes open, sees a t-shirt covered chest, and pulls back as far as the persons hold will let him. His gaze travels over the gray cotton t-shirt, the strong, muscular neck with one perfect birthmark, and gets stuck on a jaw with a hint of stubble. He reaches out and lets his fingertips brush Liam’s jaw, snatching it back when Liam shifts.
Louis lets out a quiet sigh of relief when he sees that Liam is still sound asleep. He reaches up and over Liam to grab his glasses from the side table and slides them on, untangling himself gently from Liam’s arms at the same time. He eases of the couch and steps quietly away, making a break for the kitchen.
His heart is pounding and his stomach is going crazy. His blood is rushing in his ears and that’s the only reason he doesn’t hear the quiet laughter right away.
Louis whips around and glares at Harry.
“You’re adorable, Lou.”
“You shut your mouth.” Louis stomps over to the stove and flicks the switch for the kettle.
“Why did I think that was a good idea? What am I doing?” Louis hisses at Harry. Harry stops laughing and get a serious look on his face.
“How about because you’ve been miserable since Dean, and you deserve someone who will treat you better than he ever did?” Harry says, looking at Louis with a rare serious look in his eye.
“I can’t…I don’t want to get hurt again.” Louis mumbles. He hates that he feels this way, but it’s not easy to have someone he trusted and cared about completely betray him and shit all over his feelings, and then have the nerve to turn around and ask for more just when he’s getting over him and has met someone new.
Louis hears Harry approach him and turns to hug him. He sighs at the comfort and when he pulls away he has to admit he does feel a bit better. He turns back to the kettle, fixes himself a cup of tea, and then makes one for Liam as well. Harry smiles gently at him and then disappears back to his room, and Louis goes back to the living room, setting Liam’s cup down on the coffee table and taking a seat on the floor near Liam’s head.
He’s only a few minutes into an episode of Spongebob when Liam starts to wake up, shifting slightly on the couch. Louis hears a quiet, “Oh.” and smiles to himself.
Liam sits up quickly and immediately starts apologizing.
“I am so sorry, Lou.” Louis turns to look at him incredulously. Liam gets a stricken look on his face when Louis faces him, but Louis ignores it for now.
“For what? Coming to see me when you know I had a shit day and you don’t even know me very well? That’s one of the nicest things anyone’s done for me in a long time.”
Liam blushes and Louis smiles at him, handing him the mug of tea from the coffee table.
“Budge up, it’s cold.” Liam grins and scoots over on the couch, making room again for Louis underneath the dinosaur blanket.
“I’m sorry for falling asleep here though. I just wanted to see you, but then you fell asleep on me, and you looked so tired so I didn’t want to move you…” Liam trails off and blushes.
“Thanks.” Louis says quietly, than brightly, “You’re welcome here anytime. You are a fantastic cuddle-buddy!”
Liam chuckles and that might be a problem because if Liam is going to keep laughing like that, then Louis is never going to stop smiling.
But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
*
“Whatcha thinking about, Lou?”
Louis looks up at Zayn and rolls his eyes, but can’t help the smile spreading across his face. He’d been thinking about Liam of course, he just didn’t think it was that obvious.
“Nothing.” He sticks his tongue out at Zayn.
He stands and gathers up all the empty coffee cups on the table. Niall had been awake, but he’s slumped fast asleep against Zayn again. Harry’s already in his morning class and if Louis doesn’t leave now, he’ll be late for his own.
“See you for dinner lads! We still on for later tonight?”
“’ell yeah!” Niall mumbles, half-heartedly raising a fist. Zayn nods and says, “Seven?”
“Sounds good. I’ll tell Hazza. What about, um,” Louis looks away from Zayn, though Zayn is not going to be fooled, “Liam?”
Zayn’s smile turns into a smirk. Louis’ face flushes as he waits for the answer. The impromptu sleepover had been a few days ago, and Louis hasn’t seen or heard from Liam since. It’s either because Liam’s busy or just doesn’t want to be around Louis, and Louis’ been going mad.
“He’s got a big biochem exam on Friday and he’s only been leaving the room for food and his clinic hours.” Zayn must see the mixture of relief and disappointment on Louis’ face. “That’s why he can’t come tonight, but that’s also the reason he wasn’t around yesterday or Monday.”
Louis breathes out a sigh of relief.
“Okay, I’ll see you later then!” Louis makes his escape before he’s late to class or Zayn can tease him any further.
*
“Louis?” A worried voice comes from behind him and Louis twists very slightly to see who it is. Of course it’s Liam. Louis looks up at Harry, Zayn, and Niall all slumped together on the floor against the wall across from the bed Louis’ sitting on. They all stare back at him with wide eyes and the same smirky grin.
“Oh don’t look at me.” Louis says crossly to Liam, “I’m pathetic.”
He’s got mud smeared up the right side of his body, blood is dripping from somewhere on his face, and if he moves at all his knee feels like something is trying to claw its way out. Some prick that Louis’ never seen before joined their football game and plays extremely dirty.
Louis has never seen Harry get so mad at someone, except for in high school when the older rugby players decided to pick on Louis a few weeks after he came out. A rugby player ended up with a black eye, and so did this dirty, cheating prick who played with them tonight.
Louis doesn’t think he’ll be coming back.
“Well, you are in my section, so I have to look at you.” Liam comes around the bed and frowns when he takes in Louis’ appearance. It’s really not fair that he looks just as attractive when he frowns.
“I didn’t know you were working tonight.” Zayn questions from the floor.
“I switched hours with Leigh-Anne. This way I’ll have Thursday night free so I won’t be exhausted for my test.” Liam says all this while producing a penlight from his scrubs - scrubs. Kill Louis now. He shines it in Louis’ eyes and his frown lessens a bit. “What happened?”
Harry pipes up, anger still lacing his voice, “Some prick decided to take our football game a bit too seriously and full body tackled Louis. He hurt his knee.” He’s cradling his right hand in his left, a few of the knuckles bloodied. Liam spots this and opens a cabinet, reaching in and tossing Zayn a tube of antibiotic cream and some band-aids. Zayn sets to work on Harry’s hand.
Liam turns back to Louis and rests a hand on his thigh, making eye contact with him. “Lou, I’m just going to have to look at it a bit, is that alright?” His voice is low and it soothes some of Louis’ nerves, and he nods slightly. Liam moves his hand from Louis thigh to prod at his knee gently, and Louis’ hand shoots out to grip Liam’s shoulder tightly.
“Fuuuuuck.” He hisses, screwing his eyes shut. Liam immediately stops and raises a hand to cover Louis’, his other hand coming up to brush Louis’ mud caked fringe away from his face.
“You’re going to have to go to an actual hospital, Louis. We’re not able to help you with this type of injury. We won’t be able to figure out how extensive it is.” Louis sags and lets his head fall forward, he’s just so tired. Liam’s hand gently guides it to his shoulder, and wow, this is comfortable.
Louis can hear his friends moving around and murmuring to each other, and then Louis is being prodded awake from his half-asleep state.
“Lou? I’m going to take you to the hospital.” Louis nods at Liam and slides carefully off the bed. Now that he’s awake again he realizes just how close he is to Liam, and just how broadly Liam’s hand spans his waist. Louis’ heart is racing and he sort of feels like throwing up and good thing his face is smeared with mud because otherwise everyone would be able to see the bright red color it is now.
He might just pass out before he makes to it the hospital.
*
Three hours and lots of painful prodding later, Louis is sent home with a wrapped knee, a prescription for pain killers, and crutches that he’s probably going to end up tripping over.
While they were sitting in the waiting room, Louis asked Liam why he came, and didn’t he still have work? Liam blushed and mumbled something about wanting to be there with Louis, plus he’s the only one of the five with a car, and that kept Louis smiling through the whole painful process of x-raying.
Turns out, his knee is just wrenched really bad. The doctor said to rest it as much as possible and take the painkillers when needed. Louis grimaces as he tries to get comfortable in bed without moving his knee too much. Liam had fretted around him, getting him a glass of water and fluffing a pillow under his knee. He’d also made Louis a cup of tea when Louis was in the bathroom trying to shower without slipping and killing himself.
Louis eventually had to sit on the edge of the tub, and he frowned for the rest of his shower.
“Just in case you need anything.” Liam had said when he asked for Louis’ phone and entered his number into it. Louis stares at his phone now, as he has been for the past fifteen minutes, and eventually gives in.
Hey! It’s Louis! You know, the poor lad you majestically rescued this evening?
The response is immediate, and Louis’ stomach is going crazy again.
Hey! Are you alright??? In pain? Did you take the painkiller?
The worry is palpable through the text, and Louis can’t help but smile.
Yeah, fine. Just…wanted to talk to you.
Louis bites his lip as he sends the text, and clutches his phone until the next one arrives. He’s never normally this nervous, but it’s Liam.
Liam has not even been in Louis’ life a week, yet he’s managed to make Louis happier than he’s been in a while, and Louis is just going to have to take a risk if he wants to keep that feeling.
I wanted to talk to you too. :) Can I call you?
Louis grins and calls Liam first instead.
*
Louis picks nervously at the wrap around his knee, shivering a bit at the wind that’s picked up since he’s sat down. It’s nearing the end of October, and while Louis really should be wearing a coat, he forgot when he left the flat this morning. He was just a bit nervous.
Louis had fallen asleep while talking to Liam on the phone the other night, and texted him throughout the day yesterday between classes. Today is Liam’s biochem test that he’s been stressing about, and they’ve planned to get lunch after.
Louis is terrified.
It’s easier to talk on the phone and text someone, but now he’s going to be hanging out alone with Liam, alone. They did watch Spongebob together last weekend, but that was easier because there was something to stare at if he said something stupid or found he was staring at Liam’s face too much.
He really doesn’t want to mess this up.
“You really shouldn’t mess with that.” Liam drops his bag on the ground and flops onto the bench next to Louis. His hairs a wreck and his got ink all over his fingers, and he looks so good.
“Meh. That’s what I’ve got you for. To fix it.” Louis says, grinning. He can’t take his eyes off Liam’s lips, which look like Liam chewed on them for the duration of the exam.
“What?” Louis startles as Liam speaks, “Something on my face?”
“Ah, fuck it.”
“Wha-“ Louis cuts Liam off by leaning across the, admittedly, very little space between them and kissing him. Tentatively at first, just a brush of lips in case Louis is all wrong about this, but then Liam gasps and his hands come up to cradle Louis’ face and Louis just melts into him.
It’s crazy. He’s only known Liam a week now, but it just feels right. And Harry’s right. Louis deserves someone who seems to want Louis as much as Louis wants him. He just inexplicably trusts Liam, and it’s terrifying, but that’s life isn’t it?
They pull apart because breathing is, unfortunately, necessary.
“Sorry,” Louis gasps, “I just couldn’t-“ Liam cuts him off with another kiss.
“You never have to apologize to me. Plus,” Liam hesitates, “I’ve wanted to do that for weeks.”
“Weeks?” Louis looks at him in confusion. Liam blushes, but doesn’t move away, just slides his fingers deeper into Louis’ hair.
“Louis. I’ve been coming to your pick-up games since the beginning of the semester. Zayn forced me to come the first time so I’d get some fresh air, but every time after that was so I could see you. I was just too nervous to talk to you before.”
Liam swallows and stares at Louis, waiting for him to respond.
“That should be creepy but it’s actually the most wonderful thing I’ve heard all year.” Louis grins brightly and laughs, and then Liam’s laughing along with him, and then they’re kissing again, and-
And Louis knows he’ll be happy for a very, very long time.