Young & Beautiful

Louis’ about to press the subject because his curiosity and intrigue are screaming, but before he
can open his mouth, Zayn is sliding his fedora on and saying, “Come on, boys. Let’s go. Can’t
keep that parking spot forever.” Which, yeah, he’s Zayn Malik, yes he fucking could, but
whatever.
So Louis lets it drop.
Still though, his mind prickles with curiosity as they march forward, and he follows in the back,
curiously watching the bob of Harry’s curls as they make their way towards the car.
**
They ride in the cool autumn breeze, and Louis really thinks it’s about time they retire the
exposed-to-the-elements antique car, as charming as it is, because he’s fucking freezing, and he’s
too busy trying to keep his hair in place anyway.
Niall notices his distress, pulls him on his lap and musses up his hair viciously while laughing, and
Louis is teetering between biting the shit out of him and koala-ing him to soak up his vast amount
of body heat. He decides on the later, and Liam snaps a pic of the two with a squinty smile from
the passenger seat as Zayn tries to reach back, whilst driving, and tickle Louis, his pearly teeth
glinting in the review mirror.
It’s sweet and cozy and filled with laughter and profanities and wind, and Louis distinctly feels the
sensation of being loved.
But not once do Harry’s eyes look at him, even amidst his own chuckles and grizzled shouts,
instead sending winks to Zayn and sensual shoulder rubs to Liam and handshakes to Niall. With
Louis, his eyes glide past, almost as if they barely register his presence, and while it isn’t filled
with the malice Louis knows Harry is capable of, he feels forgotten and overlooked, and it doesn’t
sit well in his stomach. Not when Louis had begun to feel hope toward their friendship.
But there’s nothing he can do, so he ignores it, burrowing further into Niall and laughing into his
neck, enjoying all the warmth he can get.
**
“It’s the cutest little cottage,” Liam explains as they amble along down a small road near a lake,
the car bumping along over pebbles and stones. “You’re going to love it.”
“Am I?” Louis questions, squinting his eyes in the sun and taking in the expanses of trees and
wild-flower addled fields.
“I’ve seen it once or twice,” Niall comments, staring out. “It’s nice.”
“More than nice,” Zayn criticizes as he turns onto a gated pathway. “Better than all of yours.”
Liam beams, placing a hand on Zayn’s knee. “Of course it is, love.”
And Zayn catches Louis’ eye in the mirror and winks.
“Well, we’ll have to see. I don’t like when people tell me that I’m going to love something. I make
my own decisions. In fact,” Louis adds, sliding his arm around Niall’s shoulders, “I will purposely
not love it now.”
“You’ll hate it on principle?” Niall asks with a raised eyebrow.