Young & Beautiful

And fuck.
It’s just a lot.
Amidst some murmurs and tinkling laughter, enough people seem to convince Nick Grimshaw to
take the stage. He does, without much argument to be honest, and peppered applause fills the
room.
Louis notices that Harry is one of the applauders. He also notices that he smiles up at Nick. And
it’s a genuine smile. Heat rips through Louis’ stomach and his jaw immediately clenches. He only
tears his eyes away when Nick’s voice begins cutting through the room over the speakers.
“Attention everyone?” he laughs, and he looks around, one hand in his pocket, the other sliding
through his elf-hair and managing to make it even pointier and taller, and he just seems so…
well…cocky. “Yeah, okay. So. The single’s out on Tuesday, which—“ Applause suddenly
rumbles into life and he smiles, nodding, allowing it to run its course before the ruckus settles back
down and he returns to the mic. “Exactly. Thank you. But yeah, the single’s out and I just want to
thank Des for being the brilliant musician he is.” More applause, a bit louder this time. Des has his
hands deep in his pockets, eyes flicking about the room. He seems antsy. He doesn’t even
acknowledge the praise, might not even be aware of it. “And, of course, his son Harold, for whom
we couldn’t have done this without.”
Louis’ eyes flick to Harry—he’s beaming, a faint blush to his cheeks as more applause fills the
room, several eyes studying him approvingly. It simultaneously fills Louis with ice and fire.
“And also for being such a pretty, pretty addition to the limelight, may I just say,” Nick continues,
throwing a lavish wink Harry’s way.
Louis throws back another flute of champagne, almost breaking the delicate glass in his grip.
“But yes. Thanks for coming. Now eat up, drink up, and play nice. Or not nice. Or whatever—I
don’t give a fuck,” Nick finishes, waving his hands dismissively, and laughter ripples through the
room before the music continues and the chatter is back in full swing, Nick descending from the
stage and returning to Des and Harry. When he reaches them, he mutters something into Harry’s
ear, a grin plastered to his face, and Harry laughs.
Harry laughs.
He laughs with other people??
Louis grabs another glass of champagne from a passing server.
This is going to be a long night.
**
Louis doesn’t see Niall for the rest of the evening—not really. He hears his laughter, hears his
voice telling stories that make everybody else laugh, and he glimpses his smiling, smug face as
photographers take pictures of him at the sides of important people, but he doesn’t go anywhere
near Louis and Louis sort of wants to skin him alive for that.
Because without Niall, Louis knows literally nobody.
Except Harry. Who he may or may not be obsessively watching. And it hurts to watch.
Now that Nick Grimshaw has finally left his side, instead charming every personality in the room