Young & Beautiful

He feels Harry nod.
“Together, yeah?” Louis whispers, pressing a kiss to his temple.
He feels Harry’s smile before he sees it, before he raises his head, curls mussed. The smile’s a
dopey one, gleeful and almost sleepy, as if drunk.
“Yeah,” Harry says, happily.
And then Louis finds himself kissing him again, grip around him strong.
**
It goes better than Louis expected.
By the time they arrive at the hospital, Liam’s awake and with his parents and Zayn has finally
stopped pacing. He grins widely upon seeing Louis and Niall, faltering only slightly when he sees
Harry.
“I’ve got to talk to you, mate,” Niall says immediately, and Zayn rips his gaze away from Harry,
focuses it to Niall who looks worn, save for his occasional sly grins and quick winks he
relentlessly sends Louis’ way. (He was not oblivious to the way Harry snuck his hand into Louis’
on the ride there. He was not oblivious and Louis absolutely did not give a fuck because he was
still soaring, soaring higher, and he gripped Harry’s hand firmly and unbreakably, fingers laced.)
Zayn nods, confused. “All right,” he says, and they walk off, Niall’s shoulders slouched.
“At least he didn’t attack me, I suppose,” Harry mumbles, watching them walk away.
“He wouldn’t do that,” Louis insists, poking his side, and when Harry looks to him, the clouds
clear. Louis smiles. “Besides, Niall’s going to set it straight.”
Harry nods, catches Louis’ hand.
“Can we see Liam soon?”
“Yeah, ‘course,” Louis nods, sliding fingers together. “Shouldn’t be too long now, love.”
Love.
Oops.
Too soon?
But Harry beams at the name, pulls Louis closer by their linked hands and kisses him—open, free,
young, beautiful, barriers gone.
It’s, maybe, not appropriate, but Louis thinks Liam will probably approve.
**
“I have to go to rehab,” is the first thing Liam says when they finally get to see him. He’s
mortified, glum, weak, and pale. And that’s the first thing he says.
Zayn sighs, shakes his head, but says nothing as he holds his hand from the bedside. He’d
returned from his talk with Niall only ten minutes prior, his face remarkably calmer than Louis had
anticipated.