Young & Beautiful

“No whiskey?” Louis jokes, glancing to Harry who’s watching them with a sad tilt to his mouth.
Niall shakes his head, taking in the place settings.
“Didn’t think it was appropriate.” He pauses, shrugs. “Given the situation.”
“Ah. Good call.” Louis tries to keep the frown out of his voice.
“Glad you came,” Harry says, attempting a small smile.
Niall does the same. “Thanks, mate. Glad to be here.”
Silence.
“Liam will be happy to see you,” Louis says, placing an arm around Niall’s shoulders. “He
misses you.”
“Can’t see why he would.”
“Because you’re one of his best mates. And he loves you.”
“Can’t see why he would,” he says again, and Louis swallows back the hoards of frustrations he
feels pushing against his throat.
“Niall, it’s not your fault. Liam is equally to blame—he says so himself. Rather, he prefers to take
the full blame,” Louis says, maybe for the hundredth time, but as always, Niall shrugs him off.
“Whatever. I just stopped by because I really wanted to see him before he leaves.”
Louis sends another helpless look to Harry, who shakes his head with sympathetic eyes.
“Well. I’m glad you came,” Louis sighs.
Niall nods, but doesn’t say anything, just goes to the window and looks out, refusing to sit down.
*
By the time Zayn returns with Liam, the room has enough tension to launch a catapult and Louis
practically leaps out of his chair with excitement at the sight of them.
“Here’s the golden boy!” he roars, immediately barreling over and attacking Liam in an embrace,
who giggles and blushes as he clings back.
Zayn watches with a fond smile, eyes slit and sparkling, smelling like a freshly lit cigarette and the
sun.
“Sorry it took us a bit,” he says, eyes still on Liam. “We went for a walk.”
“Wanted to enjoy my freedom while I still can,” Liam says sadly.
And Zayn definitely rolls his eyes.
“You’re not being locked in a dungeon, Li.”
“How do you know that?” Liam asks, puppy eyes in full swing. “From the way my father
sounded…”