you're cold and I burn (on hold)

“My advice is to just keep talking to him <strong>and</strong> getting to know him until you’re confident you
know him well. But, if it’s only been like forty eight hours <strong>and</strong> you’re already getting h<strong>and</strong>sy
then-“
“Shut up, I was just overwhelmed, it won’t happen again.” Louis cuts him off <strong>and</strong> Niall isn’t
believing that, not one single bit. He just raises his brows <strong>and</strong> sips through his straw, “Okay Louis.
He’s fucking hot. I’d be worried if you weren’t feeling that sexual tension.”
“I never said anything about sexual tension. And you’ve only seen one of his pictures on Twitter
that I showed you.” Louis responds, stabbing a piece of chicken with his fork, he’s not even really
hungry. He’s just eating his confusion away.
“Is he better looking in person?”
Louis’ lips are pulled between his teeth, his eyes refusing to meet Niall’s <strong>and</strong> that’s admission
enough, “Holy shit, you’re totally screwed.”
“I am not.”
“You’re gonna be.” Niall murmurs <strong>and</strong> Louis l<strong>and</strong>s a solid punch to his shoulder, making Niall
rock back in his chair. “What? Don’t act like it’s not true.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I’m glad you did. I’m super interested, its like a good book. Best friend has an unknown,
mysterious roommate move in with him. He turns out to be smoking hot <strong>and</strong> is definitely
interested, best friend is refusing to acknowledge that he may, too, be interested <strong>and</strong> is now going
to go home to him <strong>and</strong> pretend he wasn’t just feeling up on his chest the night before.” Niall
narrates in a deep, dramatic voice. And Louis can’t possibly hold back his laugh, his head falling
back, h<strong>and</strong>s flat over his stomach.
“I hate you sometimes.”
“You love me, all the time. Don’t blame me for wanting you to hook up with your attractive
roommate.” Niall shrugs.
“How many times are you going to bring up his looks during this conversation?” Louis asks,
ignoring that he’s just a little grossed out by the tomatoes in his salad, he’s not big on tomatoes.
“This is a beautiful day, the storm has passed, the sun is out, let’s talk about that instead.”
“I’m not trying to hit on your man, don’t worry,” Niall blurts, quickly changing the subject before
Louis has time to argue. “But yeah, the weather then?”
And yeah, Niall is annoying <strong>and</strong> he makes Louis want to stab him with a fork but he also knows
how to make him feel much better. If anyone can make a situation less embarrassing <strong>and</strong> cringeworthy,
it’s Niall. Of course, Niall won’t be there when Louis has to go back to his flat with him,
when he has to confront Harry <strong>and</strong> try to avoid the awkward, “I’m sorry I called you beautiful,”
talk.
Or, maybe he can.
“Would you, by any chance, be up for staying over at mine tonight?” Louis batts his lashes, tilting
his head to the side in a desperate plea.
“You want me to be pulled into that awful situation, I don’t think I wanna be there for that, no
thanks.” Niall shakes his head, shoulders deflating when he sees Louis’ pleading face.