take care of me // larry au

16

Louis nods and they all shuffle into the building. Smoke hangs in the air, as does the smell of alcohol and too much perfume. The lights are soft and dim, giving the whole place an almost serene look, despite the fact that there are people shouting and glasses clinking and music playing in the background.

Liam and Niall have hit it off apparently, because they're heading to a booth, an annoyed looking Zayn trailing behind them. Louis still has his hand on Harry, and Harry's is on his back now too.

"They seem nice." Harry offers, and Louis knows he's not lying because everyone seems nice to Harry.

"They're insane." Louis tells him. "I'm sort of attached to them though."

Harry grins at him for that. Niall is sitting closest to the wall, and Harry slides in after him, Louis getting the outside seat. Zayn and Liam are across from them, Zayn's arm possessively around Liam's shoulders.

"How long until they start?" Louis asks Liam.

"Should be anytime soon." Liam says, craning his neck over the back of the seat so he can see the stage. "We should get drinks."

"I'll do it." Louis offers, grabbing Harry's hand so he can come with him.

"I'll come with you." Niall says quickly. "Haz, you stay here. We got it."

Harry climbs out of the booth to let Niall out, and then he gives Louis a reassuring smile. Louis swallows and nods at him, just once, and then he and Niall head to the bar.

Louis orders four Pepsis (after asking Niall what he wanted) and one bottle of water for Harry. They both sit on one of the stools at the bar while they wait, Louis's elbows resting on the bar while Niall turns in his seat.

Niall is eyeing him with a heavy look, like he's trying to figure Louis out.

"You're alright then." Louis frowns at him and he adds, "But seriously, you fuck with Harry and you'll regret it. Got it?"

Louis raises his eyebrows. "I wasn't planning on it."

Niall shrugs. "I know, but I had to say it." He grins. "That's my best mate, you know. And he- I don't like to see him get hurt, so just don't."

"Okay," Louis says, nodding. "I won't. I don't want to see him get hurt either."

"Harry has that effect on people." Niall says while drumming his fingers on the bar. "You just want to take care of him, you know? Even though he is way more capable of taking care of either of us. And he would probably get pissed at us for it too, but you can't really help it."

"True enough." Louis says, because it is.

He can't help but look behind him to see how Harry is doing, and he is listening raptly as Liam says something, gesturing a lot with his hands. Louis recognises the look on his face, and he knows that Harry is being subjected to one of Liam's stupid stories. Zayn is rolling his eyes, looking about ready to smash his face into the table. But Louis knows that, deep down, Zayn loves everything Liam says. And Harry is so fucking polite, he looks genuinely interested in what Liam is saying.

Liam is probably having a field day with this, because Louis and Zayn never put up with that shit.

When they get back - Niall balancing two cups, Louis balancing two as well, Harry's water bottle tucker into his back pocket - Harry moves out of the booth so Niall can sit back down, and then Louis places their drinks on the table and moves back in beside him, arm resting loosely around Harry's shoulders.

The bar fills up slowly around them, and then suddenly it's packed.

"How popular is this band exactly?" Louis asks, frowning at the group that has already converged near the small stage, all looking anxiously at the equipment while waiting for the band to come out and start.

"Pretty popular." Liam admits.

Harry's hand is on his thigh until the band appears on stage. Liam and Zayn leave the booth, Liam dragging Zayn off into the crowd.

"Do you want to go with them?" Louis asks Harry.

Harry shakes his head. "Can we just watch from here?" He asks.

Louis nods. "Sure."

"Let me out first," Niall says. "This brunette keeps flashing smiles at me. Eight bucks if I am making out with her in the bathroom in twenty minutes."

Harry rolls his eyes. "You're disgusting." He says, but he and Louis get up so he can move towards the girl in question, who lowers her eyes and grins down at her drink as Niall approaches.

The band is good, actually. They have a loud sound, and the crowd seems to know most of their songs. He can see Liam and Zayn near the front of the stage, Liam staring up at the band in awe, Zayn staring at Liam in awe.

"This is nice." Harry whispers against his neck.

Louis tightens his grip around Harry's shoulder and looks at him, unable to hold back the grin fighting its way onto his face. "Yeah, it is."