Sweet Temptation

O N E. Tongue Tied

Drops of condensation left a moist ring on the wooden coffee table where Louis had set his pint of beer. He watched each drop form and slowly slide down the cool glass, thinking only of how Eleanor would have found a coaster for him, twisting her pale lips in annoyance at his lack of thoughtfulness.

That was how it was with El. Shooting glances of distaste, disappointment and then murmurs of apology to the host or hostess, who normally waves it off with a good-natured laugh.

That was how it was with El lately, Louis corrects.

"She wasn't always that way.."

"Sorry?" Says a sweet voice to his right.

His head shoots up, shocked at the sudden realization he's not alone on the uncomfortably sticky-with-sweat, leather couch he's been sat atop since the beginning of the celebratory get-together Zayn had decided to throw at his flat.

Perched next to him, leaning her porcelain arms precariously on her equally porcelain legs was Perrie, co-owner of said flat.

"Nothing, sorry. Caught up in my own head at the mo'" he replied.

Dressed in a white dress and some intimidatingly large Doc Martens, the young woman flashed a dazzling smile his way and Louis could swear there was a glint of understanding in her bright eyes.

"El couldn't make it?" She questions.

"Uh, well no." Louis mumbles, unimpressed with his less than eloquent reply.

Perrie just smiles and nods and Louis lets out a small sigh of relief that she doesn't ask more from him.

"So how're the girls? Still ruling the world together?" He asks, desperate to keep the topic far from the topics rolling around in his head.

Perrie laughs, loud enough to warrant a loving glance from her tattooed beau from across the room, and shakes her head, "I wish! But, no we've been lovely. Having fun as always and just excited to see fans are lovin' us almost as much as they've been lovin' on you four for the past few years."

"Aw c'mon Pez! No dirty secrets for me? I'll even exchange a few of the 1D secrets to success if you drop the media-trained answers!"

As she continues to giggle gleefully, Louis continues: "But really, I know you know Z's proud of you but I wanna make sure you know I am as well! Been rootin' for you girls since the X and I'll be shocked if you aren't surpassing us in sales within the next few years!"

And Louis means it; he genuinely does.

Little Mix isn't exactly in the genre of music he typically turns to when in need of a good tune, but he can't deny the talent the four petite girls hold.

Perrie's head is turned to her ivory pins once more as she bites her lip to keep the grin that threatens to take over her round face at bay, but Louis can just see the pink-tinged cheeks before a curtain of her curled, silver hair falls forward obscuring his vision. He grins too, knowing that blush isn't from shyness, as most of the world knows Perrie's hardly the introvert, but from simple happiness at his praise of her talent.

"Well thanks, Lou. Means a lot, really." She says sweetly finally turning her face upward to release that grin for Louis.

"Better go check on the old ball and chain! Knowing him he's regretting letting Nialler loose in our flat!" She tells him, laughing and shaking her head as she faces her troubled boyfriend and a drunk Irishmen currently trying to break into Zayn's graffiti room.

Louis watches her go with an easy smile on his face and looks up to see Harry standing at his feet with two freshly poured beers smiling in Perrie's direction as well.

"Sweet girl, that one. Malik better tie her down before she realises she could do better!" Harry jokes with a breathy laugh.

A picture of Perrie tied up to a bedpost flashes through Louis' head before he shakes it away and grimaces, wondering where in the hell that camefrom before chalking it up to the beer he's consumed; his fifth being the one he's been nursing for the past hour. And his brain's need for respite from the annoying back-and-forth dance it's been stuck in.

"So, Tommo! How ya been? Ya haven't left this spot all night it seems. Alright?" Questions the lanky lad as he sat in the seat previously occupied by a much shorter occupant. "And fitter." Louis thinks before he can stop himself.

"M'alright H! Can't complain now can I? Another tour in the works for One Dee! It's unbelievable."

"It really is, though we do need to finish the TMH tour first!" Harry adds.

Louis simply nods, thinking about the long months left of touring Europe and the U.S. and then everything West of there. He thinks of Eleanor again and winces at the harsh words they'd exchanged two days ago regarding the stress the impending tour, "tours" he corrects, and the undeniable stress they'll add to their relationship.

She has a right to feel threatened and overwhelmed, hell Louis himself is overwhelmed by the thought of consecutive tours with album and movie promotions scheduled in between any gaps there may be. But this is his dream.

And that's the only fault in his relationship with El, he reasons, the fact that their dreams are so far apart on the spectrum that she can only understand so much. And he can't blame her. One Direction has been a whirlwind; a head-spinning whirlwind.

Louis fades back into the conversation just as Harry is expressing his excitement for the release of their next single meant to accompany their upcoming documentary.

"-just can't wait to see the insane costumes we're meant to wear", he says, letting out yet another breathy chuckle before realising Louis' not exactly on point conversation-wise.

"Lou? Maybe you should head home? I'll let Pez and Zayn know you were tired from all the excitement, yeah?" Harry offers with worried eyes and a polite smile.

Louis nods again, as he's found himself doing a lot tonight, ad heads for the door, nodding goodbye politely to each person he passes, the continued frenzy of Eleanor thoughts flying rapidly still.

He takes a glance left down the hallway toward the bedrooms and catches Perrie's eye once more; the smile she flashes at him sticks in the forefront of his mind, letting the frenzy die down slowly until he can smile lightly back.

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Hi guys!!!

My names Mary, twenty, from Nevada! Yes that is in the US. No, I do not live in Vegas.

Thank you for giving my writing a chance. I've been reading fanfics for over a year now and finally tried my hand at writing.

Hope you enjoyed it. Maybe?

Lots of love,

Maryyyyy

Ps: I LOVE Zerrie and am so happy they're engaged. Also, I started writing this before the big news and I know they're perfectly happy in real life! I just really love Lourrie as a crack ship! Lol don't hate me!

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