In The Still Of The Night

Mates

Louis manages to sit through dinner without imploding, which is no easy task, given that he's a bundle of nervous excitement. Arthur Flanagan and Henderson stop by between the entree and main course and Louis ignores them both, too in his head to manage even polite conversation with people he doesn't much care for. Eric joins them for a bit and that at least helps to distract him for a while as a string quartet provides the evening's entertainment; it doesn't hold a candle to Harry and Zayn gliding around the dance floor, but then again, very little would.

He showers again after dinner to primp and preen himself in all the right places, not that he thinks Harry will notice or care, but it helps to pass the time and manages to calm his nerves for the time being. Sitting on the verandah with a cup of coffee doesn't really help the jittery feeling inside of him, but while he's there he notices two figures cast in the moonlight taking a stroll along the jetty. As they walk under one of the lamps Louis' heart skips a beat when he realises that it's Eric and Niall. He spends the next half and hour watching them talk and laugh and, if their body language is anything to go by, flirt shamelessly with each other. It fills him with joy and he makes a mental note to catch up with Niall at some point tomorrow to get all the juicy details.

He wanders back inside the cabin and lays down on his bed as he waits for Liam to finish in the bathroom, his voice carrying out into the bedroom as he sings some tune Louis can't quite decipher. He's going to meet Zayn again, this time at another party in the staff quarters. Liam's clothes are hanging on the dresser, a pair of black fitted trousers and short sleeved red button down. It's more bold than his usual style, but apparently Zayn had commented that he loved seeing Liam in red, so Louis expects to see him wear nothing else for the foreseeable future.

Louis had changed his own outfit three times before he had thrown his hands in the air and demanded that Liam pick one for him. His brother had cheekily suggested it didn't matter what he wore as long as he didn't mind it being ruined when Harry ripped it off his body. Louis had told him he was being ridiculous, but then remembered that look in Harry's eyes when he'd dropped him off after their trip to the lake, and proceeded to swap his favourite shirt for one that he wasn't so worried about having torn to shreds.

He'd ended up going with a mainly white ensemble—jeans, t-shirt, jacket, and converse—aware of how it would look against his caramel skin, just the thin blue lines on his t-shirt to break up the palette. He doesn't really think Harry will actually tear his clothes off, but he's not completely opposed to the idea; whatever gets him naked in the shortest amount of time is fine by him. Maybe he should just start undressing on the way to Harry's cabin and be done with it.

An idea suddenly pops into his head and he snaps his head around to the bathroom door. The shower is still running so he's got time. He jumps off the bed, kicking off his shoes and shucking down his jeans and briefs, and then redresses minus his briefs. It makes him feel a bit naughty and a lot sexy, a thrill of excitement shooting through his veins at how risqué it is, having never gone out without underwear before.

Liam emerges from the bathroom wearing only his briefs and still singing happily. As he turns to grab his clothes Louis sees his back and gasps in shock. "Oh my god!"

Liam spins around hands raised ready for a fight. "What?"

"Your back. Holy crap," Louis says, pointing at the litany of scratch marks from his shoulders to his waist.

Liam visibly relaxes and shrugs. "Oh, yeah. Zayn has uhm..."

"Claws?" Louis shrieks.

"Nah. He just gets, like, excited. In the heat of the moment, you know?"

"No, I do not know. But I'd definitely recommend keeping your shirt on at the party. People might be genuinely concerned for your well being," Louis says with a grin and a waggle of his eyebrows.