Unbelievers

Chapter 8.4

Are you coming to the away game next Sunday ? It's the semi-final :) we could talk after ?

Louis sent the text message over an hour ago. Niall hasn't answered. It's probably the twelfth time he's checked his phone by now. He's on the couch at home, lounging with his feet propped up on the armrest and a cushion under his head. There's a rerun of a week old Premier League match playing on the TV, but he isn't paying much attention. He's a little sore from practice, but he should be revising, truthfully. The last exams of the year are coming up.

"Love," his mother calls from the kitchen.

"Yeah." He hears her chair scrape against the floor and her steps coming closer to the living room. He keeps his eyes shut.

She chuckles when she sees how he's spread out on the sofa. "Are you comfortable enough, sweetheart?"

"I could use someone to fan me, I think."

"It's not quite warm enough for that yet." He opens one eye. She's leaning in the arch of the doorway, hand resting comfortably on her hip. She looks nice.

"You're all dressed up?" She's even got lipstick, he notices.

"Yeah, I'm going out with a few people from work tonight."

"Oh." That's nice. It was a long time ago she did that. "Have fun, Mum. Be careful, don't drink too much," he smirks.

She rolls her eyes, but smiles. "I was actually going to talk to you about next weekend. The girls and I are going away as you know."

"Wait," he frowns. "Next weekend? My match is next weekend. Aren't you coming?"

"Hush, silly. We'll be back by then!"

Oh. His heart rate slows significantly. "Good."

"What I wanted to say is that you're allowed to have a few friends over if you want, but no big parties."

"I'm not going to throw a party the week of the most important match ever." Come on.

"I know, but I wanted to be a proper mummy and say it anyway," she winks.

Louis rolls his eyes, smiling. "You are a proper mum."

"Alright, love." She purses her lips. "Can I ask about Harry?"

He cautiously meets her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"We've never talked about it, darling, but I didn't know you were so close all of a sudden?"

He shrugs, looking at the TV. "I don't know. We're just friends now, I guess."

"That's nice. About time you grew up at least. He seems like a nice boy."

"Mum."

"Yes, yes. I'll go." She grins. "I'll be home later."

"Curfew at ten!" He calls after her, and he hears her laugh down the hall.

His phone chirps and he almost falls off the couch. It takes him a second to realize that it's not Niall though, because it was Harry's ringtone.

Come over please xxxxxxx

He frowns. Harry has been spending a little more time at home lately, but the situation with his parents hasn't seemed to have changed significantly. Also, x's?

Is something wrong, he asks.

No just come please !!!

Ok

He gets up from the couch, yawning and stretching his arms above his head. He contemplates if he should go fetch lube and condoms from his drawer upstairs, but he figures Harry would have said so if he wanted him to bring something. Lately it hasn't been entirely certain that they will be having sex of any sort when they hang out. Louis doesn't exactly mind, because Harry gave him a handjob yesterday afternoon in Louis' shower.