Breaking Louis Tomlinson {Larry Stylinson AU}

Chapter Eight

“I’m ready,” Louis said uncomfortably, fumbling with the sleeves of his sweater. Zayn looked up and smiled at him tiredly.

“I missed your sweaters Lou,” he said after a while. “I always said they were made for you because you look so good in them.”

“Yeah you did,” Louis answered with a nostalgic smile. “Stuff changed since then, though.”

“Sure as hell has,” Zayn sighed, running a hand over his scruff. “Growing up is a bitch.”

Louis agreed silently to that statement because there was no real point in validating something as obvious as that. Age really had beat up the both of them; responsibility sucked the fun out of their lives and replaced it with the heaviness of adulthood.

“It really has,” Louis said quietly. “And it really fucking sucks.”

Zayn didn’t answer. He just gave Louis a sort of sad smile and beckoned him towards the door.

“Well, I reckon you’ll forget about it when you’re four pints in and lost in the music,” he said wryly. “Let’s finish off the year right, yeah?”

{***}

The club was pulsing with the electric beat of some song when the boys arrived. The music ran through Louis’s bloodstream like a poison, reviving his sense of recklessness and waking him up from his stupor. He felt buzzed on adrenaline already, watching people grind underneath the strobe lights in the darkness, drinks in their hands and hunger in their eyes. This was a full-blown party.

“Holy shit I can’t hear anything!” Louis yelled over the noise. “This is sick!”

“That’s the point!” Ed yelled back, picking up a drink from the bar and downing it in one gulp. He picked another one up and handed it to Louis. “Cheers mate!”

Louis threw the drink down with his eyes squeezed shut as the alcohol burned at his throat. It reminded him too much of that night… he had to keep telling himself this was fun…

“First round of drinks are on me!” roared an Irish man with blonde hair and baby-blue eyes. He looked buzzed already; his cheeks were flushed and his hands weren’t steady.

“Niall! It’s been a long time!” Zayn said over the music. He hugged him tightly, almost knocking the drunken Niall over. “Didn’t expect you to be here! I suppose Liam’s around too?”

“Yeah he is… Somewhere… Anyway, heard it’s Ed’s big move to London soon,” Niall said, taking another drink from his huge glass. “Can’t miss that, eh? Who’s this?”

He nodded towards Louis, who was standing off to the side with Harry. He hadn’t realised how closely he drifted to him; it was kind of embarrassing how clingy he looked. Harry didn’t seem to mind through, he had his hands deep in his pockets and he was watching the scene around him.

“Oh! Louis, this is Niall!” Zayn said, stepping back. Niall held out a hand which Louis took apprehensively. “He owns this pub with Liam, we go way back.”

“Nice to meet you,” Niall nodded with a grin. “And Harry! I haven’t seen you in a good while! Things going—er—better?”

“Much,” Harry grinned. “Much better.”

“Good, good,” Niall nodded. “Anyway, let’s end this right… Free drinks for all my mates!”

The rest of the boys roared in appreciation as Niall dished out another round of shotglasses. He handed Louis one with a wink.

“You look nervous,” Niall said lowly. “Not much of a drinker, are you?”

“No, not really,” Louis admitted, looking at the tiny glass of clear liquid in his hand.