Let Me Show You How to Love Yourself (Larry Stylinson) ✅

Complicated

Niall raised an eyebrow and gave Louis a look. "Ohhh," he said. "He likes to laugh? Does he like to laugh at you, Lou?"

Louis shook his head, his cheeks flushing. "No," he said quickly. "They're actually together I believe. Harry told me -- he's the third roommate."

Louis felt his skin grow warm when he though of Harry standing in the doorway in his oversized sweats, fumbling with the pies. He felt attracted to his long hair, his big green eyes, his adorable dimples... but he also felt driven away by Harry's standoffish behaivor. 

"Oh, what's he like? He single?" Niall asked, poking fun at Louis' overly flirty persona. Ever since Niall could remember, Louis has had a constant desire to be in the perfect rom-com relationship, though over the past few years, he hasn't had much luck.  

"Stop bugging me, Niall," Louis said, sticking his tongue out at his roommate. "Not all of us can have a perfect relationship with the perfect girl..." 

Niall smiled at the thought of Sophie, his girlfriend of two years. She was a chef with long blonde hair, sparkly blue eyes, and a kind heart. The two had met during final year of uni and continued to date the following year, doing long distance while Sophie worked at a hotel in London and Niall lived in Doncaster with Louis. He was excited to be close to her again -- and was hoping that Louis would meet someone too. Not just because he wanted to have the flat to himself with Sophie some nights, but because he also genuinely wanted Louis to finally have a stable relationship. 

"She is perfect," Niall said back, giggling. "Thanks for pointing that out. But tell me more about the Harry lad."

Louis shrugged, his face falling a bit. "Well he's gorgeous, for one. He's got these long brown curls and huge green eyes. But there's something off about him. He was very quiet and freaked out when I gave him a pie... and his hands were freezing and he was covered up in layers..."

Niall's face turned a bit pale and he frowned at Louis upon observing the pain in his eyes. "You don't think.... he has what your sister had, do you?" he asked quietly. 

Louis nodded slowly. His sister Fizzy had struggled with anorexia in the past, and while she was doing much better now, eating was still quite a struggle for each day. Louis made an effort to check on her at least twice a week to make sure she was well and has been eating, but he was still worried sick about her, especially since moving away to London. 

When Louis met Harry earlier today, he had exhibited many of the symptoms he had seen in the sister, and it saddened him to think that yet another person in his life was struggling mentally. After what he had seen his sister go through, he decided that eating disorders were something he didn't wish upon anyone. 

"Yeah, I think so," Louis replied, looking at the floor. "The signs were there. Baggy clothes, fear of dessert, freezing cold hands, pale, thin face. Poor lad. I hope he's doing okay..."

Niall patted Louis' back to comfort him. "That's really sad. It's tough, it's really tough," he told him, not really knowing what else to say. 

"Yeah," Louis agreed. Then he jumped of the couch as he thought of an idea. "Hey -- I just thought of something," he said excitedly, his blue eyes lighting up. "Why don't we invite them over tonight for drinks? It's a Friday. No work tomorrow... and we need some fucking friends here in London. I don't know a soul."

Niall nodded, excitedly. "I brought a ton of Prosecco," he said, raising an eyebrow. "And yeah the only people I know are Sophie and you -- and you hardly count."

Louis elbowed his friend in the ribs and laughed, running off to find the Prosecco. "Why don't you go ask them now, then? They haven't met you yet," he called over to Niall while sorting through a box.