Softer Side

Chapter thirty-eight

"It's alright love" Louis mumbles, holding Rebecca's hair in his hand as he looks down at her. Her usually bright eyes screwed shut as she bent over the toilet seat, bringing up the remnants of last night's antics. "Let it out" he says softly as he rubs her back slowly, his hand making soothing circles over the formation of her spine. He hated seeing her this way, we all did, but from the large amount of alcohol we had all consumed last night, it was something we knew would happen. Throughout everything though, Louis remained with her to hold her hair back and clean her up whenever she thought she had finished.

I on the other hand was led in bed with Niall, playing with his fingers as he lay with his eyes closed. He was awake though, which I could tell by his breathing. I slid my fingers between his, moving them again to trace them like you would if you were to draw around them on a piece of paper. I lift my eyes when I hear a light chuckle and a raspy 'you're hands are so small compared to mine'. I smile sleepily when I see the familiar blue eyes, which were even brighter this morning.

"Hey sleepy head" I say softly as he chuckles quietly, resting his cheek on my head to look at our hands that were now intertwined. I sigh contently when his fingers moved, humming quietly to 'Say You Won't Let Go' by James Arthur, tracing up and down my arm, my chest and my stomach. I watched him, smiling at how concentrated he was in his actions and how beautiful he looked when he had just woken up. My body lifted, shifting up the bed slightly to lay my head on the pillow beside him, giving me more opportunity to look deep into his eyes. No words were being spoken, but the comfort of each other was enough.

Louis' had taken Becky back to bed, having tucked her in in the duvet, she now wanted him to stay there. She wanted to feel the warmth of his body holding her cold and sick body close, making her feel better in every way. "Please stay" she pouts as he shakes his head with a soft smile.

"You need to rest" he says lightly, making sure she was comfortable before heading to the door. "I'll go and find you some paracetamol and a glass of water, then you can have a rest love" he hums as Becky sighs, nodding slowly without a word. Louis left the room, closing the wooden door behind him as he leant against the wall, running his hands through his hair at the thought of the woman who he was looking after. The woman he was in love with and she didn't know it.

~~~~~~~

Having retrieved the glass of water from the kitchen, Louis risked it by opening the door to my bedroom, ready to scream at the top of his lungs at the sight. But he didn't need to. What he was met with instead was my head on Niall's chest as he ran his fingers through my hair. My body was consumed by his shirt but with the buttons low enough to show a little cleavage. This wasn't what he expected to see. "Aw you guys... how sickening" he teased as I raise my eyebrow at him. Before he could say another word I reached behind me and through a cushion at him, hitting him in the stomach. "I'm kidding guys! I'm loving Siall" he smirks, laughing to himself as I furrow my eyebrows at him.

"Siall?" I question as Louis nods, raising his eyebrows. "Am I supposed to- oh... I get it, very clever" He laugh as he goes to speak. "Bottom drawer" I mumble, snuggling closer to Niall when I feel his arm pull me closer to his chest. Louis left the room, heading back to the bedroom with a smile. He slowly opened the door, expecting to find Becky urging in bed but she wasn't. She was fast asleep and curled up in a ball. Louis placed the tablets and water on the bedside table, placing a light kiss to her forehead before leaving the room and heading back to the living room.

I sigh happily as I look into Nialls eyes, feeling his fingers running up and down my arm as he smiles sleepily at me. "It's so nice to just spend time like this, without any intimacy" I say quietly as a small smirk appears on Nialls lips.

"Don't you think we did enough last night... I forget every time how amazing you are during that, it really was one of the best nights last night" he mumbles as I blush, slapping his chest lightly. It was true, we had had a very late night last night but it was definitely worth it. "Okay I'll stop... I'm going to go and get some water and some tablets for you darlin'" he says softly, slipping out of the bed as I hold his hand lightly.

"Don't go" I say quietly as he smiles his crooked smile that was full of love and adoration.

"I'll be right back petal" he whispers.

~~~~~~~

"Everything hurts" Becky whines, sitting on one of the sofa's with Louis rubbing her legs as she sighs. "I haven't felt this way in a long time" she sighs, laying her head against the arm rest as I laugh lightly, lifting my eyes to look at Niall who smiled down at me. His fingers were tangled in my hair as he sighs happily, feeling his eyes droop slightly from being so tired. "Thank you for looking after me" she says to Louis, looking into his eyes as he smiles softly at her.

"It's no bother love" he says lightly as she runs a hand through her hair, feeling her stomach turn again. She swallowed it down, trying her hardest to focus on the television in front of her. She couldn't hold it. She jumped up, running to the bathroom as I raise my eyebrow at Louis who followed behind her quickly. He was doing the most amazing job at looking after her, while we all sat extremely hung over on the sofa.

"Who knows" Niall shrugs, sliding down the sofa to lay opposite me to look into my eyes with a smile he knew would kill me.

"It's not like Becky to be sick after a night out Niall" I say quietly as he sighs quietly, taking my cheek into his hand as I lean into it. "I don't know Ni, something's off about her" I whisper as he looks into my eyes. The brightness of the blue and the fleck of yellow capturing me and making me feel weak.

"I know darlin'" he says softly, running his thumb over the skin of my cheek. I look into his eyes as he smiles softly. "I do know one thing though" he whispers this time, my eyes locked with his as I smile a small lopsided smile.

"What's that Ni?" I whisper as he chuckles softly, pressing his lips lightly to my own before resting his forehead on my own.

"That I'm so in love with you" he whispers, looking deep into my eyes.