Enjoy!
Naomi's POV
I didn't think I had ever tried that hard for a guy. I'd basically ran out of my parents Christmas celebration and sped home to try on everything in my closet. I had fixed my makeup twice before settling into clothes. Skinny jeans, showy snow boots and a really warm maroon sweater. It was hard to look impressive when snow was piling up on the London sidewalks like a thick white blanket.
I showed up at Louis flat five minutes early. Harry was the one to answer the door moments after I knocked. He was dressed in clean jeans and a pressed black button up shirt that looked to be a size too large for him. The top few buttons were undone, revealing the inked edges of his tatoos. He appeared to be freshly showered, with his long overgrown curls dripping at the ends just slightly in a messy frame around his face. His lips curled into a smile at the sight of me.
"Hey Naomi," he said unslurring. He looked tired, though his eyes were wide in alert and clear, lacking the dilation they'd displayed the previous night. They were red as if he'd been rubbing them, and rimmed with dark circles.
"Umm... Hi," I said awkwardly, attempting to keep my voice light. Our last encounter had been less than pleasant.
"Louis almost ready.... Come in?" He said it as a question. I nodded.The home smelt like cookies in direct contrast to the stench of last night. He showed me into the living room which was now clean with a small Christmas tree set up in the corner. It looked like it was on its last legs, with branches dropping sadly. It was strung with an array of brightly colored lights and had a present or two sat underneath it. "I decorated that," he added with a wide smile, taking note of my expression. It didn't last long though before he fell into the couch biting his lip in a nervous way. Something seemed very off with him, though that wasn't saying much, considering how I'd met him the previous night.
"Are you okay?" I asked concerned.
He took a deep steadying breath before smirking. "I'm actually kind've... Louis has me under lock and key today."
"Oh," I said surprised by his honesty.
"I'm sorry... About yesterday I mean." He added uncomfortably.
Louis waltzed in, deflating the tension. He was wearing a white dress shirt and slacks, his unruly dark hair combed into a somewhat proper place. "Merry Christmas!" He said cheerily. "I hope you like the tree, Harry decorated. I made dinner, but to be honest Harry normally cooks and my cooking is shoddy at best so we may be better off ordering takeout."
"No!" Harry insisted with a smile, rising from his place on the couch. "Your cookings great, I eat it all the time."
Louis grabbed my arm and headed off towards the kitchen. He leaned in towards me, and that's when I saw the bruised gash on his cheek. "What happened?" I whispered so that Harry wouldn't hear as he sauntered on ahead of us.
"Harry and I had a falling out." At my shocked expression he added, "Don't worry, he's withdrawing right now; maybe for the last time; hopefully it will get better." The casual way in which he talked about Harry's life was mind boggling.
He stopped as Harry proudly faced us. "I set the table." On the table was two glass plates, with silver forks, and wine glasses. Overall, the fanciest thing I've seen in Louis house so far.
"There's only 2..." Louis said confused.
"Did you really think I'd intrude on your date? I'm eating in my room," Harry said as he started to back out.
Louis stiffened and narrowed his eyes at him.
"With the door open so you can spy," he added humorously. "Actually I'm trying to call my mum. I won't do anything messy in earshot of my mum anyway." Harry's laugh was nervous.
Louis shook his head sadly. As soon as Harry was out of earshot he said to me "His mum won't answer. She's been Ignoring him since everything happened with his overdose and all. She refused to have a loser of a son or something." He put air quotes around the word loser, making a face that clearly portrayed his distaste of Harry's mum.
With that, we sat down to eat. Contrary to what Louis had told me, he was an extraordinary cook. He'd made lasagna, and we each ate, drinking our glasses of wine and talking about our lives.
I told him about how I moved out of my parents house to avoid being forced into taking courses at Oxford. He told me he was ignoring most of his family, besides his mother and siblings, due to their inability to understand his choice to leave everything behind and live with Harry.
For the most part he avoided the subject of Harry, though I could completely understand why. He didn't need to justify his decisions to me. He liked to talk about happy things like his days in One Direction before the mess. He spoke fondly of performing and traveling the globe.
"Do you miss it?" I asked finally. "All the band stuff?"
He was quiet in his mind before saying, "Have you ever been afraid of losing yourself.... Like waking up and suddenly having no idea who you are?"
I nodded.
"One day I was Louis Tomlinson in a band, traveling the world, singing in sold out tours, with millions of adoring fans who loved me. Then I woke up." He looked at me with an unreadable expression. "I woke up and it was gone. No band. No singing. No tours. And a million fans thinking I must be gay because that was the only way I'd let Harry live with me. It felt like the person I thought I was, had died all the sudden."
I stared awestruck at his statement.
"But," he added on a lighter note. "Then I realized that I didn't miss the fans or the tours or the band. I missed singing. Singing was the only part that was really me and no company can take my voice. So I don't miss the band really. I just miss singing with my four best friends."
"Are you any good?" I asked curiously.
"Seriously? You've never heard?" He asked laughing.
I shook my head, slightly embarrassed.
"Well then... I could sing for you..." He suggested timidly.
I nodded.
"Fair warning... Its been a long time," he said nervously. Then he sang a song I vaugly recognized from the last 1D album. I thought it was called you and I. I'd heard it but never distinguished Louis voice. He only sang 2 lines but it was enough.
"What do you think?" He asked.
"You're beautiful," I said awkwardly, blushing wildly. "I mean your voice is beautiful." Both statements were true.
He grabbed my hand with an expression of complete gratitude. I wondered how long it had been since someone had complimented his voice. I couldn't imagine having something like that, something I absolutely loved, just end so abruptly. "Thank you."
I stared at his eyes for a moment, again thinking that they were the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen. Perfect piercingly blue.
"Well," he said suddenly. "I do have some gifts under the tree if you'd follow me to get Harry."
"Oh, you didn't have to get-"
"I wanted to," he said smiling. "Now let's get Harry." He led me out. We hadn't yet reached the hall when we hard the sounds of Harry's room. We heard shuddering sobs and Harry's voice muttering angrily to himself. Louis froze in the doorway quickly and looked at me. "Wait here please," he said in a serious tone.
I nodded wide eyed and made my way to the couch to wait patiently. Annoying as it may be, the fact that Louis cared so deeply and so passionately for Harry was a beautiful thing. One of the many beautiful things about Louis that I was learning to love. It also worried me. He lived in such devotion and proximity to someone who sounded like a ticking time bomb.
He returned with Harry who was red in the face and wiping his eyes hastily with the back of his hands. None the less, the smile on his face; though clearly fake; reasurred me. "So," he said clapping his hands. "Presents!"
I smiled. I actually had gotten them each something. It was small, but it was Christmas after all. Hardly any stores had been open.
Harry handed out the presents like a young child, his mood visibly lifting considerably by the second. Louis had given Harry a notebook and pen and condoms. I looked at them quizzically.
"I write a lot.... when I'm upset," Harry explained. "And Lou always get me condoms."
"I really don't want any more of him," Louis said tightly. His face looked grim. "I'm literally terrified of having little Harry's running around my flat."
Harry laughed. He opened my present next. I'd gotten him a shirt, mainly because when I met him last night, he hadnt been wearing one. It was an old chronicles of narnia shirt that read, "The closets where the magic happens." I'd taken it as a comical reference to our childhood. From his expression, I could tell he felt the same way.
"Louis," he said smiling. "I like this girl. You should keep her."
Louis laughed, though he didn't really understand. I think he just liked to see me and Harry happy. From Harry, Louis received suspenders, which apparently he got every year, and a shirt reading "Yes, I am the guy you saw on he internet." From me, a book on parenting. Harry gave me a dirty look, but Louis loved it.
Then me. From Harry I got a giant hershys kiss. From Louis I received a teddy bear. I looked at them quizzically. Harry was the first to explain by leaning in awkwardly close and whispering, "I took your first kiss years ago. This is is my way of giving it back... If you're smart, you'll use it on Lou."
My eyes widened as he leaned away.
"Haz I swear if you said anything demeaning to her, I'll be forced to kill you." Louis spoke airily as if killing Harry had passed through his mind just as simply as the idea of reading a book or matching socks. I wondered if Louis thought about killing him often. Non realistically, of course.
"He didnt," I assured him.
Harry stood up. "Well, I have had a killer hangover all day long, presents are over, and I haven't done drugs today. So I'm going to go to sleep before I have time to fuck up my life further or to remember my mother doesn't love me."
He winked at me sarcastically, bowed to Louis and then left the same direction he'd come.
"Alright then," Louis laughed lightly. It took him a second to process Harry's statements. "He's had a rough day. Poor guy."
I held up the bear changing the subject. "I like him."
"I've named him Loubear, though you are his mother now so you can change it," Louis said as he patted the fuz of its head absentmindedly.
"No, I like Loubear... It reminds me of you," I chose my words carefully treading the grounds of flirting. Louis small smile widened.
"Well," he said just as carefully. "That was my goal."
I smiled up at him. Once Harry was gone We'd moved considerably closer to each other. His head was right here above mine. His beautiful face. His sparkling blue eyes. His lips. I didn't really know him but I wanted to kiss him. I really did.
"Dont just stare at her! Kiss her you fucking idiot!" Harry's voice flew around the corner. I jumped away from him in surprise and then stood up.
"Well I better be off," I said hurriedly.
"Ill walk you out," Louis offered just as quickly.
I nodded and he grabbed my arm taking me to the elevator. Our exit was serenaded by Harry's laughter floating in from the hallway. We paused in the garage before I got in my car.
"Merry Christmas Naomi," he said hugging me. Our faces were inches apart. His arms were wrapped tightly around me. He ruffled my short hair. The perfect time.
"Merry Christmas, " I breathed. Then I was in my car driving away without so much as a peck.
Question of the chapter:
Do Louis and Naomi seem like a good pairing? How do you feel about Louis relationship with Harry?