For As Long As I Can Remember (It's Been December)

Prologue

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"How do you feel about That?"

Louis rolled over onto his back, stretching his legs out. He'd been almost asleep when his phone had started ringing. As usual, Niall got straight to the point. "Their fried chicken is some cheap KFC."

Niall laughed. "That's why I got you noodles."

"I like those." Louis sat up. He muted his TV. "Why exactly did you get me dinner?"

"Because I need a place to crash tonight and I'm on my way to yours."

The usual. "Fighting with--" Louis tried to remember her name. "Susan?"

"Cindy," Niall corrected him. "She kicked me out."

"My guest room is yours."

"I'll be there in five." Niall sounded chipper for a bloke who had just been kicked out of his flat by his girlfriend. Then again, nothing really wore Niall down.

Louis put his mobile on the sofa table and got up to go to the kitchen. He was still in his suit from work, the tie hanging loosely from the collar of his dress shirt, the first three buttons opened. Louis caught a glimpse of his own reflection in the dark floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the night lights of London.

Sometimes he had to do a double take; just to make sure it was really him being reflected there. Expensive suits, a spacious loft in London with fancy designer furniture, and a position as the youngest ever junior partner at Cowell Law LLP. That was who Louis had become in the past five years.

He'd become what people called successful. He studied the blurry reflection of his face, wondering if that was all it was. Turning away, he took off the tie and left it hanging from one of the chairs in the kitchen. While taking two beers out the fridge, he pushed the gloomy thought aside.

Of course he was successful, and of course he was happy. He had worked hard for this. For three years now, Louis had been able to help out his family financially, and make sure all of them had a secure future. He had savings accounts for all of his siblings to make sure they'd get to go to college or uni someday. The mortgage for his mother's house was almost paid off, and Louis himself was able to afford this fancy flat, as well as a posh lifestyle.

Hard work had got him here. Hard work that he had needed to put all of his energy into after his life had turned upside down five years ago. That he had needed to distract himself from the empty throbbing inside his chest every morning when he woke up.

He had just put the bottles onto the sofa table and unmuted the TV when the doorbell rang. It cut his thoughts short, the memory of a night long ago, torn skin and bloody hands vanishing from his vision.

"I'm telling you, we'll have snow for Christmas this year," Niall told him as he came inside. He had his arms full with several grocery bags and his guitar case slung over one shoulder.

"Did you buy me food for the rest of the week, too?" Louis asked, closing the door.

"Just stopped by Tesco's and bought the necessities." Niall put down the bags on Louis' kitchen table. "'Cause your fridge's always empty."

Louis peered into the bags. "I just like eating out."

Niall moved around the kitchen as if it was his own. He got plates and cutlery and opened a few boxes with Thai food in it that he shovelled onto the plates. "You tend to eat at work. It's unhealthy, I'm telling you."

Louis raised a brow. "Is greasy Thai food and beer in front of the telly healthy, though?"

"Not working twenty four-seven is healthy, mate." Niall washed his hands and then handed Louis one of the plates. "Go sit on the sofa and relax."