if you want me to write a poem (about you) [e.c]

chapter 5

Sometimes the only way Louis can get through hours on his feet dealing with customers at the restaurant where he works is by imagining his sofa in vivid detail. Not his bed, because that's too nice and makes him even more exhausted, but the sofa--it's just as much of a relief from standing and comes with a bonus telly in the same room for watching therapeutic films that star Chad Michael Murray.

It's this that he's looking forward to when he gets in from an extra afternoon shift he'd picked up a few days after Eleanor snapped at him in the library. He's already pretty much forgiven her for things said while stressed out and too caffeinated, but he isn't going to tell her that first. He does have some of his pride still intact.

"Hey Louis, that you?"

Zayn calls from the kitchen. "You should come in here."

Louis groans loudly and ignores him in favour of flopping down on the sofa.

"No, really," Zayn says. "Your man crush can wait, I have something better."

Louis doubts this claim very much, but it's enough to pique his curiosity and get him to drag himself to the kitchen.

There's cake on the counter. That's the first thing he notices, because it's bright white and blue and contrasts with the monochrome kitchen. Eleanor's standing next to it, which is the second thing he notices, because it's Eleanor.

"Surprise," Eleanor says softly. "Made you a cake."

"What?" Louis asks, genuinely a bit confused.

"Check out the writing on it," Zayn says. "I helped with that part."

Louis moves closer so he can read the top of the cake, where Sorry I'm a grumpy bitch is written in neat frosted letters across it. It's surrounded by little blue hearts. He snorts a laugh.

"So yeah," Eleanor says, "I'm sorry for implying your major is shit and for being mean when you were being nice."

"And you made cake to express how sorry you are," Louis says.

"And I made cake, yes," Eleanor says.

Louis really wants to tell her he loves her, but that would be a little too close to the truth for comfort, even though she wouldn't think of anything of it.

"Apology accepted," he says instead. "I can eat this, right?"

"Yes, Louis, it's edible." Eleanor rolls her eyes.

"I want some," Zayn says. "I helped."

Eleanor gets them forks to eat it instead of bothering to slice it, and Louis takes the opportunity to get cake all over Eleanor's nose just to see her scrunch it up in mock anger.

Zayn shakes his head at them and demands they keep practically half the cake saved for when Niall gets home.

Along with Eleanor, Louis has discovered in the year and a half since meeting her, comes a lot of touching and a lack of personal space. It's right up Louis' alley, really--he's never been known to respect a personal bubble--but Eleanor likes to manifest it in cuddling a lot of the time, whereas Louis prefers to lovingly assault and possibly maim or bruise the person.

Eleanor's way is probably better. It's certainly a lot more comfortable."We're almost done with uni," Eleanor says idly. They're lying on Louis' bed, Eleanor tucked into Louis' side with her head on his shoulder."For now, yeah," Louis says.

Eleanor shifts so she can look up at him. "For now? What are you planning to do after we graduate?"

Louis makes an approximation of a shrug. "Postgrad. There's this year long program here that I want to do." It's been his plan for so long that he barely even thinks about it anymore. Plans, straight lines, bullet point lists--those are what holds Louis together.