inferno // l.s.

twenty four

merry christmas ya filthy animals ❤️‍🔥

—-

zayn sits at the table as he lights a joint, passing it to harry after he took two hits. "please know that in no way am i about to lecture you, i just want to talk to you. as louis' best friend and probably the only person besides his mother to know him like the back of their hand."

"alright," harry mumbles around the joint as he puffs on it. he twirls it between his fingers as he gets a taste of the green substance. "this the stuff niall just got?"

nodding, zayn takes it back and leans back in the chair. due to niall and louis going out for the day possibly torturing the citizens of los angeles, this gave zayn the perfect opportunity to sit down and actually have a chat with harry face to face without potential eavesdropping. so, they're smoking in harry's kitchen while emma lays across zayn's thighs.

emma likes everyone except for harry, apparently.

"i know you two haven't been together long but louis is going to put you through the fucking ringer," he starts off slowly. "this is um...this is his first serious relationship after he left mylo. i call it serious because i see potential between you two. i personally believe you two are perfect for one another, but that's just me."

harry crosses his arms as he leans against the kitchen table and listens to zayn intensely as they pass the joint back and forth. he'll be the cocky little shit he is and agree. louis is definitely perfect for him.

"louis and mylo were together for a little under a year. there has been things that man has done to louis that he would probably never speak of, unless he has told you. if he has not, that is not my business to disclose other than mylo was very...very narcissistic, very overpowering. it was either his way or the highway type deal."

louis had already opened up about so much, the thought of him possibly going through anything else makes harry's mouth go dry.

"he's not going to believe half of the things you tell him even if he acts like he does. for a while, he didn't even believe things i told him," zayn frowns. "that's also because i wasn't the best person around that time...i was really heavy into my last coke binge and wasn't there for lou when he needed me most. that's a different story. it's a mess. it really is. i hate to put it that way but louis is the only thing that kept me going and i worry about him, you know?"

"i get it," harry nods. "he's strong minded. very independent, too."

"and that's just it. his independency will get in the way of some things. he'll want to do things on his own or he'll fight tooth and nail over it. he hates arguing. any sort of temper or voice raising could make him shut down. his insecurities will take over from time to time. for the love of god, harry, don't comment negatively about his body or the scars that decorate it. please."

zayn swallows back the tremble in his voice and recollect himself as he passes the joint back to the man across from him.

"he's a soft person, even if he tries to say he isn't. and i know you're the same way. he told me so," zayn gives him a cheeky smirk. "he talks about you a lot. he really likes you and i know he has some sort of strong feelings about you...don't take that for granted. he's probably one of the best people anyone could ever have in their lives."

harry nods at that. louis is a gem. a rare, genuine soul. he's had the chance to know louis for almost seven months. he's seen and heard, he's witnessed and helped...but part of zayn's words are trying to tell him there's going to be so much more to this.

zayn crosses his ankles under his seat and sighs. "be easy with him. let him vent. understand he's coming from a hurt place and never question your worth to him. he stands on his boundaries and means what he says. he's trying to protect himself and make sure he doesn't go through anything like that again."