Drunk Words, Sober Thoughts

11

Only two days had passed since the night out behind the restaurant with Harry.

Surprisingly, Louis was holding up pretty well.

He felt lighter almost. And he was still playing piano like how he had before- even thinking of finding some gigs sometime, putting himself back out there.

He had stopped playing because he had thought, after Harry left, there was no one he cared to play for.

But seeing Liam and Niall so delighted by the most basic Christmas songs on the piano reminded Louis Harry wasn't his only audience.

The whole world was waiting for him.

He just had to give himself an extra push into the spotlight.

His mother and siblings would also be excited, he figured. When he came back home for his birthday and Christmas and actually put the old piano in their living room to use. Maybe he was feeling lighter because there was a part of him missing- Harry. Or maybe he was feeling lighter because a part of him had reunited- piano.

Whatever it was didn't matter. Louis was avoiding any thought of Harry, and so far, it hadn't been so terrible. Thinking of Harry was a mix of every emotion you could think of, but it wasn't hard to not think of Harry when it felt as if he didn't exist.

Louis had lived like that just fine for five years. Besides, it was the most wonderful time of the year. And Liam, Niall, and Louis had a Christmas dinner to attend.

"Alright, you got the wine Li?" Louis asked Liam on his right.

"Yep. Best money could buy." Liam lifted the bottle slightly.

"And the pie Niall?" Louis now turned to his left.

"Still warm, and smells fucking obscene."

"That's not what obscene means Niall." Liam said quickly.

"Fine Mr. Webster. It smells good." Niall rolled his eyes easily.

"You really don't know what obscene means-"

"I'm just gonna knock." Louis interrupted before knocking on the door.

Only a moment after three swift knocks did the door swing open, revealing Zayn in the doorway.

"Ah! You're here. Niall, Liam, Lou, nice to see you all. I hope you don't mind, it's no big gathering, basically just us few." Zayn smiled and- how did he manage to work a Christmas sweater?

"That's perfect. We brought wine and pie." Liam grinned.

"My two favorites." Zayn smiled, smooth as butter, "Come in, come in."

Zayn's flat had to be five times the size of theirs, with clean white marble and a spiral staircase. It only occurred to Louis then that their twenty euro wine probably was nothing compared to what Zayn was used to. Still, Zayn had managed to make the penthouse christmas-y and cozy- in a rich sense at least.

"Okay then, I guess that's everyone." Zayn smiled.

"Everyone?"

"Hey Zayn, I think something's wrong with the cranberries..."

This wasn't real.

It couldn't be. Oh the irony.

"Oh Harry, good, I was just about to introduce you to my dear friends, I think you might have met before?" Zayn placed his hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry stood, nearly frozen, wearing a green and red Christmas sweater and a Santa hat on his head.

"Oh we have met before actually." Niall perked up, "Nice to see you again mate."