"So let me get this straight. Niall likes Liam, who like Zayn." Louis repeated back to Harry as the curly haired boy paced back and forth across the room. Louis couldn't help but find his worrying adorable, but he pushed those thoughts to the side as he went back to analyzing the situation at hand. "And Zayn...?"
"As far as I know, is straight. But he knows Niall likes Liam." Harry stated, looking frustrated. "And we aren't supposed to know any of this."
Louis shrugged indifferently. "So we set up Niall and Liam and leave Zaynwith Perrie."
"But Liam dosent like Niall, He likes Zayn!" Harry exclaimed in frustration, throwing his hands in the air. Louid couldn't help by giggle a bit at the childish gesture, which prompted Harry to give Louis an unreadable look.
"Relax Harry. You don't even know for sure that Liam likes Zayn." Louid insisted. Harry shook his head.
"You disnt see the look Liam gave him when he fell asleep. It was pure adoration." Harry insisted.
Louis sighed. "I still don't see how this is our problem. Why don't we just let them work out?"
Harry frantically shook his head. "No, no, no. Someone would end up getting hurt. Probably both Niall and Liam. And Zayn would have no idea what To do. It would tear apart the band."
Louis winced when he heard that Harry thought that the situation would tear apart the band. Sure, it wasn't exactly like the situation Louis was in, but it was close enough to cause a bit of alarm. If Harry thought that this wasn't acceptable, what would he think if he knew that Louis liked him?
"Then I still think we try to get Niall and Liam together. I mean, if Liam likes Zayn, there's always the chance he'd fall for Niall instead. This way, half the battle is already fought." Louis suggested again. Harry seemed to be weighing his options. After a bit He shrugged.
"It may be our best bet to make as many people as possible happy." Harry admitted. Louis could tell from his eyes that he hated doing this to Liam, giving him the short end of the stick. But they both knew that this was probably their best plan of action if they were hoping to make as many people as happy as possible.
Louis reached over and grabbed Harry's hand, pulling him down onto the bed Louis was already sitting on. "Now that we established that, can we please go get some breakfast?"
Harry smiled, and nodded, glad to think of something other than the stressful situation He had been worrying about all morning. He took Louis' hand in his own, doing his best to ignore the tingling sensation his best friends palm touched on his own. As soon as Louis was back on his feet, Harry dropped his hand, not wanting to give himself away by showing any sign of Louis' touch affecting him. But of course it did. Every little thing Louis did affected Harry, from the simplest touch to his warm embraces late into the nights. What Harry didn't see was the disappointed look in Louis' face when he pulled his hand away. But that didn't change the fact that it was there. Because both boys secretly craved The contact of the others' hand, but neither knew the other had similar feelings, So neither could have what they desired.
They walked downstairs in a bit of an awkward silence, though neither boy could really say why the silence was awkward. But both were glad for the silence when they heard the conversation happening in the kitchen. This was something they wanted to hear, not interrupt.
"Do you know where Zayn went?" The voice obviously belonged to Liam, and Harry gave Louis a pointed look as they pressed their ears to the wall, as though that one sentence proved everything he had been saying upstairs.
"I think he went out this morning. Maybe to get breakfast." Niall's Irish accent was unmistakable.
"Is that really safe with all the fans hanging about?" Liam always asked things like that, but usually when they went on break at the group home, he would lighten up. Apparently not this time.
"Not much we can do to change it now." Niall pointed out. It was very subtle, but a careful listener could have detected a hint of jealously in his voice. Or maybe Harry was making things up based on what he had learned last night.
"Fair point." Liam agreed, and the room reverted to silence. Just when Harry and Louis were about to move from their hiding places when Liam spoke again. "Since no one else seems to be around, you wanna go do something, just the two of us."
Harry and Louis turned to look at each other With wide eyes. Niall was going to read so much more into this than he should. The poor boy would love every minute of what would be nothing more to Liam than a way to pass time until Zayn got back. But Harry gave Louis a look, one that wanted him to let the Irishman enjoy moments lije this. Because Harry knew all too well what it was like to be in Nialls shoes, and he knew that the little things that meant nothing to the person you liked were the memories yo would cherish forever. The things you looked vack in when the going got rough. And Niall deserved to have those moments, just as Harry did. Of course, Louis didn't know that Harry was thinking this. But he was thinking aling much the sane line of thought. So when Harry gave him the look, he was quick to agree.
"Right now?" Niall sounded surprised.
"Yeah, sure. There's nothing better to do." You could almost hear the shrug in Liam s voice.
"Its raining," Niall pointed out bluntly. Harry was beginning to winder if Niall was trying to avoid Liam and maybe him and Louis should interfere after all. There had certainly been times when he had wanted nothing to do with Louis, and while these moods had never lasted long, they demanded to be obeyed.
"Its always raining in England. Cine on Niall. I'll even buy you food." Liam offered. Everybody always obsessed over his much Niall ate, but he wasn't really that much id a big eater. Sure he liked good food, and he didn't barely get anything down, but most people way overestimated his love if food. Liam knew that full well, but it was a but of an inside joke to play along.
"How could I say no to that?" Niall sighed dramatically, and their laughter could be heard clearly from where Harry and Louis were hiding in the hallway. As could their footsteps.
Wide eyed, Harry rushed Louis down the hall, pushing him roughly into the coat closet. He tried to slow his breathing as he listened to the footsteps grow closer, but that was a considerable feat considering how close to Louis He was pressed. Not that it really mattered in the end. Liam opened the closet door to get a raincoat, revealing the two eavesdropers. Liam looked utterly baffled.
"Niall, why are Louis and Harry in the closet?" Liam asked.
"They just aren't ready to- oh. That's what you meant."Niall came up behind Liam, seeing the odd sight in front of him. But it barely seemed to phase the Irish boy. "Just leave them be. I'm sure they have their reasons." Niall grabbed Liam s coated and patted him on the back before shutting Louid and Harry into the closet again.
As the footsteps receded, Louis began giggling. And Harry soon joined him. Before long, they were both laughing uncontrollably, in the dark closet where they had so miserably failed at hiding.
One would think that the situation would be awkward. Two boys in love, pressed so tightly together. But it was in no way awkward for the two of them. Because while they may be in love, at the heart of it they were best friends. So yes, they both felt tingles when the other touched their skin, and yes they both cherished the others warmth. But they knew each other inside and out. There was nothing that could change the fact that they were perfectly comfortabl3 around each other, the fact that they were inseparable best friends. And nothing ever would.
