coffee stains ; larry stylinson

chapter eight

"i can't believe you've been hanging out with harry styles and did not tell me."

"i wouldn't call working on a project 'hanging out' but you do you."

it was the weekend and louis was at eleanor's small apartment. they were sprawled on a soft white fluffy rug and were watching 'birds of paradise' which was their favorite movie. 

"so what was it like?"

"nothing special. harry is just...well harry, y'know? like he barely talks, barely displays any emotion and instead of helping me with the project he read books on mythology."

"asshole," eleanor agreed solemnly.

"oh. he also bought me coffee."

eleanor spat out her own and turned to look at him with wide eyes. "oh my god, louis. he has sexual fantasies about you."

louis choked on the jaffa cake he was eating. "he...does...not."

"speak sense, louis. he bought you coffee. he totally does."

"but niall also buys me coffee," louis pouts.

"well niall can eat his own shit. you need to bang him. asap."

"el, that is never happening. thank you very much for your farcical theories. we can go back to the movie now, thanks." louis rolled back on his stomach and pressed 'play'. eleanor settled next to him and pouted. "you're no fun."

"if you're so keen on me banging him why don't you do it yourself?"

"because, flashback to a couple days prior, i said i don't do wintery princes like him," she said in exasperated tones and louis kicked her ankle. 

"enough harry talk," louis ordered. "back to the movie."

. . .

"do you honestly just flirt with any girl you lay your eyes on?"

louis and harry were sat at the library during a free period and were working on their project. a group of girls had passed by their table and harry shot them a hauntingly charming smile that would've made their panties drop down. 

"pipe down," harry growled. 

"no, i don't mean it like that. i'm just asking. like don't you have a type or something?"

 and louis really did not intend to be mean and was genuinely curious. 

"i don't think any girl is my type," harry said so quietly louis barely heard it. 

"what do you mean?" louis asked, puzzled. 

but harry just shook his head and bent his head over their notes and began scribbling down stuff. louis analyzed what harry had said. i don't think any girl is my type. louis had an inkling but he dared not go there. but despite the odds, it seemed likely. this called for eleanor's expertise.

"hey, you know what? i'll be back," louis said hurriedly and hastily gathered his things. harry didn't even acknowledge his fleeing but merely continued writing. louis didn't have the time to feel annoyed but right now? 

he had to find eleanor. 

. . . 

"el, i think he's gay."

louis had rushed to find eleanor, who was flirting with a poor freshman by the bleachers. he'd grabbed her arm and pulled her away, ignoring her protests and promises to kick his ass to the curb. panting and gasping, louis brought her to the lockers and voiced his thought. 

"okay," eleanor said, annoyed. "go fuck him then."

"jesus, will you give it a break? it's getting old."

"so, tell me," eleanor said in a bored voice. "what led you to this enlightening epiphany."

"okay so i asked him if he has any preference or a type because he always seems to flirt with literally any girl in his sight and he goes 'i don't think any girl is my type' and he said it so quietly i don't think i was meant to hear it. too bad, though. i did. and when i asked him about it he didn't respond and i got to thinking about it and well, this was the only explanation that makes sense."

eleanor smirked at him.

"well don't just stand there. what do you think it means?"

"i think you've got it all figured it already."

"so he's actually gay."

"probably, yes. did you drag me all the way here just to tell me that?"

"this was the most anti-climactic thing i've ever experienced. i expected you to run down the hall screaming."

she shrugged. "guess i kinda had my suspicions?" 

"how? he's got the emotional range of an ant. in fact i'm pretty sure i could read an ant better than him. he's so closed off, you know?" 

"there's nothing we can do about that, louis. if he wants to open up, he'll open up. i think he's been hurt. badly hurt. and not just physically. it's probably why he is the way he is."

"what will it cost him to open up?"

eleanor's eyes were dark as she replied.

 "one way or another, there'll always be hell to pay."

a/n: this chapter is 777 words slay.

i want to hear ur guy's thoughts on this chapter and what u all think of haz. 

are u the sun? cuz u got me all hot and bothered

all the love, tay x