coffee stains ; larry stylinson

chapter ten

louis woke up with a searing headache.

his eyelids felt heavy when he opened them and he groaned as a hot flare of pain went through his head. his mouth felt as dry as parchment and his throat was parched. he blinked a couple of times trying to find out where the hell he was and what the hell had happened last night. 

last night. 

flashes of last night came back to him in a painful rush. the burn of vodka, the stench of alcohol and vomit, the taste of blood and warm arms. 

he blinked at the ceiling. it looked familiar. it wasn't until a minute he realized it was the ceiling of his own house. 

heart pounding, louis got up in a flash and immediately regretted it as another shot of searing pain went through his head. someone had brought him home last night and when he saw the sleeping figure on his armchair he got his answer and nearly screamed.

harry styles was in his room, fast asleep in his armchair. 

his long legs were hooked over the arm of the chair and his head was pillowed in his arm, his hair an unruly crown of curls. he looked young and vulnerable and at ease as the pale sunlight shadowed his face with gold, highlighting the plains and hollows of his face and louis was struck with the beauty of it all. 

shocked with his thoughts, he slapped himself as a flutter went through his stomach. how did harry know where he lived? louis was more surprised that he had the decency to save him from whatever the fuck happened last night. 

louis turned to grab his phone and his heart swelled to see that harry had placed a glass of water and two tablets of aspirin on the side table. he gratefully downed the aspirin and glass of water. he opened his phone to see a string of panicked texts from eleanor. 

el mel: louis what happened last night??
el mel: are u ok?
el mel: CALL ME 
el mel: & why tf did styles text me to ask u where u lived???
el mel: LOUIS TOMLINSON ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW
el mel: please lou i'm getting worried
el mel: i'm going to assume ur asleep 
el mel: pls text me when ur awake 
el mel: i love u pls answer 

so eleanor was where harry'd gotten his address. louis scrolled up the messages to see what harry had texted and chuckled when he saw the conversation. 

lou: this is harry. i need tomlinson's address 
el mel: excuse me?
lou: give me the address
el mel: what the fuck is louis okay?
el mel: i swear if you're playing a prank-
lou: he will be if you give the damn address

now came the question how harry opened his phone. louis ignored the uncomfortable thought and decided to ask him when he woke up. he texted eleanor reassurances that yes he was okay and yes he was asleep and promising to call later to explain everything. 

louis got up and headed to the washroom to shower. when he caught a glimpse of his reflection and flinched. pale face; dried blood splotched around his mouth; hair a wild mess. he stepped into the shower, relieved that there was finally hot water in the tap for once which made the pain in his head and body abate. 

half an hour later, freshly showered and clothed, louis emerged from the shower with a cloud of steam following him. granted that the blinding headache has reduced to a dull throb, the pain was still there and each step he took felt wobbly. he stubbed his toe against the corner of his bed and with a yelp he collapsed onto his bed. the noise woke harry up, who rose whilst rubbing his eyes in a way that can only be described as adorable. his sleepy face was still unguarded but louis knew as soon as harry would see him, his blank expression and his unbothered attitude would come back again.