Reactive Envy

Chapter Fourteen: The bar....

Realising too late that maybe visiting Niall should have waited for after the visit tomorrow, Harry approaches the bar warily. He lets his emotions get the best of him far too often. Harry often finds himself sitting at the bar whining to Niall about how unfair life is and how desperate he is for a husband. Tonight, is no different.

He knows Niall will listen, probably laugh at him for a while and then give some good advice about putting himself out there and that men don't fall out of the sky looking for you. Just because he is happily married to Shawn doesn't mean it's easy for everyone to find someone.

Harry is surrounded by loved-up idiots. The only one who has his back entirely is Gemma, but he's still kind of mad at her and needs to spend hours with her tomorrow, so going to her isn't an option.

Upon entering the bar, Harry notices two main things. 

Niall is laughing loudly at something Shawn said before kissing his cheek. Shawn then leaves out the staff door behind the bar, meaning Niall is now available for Harry to be able to vent.

The second thing is how many people are in the bar for a weeknight.

He sighs, knowing it will be a long night of pushing men away who are only interested in hooking up. This always results in Niall shaking his head and muttering, 'Just sleep with one, and you won't be so uptight.'

He loves Niall. Honestly, he does, but that man has an unhealthy obsession with Harry's non-existent sex life.

If he is going to survive this hell, he needs a few more beers than he planned on drinking. That 11 o'clock home time is looking like less of a possibility the more people he sees looking in his direction.

Niall spots him as he shuffles around other patrons towards the bar. "Harry, my man. It's been a while. Thought you might have found a fulla and didn't need your therapist Niall anymore. How the bloody hell are ya?"

Harry smirks at the Irish man. "If I had a man in my bed, Niall 1. You would hardly see me, but 2. I Would need my therapist more than anything in this world. Men are annoying Niall, you know this. How is Shawn doing? I saw him slip out the back. Off to do dumb things while you are making a living?"

Niall just laughs as he always does. "You are still the same shithead. Good to see a couple months haven't changed your dirty mouth. Shawn is fantastic in every way."

Niall looks like he may slip into dreamland at any time about his fantastic in every way husband, so Harry flicks him on the nose. "Beer Niall. Now please, bartender."

Scowling playfully, Niall walks over to pull a beer for Harry. "Owner, bartender, musician, waiter, and cleaner to you, thanks H."

Sliding the beer towards Harry, Niall leans onto the counter with a questioning gaze. He feels like Niall is assessing his every crinkle, looking into the depths of his soul. "So, young man, what brings you to this fine establishment tonight? Shouldn't you be writing pretty stories about this world's rich and famous wankers?"

As Harry opens his mouth to answer, he hears a loud laugh from somewhere in the far corner of the pub. He can't quite make out who it is, which is not surprising considering the number of people in here and it being rather dark in the back corner.

What does surprise him is Niall. "Lou, shut your loud British mouth. I can hear you from over here."

Lou? British? There is no way that could be who he thinks it is. He needs to leave now, just in case. Harry can't see him two days in a row and be expected to survive that. Harry is panicking, hoping, and praying this isn't about to happen. Sculling back his beer while trying to grab his wallet is a more difficult task than it should have been. He throws a note on the counter, not even looking how much it was, jumping up and pushing his hair out of his eyes he looks up to say a rushed goodbye to Niall but stops dead in his tracks.

LouisLouisLouis

Jaw-dropping open slightly, eyes going big and round, Harry stares at him across the bar. Louis is wearing black jeans that are so tight they look painted on. He has a maroon scoop neck shirt underneath a denim jacket and what looks like black vans on his feet. His hair is pushed up into a quiff, and he's delicately holding a beer glass twice the size of his tiny hand. He hasn't seen Harry, but Harry has sure seen him. He needs to leave, but his body is not cooperating.

He glances at Niall to see him standing back with his arms folded over his chest, smirking at Harry. "Something wrong, H? were you heading home so soon?"

Harry flounders at that. Suppose Niall can see his reaction to Louis, who he knows well enough to call Lou. In that case, he could totally blow Harry's cover of 'I'm not interested in hook-up's.'

He would do anything that man asked of him. Blow job in the toilets of a bar, one-night stand, friends with benefits, marriage, and kids? All yes to everything. God damn, he is so whipped, and Louis probably doesn't even remember his name.

"I'm okay, Niall, feeling rather tipsy off that one beer, so I'm going to head home and sleep it off before helping Gem tomorrow. I'll come back and air my dirty laundry tomorrow night, okay?"

Niall keeps smirking at him, causing Harry to blush because he knows that Niall knows what's happening. "Suuuuuuure H, whatever you say. I'll be sure to mention my friend H in passing with Lou. He's a great guy. You could just go talk to him; you know."

Harry glances back at where Louis was only to see him flung across Ashton's lap and giggling into his shoulder. "Fuck off, Niall. I don't need or want some stranger anywhere near me. Seems like he's got a loudmouth anyway. I'm not interested. He also looks very comfortable over there. I'll see you tomorrow Ni."

He's never spoken to Niall like that before, and he doesn't understand why he's so jealous and angry over someone he has seen three times.

"Harry, that's not what it looks like. Ashton is-"

"Stop, Niall, I don't care. Goodnight."

Walking away to get home as fast as he can, Harry doesn't notice Louis getting to his feet behind him and following him. He doesn't notice Niall trying to stop Louis and doesn't see the taxi speeding towards him as he steps out to cross the street.