I Hate You ~ Louis Tomlinson

THAT'S MY JOB NOW

The next morning Natalie wakes up and she wants to do her best to make sure Louis is feeling better about things. It killed her to see just how much he was in his head about their relationship and how much he regretted some of the things that happened.

It doesn't feel like that to her though, she can see past the bad things.  She's always just always felt like things happen when they're supposed to.

Yeah, it would have been nice if she and Louis could have been like this the whole time, but they couldn't have. They needed the time and space and maybe they didn't use it to get to know each other, but they made a connection.

Maybe that's all they need to do now, lean in to the connection. It was building for so long, it's natural to feel uncomfortable or uncertain when the bubble is finally burst.

Realizing that makes her feel like they'll be able to overcome it. She doesn't want him to have to sit there in those uncomfortable feelings. Not that she can control his feelings or even that she is responsible for them, it's just if she can help him, she really wants to.

She's not sure exactly what she can do though. She's afraid that if she makes some sort of romantic gesture to show how much she cares about him, it might make him feel worse and that's the last thing she wants.

So, after a while of thinking, she decides to act normal. Maybe that will be the best way to help settle things. They really do have to find a normal between the two of them.

She walks out of her room right as Louis opens his door across the hall from her.

"Hi," she says smiling brightly at him.

"Good morning love," Louis says tiredly.

"You okay?" She asks moving into his side to hug him around his middle.

"I don't know, I'm not really feeling too well."

"What's wrong?" She asks, eyebrows knitting in concern.

He smiles weakly at her and brings his thumb up to the middle of her eyes, smoothing the lines there.

"Just a headache, I'll be alright love." He says sweetly, "Don't worry about me."

"Mm," she hums. "That's my job now."

"Oh, is it?"

"Yeah, gotta look out for you," she says looking up at him. "Speaking of which, go sit down. I'll make you some tea. Maybe some toast too. You hungry?"

"Sure, that would be lovely." He says, squeezing her hip before going to sit down at the table. He puts his head down in his arms and she looks at him with a pout.

Once his food is ready, she sits down next to him on the bench. She sticks her hand on the back of his neck and scratches it lightly.

"Come on baby, maybe eating will make you feel better." She tells him gently.

He whines and groans as her hand leaves his neck. When he sits back up she puts her hand back on him and he turns to her looking like a kid in a candy store.

"You are too cute for your own good."  

"For your own good," he says through a mouthful of toast.

She laughs and lays her head on his shoulder. They sit like that together, eating their little breakfast in a comfortable silence until it's time to get ready for work.

They part ways until they're ready to leave and Louis is immediately back to her, attached to her hip. She's starting to see he's very cuddly when he doesn't feel well.

Work goes by quickly, she has a lot going on today. Lots of emails and marketing plans she needs to get done in advance so lunch comes much sooner than she thought.

Louis is still feeling poorly so she sits next to him and he lays his head in her lap instead of eating. He thinks maybe some sleep will help him feel better.

She pushes her hand through his hair the way she knows he likes and he might even have fallen asleep for some of their break. She's not sure how because the chairs aren't comfortable, but who is she to stop him.

When everyone else gets up to go back to work, Louis makes no effort to move.

"Hey Haz, can you go get my laptop and notebook from my office? Don't want to wake him." She asks in a hushed whisper tone. She can work from the cafeteria, why not?

"No, that's okay." Louis says sitting up and rubbing a hand over his face.

"Why don't you go home and go to bed?" Niall asks.

He looks a bit too happy when he says it, but Niall is always happy so she brushes it off.

"Yeah, I'll go double check with management, but it should be fine for you to go I think. If I'm remembering the schedule correctly," Liam says.

"I'm sure you are," Zayn tells him and pats his back.

Liam shoots him a quick smile before disappearing into their studio.

"You going to be alright alone?" Natalie asks, clearly worried about him since he never takes time off of work.

None of the boys do really.

"Yeah, I'll be alright. Probably just go and lay down." He says smiling at her sleepily.

His face is a light shade of pink on the one side from when his cheek was smooshed against her leg and his hair is all messed up. He looks absolutely adorable.

She leans up and kisses his forehead.

"What are you doing?" He giggles.

"Checking your temperature, seems fine I think."

"Mm, well I think you should run a few more tests and check again," he says with a cheesy smile.

"Doesn't hurt to be thorough," she shrugs.

She kisses all over his face, his cheeks and nose, forehead and even his chin.

He's about to lean in and kiss her when Liam comes back in.

"Yeah Louis, you're good to go mate. Feel better." He ushers the rest of the boys back to work and Natalie finally gets up to go do her own.

She tells Louis to text her if needs anything and tries to kiss him better. Although he appreciates it, he still goes home to lie down.

Natalie gets back to her work, but now she's only half paying attention. She wishes she was home with her cuddly boy instead of her boring office, but the show must go on.