I Hate You ~ Louis Tomlinson

SOLIDARITY

"So, we have worked out some terms," Linda begins. She look particularly threatening with her hair pulled back so hard it has to hurt. 

Natalie tries to take a deep breathe, but it comes out all shaky. She and Louis are sat next to each other, Zayn and Liam to the left of him and Harry and Niall to the right of her. 

Before they walked in Niall had joked that Natalie should just sit on Louis' lap in solidarity, she sputtered a laugh and brushed it off. Louis on the other hand thought it was a great idea, trying to convince her it would show them they can't be broken apart. 

He settled for getting to hold her hand, he gives it a squeeze and looks at her before turning his attention back to Linda. 

"Before we get to those though, it needs to be made clear you cannot threaten to leave when something doesn't go your way. You're not children." 

"Don't treat us like that then," Niall huffs under his breathe. 

Harry swats at him under the table but Natalie gives him a small smile. 

She has to conceal a laugh remembering the way Liam went off about it the other night. It went something like this, 

"I mean logically or lawfully, I don't know what the word is, but in any case they can't do that. I mean it's not right." Liam says quite ungracefully, slurring his words. 

It's possible that the lot of them are having a sort of last hurrah. They decided to stay in but they have enough liquor that it looks like they may as well be at a full on bar. 

"Yeah I mean what are we? Puppets?" Zayn agrees. 

"Or children, yeah. We aren't your children, you can't tell us who we can date." Liam huffs

"Besides," Niall slurs standing up on the coffee table, "You and Natalie are much better parents than them. You don't tell us what to do."

"Niall get down," Natalie says, swatting at the air and too lazy to get up. She's far too comfortable tucked under Louis' arm with her head on his shoulder and her feet in Harry's lap.

He shoots her a look but gets down all the same. "Yes, mother."

"Wait? If you and Liam are the parents, what am I?" Louis asks appalled, gasping for dramatic effect. "Am I the side piece?"

Natalie and Liam glance at each other and start cackling. The rest soon join in and no further clarity is given on the matter. 

"Well at least you get the good side now," Harry says. 

"Yeah, I guess boyfriends do get certain perks." Louis says with a smile, leaning his head down to kiss the top of hers. 

Natalie leans up and kisses his lips instead. The night continues on like that, cuddles and happy yelling and way too many drink. But it's fun and she loves them. 

What's not fun, is this meeting. She's not sure if either of them are supposed to answer when there's a tiny gap of silence and really it's tiny, this woman can talk. 

"If  we are able to reasonably agree and no more threats are made by any of the boys to quit the tour, you two may see each other," she concedes. "But it's not to be some public matter, you can't flaunt it around."

"Define flaunt," Zayn grits out.

"This matter doesn't really involve you Zayn," Linda snarks back. 

"It does," he protests, "I have a vested interest in my friends happiness."