ɪɴꜰɪɴɪᴛʏ || ᴄʜᴀʀʟᴇꜱ ʟᴇᴄʟᴇʀᴄ

8.

Charles stayed quiet most of the time. 

He stayed in the studio, unnoticed by the two. Adley had started Liv a warm bath, making some warm tea afterwards for the pair. No words were exactly spoken by the two - they both looked guilty most of the time. 

Adley quickly excused herself from the table to go to the toilet real quick, and hurried into the studio, shutting the glass door behind her. "I've got to change that door to a wooden door sometime." She sat down on the floor next to Charles, who was huddled up with his phone. 

"What's happened?" He frowned. 

"They haven't said anything," She explained, sighing while giving him the cup of warm chocolate. "I think they don't mind if you're here. Honestly, we can start going out." 

"Lando'll think we're sleeping together," Charles swallowed down the hot chocolate whole. 

"He won't, trust me," Adley comforted him. "You can sit up, don't make this look like a hunting mission of some sort." They both sat on the chair in front of all the confusing buttons, which she knew how to control them with a few simple moves. "I just need-" 

"What the fuck?" The two jumped as Liv swung open the door, looking a bit more fresh than how she'd appeared at the door. "Look, me and Lando just wanted to tell you our hot chocolates are finished, and why is he here?" 

"He's here to help me on the recordings, we've worked far better than me and you have over the past few years," She replied coldly. "We've actually helped each other in music." 

"You can't blame me," Liv shrugged and headed out again. Adley simply glanced at Charles and left the room, leaving him completely confused by the interaction.

~~
*Adley's POV* 

I didn't know whether Liv approved. 

Approved of what? Approved of Charles being here, helping me with my job. After all, it had been a whole twenty-four hours and more that he'd been here, god knows what he could've been doing with me. But all three of us could have different mindsets to this. 

I'd left the Monegasque in the recording room alone, not knowing what to do with him. Either I could bring him out with me to the living room and let Lando decide what to do with him, or I let him stay. Charles followed me anyways. 

There was a really awkward moment of silence as we all gathered in the living room, not knowing what to say. I didn't know what to say to Liv either, I didn't know how to feel. We all sat down on the sofa, waiting for someone to say something. 

"Fast and Furious 7?" Lando suddenly spoke up, and I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand. Liv was still silent, and Charles looked across at him weirdly as if he'd done something wrong. "Hey! It's a good movie."

"I know, but it's a wrong time," I explained. "You're not that stupid, are you?" 

"Rude," He remarked. "You have a big sofa though." 

"Why did you invite Charles?" Liv asked. 

"Excuse me?" 

"We did nothing." 

I looked back at him, who shrugged and moved over so he could have a better conversation with Lando. I stayed silent and stared at Liv until she got uncomfortable. "We both knew something about music, so I invited him. It was alright."

"Alright?" She frowned. "Alright? May I ask why you, in the first place, invited him over without telling me?" 

"You slept with my brother, didn't bother to tell me anything until last minute," I said. "We both didn't tell each other." 

"I don't need to tell you anything," Liv protested. "We keep having arguments like these. We should stop." 

"Stop what?" Our conversation had gotten louder, making the boys more suspicious. With Charles hand still on my shoulder, squeezing it slightly. 

"Friendship," She took her bag and snapped. "I'll be away for the next few weeks. Don't even bother contacting me, not even Lando." 

"But-" 

"I'm packing my shit," She headed towards her room, slamming the door shut. I looked and Lando and Charles both, who shrugged and gave me sympathetic looks. Lando tried to go after her. 

"No, it'll just make it worse," I pressed his hand down firmly. "She needs time." 

"But-" 

"Give her a rest, mate," Charles gave me a watery smile as he interrupted Lando once again. "I know she might as well just come back soon. Fast and Furious 7?" 

"Charlie!" I exclaimed. 

"Sure!" Lando happily grabbed the TV remote from the coffee table and turned it on. 

~~

"What are we?" 

The question presumably popped into my head while we were watching Titanic, Lando wiping his eyes dry with paper towels from the kitchen. He hadn't paid attention yet to any of me and Charles' conversations. 

"What do you mean?" Charles had his watery eyes on the screen. I felt no emotion for the movie. 

"Well, clearly we've just confessed to each other at least a week ago, what are we then?" I asked again, gripping the sides of my phone tightly. 

He shrugged it off to my surprise. "I have no intention to anyone yet." 

"You said you liked me," I said, the smile slowly fading away from my face. 

"I did, but maybe not too quick?" Heartbroken again. Charles had his eyes on the movie, not even focusing on me while we spoke. I pursed my lips and looked at the door. "Ads?" 

I shook my head at the thoughts I recieved as he worriedly placed an arm around my shoulders, him pulling me closer to his shoulders. I scowled at the action and pulling his arm off of me, glaring at the ground. 

"Come on, we don't have to take it this quickly, do we?" His grasp suddenly felt horrible after all these years. Lando's attention now switched to our 'violent' conversation, keeping his glance on Charles. "Don't be upset." 

"I can be upset." I muttered a curse, standing up. "Why are all men like this? They say they love you, and then they break your heart. Leclerc, what is wrong with you?" 

"Look, I-" 

"Excuse me then," I tightened my grip around the edges of my jumper. "I'll be in the recording studio." I headed towards the room with no hestiations, and locked the glass door. I was on the verge of throwing my guitar across the room until the phone rang. 

"Hey?"

"Hey Norris."

Louis. 

"Well, Tomlinson," I copied his tone. "What do you want?" 

"I was thinking," He said, his accent taking over. "Maybe you'd like to do a cover-" 

"For Walls, maybe?" I suggested. 

"I was thinking we'd work on it together," A slight smirk tugged onto my face. "The whole internet would go crazy if the famous Adley Norris and Louis Tomlinson did a cover together." 

"Sure, why not?" I shrugged. 

"By the way, I'm coming over to your house."