Glitter & Crimson [COMPLETED]

18

Six months had passed since the infamous winter wedding that never was, and the summer sun now cast a warm glow over Liam's living room as he stood in front of Harry and Niall, holding a well-worn notebook. His face was a mix of determination and mild frustration as he flipped through its pages.

"The plan," Liam announced, smacking the notebook down on the coffee table as though it held the blueprint to the most ambitious operation of their lives.

Niall leaned forward, squinting at the scribbled handwriting. His brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of the chaotic scrawl. "Mate," he said, barely suppressing a laugh, "your handwriting is atrocious..Are these even words?"

Harry, seated lazily in a chair with one leg draped over the armrest, tilted his head at the notebook. "I mean, I don't want to be rude," he began with a smirk, "but I've seen toddlers with better penmanship. Who let you write lyrics for songs? Like, seriously?"

Liam sighed heavily, his patience already wearing thin. "Shut up," he muttered, flipping the notebook upside down, then right-side up again, as if that would somehow make it more legible. He squinted at his own notes, his lips moving silently as he tried to decipher the mess.

Harry chuckled, leaning back further. "I'm just saying, this feels like a code-breaking exercise."

"Do you want a plan or not?" Liam snapped, glaring at the two of them.

"Do we?" Niall teased, leaning back and crossing his arms. "I feel like the wedding already planned itself the last time. Chaos and all. Why not just let it happen again?"

Liam shot him a look. "Because this time, it's going to be perfect. No missing rings, no messed-up catering, and definitely no one ending up in the hospital."

Harry and Niall exchanged amused glances, though they didn't argue. Despite the teasing, they knew Liam was the most organized of the group, even if his handwriting was an abomination.

"Alright, genius," Harry said, sitting up. "Walk us through it. What's this master plan of yours?"

Liam straightened up, his resolve solid. "First," he began, flipping to what looked like a timeline, "we pick up the rings the day before the wedding. Not the morning of. That way, there's no chance of forgetting them."

"Smart," Niall admitted begrudgingly.

"Second," Liam continued, "we triple-confirm the catering. I've already called twice, but I'll do it again a week out. No surprises."

"And if they cancel last minute?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've got a backup list of local places that can do last-minute platters," Liam said confidently, tapping the page.

Harry whistled, impressed. "Look at you, Mr. Prepared."

"Third," Liam went on, ignoring the comment, "we're sticking to a summer evening wedding. Less chance of weather issues, and Louis specifically requested golden hour photos."

"Golden hour photos?" Niall repeated, grinning. "Are we sure Louis isn't the bride here?"

Liam smirked. "You want to tell him that?"

Niall quickly shook his head. "Not a chance."

The three laughed, and for the first time since Liam had pulled out the notebook, the mood lightened.

"Alright, alright," Harry said, holding up a hand. "You've won me over. What's next?"

Liam flipped to another page, his expression turning serious. "We make sure Zayn doesn't leave Louis alone with too much downtime before the ceremony. He'll overthink everything and panic."

Niall nodded knowingly. "True. Last time, he was pacing so much, I thought he'd wear a hole in the floor."

"And Louis?" Harry asked.

Liam grinned. "Louis is a wildcard, but he'll be fine as long as he doesn't feel like things are too rigid. So, we keep him busy but not too busy."

The three exchanged a look, the same unspoken thought passing between them: This time, they were going to get it right.

"Alright," Niall said, clapping his hands together. "Let's make this wedding one for the books. But maybe next time, Liam, print the plan."

Liam groaned, tossing the notebook onto the couch. "I hate you both."

"Love you too, mate," Harry quipped, grinning.

***

Liam made his way down the stairs toward the wedding venue, a box of decorations balanced precariously in his arms. The warm summer breeze filtered in from an open window, carrying the faint scent of fresh-cut grass and blooming flowers. Everything about the day screamed perfection—until his foot slipped.

"Shit!" Liam yelped as the world seemed to tilt beneath him. The box of decorations flew from his hands, streamers and faux flowers scattering like confetti as he slid unceremoniously down the last five steps. He landed with a loud thud, the wind momentarily knocked out of him.

"Liam!" Niall's voice echoed from the nearby hall, followed by the sound of rapid footsteps.

A moment later, Niall appeared, his expression shifting from concern to barely-contained amusement as he took in the sight of Liam sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, surrounded by a mess of ribbons and decorations.

"You alright, mate?" Niall asked, though the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

"Do I look alright?" Liam muttered, wincing as he rubbed his lower back. "I think I just broke my dignity—and maybe my spine."

Harry peaked into the room from the make shift kitchen where he'd been sorting miniature shot bottles, "how the fuck did you manage that?"

Niall snorted, crouching down to help him up. "You've got to be the only person who can injure themselves before the wedding starts."

Liam groaned as he got to his feet, brushing imaginary dust off his pants. "That's not true, you ended up in hospital last time."

"Perfect?" Niall said, raising an eyebrow as he picked up the scattered decorations. "Because you idiots forgot the rings."

"Fair point," Niall admitted, handing Liam a now-crumpled banner that read Just Married. "But you've got to chill, man. It's a wedding, not a covert operation."

Liam shot him a look. "Tell that to Harry. He's been pacing around the venue, micromanaging the seating arrangement like it's a game of chess."

"Ah, H is in full-on mother hen mode, then?" Niall said with a laugh.

"Always," Liam replied, shaking his head. "But if this wedding goes off without a hitch, it'll be worth it."

As they finished gathering the decorations, the sound of Zayn's voice echoed from down the hall. "Oi! You two better not be slacking. Louis is stressing out about where the fairy lights go, and I'm not taking the blame for it!"

Niall grinned as he stood up, slinging the box into his arms. "And so it begins."

Liam sighed, following Niall toward the venue. "Remind me why we agreed to be part of this circus again?"

"Because we love them," Niall said simply, a mischievous glint in his eye. "And because we're suckers for punishment."

Liam chuckled despite himself. "Fair enough."

As they stepped into the venue, the vibrant summer sunlight streaming through the windows, the chaos of the day suddenly felt less daunting. After all, what was a little mayhem when it came to celebrating love?