Elf Bites ❄ l.s. AU

10: Headaches and Harry

C H A P T E R    T E N

Headaches and Harry

❄●❄

                  WITH A GRUNT, Louis successfully shoved open the door to his flat while simultaneously keeping Harry upright, the idiot's heavy, tattooed arm dangling uselessly over Louis' shoulder. He was mumbling something that Louis couldn't make out, but he didn't bother paying attention as he lugged the dead weight inside.

                  Lottie was still awake, but she'd pulled the bed out of the sofa already. She was still annoyed with Louis, turning down his offer to take her out for dinner the previous night, but when she saw her brother struggling in the doorway, she quickly hopped off the bed to assist him.

                  "Lou, who the hell – "

                  She was reaching for Harry, ready to take on half of his weight, but Louis jerked his chin toward the door. "Get that, will you?"

                  Lottie shut it behind them and then returned to help. "Who is this?"

                  "Name's Harry. Help me sit him down somewhere."

                  They got him to the edge of the pull-out, but Louis wanted something with back support. Lottie retrieved his cushioned chair from his room where they'd relocated it when she moved in to make room in the den. They transferred Harry to it after Louis caught his breath a bit.

                  Harry was so out of it. Louis didn't think he'd had enough to drink to get to this point, but the lads broke out the harder stuff after the takeout got there, and well. He must be a lightweight. Maybe he didn't drink often. Louis had no clue. But now he didn't know what to do with him because Harry couldn't seem to remember where he lived.

                  Lottie's forehead wrinkled with concern while she watched Harry's unfocused eyes fail to stay open for very long. His head was lolling from side to side every so often, and he didn't look like he had any control over any of his limbs. Louis couldn't even remember the last time he himself had been this inordinately pissed, and he had no idea what to do for someone who was practically a stranger in this state. How could he help Harry get home? Did Harry live with anyone? Will someone be able to make sure he doesn't, like, choke on his own vomit or die of alcohol poisoning?

                  "Is he okay?" Lottie asked eventually, quiet. This was the youngest Louis' seen her look in years.

                  Louis sighed, running a hand through his hair and over his face. "He's wasted. Couldn't even walk. Niall and Zayn thought it was hilarious, kept giving him more... Liam had to drive us back here. There was no way I would have been able to drag him that far."

                  "Who even is he? How do you know him? I've never heard you talk about a Harry before."

                  At the sound of his name, Harry's eyes struggled to open. Once they finally did, he couldn't focus, couldn't seem to find where the voices he was hearing were coming from. Louis squatted down to his level to see if he could get anything of use out of him yet.

                  "Hey, there. How you feeling, kid?"

                  Harry's brow furrowed, but he met Louis' gaze. "Hi."

                  "D'ya know who I am?"

                  Half a minute at least had to have passed before Harry finally said something, his brow still furrowed, his lips lazily parted the entire time. "Cheekbones."