The Worst Intentions (Larry)

12. Reassemble

we're back to 3rd person so don't get confused.

and don't comment about how i need to add a recap at the beginning if i don't update for a long time. it's not that hard to go and re-read the previous chapter again.

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"Alright, show of hands, who missed me?" Matthew sat down next to Liam, eyes surveying the semi-circle the eight, now nine, made up. "But wait, where are Louis and Harry?"

"Don't you already know the answer to both of those?" Calum countered as he moved his legs up to his chest, encircling them with his arms and propping his chin between his knees.

"Yes, but it's always nice to hear it from someone else on occasion; you know, boost the old confidence and what not," Matthew said, pointedly disregarding his own second question.

"Hate to break it to ya, but nobody missed you," Michael laughed dryly. Calum nodded his head in agreement while Luke and Ashton pretended to be busy checking over each others already healed wounds; Niall shrugged, neither denying nor confirming, Perrie doing the same, and Zayn looked mildly offended. Liam bit at his bottom lip, looking as though he were picking his words very carefully.

"It's not that I didn't miss you, it's just that I was a bit preoccupied." His posture relaxed some when he continued with, "I'm sure Louis will be ecstatic to see you, though. Harry and he should be waking up soon."

Matthew chuckled, smile as radiant as ever, clearly unperturbed by the mixed reactions. "That, is highly debatable, but I know all of you are at least a bit relieved to see me back in one piece and that's enough for me." He turned his head to the side, gaze zeroing in on Louis and Harry. His smile dissolved into something smaller, more fond. "Speaking of waking up..."

All attention was on the pair as soon as the last word had left Matthew's mouth and, sure enough, the two were suddenly bolting upright, gasping and clutching at their throats. Too busy coughing, they didn't seem to notice that they were literally inches from touching - something neither had willingly done for months.

Harry was the first to sober up, and when he did, his watery green eyes finally took in everything around him. They landed on the person next to him last, and the change in his attitude was instantaneous.

"You," he seethed, voice beyond scratchy.

Louis, who was still trying to clear his throat, froze. Slowly he turned towards the owner of the voice, letting out a weird noise when he saw Harry's dark expression. Tearing his gaze away from the death glare, he finally realized there were several pairs of eyes curiously watching the both of them.

"Wh-" he cut himself off with another fit of coughing, and Liam was quickly at his side. Harry still looked like he was thinking of extremely violent ways to end Louis, so Liam shot a slightly pleading look Luke's way. Thankfully the blonde understood, and a second later the pair wore matching expressions of calmness.

"Lou, you alright?" Liam patted him on the back, which didn't really help at all; nonetheless Louis didn't push him away. He also didn't bother answering the question since he had no idea what he was feeling at the moment. He was certain that every single inch of his body, inside and out, hurt like a bitch just a second ago, but now he was strangely numb.

What the hell is going on with him?

"What about you, Harry?"

Blue eyes snapped over to the aforementioned seemingly on their own, and Louis' brain was telling him that he should be panicking, but he was at ease. He heard Harry think the same thing when green eyes hesitantly met his own, and now his brain was also telling him that he should be extremely confused.