London Bridges

Chapter 10: Loyalty

"He's here, and he won't tell us what happened, and I don't even need to know but he's properly gutted and I know you could help."

The voice on the other end of the phone line sighs, defeated.

"I don't know what you want me to do, mate," Niall's Irish lilt comes through the receiver. "He's the one that cooled things off."

"Come down to London."

"Locking us in your guest room isn't gonna fix anything. You can't Parent Trap us, Liam."

"You can kip on the couch," Liam tries again. "This is more than just your feelings for each other, Niall, we're friends."

"I can be your friend in Ireland."

Liam lets out a frustrated breath. "Do I really have to play the Haz card? He wouldn't want it to be like this."

The other end of the line is quiet for so long that Liam thinks he may have went too far and Niall has hung up. He's about to cut his losses and end his call when he hears Niall grunt his agreement to come to London.

"You've been with Louis for too long, mate," Niall says. "You're playing dirty."

"Can't argue with success," Liam answers.

Liam is excited he's gotten Niall to agree to come to London. It had been two weeks since Zayn showed up and they were no closer to getting him to open up about what happened between him and the Irish lad than they had been that first night. Louis kept insisting Zayn just needed time and space, but Liam wasn't as convinced. According to him, Niall showing up would be exactly the push Zayn needed to confront his issues.

"You did what?" Louis asks, hearing perfectly clearly but not wanting to believe it.

"I invited Niall to come stay with us," Liam repeats.

"Why the fuck would you do that?" Exasperation clear in Louis's voice.

"He's our friend," Liam says, frowning. "He's hurting."

"Zayn is our friend. Zayn is hurting. Zayn is hurting because of Niall, and Zayn is already here. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"Don't patronize me, Lou."

"He needs time, Liam, I told you not to push it."

"Are we really going to fight about this?" Liam asks, frustrated with Louis's lack of understanding and bristling at the use of his first name.

"I told you not to push it," Louis repeats.

"I don't follow your orders."

Louis's eyes flash with anger. "You know that's not what I meant."

"I'm not sure I know anything," Liam accuses. "I thought you'd want to help Niall."

"I'm trying to help Zayn!" Louis raises his voice, frustrated.

"You can't help one without the other! Whether they're together in the end or not, they have to fix what's between them, and they can't do that if Zayn is hiding out here indefinitely."

Liam storms out of their bedroom. He's angry with Louis for not understanding, for being upset when he was just trying to help, for taking sides and coddling Zayn when Niall needed them just as much.

He decides to start making dinner, hoping that having something to do would keep his mind from running away with thoughts of Louis not trusting his judgement. Liam doesn't realize he's slamming things until Zayn comes out of his room, wide eyed and sheepish.

"Alright, Liam?" Zayn asks.

"Brilliant," Liam answers, swearing painfully when he accidentally cuts himself with the knife he was using to cut the vegetables for dinner.

"Listen," Zayn says, watching Liam tend to his wound. "I can take off, yeah? If I've overstayed my welcome?"

"Don't be daft, Z," Liam answers, getting a bandage and turning back to the food. "We're more than happy to have you here, for as long as you need, mate."

"I heard you fighting with Louis."

"That," Liam starts, trailing off for a second. "That wasn't about you."

"Bullshit."

Liam stays quiet until he gets the rest of the dinner preparations started on the stove. "I'm just trying to help. I'm trying to help everyone, and Louis is only trying to help you. I get it, you guys are best mates, you go way back. We've all been through hell together, though, Niall included, and he needs us too."

"You're right," Zayn says, shrugging his shoulders. "I shouldn't be monopolizing your support. I'm being selfish. Lou is just trying to be loyal though, he doesn't mean to get you angry with him."

"Niall is coming," Liam says, ignoring Zayn's defense of Louis. "He's gonna be staying here, on the sofa if that's what makes you guys most comfortable, but you guys need to work out your shit."

"Okay," Zayn agrees.

Dinner is quiet and awkward. Liam feels bad for how uncomfortable Zayn must feel, but not bad enough for him to give in and speak to Louis. He goes back to their room when he's done eating, leaving Louis and Zayn to clean up, and eventually falls asleep alone. Louis stays out in the living room, chain smoking and watching some crap reality show with Zayn.

"You need to talk to him," Zayn says after three mindless episodes.

"I know."

"I'm not gonna let my shit come between you two."

"I know."

"He was just trying to help. I'm not upset, kind of relieved actually, I needed the kick in the pants."

"I know."

Zayn lets Louis vegetate a little while longer, but after two more episodes he can no longer stomach the Real Housewives of anything so he shuts off the tv and bids Louis goodnight.

"I was watching that," Louis protests.

"Go talk to your boyfriend," Zayn calls back while on the way to his room.

Louis huffs, lighting another cigarette in the now dark living room. He's stubborn, and he doesn't want another fight, so he makes sure he's good and ready before he goes back to Liam.

Liam is snoring lightly when Louis enters the room. His fringe is flat against his forehead, still a bit wet from his shower, and he's encased in a cocoon of blanket. Louis feels a pang of guilt in his chest when he sees Liam's arms wrapped around the pillow he normally uses. He can't remember the last time they went to sleep without each other, and he knows he was being an arse earlier.

"Li," he whispers, slipping into bed behind the lad.

Liam instantly turns over, still sleeping, Louis's torso replacing the pillow in his arms. A sigh of contentment escapes Liam as Louis runs his fingers through his hair. Louis smiles softly, pressing a gentle kiss to Liam's lips. Whatever they have to talk about can wait until the morning.