The first week went better than Louis had expected, but that could have just been because he and Nick didn’t see each other a whole lot (because Nick mainly stayed in his room or was out with Landon, and their work schedules didn’t help. Nick would get home at around 10, and Louis left for work a few hours after that), and it helped that their parents weren't right there breathing down their necks. That Saturday Louis got an offer from the guys to come out and party with them, he refused, deciding to stay home and sit on the couch, drinking tea and watching the games that he had missed but had recorded to watch later. Nick had gone out, or so Louis assumed. They didn’t talk much outside of ‘there’s pizza on the table’ and ‘mum said hi’. And Louis tried his best to pretend that it didn’t bother him. Louis fell asleep sometime around 10 and was woken at midnight by a car door slamming and a strangers voice talking rather loudly. He sat up on the couch quickly and looked around, standing and making his way to the door, gripping the blanket in his hands. He peeked out the window there and sighed, opening the door and groaning at the scene. There was a cab driver standing outside his running cab and trying to coax Nick up the few steps to get to their house. Nick was just busy laughing and gripping onto the cab. Louis dropped the blanket and stepped out, retying the string on his sweats as he jogged down the steps and to the cab.
“Ill take him from here,” Louis told the cabdriver, who immediately complained about Nick still owing him money for the ride. Louis sighed and tried to ignore Nick, who was running his finger up and down the side of Louis’ face and playing with his ear, while trying to shimmy Nicks wallet out of his pocket, he eventually did and paid the cab driver before pocketing Nicks wallet, ignoring the drunken slurring coming from Nick. “Lets go…” Louis spoke, putting an arm around Nick and letting him lean on him for the most part, knowing that it was pointless because Nick was heavier and Louis couldn’t hold him up. They headed to the steps and Nick burst out laughing, turning and leaning a little too much on Louis and sending Louis stumbling away for a few moments. “Nicholas… I cannot carry you, so either you pull yourself together enough to get up these steps or you can sleep out here all night. I couldn’t give a damn either way…” He spoke, finally able to coax Nick up the steps and inside. He got Nick down the hall and to his bedroom, opening the door and helping Nick, who just dropped himself onto the bed face down. Louis sighed and suddenly felt for anyone who has ever taken care of him when he was like this. He tugged off Nicks shoes, tossing them by the dresser, then moved up and, with some struggle, managed to get Nicks jacket off. He rolled him to his side and took a deep breath as Nicks eyes fluttered back open and he rolled to his back, arms out for Louis.
“C’mere…awna cuddle…you're pretty” he slurred out. Louis just shook his head and walked out, returning with a glass of water and some pills for him to take when he woke up to help with the hangover. Nick just laid in bed frowning. “D’you not luh me?...” He asked, sounding like a hurt child. Louis sighed and bent by the bed, trying to keep this in normal territory. He pressed a kiss to Nicks head, unable to stop himself.
“I don’t hate you, I cant hate you. I do love you its just..complicated. I cant cuddle right now…Just go to sleep, Nick. Don’t do something youll regret in the morning” He spoke, moving to stand back up straight but Nick whined (yes, whined) and was somehow coordinated enough to grab Louis’ shoulder and tug him hard enough to bring the younger boy tumbling into the bed. “Nick” Louis scolded, struggling to sit up. Nick just wrapped Louis tighter against him, holding him until Louis gave up. He wasn’t going to get away. After some effort he convinced Nick that he would be right back and he stood locking the door and shutting the lights off. He considered just heading to his room, but a part of him reminded him that he was tired and Nick wanted him. Against his better judgment, Louis turned and headed back down the hall and into the room. After shutting the door and laying in the bed, he pulled the covers up around them both, trying to keep his distance from Nick, who felt him there and immediately shifted, tugging Louis flush against him. Louis hadn’t slept better in years, though he’d never admit it.
