Swimming Through Sick Lullabies - Larry Stylinson

Chapter 11

“What do you wanna do?” Zayn asked as they’d gone up to his room.

“I should be responsible and ask you to study together, ‘cause my grades are really slacking, but I don’t think I want to.” Louis mumbled into Zayn’s fluffy rug, on which he was spread out. The softness and fluffiness of it almost hurt.

“I feel you,” Zayn answered, not bothering to elaborate.

Louis sat up straight again, “Let’s watch the first 300 film. I saw you had it on DVD last time.”

And that was how they ended up eating popcorn for dinner while having a movie marathon. Movies that consisted of 95% of fighting and bad special effects were always nice.

“I almost forgot how much I love fictional violence,” Louis grunted in content, a handful of popcorn in his mouth.

“Too bad that Xerxes looks so silly. He’s supposed to be a badass god, but looks like a failed model of some extravagant designer,” Zayn sighed.

“They just did that so we’d hate the Persians even more and like the Spartans better. Not that it would be possible for me to like the Spartans less either way. They’re my favourite part of history.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, personally. I think the invention of pizza was way more important.”

Louis threw a piece of popcorn at Zayn’s head, “Favourite part of ancient Greece then.”

“So why’s Liam not here? I thought you’d become buddies recently?” Louis asked, even though he already knew the answer to it, as Zayn switched the disc from 300 to The Gladiator.

“He said he’d already made plans with some other people. He didn’t want to elaborate when I asked about it, so I just let him be.” He shrugged like he didn’t care. Louis could see through him, though.

“But…” he insinuated.

“But nothing.” Zayn said, watching the beginning of the film.

“Come on, something is definitely bothering you. I can see it on you. We’re best friends for a reason, Z.”

Zayn frowned at the screen, “I just feel like he’s hiding something, you know. He can be so secretive sometimes. It drives me crazy.”

So Zayn had noticed that something was up, after all. He wondered if the black haired lad could see through his own façade too when he lied to him to not reveal werewolves. People didn’t give Zayn enough credit sometimes. He was a very attentive and intelligent lad. Louis would bet his life on it that wouldn’t even take a half year for Zayn to figure out Liam’s hairy secret.

“I’m sure it’s nothing bad,” Louis said gently, “If, if  he’s hiding something, I’m sure he’ll tell you when he thinks time is right. Don’t you worry your pretty little head over it. It’s too pretty for that. The only thing you have to worry about now, is why you still haven’t made out with him.”

“Louis…” Zayn rolled his eyes.

“What? You’ve been dancing around each other for weeks now! You should’ve been together for ages by now.”

“I don’t think we’ll really end up together thought,” Zayn sighed, “I definitely still like him, but I think he sees me more as a friend and I’m on my way of trying to be okay with that.”

“Well I’m not okay with that!” Louis cried out, “I’m not willing to give up my title of your best friend to some human puppy. Don’t be such a pessimist and just give the boy some time. I’m sure that’s all he needs. You might not see it, but the way he acts around you is different from how he acts around his other friends. It’s quite like the way you act around him, acutally.”

“Yeah, sure,” Zayn pouted looking defeated, like a puppy that had tried to catch the laser light for several hours only to eventually give up. No wonder Liam and he would be great together. They both resembled puppies.

“Yes. I am sure. You only need to be pushed a bit more, and lucky for you I know the perfect way to do that,” Louis said, bumping his shoulder with his own fist.

“Oh, no! No, no, no!” Zayn cried out with wide eyes, “You’re not going to intervene. I don’t want to lose him as a friend which I definitely will if you are going to meddle. You’ll scare him away!”

“I would not,” Louis gasped scandalized, “And for the record, I’ve been meddling, as you put it so nicely, from the beginning already. You just didn’t notice. And so far, I think I’ve done pretty well. Thank you very much.”

“Just forget our conversation and watch the film from now on.” Zayn commanded defeated.

As if Louis would listen to him. The next part of his GZT-plan could get started! He hadn’t yet figured out the details, but there were enough possibilities. Locking the two of them in a room until they one of them confessed their dying love for the other, for example. Or maybe he could send them on a blind date with each other. Like he said, the possibilities were endless. He mentally noted to ask Niall’s opinion on it. That Irishmen often had great ideas.

*

That was all Louis could remember of that night. One moment he was sitting next to Zayn watching The Gladiator, and the next he was lying in bed. Checking his phone he saw it was already four in the morning. He damned those awful black-outs and the nightmares that were soon to follow.

They were getting a little out of hand, actually, and Louis knew that the smartest thing to do was to inform someone of them. He couldn’t quite inform a doctor if it was something supernatural, though. And informing Harry sounded… too risky. He didn’t want to lose him, scare him away, and he was afraid that that might be the outcome of it.

Also, telling someone about them, would made them even more real. It was easier to just brush them off himself and feign they did not exist.

A.N.: Any ideas for Louis' masterplan?