St. Ambrose Mental Health and Rehabilitation Center //// AU LiLo

Chapter 14: Define

Things slowly began to go back to normal after that night on the roof. They didn't discuss Louis's condition again. Liam didn't know what to say, and Louis was scared of what he would say if he did. Instead, Louis just tried his best to take it easy around Liam. He made sure to keep himself calm when he began to feel angry, to take a second to think about what he was doing, and to never miss a dose of medication. Likewise, Liam forced himself to stop flinching every time Louis moved close to him. He kept reassuring the boy that he did not think he was a freak, that he was his friend no matter what. On the few occasions Louis's temper did get the better of him, Liam was there to keep him from getting too down on himself and remind him that he wasn't defined by his illness. Soon, Liam found he was no longer afraid of Louis, and he didn't need the other boys there when they hung out. Louis found himself leaning on Liam like he had never leant on anyone before. The boy had become Louis's strength, his anchor, and whether it was the medicine, Liam, or a mixture of both, Louis had never felt better.

"Today is gonna be epic!" Niall said excitedly over his bowl of cereal that morning. Liam smirked back at the boy across the table, not as convinced as to how the day would go.

"I can't believe Forrester is letting you play after all the practice you missed Lou," Harry said, admiration in his voice.

"He doesn't have much of a choice, not like he's got a reserve team on the bench," Louis replies, shrugging his shoulders easily.

"Right. That, and the fact that you're the only one of us out there worth a damn has nothing to do with it," Liam says.

"Hey! Take that back you git!" Niall demanded in mock outrage.

The truth was, despite Louis's initial claims to the contrary, they were all pretty decent. Liam had played some in secondary school and uni, but he wasn't a natural talent. Harry was a little better, but he was younger and less polished. Niall was really good, he could've played for a decent uni team if he chose to go, but he liked to have fun a lot more than he liked to compete and that got in the way of winning sometimes. Louis was brilliant though. Liam had never seen anything like it when Louis was on the field. He was graceful, calculated, relaxed. Every move Louis made was with purpose, with conviction, and he always made his mark. Watching Louis play was like falling into a trance, so naturally Liam couldn't get caught up in watching when he was supposed to be playing.

Liam chuckles and tosses some cereal at Niall's head instead. "Honestly, this is a proper uni team we're playing. What're our chances of not embarrassing ourselves?" he asks.

"Pretty slim, mate. Which is why I'll be there to have a good laugh," Zayn says with a grin.

Liam is glad they've become friends now. The rooming situation has become a lot less awkward, and he knows it's easier on Louis, who seemed intent on keeping both Zayn and Liam as friends.

"I didn't know other kids were coming."

"Yeah a whole bus of us go to the games," Eleanor smiles at him from across the table.

"And my parents are coming too," Niall says.

"My mum said she's coming but, you know how that goes," Harry says. He tries to sound nonchalant but everyone can hear the rejection in his voice. Liam feels bad for him, and really hopes that his mother actually shows up to see her son play.

"Your parents coming Li?" Louis asks.

"Doubt it, haven't been here long enough for a visit. Besides I'm sure my father has more important stuff to deal with."

"Well that's Niall's mum cheering him on, Harry's mum for him, Zayn for Lou, guess I'll be cheering for you Liam," Eleanor says. Liam grins back at her.

"Are you going too then?" Louis asks with a bite in his voice Liam can't comprehend.

"I go every game, don't I?"

"Not really sure why, as you can't see a damn thing under that pound of mascara."

Liam's head whipped up so fast from his cereal his neck cracked. The other boys were stunned into silence as they watched Louis and Eleanor glare at each other across the table.

"What the hell is your problem Louis?" Liam asks, furious.

"It's fine, Liam. Just let it go." Eleanor says, voice small.

"No. That was a shit thing to say and you damn well know it, Lou." Liam doesn't curse often, he rarely ever lets himself rise to that level of emotion, but Louis had just gotten him there.

"You heard her Liam," Louis says, drawing out the boy's name in a warning. "Let it go."

Liam stands up, shaking his head. "You know what Lou? Your disorder doesn't define you, but the way you treat other people does. When are you gonna grow up and take responsibility for yourself?" Liam turns to Eleanor and smiles at her. "I hope you're cheering the loudest," he says, walking off to change for the game.

The boys have a rough start on the field. The residual tension from breakfast gets in the way of their chemistry in the game and they find themselves down by three points at the half. They shuffle into the locker room exhausted and dispirited.

"We're getting bloody killed," Niall groans after Forrester's heated lecture.

"None of us are where we're supposed to be. We need to get our heads in the damn game," Louis days.

"Has anyone seen my mum?" Harry asks, quietly.

"Seriously, did you not just hear me?" Liam can tell Louis is agitated. He can feel the tension radiating off the boy.

"Lay off, Louis," Liam stands, getting ready to pull Louis back if need be.

Louis lets out a long sigh and collapses on the bench. "I'm sorry," he says. "I'm sure she's out there Harry. And I'm sorry about this morning, that was out of line."

"Forget about it," Liam shrugs.

"Alright then, can we please win this damn game now?" Niall asks, bouncing up and down.

They lose 3-2, but they played brilliantly in the second half.