Drowning || Larry Stylinson

chapter two

The next day, Louis woke up in a bed that wasn't his own in a room that was also not his. He furrowed his eyebrows and then rolled over, groaning and covering his face with his arms when a bright light suddenly shined into his eyes. Louis always hated waking up in a hotel room instead of places he was used to sleeping, like his bunk in the van or his bed in his flat or his bed back at his mum's house. Louis sat up in bed, looking around and groaning when he saw that a snoring Liam was in the bed next to him. The one thing he hated more than waking up in a hotel room was waking up in one that he had to share with someone else. Especially Liam, who snored all throughout the night and could be heard through two pillows.

"Liam, you asshole, wake up," Louis croaked out in his morning voice, throwing a pillow at the brunet who just rolled over in his sleep after snorting, just going back to sleep. Louis rolled his eyes, stepping out of his bed to go shake Liam awake. After a bit of trying and failing to get the  boy up, Louis gave up and figured that if Liam really wanted breakfast he should've gotten himself up.

The blue-eyed boy made his way into the bathroom, deciding to take a quick shower before heading to a dining room set off a bit from the regular dining room, where they could eat without the bothersome of fans or paparazzi. He washed up, used the loo, and then got dressed in something casual for the day before making his way out, grabbing his phone and room key. On his way to the lift, he heard someone yell for him to stop it.

Louis stuck his hand out of the doors, frowning a bit when he saw Harry coming closer and closer. Usually the curly-haired boy was up way before Louis could even fathom getting up. To see him later than Louis, running down the hall to catch the lift with a security guard lagging behind, was quite humorous. Louis smirked once Harry was close enough, not bothering to hold the doors for the security guard who was still halfway up the hall.

"What's got you so late, little lad?" Louis asked teasingly, nudging Harry's bicep with his fist. "Did a girl keep you up last night?"

He asked it way before he could really process any of it. Here Louis was, not really noticing what he was saying before, now low-key trying to figure out a way to make up for it. Harry, his newly openly gay best friend, was staring directly at Louis like he had grown two heads, and maybe with a bit of discomfort and sadness, none of which Louis had intended for Harry to feel.

"I meant a guy, mate, I really did," Louis choked out after a bit of awkward silence, in which the two simply just stared each other.

Harry shook his head a little. "It's okay, Lou. The others have had a lot more time to accept it," he said with a shrug, like it wasn't completely offensive to mix up his known sexuality.

"Harry, it's not that I don't accept it. I just...I just wasn't really...expecting you to come out yesterday. Especially on a radio show, where thousands of pre-pubescent girls were listening in," Louis replied, trying to stress the fact he wasn't against gays at all, he just didn't think Harry was. He was also a bit hurt that Harry hadn't told him but had told everyone else and their aunt Sally, but he wasn't too worried about his own feelings. He was more worried that he had made Harry think he was phobic, which Louis definitely wasn't.

"And pubescent boys, Louis, come on be fair now," Harry said with a teasing smirk. Louis blushed a little, looking down at his feet. "It really is fine, Louis. I just meant that the boys had time to let it all sink in. They had to get used to it over a span of about a year. You have to get used to it...well...now."

Louis chuckled a little, shrugging. "It does need some getting used to," he murmured. He then nibbled his lip, trying to think of something else to say. "Do you want to go have some drinks tonight? Maybe check out some dude bum?"

Harry snorted, holding the doors open for the lift once they had gotten to the main floor. "Don't worry, Louis. I won't make you check out dude bum. Although, I don't think anyone really calls it that. In fact no one does," he said.

Louis smiled nervously up at Harry, stepping out of the lift and into the main hall. "Well you never know. I have to learn all the gay terminology," he joked before nudging Harry again.

Harry simply rolled his eyes and walked in front of Louis, leading them towards the secret dining room.

---

Later that day, Louis was scrolling through his private FaceBook when a mention on Twitter suddenly came up. He frowned, knowing he only had notifications on for a couple of people, so he went onto the app.

'Harry_Styles: please stop saying that @Louis_Tomlinson and i are dating. we don't appreciate it.'

Louis read the words over and over again, blushing hotly at the thought of people actually believing they were together. The thought of it actually made him a bit skittish in the stomach, like butterflies were fluttering about inside of his insides. Louis quickly shut off his phone, shoving it back into his pocket. Slowly, Louis made his way out of the hotel room, then down the hallway towards Harry and Niall's room. Usually Louis and Harry shared rooms, but for once, Louis wanted to be alone. And Harry wanted to just hang out with Niall.

Gently, Louis knocked on the room's door, waiting for awhile for someone to answer. He heard Niall yell something muffled, then some large footsteps coming towards the door. It opened then only revealing half of Harry's face. He furrowed his eyebrows, then smiled wide, opening the door all of the way.

"Louis!" Harry said excitedly. "What brings you in here, my good man?"

Louis chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "I just, um. I wanted to say thank you. For what you said on Twitter. You don't usually say much about the whole thing," he answered, shrugging a little. "You know how much it bothers me, so I appreciate it."

Harry nodded, smiling softly. "Yeah. It's not problem, Louis. It was starting to make me uncomfortable, as well. I mean, I know they're not going to stop, but it would be nice they could shut up every once in awhile," Harry replied with a shake of his head.

"Well. Sounds like you really changed your viewpoint on the fans," Louis said.

"I don't really mean all of them. I just mean the ones who are, like, 'I told you so. I knew he was gay.' Like. No you didn't know I was gay, you just assumed using your nasty homophobic stereotypes," Harry rambled.

"Oh. Is that what they're saying?" Louis asked quietly, frowning. "Doesn't much sound like that's very nice."

Harry shook his head, then looked back at Niall. "Shut up, Ni," he hissed out, who was pouting at the two of them. When Harry turned back to Louis, he looked apologetic. Almost like he was sorry that his kid was being rude and rambunctious. "Hey, do you want to come in? Niall keeps complaining I open the door too much and that I'm letting too much heat out."

Louis shook his head, smiling a little. "No, that's fine. You guys can get back to your Narry playtime. I'm gonna go take a nap before our photoshoot," he said while waving goodbye to Harry, who slowly backed his way into the room. Before Louis could make it to his room, though, Harry was calling his name. He looked up, meeting Harry's eyes. "Yeah?"

"Thank you. For, you know. Not freaking out," Harry said, his grin small and sincere.

For some reason, Louis' heart beat faster. "Yeah. No problem, Haz," he replied before heading into his room.