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

Chapter 29: Difficult Conversation

Liam tensed at the sound of a third person in the room. Cursing internally, Louis removed himself from his position over the younger boy, adjusting the both of them into sitting positions in the process.

"Should I come back later?" Zayn asks.

Louis doesn't take his eyes off Liam, studying the lad's reaction. His eyes are still closed, face flushed, panting slightly. Louis can't pin point if he's recovering from the kiss or if he's trying to fight off a panic attack triggered by Zayn catching them in a compromising position.

"Yeah, can you give us a minute mate?" Louis asks, still searching Liam for signs.

"No," Liam argues, finally opening his eyes. "It's fine."

"Li-"

"It's okay Lou," Liam interrupts with a small smile. "Just, put on a shirt please."

Louis sighs, getting off the bed to retrieve his discarded tshirt. He realizes he must look like a proper mess, hair disheveled from bed and Liam's fingers, lips red and swollen from snogging. He's not embarrassed, though. In fact, he's quite pleased with himself. He only hopes Liam isn't too adversely affected by being outed so soon.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Zayn asks as Louis pulls his shirt over his head.

"What about?" Louis counters, confused by the agitation in Zayn's voice.

"He's fucking with your head mate, and you're in no place right now to allow it."

Louis understands then. He gets that Zayn is just being his best mate like always, that Zayn's just trying to look out for him.

"Zayn," Liam says timidly. "I know you have no reason to believe me, but I swear I'm not messing with him."

"Fuck off Liam, I'm not talking to you."

"Don't talk to him like that," Louis interjects.

Zayn's glaring at them now, but Louis sees more than anger, he sees hurt.

"Z, come on mate, I know what I'm doing," Louis tries to reassure him.

"Do you? He has a girlfriend Louis!"

"Ex-girlfriend," Liam mumbles. "I broke up with her because I want to be with Louis."

"Since when, and for how long?"

"Zayn, I know you're looking out for me, but lay off," Louis warns.

"No, let him answer Lou. How's this gonna work? Is he gonna come out to everyone, to his parents? Or is this just gonna be a secret thing that doesn't go past the center?"

Louis doesn't respond, because he honestly can't. The truth is, they haven't discussed it, so Louis doesn't know what they're doing. The only thing he cared to know last night was that Liam and Eleanor were over, and that Liam finally admitted his feelings out loud.

"I'm not going to hurt Louis," Liam says, standing from the bed, and Louis's heart clenches because that's not an answer.

"You already did!" Zayn yells at him.

Louis moves so that he's standing between the two boys. The tension in the room is overwhelming, Zayn looks like he'll snap any moment and he wouldn't put it past Liam to go off again after how he ended up in the infirmary in the first place. Louis wonders, vaguely, when he became the one preventing fights instead of starting them.

"Lou, you're making a mistake," Zayn says, staring Louis dead in the eyes.

"You might be right," Louis confirms, smiling sadly. "But the mistake is already made. I appreciate you looking out, I love you for it mate, but now if there's gonna be pieces I just need you to be there to pick them up."