November [Larry Stylinson AU]

Chapter 3

When Louis woke up, it was to the sound of a familiar Irish accent snapping at him with anger built in his voice. He mumbled a bit, trying to cover his face with his blanket but it was tugged from his grip. Louis blinked his eyes open a few times and glanced around the room, groaning as the ceiling began spinning. He gripped his forehead, hearing Niall speak but the words were muffled by the sleepiness drowning him out. He hated hangovers, especially vodka ones. Though, that's all he tends the drink. It's been a while, though, a few months since he last drank. Especially like that. 

Suddenly realization hit that he woke up to Niall, not Dylan. He frantically sat up and saw that it was nine am on the clock. Shit. Dylan was late to school and that was his last warning. Worry filled Louis and he quickly tried getting out of bed, only for Niall to grab his arm and hold him back when he stumbled. 

 "Louis, relax! I took Dylan to school. He came knocking at my door and said you weren't waking up," Niall said with a deep frown, disappointment evident in his eyes. 

 Louis' heart ached, imagining the poor boy unable to wake him up and panicking. He always told him if there was anything wrong to go to Niall's apartment. It was good to know he did that, but the reason just...broke his heart. He felt his eyes sting and closed them tightly, rubbing his forehead as a lump formed in his throat. 

"I fell off the wagon," Louis murmured with a tight throat. The bed dipped as Niall sat down and he felt the guy's hand place lightly on his back. "You did." 

 "It's been a month," Louis said, looking up with sad eyes. "I didn't—There wasn't even a good reason. I just wanted to, I was a little sad and just drank." 

 "You told me there wasn't any alcohol in your house," Niall said with a hurt voice. "I trusted you, Louis. And I know you love Dylan but – but you scared the shit out of him. He sounded so sad and worried. And he had a right to be. How many shots did you even drink? It took me ten minutes to wake you up, I almost called an ambulance." 

 "I didn't think it was much." 

 "Louis, how much did you drink." 

 "A bottle."

 Niall looked at him in horror, then the expression turned to worry when he saw tears falling down his cheek. He let out a soft sigh and wrapped his arms around Louis, hugging him tightly to which Louis gratefully accepted the embrace. He let out a choked sob, burying his face in the boy's shoulder and allowing himself to be held. He's been an alcoholic for a few years now. Though, technically it can go as far back as to school because when he was just fourteen, he started drinking. 

And not just trying it a few times, he was getting drink. He didn't do it much after that until he went to uni and then when he was given Dylan, the drinking changed from a party thing to a coping mechanism for stress. It started changing everything. He loved Dylan dearly and never ever put him in true danger, but there were a few times when it affected his son's life, like making him late to school. He always drank when Dylan was asleep and the hangover is what affected his son mostly, because the poor boy would be confused when Louis wouldn't wake up.  

It wasn't till he moved and met Niall that he started to change. 

 Niall keeps him in check, acting as an uncle for Dylan. He was always in their life when Louis moved, but one night Dylan (much like this morning) went over to Niall's in the middle of the night after having a nightmare and told Niall his daddy wouldn't wake up. Since then, Niall knew of Louis' alcoholism and is honestly the nicest guy ever. This was déjà vu and Louis hated it. 

 "Hey," Niall spoke softly, rubbing his shoulder in a comforting manner. "Listen mate, I'm not trying to make you upset but this—this can't keep happening. A month is great, but you have a son. He can't see you like this all the time. Most people would be calling social services, love. And I don't want to scare you, but eventually someone else will know what's going on and they're not gonna be as kind as I am."